I didn't get much sleep on the flight from Charlotte to Frankfurt, but technically my day was also first about to end, when I landed in the german morning sun.
I was a bit worried about the arrival and condition of my back pack, as I had to check it in at the counter in San Francisco. But after a while at the bagage band in Frankfurt, it poped up from underground and I could proceed to my final check in.
I went by the counter, where Devrim was at work, and I got to show him a couple of pictures, while he printed out my boarding pass. He then walked me to my gate, and before we said goodbye, I wrote him the link to this blog.
Then I walked through security, found my gate, and that leads me up to now, where I'm sitting and typing this, as I'm waiting to board the last flight for me this time around.
I want to thank all the people, who in some way made this trip possible.
I will blog again, when I have cleared customs in Copenhagen, and when I'm setteled in my new appartment.
Thanks for reading!
Keep 'em kruzin!
Dannerr
torsdag den 19. april 2012
Wednesday 18th - the shortest day of my life!
I left Sean and Alisons house as quiet as I could, and the cab was ready to pick me up at 4:25 am.
I then checked in and as I was there early, I sat and waited for around 2 hours. Not much happens at that time in the morning...
The 4,5 hours flight to Charlotte was not upsetting, I got a couple hours of sleep, and when we landed, it was around 3 o'clock in the afternoon, already here my day was three hours shorter. I got on my flight to Frankfurt, and after 8 hours, I was in Frankfurt, where it was around 7:30 in the morning. That made wednesday the 18th of April 2012 the shortest day in my life, counting only around 15 hours!
Keep 'em kruzin!
Dannerr
I then checked in and as I was there early, I sat and waited for around 2 hours. Not much happens at that time in the morning...
The 4,5 hours flight to Charlotte was not upsetting, I got a couple hours of sleep, and when we landed, it was around 3 o'clock in the afternoon, already here my day was three hours shorter. I got on my flight to Frankfurt, and after 8 hours, I was in Frankfurt, where it was around 7:30 in the morning. That made wednesday the 18th of April 2012 the shortest day in my life, counting only around 15 hours!
Keep 'em kruzin!
Dannerr
onsdag den 18. april 2012
Tuesday 17th - shopping and preparing home journey
It was kind of weird getting up at Sean and Alison's, without drinking my morning coffee with Sean. I'm gonna miss those mornings, but I might start drinking my morning coffee before leaving home, instead of at work.
I wanted to cook Sean and Alison a meal before leaving as to say thanks, so I went with Alison to Canyon market on Diamond Street, a very kuul little urban market with alot of ecological and enviormental aware products. Alison has some allergies, so I had to consult with her in order to pick out the right foods to cook. We ended up with a pair of ribeyes, two butternut squashes, a bundle of kale and some spinatch and prociuto to mix with a little of another kind of squash, Alison had back home.
Back home, Alison had some lunch before she had to go to work for about 4 hours, and I started baking these great tasting Chébé breads for me to bring to the airport. Alison gave me a jar of her processed pistacios, which she makes from all neutral pistacios, then she soaks them in salted water for a day, spreads them out on a baking plate, and bake them at the lowest temperature for about a day. That proces makes the otherwise hard digestable skin of nuts go more soft, and it holds the nutritions in the nut.
When the bread was in the oven, I ordered a taxi to take me to the airport in the night, as I was supposed to leave their house at 4:30 am, in order to get to the check-in at the airport in time. After that I started blogging, as I haven't been doing it so regularly up untill then, and as I was in the middle of blogging about saturday night, Alison was back home - the 4 hours had gone by so fast! So I finished up, and did the dishes, as I had promised her, before she left, and when Sean got home a little later, we started cooking. Alison baked the butternut squashes and sauted the other squash with the prociuto and spinach, Sean grilled the ribeyes, and I washed and riped the kale in to pieces to cook it, before applying some gee (clearified butter) and some yeast.
It was a feast! Every little mouthfull wtasted so great! The grilled ribeye steak had the right amount of grill to it, the sauted squash with the spinach and prociuto was a fantastic combination of vegetables and smoked meat, the kale with the yeast tastes freshing, and the baked butternut squash was sweet enough to make dessert.
After dinner I packed up my things, and we then saw the Gene Winfield movie, I bought at Vintage Ford. A good movie, telling alot about the man, that are still going strong with work days up to 18 hours a day at the age of 84!! Impressive, to say the least!
After the movie it was kind of weird to have to say goodbye without actually leaving the house. But I saw no reason for Sean and Alison to get up in the middle of the night just to send me in the cab, so we had our goodbyes at a little to eleven o'clock. I am going to miss them alot, I really think highly of them, helping me out and around in the area. The trip would not have been anyway near as good without them! I thank you guys alot!!
I went to bed for about five hours, before getting up again.
Keep 'em kruzin!
Dannerr
I wanted to cook Sean and Alison a meal before leaving as to say thanks, so I went with Alison to Canyon market on Diamond Street, a very kuul little urban market with alot of ecological and enviormental aware products. Alison has some allergies, so I had to consult with her in order to pick out the right foods to cook. We ended up with a pair of ribeyes, two butternut squashes, a bundle of kale and some spinatch and prociuto to mix with a little of another kind of squash, Alison had back home.
Back home, Alison had some lunch before she had to go to work for about 4 hours, and I started baking these great tasting Chébé breads for me to bring to the airport. Alison gave me a jar of her processed pistacios, which she makes from all neutral pistacios, then she soaks them in salted water for a day, spreads them out on a baking plate, and bake them at the lowest temperature for about a day. That proces makes the otherwise hard digestable skin of nuts go more soft, and it holds the nutritions in the nut.
When the bread was in the oven, I ordered a taxi to take me to the airport in the night, as I was supposed to leave their house at 4:30 am, in order to get to the check-in at the airport in time. After that I started blogging, as I haven't been doing it so regularly up untill then, and as I was in the middle of blogging about saturday night, Alison was back home - the 4 hours had gone by so fast! So I finished up, and did the dishes, as I had promised her, before she left, and when Sean got home a little later, we started cooking. Alison baked the butternut squashes and sauted the other squash with the prociuto and spinach, Sean grilled the ribeyes, and I washed and riped the kale in to pieces to cook it, before applying some gee (clearified butter) and some yeast.
It was a feast! Every little mouthfull wtasted so great! The grilled ribeye steak had the right amount of grill to it, the sauted squash with the spinach and prociuto was a fantastic combination of vegetables and smoked meat, the kale with the yeast tastes freshing, and the baked butternut squash was sweet enough to make dessert.
After dinner I packed up my things, and we then saw the Gene Winfield movie, I bought at Vintage Ford. A good movie, telling alot about the man, that are still going strong with work days up to 18 hours a day at the age of 84!! Impressive, to say the least!
After the movie it was kind of weird to have to say goodbye without actually leaving the house. But I saw no reason for Sean and Alison to get up in the middle of the night just to send me in the cab, so we had our goodbyes at a little to eleven o'clock. I am going to miss them alot, I really think highly of them, helping me out and around in the area. The trip would not have been anyway near as good without them! I thank you guys alot!!
I went to bed for about five hours, before getting up again.
Keep 'em kruzin!
Dannerr
Monday 16th - shipping problems, the Walt Disney store and a closed garage door
Monday I went back to the morning ritual of having a cup of coffee with Sean, before he left for work.
After that I started trying to figure something out with shipping of my brakes. First Alison was kind to drive me to the postal office, but the suitcase was too heavy and exceeded their limit. But I got to send a few postcards. Alison then drove me home, took off for work, and I went online in search of a cheap way of shipping the parts back home. Well, let's just say, I could have bought two sets of brakes, if I lived in California! The first shipping price was around $1000 with UPS, I then tried their freight department and got a price of only $310. To make sure, I called their service phoneline, but they told me, the cheap price is for business to business only, so I couldn't use the $310 shipping as a private person. I then tried FedEx, but they wanted $1400! Being desperate, I tried GLS, whom I have shipped something with inside Denmark, but they only ship in Europe. So I ended up with a combined shipping of UPS and ShopUSA being the cheapest way, as that would cost me a little less than $600. But as I don't have the money for that ontop of buying the parts, I had to ask Sean, if I could leave the brakes at his place for a while, and have him helpng me ship them to me, when I'm back in Denmark.
So kind of down, I went by BART to go to the Union Square, to go and visit the Walt Disney store, as I was getting Tina and Michael a pressent for being so helpfull with the money transfer. But that place is really nice and filled with a lot of Disney merchandise.
After that I went by Sean's work, Melrose motors, as he had told me about a guy in that neighborhood, who builds 4-banger engines and who has a lot of rare speed parts for them as well. But when we walked over there, the garage door was closed and the guy didn't seem to be there. So we went back to Seans work, and started talking about his projects and plans.
Sean has, besides the Nova, a '56 Chevy pick up truck at the garage at home, he wants to get finished, a '52 Chevy at work, that used to be a four door and is now being chopped up for parts for Steves '52, and he recently bought a '26 tudor body, for which he has different plans of what to do. He bought the front end of a early '50s Ford 1/2 ton pick up with a flat head truck V8 and transmission, which he is thinking of using, but he also have a 390 Cadillac V8 and a NOS (new, old stock- an old part, that has never been used) Iskendrian '505' camshaft for the Cad engine. Then he needs a good frame, but he got some frame pieces laying around, which he might weld together to make a frame of his own. Oh yeah, he also have a '70s styled Honda powered chopper, he bought of a friend, who build it for some local bike show. I mean, it's like this everywhere over here- if you have one, you usually have more than one! And Sean seems to be productive, so I guess, he will have both cars finished in a few years, and the bike sooner, as he is going to comute back and forth to work in the winter. Looking forward to see them, once they are finished!
