First, thanks for all the kind words. It works well for what I wanted and it didn't cost too much, but it took allot of work. Still more work to go…
As for the rest…
ARGGHHH!!!! I just knew someone would bring that up! Eric and Butch, thanks ALOT! /forums/images/icons/tongue.gif Now I gotta type all this junk. /forums/images/icons/frown.gif
Here is the (semi) short story. I ran out of time to finish my rig and get it inspected for tags (which I honestly plan to do). But I did get brake lights and most everything I need for AZ street legal done before Moab. But, I figure I can trailer to some trails, and others I can flat tow in/out with a tow bar (thanks Alan for the bar and Marv for the tow offer). So, everyone (and I do mean EVERYONE) with Moab experience kept telling me, (to paraphrase and sum up) “Nobody will bother you in moab, buggies with no tags (and often no lights) run the roads here all the time and the cops don’t bother them. It’s their entire economy so they look the other way.” But, take a look at my “title” and avatar. I chose “SOL” and Willy for a reason! Still, I let popular opinion sway me. On Saturday morning I drove it to the meeting point, getting gas on the way. Gas was filled before my Black Canyon quick-check run so it only needed about 2 gallons to top off. Picked up ice, food, water, etc. and went on to the meeting. I got into the middle of the caravan between Marv and Rob (so no insurance issues and minimal chance of notice). Almost out of town and a patrol car with lights flashing cuts Rob out from behind me and pulls me over. @#%#$, @#$%#%, @@%#$%, and @#%#%!!! Within minutes there were 3 patrol cars there and 4 officers. Always me.
Well, turns out that they weren’t that bent over my no registration, not tag, and no insurance. But the lady at the gas station swore I got 19 gallons of gas and drove off without paying. Luckily I had my receipt and paid by card, but she insisted that I must have pumped twice and got the additional 2 gallons too. Well, I have a small K5 gas tank (23 gallons total?) now so you guys know that driving in and putting in over 21 gallons in is not likely. Anyway, he follows me BACK through town to talk to her and she eventually gives it up. I absolutely refused to pay for it, I didn’t get it and that’s that. The officer was pretty cool about the whole thing really. At the end he said, “You’ve already had a bad morning and all your buddies are waiting so I won’t make it any worse by getting you for the plates and all, so I’m going to let you go on out today. But, I don’t want to see it on the road again after today.” To which my obvious response was, “Thank you sir, no problem sir, thank you very much sir.” bowing and scraping as I backed away. Of course I’m pissed and upset at holding up several guys waiting on me to hook up with the Rusty Nail group so I swear I’ll never go there again. BTW, if I didn’t get a chance to thank all of you that were willing to wait and help me, ***THANKS***. /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif
Day 2. Times running short, my rigs on the trailer, I need gas, and the only convenient station where I could easily fit the tow rig and trailer was, you guessed it… So, I tell myself, “accidents happen, she made a mistake, don’t cause yourself more problems just because of yesterday…” And I pull in to get gas, food, ice, etc. Takes forever to get gas due to a pinched vent line on the tank. After about 3 minutes of pull, pop, wait, pull, pop, wait… the pump just turns off with a notice saying “see attendant inside”. I go inside pissed thinking they are harassing me but she says, sorry, hit the wrong button, just put your credit card in and start over, which I do. About 5 minutes later my buddy from Sat shows up. I chat with him pointing to the rig on the trailer saying, “see, it’s on a trailer”. Figured maybe he just saw me there and stopped to chat some more. He was really pretty cool. Nope, the bitch manager called them. Anyway, he asks if I paid for it I show him both receipts, explaining that they cut the pump off on me. He says he will go in and make sure everything is ok so we don’t have a repeat. My response is, “Please do!” Within minutes, 3 cruisers again. One is a total stereotypical pompass ass POS cop. Must have been a supervisor or something because my buddy and the other guy (also friendly) clamed up. Chest poked out like a Marine drill sergeant, dark shades, and arrogant asinine tone. He takes my receipts, demands everyone present hand over their IDs (Keith and Eric) so he can “get their information” in case he needs to contact them. Then informs me that he is going to pull the tapes and find out if I stole the gas or not, and, if I did, they will be knocking on our doors. I told him to pull them and look at them all he wants, I didn’t take the gas and I won’t be seeing you at my door. At that point I was getting pretty hot, but I kept my mouth mostly shut. Small town Barney Fife could easily ruin the rest of my trip. I did tell him at that point that my friends were waiting and that if there was nothing else I was leaving. Again I say, I’ll never go there again…
Later, talking to Eric and others, we came to the conclusion that my $30 odd dollars of lost business would not even be noticed (obviously) but that by going by again on Monday, we could sure piss them off. So, we did. Spent 30 minutes or so fueling up, taking our time, this time, no cops. /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif
I’m not a thief, I don’t steal, and it was not an accident. There is no way I pumped 21 gallons of gas into my POS. All I can say is I hope that bitch is married to a drunken wife beating homosexual who gives her aids along with his POS fag cop boyfriend. But, I’m all calmed down now, not at all bitter about the experience. /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif
So, there it is. Full disclosure of my rein of terror in Moab … /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif
