2023 Smart car trip

When we started discussing traveling with a toyhauler we had only planned to carry our Goldwing and leave Buford in the RV when we went somewhere. Over the past year we've taken Buford on outings with us and the rest of the crew sold their motorcycles, so we started thinking about taking a small car instead. We initially were looking for a Mini Cooper roadster convertible. It would be a nice vacation car. However, it would require a 14-foot or larger garage space and this was limiting the search for toyhaulers. We pondered building a garage on the semi itself and pulling a large travel trailer, but this concept has its own set of negatives so we always came back to a fifth wheel toyhauler. We eventually decided to look for a Smart car instead. The Smart car is shorter than the Goldwing. Donna had two requirements for a Smart car. It needed to be a convertible and she doesn't like it when the rollbar color contrasts with the body color. This past November we found a Smart car at a dealership in Lebanon, IN, that checked all the boxes. We made an appointment to look at it and we were led to believe it was our's to buy. Five minutes before we arrived for our appointment we got a text from the dealer that he had sold the car. A two hour trip wasted. What a sleazeball. The search continued. We found a silver 2009 near Pittsburgh that seemed nice but the dealer wanted a little too much for it plus they wanted to charge another ~$500 in fees. I gave him a price but he didn't seem interested. We found a black 2013 in Ohio on Marketplace. However, the more I talked to the seller the sketchier things seemed. His asking price was too low. He didn't have the title but if we paid him for the car we could take the car and he would send the title. I told him any private sale would have to involve leaving with the car and the title. The next day he messaged me and said he was going to pay off the car so he would have the title. What? Why didn't he do that before? Sketchy, sketchy, and more sketchy. The next day his ad disappeared. About this same time the dealer in Pittsburgh accepted our offer. I sent a deposit to hold the car and a trip was planned. Due to the holidays and a vet visit we decided on December 29-30. December 29 Since it was a 2-day trip it didn't take long to pack. We had told Buford we were going on a trip together but, he doesn't speak English, so when it was time to leave he stood in his spot at the corner of the dining room hoping to be invited. When Donna asked him "Do you want to go bye bye?" she didn't have to ask twice. His excitement is one of the trip highlights. He chased the cats around the porch and then ran to the Sequoia. It makes your heart smile to see his happiness. We left the house at 9:35. Yesterday Buford had a vet appointment for a blood test and a shot to hopefully help with his itchiness. The vet looked at a couple cysts he has. She recommended to remove them so in a couple weeks he'll go in to have the cysts and a bad tooth removed. He won't be happy with us then. Ha! As we were cruising east on US50 the vet called about his blood test. His liver and thyroid numbers were a little above normal. He'll have another blood test in several weeks to track things. Last spring his liver numbers were very high but were back to normal in a couple months. He just turned nine and is starting to get old like the rest of us. He is officially a senior dog. We stopped in North Vernon for a potty break. Several years ago they built a bypass around the town but I prefer to go through town. It's more scenic and I think it's just as quick. We took Buford for a potty break, too. He immediately found some mole runs to sniff. We wouldn't let him dig. We didn't need muddy paws in the Sequoia. We brought his harness but for short potty breaks we just used his collar. South Lebanon, OH. 13:07, mileage 118,913 - The trip around Cincinnati on I-275 was as unpleasant as ever. At South Lebanon we stopped for fuel. Since we are pulling the trailer I'm using 93 octane. We went next door and had lunch at McDonalds. Buford even got his own hamburger. Despite the cold and rain the Sequoia was warm and cozy and made a nice place for lunch. Here is Buford's favorite travel spot...in his bed in Donna's lap. He falls asleep in no time. He doesn't get to ride here very often. It could be dangerous if the airbags went off. As interstates go I-71 between Cincinnati and Columbus is pretty boring...especially in the winter time. At Grove City the GPS directed us off the interstate and then right back on. Garmin magic. Our next pitstop was a rest area near Hebron, OH. It had an odd, roundabout path to get into the place. It was fun taking Buford for a walk. Every new place is an adventure for him and his excitement is infectious. We decided to bring the Smart car back on my utility trailer. It would be better than driving two vehicles for ~450 miles. The trailer is pulling well. My old trailer has received plenty of love lately. In preparation for the ill-fated trip to Lebanon I found one of the old wheels had a slow leak in a rusty seam. I replaced it with the spare for the trip to Lebanon. The trailer had a nasty vibration on the trip. In preparation for future trips I replaced the leaky wheel, bought a couple more wheels for spare tires I had, and had all the wheels/tires balanced. I also had to rewire the trailer connector. Apparently one of the many trailer borrowers had pulled the wires out and incorrectly tried to repair it. Sigh.... This Volvo VNL860 is the next generation of the Volvo VNL780 we are fixing up to pull a toyhauler. I like the way they look with the integrated cab/sleeper. From here it was all about getting to our destination. After hundreds of miles the driving was getting tedious. Respect to truck drivers. It was getting dark as we crossed through the northern sliver of West Virginia. The roads were getting more hilly. As we neared Pittsburgh we encountered a couple traffic slowdowns. I can't imagine driving in this every day. We went through a couple of tunnels. As we emerged from one tunnel we crossed a bridge and were presented with the lights of downtown Pittsburgh. It was a pretty sight but I don't care for night driving through cities. Kind of like a rollercoaster in the dark. Monroeville, PA. 18:30, mileage 119,193 - I-376 led to