I've only been gone from home since last Friday. I'm in Phoenix AZ and haven't seen a Model T so far this week. I've got 4 days before I'll be home again. I don't ever remember having a vacation before where I wanted to go home and just crawl back into my shell and hide. This vacation has been a struggle since day one. It feels like it used to when I always had to travel for business. People with their fake smile and their hands out to grab as much money from a person as they can possibly get ahold of. And the worse seems to be the car rental people. They've frozen $350.00 in my checking account that I was going to use for travel money. And it looks like from their reviews they're going to do everything in their power to take the entire amount. It's suppose to be a damage deposit on the car but it sounds like they'll be coming up with plenty excuses to keep the money. And would it kill a flight attendant to smile once in awhile. And that fella at the airport that thought I had a gun in my pants; the next time he thinks he's going to shove his hands in there to see what I've got tucked away in my pants. Buddy you better have a nice soft kiss and a quarter for me when you're done.

I feel for you Mike. I'm not sure I could go that long without T'ing. In fact I've driven a T every day for the last 365 days. That includes Sundays.

Thanks Tom. Aren't these Model T's wonderful. They bring so many people together and create many friendships. And I have yet to meet a person that owns and drives Model T's that isn't trustworthy with their friendship and business practices. I Know from time to time I get on here and tease a little too much but I guess that's my nature. I'm not really trying to create hard feelings but I'll admit I find it easy to go too far. I also know all the great people in my current Model T club are the nicest people I've ever been affiliated with. I'm very proud to be a member of The Great Northern Model T Ford Club.

Buck up. Things may yet work out and at least you're able to get your "Forum fix".

May he thought it was a roll of spearmint Lifesavers.

Those can spark and cause a fire.

Ken! Well at least you didn't say a half roll of lifesavers. Thanks CB I think I'm going to go find a gun store and talk guns to somebody just to feel good again. Guns guitars and Model T's are the material things that make me smile. Oh ya and my Corvette can cause a glow to. Now forgive me I've got to do something to freshen my breath before I Leave. Now where did I leave those lifesavers. I suppose I'll have to spend the darn day looking for those darn things.

Mike - I do a lot of international traveling and find that the TSA in the US are the worse folks for politeness .
People in other countries are usually not as bad, but sometime I run into a jerk.

I figure they can't be the boss at home so the power they get from their their position goes to their head and they act like idiots.

I especially dislike removing my belt (have to keep my pants from falling down while holding my hands above my head during the body scan x-ray), and shoes in the USA just because some a$$ tried to play with his shoe on a flight from Europe.

The US government seems to over react at almost everything -
At least they don't require us to fly naked in the US!
Don't let them know I said that -It might become the next new rule

Tom, Your my hero!! I thought I was doing good with driving my T at least once a week for a year. Clearly I will have to step it up. Thanks for the inspiration!

Don't kill the day looking Mike. It'll turn up when you take a shower.

Boy have times changed. It used to be, "is that a banana in your pants or you just happy to see me." Now it's, "is that gun in your pants...... lol

If removing our shoes and sending them through the X-ray is so important, why am I now exempted from that just because I've turned 75? I'll take it, but it seems that if I were looking for someone to carry explosives aboard a plane, I'd look for an old man, preferably terminally ill, who had nothing to lose.

I asked the TSA man while I was standing there with my arms above my head, whether the machine showed them the metal buttons and zipper on my pants. He said they could see them very clearly. So, if they can see my belt buckle just as clearly, how's come I have to take it off?

As for the flight attendants, it depends on the airline you fly. I've had some flights on Southwest, for instance, where the ladies and the pilot kept us amused most of the flight, with witty banter on the PA. The one I remember best, was a Southwest flight where we landed but there was bad weather and no gate available, so we sat for about 30 minutes waiting for some other plane to decide it was safe enough to leave the gate. Throughout, the Flight Attendant kept telling us to stay seated, with our seat belts buckled, and even made mild fun of some fellow who got up and opened the overhead. When we finally got a gate, the plane started moving with a jerk, and she said, "See, THAT's why I told you to stay seated." Then, when we finally docked at the gate and the seat belt light went off, she said, very loud, "Now get you stuff and get out of here!"

If they were all like that, flying would be tolerable -- it hasn't been FUN for years!

I never had much need to fly. I doubt I will ever get on a plane again because I slightly more than dislike the hassle of the airport. Maybe if our Australian friends keep showing those wonderful pictures of their big meets. (I'd love to go to one of those, but cannot see how I would drive my model T to get there?)Anyway, Mike G, hang in there! You'll be back in your "happy place" soon! (The drivers seat of your model T)
Vacations are not supposed to be a struggle from day one. Or is your family as bad as mine?

