The Leaf and Bean Company

So, around 2:30 today, jim and clarence pulled in to the leaf and bean strip..............they made it intact lookin good and healthy and tan.........jim says its just wind burn though...........and clarence was leakin green fluid, which jim obviously knew about since he had a few bottles of oil and antifreeze in the back of the truck...........He came the whole way with barely any brakes, he informs me last night, but has become an expert at downshifting thru the mountains................so, i'll save the rest for jim who will update the blog soon, or come in to the leaf and bean strip tomorrow, thursday night to hear all about their adventures............we are having an impromtu cigar night to celebrate their safe return...............hope to see ya'll there and thanx for checkin in on his journeys.........until next one...........peace to you all.......................

so, its been 5 days since we posted last...............jim and clarence have made some headway and are cruisin the back roads of america.............all is well, but jim did mention that yesterday he heard some strange humming noise coming from clarence again.....................really, i do not know what this means, i guess they'll have it checked out today...........i hope so since they are headed thru some mountains soon and probably snow...................we are expecting snow all week and jim hopes to make it home this week sometime!!  I guess he is feeling optimistic that clarence will be fine thru their trek North east...............Well, we closed the bets on saturday and we'll let you know who predicted their arrival...........i do know that clarence has 4 wheel drive that jim does not know how to engage and i'm not sure about snow tires? I'm sure they'll figure it out...........meantime, jim sent some photo's of their progress, enjoy and you can figure out where they might me.................peace, sunny

BRIDGE IN HOUSTON

MISSISSIPPI RIVER, RIVER BOAT AND CLARENCE

ENTERING ALABAMA ON NATCHEZ TRAIL

CLARENCE LEADING THE WAY NATCHEZ TRAIL, TENNESSEE

So jim and clarence continue on their journey, thru New Mexico and now in texas.  He made it to Van Horn, TX and found a nice lil' town for the evening.  All was well and they headed out from there.............they made it about, i don't know exactly, a couple hours maybe, when clarence's gas pedal got stuck to the floor going top speed, of 45 miles an hour...........We think it was top speed,  because at this point clarence's odometer and speedometer do not work and we really have no clue!!!  Jim had to use his extra cell phone for emergencies and called home to the leaf and bean to the rescue.  We called AAA for them with the approximate whereabouts of  the traveling duo.  They were found and towed, and did something i have never seen jim do in all of our travels.....................they had to turn around and go back to the town they started from that morning.  They got there around lunch time and were made to wait outside the locked gates until after lunch hour..............  So jim pulled out his lounge chair and book and waited............After that they fixed the spring under the gas pedal and were off once again the same road out of town as before!!!  The pictures below are taken at variious stops along the way,  Columbus, NM (where they got the fuel line fixed), pecos river, El Paso, tex -mex border, and then being towed back to Van Horn...............until next update, peace and safe travels...........................

on the road in  west texas..........

Amistad dam near del rio

Pecos river looking toward Mexico

like a bridge over pecos river................

Made it to the Alamo..........................

Oh yeah, we are taking $5 bets as to when you think they'll be pullin in to da burgh!!  Winner takes all and bets close by end of day this saturday, come in and listen to some rockin music and place your bets..............................................

At this point, i am having a hard time keepin up with jim and clarence!  In and out of cell phone range, mostly out, in and out of service stations, mostly in......and back roads that ihave never heard of.......and for that matter, neither has jim........

What i can tell you, after his last update this morning, is this.............

the camp site you are looking at, which has improved since the last one you saw, is somewhere near nogales, AZ somewhere on the mexican border.  They made it there with the help of the last local shade tree mechanic.  Jim should have taken that guy with them, because when he set out on his way from this great campsite under the AZ stars, clarence decided not to go!!  He was obviously being stubborn and jim had to hike a quarter mile to the nearest road where he found a forest ranger hangin out.  By the time jim got back to clarence, the "local" speak no english towtruck was there to the rescue...................Clarence and jim hitched a ride to the nearest you know what, 12 miles and the first time they were on an interstate.

So, what i 'm told, is that clarences's new fuel line got clogged and didn't want to send gas to the engine.  Easy fix, according to the "people who know best"! They sent the crazy traveling duo on thier way who were headed to somewhere south in New mexico.   They did stop for a burger and a beer after their dusty travels thru Arizona!  This was taken at Ajo, AZ................

And they did stop to enjoy the moment near bisbee, AZ.......................nice rainbow!!