US22, then we turned north on PA-286. We drove passed the hotel in search of a gas station that would accomodate a 20-foot trailer. I wanted to start tomorrow with a full tank of fuel. On the way back to the hotel we kept hearing a tapping sound. I had forgotten to put the gas cap on. Doh! Our room was on the end of the hotel...room 224. I parked our tractor/trailer conglomeration in a side parking area. We didn't have much to carry inside so we only had to make one trip. Buford raced up the stairs in search of his next adventure. Our room was nice and it felt good to relax after 430 miles. By now we were hungry and thinking about supper. Donna checked to see if there was a Jet Pizza in the area. The one we had in Michigan was excellent. There weren't any close. She called a nearby chinese restuarant but they didn't deliver. A place called Bishop Pizza appeared to be nearby according to Google. I called an order in while Donna took Buford for a walk. Bishop's didn't deliver so I said I'd pick it up since it was close. I went outside and found Donna and Buford. We walked around for awhile. We found out that Bishop's was literally next door to the hotel, so we hung around outside watching the traffic go by. It started to snow while we sat there. We took the pizza back to the room. It was much larger than a medium pizza back home. It tasted great. We stuffed ourselves and only ate half of it. The rest will go home with us. We watched TV, played with Buford, and lazied around. Donna uses a TEM machine for her back pain. She put it on me because my back was sore from driving. It put me to sleep in no time. 430 miles. December 30 As usual Donna was up before me this morning. We took Buford outside for a walk. While we were walking him a guy pulled into the side parking lot, ignored all the empty spots next to the building, and parked right in front of the Sequoia. Dork. I hope he is gone when we leave. I'd hate to accidentally drag a trailer across his front bumper. When I came out of the bathroom Donna and Buford were rough housing on the bed. Buford loves to tussle with her. It's one of his favorite things. We had a 9:00 appointment with Jerry Howarth at Choice Auto. It was only a few miles away so there was no hurry. It was a cloudy, drizzly, cold day. The guy who parked in front of us had left. It felt good to head towards the dealership. We found a place to park where we wouldn't be in the way. Jerry was at the door. I guess he figured out who we were and he waved us in. He took us to the service bay where they had parked the car overnight. Donna loved it. Donna wanted to stay with Buford so Jerry and I took the car for a spin. It drove great and everything seemed to work as it should. When we pulled into the parking lot Donna was walking Buford so Jerry invited Buford to come inside with us. It took about 30 minutes to sign the papers. Hands were shaken and we were off. I had parked the Smart car next to the trailer so I loaded and strapped it down. In the twenty years I've owned this trailer this is the first auto I've loaded on it. It felt good to get inside the warm Sequoia. Time to head home and finish our mission. For the trip home I'm going to take I-70 all the way to Indianapolis then I-69/IN37 to Bedford. This way we'll always be on a 4-lane highway...especially tonight when it is dark. The trip through Pittsburgh was much more scenic in the daylight. It is a beautiful city with the river, bridges, and hills. It might be a vacation destination one day. Donna and I both needed a bathroom break so we stopped at a TA truckstop in the West Virginia sliver near Valley Grove. I drove passed the entrance. On the way to a turnaround we passed an adult bookstore and a strip club. I guess this would be a good place to be stranded. Ha! At the truckstop I bought an air pressure gauge, checked the tires, and checked the straps. All is good! Crossing into Ohio at Wheeling, WV. Love the iron bridge. Buford had it made...sleeping in his bed while the miles ticked away. It took awhile to get used to seeing a silver car in my mirror. Donna was constantly monitoring her new baby. Zanesville, OH. 13:15, mileage 119,341 - We are back in the flats of Ohio. Much less transmission shifting. After fueling we went across the street to Burger King. Much better than the McDonalds we had yesterday...although I prefer McDonalds french fries and Cokes. We have just crossed the Muskingum River in Zanesville. Love the large flag. America. That silver Smart car has been right on our tail for ~150 miles. My Sweetie and I. The miles are driving me batty. Buford is still sleeping without a care in the world. Our precious buddy. By now I could use a nap and a stretch. Move over, buddy. Downtown Columbus, OH. Close to halfway home. Near London, OH, we passed a Volvo dealership. There were a couple green VNL860s sitting outside. Probably only cost $200K+ for an emissions-ridden truck. They were pretty, though. In Springfield we passed several familiar places from years past. They have a huge antique sale at their fairgrounds we'd like to visit one day. Brookville, OH. 15:55, mileage 119,481 - Our last needed fuel stop before home. At the last stop Donna got some flavored coffee. It tasted good. Here she bought me my own coffee. I needed a pick-me-up. Goodbye Ohio, hello Indiana. It seems like we've been driving forever and we still have 150 miles to go. At the Indiana line the pavement went to crap. From the Indiana line to Knightstown we saw advertisements for several antique stores. There might be another trip in our future. Passing through Martinsville, IN, we were presented with this beautiful dusk view. It's about this time when the excitement of getting home starts to overcome the fatigue. Bedford, IN. 18:50, mileage 119,650 - One last fuel stop to top off the tank and get some tasty fountain drinks. Even Buford can tell we are almost home. Pulling the empty trailer to Pennsylvania the Sequoia got ~15.5 mpg. With the Smart car it got ~12 mpg. The trailer pulled great with the car on it. No sway or instability or issues stopping. The 'tow/haul' mode is a nice addition. My truck doesn't have that feature. After almost 900 miles in two days...home. I'll unload the Smart car tomorrow. Overall, it was a fun and troublefree trip. The best kind! 458 miles. See you on the Highway! Other trip reports