Friday, October 27, 2006
Day 8 9 10 Wuhan, China
Day 8-9-10 –
UPDATE: We have figured out the pictures a little. Click here for a fun slideshow of our pictures from Wuhan.
Bob: Beijing was a tourist city, when you stepped out of the hotel or off the bus, vendors appeared out of nowhere selling everything under the sun. Wuhan is the total opposite, here we are in an incredibly modern city of 11 million people that we never heard of, there are no souvenir vendors, and we are basically ignored. And there are not too many big noses here (what the Chinese people call Caucasians). We are staying in a 5 star hotel, and we have never been so well attended to in our lives. There is a person assigned to everything. As near as I can tell, they are working at demolishing the old dingy four story buildings and putting up high rise apartments. The streets are crowded with autos, traffic flow is handled very nicely, lots of red lights, turn lanes, informative flashing signs (in Chinese). Very hazy, but I don’t think it is pollution, just haze like the great Smokey mountains in USA. Yangtze River runs through the middle of Wuhan and there are lakes everywhere, but no mosquitoes, I wonder how they do that.
We have been in a couple of modern department stores, Carrefour is the Chinese equivalent of Costco, very modern packaged foods just like USA and same brands in a lot of cases, bakery, prepared foods (although definitely Chinese), clothes, appliances, bar code checkout, everything in a modern atmosphere. By total contrast, Walking down a small blvd, we saw an iron gate leading into a side alley which was an open air food market, fruit and vegetables, live fish, crabs, frogs, turtles, eels, chickens and lord knows what else, total contrast to the Carrefour. There are obviously two strata of citizens here, the old generation which lives in the squalid apartment buildings which are maybe 4 stories high and shops in the sidewalk markets and the new generation which drives cars, shops in Carrefour and lives in a 30 story high rise.
Stopped in front of a real estate office (just like CA?) 1000 sq ft “used” apartment costs 30,000 yuan and has 4 rooms. Figure that one out. 8 yuan to the dollar. Our guide says that one of the brand new apartments in a new high rise with a river view costs 10,000 yuan per sq meter. Works out to about 1,000,000 yuan for 1000 sq ft. (125,000 USD).
We also stopped in a little bakery, typical with so many employees, one girl figures out the cost, another girl makes the change, I handed my money to the girl who figured out the cost and the change girl snatched it.
Today, Friday, we made an expedition to the River Beach Park on the shore of the Yangtze River, this is a beautiful park several kilometers long filled with statues and trees and grass (a rarity in these large cities). R and M were carrying the twins and you would think they were celebrities, so many curious people crowded around. We got some Yangtze River water and earth to take home, according to Chinese lore, this will bring luck and good fortune to always have a little piece of their homeland. And then we went to the biggest and fanciest Chinese restaurant that I have ever seen, the dining area must have been 100 yards long and 10 yards wide. Tai Zi (Prince) Restaurant. Four parking attendants in gold braided uniforms out front, parking the Buicks and Fords and Mercedes and Hondas. And our guide ordered us quite a feast, several things that I have never heard of.
The final dish was a fish on a platter, somehow the flesh was braided into sticks to make the fish look like a porcupine, quite incredible. By the way, the local beer (Snow beer) is quite good. Total cost, 449 yuan (about $50) for 11 people and 4 kids. So we can eat in the 5 star dining room for $20 for the buffet, $5 at a fancy restaurant, and if we had the nerve, probably $1 at the street stalls. Something for everybody.
By the way, the French have a presence in China, especially in Wuhan which is where the French Consulate is located. All the taxis are Citroens, the airlines have a lot of airbuses, and apparently talks are going on about nuclear power. In fact, we are sharing the streets with Jacque Chirac for the last couple days. Yesterday, we saw this really big motorcade of black cars and vans full of policemen going down the street and today when we came back to our hotel, Chirac was in the dining room and the place was crawling with security. There was a half inch thick red carpet laid down from the curb, through the lobby and into the dining room.
Pat:
Day 8 – We received the precious girls yesterday and they couldn’t sleep the first night, therefore M didn’t sleep either. It is tough to be a new parent with 22 pound twins. We had to leave the hotel at 8:45 to go to the interview for new parents. Well, we left at 9:30 and just barely. The grand parents look like pack horses for the new parents and their daughters, but that’s why we came to support them in all ways. Of course I was very emotional at the interview especially when they asked M questions regarding the girls’ future. R and M are doing a great job for new parents in a very different kind of situation. They are ordering room service because they can’t leave the room yet.
Day 9 – M and R and the girls leave the room to go to breakfast. Everyone loves seeing the twins. Grandparents went on a bus trip to a department store for clothes for the girls. Now this was a bit confusing. I had to pick out my articles get a bill from each little counter and then go to a cashier to pay and get a receipt. Then I had to remember where I picked out my items and give the clerk my receipt before I could get my purchased items. What an ordeal. Then we went to the basement for the grocery items. Bob found a jar of salsa for R, yea.
The girls are dressed in cute denim jumpers and off to lunch in the hotel. They take R and M and the girls to a special room in the back with a divider. I wonder why?
All the Chinese children walk by and say “Hello”. Many shops were cooking in front of their little shops. People were on their way home from work and eating from the shops or taking the food home. Found a neat street for shopping and looking. Passed a line of people paying money and receiving a different stub of a ticket. Then they went to the next line where there was a large cauldron about 4 feet in diameter with sections like pieces of pie and a center of boiling broth. In each section there was a different type of sauce and meat or fish. The clerk had a cone shaped basket with a long handle full of noodles. She would dip them in the broth and put them in a bag for the customer, very strange
Then we found an alley that was an open food market. Oh my! There were bins of live shrimp, fish, eels, turtles, frogs and crabs. It was quite a place, no I didn’t buy anything but we washed the soles of shoes when we returned and then wiped them with handi wipes.
Back to the hotel and dinner time. This time all 6 adults went since Ro knocked R’s dish on the floor at lunch, they needed help. I love it. What a difference in the girls, lots of smiles, teasing and facial expressions. They love to eat.
UPDATE: We have figured out the pictures a little. Click here for a fun slideshow of our pictures from Wuhan.
Bob: Beijing was a tourist city, when you stepped out of the hotel or off the bus, vendors appeared out of nowhere selling everything under the sun. Wuhan is the total opposite, here we are in an incredibly modern city of 11 million people that we never heard of, there are no souvenir vendors, and we are basically ignored. And there are not too many big noses here (what the Chinese people call Caucasians). We are staying in a 5 star hotel, and we have never been so well attended to in our lives. There is a person assigned to everything. As near as I can tell, they are working at demolishing the old dingy four story buildings and putting up high rise apartments. The streets are crowded with autos, traffic flow is handled very nicely, lots of red lights, turn lanes, informative flashing signs (in Chinese). Very hazy, but I don’t think it is pollution, just haze like the great Smokey mountains in USA. Yangtze River runs through the middle of Wuhan and there are lakes everywhere, but no mosquitoes, I wonder how they do that.
