Imprisoned in the Mountains

Mercy sakes, We’re bein’ held captive in the Smoky Mountains. That’s right we are stuck right here with now way to escape. Let me tell ya’ how this whole thing came to pass.

We we’re on our way to Franklin on Wednesday to get Linda signed up fer’ some ‘Social Insecurity’. It was a beautiful day, the leaves were just startin’ there fall show of colors. As we’re driving down the road the brake warning light comes on, follerd’ by the ABS warning light and the drivers information center says; ‘Service Brake System’. What’s that mean to me? Nothin’! We seemed to still have full brake power so we continue on down the highway, cause there’s a dealer in Franklin. Of course it’s a 7% grade down the mountain fer’ about 4 miles, so this fella’s prayin’ all the way. We made it safe and pulled into Smoky Mountain Chevrolet so’s I can parle’ with someone in Service. We speak to a young fella’ name of Eddie. He gives us the ‘GM Prospectus’. “It’s probably somethin’ ailin’ in yer’ ABS System, but your regular brakes are probably OK, do ya’ still have brake pedal”? Yeah, they seem to be fine, but I got all these lights. Well earliest we can get ya’ in is Friday mornin’. “So You think it’s alright to drive it till then”? Yeah you shouldn’t have any trouble. So we make an appointment.

We get to the ‘Social Insecurity’ office and see a fella’ who says we’re one month too early, but I can make ya’ an appointment. “No, but thanks, we’re only here till Saturday”. So we’re gonna’ get her signed up online instead, hopefully. So we left Franklin to head back up the mountain and down the other side. About 8 miles from the dealer we visited we had a grindin’, gear mashin’, bad, bad experience. After pullin’ off the road I looked underneath, no fluids runnin’ out, all the smoke is still in the electric parts. So I’ll see if we can get back to the dealer, Nah, Not, NO. The truck don‘t seem like it wants to shift out of second gear. So now it’s time to call our ‘Good Sam’ Road Service’ to get a tow back to Franklin. Now "’Good Sam’ wants to tow us to a dealer in Sylva which has been closed for a year or so, not happenin’. After waitin’ an hour the tow shows up with a flatbed and he loads the truck, we all load up and we’re off to the dealer in Franklin.

Two days later they call. Our transfer case on the 4 wheel drive has self destructed. Back in January 2009 We had an emergency repair done at a GM dealer outside Nashville, TN on the transfer case. Seems there is a bushing or somethin’ that wears through the case causin’ fluid loss and failure. They put a patch on the case to prevent this from happenin’. Seems that patch held fine and Mr. Murphy caused somethin’ else to fail.

Had to rent a car to get the 39 miles back to the house and of course the only car available was a Chevrolet Yukon. Oh great what’s that gonna’ cost. Got a cut rate from $98 a day to $48.

So here we are goin’ broke in the Smokies. Gotta go fer’ now see ya’ soon.

Hope to see ya’ down the road as we’re;

Dancin’ on the Wind.