Touch wood!

touch wood, refers to the apotropaic tradition (from Greek apotrepein, to ward off : apo-, away + trepein, to turn) in western folklore of literally touching/knocking on wood, or merely stating that you are doing or intend same, in order to avoid "tempting fate" after making a favourable observation, a boast!
It was an unusual week with Fillmore. Usually there are bumps in the road, some bigger than others. Usually I know that you never make assumptions, never make predictions and simply go with the flow.
This week the flow was as smooth and quick as the Bow river.
Monday and Tuesday were effecient and productive. Wednesday and Thursday were mapping and re configuring circuits for Chris while I went to doctors appointments and aimlessly wondered between my chair in the living room and looking over Chris's shoulder in the back of the bus.
5 pm Thursday Chris, sitting at the kitchen table surrounded in papers, folded everything up, looked up and said in a puzzled and questioning voice...." I think I'm done!"

We decided over a few libations that night that Friday would be a day to pack up, go over a few things and then have a quiet afternoon. Which we did...but not before I talked Chris into topping up the fluids and having a road test. I was worried, in the last few short runs, Fillmore was sluggish and shifting was far from smooth. I really would feel better if Chris was in the bus during a road test. Earlier in the week we had talked about this and Chris had a solution. I am ashamed to say the solution was simple. Although I had filled the tranny fluid to the level, it was after the first run that I noticed the shifting issues. Yes, yes, I had forgotten to recheck the levels after the tranny had gone through all the gears...it would be a simple fix, top it up and he should run like the wind.

We started Fillmore up, watched the pressure build, everything looked great. I grabbed my camera and we backed it out the driveway. Then the moment of truth. Was the hesitation and sluggish performance simply the fluids or was there more? I switched from reverse to drive, let my foot off the brake and gave it some throttle. I'll be damned if it didn't almost send Chris tumbling down the isle the pick up was so strong. Seriously this ol' boy really scoots! I got so taken aback that when I gave Chris a turn at the wheel I almost forgot to get any footage until the last few hundred meters...lots of fun!

Michelle could sense the significance of the ride and came running out to the driveway to capture the moment. Here is Chris and I with shit eating grins after we realized that this old boy is purring like a kitten with power to spare. Smooth as silk, no vibrations, no hiccups....

As we sat in the kitchen sipping some smooth single malt at sunset we relived the thrills of the week, all the unimpeded progress,forward momentum, and thrill of the ride. All is good...touch wood!