We then went home, made dinner and then we saw the movie 'Boys of Bonneville', which is about Ab Jenkins effort for making the Bonneville salt flats into a place for land speed records, and later his son Marv, who spend his last days restoring the farthers old racecar- a fantastic movie with amazing people!
After that I told Sean and Alison, that I was going to sleep in as to get some sleep prior to the flight, and we went to bed.
Keep 'em kruzin!
Dannerr
After that I started trying to figure something out with shipping of my brakes. First Alison was kind to drive me to the postal office, but the suitcase was too heavy and exceeded their limit. But I got to send a few postcards. Alison then drove me home, took off for work, and I went online in search of a cheap way of shipping the parts back home. Well, let's just say, I could have bought two sets of brakes, if I lived in California! The first shipping price was around $1000 with UPS, I then tried their freight department and got a price of only $310. To make sure, I called their service phoneline, but they told me, the cheap price is for business to business only, so I couldn't use the $310 shipping as a private person. I then tried FedEx, but they wanted $1400! Being desperate, I tried GLS, whom I have shipped something with inside Denmark, but they only ship in Europe. So I ended up with a combined shipping of UPS and ShopUSA being the cheapest way, as that would cost me a little less than $600. But as I don't have the money for that ontop of buying the parts, I had to ask Sean, if I could leave the brakes at his place for a while, and have him helpng me ship them to me, when I'm back in Denmark.
So kind of down, I went by BART to go to the Union Square, to go and visit the Walt Disney store, as I was getting Tina and Michael a pressent for being so helpfull with the money transfer. But that place is really nice and filled with a lot of Disney merchandise.
After that I went by Sean's work, Melrose motors, as he had told me about a guy in that neighborhood, who builds 4-banger engines and who has a lot of rare speed parts for them as well. But when we walked over there, the garage door was closed and the guy didn't seem to be there. So we went back to Seans work, and started talking about his projects and plans.
Sean has, besides the Nova, a '56 Chevy pick up truck at the garage at home, he wants to get finished, a '52 Chevy at work, that used to be a four door and is now being chopped up for parts for Steves '52, and he recently bought a '26 tudor body, for which he has different plans of what to do. He bought the front end of a early '50s Ford 1/2 ton pick up with a flat head truck V8 and transmission, which he is thinking of using, but he also have a 390 Cadillac V8 and a NOS (new, old stock- an old part, that has never been used) Iskendrian '505' camshaft for the Cad engine. Then he needs a good frame, but he got some frame pieces laying around, which he might weld together to make a frame of his own. Oh yeah, he also have a '70s styled Honda powered chopper, he bought of a friend, who build it for some local bike show. I mean, it's like this everywhere over here- if you have one, you usually have more than one! And Sean seems to be productive, so I guess, he will have both cars finished in a few years, and the bike sooner, as he is going to comute back and forth to work in the winter. Looking forward to see them, once they are finished!
We then went home, made dinner and then we saw the movie 'Boys of Bonneville', which is about Ab Jenkins effort for making the Bonneville salt flats into a place for land speed records, and later his son Marv, who spend his last days restoring the farthers old racecar- a fantastic movie with amazing people!
After that I told Sean and Alison, that I was going to sleep in as to get some sleep prior to the flight, and we went to bed.
Keep 'em kruzin!
Dannerr
Sunday 15th- pier meet and cruize San Francisco
Sunday morning I got up to check out from the fancy hotel room and eat breakfast, before Sean picked me up at around 9 o'clock. Again a great breakfast, had a bowl of oatmeal and an omelet with tomatos, spinach and ham with toast on the side.
Sean picked me up at the now half empty car lot, and we took off. This was my first ride in the Nova, and I'm starting to really like that car! The sound from the three carburators, the headers and the exhaust system makes a great symphomy!
We went out to a small, local meetup, arranged by the carclub 'Los Boulevardos', and after a while, the cars started cruizing in to the parking lot, that otherwise was filling up with the cars of Saints fans, as there were a baseball game going on close by. There were some really cool looking cars, and even a guy had come down from Vancouver to visit and have his VW van striped by a local painter, who also had done the impressive work on a '60 Lincoln, I had seen in a magazine back home.
After hanging out there for a while and my fourth cup of coffee that morning, Sean and I went to pick up Alison close by, as they would take me round San Francisco to see the area surrounding the bay. It was a nice tour, although the weather was a bit cloudy and foggy. Sean and Alison took me up to the place, where they held their wedding ceremony at the beach, and the spot was beautiful! With the good wheater, they had that day, I can see, why they have such good memories from that day.
After a couple of hours of driving around, we headed back home, and Sean and I saw the movie "The road to Bonneville" with the two Deuce coupes from the 'Rolling Bones shop', which I had never seen. It was fun to see, and must have been a blast taking that long trip in those old cars! I'd like to be able to trust my cars that much one day, that I'd have no troubles to go on a long trip like that.
Then we had dinner, talked for a while, and went to bed.
Keep 'em kruzin!
Dannerr
Sean picked me up at the now half empty car lot, and we took off. This was my first ride in the Nova, and I'm starting to really like that car! The sound from the three carburators, the headers and the exhaust system makes a great symphomy!
We went out to a small, local meetup, arranged by the carclub 'Los Boulevardos', and after a while, the cars started cruizing in to the parking lot, that otherwise was filling up with the cars of Saints fans, as there were a baseball game going on close by. There were some really cool looking cars, and even a guy had come down from Vancouver to visit and have his VW van striped by a local painter, who also had done the impressive work on a '60 Lincoln, I had seen in a magazine back home.
After hanging out there for a while and my fourth cup of coffee that morning, Sean and I went to pick up Alison close by, as they would take me round San Francisco to see the area surrounding the bay. It was a nice tour, although the weather was a bit cloudy and foggy. Sean and Alison took me up to the place, where they held their wedding ceremony at the beach, and the spot was beautiful! With the good wheater, they had that day, I can see, why they have such good memories from that day.
After a couple of hours of driving around, we headed back home, and Sean and I saw the movie "The road to Bonneville" with the two Deuce coupes from the 'Rolling Bones shop', which I had never seen. It was fun to see, and must have been a blast taking that long trip in those old cars! I'd like to be able to trust my cars that much one day, that I'd have no troubles to go on a long trip like that.
Then we had dinner, talked for a while, and went to bed.
Keep 'em kruzin!
Dannerr
Saturday - Booze, Broads and Hot Rods (that is, what it's called!)
Saturday was the big day for my first car show, where I would stay at the same hotel in which it was held. I got up in my nice two roomed hotel room, and I went down for the complimentary breakfast, which was in this small indoor jungle, kind of like a growth garden with lots of plants, waterfalls and fountains - very fancy, compared to the freeway hotel, I had been staying at in Vegas. As I was eating my breakfast, a lady walked by me and said "Hey, rocker!" with a smile on her face, so I could see, she was there for the show as well. Then she paused, and said "Well, you're not from around here!" I asked, who she could tell, because I thought I looked a lot like the others here for the show, and she told me, I must be european, because I was using my left hand for my fork and my right hand for my knife. I hadn't noticed before she said it, but all around me people were doing it opposite! I think it was kuul, she noticed, and as I left the eating area, I bid her and her husband a good day - but I got to see them later.
The carshow didn't start until 1 o'clock, so after breakfast, I went up to my room and slept for another hour. Then I got up and got ready for the carshow.
The Booze, Broads and Hot Rods show is held by a local all girls car club named the Bombshells, who turned out to be really great hosts! It was held at the hotels parking lot, right next to the San Francisco bay, so as we walked around the cars, we could enjoy the ocean view - it was great! I immediately ran in to Sean, who had drove out there in his '63 Nova four door, a real kuul beater with a 250cui straight 6 out of a '69 truck with three carbs on a Offenhauser intake and with pipe headers, which he drives without the bonnet, as it had overheated on a trip back to his parents, so he left there, and after a while his father scrapped it, so now it's just hoodless! Looks so kuul that way!
Besides Sean's rodded Nova, there were a lot of really fine cars there, and people were nice and friendly, so we really had a good time, looking at cars. Especially there were a '28/'29 pheaton, which I liked, a wild looking '30 coupe with slicks and spindle mounted front wheels from California Hot Rods by Mike Smith, and a really kuul, patinized model A roadster on '32 frame with wide five wheels. Sean told me, the owner is one of the men behind one of the endurance races near by, and he drives the cars without mercy! I like cars like that, that are build to be driven and gets driven as they are build to!
In the evening there were several bands playing, I especially liked Roddy Jackson - I still have the hick-ups! He put on a very good show, and it turned out to be the husband from the couple, who I talked to at the breakfast.
After that, I went up to bed and went to sleep, as I have arranged with Sean, that he would pick me up around 9 o'clock in the morning to go to a local car get-together at one of the piers of San Francisco. What I didn't know was, that the last band was one of Eddie Angels bands, so I missed Eddie Angel, who is a really great surf guitarist, playing. Instead I just went to bed.
But that's life out here, there is always more to see and more stuff to do!
The carshow didn't start until 1 o'clock, so after breakfast, I went up to my room and slept for another hour. Then I got up and got ready for the carshow.
