It’s Time To Play A New Odds Game. “Ahhhh Craps!”
Paul in Montana two years ago caught is 6 ft snow drifts
Well, they are gambling on who the new Pope will be, so why can’t we do our own odds game. Thanks to our fellow Woody Boaters Paul and Karen Harrison who seem to have ” issues” from time traveling. Montana with the snow, St Louis with a bad transmission, Some god forsaken place in Canada with a broken Drive shaft, and Kanses, with a blow out…. Need I go on? Anyway, they are about to make the trek to Lake Dora from Calgary, AB – Billings, MT – Sioux Falls, SD – Omaha, NB -Kimberling City, MO – Memphis, TN -Tavares, roughly. From Paul, “Not sure of all exact overnight stops but that is the general plan. Arrival in Tavares later Friday or Saturday morning. Weather will determine when I leave. Very nasty here and all through AB with blizzard spreading south down into MT now.” So here is the game. We pick the time and place where they break down. Or you can bet on the odds that they will not break down. Winner gets a free t shirt of your choice. We will of course be updating as it happens, or does not. Your comment will be your vote. I am not a gambling man, so i am not even sure how to create the odds. I will say though that roughly 100% of the trips they make have some sort of “Ahhhh Craps” moment. These are not made up, broken drive shafts, and blown transmissions, even 6 foot snow drifts can not be made up. So comment away. The closest one gets the tshirt. And if you call it exactly as in where when and what. The triple crown of calls, you will get three Woody Boater swag items free. Good luck.
From the picture it looks like Paul didn’t see his shadow this year and there will only be 3 more months of winter up there. My prediction is no breakdowns this year the odds are he has everything that might break fixed from the previous trips. May the force be with you guys.
100% chance of an “ahh crap” moment…
Not sure we like those odds for Paul $ Karen!
But if you have to go through the crap ( and it appears, you do) I vote your troubles happen just south of Birmingham, Alabama in Alabaster, we know some Great Woody Boaters there that will be more than happy to help get you in your way to us! Just promise, that after Don & Charlotte Baker get you straightened out you pack them up and bring them with you!!!
It just feels wrong to be betting on this, doesn’t it…
We know that this time the Harrison rigs will make it all the way with NO breakdowns – but just in case there is a problem, we remember that Paul also knows the Chevy dealer in Branson, MO up close and personal. He may stop there to say “Hi” on March 7th. See you in Tavares next week.
seized up wheel bearing South Dakota
size L please
I predict no mechanical breakdowns BUT I think by the time he hits TN the emotional strain of waiting for that proverbial shoe to drop will cause a mental breakdown solved with copious amounts of Jack Daniels. This will necessitate an extra day in TN for enough of a recovery that he can tolerate any food or sound above that of a hummingbird’s wings. That said Good Luck.
Do we get to vote early, vote often? Can dead people vote? Convicted felons? Illegals? Can we intimidate people into not voting? Can we manipulate the Audio-Telle-O-Tally-O-Counter? Is Chad dangling?
Wait. Don’t answer that last one.
I thought is was a Hanging Chad. In which case we can put plastic flowers on his memorial. Or you could play Hangman but Chad is only 4 letters so it’s a very short game, maybe someone with a long Polish name from Algonac, lots of consonants, few vowels.
Alas, poor Chad…we knew him well.
I’m going with a trailer issue within 200 miles of picking it up in MO. And as Ranger says keep a list of Woody boaters willing to help along the way. Instead of AAA it will be WBA. If Alex is the one to help I see a week long story on Paul “Chief Black Cloud” Harrison.
Hopefully We will see him on the river!!
Jim: Thats a great idea! A woody boater aaa.
Now THAT is funny! Paul = CBC
Time travel is complicated, you should expect failures working out new technology.
Jim beat me to it….I was going to go with a trailer issue but I think I’m going to now go with a boat issue while on the cruise….is that part of the game too or just over the road?
$10 Trifecta
Cracked windshield (truck and/or boat)
Gravel from passing dump truck
Southern Georgia
(I’ll probably get in trouble for this but….)
This is easy. Arrival will be Saturday morning at 6:13 AM with a beautiful sunrise and the town quiet and deserted, with no worries and nothing busted.
The peaceful silence will be broken with Paul exclaiming, “Bucking eh. We arrivee’. Ha ha, that custard Alex is gonna be clucking touqued off, eh.”
(I apologize for the comment above as it most likely has not translated very well – I had to run it thru the Google translator from English to Canadian.)
Kidding. Just kidding.
My bet is a pothole-induced tire blowout that will leave them Walking in Memphis. Put on your blue suede shoes. Apologies to Marc Cohn.
Poor Paul, He will have trailer issues in Neb. No problem though, He can see Tavares from there.
Aloha!
Montana, USA Border
HOmeland Security
Boat Theft
Mike M beat me to it…. I am going with plugged fuel filter on the cruise.
Best of luck to Paul since he has no one pulling for him.
Safe travels.
We’re forgetting a whole category folks. Launch. This could happen (see photo).
Hey, wait a minute. Matt, isn’t that your Whaler?
Tom and MikeM mentioned the cruise. Can we bet on “acts of fauna?”
Witness the birth of that new dance craze”The Gator Shuffle”.
