WHEEL LIFE: Longtime billiards enthusiast hits the road in style
When James Weaver wasn’t attending classes at the University of Oregon back in the early ‘70s, he was shooting pool and learning life lessons.
“During my freshmen year of college I met this guy from Southern California,” recalled Weaver during a recent telephone conversation from his home in Port Townsend, Wash.
“We went down to the pool room one day and I was just amazed at how easily he could beat me.”
For the next three years Weaver played billiards every day for at least three hours.
“It was a big part of my college education,” he reminisced.
As soon as he turned 21, Weaver graduated from the college pool room to the local Eugene taverns and quickly discovered the pitfalls of playing for money.
“While I met a lot of nice people,” he said, “I also ran into a lot of sleazy cheaters.”
More than 35 years later, Weaver, a former music store owner, is still chalking up his cue.
“I love watching those colored balls bouncing around the table and falling into the holes,” he sighed.
Twice a week Weaver, now semiretired, makes the 100-mile round trip to the New Peking restaurant in Port Angeles to play in the Juan de Fuca BCA (Billiards Congress of America) League games.
Next Tuesday he is heading to Lincoln City, Ore., to play in his first BCA amateur 8-Ball regional tournament – and he’s traveling in style.
Weaver will be driving his classic 1972 26-foot Krager motor home.
The vintage rig was quite the restoration project when he stumbled onto it three years ago.
“It had been sitting in someone’s yard for about 20 years,” said the first-time RV owner.
“The fiberglass exterior was perfectly straight with not a dent in it,” he said, “but the inside was pretty much shot and not too many things were working.”
Over the next few months Weaver rebuilt the International Harvester engine and replaced “quite a bit of stuff” including the tires, brakes, hardwood floors, carpet, toilet, holding tanks, furnace and water heater.
“I have a feeling it was designed for hunters and fishers going out in the wild,” he said, “because it had a lot of sleeping areas to stack a bunch of people in there.”
Weaver removed two bunks beds above a couple of couches in the rear of the vehicle for more space.
“I’ve been a mechanic for years and have some skills in woodworking,” he said. “I did all the work myself and really enjoyed it.”
Weaver’s ‘72 Krager is one of the vintage coaches featured in the coffee-table book, “Mobile Mansions: Taking Home Sweet Home on the Road,” published in 2006 by Douglas Keister.
To be considered “vintage,” a trailer must be at least 25 years old and a motor home at least 20 years old.
According to Weaver, only 24 Kragers were manufactured in 1972 by Krager Kustom Koach out of Winona, Minn.
“It’s just this old beast of a thing that sits up high,” he said, “and I have a lot of fun driving it.”
Vintage information
“If you have any questions about the 1972 Krager, e-mail James Weaver at winnuendo@aol.com.
“”Mobile Mansions: Taking Home Sweet Home on the Road” by Douglas Keister (Gibbs Smith, $24.95, 160 pages, paperback, 2006) ISBN: 1586857738. This detailed picture book showcases the diversity of “lovingly restored” motor homes on the road today.
“A vintage RV organization is the Tin Can Tourists, www.tincantourists.com. This group is “dedicated to the celebration of classic trailers and motor coaches” through annual gatherings. Membership is $20. For more information go online or write to Forrest Bone, 4 High St., Bradenton, FL 34208.
BCA information
“Billiard Congress of America, www.bca-pool.com. BCA Pool League information, www.playbca.com. Inland BCA League in Spokane Valley, e-mail: Inland_BCA@msn.com.
“Western BCA Pool Players Association, www.westernbca.org.
“Western BCA 12th annual Regional 8-Ball Tournament, Tuesday through Mar. 18, Chinook Winds Casino Resort in Lincoln City, Ore. Call toll-free (888) CHINOOK (244-6665), www.chinookwindscasino.com.
“Adjacent to the casino is Logan Road RV Park, $28 to $32 per day. Call toll-free (877) LOGANRV (564-2678), www.loganroadrvpark.com. On Wednesday a representative at the RV park said there were still “a few” available spaces for the week of the tournament.