The Booze, Broads and Hot Rods show is held by a local all girls car club named the Bombshells, who turned out to be really great hosts! It was held at the hotels parking lot, right next to the San Francisco bay, so as we walked around the cars, we could enjoy the ocean view - it was great! I immediately ran in to Sean, who had drove out there in his '63 Nova four door, a real kuul beater with a 250cui straight 6 out of a '69 truck with three carbs on a Offenhauser intake and with pipe headers, which he drives without the bonnet, as it had overheated on a trip back to his parents, so he left there, and after a while his father scrapped it, so now it's just hoodless! Looks so kuul that way!
Besides Sean's rodded Nova, there were a lot of really fine cars there, and people were nice and friendly, so we really had a good time, looking at cars. Especially there were a '28/'29 pheaton, which I liked, a wild looking '30 coupe with slicks and spindle mounted front wheels from California Hot Rods by Mike Smith, and a really kuul, patinized model A roadster on '32 frame with wide five wheels. Sean told me, the owner is one of the men behind one of the endurance races near by, and he drives the cars without mercy! I like cars like that, that are build to be driven and gets driven as they are build to!
In the evening there were several bands playing, I especially liked Roddy Jackson - I still have the hick-ups! He put on a very good show, and it turned out to be the husband from the couple, who I talked to at the breakfast.
After that, I went up to bed and went to sleep, as I have arranged with Sean, that he would pick me up around 9 o'clock in the morning to go to a local car get-together at one of the piers of San Francisco. What I didn't know was, that the last band was one of Eddie Angels bands, so I missed Eddie Angel, who is a really great surf guitarist, playing. Instead I just went to bed.
But that's life out here, there is always more to see and more stuff to do!
Friday - a ball started rolling in Sacramento
Friday morning i again joined Sean for morning coffee, before he was going to work.
The plan for the day was to go to Sacramento to pick up some parts for one of my Jalopies club mates named Mikael at the SoCal speed shop, then go to Sacramento Vintage Ford and maybe stop by at Blue collar customs, if I found the time.
I headed out of San Francisco, and as I drove through Berkley, I saw one of the freeway exits was called Gilman Street, on which there is a old and famous punk rock club, driven by volunteers - one of the places, I was supposed to visit with Louise in the original plan. I promised my self, if i could make the time, I would stop in on the way back.
As I landed outside the SoCal shop, I was once again surprised over the size of it over here. I was not as surprising as Vern's, but still amassing to see all these parts at one place. I know, it's just a store, but still, that place is worth a visit, if you are the least bit into building old hot rods and kustom cars. Behind the counter was this guy named Paxton, and we got to talking about our different projects. He is trading out a lot of his stuff, as he wants to sort of start over with a hot rod. He gave me the address for Blue Collar Customs, so I could go there after Vintage Ford. I also got to talk to another behind the counter, who owned a very kuul, topchoped Ford '49 shoebox sitting outside the shop on the main street. At one point, Paxton asked me, if I wanted to go with him to a nearby custom shop, as he was heading over there to talk to one of them. I said yes, and drove after him in the rental. When we got there, it turned out to be Sacramento Kustoms, who are building customs on a lot of late '40ies, early '50ies cars. They had a topchopped '49 Cadillac, I liked in particular. Can't say why, it just flows right! As I was there, Mikael texted me and asked, if I could pick up some magazines for him, so I said goodbye, and went back to the rental car. Then my eye caught a kuul '56/'57 Chevy pick up truck in the shop next to the custom shop, and I went inside to see, if that was another custom shop. Well, it was, of sorts, as they are building customized woodings for kitchens and stuff like that. Besides the '56/'57 truck, which had been torn appart to start the renovation, the owner of the wood shop had a nice and completly finished '58 Chevy truck, painted blue and white, sitting in the back, which was now for sale, as he should use the money for the '56 project.
I went back to the SoCal shop, called Mikael to make sure he got the right magazines (might have woken him, as it was around 11:20 pm danish time - sorry, Mike!), and then started talking to the guy with the shoebox. He told me, if I was in to this, I should go and see Vintage Ford, and I told him, I was on my way there now, and then he said, that I should try to stop by Blue Collar Customs on the way, as it was only a two block detour. So I made a detour, and drove there next.
Arriving at Blue Collar Customs, I got up to a gate, that almost looked locked, and I got flashbacks to my Tuesday at H&H. But it was open a little, so i called out and walked in. Inside I met 4 guys working on their client projects, they do amazingly good body work, as they do make all new panels to fit, instead of hammering in the old panels, and using a lot of filer to compensate for missing spots. If you do not know BCC, they are the guys who build the '56 Ford truck crewcab for MetallicA's lead singer, James Hetfield. That car was in the shop for a little refurbishing, and I was so lucky to get to hear it running! Hetfield had just had a '36 custom delivered to him monday, and that car is not filled anywhere, but just painted in clear coats! I saw a few pictures, and it looked awesome!
We got to talking about engines, and they told me, that they uses an oldtimer real close, he had been doing 4-banger work, and he might still have a banger in for rebuild. But as the time was late and I still needed to go to Vintage Ford, I passed the opportunity and headed out of there and on to Vintage Ford.
I had expected a rather large store at Vingate Ford, but again, I didn't expect this. That place was huge, all filled with parts in the back and a lot of old Ford merchandise in the shop. You could find a lot of stuff there, and you could spend a lot of money too! I tried to pace my self, but had to have a newly released dvd, starring Gene Winfield and his builds. As I was leaving, the nice lady behind the counter told me, that as I am in to old, fast four cylindered Fords, I should come back next morning, as the local F.A.S.T. chapter was doing a meeting on their parking lot that Saturday morning. But unfortunately I had agreed to turning in the rental car that evening, and I was also going to another car show in San Francisco next day - but I would have liked to see all those hopped up 4-bangers in hot rods and hill climbers. I left, and drove back.
As I was about to pass the Gilman exit, I decided to drive of and see, if I could find 924 Gilman Street. And it was actually kind of hard to spot, as the only thing revealing it was a couple of flyers in their window - besides those, it looks like all other houses in that neighborhood. I went inside to hear, what was playing Friday and Saturday night, which was some local punk rock bands that evening, but next day they would have a show with some punk-ska and psychobilly bands from the Bay area. I thought of going Saturday, but I didn't, as this was supposed to be a couples-thing for me and Louise, and I didn't wanted to be reminded about she recently breaking-up with me.
So I left, and went back to Sean and Alison's to unload Mikael's and mine SoCal and Vintage Ford purchases, and then I drove out to the airport to deliver the rental car. From there I took the hotel shuttle to the Embassy Suites, where I checked in to my room and went to sleep in order to be ready for the show next day.
The plan for the day was to go to Sacramento to pick up some parts for one of my Jalopies club mates named Mikael at the SoCal speed shop, then go to Sacramento Vintage Ford and maybe stop by at Blue collar customs, if I found the time.
I headed out of San Francisco, and as I drove through Berkley, I saw one of the freeway exits was called Gilman Street, on which there is a old and famous punk rock club, driven by volunteers - one of the places, I was supposed to visit with Louise in the original plan. I promised my self, if i could make the time, I would stop in on the way back.
As I landed outside the SoCal shop, I was once again surprised over the size of it over here. I was not as surprising as Vern's, but still amassing to see all these parts at one place. I know, it's just a store, but still, that place is worth a visit, if you are the least bit into building old hot rods and kustom cars. Behind the counter was this guy named Paxton, and we got to talking about our different projects. He is trading out a lot of his stuff, as he wants to sort of start over with a hot rod. He gave me the address for Blue Collar Customs, so I could go there after Vintage Ford. I also got to talk to another behind the counter, who owned a very kuul, topchoped Ford '49 shoebox sitting outside the shop on the main street. At one point, Paxton asked me, if I wanted to go with him to a nearby custom shop, as he was heading over there to talk to one of them. I said yes, and drove after him in the rental. When we got there, it turned out to be Sacramento Kustoms, who are building customs on a lot of late '40ies, early '50ies cars. They had a topchopped '49 Cadillac, I liked in particular. Can't say why, it just flows right! As I was there, Mikael texted me and asked, if I could pick up some magazines for him, so I said goodbye, and went back to the rental car. Then my eye caught a kuul '56/'57 Chevy pick up truck in the shop next to the custom shop, and I went inside to see, if that was another custom shop. Well, it was, of sorts, as they are building customized woodings for kitchens and stuff like that. Besides the '56/'57 truck, which had been torn appart to start the renovation, the owner of the wood shop had a nice and completly finished '58 Chevy truck, painted blue and white, sitting in the back, which was now for sale, as he should use the money for the '56 project.
I went back to the SoCal shop, called Mikael to make sure he got the right magazines (might have woken him, as it was around 11:20 pm danish time - sorry, Mike!), and then started talking to the guy with the shoebox. He told me, if I was in to this, I should go and see Vintage Ford, and I told him, I was on my way there now, and then he said, that I should try to stop by Blue Collar Customs on the way, as it was only a two block detour. So I made a detour, and drove there next.
Arriving at Blue Collar Customs, I got up to a gate, that almost looked locked, and I got flashbacks to my Tuesday at H&H. But it was open a little, so i called out and walked in. Inside I met 4 guys working on their client projects, they do amazingly good body work, as they do make all new panels to fit, instead of hammering in the old panels, and using a lot of filer to compensate for missing spots. If you do not know BCC, they are the guys who build the '56 Ford truck crewcab for MetallicA's lead singer, James Hetfield. That car was in the shop for a little refurbishing, and I was so lucky to get to hear it running! Hetfield had just had a '36 custom delivered to him monday, and that car is not filled anywhere, but just painted in clear coats! I saw a few pictures, and it looked awesome!
