PONY EXPRESS DAY 13

We are all ready to be home. How can you tell that? We agreed to leave at 6:00 AM, and at 5:30 we were all loaded and out in the parking lot, so we left at 5:30, pedal to the metal, heading for Tahoe, 300 miles, our destination for today. Every morning when we hit the road, we go through this little exercise where we have all the windows rolled up because it is chilly, so in the absence of wind noise, we get the full benefit of the miscellaneous engine noises. Is that a new one? I don't remember that sound. This usually goes on for about 10 miles as we slowly increase speed and build up the wind noise. And as the day wears on, by two o'clock, sailing along with all the windows open, we don't give a damn how much noise the engine is making.

It took four summits and one pass to get here. John had one more flat tire out by the Fallon Naval Air Station, he is now out of spares. But we are forging on, we still have one spare between us (mine) so we won't start serious worrying until we have another flat. As we came west, it began to heat up, and as we came through Carson City, the outside air temperature climbed up to 98 degrees. We elected to go over Spooner Summit, a daring decision, considering the lack of places to pull off. It was a ten mile grind. I flirted with vapor lock, periodically burping for the first two thirds of the climb in second over and second, and finally the outside air temperature had gone down enough that the engine smoothed out for the last third. I know Patti was really nervous cause she didn't say anything all the way up. Anyway, tonight I put John's Zenith carb on for the run home, both my float valves are just weeping too much fuel and screwing up the mixture. We spent the evening sitting on the deck at our cabin, recharging for tomorrows charge to the finish. John is happier tonight, because unlike last night, we have kleenex, coffee pot, continental breakfast,and a shower that works, but no room key, ce la vie.


I took a little video coming down from Spooner Pass.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rmnly/4745180935/

And then Patti took a little video, don't tell her I posted this.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rmnly/4745241047/

We are really looking for one day without any mechanical adventure.

Here is what you do when you are bored.

This is John making a pass, the only one of the trip.

Oh, oh, John putting on his last spare.

A leisurely lakeside dinner.