We have been in a couple of modern department stores, Carrefour is the Chinese equivalent of Costco, very modern packaged foods just like USA and same brands in a lot of cases, bakery, prepared foods (although definitely Chinese), clothes, appliances, bar code checkout, everything in a modern atmosphere. By total contrast, Walking down a small blvd, we saw an iron gate leading into a side alley which was an open air food market, fruit and vegetables, live fish, crabs, frogs, turtles, eels, chickens and lord knows what else, total contrast to the Carrefour. There are obviously two strata of citizens here, the old generation which lives in the squalid apartment buildings which are maybe 4 stories high and shops in the sidewalk markets and the new generation which drives cars, shops in Carrefour and lives in a 30 story high rise.
Stopped in front of a real estate office (just like CA?) 1000 sq ft “used” apartment costs 30,000 yuan and has 4 rooms. Figure that one out. 8 yuan to the dollar. Our guide says that one of the brand new apartments in a new high rise with a river view costs 10,000 yuan per sq meter. Works out to about 1,000,000 yuan for 1000 sq ft. (125,000 USD).
We also stopped in a little bakery, typical with so many employees, one girl figures out the cost, another girl makes the change, I handed my money to the girl who figured out the cost and the change girl snatched it.
Today, Friday, we made an expedition to the River Beach Park on the shore of the Yangtze River, this is a beautiful park several kilometers long filled with statues and trees and grass (a rarity in these large cities). R and M were carrying the twins and you would think they were celebrities, so many curious people crowded around. We got some Yangtze River water and earth to take home, according to Chinese lore, this will bring luck and good fortune to always have a little piece of their homeland. And then we went to the biggest and fanciest Chinese restaurant that I have ever seen, the dining area must have been 100 yards long and 10 yards wide. Tai Zi (Prince) Restaurant. Four parking attendants in gold braided uniforms out front, parking the Buicks and Fords and Mercedes and Hondas. And our guide ordered us quite a feast, several things that I have never heard of.
The final dish was a fish on a platter, somehow the flesh was braided into sticks to make the fish look like a porcupine, quite incredible. By the way, the local beer (Snow beer) is quite good. Total cost, 449 yuan (about $50) for 11 people and 4 kids. So we can eat in the 5 star dining room for $20 for the buffet, $5 at a fancy restaurant, and if we had the nerve, probably $1 at the street stalls. Something for everybody.By the way, the French have a presence in China, especially in Wuhan which is where the French Consulate is located. All the taxis are Citroens, the airlines have a lot of airbuses, and apparently talks are going on about nuclear power. In fact, we are sharing the streets with Jacque Chirac for the last couple days. Yesterday, we saw this really big motorcade of black cars and vans full of policemen going down the street and today when we came back to our hotel, Chirac was in the dining room and the place was crawling with security. There was a half inch thick red carpet laid down from the curb, through the lobby and into the dining room.
Pat:
Day 8 – We received the precious girls yesterday and they couldn’t sleep the first night, therefore M didn’t sleep either. It is tough to be a new parent with 22 pound twins. We had to leave the hotel at 8:45 to go to the interview for new parents. Well, we left at 9:30 and just barely. The grand parents look like pack horses for the new parents and their daughters, but that’s why we came to support them in all ways. Of course I was very emotional at the interview especially when they asked M questions regarding the girls’ future. R and M are doing a great job for new parents in a very different kind of situation. They are ordering room service because they can’t leave the room yet.
Day 9 – M and R and the girls leave the room to go to breakfast. Everyone loves seeing the twins. Grandparents went on a bus trip to a department store for clothes for the girls. Now this was a bit confusing. I had to pick out my articles get a bill from each little counter and then go to a cashier to pay and get a receipt. Then I had to remember where I picked out my items and give the clerk my receipt before I could get my purchased items. What an ordeal. Then we went to the basement for the grocery items. Bob found a jar of salsa for R, yea.
The girls are dressed in cute denim jumpers and off to lunch in the hotel. They take R and M and the girls to a special room in the back with a divider. I wonder why?
All the Chinese children walk by and say “Hello”. Many shops were cooking in front of their little shops. People were on their way home from work and eating from the shops or taking the food home. Found a neat street for shopping and looking. Passed a line of people paying money and receiving a different stub of a ticket. Then they went to the next line where there was a large cauldron about 4 feet in diameter with sections like pieces of pie and a center of boiling broth. In each section there was a different type of sauce and meat or fish. The clerk had a cone shaped basket with a long handle full of noodles. She would dip them in the broth and put them in a bag for the customer, very strange
Then we found an alley that was an open food market. Oh my! There were bins of live shrimp, fish, eels, turtles, frogs and crabs. It was quite a place, no I didn’t buy anything but we washed the soles of shoes when we returned and then wiped them with handi wipes.
Back to the hotel and dinner time. This time all 6 adults went since Ro knocked R’s dish on the floor at lunch, they needed help. I love it. What a difference in the girls, lots of smiles, teasing and facial expressions. They love to eat.
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Beautiful Twins
Yahoo, yea, wow, the girls are here and yes, they are beautiful. The parents are a bit busy and the grandparents are in awe. Take a look at:
http://salsainchina.blogspot.com/
http://salsainchina.blogspot.com/
Monday, October 23, 2006
Xian to Beijing – day 4 and 5
Xian to Beijing – day 4 and 5
Click here for slide show..
Not sure what day it is, but on Saturday, caught a China Eastern flight to Beijing. Plane was packed with business men. Arrived at Beijing airport and no guide to meet us. Scratched our heads for awhile and found a friendly counter clerk who called the phone number we had. Murphy’s law, lapse in communications, our guide had our hotel keys and everything but had no idea where we were coming in from. Finally made contact and motored into Beijing on a high quality freeway. Incidentally, certain things are missing in China, like rental cars, no such thing. Nice hotel, and we met up with R and M, who were wondering what happened to us.
Sunday dawned with blue sky and cold clear air, and our guide told us an interesting story about that. When the government was in the competition for the Olympics, the Olympic committee was worried about the bad pollution in Beijing. As a result, all the steel mills and polluting industries were moved out of Beijing and the traditional coal fired furnaces and stoves were discouraged from use by providing subsidies for using electricity instead. As a result, last year there were 260 blue sky days in Beijing.
Beijing is a surprisingly modern city, high rises everywhere, cars, taxis and buses jamming the streets, good roads, we haven’t been on a potholed rough street yet. There are still lots of bicycles though. I suspect that the cost of living is probably going up fast, lots of stores selling western products such as clothing electronics, etc. They are in a crash renovation for the Olympics, everything is in the process of being painted and freshened, half the Forbidden city is done, the other half is under scaffolding and tarping.
Sunday we did some major touring with the adoption group in Beijing, 35 people so we had our own tour bus. Tienenmien Square, Forbidden City, a rickshaw ride through Hutong Village, and a Chinese acrobat show. The Hutong village is quite interesting, it is a section that is very old and represents the way life in Beijing used to be, alleys, tiny dwellings, but it is also a way of life that is vanishing, being replaced with the high rises and modern stores. The result is that the government has set aside several large sections to be preserved. And it is a big tourist attraction, to take a rickshaw ride through these areas.
We went by bus back to the city to see an Acrobatic Show. This was very colorful with feats that awed the audience. Bob is convinced that the one young man who did a running jump into a somersault through a hoop about 8 ft high could compete for the high jump at the Olympics. The show was an hour long. Then we were stuck in a traffic jam and felt we were back in the USA. Returned to the hotel about 7 and the “old” folks did better than most younger ones. We opted for KFC, choc and ice cream for dinner, definitely Americans.
pictures coming, check back later.
Click here for slide show..
