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III. More Difficulties
As I mentioned in the original post on this thread, the UHaul trailer was covered with Kerry/Edwards signs. So it was real hard to miss.
In the parking lot at the place in Jerome ID, a little old lady trucker appeared almost out of nowhere saying that she wanted to know where Kerry stood on truckers' issues. She began to explain to us that the Department of Transportation was illegal because they do not have to follow the constitution, yada yada yada.
Well, at least we had been noticed . . .
When we got in the truck again, I forgot to do something that I always do. I forgot to check the hitch.
We headed on down the road. About a mile down the road, the trailer started swaying really bad. I immediately slowed into the emergency lane as the trailer became unhitched and sparks started flying.
This is their biggest trailer, and so it has a hydraulic brake which engaged. No damage was done and nobody was hurt, but the trailer was sticking out into the highway a little. I used Abby's cell to call AAA and 911.
The Highway Patrol showed up first. This guy was extremely nice. Abby was thanking him and he said "We don't just give tickets, we help people too . . . but the firefighters get all the glory." So, be sure and say thank you to a Highway Patrol Officer today!
Anyway, he mentioned to Abby thathe thought it was a little unusual to see that trailer with all the Kerry signs in that part of Idaho. He said that the only part of Idaho that voted Democratic was Sun Valley near Kerry,s ranch. We told him that we thought someone may have messed with the hitch as we had not had any other problems with it. He seemed to think that it might be possible.
He also mentioned that he had just escorted Kerry though town (down that section of I-84) earlier that day. We were probably in Boise getting the air conditioning repaired.
When the tow truck guys showed up, the messed with the break on the trailer, but didn't know how to reset it. So we couldn't hook up again. They towed it to the nearest truck stop on their flatbed.
We talked with the UHaul people who told us to get a room for the night (for which we will supposedly be reimbursed). They were going to send somebody else in the morning to get it fixed.
Between standing on th side of the road for at least 2 hours, getting the air conditioning repaired, et al., our day was shot.
We went to several motels, but they were all full. We finally got one of the last rooms at a little motel right out of 1947. To put a positive spin on things, I told Abby that this was really more historical that staying in a room in which you could actually breathe. This was something out of Perry Mason. I expected Paul Drake to show up any minute. I think that the houskeeping staff had probably last been there sometime in the early 60s.
IV. American Indians for Kerry
It seems that there had been a really bad accident on the Interstate and this was the last place available. In addition, it seems that the whole area was booked heavily. The next morning as we were getting ready to go, I noticed that the Van next to us had a Kerry sticker. So I started talking to the owner. He had been stranded at this little piece of history as well.
He was the president of his Communication Workers local in California. We traded bumper stickers. We gave him a BE PATRIOTIC-VOTE BUSH OUT, a DEFOLIATE BUSH, & another bumper sticker. He gave Abby an AMERICAN INDIANS FOR KERRY sticker. They had just come from a big pow wow in Pocatello that was heavily Kerry/Edwards. They had also been to the North and South Dakota. They had met a lot of Harleys on the road (from Sturgis) who gave them thumbs up and other positive stuff.
We went back to the truckstop where another road service guy hooked us up with the help of three bikers.
We headed on down the road somewhat encouraged by our meetings that morning.
We checked the hitch every time we stopped.
to be continued . . .
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