Monday, October 5, 2009

Final Rally of the year Part 2

Sometimes it is odd what you find along the road. I found this river boat along the highway very far from a river. It looks like at some point there was a moat around it. This old girl has seen much better days.

The bar next door looked as run down as the boat did.

I don't think that stern wheel will ever see water again. Seems a great shame to see this old girl rusting along the highway.

What was not a shame was the excellent happy hours we had during the rally. Dick sure was enjoying himself. He always seems to be having a good time though. We had planned to get Stuart drunk and shave his mustache into a Hitler mustache, but he can drink an elephant under the table.

Tom was able to chat with Barry. Barry is the IBT 2nd VP. Someday soon he will be our clubs president. I am sure a few folks bent his ear about the current direction of the club. I know when I did he was very receptive to what I was saying. Hopefully, as I suggested, he forgoes one of his formal events so that money can be used to fund something for the kids to do at a future International. Barry was a real nice guy and I was glad he came to our event. Not sure he was successful in getting anyone to go to International, but it was nice having him there.

The food was great and everyone was having a good time munching and talking.

Don was there to officiate the Installation. Hey remember those Carhartt work clothing I was talking about in my last post? Kim wears Carhartt too. That lady has good taste in clothing. I did not realize it, but a major disaster was occurring at the very same time.

We had a woman locked in a trailer and she could not get out. Larry came up to Ace and I and asked if we knew anything about locks. We both thought this was a casual conversation until he said "my wife is not too mechanically inclined and cannot get to the lever" It was like a light bulb went on, his wife was trapped and we needed to do something now.

We got Jenny to open the back window and pull out the retainer from the window screen so Ace and I could climb inside. Jenny was very panicked thinking she was trapped. Ace and I took turns talking her down and proceeded to take the lock apart.

The difficult part was that the bolt had broken off and was jammed into the socket in the door jam. Using two screw drivers and some needle nose pliers we were able to pull it out. I have heard of this happening before to others. If you have a 1991 Excella you might want to have a spare door lock on hand when you go out. Thank God Jenny was inside so we could get in the back easily.

After helping a lady in distress there was nothing to do except return to the party.

Garnett, why are you not allowing the kids to have some of that cider? Why is it bubbly? Why is everyone that is drinking it talking loud and smiling?

And why is Deborah not smiling when I take her picture? Some women just don't like their picture taken. Deborah, don't you know how much I like you? I was totally lost Sunday not having you help me with breakfast. Hope that puts a smile on your face.

Now Halle, loves to have her picture taken. She loved pretending this water spigot was a horse. It is photos like this that make this Airstream thing so worth the effort.

2 comments:

Sugarfoot said...

It's wonderful to have a little taste of the installation rally through your eyes, Frank. No surprise that the WDCU threw another great party. Wish I could have been there.

Carl said...

Frank,
As usual, geat posts.
Some history on that stern-wheeler in Shartlesville; It caused a great big hub-bub here in Berks county. Local residents went berserk when he had it trailered in and sat in its moat. The origianl plans were to rennovate it, flood the moat, and use it as a stationary floating caban bar, but the original owner fell on hard economic times and sold the resaurant / bar and the boat. Now the rusting hulk just sits there and I know of NO plans to fix it up. It will probably rust into oblivion. I have heard that the food served under the new owner is quite good for rural Berks County.