Not sure what day it is, but on Saturday, caught a China Eastern flight to Beijing. Plane was packed with business men. Arrived at Beijing airport and no guide to meet us. Scratched our heads for awhile and found a friendly counter clerk who called the phone number we had. Murphy’s law, lapse in communications, our guide had our hotel keys and everything but had no idea where we were coming in from. Finally made contact and motored into Beijing on a high quality freeway. Incidentally, certain things are missing in China, like rental cars, no such thing. Nice hotel, and we met up with R and M, who were wondering what happened to us.
Sunday dawned with blue sky and cold clear air, and our guide told us an interesting story about that. When the government was in the competition for the Olympics, the Olympic committee was worried about the bad pollution in Beijing. As a result, all the steel mills and polluting industries were moved out of Beijing and the traditional coal fired furnaces and stoves were discouraged from use by providing subsidies for using electricity instead. As a result, last year there were 260 blue sky days in Beijing.
Beijing is a surprisingly modern city, high rises everywhere, cars, taxis and buses jamming the streets, good roads, we haven’t been on a potholed rough street yet. There are still lots of bicycles though. I suspect that the cost of living is probably going up fast, lots of stores selling western products such as clothing electronics, etc. They are in a crash renovation for the Olympics, everything is in the process of being painted and freshened, half the Forbidden city is done, the other half is under scaffolding and tarping.
Sunday we did some major touring with the adoption group in Beijing, 35 people so we had our own tour bus. Tienenmien Square, Forbidden City, a rickshaw ride through Hutong Village, and a Chinese acrobat show. The Hutong village is quite interesting, it is a section that is very old and represents the way life in Beijing used to be, alleys, tiny dwellings, but it is also a way of life that is vanishing, being replaced with the high rises and modern stores. The result is that the government has set aside several large sections to be preserved. And it is a big tourist attraction, to take a rickshaw ride through these areas.
We went by bus back to the city to see an Acrobatic Show. This was very colorful with feats that awed the audience. Bob is convinced that the one young man who did a running jump into a somersault through a hoop about 8 ft high could compete for the high jump at the Olympics. The show was an hour long. Then we were stuck in a traffic jam and felt we were back in the USA. Returned to the hotel about 7 and the “old” folks did better than most younger ones. We opted for KFC, choc and ice cream for dinner, definitely Americans.
pictures coming, check back later.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
TOURING IN XIAN - day 3
TOURING IN XIAN - day 3
Spent the day touring the area.
Pat:
We were also supposed to go to a wonderful place for a dumpling dinner, a Chinese play and then stop at the
While Bob took a snooze, Pat decided to try to pack all of the new purchases into the overweight suitcases. I, Pat, have decided to buy a very large dress today and tie my Xian purchases onto my body. What do you think, will it work? Don’t tell Bob. Idea, we will just leave the girls clothing that we brought in our bags here in Xian. Oh lots of room now.
While in our hotel room, we could be in the
Thursday, October 19, 2006
WHIRLWIND IN HONG KONG - day 2
WHIRLWIND IN
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
To China and back, day 1
Hong Kong
Oh my gawd, we have done it now. The country mice have sure ventured out of the country and into the big wide world.
So far, we have taken a jet (that seemed like about a week), an express train, a mini shuttle and walked to get to our hotel in downtown Hong Kong.
We are in a really big city, very cosmopolitan, and very vertical, unbelievable number of high rise apartment buildings. Nothing like getting off a plane in a foreign country and being on your own as far as finding your hotel and how to get there. Right off the bat, we discovered that our ATM card does not work in Hong Kong, it needs to have a 6 digit pin number. One little gal said to add 2 zeroes either in front or in back or the regular 4 digit number, but she also said the machine will keep it after two mistakes. Having already tried the four digit number, we decided to forget that, and changed some cash.
The express train from the airport to Hong Kong Island and downtown is really modern and fast. We bought two round trip tickets. Nobody checked them on the train but in order to get out of the station, you have to insert them into a turnstile. A friendly attendant who saw us looking at the turnstile as if it were a space alien finally showed the two farmers the difference between one that does magnetic passes and one that reads round trip cards. This reminded me of the old Kingston Trio song, did he ever return, no he never returned and his fate is still unlearned. Moral, buy the ticket before you get on.
The shuttle from the train station to the hotel was definitely an E ticket, traffic with inches to spare, twisty turny little streets, hordes of taxis, braced with one foot to the side and holding onto the luggage rack bars.
We arrived at our hotel at 5:30am (CA time), October something or other, maybe 18 in CA, anyway, we went to bed at 8:30pm local and woke up the first time at 11:30, the second time at 1:00, the third time at 3:30 and finally got out of bed at 3:40. So far this morning, we have had tea, Ghirardelli chocolates, peanut butter crackers and we are waiting for daylight and breakfast.
Now it is 5:30 am October 19 (we think) in Hong Kong. We have a gorgeous view of the harbour outside our window. Patti thought she was on a cruise ship because of the water view out the window and the size of the bathroom. We will have breakfast and tour with our friend Masako today, (see, we do actually know someone in HK).
We have also discovered that the electric plug adapter that we bought for China does not work in Hong Kong, so we have to hurry and post this before our computer croaks.
A note to M and R from Wela, just wait I’m making my list of wants.
To Jane and Bobby, send money and give Harley a hug.
To all of our wonderful friends stay tuned and hold the search parties we are still alive.
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Aftermath - John Guzzetta
A PENNY FOR THE OLD MAN
You may have asked what the Mansfield group has been doing after re-entering Earth’s atmosphere over a week ago. For a few days, we washed clothes…more clothes than we ever thought we owned. The Model A even got washed after a week or so, and we examined the old warhorse for new battle scars. Some of us went back to daily pursuits, and the more neurotic among us kept driving…at night…in our dreams. I claim another 1000 miles, nocturnally. I’m still driving that yellow pickup every night to an un-named destination…with weird obstacles along the way. In hopes of leaving the dreams behind, we went to the Jess Blaker estate auction in Turlock this last Friday. We previewed the entire collection of antique cars, clocks, player pianos, car parts and memorabilia on Friday, and stayed overnight at the local Motel 6…I drove another 400 miles in my “A” to nowhere in my dreams that night…
Early the next morning, I knocked on Bob & Patti’s door (#131), and # 133 (Ray & Linda) were already up and ready for another breakfast experience at the McDonald’s next door. This was very reminiscent of an ordeal we had just experienced! Early rising in a strange motel room and fine morning cuisine…brushing your teeth, if there’s time…is my underwear clean? Am I wearing underwear? What am I doing here?
We all trooped down to the auction early. Way early. Got good seats. Up front, so they could see our bid cards clearly when we won that neat yellow speedster. Maybe the little red Maxwell Roadster…2 cylinders! Or that C cab with the calliope in the back…
Bob & Shirley and Dave & Susan came in on Saturday morning…now, this was becoming real familiar! Like dejavue…
Apparently, we’ve been on the road much too long. People with real money to spend had come in from all over the country…in fact from other countries, as well as nosing in on the internet…and none of them gave us a break. I raised my bid card once or twice, but I think they laughed at me.