A side note about rental cars. The last time I was in Hawaii, about seven years ago. I took in a lot of the sites and wound up running late for a scheduled helicopter flight over the volcano. Needing to somewhat exceed the strict speed limit of 55mph (only a little), I left a travel brochure lying on the top of the dash. I had previously noticed that several "functions" of the car did not work while "travel brochures" sat on the dash.
Now, that was seven years ago. Maybe they have found and fixed that problem since then? (Hint; little glass bubble.)
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2

As an old T friend of mine, who has since passed away, was fond of pointing out that even if we flew naked, "There'd still be a few stick-ups!"

At least the weathers good down there! troop

http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/Conus/index_loop.php

I have a younger brother who is quite well off.
He used to travel the world with his girlfriend so much that he sold his house in Minnesota and moved into his lady's house in Ca. They went all over on many 10 day and month-long trips.
Sometimes they would go back a second time if they liked the place a lot.
He got so fed up with the airline BS about 5 yeaRS AGO THAT HE HAS NEVER FLOWN SINCE. Not once!He just stays home and the lady goes alone, and travels a lot less than before.
The air lines are killing the golden goose.

The whole industry suffered a total lack of foresight prior to 9-11. The airlines are now victims of the US govt campaign of fear as much as we are.

Former head of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff profited greatly from the sale of the porn machines to TSA.

I've flown on one trip since the TSA came along. My choice was to pass on a 2 week tour I REALLY wanted to go on, drive an extra 2500 miles each to to get there, or fly. I won't say that I won't fly again but between the TSA, extra fees, and being treated like cattle, there will have to be a darn good reason to get me back on a plane.

It's called Humiliation, Walt.

Ricks,

B-i-n-g-o...that's exactly what it is!

Like Fred, I do a lot of international travel. Everyone else is at least civil but here they took what were the hire-a-minimum-wage folks, gave them uniforms, put them on the federal pay scale and they tend to be more gestapo but I guess it is worth the price of admission.

Fred,

I have a 40 inch waist and 37 inch hips I NEED to walk through with a finger in a belt loop! I do not wear suspenders. I have been VERY tempted to just let them fall to my ankles time and time again just as a silent protest to the belt thing The thought goes thru my mind each time they asked me to step in the full body scanner and hold my arms out to just suck it in and stand tall.

From what I've read, the slovenly gestapo in the UK loves to pick on flight crews.

LOL George,

I'm sitting in the United Club in San Fran waiting for a flight to Shanghai and burst out laughing when I read your pant loop comment.

People are now looking at me like I'm crazy -Maybe even dangerous

They are coming to get me Ha HA
They are coming to get me Ha Ha

Remember the song??

"To the FUNNY farm,
Where life is wonderful all the time"

I used to go on a lot of business trips before I retired four years ago. I broke an upper leg bone and now have a steel rod in the leg.(after retirement)
I have not flown since this happening and I am not looking forward to my next flight.
I did some computer research and found that a written letter from a doctor will do no good ??????? I am sure it will be real fun.

Mike, I want to feel sorry for you...but I don't! When I flew to Durham in December I had to go through the TSA oxygen and contract rules. They even searched their own wheelchair. I was required to have enough batteries in my Sequal oxygen machine to last for a 2.5 hour flight and then we sat on the tarmac for three hours before take off. Enjoy the good things in life and pray for the best.

Here I am parking my coupe for the last time in December. I put some good air in all the tires!

Mike G,
Are you home yet?

Lance S,
I have been waiting two years to get a good picture of my coupe in the snow. But weather and work timing just have not cooperated. I do hope that is not the "last" time you park your coupe! (Linguistic humor)
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2

Lance, I was hoping the TSA wouldn't play around too much when it came to the oxygen. Is Durham treating you ok? I lived in NC for a couple of summer months back in 1970 at a nice little resort town called Fayetteville. It Was a might on the humid side and the temp was always on the warm side. I was there for a couple months and walked several hundred miles sinking into 3 inches of sand. Then I was lucky enough to win a free all expense paid trip to scenic Lawton Oklahoma. And my time at North Carolina came to an end.

Oh and I forgot to tell you I'll be flying out of Arizona tomorrow at noon. I'm ready to go see the kids and my pets and my Model T's. Today at Barrett Jackson I joined the National Corvette Restorers Society.