We got to talking about engines, and they told me, that they uses an oldtimer real close, he had been doing 4-banger work, and he might still have a banger in for rebuild. But as the time was late and I still needed to go to Vintage Ford, I passed the opportunity and headed out of there and on to Vintage Ford.
I had expected a rather large store at Vingate Ford, but again, I didn't expect this. That place was huge, all filled with parts in the back and a lot of old Ford merchandise in the shop. You could find a lot of stuff there, and you could spend a lot of money too! I tried to pace my self, but had to have a newly released dvd, starring Gene Winfield and his builds. As I was leaving, the nice lady behind the counter told me, that as I am in to old, fast four cylindered Fords, I should come back next morning, as the local F.A.S.T. chapter was doing a meeting on their parking lot that Saturday morning. But unfortunately I had agreed to turning in the rental car that evening, and I was also going to another car show in San Francisco next day - but I would have liked to see all those hopped up 4-bangers in hot rods and hill climbers. I left, and drove back.
As I was about to pass the Gilman exit, I decided to drive of and see, if I could find 924 Gilman Street. And it was actually kind of hard to spot, as the only thing revealing it was a couple of flyers in their window - besides those, it looks like all other houses in that neighborhood. I went inside to hear, what was playing Friday and Saturday night, which was some local punk rock bands that evening, but next day they would have a show with some punk-ska and psychobilly bands from the Bay area. I thought of going Saturday, but I didn't, as this was supposed to be a couples-thing for me and Louise, and I didn't wanted to be reminded about she recently breaking-up with me.
So I left, and went back to Sean and Alison's to unload Mikael's and mine SoCal and Vintage Ford purchases, and then I drove out to the airport to deliver the rental car. From there I took the hotel shuttle to the Embassy Suites, where I checked in to my room and went to sleep in order to be ready for the show next day.
Thursday - Vern's again and visiting Alcatraz
I got up Thursday morning and had my now almost ritually morning coffee with Sean, just sitting in their kitchen, looking out on the horizon, slowly waking up. It's nice, and I hope to keep doing quiet mornings, when I get back home.
After a shower, I went to the airport to pick up the money, Tina had wired me - in the morning the time difference is a kuul thing, but it's hard to get a hold on people back home between 2 pm and 11 pm local time, as most people are a sleep back home at that time. Taking out the money became even more complicated, as the lady behind the counter kept mixing up my danish phone number and Sean and Alison's address. But finally I had the money, and I headed out to Vern Tardel's shop again to pick up my new, old brake parts.
Entering through the gates again still seemed surreal, all those parts laying around. I can understand, why he builds so kuul hot rods, as I would too, of I possessed the same amount of genuine Ford parts from so many different cars.
Vern was out though, Kevin told me, that he spends every Thursday morning with his grand daughter, but he would be back around maybe 1 o'clock. I thanked Kevin for telling me, but I had to head out of there earlier, as i wanted to avoid traffic in order to be at Sean's work before 5 pm, as we were to meet up there, before going to pier 39 for our Alcatraz tour. We talked some more, and finally I headed back to San Francisco.
The drive back was pretty quick, so I decided to try to find a suit case for the brakes parts to fit in. First I stopped in at a Best Buy, as I thought it sounded like a place, where they would sell almost anything. But they only deal in electronics, and I didn't go in to buy a new TV or cell phone, so I left without the wanted suitcase. It can be hard to find out, what is what over here, as some of the names doesn't tell you, what the shop is actually carrying. But after a couple of places, I found a T J Max, which is a clothing store, and there I found a suitcase. Out in the parking lot I tried fitting the brakes in it, and they did fit, but... the suitcase was insanely heavy! Didn't think much of it at the time, but that was going to be a problem later!
I met up with Sean at his work, Melrose Motors, shortly thereafter Alison arrived, and we got dressed warm and headed out to pier 39. The boat ride took us around the Alcatraz island, weather was foggy and rainy, but we still stayed outside and enjoyed the ride. Sean has been living in San Francisco for 16 years or so, and Alison all her life, and neither of them had taken the tour of Alcatraz before, so I was glad, that I could give them that experience.
The trip around Alcatraz was mainly focused around Alcatraz being a maximum security prison facility from 1934 to 1963, but prior to that it had been a military prison, a military training camp, and before that it was a part of the defense line for San Francisco during the civil war. And a couple of years after they closed it, in 1969 a group of Native American activist squatted the island, as there were some old law, stating that governmental property could be claimed by the natives, if it was left unused for some time. So they claimed it, and it lasted about 18 months, during which they also started broadcasting a radio channel to the San Francisco area. A kuul detail in the Alcatraz history, but it was kind of left out of the tour, which I think is a pity.
Tiered and a little clod we got to bed, when we got back home, after a good and interesting night of steel bars and reinforced concrete.
After a shower, I went to the airport to pick up the money, Tina had wired me - in the morning the time difference is a kuul thing, but it's hard to get a hold on people back home between 2 pm and 11 pm local time, as most people are a sleep back home at that time. Taking out the money became even more complicated, as the lady behind the counter kept mixing up my danish phone number and Sean and Alison's address. But finally I had the money, and I headed out to Vern Tardel's shop again to pick up my new, old brake parts.
Entering through the gates again still seemed surreal, all those parts laying around. I can understand, why he builds so kuul hot rods, as I would too, of I possessed the same amount of genuine Ford parts from so many different cars.
Vern was out though, Kevin told me, that he spends every Thursday morning with his grand daughter, but he would be back around maybe 1 o'clock. I thanked Kevin for telling me, but I had to head out of there earlier, as i wanted to avoid traffic in order to be at Sean's work before 5 pm, as we were to meet up there, before going to pier 39 for our Alcatraz tour. We talked some more, and finally I headed back to San Francisco.
The drive back was pretty quick, so I decided to try to find a suit case for the brakes parts to fit in. First I stopped in at a Best Buy, as I thought it sounded like a place, where they would sell almost anything. But they only deal in electronics, and I didn't go in to buy a new TV or cell phone, so I left without the wanted suitcase. It can be hard to find out, what is what over here, as some of the names doesn't tell you, what the shop is actually carrying. But after a couple of places, I found a T J Max, which is a clothing store, and there I found a suitcase. Out in the parking lot I tried fitting the brakes in it, and they did fit, but... the suitcase was insanely heavy! Didn't think much of it at the time, but that was going to be a problem later!
I met up with Sean at his work, Melrose Motors, shortly thereafter Alison arrived, and we got dressed warm and headed out to pier 39. The boat ride took us around the Alcatraz island, weather was foggy and rainy, but we still stayed outside and enjoyed the ride. Sean has been living in San Francisco for 16 years or so, and Alison all her life, and neither of them had taken the tour of Alcatraz before, so I was glad, that I could give them that experience.
The trip around Alcatraz was mainly focused around Alcatraz being a maximum security prison facility from 1934 to 1963, but prior to that it had been a military prison, a military training camp, and before that it was a part of the defense line for San Francisco during the civil war. And a couple of years after they closed it, in 1969 a group of Native American activist squatted the island, as there were some old law, stating that governmental property could be claimed by the natives, if it was left unused for some time. So they claimed it, and it lasted about 18 months, during which they also started broadcasting a radio channel to the San Francisco area. A kuul detail in the Alcatraz history, but it was kind of left out of the tour, which I think is a pity.
Tiered and a little clod we got to bed, when we got back home, after a good and interesting night of steel bars and reinforced concrete.
tirsdag den 17. april 2012
Wednesday - Vern Tardel
Wednesday morning I got up at half past six in order to drink morning coffee with Sean, and tell him about yesterdays trip. He was bummed out on my behalf, and he agreed with me, that I might better call ahead to the next places I was to see. So after a shower, I got online to try to find Vern Tardel's phone number, but it wasn't on his website for a good reason, quote "After banging our heads too many times to get out from under a car to answer the phone, we’re strictly email and fax", unquote. And I can only imagine the bumps a head can get, when your business are busy and you are trying to build kuul hot rods! So I took the chance and left San Francisco without knowing if it would be another drive for nothing.
It wasn't, let me assure you of that! I have never imagined, a place like that could have so much kuul stuff gathered in one place! The only thing missing, was a switch from flat head V8s to 4-bangers, and I would be in my perfect hot rod heaven!
When I started getting closer, I expected a lot of signs and arrows pointing "This way to Vern Tardel's traditional Hot Rod shop!", but it actually just looked like an old farm house, as I drove up the driveway - the only thing letting me know, I might be at the right place was the hopped up mail box with a Ford carb and two V8 aluminum heads on top. A small sign at the house saying "Shop -->" lead me around, and suddenly I was in absolutely one of the kuulest places in this world! As I got out of the rental, a couple of vintage dragsters was the first thing, I noticed, and as I found myself standing in the yard of the hot rod shop, I realized what it was, that surrounded me; each car had at least some lowering, a flat head V8 and that equiped with aluminum heads. All the parts, we only dare to dream about back home, was suddenly plenty of all around! I mean, every early Ford part imaginable was laying in the yard in boxes placed on the ground, old signs of all kinds, a couple of vintage bicycles, V8 powered machines such a home build tractor, was all around me!