So, we didn’t come home with anything that Jess Blaker had collected over the years. No Regulator clocks, no Rolls Royces, no little yellow speedsters and no parts piled up on pallets with a numbered tag on a pile of rust. People with big checkbooks, people who flew in on private jets, people, who for the most part, never met the man, took his things away. But according to Judy, it was fun. An experience. And it was certainly cheap at the price. I have to get to bed…time to drive…
John Guzzetta
Ps: in the middle of the auction, 100 miles from home, among maybe 1000 or more people…guess who popped up? Yep…
Twilight Zone…
You may have asked what the Mansfield group has been doing after re-entering Earth’s atmosphere over a week ago. For a few days, we washed clothes…more clothes than we ever thought we owned. The Model A even got washed after a week or so, and we examined the old warhorse for new battle scars. Some of us went back to daily pursuits, and the more neurotic among us kept driving…at night…in our dreams. I claim another 1000 miles, nocturnally. I’m still driving that yellow pickup every night to an un-named destination…with weird obstacles along the way. In hopes of leaving the dreams behind, we went to the Jess Blaker estate auction in Turlock this last Friday. We previewed the entire collection of antique cars, clocks, player pianos, car parts and memorabilia on Friday, and stayed overnight at the local Motel 6…I drove another 400 miles in my “A” to nowhere in my dreams that night…
Early the next morning, I knocked on Bob & Patti’s door (#131), and # 133 (Ray & Linda) were already up and ready for another breakfast experience at the McDonald’s next door. This was very reminiscent of an ordeal we had just experienced! Early rising in a strange motel room and fine morning cuisine…brushing your teeth, if there’s time…is my underwear clean? Am I wearing underwear? What am I doing here?
We all trooped down to the auction early. Way early. Got good seats. Up front, so they could see our bid cards clearly when we won that neat yellow speedster. Maybe the little red Maxwell Roadster…2 cylinders! Or that C cab with the calliope in the back…
Bob & Shirley and Dave & Susan came in on Saturday morning…now, this was becoming real familiar! Like dejavue…
Apparently, we’ve been on the road much too long. People with real money to spend had come in from all over the country…in fact from other countries, as well as nosing in on the internet…and none of them gave us a break. I raised my bid card once or twice, but I think they laughed at me.
So, we didn’t come home with anything that Jess Blaker had collected over the years. No Regulator clocks, no Rolls Royces, no little yellow speedsters and no parts piled up on pallets with a numbered tag on a pile of rust. People with big checkbooks, people who flew in on private jets, people, who for the most part, never met the man, took his things away. But according to Judy, it was fun. An experience. And it was certainly cheap at the price. I have to get to bed…time to drive…
John Guzzetta
Ps: in the middle of the auction, 100 miles from home, among maybe 1000 or more people…guess who popped up? Yep…
Twilight Zone…
Aftermath - Dave Jones
From Dave Jones:
Many have noted a lack of trip updates since we returned home. Perhaps you thought all was well. Well, as Paul Harvey would say, "And now, for the rest of the story. Saturday and Sunday were spend resting and trying to remember where the bathroom is in the middle of the night. On Monday, I drove the car to my traveling buddy Ted Kafer's for some engine diagnostic work. First was a compression check. Compression was 110 PSI when I left and now read 65. Decision was maybe it was only rings. My concern about engine noise was met with "its just valves". After all, I had driven well over 3,000 miles after hearing the "ugly" noise around the transmission and complaining of engine noise. Decision was to pull the engine because (1) I needed to determine source of increased oil usage and low compression and (2) I needed to work on transmission because rear seal had failed and caused me to lose LOTS of transmission oil from about Wisconsin on coming home.
Wednesday was the appointed day to pull the engine, etc. Bob Hazleton and John Guzzetta came over around 10 and Bob Meneely joined us after lunch. We had the engine and transmission out by lunch. Too bad, I had no desire for food at that point. Why you ask?
Well, first; the U-Joint came out in 2 large pieces, 20 or so small pieces and lots of bits. What a U-Joint is NOT supposed to look like! We drove this 4,000 miles after breaking? Seems the UGLY noise it made in MA was the U-joint breaking. Somewhere in WI, the pieces tore the transmission rear seal and thus the oil loss. Care to guess how Lucky I am to drive 4,000 miles home?
What a U-Joint is NOT supposed to look like!
Next we began engine tear-down. Removing the head disclosed that #2 piston could be slid sideways soooo much you can check ring gap. NOT GOOD. Next we removed pan. Lying in the pan is the following part. At this point, we can NOT figure out where it came from.
Unknown metal part found in pan. Any guesses?
Our once proud car now sits in the garage.
John G., Bob M., Bob H. and Dave disassembling the engine.
Next, serious engine disassembly began. Removing the pistons disclosed that #2 piston was cracked. Wear in #2 was at least .030!!!! #3 wasn't so good either. Next the crank. Bad, bad wear on #2 and #3 rod throws. The inserts had worn .011 deep groves in crank so they looked like the wagon tracks for the Oregon Trail (not kidding.) The Valves were basically OK (Finally something I could use again.) So now, we are just not Lucky, but Really Lucky to get home!
#2 Rod wear on crank
Wait, there is more. On Friday I went to Bob Hazleton's and tore my 4-speed transmission down to replace seal and change OD gears. We discovered evidence of excessive heat and wear on the main shaft and needle bearings such that they will be replaced/repaired. (Probably due to low oil because of seal failure because of U-joint failure.) So Monday (yesterday), I went to transmission builder and made arrangements for new or repaired parts. AT LAST, I am starting back together! Oh, and did I mention that we are just not Really Lucky to get home, but Really, Really Lucky to get home?
Any Good parts here?
Parts is Parts
So as I write this, the last two pictures are of my garage. You can tell that I will NOT be taking a long trip next week. Would we do it again? YES! Do I have some work ahead? YES. Also, I would also like to point out that I had over 35,700 miles on the engine since spring 2002. The transmission and U-joint probably had more than 40,000 miles as they were installed in early 2001. In no-way can I comment on the quality of the engine or transmission. It was a good run for an 76 year old girl. Just because we have made improvements, etc on the engine, many parts are still 76 year old designs and will not act like modern pats.
I am busying deciding on how to repair things and what I might change. If you want to hear the final decisions, let me know. One change for sure is to add full-flow oil filtering. It is clear that as the engine came apart, the metal parts got into the oil and destroyed everything it touched. Had I not been so far from home and had I been smart enough to tear things down, perhaps some of the damage could have been averted. However, things went South in MA and getting home became the goal. To say Susan and I were glad to drop down the final hill and see the Bay and home is a considerable understatement.
Dave Jones
PS: I am NOT the only person tearing things apart. I know of one badly damaged rear end that came out Friday (comment was "Lucky to get Home". Why does that sound familiar?) Also, another car will not start and I know of another with a broken OD and leaking transmission. I am looking forward to reports from all.
Many have noted a lack of trip updates since we returned home. Perhaps you thought all was well. Well, as Paul Harvey would say, "And now, for the rest of the story. Saturday and Sunday were spend resting and trying to remember where the bathroom is in the middle of the night. On Monday, I drove the car to my traveling buddy Ted Kafer's for some engine diagnostic work. First was a compression check. Compression was 110 PSI when I left and now read 65. Decision was maybe it was only rings. My concern about engine noise was met with "its just valves". After all, I had driven well over 3,000 miles after hearing the "ugly" noise around the transmission and complaining of engine noise. Decision was to pull the engine because (1) I needed to determine source of increased oil usage and low compression and (2) I needed to work on transmission because rear seal had failed and caused me to lose LOTS of transmission oil from about Wisconsin on coming home.
