SergntMac
08-16-2003, 10:36 AM
Page 1 of 2
I don't know how to write this, I'd like to caputre the elements of surprise I've come to savor, but it wasn't any fun as I lived through it. I know so much about it now, now that it's over, I may spoil that. Let's see what I can do with a few words.
As some of you know, I had plans to take my KB1x to the Woodward Cruise in Ferndale Michigan, 15/16 Aug. Sponsored by Kenny Brown, this would be my first car show. I was quite excited about this, and I spent many days preparing the car, both cosmetically and mechanically. Near perfect in my eyes, and I wanted only the very best to be on display for Kenny.
Armed with a handful of MapQuest searches to get me around the area, and home again, I foolishly left my trusty Atlas at home. I left Chicago around 3:30 PM Thursday afternoon, right after work. I had an "all clear" weather report, and some light hope that the humidity would relax a bit. The drive to Detroit was uneventful, traffic was light and the Michigan scenery pleasant. I was entertained by my favorite CD, and a lot of just listening to the car eat up the pavement.
All along, from my first invitation from Kenny Brown, I day dreamed of what this event would mean to me. Now, as I was actually driving in that direction and getting closer by the minute, I revisited the many plans I had made. I planned my first stop before checking into my accomodations to be a friend's house about 7 miles away from the Comfort Inn Kenny Brown had arranged for me. I promised to call him once I got in his area, need to find a landmark for that. Some of my other plans included washing the dead bugs away after checking in, and getting a good night's sleep before our 6:45 AM Friday start. I had everything I would need to detail the car before the show, no sense in doing that too soon, the last moments will count the most.
My MPG was excellent, about 21 MPG, and just middle ground between Jackson and Ann Arbor, I decided to take a break, and top off my half tank of gas. I needed to stretch a bit too, I expected heavier traffic ahead once I got into the metro Detroit area, and I was sure I would do my share of rubber necking while negotiating traffic.
Stopping at large "truck stop" like BP station, I had my choice of Taco Bell or Burger King. This place is huge, and well stocked. Like most real truck stops, I could buy a sport shirt, jeans, CB radio stuff, a real general store. There must have been 50-60 people floating around, few paid any attention to me, and likewise, I kept to myself. After fussing under the hood and cleaning out some trash, I was back on the road again, no hint of what lies ahead.
It was starting to get dark as I approached the cut off from I-94 towards Plymouth. Traffic was very light, and I began to notice that my headlights were really bright. I could see the reflection hundreds of yards further down the road that I expected, and I wondered for a while if they were adjusted too high. Am I one of those pesky lights too bright motorist? Note to self to check this later, or, maybe Detroit metro signs are more reflective than usual?
Okay, here's my exit, now I'm on streets...Lord...it's dark around here, didn't expect to be in a rural area so close to Detroit. I'm dialing a local number on my cell phone and SCREECH! I lock 'em up half way through a 4 way, 4 lane intersection with two major gas stations on two of the corners. Lucky, I'm the only car on the road, and lucky I caught the presence of traffic lights out of the corner of my eye. But...stilll...WTF? The lights are out, all of them.
Where am I? Where is everyone else? Hell, ANYONE else? This intersection is dark, deserted and I immediately understand why my headlights seemed bright. The street lights on the highyway were out, and the reflectiveness of the signs is different in the city than on the highway. I retrieve my cell phone only to hear a recorded message that I have to try my call again. 3X later, I realize this is a major power outage. Nothing to do now, but continue on.
After a while, my eyes adjust to night vision mode, and I start to see better in this total darkness. But, passing cars nearly blind me, and after one emergency vehicle passed by, I had to stop the car and wait until I could see again. Okay, get your sunglasses out I think, and that works. When I see lights approaching, I preserve my night vision. This is getting to be a white knuckle drive, being unfamilar with the area, I blow through two more intersections without warning. Watch for turn lanes, stupid!