I went inside, and one of the first cars I looked closer at, was a bright red '28/'29 roadster with an overhead valve 4 cylindered Model A engine with two Stromberg 81's. I know, normally Vern only does flat head V8's, so for me to turn up on one of the few days, he was having this little banger rod in for a make over, was incredibly lucky! The story about the car was, that Vern build around 18-20 years ago, it had been sold a few times, recently to the son of the customer, who had Vern build it, and it had now come back for it's first service! If you build hot rods, that lasts for 18 years, you are a good craftsman!
Most of them had gone out to lunch, so Kevin, a former graphical designer who's in charge of the 'web business', greated me, told me a little about the place, and told me to look around, and Vern would come back later.
I spend a couple of hours just walking around in parts lot, as I didn't wanted to interrupt the business of Vern and his men building kuul hot rods, just looking in total disbelieve at the amount of parts laying in boxes on the ground before me. I then went inside, hung out in the shop for some hours, I bought some stuff, having Vern sign a set of his books, talking about hot rods here and back home, the difficulties in building traditional hot rods in Denmark, all sorts of car talk actually. Fun fact: Vern build a lot of the cars, that are in the background in the movie "Worlds fastest Indian", when it takes place at the land speed trials at the salt lake. Around half past six two guys, Mike and Jack (I believe - have meet so many, so I tend to forget and mix names, sorry!) showed up, starting to work on Vern's spuercharged flat head V8 land speed racecar, which they do every wednesday night - like our Pirates' Kustomz nights back home!
One of the many things, I had noticed walking around in the piles of parts, was a rack full of the brake backing plates, I wanted to use as my graduating project as a mechanical engineer, but couldn't find back home. So I asked Vern, what he would want for a complete set of all the brake parts needed, and it came to around $700! I desperately started counting my money, but if I took that deal, I wouldn't have any money for a lot of the things, I wanted to see and do for the rest of the trip. So I had to leave them, but we agreed, that I could have them shipped out of there, when I got back home. And around 8 o'clock, I said goodbye and thanks for a great day to the guys left in the shop, and I drove back to San Francisco, still in disbelieve of that place.
As I drove down the freeway, I started wondering, if there were soime way I could get the money, and maybe take the brakes home with me, as I was near them now anyway. So when I got back to Sean and Alison's house, I called my trusty financial aid, Tina, and we made a deal about me lending the money for the complete set of braking parts. So Thursday I had to go back to Vern's to pick up the parts. And with that settled, I went to sleep after a long and very good day!
It wasn't, let me assure you of that! I have never imagined, a place like that could have so much kuul stuff gathered in one place! The only thing missing, was a switch from flat head V8s to 4-bangers, and I would be in my perfect hot rod heaven!
When I started getting closer, I expected a lot of signs and arrows pointing "This way to Vern Tardel's traditional Hot Rod shop!", but it actually just looked like an old farm house, as I drove up the driveway - the only thing letting me know, I might be at the right place was the hopped up mail box with a Ford carb and two V8 aluminum heads on top. A small sign at the house saying "Shop -->" lead me around, and suddenly I was in absolutely one of the kuulest places in this world! As I got out of the rental, a couple of vintage dragsters was the first thing, I noticed, and as I found myself standing in the yard of the hot rod shop, I realized what it was, that surrounded me; each car had at least some lowering, a flat head V8 and that equiped with aluminum heads. All the parts, we only dare to dream about back home, was suddenly plenty of all around! I mean, every early Ford part imaginable was laying in the yard in boxes placed on the ground, old signs of all kinds, a couple of vintage bicycles, V8 powered machines such a home build tractor, was all around me!
I went inside, and one of the first cars I looked closer at, was a bright red '28/'29 roadster with an overhead valve 4 cylindered Model A engine with two Stromberg 81's. I know, normally Vern only does flat head V8's, so for me to turn up on one of the few days, he was having this little banger rod in for a make over, was incredibly lucky! The story about the car was, that Vern build around 18-20 years ago, it had been sold a few times, recently to the son of the customer, who had Vern build it, and it had now come back for it's first service! If you build hot rods, that lasts for 18 years, you are a good craftsman!
Most of them had gone out to lunch, so Kevin, a former graphical designer who's in charge of the 'web business', greated me, told me a little about the place, and told me to look around, and Vern would come back later.
I spend a couple of hours just walking around in parts lot, as I didn't wanted to interrupt the business of Vern and his men building kuul hot rods, just looking in total disbelieve at the amount of parts laying in boxes on the ground before me. I then went inside, hung out in the shop for some hours, I bought some stuff, having Vern sign a set of his books, talking about hot rods here and back home, the difficulties in building traditional hot rods in Denmark, all sorts of car talk actually. Fun fact: Vern build a lot of the cars, that are in the background in the movie "Worlds fastest Indian", when it takes place at the land speed trials at the salt lake. Around half past six two guys, Mike and Jack (I believe - have meet so many, so I tend to forget and mix names, sorry!) showed up, starting to work on Vern's spuercharged flat head V8 land speed racecar, which they do every wednesday night - like our Pirates' Kustomz nights back home!
One of the many things, I had noticed walking around in the piles of parts, was a rack full of the brake backing plates, I wanted to use as my graduating project as a mechanical engineer, but couldn't find back home. So I asked Vern, what he would want for a complete set of all the brake parts needed, and it came to around $700! I desperately started counting my money, but if I took that deal, I wouldn't have any money for a lot of the things, I wanted to see and do for the rest of the trip. So I had to leave them, but we agreed, that I could have them shipped out of there, when I got back home. And around 8 o'clock, I said goodbye and thanks for a great day to the guys left in the shop, and I drove back to San Francisco, still in disbelieve of that place.
As I drove down the freeway, I started wondering, if there were soime way I could get the money, and maybe take the brakes home with me, as I was near them now anyway. So when I got back to Sean and Alison's house, I called my trusty financial aid, Tina, and we made a deal about me lending the money for the complete set of braking parts. So Thursday I had to go back to Vern's to pick up the parts. And with that settled, I went to sleep after a long and very good day!
Tuesday - road trip
So I got the money cleared in the middle of the night, and when I got up, I had my first morning coffee with Sean. He grains his coffee beans him self, like I used too, and due to Alison's allergies, they didn't have regular milk, but some non-sweet coconut milk, which gives this rich coffee taste! It is gooood!!
Sean went to work, and Alison was heading out as well, so I started the plan for that day: to get to the airport, pick up cash, pick up rental car, drive down to LA to see H&H Antiques (who builds and hops up Ford Model A engines!), drive back and go to sleep.
I too the BART to the airport, found the TravelEx, and got the money. It took a little time, but I guess, it was okay. At the counter at FoxRentACar it took even more time, that I could have imagined, so I finally got on the south bound freeway around 10:45 am.
I tried to step on it, as it was a 6 hours drive, and Max Sr. at H&H had told me, they would close up at 5 o'clock. And not exceeding the speed limits by much, I actually drove in at their address at 4:20 - just to see a locked gate! I mean, I saw an H&H trailer heading north, but I figured, that when he had mailed me, that that would be there monday and tuesday from 9 to 5, I was counting on it! Guess I needed to call ahead to confirm first, which I will do next time I'm coming out to California.
As I stood there, looking in at the place I've looked forward to see, a package delivery drove up, and he told me, that they go home early, if they haven't got any thing to do. He drove off, and this young guy, Sam, rode his Fixie bicycle past the place, and I stopped him to hear, of he knew anything about the shop or where they guys behind it might live. He didn't, but we got to talking about him going for a backpacking trip through Europe in the early summer. So my trip wasn't all in vain, at least I gave him some traveling tips and stuff to see back home.
So, I took some pictures of the place (or at least of what I could see of it from outside the fence!), and got back in my fancy rental Ford Focus, started the 6 hours drive back to San Francisco, and was home at around midnight.
Sean went to work, and Alison was heading out as well, so I started the plan for that day: to get to the airport, pick up cash, pick up rental car, drive down to LA to see H&H Antiques (who builds and hops up Ford Model A engines!), drive back and go to sleep.
I too the BART to the airport, found the TravelEx, and got the money. It took a little time, but I guess, it was okay. At the counter at FoxRentACar it took even more time, that I could have imagined, so I finally got on the south bound freeway around 10:45 am.
I tried to step on it, as it was a 6 hours drive, and Max Sr. at H&H had told me, they would close up at 5 o'clock. And not exceeding the speed limits by much, I actually drove in at their address at 4:20 - just to see a locked gate! I mean, I saw an H&H trailer heading north, but I figured, that when he had mailed me, that that would be there monday and tuesday from 9 to 5, I was counting on it! Guess I needed to call ahead to confirm first, which I will do next time I'm coming out to California.
As I stood there, looking in at the place I've looked forward to see, a package delivery drove up, and he told me, that they go home early, if they haven't got any thing to do. He drove off, and this young guy, Sam, rode his Fixie bicycle past the place, and I stopped him to hear, of he knew anything about the shop or where they guys behind it might live. He didn't, but we got to talking about him going for a backpacking trip through Europe in the early summer. So my trip wasn't all in vain, at least I gave him some traveling tips and stuff to see back home.