Wednesday was the appointed day to pull the engine, etc. Bob Hazleton and John Guzzetta came over around 10 and Bob Meneely joined us after lunch. We had the engine and transmission out by lunch. Too bad, I had no desire for food at that point. Why you ask?
Well, first; the U-Joint came out in 2 large pieces, 20 or so small pieces and lots of bits. What a U-Joint is NOT supposed to look like! We drove this 4,000 miles after breaking? Seems the UGLY noise it made in MA was the U-joint breaking. Somewhere in WI, the pieces tore the transmission rear seal and thus the oil loss. Care to guess how Lucky I am to drive 4,000 miles home?
What a U-Joint is NOT supposed to look like!
Next we began engine tear-down. Removing the head disclosed that #2 piston could be slid sideways soooo much you can check ring gap. NOT GOOD. Next we removed pan. Lying in the pan is the following part. At this point, we can NOT figure out where it came from.
Unknown metal part found in pan. Any guesses?
Our once proud car now sits in the garage.
John G., Bob M., Bob H. and Dave disassembling the engine.
Next, serious engine disassembly began. Removing the pistons disclosed that #2 piston was cracked. Wear in #2 was at least .030!!!! #3 wasn't so good either. Next the crank. Bad, bad wear on #2 and #3 rod throws. The inserts had worn .011 deep groves in crank so they looked like the wagon tracks for the Oregon Trail (not kidding.) The Valves were basically OK (Finally something I could use again.) So now, we are just not Lucky, but Really Lucky to get home!
#2 Rod wear on crank
Wait, there is more. On Friday I went to Bob Hazleton's and tore my 4-speed transmission down to replace seal and change OD gears. We discovered evidence of excessive heat and wear on the main shaft and needle bearings such that they will be replaced/repaired. (Probably due to low oil because of seal failure because of U-joint failure.) So Monday (yesterday), I went to transmission builder and made arrangements for new or repaired parts. AT LAST, I am starting back together! Oh, and did I mention that we are just not Really Lucky to get home, but Really, Really Lucky to get home?
Any Good parts here?
Parts is Parts
So as I write this, the last two pictures are of my garage. You can tell that I will NOT be taking a long trip next week. Would we do it again? YES! Do I have some work ahead? YES. Also, I would also like to point out that I had over 35,700 miles on the engine since spring 2002. The transmission and U-joint probably had more than 40,000 miles as they were installed in early 2001. In no-way can I comment on the quality of the engine or transmission. It was a good run for an 76 year old girl. Just because we have made improvements, etc on the engine, many parts are still 76 year old designs and will not act like modern pats.
I am busying deciding on how to repair things and what I might change. If you want to hear the final decisions, let me know. One change for sure is to add full-flow oil filtering. It is clear that as the engine came apart, the metal parts got into the oil and destroyed everything it touched. Had I not been so far from home and had I been smart enough to tear things down, perhaps some of the damage could have been averted. However, things went South in MA and getting home became the goal. To say Susan and I were glad to drop down the final hill and see the Bay and home is a considerable understatement.
Dave Jones
PS: I am NOT the only person tearing things apart. I know of one badly damaged rear end that came out Friday (comment was "Lucky to get Home". Why does that sound familiar?) Also, another car will not start and I know of another with a broken OD and leaking transmission. I am looking forward to reports from all.
Friday, August 04, 2006
Epilogue
Just for the record, we showed 7753 miles, 29 days on the road, 20 states, 1 province, 33 summits (that we kept track of), sea level to 11, 158 ft, crossed the continental divide 4 times, 67 fuel stops, 408.1 gallons of fuel at avg price of $3.048 per gallon for a total fuel cost of $1243.95. We averaged 19.0 mpg overall, 19.24 with overdrive (4414 miles), 18.67 without overdrive (3339 miles). We changed the oil once. We added 1/2 quart of oil to the engine, two quarts to the transmission, and about 1/2 quart to the radiator overflow bottle. We boiled once on a low gear climb in 110 degree heat. We were stopped once for a short time by mechanical problems when the overdrive took a header. We flirted with vaporlock anytime the temperature was over 100 degrees.
We had over 11000 hits on our Blog.... We are wondering just how many people were tracking us so here is a request for all you folks that followed our progress. Click on the word "COMMENTS" at the bottom of this posting. When the comments page comes up, type your name and where you are in the box on the right side, and then click on "Anonymous", and then click on "Login and publish". This will put it on the blog in the comments section. We are just curious, I know lots of folks watched us and did not make comments or send us emails. thanks a bunch for all your support and good wishes, I think that's what helped all those A's make it all the way home.
We had over 11000 hits on our Blog.... We are wondering just how many people were tracking us so here is a request for all you folks that followed our progress. Click on the word "COMMENTS" at the bottom of this posting. When the comments page comes up, type your name and where you are in the box on the right side, and then click on "Anonymous", and then click on "Login and publish". This will put it on the blog in the comments section. We are just curious, I know lots of folks watched us and did not make comments or send us emails. thanks a bunch for all your support and good wishes, I think that's what helped all those A's make it all the way home.
Thursday, August 03, 2006
The final stretch - cheer them on home!
I'll be talking to the folks throughout the day by cell phone and posting real-time tracking updates here, so check back often (you might have to hit "refresh" on your browser to bring up the newest info):
5:40am: 5 cars got off to a roaring start from Winnemucca, Nevada! (Bob & Patti, John & Judy, Bill, Bob & Shirley, Ray & Linda). Don & Jack needed a little breakfast fortification first and will be catching up with the group shortly.
7:48 am: They're on 80 now heading toward Fernley, which is about 35 miles away. After that they'll pick up route 95 toward Silver Springs, NV. They should get to Silver Springs about 9:30am. Care to place bets as to whether they'll have icecream for breakfast?
8:20 am: The "tailgunners" (Dave & Susan, Ted & Susan, Will & Karla & Chris) have checked in. They left Wells at 8am this morning, are currently having lunch at Elko (a fancy McD's lunch, of course), and will spend the night in Fallon. Tomorrow it's on to Carson City, then home Saturday. Have a few fries for me guys!
8:31 am: They made it to Fernley, NV. I asked mom if there was anything cool about Fernley and she paused and said "Well, no. There's nothing but gasoline... Oh wait! There's a sign saying fresh Krispy Kreme donuts, gotta go!"
10:25 am: They're in Carson City. Don and Jack have rejoined the group, and John & Judy apparently flew past them all (go go speed racers!). They all had a quick antiques store pit stop and are now heading to Silver Lake to meet up with Bob B. They expect to arrive there between 11:30 and 12 (gee, just in time to eat again, what a shocker...).
11:40 am: I think they're getting a little giddy, I just answered the phone to hear my dad singing "California here we come, right back where we started from..." They said they just crossed the border and are now back in the homeland. They're running a little late and still have 30 miles to go before they hook up with Bob B at Silver Lake. They're down to 4 cars now, Don & Jack took off at a faster clip, and they think John & Judy are probably halfway to San Jose by now. Heh.
2:55 pm: All 7 cars are now traveling together and homeward bound. Bob B & Paul brought a big icechest of icecream to greet everyone in style - alright! And they have caught up to Don & Jack and John & Judy.
