Left early to go to Denver to get my 2nd bug. this is the one I have wanted all along! got lost, finally got there. got plates on and deal done. couldn’t get seat back to get my giraffe legs in. Diane fixed it. on road to tire place. needed to replace one tire. ended up with all 4 new tires. on road, but low on gas. miss turn for gas station and no way back from express way.

stopping at next station. ran out of gas about 2 miles before next station. got into suburban, went and got gas, came back put in bug, wuold not start. flooded? dry? not a clue, just woudln’t start. opened engine and looked at breather, unhooked one bit, put it back..did i get it back right? not sure….

decided to roll bug backwards in reverse and pop clutch. works going forward. however on side of busy 4 lane road. reversed holding shifter with one hand, steering with other hand and turning key with third hand. yes i have 3! started!! am I good or what?

on road again. get to station and fill up. on road again. go about 1.5 hours, heard metallica clang and smash in rear, whip over to side of road. lost a nut and bolt from one side of plates. metal plate flapping in breeze. good thing I have another set. put plate back on. cars smells hot…hmmm… back on road.

?2 miles further impressive roll and explosion of white smoke billowing out of back of car. whip over and shut off asap. jump out and run. turn and look, realize I left Chloe in back seat. slowly inch back..car still smoking.

open hood. investigate. yup, apparently didn’t get that breather hose back in correct way back when ran out of gas. caught in generator belt, chewed up hose, belt and air breather hose. dead in water. hide key, lock up call tow guy I have speed dialed in. back on road in suburban. didn’t forget Chloe this time. stopped there at cross roads of Highway 9 and Hiwhay 24. perfect pull over spot. on road after only 10 min or less.

?$200 tow bill later car is back safe at Steve’s in Canon City at 11 pm. Steve arrives this morning and sees that bugs are infesting his parking lot. my 1971 went over on Thursday night for a visit and all 4 brakes locked up so it stayed. Steve said breather hose was too long and had only been stuffed in there. duuhh that was how I knew that it was a problem and how i messed up not getting it back right.

generator belt chewed it in half..so it is the correct size now and re installed right. had previous owners installed correctly would not have happened, had I got it back in with their stupid way of securing it, would not have happened. oh well…other breath tube stretched out and re fitted as it must have been a bit on the long side as well.

called car shop, paid with trusty amex and had generator belt delivered to Steve. Steve installed and 1 min later VROOM VROOM back on the road. now to go get it and figure out how to drive 2 cars home….

on the good side, bug went over kenosha pass, 10,000 ft altitude in 3rd gear at about 50-55 mph with no real trouble. can’t do that with the jeep!!

VRRROM vrrroommm!!!

laughed all the way home..still laughing this morning. my first really good bug story!! ahhhh……