We had forgotten but were reminded today how much VW's hate the wind. Between the winds and the trucks, traveling on 81 south certainly kept us awake. Plus it gave John a good shoulder workout trying to keep her in our lane. As for myself, I was just trying to keep warm.
Trivia question... What do Woodrow Wilson & the Stadler Bros. have in common?
Making it to our destination mid-afternoon we decide to fill up with gas before finding a place to stay and doing a bit of sightseeing. No problem except.... Tillie forgets how to start or turn over or even make a noise. I suppose you (not me) could say it is lucky that I have not forgotten how to push. Where oh where is Mary who was with us when Tillie had to be pushed on our last trip west?! For some reason she thinks studying jellyfish in Japan is more exciting than going with us on this trip - go figure! The first photo is the auto parts store who diagnosed the problem as a dead battery and they happily sold us a new one which John (not so happily) put in and which did NOT solve the problem.
However, as with all good VW's of which Tillie is one, they never break down unless they're in reach of a "VW guru". Sure enough, CJ Buggs was only two miles away and even though it was almost quitting time, Charlie took us in and got us going again. Diagnosis - a dead starter motor. None in town so he jury rigged a "jump start" system to bypass the starter so I don't have to push (I love that man!). Of course we still have to get a new starter but hopefully our friend George will have that situation well in hand by the time we get to Hickory tomorrow.
Oh yes, the answer to the trivia question is Staunton, VA (pronounced without the "u"). We had planned to walk around their pretty Victorian town and visit the Wilson library and.... but I guess that will have to wait for another trip south.