4:52 pm: The 7 traveling As are getting so close to home they can smell it. They're on 580 approaching the Altamont pass heading toward Livermore (shoot I even know how to spell that one, they MUST be getting close). They say Bill R has been keeping them amused with a running agricultural commentary - it's better than tv.
6:36 pm: They're home!!!!!! Weary but still smiling. Rod and I surprised them in the driveway with beer, chocolate, strawberries, and burgers. We figured it had probably been at least an hour since they last ate. *wink*
Cheers, M
5:40am: 5 cars got off to a roaring start from Winnemucca, Nevada! (Bob & Patti, John & Judy, Bill, Bob & Shirley, Ray & Linda). Don & Jack needed a little breakfast fortification first and will be catching up with the group shortly.
7:48 am: They're on 80 now heading toward Fernley, which is about 35 miles away. After that they'll pick up route 95 toward Silver Springs, NV. They should get to Silver Springs about 9:30am. Care to place bets as to whether they'll have icecream for breakfast?
8:20 am: The "tailgunners" (Dave & Susan, Ted & Susan, Will & Karla & Chris) have checked in. They left Wells at 8am this morning, are currently having lunch at Elko (a fancy McD's lunch, of course), and will spend the night in Fallon. Tomorrow it's on to Carson City, then home Saturday. Have a few fries for me guys!
8:31 am: They made it to Fernley, NV. I asked mom if there was anything cool about Fernley and she paused and said "Well, no. There's nothing but gasoline... Oh wait! There's a sign saying fresh Krispy Kreme donuts, gotta go!"
10:25 am: They're in Carson City. Don and Jack have rejoined the group, and John & Judy apparently flew past them all (go go speed racers!). They all had a quick antiques store pit stop and are now heading to Silver Lake to meet up with Bob B. They expect to arrive there between 11:30 and 12 (gee, just in time to eat again, what a shocker...).
11:40 am: I think they're getting a little giddy, I just answered the phone to hear my dad singing "California here we come, right back where we started from..." They said they just crossed the border and are now back in the homeland. They're running a little late and still have 30 miles to go before they hook up with Bob B at Silver Lake. They're down to 4 cars now, Don & Jack took off at a faster clip, and they think John & Judy are probably halfway to San Jose by now. Heh.
2:55 pm: All 7 cars are now traveling together and homeward bound. Bob B & Paul brought a big icechest of icecream to greet everyone in style - alright! And they have caught up to Don & Jack and John & Judy.
4:52 pm: The 7 traveling As are getting so close to home they can smell it. They're on 580 approaching the Altamont pass heading toward Livermore (shoot I even know how to spell that one, they MUST be getting close). They say Bill R has been keeping them amused with a running agricultural commentary - it's better than tv.
6:36 pm: They're home!!!!!! Weary but still smiling. Rod and I surprised them in the driveway with beer, chocolate, strawberries, and burgers. We figured it had probably been at least an hour since they last ate. *wink*
Cheers, M
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Day 28 - 400 more miles and still moving
We left Logan in four different groups this morning. Everyone had specific sights they wanted to see but the end destination was Winnemucca, Nevada. As usual John G. came by to bid us a safe trip as we departed at 5:20 AM. We have now found a lonelier road than route 50 (The Loneliest Highway) and it is Utah route 30 From Snowville, UT to Oasis, NV (a ghost town- without a sign). Route 30 is hawk heaven, we counted 85 hawks (that’s the sort of thing you do when the road is lonely and endless). There was one on almost each power pole along the road side. When the power poles stopped there were no more hawks except one lonely pair by a very lonely tree, where one hawk was perched and her mate was perched nearby on a fence post.
Yahoo, we changed to Pacific Daylight time and gained an hour at the border. You know you are getting closer to California when you are on the same time. Saw many triple trailer trucks and yes, they could pass us on the long hills even with their heavy loads. The tag team of Guzzettas, Hazletons and Fontaines caught us (Bob and Pat) the first time in Wells at 10:00am. Took off towards Elko while they stopped for food and fuel (in true SCVC touring fashion) and Bill Perry (All-Ford) and his band of street rods passed us also heading west (way faster than our 49 mph). What are the chances of meeting them twice on this trip? And now they are staying at the motel next to us in Winnemucca. Our ambassador, Ray, went next door to visit and found out that they are going to the same Basque restaurant tonight.
Once again Bob and Pat have a room right out of Winchester Mystery house. When you see the picture you will understand. Can’t wait to get home and sleep in my own bed. Everyone is still having a great time and can you believe we talked about the tour we want to take next year, NO not to Texas.
Tomorrow, the final push,,,, home sweet home.
Late breaking news!:
Jack and Don ground to a halt just 30 miles short of Winnemucca, stripped timing gear. Came in on the AAA truck, and the guys swarmed it and had a new gear in in about an hour. Pic included..
Yahoo, we changed to Pacific Daylight time and gained an hour at the border. You know you are getting closer to California when you are on the same time. Saw many triple trailer trucks and yes, they could pass us on the long hills even with their heavy loads. The tag team of Guzzettas, Hazletons and Fontaines caught us (Bob and Pat) the first time in Wells at 10:00am. Took off towards Elko while they stopped for food and fuel (in true SCVC touring fashion) and Bill Perry (All-Ford) and his band of street rods passed us also heading west (way faster than our 49 mph). What are the chances of meeting them twice on this trip? And now they are staying at the motel next to us in Winnemucca. Our ambassador, Ray, went next door to visit and found out that they are going to the same Basque restaurant tonight.Once again Bob and Pat have a room right out of Winchester Mystery house. When you see the picture you will understand. Can’t wait to get home and sleep in my own bed. Everyone is still having a great time and can you believe we talked about the tour we want to take next year, NO not to Texas.Tomorrow, the final push,,,, home sweet home.
Late breaking news!: Jack and Don ground to a halt just 30 miles short of Winnemucca, stripped timing gear. Came in on the AAA truck, and the guys swarmed it and had a new gear in in about an hour. Pic included..
Last day's route
On Thursday, we will be on the home stretch via I80, US 95, US 50, US 395, NV 88, CA88, to Jack Tone Rd, to 120 to 580 to 84 thru Livermore, to 680 and HOME!!!!!!
Bob Beaman is going to meet us somewhere, maybe Carson Pass, come on down (or up), it will be good to see a friendly face, we should be in cell contact all day.
Pass it on. bob m
Bob Beaman is going to meet us somewhere, maybe Carson Pass, come on down (or up), it will be good to see a friendly face, we should be in cell contact all day.
Pass it on. bob m
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Days 25, 26, 27
Day 25
From Gillette, up, up, up and down, down, down to Cody
As we drove up the on ramp for route 90 there were 3 antelope grazing by the road. We turned off the engine and watched these beautiful animals. They seemed so tame until we started the Model A and then off they went. Again, we are treated to another beautiful sunrise. The road is an interesting red color. We drove by an open red gravel pit. That explains the color of route 90.
Drove by herds of antelope. It was very nice of the farmers to plant fields of alfalfa for them. There were herds trimming the alfalfa and herds just lying down in the fields. Saw two elk with big racks.
Stopped in Sheridan for breakfast and saw 10 Model A street rods pull in with California plates. Of course Pat had to go over and talk to the group. It was Bill Perry from All Ford in San Jose and his touring group. Bill wanted to know where were Hazleton and Jones?
