Road Trip!
But not an especially epic one...
I'm flying to Florida this week to retrieve, among other things, my father's Ford Flex and some furniture. He's not necessarily moving out of Florida for good, but he will be heading up to Connecticut for a while.
My brother and I will be renting the biggest closed trailer that U-Haul will let us tow and pointing it north. Time is going to be a big factor. We need to get Dad's new place set up quickly, as he will be flying up a few days later, so shenanigans will be kept to a minimum. This trip will be all business.
My brother and I have survived this trip once before, back in 1973. He was fifteen and I was six. My father had just inked a deal on a brand new Plymouth Fury with the 360 and a four barrel, and as soon as he set the pen down, the gas crisis hit. Nevertheless, my parents were determined to visit my godfather in Fort Lauderdale, and we kept on going until we got to the Everglades. It was a great trip, in spite of the vinyl seats (in July), massive wildfires on both sides of I-95 for what seemed like hours, and the fact that my parents ran out of gas money on the way home. Getting a cash advance from a credit card wasn't an easy deal back then, and I remember having to go to a bank and sign a bunch of papers.
Anyway, the two of us survived that trip without killing each other, and somehow managed to avoid traveling together for the next 44 years.
I've only driven the Flex a few times, and I don't remember it being anything special, in spite of the 20 inch black wheels of the Hooligan Package. No, it does not have the EcoBoost engine. I had my sister send a photo of the VIN and I ran it through a Ford dealer's parts guy to confirm that it came from the factory with the Class III towing package so, at least officially, it should be capable of hauling 4,500 pounds. My father has used it to tow his 24 foot Chapparal, but never over any huge distance. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
So if you happen to be traveling along the east coast later this week and you see two cranky guys staring at the flat tire on a red and black Ford Flex with U-Haul behind it, feel free to honk and laugh at us as you drive by.
I packed a couple of GRM stickers and I promise to put one on the Flex and the other on the trailer. I'm pretty sure that we will be the only ones on the road sporting that combo.
And I will be slowing down a bit once we cross the Delaware Memorial Bridge to push my brother out somewhere near his house. I get to do the last four hours on my own.
Wish me luck.
