Feet wet, lessons learned!

I pulled the plug on Richmond on Sunday, after I did the math and realized that the money for driving the vehicle on Monday wasn't going to go very far when further lodging and personal transportation were factored in. It just doesn't make a lot of sense to just break even or lose money!

Also, I got an email from a fellow driveaway driver who recommended that I just have my beloved Volvo set up as a tow car. He pointed out that the removal of four bolts would disconnect my driveshaft from the differential, which means I wouldn't destroy my transmission when I tow the car. Secure the driveshaft to the frame (so it doesn't drag!) and when I get to my destination, just bolt it back on. I can handle that!

So I decided to cut my losses in Richmond and take the Greyhound back home. Bought my ticket online Sunday morning, and checked out of the Days Inn. I had the very nice innkeeper call a taxi cab for me, and about noon, it arrived and I left for the bus station.

...with a pretty large amount of doubt that I'd make it there! Seems the cabbie was utterly terrified by snow! It didn't matter that the roads were mostly clear, he creeped down the Interstate at about 40 mph, trucks and cars blowing past us all the way. He hadn't knocked the ice off of his windshield wipers, either, or had any windshield wash fluid, so we were looking through an extremely fuzzy windshield!

Still, apparently God was my co-pilot (or my karma was good, or whatever), because we managed to get to the bus station without serious incident.

Only to discover that the bus to Norfolk, Virginia that I was supposed to take (making connection with the bus from there up to Salisbury) was canceled. In fact, ALL buses were canceled except the ones heading north to DC, Baltimore and NYC. So I had to take the bus to DC, change to one to Baltimore, and then take the Baltimore to Salisbury bus. Which, of course, had already left, so I'd have to spend the night in Baltimore.

Fortunately, I have sisters near Baltimore, and my sis Teri came and rescued me, took me home, fed me, gave me beer, and put me in the guest room. Family rocks!

The next morning, she drove me back down to the bus station, and I waited around until the first Salisbury bus left at 11:30am (with me in it). Got into Salisbury at about 2:30pm, where my friend Dan picked me up and took me to my car, parked at Holloway Tours (my previous employer and a handy place to park close to the airport). I got my car and headed home, and frankly I was so tired that I can't remember much more about the evening!

It's the next day now, and I'm making arrangements to head back out to Indiana in my car, where I'll have it set up for towing (I priced doing that here, and the price was DOUBLE compared to out there!), and then, once ready for action, I'll be back out on the road!