Headed out of town to Ranchester and we had a terrible headwind. There were 2 cyclists pedaling standing up but not moving. Started climbing up a very scenic drive to Cutler Hill, 8,347 and on to Granite Pass, 9,033. This was a big climb but the ride down was steeper and we flew to Greybull. Many motor cyclists were on the road to Sturgis and groups of police cars were heading the same direction.
Checked into our motel in Cody and then off to the Buffalo Bill Historical Center. This is quite a place. There are 5 museums in one huge building, Buffalo Bill Museum, Whitney Gallery of Western Art, Plains Indian Museum, Cody Firearms Museum and the Draper Museum of Natural History plus McCracken Research Library.
Day 26 – Cody to Yellowstone
The day dawned with cool air and low humidity and everyone is in good spirits. As we bounced out of town at 7:15, Bob was concerned that we had a square wheel, but the tires were just cold and the road was ridgey. We departed in shifts but all cars met at the east gate of Yellowstone while waiting 30 minutes for a pilot car because of construction. Yellowstone was the first National Park and has more than 2 million acres. As we drove through the park we shared the road with bison and elk. We saw osprey, ravens, pelicans, trumpeter swans, and ducks and geese. The neatest attraction was a bald eagle in her nest. We looked and looked and looked in vain but we did not see a bear but Ray thinks he heard one rustling in the bushes. Old Faithful did not disappoint us, it put on a great show for a huge crowd of about a 1000 people. A couple from CA came and sat next to the ladies who sat on the boardwalk, while the men found some rocking chairs on the veranda and watched from there. Patti says it’s because they are older. Toured until 5 and then headed for the hotel in West Yellowstone, MT. Stayed at the Country Inn Motel and our “suite” was like the Winchester Mystery House. (No further comment needed) Walked to dinner, shopped, supermarket, and the local train museum.
There is a tremendous amount of tourist traffic, but the park handles it very well with good signs, and large parking areas. Also the park’s forest is in a renewal phase. I would estimate that fully 2/3 of the pine trees are either dead from pine beetles or from fire. It actually looks very grey and sad in a lot of places. However, new pine trees have started in the burn areas but it will be 20 or 30 years before it is forested again.
Day 27 – Back to Civilization (cell phone and computer)
5:00am, We (Bob and Pat) get a jump since we are slower (Bob keeps telling me that the speed of the car is slower but it is because he can’t pass up rust). We did discover that if you hit the entrance gate at that time of day, there is nobody there to charge you an entrance fee. It was very eerie in the geyser areas as we passed through in the morning twilight. The steam vents were much more pronounced and more numerous than in the middle of the day. It looked like a science fiction movie, especially since we were the only car on the road. Do do do do, do do do do.
Went through Grand Teton in the rain. We actually needed a heater today, and wrapped a blanket around our legs for warmth. Stopped in Jackson, WY for gas and got out our jackets and umbrellas because of the cold and rain. Went into a neat trading post, where Bob and the gentlemen reminisced about oldtime cowboy characters and the names of their horses. Help, we need the name of Red Ryders horse. You betchem Red Ryder.
Good day, beautiful drive on Hwy 89 down the Snake River and then the Salt River, past Bear Lake, and up and over to Logan UT.
All the cars still doing well, we heard from Dave Jones who is struggling a little, see the attached comments. Just two more days if all goes well, leave the light on.......
I found them!
After 2 days without an update (and several emails from you guys) I finally tracked the folks down and got a quick cell phone update. Whew! Here's the scoop:They're barreling south on Route 89 in Wyoming on the way to Logan Utah right this very minute. They're in good spirits and still enjoying themselves.
All the cars are still going (YES!!!). They're sorry they couldn't update but they couldn't get even a hint of a computer connection for the last 2 days. (I guess most people don't go to Yellowstone for it's technology, heehee.)
They stayed at West Yellowstone last night and Cody Wyoming the night before. Yellowstone was GREAT! (I asked if they saw Old Faithful and my dad said "You bet!" - can't you just hear him saying that?)
Right now they said they're driving through the prettiest little valley called Salt River Valley. And they just stopped at a tiny gas station/antiques store and met the owner who up and moved there from Boston with her husband. Dad says he can see why, it's so neat.
They said they drove through Jackson Hole Wyoming in the pouring rain and it was a "really pretty, really nice place."
Logistics-wise, they're ahead of pack right now since they left so early because of the slow car problem. The other 5 cars are behind them somewhere (Guzzettas, Hazletons, Fontaines, Bill Rose, and Jack and Don) and should be lapping them soon. (I'm guessing an icecream stop will be in the cards when the group gets back together.)
Also, about 1-2 days behind them are the rest of cars (Jones, Lancaster, Kafer), who will spend a day in Yellowstone and probably won't catch up before they get home.
Mom says she's ready to be home... *grin*
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Day 24 - Road Weary Travelers but Still Speaking
You know you have been on the road for 24 days when: You no longer can remember your room number for the night. You don’t know where the bathroom is. You don’t know the name of the motel and the key card says dominos. There is a strange man in your room, oh he’s just repairing the TV.
7:15 and ready to leave, Jack, Don, Bill and Bob checking the route and lollygagging around in the parking lot. “For heavens sake, get in your cars and leave!” 30 minutes later, we hit the road, decisions, decisions, decisions.
Sights of the day, white mountain goat, white kid; Crazy Horse, antelopes, Devils Tower, rock climbers on Devils Tower, prairie dog town, two cross-country cyclists resting in the shade of an overpass (100 deg +), a Subway/florist shop/gift shop/ice cream parlor/card shop, a mama cow standing over her calf making shade for the calf, a huge open pit coal mine with a 100 foot vein of coal.
Prairie dog trivia, downward tunnel, 3 to 10 feet, then horizontal 10 to 15 ft. They are vegetarians, maximum lifespan 4 years, active during daylight hours only, very social.
Still flirting with vapor lock, but our contingent of 6 cars all still moving. Ray lost his air for a while when the mounting bracket broke, but after arriving in Gillette, found the “Auto Clinic” and had it rewelded.
Here are Lucky Ray stories. Ray got a Golden Age Passport for nothing, while Bill paid $10 because he forgot that he had one in his wallet. His AC bracket broke and the guy welded it twice for FREE! And then went to Taco Johns and got two free tacos and a large free pepsi, Bob and Pat got charged for Ray’s large pepsi and two mediums.
Jack and Don, Bob and Pat, Ray and Linda, Bob and Shirley, John and Judy, and Bill R. all here in Gillette and leaving real early tomorrow morning to beat the heat. It was only 106 here today.
They sold blasted rocks at Crazy Horse, and so several cars are now heavier, as if we were not having a tough enough time on the hills. It was mentioned that maybe John could carry them in his truck, but he shook his breaker bar at everyone.
Just like old touring times, everyone is in our room, trading tales.
7:15 and ready to leave, Jack, Don, Bill and Bob checking the route and lollygagging around in the parking lot. “For heavens sake, get in your cars and leave!” 30 minutes later, we hit the road, decisions, decisions, decisions.
