Aloha!
If you are reading this, it means we are back in decent cell
phone range. The past 14 hours or so has
been a nice disconnect from the constant barrage of emails and text messages. For those of you waiting for an update –
well, I’m sorry.
Yesterday morning was about as good as it can get. It’s never easy mobilizing 40 people to get
through the same breakfast line, cleaned-up, packed-up, and loaded-up on the
bus. On this particular morning, it went
very well. The boys were faster than
their usual pokey selves and the motel we were at did an incredible job of
getting all the boys fed well and on the road.
At one point during the breakfast, there were 5 different motel staff
members helping to serve the food.
…and about that food!
The line started with your usual oatmeals, cereals and toast. Then it blossomed into a smorgasbord of pancakes,
waffles, sausages, biscuits & gravy, four different kinds of juices, and
the most popular stop: the made-to-order
omelets. The boys ate like kings on this
morning. It was pretty great.
We were about to be leaving right now time, when the motel
manager stopped us and had all the boys take one a beverage from his little
lobby store. He was so happy with the
boys and their stay. (They posted on our
Facebook wall as well.) 3 minutes late,
we boarded the bus and headed on our way.
The first 99.9% of the drive was fairly normal. The heat beat us pretty good, bringing the
temperature in our old bus up to 87 at some points. These buses just aren’t made for this kind
of weather, especially when they are 22 years old. Rodney did a great job of keeping it as cool
as possible, but there was just little any of us could do. The boys did very well. They had games out for most of the ride, so
that kept them calm, quiet, and in their seats.
Around 12:55, we stopped at McDonald’s for lunch. The boys have gotten very good at ordering
and getting situated in the store. It’s
never easy to get 40 people in and out of McDonald’s in 40 minutes, but we
manage to make it happen pretty regularly.
We’ve learned a few tricks over the years that work well for us. After several practice runs of it at other
lunches along the way, the boys finally have it down. Compliments about the boys came from
everywhere – customers and employees alike.
It was a pretty proud moment for this guy.
After a nice long rest period, we stopped at a rest stop on
94 – the same 94 that runs right through our backyard. We are starting to get close, and the signs
along the way for St. Paul are a constant reminder. The boys are going to be a handful
tomorrow. They always are down the home
stretch, much like a horse running home to the barn. From here on out it is just a lot of
pulling-back on the reigns. As we were
boarding the bus, Rodney mentioned that we were getting low on fuel –just over
1/8 tank. We weren’t too far from the church,
so the plan was to drop the boys off so they could prepare, then run up to the store
to top the tank-off for the last leg of the tour.
As we came into Neillsville, we passed the gas station that
had diesel for $3.59 – a pretty decent price.
Being less an a mile from the church (and one mile back to the station),
the plan to drop the boys off was still feasible. In a pinch, we have been lower in the tank.
We went about 3 blocks north, then took a left up a small
hill. Three blocks from the church, the
bus stopped. We ran-out of fuel. Although there was still fuel in the tank, it
sloshed to the back of the tank on the hill and left us stranded. (For those of you unfamiliar with diesel
engines, they are NOT something you want to run out of fuel. It is quite the process to get fuel back in
the lines and get you running again.)
The boys didn’t panic at all. Immediately, they got quiet and I could tell
the understood the situation. Without
missing a beat, Aaron gathered them all and began the walk to the church to
begin preparing for the concert. Since
we were in Neillsville, the hometown of Karen Heineck and Julie Strub, we immediately
called in for some assistance and got things rolling. Rick Strub loaded everything we needed for
the concert in his vehicle and brought it the rest of the way to the
church. Rodney found some local guys
that knew a thing or two about diesel engines.
A local man, Dale, was on his way to our concert when he saw the
bus. He sprang into action, calling
around to find the right people we needed to get the bus going again.
One of those people was his father, who knew more than a
thing or two about priming the fuel lines so we could get moving. While he worked on the necessary parts, his
son Dale called the local tire shop to get an industrial sized air compressor
to blow the fuel from the tank up front to the engine in the back. While all of this was going on, I made 4
trips to the gas station with fuel cans to get as much volume and back pressure
as possible in tank. Within 2.5 hours, a
few weird looks, and a handful of guys in need of a good shower (temps on the bus
reached 103), we had the old girl back up and running in time to catch the second
half of the concert. A huge thank you to
Dale, his father, Ned (the air compressor guy), Rick, and Rodney for all their
help with this. We promise not to let it
happen again!
The concert was very well attended and the boys did a great
job. The audience seemed very impressed
with the boys. Many had heard them the
last time we were in Neillsville and commented on how well they did. After an ice cream social provided by Roger
& Mary Heineck, we handed-out mail and sent the boys home with their host
families. At the end of the day and all
things considered, it was a pretty good day.
Boys are home tomorrow, so there is still time to donate
towards our goal of $4,000 to help these boys!
Please consider a gift today!
Click here!
P.J.
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