So, I took some pictures of the place (or at least of what I could see of it from outside the fence!), and got back in my fancy rental Ford Focus, started the 6 hours drive back to San Francisco, and was home at around midnight.
onsdag den 11. april 2012
The withdrawing limit on a Visa card
I got up to call my banker, Bettina, as soon as they opened tuesday morning, which meant at 1 am in the night San Francisco time! But I did, and she would look into it and call me back. She called around 3:15 am, with the conclusion, that due to all my ourchases prior to the trip, I had exceeded the withdrawing limit of 20.000,- danish kroner (aprox. $3500,-), so it will be closed until the 23rd - and by that time I'm back in denmark, even also back to work!
So I called Tina again, and had her sending some money, then I called Bettina (my banker) back, and had he transfer the total amount to Tina from my account, as I did have the money- I simply just could 't withdraw it due to visa's stupid max outtake policy! Seriously concidering cutting my visa card in half, once I'm home!
When all was setteled, I could go back to sleep again at around 4:15. In the morning I could then pick the money up, before going to the carrental.
Keep 'em kruzin!
Dannerr
So I called Tina again, and had her sending some money, then I called Bettina (my banker) back, and had he transfer the total amount to Tina from my account, as I did have the money- I simply just could 't withdraw it due to visa's stupid max outtake policy! Seriously concidering cutting my visa card in half, once I'm home!
When all was setteled, I could go back to sleep again at around 4:15. In the morning I could then pick the money up, before going to the carrental.
Keep 'em kruzin!
Dannerr
First roadtrip
Monday morning Steve, which calls himself 'Gusty winds' (no, not gutsy winds!) on the HAMB, gave me a lift, as Sean and Alissons car was pretty full, and the drive was long. So it was better to drive out with Steve to his place, and from there go the last hour with Sean and Alisson. We hit the road around half past eight, and went from Vegas to Steves place in Gilroy - which is the garlic capitol of the world, where we were at around five o'clock.
We kept it pretty clean, stopped three times on the tour. At lunch time, we drove in to the town of Tehachapi, where Steve and I went for lunch at the local BBQ place. We both ended up ordering a pulled pork sandwich, mine with Mac'n'cheese. The sandwich was great, I really need to learn to make pulled pork!
We said goodbye to Steve, after having looked a bit at his '52 Chevy, and took the last bit of road north to San Francisco. It was the firs time I was alone with Sean and Alisson, and they turned out to be really great! Although Sean is a gearhead (at least his T-shirt says), he is very much in to preserving and renovating old stuff, as are Alisson. For example, they do a lot of preservative cooking, so looking in their cold cabinet reminds me of when mom used to do all that herself.
They live really healthy, and as they asked me to dine with them, I quickly accepted, looking forward to a home cooked meal. We had some sort of cabage with this nutty flaked topping, some chicken stock and Sean and me had a piece of steak. A good, solid and regular meal, which was good after 4 1/2 days of diner and take out.
I still had to figure something out with the troublesome visa card, so in order to get up at 1 in the night (10o'clock danish day time), I went to bed arround ten in the evening.
And that was monday!
Keep 'em kruzin!
Dannerr
We kept it pretty clean, stopped three times on the tour. At lunch time, we drove in to the town of Tehachapi, where Steve and I went for lunch at the local BBQ place. We both ended up ordering a pulled pork sandwich, mine with Mac'n'cheese. The sandwich was great, I really need to learn to make pulled pork!
We said goodbye to Steve, after having looked a bit at his '52 Chevy, and took the last bit of road north to San Francisco. It was the firs time I was alone with Sean and Alisson, and they turned out to be really great! Although Sean is a gearhead (at least his T-shirt says), he is very much in to preserving and renovating old stuff, as are Alisson. For example, they do a lot of preservative cooking, so looking in their cold cabinet reminds me of when mom used to do all that herself.
They live really healthy, and as they asked me to dine with them, I quickly accepted, looking forward to a home cooked meal. We had some sort of cabage with this nutty flaked topping, some chicken stock and Sean and me had a piece of steak. A good, solid and regular meal, which was good after 4 1/2 days of diner and take out.
I still had to figure something out with the troublesome visa card, so in order to get up at 1 in the night (10o'clock danish day time), I went to bed arround ten in the evening.
And that was monday!
Keep 'em kruzin!
Dannerr
mandag den 9. april 2012
Monday morning- Leaving Vegas
Just got up at a relatively normal hour, in order to pack and check out of the hotel. And this is the first time, I've seen the sun rise, as long as I've been here. It is beautiful!
Steve's picking me up in a little over than an hour, and then we are driving to San Francisco.
Keep 'em kruzin!
Dannerr
Steve's picking me up in a little over than an hour, and then we are driving to San Francisco.
Keep 'em kruzin!
Dannerr
Sunday- met more danes, walked the strip and Road Devils BBQ
At breakfast sunday morning I ordered my table, and all of the sudden behind me I heard someone talking danish! I felt in to chatting with them, and I remeber having seen one of them back home - Peter is playing a guitar placed in the lap, so he's kind of hard to miss! He was with his girlfriend Asta, lead singer and hula-dancer in their band "the Exoticats", and their friend Walter, who hosts a contry/rockabilly event about every second week back in Copenhagen. Peter asked me to join them for breakfast, so I did and we had a nice time- or at least I did! It was nice to talk to somebody from home!
After breakfast I walked the strip, taking pictures and trying not to be hustled. There are all sorts of tries to get your money out of your pocket and into theirs! Didn't find the "Welcome to Las Vegas" sign though.
After the tourist-walk I went to Seans friend Nates house for a BBQ, where I met Seans wife Allison and Steve, who was smoking pork ribs- they were gooood!!
We mostly talked about cars, mostly of Nates former oval tracker Chevy, build in the 1940's, with a good sounding 6 cylinder! But we also talked about the rodders conditions in Denmark and Europe. Nate has a company called Flat Black Industries, and he gave me four different T-shirts. We got to talking about kustom plans for Steves '52 chevy, and Nate told about his plans for a '54 project, which include Kaiser tail lights! That's gonna be a kuul looking kustom, when he find a car to do it on. But as so many of us, he also has to many projects. The biggest one is to move to Utha in a few months.
Then Nate's son came home from easter egg hunt and a little later he was hungry, so Nate went inside to feed him, and Steve drove me back to the hotel.
A good day, and I even got to buy some sunscreen! Tomorrow morning Steve is picking me up around 8 o'clock, were we will be going to San Francisco. Looking forward to see that city too!
Keep 'em kruzin!
Dannerr
After breakfast I walked the strip, taking pictures and trying not to be hustled. There are all sorts of tries to get your money out of your pocket and into theirs! Didn't find the "Welcome to Las Vegas" sign though.
After the tourist-walk I went to Seans friend Nates house for a BBQ, where I met Seans wife Allison and Steve, who was smoking pork ribs- they were gooood!!
We mostly talked about cars, mostly of Nates former oval tracker Chevy, build in the 1940's, with a good sounding 6 cylinder! But we also talked about the rodders conditions in Denmark and Europe. Nate has a company called Flat Black Industries, and he gave me four different T-shirts. We got to talking about kustom plans for Steves '52 chevy, and Nate told about his plans for a '54 project, which include Kaiser tail lights! That's gonna be a kuul looking kustom, when he find a car to do it on. But as so many of us, he also has to many projects. The biggest one is to move to Utha in a few months.
Then Nate's son came home from easter egg hunt and a little later he was hungry, so Nate went inside to feed him, and Steve drove me back to the hotel.
A good day, and I even got to buy some sunscreen! Tomorrow morning Steve is picking me up around 8 o'clock, were we will be going to San Francisco. Looking forward to see that city too!
Keep 'em kruzin!
Dannerr
Saturday in Vegas - the Viva Las Vegas car show
Saturday it was day for the car show - the reason, why I went to Vegas in the first place.
I got up and desided on oatmeal with fruits for breakfast- not a bad choice. After finishing eating, I spoted Björn and Janika eating their breakfast and asked them, if they were going to the car show, if we should share a cab, and if they would like to have me as their company. They said yes, and we went there together.
Entering the show, a lot of booths was the first thing we spotted, and if I have had a working visa, I had bought much more! But I was reasonable and didn't spend that much money. In the back ground we could hear the band playing live from the stage, I think it was Big Sandy.
I guess my expectations for the car show was huge, as it has always been portraited as one of the kuulest events in the states. And I guess, if you look at all of the Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekender, it is. But I just had high expectations, and have guessed there should be twice the amount of cars. Don't get me wrong, the cars there were all the right ones (with a very few exceptions), and even though there were only one 4-banger, I'm glad I came! But next time- if there is ever gonna be a next time- I'm in for the hole package, with the pool party, indoor concerts and burlesque show.
I met up with Sean, who is taking me to San Francisco, at the booths, where he was with his friend Steve and his father. I later found out his girlfriend was in a booth, shoping a shirt. It was the first time, I've ever met him, and he seems like a very nice guy with one of the coolest beards, I've seen in a long time! It must reach the bottom of his ribcage! We didn't get to talk much, as I was with Björn and Janika, so we spilt again and went back to window shoping the booths.
One of the concerts, Björn and Janika wanted to see, was Duane Eddy. And after that they went home to be ready for the parties at night. I stayed, cruisin the car lot again. There I got to talking to Chris, who had a very neat '29 on '32 rails A-V8 roadster, and his brother Matt. So if I'm seeking parts from Canada, Chris would see, if he could help.
I mainly stayed, because I wanted to catch the Ventures concert at the end of the afternoon - and it was great! The sun setting, the cars firing up in the back ground and the surf tones from the best selling instrumental band in the world is a great combination!