Soon, my directions get to side streets, I feel better, but can't relax. Darkness just upped the ante because trees, as well as storm clouds have created a moonless night. The challenge is the turns, lots of turns. Using the only flashlight I brought with me, that soon proved to be too weak to get the job done, I often have to step out of the car to read a sign, or walk ahead of the car to find where the turn begins. It's then I start to notice people on the street, but they are not friendly, not at all. WTF is going on...
Between the sunglasses, tinted windows, moonless night, storm clouds threatening rain, my weakening flashlight and suspicious people looking at me like I just killed someone before their very eyes, I feel my survival mode breaking out. I stopped carrying firearms off duty years ago, opting to use my cell phone to call the on-duty police when necessary. I never regretted that decision until now, and I'm regretting it very seriously.
I finally reach my destination, and learn of the national black out. It happened when? 4 PM? But, all those people back at the truck stop...they acted so normal? No one said anything, I didn't detect a hint...WTF? Just as we're discussing what I should do now, my cell phone rings with an incomming call from Chicago and I get registered roaming status. Now my phone works, and I call Kenny Brown.
Kenny's at the hotel, he's been there since the afternoon. His trucks haven't arrived yet. He's not sure where his crew is at, at the moment. Being only seven or eight miles away, I say my good byes and head in Kenny's direction. More of the same "white cane" driving, it takes me an hour to locate the hotel, which should have taken me 10 minutes. As I was stopping and looking around, I tried to stay of of the traffic lane, but I somehow detected the attention of a white F-150 who followed me a while. Neighborhood watch? Could be, or, maybe he thought I was an unmarked unit, who knows.
After I make some u-turns to get myself back on track, he drifts away. Not long after that I see him again, but with a marked police car following him, and I have thoughts about roving neighborhood vigilanty patrols. People do nutty things when mild panic sets in, and these are surely circumstances for the overly patrotic screwballs to want to help out. Sadly, they sometimes get out of hand. Just about the time I'm ready to pull off again, I got lights, from everywhere. Very bright lights, my night vision shouts checkmate, I'm blind and defensless.
Go to page 2 here
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4335
I don't know how to write this, I'd like to caputre the elements of surprise I've come to savor, but it wasn't any fun as I lived through it. I know so much about it now, now that it's over, I may spoil that. Let's see what I can do with a few words.
As some of you know, I had plans to take my KB1x to the Woodward Cruise in Ferndale Michigan, 15/16 Aug. Sponsored by Kenny Brown, this would be my first car show. I was quite excited about this, and I spent many days preparing the car, both cosmetically and mechanically. Near perfect in my eyes, and I wanted only the very best to be on display for Kenny.
Armed with a handful of MapQuest searches to get me around the area, and home again, I foolishly left my trusty Atlas at home. I left Chicago around 3:30 PM Thursday afternoon, right after work. I had an "all clear" weather report, and some light hope that the humidity would relax a bit. The drive to Detroit was uneventful, traffic was light and the Michigan scenery pleasant. I was entertained by my favorite CD, and a lot of just listening to the car eat up the pavement.
All along, from my first invitation from Kenny Brown, I day dreamed of what this event would mean to me. Now, as I was actually driving in that direction and getting closer by the minute, I revisited the many plans I had made. I planned my first stop before checking into my accomodations to be a friend's house about 7 miles away from the Comfort Inn Kenny Brown had arranged for me. I promised to call him once I got in his area, need to find a landmark for that. Some of my other plans included washing the dead bugs away after checking in, and getting a good night's sleep before our 6:45 AM Friday start. I had everything I would need to detail the car before the show, no sense in doing that too soon, the last moments will count the most.
My MPG was excellent, about 21 MPG, and just middle ground between Jackson and Ann Arbor, I decided to take a break, and top off my half tank of gas. I needed to stretch a bit too, I expected heavier traffic ahead once I got into the metro Detroit area, and I was sure I would do my share of rubber necking while negotiating traffic.