That usually happens with Paul in Tavares around midnight… Mike M & I have photos (circa 2011)
That boat is at a crazy angle. Do you think this is happening during launch or retrieval? Could that happen at Mt. Dora? Most of the Florida lakes have gators in them!
No.. no.. no…
That’s not a proper gator, nor is there a ‘gator shuffle’.
When this guy below yelled “GATOR” – you knew exactly what to do !!
So it’s an IMproper ‘gator? or is it a crocodile instead?
Belushi also yelled “Food Fight!!!” Who’s in on that?!? I’m sick of this box of Good & Plenty candy I’ve been nibbling on all day. I’m throwing it!
Paul and Karen,
Safe Travels! Don’t listen to any of these
huckleberries…
Who you calling a huckleberry! I’s it snowing in north Georgia?
Poor Paul, all these negative thoughts, I’m guessing no issues this trip he’s over due. (and I’m hoping for the same with my trip…..)
I am hoping for NO ISSUES, for ALL of us towing something down to Mt D… We leave next Thursday the 14th, to head over to Charleston S.C. for the weekend to visit my Son and his family then over to Mt.d on Monda the 18th. We will be in the water ALL WEEK, cruisin all the Lakes. Stop by the dock and say HI. Lookin to burn up some gas down there, and shed these winter blues away.
Havn’t shot six holes in the freezer YET, but close…
Is the game over once he reaches Tavares? I am betting on tow rig troubles on the way home. Smooth sailing, er, motoring to Tavares, eh!
Well, my brother lives in Calgary and says, except for the early start..winter has been one big Chinook…. So I’ll wager no weather issues.
Now, EVERY vehicle in Alberta has a cracked windshield from stone damage so it’s not fair to count that. And trailer lights just plain never work if the trailer has been parked for over two months so, that’s low hanging fruit.
After great thought, I wanted to go with a clean trip (down and back) as they are due, and they deserve an easy ride but, that’s just not sporting.
So, my money goes on an electrical(alternator/battery/starter) system issue on the morning after the first overnight. (S.Dakota/Nebraska area)Just because of the shock the vehicle will experience leaving Calgary!
This is without a doubt the funniest story of the year!
This contest is the JV GAME….I am FLYING….on one of those dicount jobs that only flys half the days of the week.??? guess they work on the planes the rest of the time.
I would NOT travel by air with Paul…given his black cloud….but since this is one of those “bring your tools” redeyes…..I think you all should bet on MY CHANCES…
See ya Sat….
John in Va.
John – I called that same airline and asked them how long the flight was… The lady said they were not sure, they have never completed a flight yet… Yikes! Good luck.
Why fly from Virginia? You are already halfway there!
Rim shot please!
I am going to go with trailer wheel issue in Montanna on the return trip.
I was going to go with “detained for extensive search and vehicle dissassmbly at the border” but I figured three Woodyboater items wasn’t enough to make an anonymous call to Customs and Border Patrol.
You’re all missing an obvious one. This is the couple who ran out of fuel in Barnwood. Then did it again for good measure.
So rolling quietly to a stop in the middle of nowhere is a distinct possibility. Yeah I know cars have more accurate gauges, and warning lights too. But we’re talking the Harrison’s here.
And fuel is not alone. There’s also tire air, engine oil, tranny fluid, brake fluid, AC coolant — they’re all on the table.
Plus, Paul’s not on the best of terms with the “man upstairs.” (And no, I’m not talking about Matt.) So definitely dontile how out a lightening strike or flash 40-day flood. Locusts too.
Locusts are noticeable along sections of Nebraska – Those suckers hurt on a Harley…
I also now know why we don’t get a lot of traffic on Woody Boater from Wyoming… More later on that.
dontile = don’t rule
Here I was, working away today when I should have already been on the road. Why? Well, the first REAL storm of the year came though here and shut all the roads yesterday and then went off right into MT – directly along my route. So, discretion and experience tell me to let the roads get cleared up before I leave, not after. Then I finally notice WB and, well – who can blame Matt after my dubious run! I can count 6 road strandings in 2 years, I think someone else is due! I have also had two boats sink and two on water breakdowns in this period of time. I am not any safer on the water it seems. Rather wisely Karen is flying into Orlando on Saturday, leaving me to my own devices on the open road.
For the permanent record – I am leaving Calgary in my 2011 GMC Diesel, not the ’96 tranny burning beater. I already have a nicely cracked windshield, I have brand new tires and I remembered to renew my AMA membership this afternoon. I hope to arrive Friday evening in Tavares, and will depart (assuming my survival until that point of course) on March 30 for the long ride home towing the Skiff. If I do break down my first call will be to Smith, not the motor association or GM Roadside, with whom I am on a first name basis now!Next report – either from ALS Landing at Tavares, or the side of the road. I know which I prefer…..!!
Question: Why did Paul cross the road?
Possible answers:
a) Steering linkage failure…
b) Front tire blowout…
c) Wheel bearing failure…
d) All of the above (a.k.a.: To break down on the other side).
LOL!!!!
Psst…. Hey Alex, why would Paul renew his American Medical Association (AMA) membership ???
Intestinal virus Karen brought back from Africa. Tenn rest area.
I’m voting for you Paul! No break downs this trip!
Jim m, you win for creativity. The link to Karen’s African adventure is inspired.
I’m with John, No break downs this time. This one will be the oddly quiet and relaxing trip!