The Roadtrip

 

Promoting Vancouver, B.C. ' the Fun City '

with the 2nd Annual Sept 15 & 16 2001

Departed April 18th 2001 to participate in:

Sponsors:

Events...

Details, pics & map coming soon

Portland, Oregon: Big Multiple Engine Troubles

After leaving Vancouver in the late afternoon on the 18th, I found I was making great time going south on the I-5. It soon became dark, but I was almost at my 1st night's destination in Portland, Oregon. Being extremely weary of all noises the Mermaid Mobile currently makes, anything out of the ordinary immediately gets my full attention... sure enough a new 'clicking' noise started. I turned off the tunes and looked at my temp gage (normal), the clicking continued, getting a little louder when suddenly BLAM!!!

There was a large explosion and a number of things felt like they flew out under the car. I thought to myself, 'Geez I hope they weren't important!' I was in the middle lane and by now it was pitch black around 10pmish, there were semi's flying down the Interstate and I had to cross over the passing lane on the left to the larger emergency shoulder. There were sparks flying out from under the hood on the driver side and smoke billowing everywhere. I ran out of power exactly when the car passed over the yellow shoulder line.

I thought to myself, I don't want to open the hood and look, in case the whoosh of new oxygen ignites what ever exploded, also don't want to even try turning it over. So I pulled out my Cel phone (that I knew only worked in certain areas in Greater Vancouver) 911 worked! Excellent, the operator dispatched the fire truck and patrol car, then patched me thru to the state patrol.

The boys in blue arrived within 5 mins. We all then decided to look under the hood, (the smoke had stopped by now) I had the bigger mag light *grin. They figured it was definitely the rad, (I just had a new one put in last year), I didn't think that was it. We really didn't know what to look for, and they started walking away and canceling the fire truck, then I saw a strange orange flickering light in the very middle at the bottom of the engine, I asked 'is that a fire? or the lights from oncoming traffic under the car?'

'Yes it is!' they said and re-dispatched the fire truck that had already passed by twice by this time. 'Could you please put out the fire?' I asked, thinking this is my baby going up in flames.. IRONICALLY the one thing I forgot to pack for Houston was the REQUIRED fire extinguisher for the parade.. (I was planning on picking one up on route) . The trooper grabbed a big bottle of water and asked me to stand back for safety while he doused the fire with water.

The fire guys arrived about 5 mins later and checked out the engine, decided to disconnect the battery for safety and I got a ride to the truckstop on the other side of the Interstate. I called Triple A (thank you mum for BCAA Plus!!!) and they dispatched a tow truck. About an hour later my car was on the back of a flatbed on route for Portland, it was about 11:30pmish now. We traveled 43 miles to get to my destination for the night, and I found a mechanic the next morning to be re-towed to! I figured I was just saving on gas $$ at this point.

Tom Kennedy (Ripper the shark and

Tri -Finned Nash Supreme fame!) and his mother were the greatest of hosts.

The good mechanics of Tanner Automotive found a replacement engine, (as there were 3 fist size holes in the block from the rod that was thrown and a huge bullet size hole out the oil pan). We all thought the old engine would make a terrific water fountain.

I had no idea how I was going to pay this bill, that was every mounting as there were more parts destroyed in the explosion.. ( Fuel pump, starter, temp gage, regulator) I felt very lucky indeed to be alive after seeing the damage.

I started thinking of ways to pay this bill to continue on to Houston, there was a caravan of 7 other art cars waiting for me to lead them across country to the festival in Houston. I thought if I could find 200 people to donate $10 each, this would cover the bill and I'd be back on the road before you knew it.

Well the repairs took 5 days, and that was pushing it, I had to send the caravan on with out me while the repairs were being finished.

I helped Tom get his Nash Tri- Fin finished, and then Tom was ready to hit the road, I had to still wait a couple of days, so I went and stayed with yet another art car god named Jim Skinner. Another amazing host. I raised about $400 from the angelic people in Portland, and art car artists from all across the country that pitched in, some $$ was wired in those 4-5 days and an art car god in Houston named 'Pepper' came to the rescue with a big chunk of the bill ( I still need to find a way to pay him back....still accepting donations for this). Jim also lent me a bit of $$ in case there were anything else that might happen (still accepting donations to pay him back to!)

Thank goodness he did, as you will see...

Denver, Colorado: New Tires

The Mermaid Mobile started shaking something fierce on the Interstate, I thought for sure the car was going to split in 2 (like in Disney's Lovebug). I pulled off the next exit and found a mechanic at a tire shop. He was checking all the mechanical bits, when I pointed out the tire looked a little warped, 'Could this be the problem? ' I asked. 'Yep, that would do it' he replied. I had about 5 mins driving time before the tire would have blown! The rest of the tires looked fairly similar, so common sense told me to spend the extra $5 each for new instead of used tires at this point. I was sooooo relieved it wasn't a big $$ mechanical problem.