So, last i heard, they will be traveling thru New Mexico and then on to the Alamo!!!  They are suppossed to be hitting 30 -40 degree weather the next few days, so will have to nix any camping.  Shame that they completely missed the blizzard of 2010 here in the burgh and have to deal with some cold along the way!!  Oh well, ma and pop  motels here they come...................  If all goes well, they are headed for a town with a population of 50 and will hang there for the evening, i believe somewhere west texas!! Like i said.............its been hard to keep up with them!!  I'll continue to try and get accurate accounts of their travels  and keep passin them along to you!!  How many more service stations are in their future, and when do you think they'll be pullin in?  Post some comments, jim will get them in his travels and would love to hear from you!!   Enjoy the moment and realize that this moment holds everything within it - the unresolved the resolved, the past and the future, and it is from this moment that we must live our lives!!!

not knowing if jim and clarence went off the side of a mountain or got lost and dazed in the desert, jim finally called and checked in.  He's been out there, out of cell phone reach for a couple of days now.  He's been thru the mountains and has traversed his way thru death valley, with clarence making some strange humming sound and overheating thru the desert.  Oh no!  Could it be!! yet another service station in jim and clarence's future...............yes, it could.  The local shade tree mechanic that jim found said clarence had too thin a belt and exchanged it for a wider one and set them on their way once again.   They took some time to do some camping and hit the local hot springs.  Can you imagine jim in a bathing suit?  wish i was there to take some pictures!!  Looks like jim is takin some time to smell the flowers along the way, or in this case, the sulphur........By tonight they will have made it out of california and should be camping under the stars in arizona!!!!  I don't know, 10 days, 2 states, you do the math!!  when do you think they'll be pulling in to the burgh?? stay tuned for more adventures and enjoy the journey................

Meantime, back in the strip, we'll have Bill Toms here tomorrow, great singer songwriter, coffee and cigars are abundant, and as always, just a cool place to hang out!  see ya there................sunny

unbeknownced to jim and clarence, they are getting very intimate with Winnamucca, NV.  They put about 570 miles on since walla walla, and glided thru the mountainous terrain with no brakes the last 100 or so miles.  Not only did he find out that he had leaks in the brake lines, but about 10 holes in the radiator!!!!  Thinkin they could patch the big holes and set jim and clarence on their way, they discovered that a new radiator is in order.  Well, thats quite a  tall order since they have to ship it in from North Carolina!!!!   So Jim is tending to clarence while he gets better, and feels they should be on their way again in a few days or so with the care and love of the service station people. If you ever want to go to winnamucca, nv, talk to jim........i'm sure he can tell you all about it!!! 

Jim did get a chance to experience one night of camping with clarence and took some time to take some pictures along the way.  enjoy the journey and the photo's

After arriving safe in Wala, Wala, WA.  Having the official passing of the keys with father isaac, getting final clearance for the road wih clarence, a good nights rest at the local ma and pop motel and jim finally hit the road. He logged a whopping 300 miles yesterday and is probably starting out again right about now, 5:00 am his time!  The roads were rainy and wet yesterday, but the sights were outstanding at 35 miles an hour thru the mountains with no wipers!!  Jim ended up near the "rocky mountains somewhere" and found the local bar to rejuvenate.  He admits that clarence is all he hoped for, but a little rough on the tush, with bumps every inch of the way!!!!  I guess by the time he arrives back in the burgh, him and clarence will have a great working relationship and many tall stories to tell ................... keep checkin in for further updates, or come on down to the L & B to track his journey...............we're shoveled out and open, and enjoying great coffee and cigars right now!! be safe out there...........sunny

jim got off this morning with his excitement from his willy.............. he's scheduled to land in chicago in 10 minutes.....  if all goes well, he'll be meeting clarence in a few hours......he's a little nervous but knows that it is a match made in heaven!!!!!  he got off to a late start due to the blizzard of 2010, but he is off and running and he will be posting his exciting adventures with clarence..........stay tuned for more and come in to the leaf and bean to track their progress while you enjoy your coffee and cigars......see ya there!   sunny

I am scheduled to land in Walla Walla Wa, at kick-off time on Sunday.  "Clarence" and I will meet face to grill for the first time and head out to a local Sports Bar to watch the Super Bowl.

Monday we will spend some time getting to know each other, maybe a little drive in the country, stop for a lunch by the river and head back to town, stocking up on supplies and on the way to an early dinner then early to bed to get ready for a fresh start on the road Tuesday Morning.

On Tuesday morning I will wake up and be excited to play with my willy.  Driving it hard and pushing the 4 stroke to the edge.  Taking the first road south, Death Valley here we come.

"Clarence" with the advice of Dr. Dustin is getting a set of new shoes!

Check out his new TREADS!  "Clarence" is now humming when rubber meets the road, I think hes looking forward to being on the open road again.

One week from today the adventrue begins!

Stay tuned for more.