GREAT HELP ON THE ROAD...AS PROMISED

B

Byrdman

New member
Sorry for the delay in this as I promised it back before Thanksgiving, around the time SENSIE and I made our last trip pulling ALOYSIUS cross country. Happened in Buffalo WY. If you look that up on a map you will see much bare land before and after that Hwy 16E exit on the interstate. We had slowed down for a restroom break only. No fuel needed. Friday afternoon about 2pm. Snow storm moving from west coast easterly and we were only about 36-48 hours in front of it. Tire blew out. At the base of the Exit, I said "we got lucky Roger...there is a tire and service stop right at the bottom of the exit." We can get a new tire and have them change it too!!" All was well until we went to depart the exit, to basically do a u-turn 180 to the right to pull up to the garage door and the Excursion "jolted" into forward. Would not back up to the door. Finally got her to roll back. Took care of restroom issue pronto! Got tire replaced and found we had a rub between the exhaust pipe and the transmission cooler return line and had blown out all transmission fluid. They could have made us wait to order the part, getting it Monday/Tuesday and us lose about 4-5 days hotel, no car, AND...get to play in the snow and ice storm that would have passed us. Instead, one of the owners sent his wife to the last town back Saturday morning as they were getting a line brought to them Saturday from a dealership even further back west. She got it to the shop Saturday afternoon, about 230pm...after them closing at noon on Saturdays, held a mechanic, fixed my truck, and came got us from the hotel the owner had brought us too Friday evening from their shop. Did not charge me hours from noon closing to 330pm when they had the Excursion fixed, did not charge me for about 100 miles travel to go get my one line, and did save me 4 days down time and kept us in front of the storm.
BIG HORN TIRE
196 Hwy 16E
Buffalo, WY 82834
(307) 684-8200
Not without the nature call...at that exact time and location... 5 miles before or after we would have for sure smoked the transmit ion pulling the hills. Yes, I feel blessed and that we had some divine intervention.
Use these folks...and one of the best steak houses about 1/2 mile from the shop on same street.
 
Good story and great service. Thanks for sharing that one Patrick, I missed the exit # but that's ok for now. As you said, great timing, well blessed.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

JC_Lately_SleepyC_Flat_Blue_070.thumb.jpg
 
God, 'Ya gotta Love Wyoming, and Wyomian's (sp?).

Did you actually pull that grade just west of Buffalo? It's been a while, but I remember is was heart-stopping.

Good on 'Ya!

Best,
C&M
 
Hey Casey! There is a lot on I-90 that is extreme & beautiful. I think every American needs to travel it a couple of times during different seasons as it changes so much with the seasons. When traveling west to east, we generally travel I-90 from Seattle area (we go straight thru or around/avoid depending on time of the day/night) to Soux Falls South Dakota, then I-29 down to Kansas City, I-70 east to Saint Louis, ending up on I-24 into Clarksville TN just about 35 miles from Nashville. Roger SENSEI Johnson and I found a great work-a-round to avoid St. Louis all together....but I have to look at a map for that. Will post later as a very neat part of the work around is you cross so many major rivers in one day.

Looking at the St. Johns River trip. May be down your way for that.

Patrick Francis Byrd
"Byrdman"
 
Looked up the exit. Exit # 58. The one east of where I-25 & I-90 intersect. Also, the name of the steak house is Winchester Steak House. These folks helped us out too as Roger and I were on foot. Had heard if you do not get there early, you will not eat there. They let us in and sat us by the fireplace, worth stopping to see on its own, and they were not to open for another 20 minutes. They were right. I think they opened at 5pm and all tables were full in 20 minutes. We departed around 6pm, all tables full, folks waiting in line hoping someone did not show for their reservations!

I have made the cross country trip about a dozen times now, each time seeing different things and stopping in different towns. I love the open range areas out there....but Buffalo will be on my radar for a stop over spot for sure. Maybe this time, treat the mechanic who gave up his Saturday afternoon hunting trip to help me out.

These are good people. Support them if ya make the trip thru there particuarly if you need trailer repair, tires, or just a great meal before you turn in for the evening.
 
I had a similar experience while passing by Missoula, Montana late on a Friday afternoon. I was in my son's little Honda Civic when the the muffler blew. I went down the exit ramp and drove loudly into a Midas muffler shop. There was a father, mother and teenage son locking up for the weekend. The camper was outside ready to go. The wife saw my Jersey plates, looked at her husband and said "sure we can help". I went to the Wendy's across the street. An hour later I was thanking them when a van with a family from India pulled up with a roaring exhaust. "Sure we can help" was the last thing I heard as I left. Pat's right about good people.
 
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