Sights of the day, white mountain goat, white kid; Crazy Horse, antelopes, Devils Tower, rock climbers on Devils Tower, prairie dog town, two cross-country cyclists resting in the shade of an overpass (100 deg +), a Subway/florist shop/gift shop/ice cream parlor/card shop, a mama cow standing over her calf making shade for the calf, a huge open pit coal mine with a 100 foot vein of coal.Prairie dog trivia, downward tunnel, 3 to 10 feet, then horizontal 10 to 15 ft. They are vegetarians, maximum lifespan 4 years, active during daylight hours only, very social.Still flirting with vapor lock, but our contingent of 6 cars all still moving. Ray lost his air for a while when the mounting bracket broke, but after arriving in Gillette, found the “Auto Clinic” and had it rewelded.
Here are Lucky Ray stories. Ray got a Golden Age Passport for nothing, while Bill paid $10 because he forgot that he had one in his wallet. His AC bracket broke and the guy welded it twice for FREE! And then went to Taco Johns and got two free tacos and a large free pepsi, Bob and Pat got charged for Ray’s large pepsi and two mediums.
Jack and Don, Bob and Pat, Ray and Linda, Bob and Shirley, John and Judy, and Bill R. all here in Gillette and leaving real early tomorrow morning to beat the heat. It was only 106 here today.They sold blasted rocks at Crazy Horse, and so several cars are now heavier, as if we were not having a tough enough time on the hills. It was mentioned that maybe John could carry them in his truck, but he shook his breaker bar at everyone.
Just like old touring times, everyone is in our room, trading tales.
Day 23 - Rushing to Rushmore
Went out to pack the car at 5:45 AM and Bill R was sitting on the glider ready to go and John and Judy were almost packed, also. Got fuel and off we went on route 18. J & J started out with their usual one headlight until the car warmed up and then they had two! Bob said he had gotten rid of an annoying knock in his car (tightened up the float a motor bolts). I wondered what he meant because I hadn’t been talking for a mile or so. We stopped beside the road to watch the sunrise. We knew it was going to be a scorcher when we saw the red ball rising in the east. The country side was absolutely gorgeous. The sharp contrast of the light color of cut oats and then alfalfa was just like a 
painting. We had the road to ourselves and it was cool. All of a sudden we saw small dots darting back and forth across the road. As we approached, we discovered that they were young pheasants and their parents. Very narrowly missed a couple of them. They were eating gravel from the side of the road. The ring necks were beautiful. There was a family of turkeys in the oat field. Then we came to prairie dog town, funny little creatures sitting up alert and then scurrying to their hole.Hey we have been to Dallas! Now we do not have to go to the national in 2008. Just because it was in South Dakota it still counts. And yes I have signed a paper with signatures from witnesses stating that I WILL NOT go to Dallas in 2008.
Rolled into Pine Ridge for fuel and lunch at 11:00. This little native American burg is a crossroads with construction, one big building for food and fuel and it has pine trees! Took off on route 18 looking for 79. We went through Indian reservation land, many of the residents had a small “shack” with numerous junk cars around it. Passed a road sign, Lone Tree Road and of course there was one tree. Bob that sign said reduce your speed! Don’t have to, we are already reduced.
J & J and Bill went ahead to try to get out of the unbearable heat. So we kept creeping along and getting nervous as we approached each hill, flirting with vapor lock on each climb. Everything was fine until the last climb before Keystone. So steep, we even had to go to LOW gear. I worried us to the top but not before we boiled and had vapor lock also. Pulled off the road under a tree and began spraying the radiator, everything was so hot on the poor little black coupe. After a few minutes we took off down, down the road to Keystone. As we pulled into the parking lot, there was a welcome committee to greet us. The east side gang (a very welcome site), J & J and Bill all together. It was so good to see everyone. Each day I am so thankful for our air conditioner.
Got settled in a cool room and all 4 ladies sat down to read the blog and comments. All went to dinner and then to town to shop and have ice cream. We drove to the top of the hill to Mount Rushmore. This has changed drastically since we were here in the 70’s. There are two huge parking garages, and an avenue of flags from each state and an amphitheater. We found a seat and waited for the show. The heads are very impressive. As one sits admiring them, it is very difficult to understand how each 60 ft head was shaped using dynamite. All of a sudden we hear, hey SCVC. Yes you are right, it was Jack C and Don S! We can’t understand how they found us among 1000 people. Again they traveled over 400 miles. That is one tough little roadster and guys also. The program was very patriotic and moving. It was long after a hot day but well worth it. Tomorrow, more record heat predicted, fortunately it is a less mileage day.
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Day 22 - Waterloo, IA to Pickstown, SD
We poor souls without overdrive got up at the crack of dawn and headed out before the speedy cars. Very light traffic this morning. Several trucks hauling pigs passed us so we started to look for the pig farms, Actually we smelled them first and then saw the long white buildings back off the road. All this corn has to go somewhere. About 100 miles down 
the road at Fort Dodge we met Bill R at a gas station. Took some pictures for Janet L. of Fort Dodge signs and the water tower because her mom was born here. Got back on the main road and tried to find Sally and Andy (Bob and Pat’s friends from MN), you know they were in a modern car and couldn’t keep up with the A’s.From Fort Dodge, three Model A’s (Bob
and Pat, John and Judy, and Bill R.) and one modern car (, Sally and Andy Vano) played tag all the way to Vermillion, SD. In fact, Andy got to drive the little black coupe and I rode with Sally for a while.John and Judy caught us at the next gas stop in Sioux City and then we traveled all together until Vermillion. Said our goodbyes to the Vanos and off we went westbound into the sun. Getting hotter all the time.
We all seemed to have conflicting maps. No two had the same roads or same size circles for the towns. Route 12 is called the Nebraska Byway. Judy and Pat were driving giving the guys a break. All of a sudden Judy made a sharp right turn into a Dairy Queen. I guess it was root beer float time. Two senior gentlemen stopped to admire the cars and assured us that we would find a motel in Pickstown. We weren’t sure because Pickstown was the tiniest circle on the map and we had driven through a lot of tiny circles that consisted of a clump of trees and 3 houses. After our fiasco of trying to find a room last night we wanted to be sure of lodging tonight. We did find a nice fifties motel with a steak house next door, aaaahhhhh! And it has wireless!!! After dinner we went into the local gas station/bait shop/cafe for an ice cream cone and in walks a couple who had just arrived on a motorcycle from Maine. A little sunburned and hair blown straight back. We traded stories, each thought the other was nuts.
Somewhere in our travels today, we took a stone to the radiator but luckily it did not make a hole, just a quarter size dent. John is still trying to pull us up the road and Bill is pushing from behind. They are good sports to go so slow with us, roaring along at 49 mph.John’s truck foamed a bit today and Pat accused him of trying to store beer in
his radiator. Bill’s car just wants to go and Bob’s had a bit of vapor lock but now has a tin foil wrapped gas line and carburetor. It has been very hot and humid, only 104 in Pickstown.Parking lot maintenance, Bob filled the empty transmission again, John switched back from antifreeze to water, Bill sat on the running board and studied the map. Pat washed clothes.
Heard from Hazletons and Fontaines, they are in Keystone, SD. Dave and Susan, Ted and Susan, Will and Karla are in LaCrosse, WI where they went for a ride on a paddle wheel boat. Daves car is still moving. Jack C. and Don S. are incommunicado today, sure hope they are still moving west.
Late breaking, heard from Jack and Don about 11 last night, they were in Tyler, MN after a 400 mile day. Those guys are tough, they may catch us today.
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