Stopping at large "truck stop" like BP station, I had my choice of Taco Bell or Burger King. This place is huge, and well stocked. Like most real truck stops, I could buy a sport shirt, jeans, CB radio stuff, a real general store. There must have been 50-60 people floating around, few paid any attention to me, and likewise, I kept to myself. After fussing under the hood and cleaning out some trash, I was back on the road again, no hint of what lies ahead.
It was starting to get dark as I approached the cut off from I-94 towards Plymouth. Traffic was very light, and I began to notice that my headlights were really bright. I could see the reflection hundreds of yards further down the road that I expected, and I wondered for a while if they were adjusted too high. Am I one of those pesky lights too bright motorist? Note to self to check this later, or, maybe Detroit metro signs are more reflective than usual?
Okay, here's my exit, now I'm on streets...Lord...it's dark around here, didn't expect to be in a rural area so close to Detroit. I'm dialing a local number on my cell phone and SCREECH! I lock 'em up half way through a 4 way, 4 lane intersection with two major gas stations on two of the corners. Lucky, I'm the only car on the road, and lucky I caught the presence of traffic lights out of the corner of my eye. But...stilll...WTF? The lights are out, all of them.
Where am I? Where is everyone else? Hell, ANYONE else? This intersection is dark, deserted and I immediately understand why my headlights seemed bright. The street lights on the highyway were out, and the reflectiveness of the signs is different in the city than on the highway. I retrieve my cell phone only to hear a recorded message that I have to try my call again. 3X later, I realize this is a major power outage. Nothing to do now, but continue on.
After a while, my eyes adjust to night vision mode, and I start to see better in this total darkness. But, passing cars nearly blind me, and after one emergency vehicle passed by, I had to stop the car and wait until I could see again. Okay, get your sunglasses out I think, and that works. When I see lights approaching, I preserve my night vision. This is getting to be a white knuckle drive, being unfamilar with the area, I blow through two more intersections without warning. Watch for turn lanes, stupid!
Soon, my directions get to side streets, I feel better, but can't relax. Darkness just upped the ante because trees, as well as storm clouds have created a moonless night. The challenge is the turns, lots of turns. Using the only flashlight I brought with me, that soon proved to be too weak to get the job done, I often have to step out of the car to read a sign, or walk ahead of the car to find where the turn begins. It's then I start to notice people on the street, but they are not friendly, not at all. WTF is going on...
Between the sunglasses, tinted windows, moonless night, storm clouds threatening rain, my weakening flashlight and suspicious people looking at me like I just killed someone before their very eyes, I feel my survival mode breaking out. I stopped carrying firearms off duty years ago, opting to use my cell phone to call the on-duty police when necessary. I never regretted that decision until now, and I'm regretting it very seriously.
I finally reach my destination, and learn of the national black out. It happened when? 4 PM? But, all those people back at the truck stop...they acted so normal? No one said anything, I didn't detect a hint...WTF? Just as we're discussing what I should do now, my cell phone rings with an incomming call from Chicago and I get registered roaming status. Now my phone works, and I call Kenny Brown.
Kenny's at the hotel, he's been there since the afternoon. His trucks haven't arrived yet. He's not sure where his crew is at, at the moment. Being only seven or eight miles away, I say my good byes and head in Kenny's direction. More of the same "white cane" driving, it takes me an hour to locate the hotel, which should have taken me 10 minutes. As I was stopping and looking around, I tried to stay of of the traffic lane, but I somehow detected the attention of a white F-150 who followed me a while. Neighborhood watch? Could be, or, maybe he thought I was an unmarked unit, who knows.
After I make some u-turns to get myself back on track, he drifts away. Not long after that I see him again, but with a marked police car following him, and I have thoughts about roving neighborhood vigilanty patrols. People do nutty things when mild panic sets in, and these are surely circumstances for the overly patrotic screwballs to want to help out. Sadly, they sometimes get out of hand. Just about the time I'm ready to pull off again, I got lights, from everywhere. Very bright lights, my night vision shouts checkmate, I'm blind and defensless.
Go to page 2 here
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4335