...18 years ago...

Woke up at 8:30. Get our stuff together and out by 9:30. Stop and get coffee on our way. Up Route 35 and then Route 40 - to route to California - through Oklahoma, the top of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona (just below the Grand Canyon) and on to the West coast and Los Angeles.

Dave R. Drives until we stop to eat. Then I take over into Texas. About 20 miles away from Amarillo the van starts to shake violently. I quickly pull over expecting a flat tire. We jump out. All the tires are fine. Then what's the problem? Joe bent down to the right rear tire - the one he and Dave R. changed in Kansas City (put the fixed flat back on after 2-3 weeks riding on the spare). He [Joe] thought maybe the lugs were loose - they came off in his hand! Four of the threaded pins that the cap bolts fit on had sheared at the drum. The tire was held on by one lug alone. Another 100 feet and we would have had a serious accident!

Another 100 feet and we might have been really Dead Milkmen.

There is a chance that the van could topple over - we must act fast. Rod waves over a pickup truck. Driver is a farmer on his way to Amarillo. I go with him to town. We have to get at wrecker to tow it to a service center. I leave. We drive fast 70mph. He drops me off at a Chevy dealer. I get the tow immediately. We hook it up with little problem.

The fellow that drove me into town was very nice but a real Texas stereotype. Once we had the wrecker out at the van and hooked up, I remember riding in the tow truck cab and the other fellows having to ride in the van (not really advisable...the driver looked the other way...). Must have been a strange ride with the vehicle tilted up and rolling backwards.

Back at the dealer, they can't fix it until 10AM Friday [tomorrow]. We'll have to stay in town for a night. Make registration at a Motel 6 - $30.19 for 5 people - cheap. No phone but it has a pool. Courtesy car drops us off at the motel. Check into room 33 on the 2nd floor overlooking the pool. Time 5:30PM.

I think that this is the Motel 6 we stayed at if anyone wants to visit room 33.

Dave R. calls Enigma and talks to Ron. We watch TV and take a swim. Get cleaned up and walk to Pizza Hut for dinner. Eat Riazzo - new fangled thing - very filling. Drink a pitcher of beer. Walk home - more TV - to bed at 12:30AM.

The Ron at Enigma is our main contact at the record company in California. I have no idea what a "Riazzo" is. At least it filled us up.