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Posted by Tim Holloway [69.54.28.229] on Sunday, March 18, 2012 at 09:09:04 :
So a friend of my wife Joan's opened up a restaurant in Stowe, (Vermont)recently. She has been wanting to go try it. Stowe is about 45 miles from home. Claire got invited to a friends house for an overnight, so Joan suggested we go to the restaurant last night. Fine with me, I am always up for a good meal! I had driven the M37 yesterday and had parked it behind Joan's car. As we were walking out, she asked me, "are we going in Blueberry? I said I was fine with it if she was. Keep in mind, like most women, she tolerates my truck addiction, thinks it is cool that I built the truck, but has no real need to be involved or ride around in them. So off we went. There are 2 ways to go to Stowe from here, either "over the mountain" or the interstate. Over the mountain is a steep and twisty climb, that I have no doubt the truck would make, no worse than some of the climbs we did in the West Virginia Road Rally, but I would be going about 10 mph in 2nd gear for a lot of it with a line of frustrated drivers behind. So I chose the slightly longer interstate route. Besides, I havent driven the M on the interstate much. I got on and she pulled right up to 55 and pretty much stayed there. The interstate leg of the trip is about 16 miles. Joan was rather appalled with the loudness of the truck, something we all know as gear music!
Heading towards the village of Stowe, I had acquired about 4 cars behind me. I usually like to pull over and let them pass, so I was looking for a place to pull off. The bozo behind me started flicking his lights at me, thinking it would make me speed up, so I thought heck with it he can sit back there and I stopped looking for a turnoff.
We got into Stowe, and started looking for the place. We overshot by a couple of miles, and turned around and started back . I saw a Stowe Police car go by the other way. Not speeding I didnt think anything of it, until a minute later, blue lights!I pulled over, and a young officer walked up to the side. I mean young, I would have guessed maybe 14. I guess I am just getting old. He asked me if I knew why he pulled me over? I said "is it because I have 1 taillight? He said yes. I explained to him how the military used one tail light and the other side was a blackout light. He accepted that, but still ran my info through Montpelier. He asked me if I had had anything to drink (no) where we were going, where we had come from etc etc. It felt more like a border crossing interrogation than a routine stop. Finally he determined I was not an Al Quida operative and released us on our own recognisance. We did however get directions to the restaurant from him!
We had a good meal of Corned Beef and Cabbage and being how it was St Patty's day, and there were plenty of Gendarmes on the prowl, I opted not to have any fermented beverages with my meal.
On the way home, I looked over and there was Joan, riding with both hands pressed firmly over her ears. Oh well, she will never be a convert, but she puts up with me.
Tim
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