Houston, Texas: Gear Linkage (media coverage)

in the Parade line up Houston Chronicle Paper pic

Met some excellent people here! 250 Art Cars in the Parade, every single one personally invited to visit 'Vancouver the FUN CITY *damnit'! and participate in the Funky Art Car Festival! And, Yep everything is bigger in Texas, and very hot too!

(Hello Robert!*smile)Robert's 'Texas Horned Toad', won 2nd prize.

As I pulled up in front of my hosts house, I noticed that suddenly I didn't have any gears anymore... only drive, nothing else! Oh man, what could this be now!!!

Special thanks to my ART Car hosts: Pam & family & incredible neighbors & friends, that I hope to see in their newly (to be created) art car in Sept at the festival.

Gear linkage diagnosed & fixed by this amazing neighbor, in the wee hours of parade morning! Thank you again!!

New Orleans, Louisiana: Master Brake Cylinder (Purple Haze joins adventure)

I stayed at India House Hostel

This is THE place to stay when in New Orleans for a really great time. Fantastic people from all around the world, not to mention the owners (Hi John!) and people that live there (Hey there Captain Ed, and Reid!) keeping the place going!

This is where I discovered my Brake Master Cylinder was completely shot, so for a little while in town I had no brakes.. YIKES! Took a good couple of long Hot days and nights in the Big Easy to get fixed up.

Met up with Aviv, and it took about 30 seconds to convince him to also create an ART CAR and join me with the roadtrip adventures!

 

We went on a mini adventure in search of the swamp tours... We met all sorts along the way :) Thus Purple Haze was born, and created on the road!

Memphis, Tennessee: Elvis..at Graceland (who else?!)

Car Camping...

Lynchburg, Tennessee: Jack Daniel's Distillery

Highly recommended if anywhere near Lynchburg!

Aviv, the Purple Haze & Gypsy Mermaid in the middle of photo, our hilarious tour guide 'Randy' the big guy on the right edge. He told us all about how the Tennessee Whiskey is aged 4 YAARS in oak barrels! (he had an amazing accent) Everyone loved the Art Cars, infact there were a number of artifacts from the towns folk donated to the creation of Purple Haze Mobile. A wonderful little town population 361.

 

More Car Camping along the way, run in with Raccoons!

South Dakota: Power Steering Belt

An angel in a pickup truck fixed this little problem in about 10 mins flat, cigarette on his lips the whole time and without so much as saying a word, Thank you again my quiet friend.

Both South & North Dakota were exceptionally windy and rainy the day we went through, we traveled 20 hours, over 900 miles to get to Regina in time for the parade!

Manitoba (Canadian/ US Boarder)

Well they just weren't too sure what to make of the two art cars, so we both got pulled into the 'inspection garage' and checked out. No worries, nothing to hide... and then we were on our way... about a hour later.

Regina, Saskatchewan: Rear Main Seal Leaking, Brakes down to 20% (media coverage)

Arrived approximately 4am, exhausted after the 20 hour drive! But in time for the parade! I think I went through about 4 litres of oil in that 20 hours, turns out the rear main seal leaks now when driven hard and continuously.

Had to stay at least a week with our new art car buddies Gerri Ann Siwek & Steve! Go check out her mobile museum!

Had a wondrous time with the 10th Annual Cathedral Village Arts Festival and painted many a temp tattoo for young and old.

The parade was excellent, Canadian Art cars all over the place, I ended up on the news that night and in the local paper on the front page the next morning *grin. And all of course invited to come and visit Vancouver the Fun City, with the Funky Art Car Festival!

Purple Haze also had a blast, at one thrift/junk sale we had the fortune of meeting the Ordained Minister of the 'Church of Joan of Ark', pictured here as all three of us posed for a breast shot *grin

We also went to a 'Biker burnout/Tattoo contest' *cough, *gasp, many a mullet in leather, and beautiful Harley's from all over!

Moosejaw, Saskatchewan: (media coverage)

Can you say WINDY!!!!!! day and night and day... Stayed with some amazing art car people the 'Pennyes' and their Penny Mobile, on their farm, wow what a huge sky. Interview with the local paper the next day. Small tour of town, did you know Al Capone was frequently in Moosejaw and there are secret tunnels there? I did not know that.

Maple Creek, Alberta (media coverage)

Little place with lots of big hearts, not to mention a really kewl campsite complete with a miniature golf course and very rustic 'old western' type gift shops (lots of treasures)

Fernie, B.C: Local Artist 'Kirk Holmes' adds metal sculpture (media coverage)

Check out the metal sculpture bits added to back door!

Both Purple Haze and the Mermaid Mobile recieved some welding sculpture, thank you!

'Middle Of Oh Nowhere', B.C. (Moon joins adventure)

Seattle, Washington: (media coverage)