There was one down side, though. When tye sun had set, I started feeling the sun burn I've gotten from a hole day in the Nevada dessert sun! Should have gotten a tube of sunscreen at Walmart!
But as the sun had set, the lights poles came on, and that gave the car lot a completely different feel to it! I was actually thinking of going home after the Ventures last number, but I ended up walking around the cars for a couple of more hours.
At the end, people started leaving in their cars, and I thought I would too. But then Björn texted me, that they were meeting in a bar in the Orleans casino, so I joined them for one beer, and went home to bed after a long and good day!
Keep 'em kruzin!
Dannerr
I got up and desided on oatmeal with fruits for breakfast- not a bad choice. After finishing eating, I spoted Björn and Janika eating their breakfast and asked them, if they were going to the car show, if we should share a cab, and if they would like to have me as their company. They said yes, and we went there together.
Entering the show, a lot of booths was the first thing we spotted, and if I have had a working visa, I had bought much more! But I was reasonable and didn't spend that much money. In the back ground we could hear the band playing live from the stage, I think it was Big Sandy.
I guess my expectations for the car show was huge, as it has always been portraited as one of the kuulest events in the states. And I guess, if you look at all of the Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekender, it is. But I just had high expectations, and have guessed there should be twice the amount of cars. Don't get me wrong, the cars there were all the right ones (with a very few exceptions), and even though there were only one 4-banger, I'm glad I came! But next time- if there is ever gonna be a next time- I'm in for the hole package, with the pool party, indoor concerts and burlesque show.
I met up with Sean, who is taking me to San Francisco, at the booths, where he was with his friend Steve and his father. I later found out his girlfriend was in a booth, shoping a shirt. It was the first time, I've ever met him, and he seems like a very nice guy with one of the coolest beards, I've seen in a long time! It must reach the bottom of his ribcage! We didn't get to talk much, as I was with Björn and Janika, so we spilt again and went back to window shoping the booths.
One of the concerts, Björn and Janika wanted to see, was Duane Eddy. And after that they went home to be ready for the parties at night. I stayed, cruisin the car lot again. There I got to talking to Chris, who had a very neat '29 on '32 rails A-V8 roadster, and his brother Matt. So if I'm seeking parts from Canada, Chris would see, if he could help.
I mainly stayed, because I wanted to catch the Ventures concert at the end of the afternoon - and it was great! The sun setting, the cars firing up in the back ground and the surf tones from the best selling instrumental band in the world is a great combination!
There was one down side, though. When tye sun had set, I started feeling the sun burn I've gotten from a hole day in the Nevada dessert sun! Should have gotten a tube of sunscreen at Walmart!
But as the sun had set, the lights poles came on, and that gave the car lot a completely different feel to it! I was actually thinking of going home after the Ventures last number, but I ended up walking around the cars for a couple of more hours.
At the end, people started leaving in their cars, and I thought I would too. But then Björn texted me, that they were meeting in a bar in the Orleans casino, so I joined them for one beer, and went home to bed after a long and good day!
Keep 'em kruzin!
Dannerr
Friday in Vegas- jet lag, visa and Walmart
I had maneged to set the alarm, so I was up friday before the complimentary breakfast ended. There were several choises, but I went for the two eggs (over easy), a strip of bacon, a sausege and two pan cakes with what I first thought was a scoop of icecream, which turned out to be butter! The meal was okay, but a little heavy in my oppinion for a breakfast.
After eating I went to the local bank, which was just on the other side of the Orleans hotel with the car show, but for some reason I didn't think to bring my ticket.
At the bank I got the expected answer: they could not see, what was wrong with my card, as it was not one of their cards.
I walked back to my hotel, and as I was still jet laged, I thought of catching an hours sleep, before going out to find a charger for my phone. Well, an hour turned into two and a half, and I was still tiered, when I woke up half past five.
I desided to go to Walmart, trying to find a 110 volt socket to USB converter, as I had brought my iPhone cable. After walking past the strip and about a mile more, I desided to take a cab. Still think that was a good choice, as it turned out, I was still more than three miles away from the mall!
At Walmart, I got over welmed over its size! That thing is huge! And they've got a lot of stuff, I didn't think to find in a food store- I mean, they even got oil and car tires!
I shoped what I came for; the charger, a pack of batteries for Victors camera, a bag of ready to eat salad, some bread and meat, and then I also grabed a pair of sun glasses- should have gotten sunscreen as well!
Home I eat the salad and fell a sleep again. And that was jet laged friday!
Keep 'em kruzin!
Dannerr
After eating I went to the local bank, which was just on the other side of the Orleans hotel with the car show, but for some reason I didn't think to bring my ticket.
At the bank I got the expected answer: they could not see, what was wrong with my card, as it was not one of their cards.
I walked back to my hotel, and as I was still jet laged, I thought of catching an hours sleep, before going out to find a charger for my phone. Well, an hour turned into two and a half, and I was still tiered, when I woke up half past five.
I desided to go to Walmart, trying to find a 110 volt socket to USB converter, as I had brought my iPhone cable. After walking past the strip and about a mile more, I desided to take a cab. Still think that was a good choice, as it turned out, I was still more than three miles away from the mall!
At Walmart, I got over welmed over its size! That thing is huge! And they've got a lot of stuff, I didn't think to find in a food store- I mean, they even got oil and car tires!
I shoped what I came for; the charger, a pack of batteries for Victors camera, a bag of ready to eat salad, some bread and meat, and then I also grabed a pair of sun glasses- should have gotten sunscreen as well!
Home I eat the salad and fell a sleep again. And that was jet laged friday!
Keep 'em kruzin!
Dannerr
Bad start gets worse
So, I go to Las Vegas airport about half past eight in the evening, 5:30 in the morning danish time, a little over 25 hours after I woke up in Denmark- and I have only had a little over three hours of sleep.
But full of energy with the look out to a nice bed, I started the about 4 mile walk to the hotel. At the gates of the airport, a nice lady told me, I should get a cab "'cause it's not safe to walk out of the airport!" But with no cash for a cab, walking was my only option.
Let me make one thing perfectly clear: The nice lady was not just doing a pitch! There simply weren't the sidewalks neccesary. So with the risk of being arrested for jay-walking, I began to cross the streets in order to get out of there. At Paradise Road and Tropicana Ave. sidewalks was okay, but cars are properbly going against you with 50mph- a scary experience! Saw one cyclist on Tropicana, gutsy fellow!
On the way, I passed "the Strip" for the first time, and snaped two pictures:
After about an hours walk I was at the hotel, just waiting for my comfy bed! But... I had to pay a deposit and some taxes, and with no cash we had to try the visa - but no luck! At this point I was starting to get nervous - stuck in Vegas, a long way from home, with no cash, no visa and no place to be except the bench at the reception!
I tried to call home, and Victor was suggesting I'd just charge it to his credit card, but that would only get me in at the room, then what about money for food? At the reception, they suggested to send some money via Western Union, as the cashier at their casino (it's Vegas, I think every hotel has a casino over here!) was a part of Western Union. I then tried to call Pedersen (my good friend and mechanic), and he put his girlfriend, Tina, on, who works in a bank. She couldn't do anything about my visa, but said, she would try to send some money via Western Union. At this point the clock was 11 pm local, 8 o'clock danish time, and I'd been up for 28 hours, with no more than maximum 4 hours of sleep.
While I was waiting to hear from Tina, a friendly, swedish, fellow Rocksbilly named Björn and his girlfriend Janika came over to talk to me. And he suggested, that if things didn't go well with the transfer, I could come and sleep in their room. "We are not sleeping on the floor, you can sleep there, if you want to!" At first I didn't think much of it, but later on I really concidered it- it would be better than nothing!
Back to Tina: She first tried to do the transfer via Western Unions website, but for some reason, even the hotline couldn't explain, she couldn't. She then tried to drive to the nearest kiosk with Western Union in Nykøbing F., but the girl responsible for the WU transactions had the day off. Tina, not giving up on me, then called a head and drove to Vordingborg to make the transaction from there. And this time with succes! So she wrote me, that the money would be ready to withdraw in half an hour, and she could take the aproximate 45 km (28 miles) trip back home. After half an hour was gone by, I could finally pay the deposit and get my room key - at this time it was 2:30 am local, 11:30 danish time, and I've been up for 31,5 hours with only a few flight naps of combined no more than 4 hours. So I didn't get much more than just inside the door, before I finally hit the sack thursday/friday night!
Keep 'em kruzin!
Dannerr
But full of energy with the look out to a nice bed, I started the about 4 mile walk to the hotel. At the gates of the airport, a nice lady told me, I should get a cab "'cause it's not safe to walk out of the airport!" But with no cash for a cab, walking was my only option.
Let me make one thing perfectly clear: The nice lady was not just doing a pitch! There simply weren't the sidewalks neccesary. So with the risk of being arrested for jay-walking, I began to cross the streets in order to get out of there. At Paradise Road and Tropicana Ave. sidewalks was okay, but cars are properbly going against you with 50mph- a scary experience! Saw one cyclist on Tropicana, gutsy fellow!
On the way, I passed "the Strip" for the first time, and snaped two pictures:
After about an hours walk I was at the hotel, just waiting for my comfy bed! But... I had to pay a deposit and some taxes, and with no cash we had to try the visa - but no luck! At this point I was starting to get nervous - stuck in Vegas, a long way from home, with no cash, no visa and no place to be except the bench at the reception!
