Took me all of yesterday what with actually trying to get work done too getting the pics downloaded from the huge west to east coach trip Cal & I just got off of. And as many of you will remember I start stories and don’t always finish… I really wanted this story to get out.
Another pile of drama is unfolding at the same time but this story was the priority… so without further adue AND so I can move on to another fish… here is last weeks fun, I hope you can put yourself there as you read this… thanks for your support…:
What it’s all About
“What’s it all about…. Alfie” and the question can pertain to many things… I mean just what IS this all about and how can you find those small pockets of fun that makes life interesting? Well for me it’s seat time in a GMC motorhome. I’m in the business because of that fact but I find myself landlocked at the shop…. you guys come in, we do stuff and then you go…. I’m still at the shop. Hey wait a minute…. I want some of that drug too. The drug of the road, it’s getting into the tunnel and riding that blacktop to wherever your heart desires. Jim Greer … previous owner of my coach… JayGee’ I think said it best…. “I travel not to go anywhere but to go”…
So there I was, excited about the upcoming event, have my Co-op uniform on, ticket in my pocket at the Orlando airport waiting for the cattlecar Southwest experience 
Yes.. it’s going to be a good good good good day and I was ready to take it in. The moving to our new shop had taken it out of me and I needed a diversion. This will be a good one… driving with Cal from Prescott Arizona to Orlando to finally spread some new color on his coach. Hey, I’m not ashamed of it but things can be much better.
If you haven’t noticed it’s taking me a while to get all this down… I’m committed though and I will finish this… I promise so stay tuned for more…
“Better” is a realative term…. Cal’s coach is already better than the average bear and over the years getting it in top mechanical condition has been his focus. Has one of our Roller cam 455 motors pulling out his war horse 403 that one day let out it’s smoke on the Grape Vine. “Build it better” is always what you do and the motor with 3.55 gears, a 4 bag rear suspension, a Honda EV 6010 generator, Alcoas of course and just years of making his baby their own… Cal & Roberta are now ready to make the coach look as good as it runs.
Landing in Pheonix then a shuttle to Prescott, it was a long day ending midnight. The next morning I could see their new digs and what an awesome place 
.All of their toys and a great place to keep them, Cal had the coach about ready for takeoff. Having his alternator recently replaced Cal said he was getting a pile of belt squeal. Listen guys, I know you have belt squeal maybe often but when you do you really need to check things out. At first glance I see the bracket from the alternator to the intake manifold was missing then looking deeper the rear adjuster bolt was missing . Wasn’t much I could be about the missing bracket but I did install a rear adjuster bolt with 2 washers to be sure the bolt I found wasn’t too long. 
One more look and check of bolts and I think she’s ready to do our bidding 
So there wasn’t anything left but to load up and hit the road 
And with a hardy Hi-Ho Silver we were off. Oh boy, a 2000 mile test drive….. and check out our funspot…
and fun it was… travelling through the desert straight roads, clear weather …. just doesn’t get any better then this. 
The numbers on the motor were 5-by-5…. 60mph, 15″ of vacuum, 180 degrees of water, 200 of ATF, 13.8 volts and a partridge in a pear tree man this is fun!!! 
Ya have a hard time watching the road with a dash display like that!
——————————– update —————————-
First stop down the hill was Scottsdale for a meetup with my long time friend and fellow GMC enthusiast Dean W. Dean is my Hot Wheels contact. Many years ago Dean helped get my Hot Wheels GMC collection started. Did you know that the GMC motorhome how wheels is the largest model line in the entire Hot Wheels fleet? There’s something like 63 different GMC motorhome Hot Wheels models… yeah and they’re coming out with new ones all the time! Guess they know what we know. Here are some from my collection and remember all of these are GMC motorhome models… each one left to right are different 
This time he lured me over by having 2 models I didn’t have 
I traded the shirt off my back (our new one) for the pair and it was a good trade for sure. Thanks Dean for your friendship and the cool Hot Wheels. 
Surrounded with good friends is what it’s all about…. oh yeah and driving a 26′ road rocket just wraps it all up…… Dean took us for an “In-and-Out” burger … hey, it’s what you do out here…. which made our trip that much more so….. can’t go to In-and-Out Burger in Florida…. can’t see scenery like this out your windshield either 
and Cal’s 78 GMC just ate the road 
Man, can you believe that 5th wheel trailer? Things ARE bigger in Texas! A drive like this evokes the saying “The road goes on forever and the party never ends” , even at 80mph!
The first night Cal planned to hit Kirschner Caverns Park near Benson Arizona. Calling we found they were full but they offered to let us hunker down in their parking lot. Stopped for some grub put us to the park way after 9pm…. we squatted a couple of hours but before dawn the motor was spooled up and we were back on the open road.. saying open is really what driving out here really is…. open sky, open road, open desert and open fun driving one of these machines 
I DID let Cal in on some of the fun but I was always ready to take over 
See that smile…. Cal gets it too! And the party continued….
The next night it was decided “we don’t need no stinkn RV park” and found a deserted exit out in the middle of the desert and man what a spot 
then Cal pulled out his culinary talents with the microwave and we feasted on stuffed peppers, beer and an awesome view . 
Man, you WON’T see a view like THAT in Florida either!!!
The land started to change with humanity coming into the picture. A tunnel in Mobile, a bridge over the Mississippi 
and now a bunch of water 
trees 
and traffic 
But still the fun endured and so did the road 
. I only got one pic of Cal & I near Ocala as it was becoming apparent that we would make the trip and the fun … at least this fun… would soon come to an end 
I tell ya guys, if you want to have a good day… take a good friend on a long trip in your motorhome…….. It’s said a horse runs faster when he can smell the barn….. I didn’t want to tempt fate and besides, reaching Orlando would mean this fun is over!!!! Being honest, I think we both were ready to end it and knowing we were close did give anticipation but still…. Then there it was, our exit…. Blowing along the Florida Turnpike…. and there it was … I-4 Orlando/ Tampa and we were there 
Holy Friollie the drive is done… Cal and his coach is now in Orlando and a new fun will begin. Cal will be with us for a couple of weeks to help setting up the shop so if you’re in the area drop by and meet him and his awesome coach.
Manny is flying in today to help some more with the diesel install documentation and to build up some more transmissions… come on by and meet Manny. The shop is slowing coming together …… and the beat goes on.
Thanks for seeing the story to the end…. I have other stories to write up now…. thanks for your visit and your support. Give me a call if I can help….
Jim, I learned to fly in an airplane with considerably fewer dials and gauges that that coach (Aeronica 7AC Champ).