Robert,
ONE MORE thing, do not drive your car up there looking like a gang banger... you know with the droopy pants, ball hats, and "thugware". DO NOT drive a car with tented "gangsta" windows, or pull in there driveway with "boom boom boom mother fer mother fer" ratteling their home. Go alone - not with anyone else - people get nervous with lots of people snooping around there home/farm.
Just ware some blue jeans, and a plain short sleeve shirt with NO writing on it. Something like a black NIKE shirt is best. No ball caps, no cell phone, clean shaven, and clean looking, just look like an every day nice city boy. You do not need to have CASH on you as long as you know how to get back to them. Pull in the driveway, and HONK - do not wait, just slowly shut your door, slowly walk up to there door and knock on it - do not try to "hide" you want people to know you WANT them to know you are there... and you are not trying to sneek around and steal something...
Take your gas pump ID book with you, and keep it under your car seat. Maybe have 15 business cards with your name & nubmer on them saying "looking for old gas pumps" under your name and number. Have your mailing address on the card too. If they are not home or no one answers the door, then leave the card on there door with hand writeing on the back saying "please call me about your gas pump"... If they do not call you then go back next week or on the weekend. It seems once you find a pump 10 others find it that same week. I only get 1 phone call back for every 40 cards I leave. But when I do the returns I usually come home with 30 of those 40 pumps I found. And the best part is the guys I buy the pumps from usually know where there are more pumps in the area...
If you get pulled over by the sherif show tell them what you are doing, and show them your book and cards. This will help you explain to the sherif if you happen to get pulled over for spooking the neighborhood. I have never had the sherif called on me, but I always wounder?
Travis E. Towle
Topeka, Kansas
785-357-1004
[This message has been edited by travis_towle (edited 10-24-2006).]
