Running the RURAL roads in SC

[NAM VET]

Just got back from Charleston. By Interstate, it is right at 225 miles door to door. But of course, it would be deadly for me to ever drive on an Interstate, the trucks running 80+ would kill me. The State Patrol would later find me after the Scavengers had their way with my body off in the swamps if I even did it. I had run down to participate in a C&C near Charleston, which was great fun for me and all the folks who were there. It was interesting to hear "experts" tell their kids about the M2 50 Cal MG on my truck. I didn't correct them. I had driven down a few days prior, all told about 300 miles in the heat of the SC summer. No issues. Just drank lots of Diet Coke, and hunted for non-ethanol gas. The non-ethanol used to be scarce, but with all the boats and lawn crews using it, it is now more available. Sort of.

Anyway, took the gun off, put my duffle on the passenger floorboards, and fired my truck up early Sunday, and headed home. I wanted to start my trip on Sunday, with there likely to be less traffic than on a weekday. Soon was clearing the homestead, and was running thru the swamps. Occasionally a car would come up behind my 40 or so mph cruise, and I would look for a place to pull over and let them by, but the "shoulder" of the road was non-elxistent, and dipped right into a typical swamp. Did what I could. Eventually, broke out onto the usually flat coastal back roads.

Once I left civilization behind, there was NO BODY on the roads. No one, just no other cars, and even in the tiny towns, it was almost post-apocalyptic. Then I realized as I passed the small churches with their full sandy parking lots, everybody was in Church. Or maybe sleeping in. It was easy driving, sometimes straight flat roads, and other times winding this way and that. I practiced my apexes, and "track-out" driving; gotta keep up my skills learned in years of driving on race tracks. I had a bit of tire vibration in the low 30 mph range, but things smoothed out just fine as I neared my 40 mph cruise.

My truck had spent a month or so up at Charles 'Talbert's place, and one of the things his shop did was to make my brakes perfect. It still takes a lot of pedal to make a hard stop. I had just found out my brake lights were out, so used my left arm out to signal my slowing. I am not sure, thought, that anyone knows the old arm signals any more. Saw some HUGE rattlesnakes out for their morning sun on the road. I drove around them. I hate snakes, having had A BAD EXPERIENCE long years ago in my military time in Coastal NC with one. I have this fear that if I run over one of them, somehow it will fling up in a grand gesture of Suicide and come in thru the window, and strike me in my carotid artery, and I would be dead before I coast to a stop.

As I neared Columbia, intending to RON at my son and his wife's place, the road became a bit more hilly, and much more curvy. Often the trees would arch over me on the very rural ancient paths. I think I was getting about 10 mpg, so with the big tank these trucks have, my starting fill of "Marine gas" was holding up well. By early afternoon, there was beginning to be some traffic, so I kept a wary eye on vehicles coming up behind me, doing what I could to not impede them. Earlier, I had run past a HUMVEE pulling a trailer pulled over, and backed up to see what their problem was. Two NG troops there told me they had a transmission failure, and were waiting for a tow. They were hot and tired. So I ran on a few miles to find a gas station, bought them sandwiches and chips and big bottles of water, and brought it back to them. There wasn't any more I could to for them, so wished them well, told them us military always have to support one another, and continued on, later seeing a big HEMET heading to retrieve them.

Traffic got busier as I approached Columbia, and I turned on my phone's Map to guide me to my son's home since the rural way to his place was not familiar to me. By then it was really hot, but plenty of ventilation made it OK for me, and pulled into their place about 4 or so hours after departure from the Coast. Their near 4 year old son just loves my truck, has to sit and "steer" and climb around in the bed. He calls it Gramp's Army Monster Truck.

Had steaks on the Big Green Egg for dinner, and monday, after giving time for the "rush hour" to thin, continued home to Rock Hill, just south of Charlotte.

My truck ran fine, and it was reassuring to know that after a rebuild by M37 Rebuild, correcting my mistakes, it it is road-worthy. So while the break in oil was still hot, drained it, and with a new filter, put in 6 quarts of RedLine 10-40, an ester based high-zinc oil.

I was tired early and with a glass of wine with my wife and her fine dinner, went to bed early.

So all well here,

NV

[sturmtyger380]

bought them sandwiches and chips and big bottles of water

That was mighty nice of you! Every time I see young service men from the Army I think of my Niece's son serving as a medic with the 101st Airborne.

[Cal_Gary]

Thanks for sharing such a great story Nam Vet! Helping out the troops was also cool; surprised you didn't whip out your tow bar and hook 'em up! Than would have really put your rig to the test!
Great job!
Gary

[T. Highway]

Sounds like a fun first long trip in the M37 Hal. Thanks again for sharing this with us.

Bert

[k8icu]

Sounds like a fun time. Glad all went well!

[Chris P]

I finally got a chance to read this and I really enjoyed it. Thanks for posting!

[CRTodd]

Great story of your trip. I’m still getting to know my recently purchased 1954 M37. However I found 40 MPH seems to be the highest speed she wants to travel. Especially on her weathered cracked tires.

Thank you for sharing it with us!