I tried to call home, and Victor was suggesting I'd just charge it to his credit card, but that would only get me in at the room, then what about money for food? At the reception, they suggested to send some money via Western Union, as the cashier at their casino (it's Vegas, I think every hotel has a casino over here!) was a part of Western Union. I then tried to call Pedersen (my good friend and mechanic), and he put his girlfriend, Tina, on, who works in a bank. She couldn't do anything about my visa, but said, she would try to send some money via Western Union. At this point the clock was 11 pm local, 8 o'clock danish time, and I'd been up for 28 hours, with no more than maximum 4 hours of sleep.
While I was waiting to hear from Tina, a friendly, swedish, fellow Rocksbilly named Björn and his girlfriend Janika came over to talk to me. And he suggested, that if things didn't go well with the transfer, I could come and sleep in their room. "We are not sleeping on the floor, you can sleep there, if you want to!" At first I didn't think much of it, but later on I really concidered it- it would be better than nothing!
Back to Tina: She first tried to do the transfer via Western Unions website, but for some reason, even the hotline couldn't explain, she couldn't. She then tried to drive to the nearest kiosk with Western Union in Nykøbing F., but the girl responsible for the WU transactions had the day off. Tina, not giving up on me, then called a head and drove to Vordingborg to make the transaction from there. And this time with succes! So she wrote me, that the money would be ready to withdraw in half an hour, and she could take the aproximate 45 km (28 miles) trip back home. After half an hour was gone by, I could finally pay the deposit and get my room key - at this time it was 2:30 am local, 11:30 danish time, and I've been up for 31,5 hours with only a few flight naps of combined no more than 4 hours. So I didn't get much more than just inside the door, before I finally hit the sack thursday/friday night!
Keep 'em kruzin!
Dannerr
torsdag den 5. april 2012
Disaster for a start...
A saying goes, a bad final rehersal makes a great premiere- so my home trip is going to be great!
So, I got to Frankfurt Airport without any large complications, but that was never my concern. My concern started, as we landed on the tarmac. First off, we didn't land at a gate, so had to take shuttlebus to terminal 2. From there I had to get to terminal 1 by train to find the check-in counter, so as soon as the train doors opened, I started running my legs off - don't think, I've been running like that for ten years!
Finally at the check-in counter, it all started well. A helpfull guy guided me in front of the line, a lady behind the counter began my check-in, which would have been the thrid time that day. But... As she asked of my return date, I was honnest and told her, I didn't have booked a return ticket. And so she couldn't check me in.
So, there I was, stuck in Frankfurt, where I would be still, if I haven't given a damn about decent economics and if I haven't meet a very cool and insisting ticket agent- he wanted me to go almost more than I wanted to go! Many thanx to Devrim for being so cool about it!
Okay, I stood there, out of my mind for being so close and yet so far. I decided to go to see, what it would cost me to go, and behind the counter I first talked to a guy, who spoke Norwegian (close to danish), so we understood eachother. He directed me to Devrim, who quickly understood me, when I told him about the wreck my life is in at the moment - afterwards the fraise "Women! Pfft!" came up a lot!
He booked me a flight from Frankfurt to Vegas via Phillidelphia (from where I'm writing), one from San Francisco back to Frankfurt, and one from there to Copenhagen. It was a bit more expencive, but I'm still going!! And then it was setteled- I'm heading back on the 18th and it'll turn to the 19th, before I'm home.
So now I'm in transit in Phillidelphia, and from there on to Vegas, landing half past eight o'clock at night on thursday the 5th. The local (Philladelphia) time is 17:05, Vegas time is 14:05, but Copenhagen time is 23:05, and besides one hours sleep, I've been awake for about 19 hours, still need 6 and a half hours before landing in Vegas. Hopefully I'll get plenty of sleep, once I check-in at the Vegas Holtel - I'll need it for sure!
By the way, the service at U.S. Airways are great!
Keep 'em kruzin!
Dannerr
So, I got to Frankfurt Airport without any large complications, but that was never my concern. My concern started, as we landed on the tarmac. First off, we didn't land at a gate, so had to take shuttlebus to terminal 2. From there I had to get to terminal 1 by train to find the check-in counter, so as soon as the train doors opened, I started running my legs off - don't think, I've been running like that for ten years!
Finally at the check-in counter, it all started well. A helpfull guy guided me in front of the line, a lady behind the counter began my check-in, which would have been the thrid time that day. But... As she asked of my return date, I was honnest and told her, I didn't have booked a return ticket. And so she couldn't check me in.
So, there I was, stuck in Frankfurt, where I would be still, if I haven't given a damn about decent economics and if I haven't meet a very cool and insisting ticket agent- he wanted me to go almost more than I wanted to go! Many thanx to Devrim for being so cool about it!
Okay, I stood there, out of my mind for being so close and yet so far. I decided to go to see, what it would cost me to go, and behind the counter I first talked to a guy, who spoke Norwegian (close to danish), so we understood eachother. He directed me to Devrim, who quickly understood me, when I told him about the wreck my life is in at the moment - afterwards the fraise "Women! Pfft!" came up a lot!
He booked me a flight from Frankfurt to Vegas via Phillidelphia (from where I'm writing), one from San Francisco back to Frankfurt, and one from there to Copenhagen. It was a bit more expencive, but I'm still going!! And then it was setteled- I'm heading back on the 18th and it'll turn to the 19th, before I'm home.
So now I'm in transit in Phillidelphia, and from there on to Vegas, landing half past eight o'clock at night on thursday the 5th. The local (Philladelphia) time is 17:05, Vegas time is 14:05, but Copenhagen time is 23:05, and besides one hours sleep, I've been awake for about 19 hours, still need 6 and a half hours before landing in Vegas. Hopefully I'll get plenty of sleep, once I check-in at the Vegas Holtel - I'll need it for sure!
By the way, the service at U.S. Airways are great!
Keep 'em kruzin!
Dannerr
4 hours of sleep
So, since I've posted last, a lot have happened. My eye has healed, my wintercar gave up and had to be towed away, my girlfriend for more than 3 years and 2 months dumped me, so now I'm still renting the garage, we build, but it is no longer rented from my mob-in-law - now they are just the mob! ;-)
So basicly my life and plans for the future have been ruined, but I'm coping.
And I have been dreaming about going to the Viva Las Vegas show (http://www.vivalasvegas.net/) for years, so this is going to be the year, I'll go. And this is going to be my place for travel updates and stuff, so people can follow my trip.
The plan (at the moment!) is to be in Vegas from this afternoon (thursday) untill monday, being at the show, and from there I'll catch a lift to San Francisco by a guy named Sean, who might let me stay at his place the following week.
Tuesday I'll go down to H&H antique, who build hopped up four bangers, wednesday I'll go to Vern Tardell's, thursday or friday I might go to Sacramento Vintage Ford, and the only "normal" tourist attraction I'm planing is thursday night to go to Alcatraz former prison.
The weekend after I'll be at Booze, Broads and Hot Rods (http://boozebroadsandhotrods.net/) at a hotel on the San Francisco pier, and from then on I'm waiting to see, when I get home sick - have got an appartment ready for me from sunday the 15th.
So this morning, after 4 hours of restless sleep, I'm up, heading for the airport with Victor in his Amazon, which he only registered yesterday, looking forward to a rather well planned trip... Well, except for the fact, that I cannot do an online check-in and I only have 1 hour and 25 minutes in transit at Frankfurt Airport, and they recommend 3 hours!! So if things go wrong, I'll miss the FRA-LAS flight, and then I'll have to rebook a ticket and possibly stay in Frankfurt for some time...
So, now we are on the motorway, going 110 with bad rubber seals in the doors (which is causing a lot of noice), the stereo "rocking around the clock tonight" at high volume, and watching the sky turn more and more bright.
Hopefully my life will as well!...
Keep 'em kruzin!
Dannerr
So basicly my life and plans for the future have been ruined, but I'm coping.
And I have been dreaming about going to the Viva Las Vegas show (http://www.vivalasvegas.net/) for years, so this is going to be the year, I'll go. And this is going to be my place for travel updates and stuff, so people can follow my trip.
The plan (at the moment!) is to be in Vegas from this afternoon (thursday) untill monday, being at the show, and from there I'll catch a lift to San Francisco by a guy named Sean, who might let me stay at his place the following week.
Tuesday I'll go down to H&H antique, who build hopped up four bangers, wednesday I'll go to Vern Tardell's, thursday or friday I might go to Sacramento Vintage Ford, and the only "normal" tourist attraction I'm planing is thursday night to go to Alcatraz former prison.
The weekend after I'll be at Booze, Broads and Hot Rods (http://boozebroadsandhotrods.net/) at a hotel on the San Francisco pier, and from then on I'm waiting to see, when I get home sick - have got an appartment ready for me from sunday the 15th.
So this morning, after 4 hours of restless sleep, I'm up, heading for the airport with Victor in his Amazon, which he only registered yesterday, looking forward to a rather well planned trip... Well, except for the fact, that I cannot do an online check-in and I only have 1 hour and 25 minutes in transit at Frankfurt Airport, and they recommend 3 hours!! So if things go wrong, I'll miss the FRA-LAS flight, and then I'll have to rebook a ticket and possibly stay in Frankfurt for some time...
So, now we are on the motorway, going 110 with bad rubber seals in the doors (which is causing a lot of noice), the stereo "rocking around the clock tonight" at high volume, and watching the sky turn more and more bright.
Hopefully my life will as well!...
Keep 'em kruzin!
Dannerr
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