gravel travel

This morning, as was usual, Steve got to work on Betty’s bonnet, to lift it from the support end to allow heat from the motor to escape and to prevent fuel vaporisation. With the tools at hand he lifted to bonnet up about 1 cm so there was approx 190 sq cm more opening. He checked everything else, topped up oil etc and we were ready to go.

Boy what a drive we had today. Some 660kms of hot Tarmac road, much of it having to be done (500kms) in the morning, before lunch. We started out at 7.30 when the day was still cool to Carey to a time control, 178kms, then to Duck Valley another 314kms for a time control and lunch. We traversed into Nevada and the desert which stretched forever in front of us.

We did not have the top down due to having had too much sun the previous day so Steve unzipped the rear pvc screen allowing the air to pass through. Cool.
Boy it was hot. And for mile after mile the road just appeared in front of us. What a vast country.

Betty ran like a dream, just purring, eating up the miles.

In the afternoon we had a regularity test which was run on Tarmac.
This was the test to see if the extra air escape in the motor cavity would work.
It may have had an effect but in the heat of the day, the fuel began vaporising as we sat at the starting gate and the motor struggled to get forward motion. A very slow start and Betty struggled to get up to anywhere near the required average speed. She spluttered along and with the four time checks in this leg, we failed miserably.
It was no satisfaction to hear later that we were not the only car to experience such serious power loss. Many cars were effected.
Then another 109kms to go to the destination at Elko for the night. We got in on time and after a shower to cool down, a beer or two before dinner,   Bed.
This type of driving really has an effect as driving on straight boring roads does wear you out.
It is necessary to get these miles under our belt as the end of this rally in San Fransisco is now only days away. We have from tomorrow another 2000kms to go, so another 583kms to Reno and a rest day to give the cars some tlc and a look around.
We have also just moved up one place to 27 again. To get further up the ladder at this point in the rally is a little hopeless though.

Today was an unofficial journey of 500kms plus, which basically allowed team members to spend time visiting the world famous Yellowstone Park and it’s interesting interior.

Stunning scenery, forests, rivers and animal life. Mountain and escarpments of stunning size and shape. We saw elk, mountain goat, deer, bison but no bear. The bison is making a big comeback in numbers and we saw herds of many hundred animals all through the park. The geyser Old Faithful did not play for us as we would have had to wait 90 minutes and didn’t have time to wait. It was a lot like the geothermal field in Rotorua but so much larger in size. Same smell of sulphur of course. A great trip but still a long drive, so it wasn’t a rest day.
We climbed Betty up and down the steep roads to view fabulous views that stretched from horizon to horizon. It was as if we were in an aeroplane.
Betty didn’t complain and the issue of fuel vaporisation made only a slight appearance but Steve has found one way of overcoming this, by trial and error.  Keeping the revs high when stopped keeps the engine cooler and the vaporisation doesn’t occur.
We’ll see tomorrow if this resolve can be maintained. It’s been a great day!
We are to cover some 645kms tomorrow
With some 500kms before lunch, so an early start @ 7.30am is the order of the day with lunch @ 2.30pm. One regularity section is in the afternoon.
You will probably have noticed that there has been no mention of placings of late in these reports. It mainly because the position we hold has not changed and we are still in 28th place. Not where we want to be but, that’s the fact of the matter.

The route today allows a bit of a tourist loop that takes us from Sheridan through to Garryowen to the Little Bighorn Battlefield in the state Montana.
This Battle a significant event in the development and settlement of the Indian people’s in the USA. Some sad stories are told about how the battle resulted in a win for the Indians and Custer’s last stand. Interesting history that was dispersed to me in comic books when I was a lad about the Cowboys and Indians in America.

We traversed some beautiful rolling countryside that stretched from horizon to horizon and up to a very high country in the Black Mountains which Betty just chewed up. Steve kept spotting some of the older cars in people’s back yards and sometimes stopping in to inspect. There are thousands of cars parked where their owners have just left them for a newer model and most properties had an extra car or two just rotting away on their land.
Coming back down from this high country again displayed spectacular natural scenery through rocky mountainous country with waterfalls and interesting winding roads. Not good for the drum brakes which Betty has fitted. Takes other driver skills to get to grips with, so that they don’t cook and become ineffective.
We still had some issues with fuel vaporisation as did quite a few competitors.
Thanks to those of you who suggested a way to overcome this problem, but I’ll bet you know that Steve had already considered this option. On our next day off if it persists we may just lift the bonnet to let the hot air escape.
Then onto the business of Regularity sections. An unsealed road was the one and only for the day through some natural  forested land on a high escarpment which had three timing spots and the requisite winding hilly track. We didn’t do well although again the coordination in the cabin was good. It’s better fun now.

Then on track to the Holiday Inn in Cody where there was a plan to go to the Rodeo. All of us were dressed in checked shirts for this event……… except for …. Steve. He wore his Hawaiian checked shirt and pants. It’s just interpretation aye?

Good fun but the rodeo event was not what most expected and those who could chose to return to the hotel on the early bus.

The start of this  rally commenced at the normal time of 8.00 am and we made for Region Lakes and Mt Rushmore on a tourist route to see the carved heads of the presidents carved into the mountain rocks. It is quite a monument.

Then onto the Needles, an ancient mountain rock formation that resembles needles projecting skyward in an awesome spectacle.
Then back to the road downhill and through some crazy narrow rock tunnels hacked out through solid rock for access many years past.

It was hot now and the brakes on the car must have been white hot and were responding with duress and the fuel, that contains methanol over here, is beginning to vaporise before it hits the carburettor coursing fuel starvation. This is a problem many cars are experiencing so we are always on the lookout for fuel that doesn’t contain methanol.
We got to the time control for lunch at a small cafe on the banks of a fast flowing river for a quick bite to eat then onwards toward Sheridan in Wyoming.
This leg included two Regularity sections on dirt roads. To get to the start was also on long dusty dirt roads, though the standard of the surface was very good but with a lot of surface stones that act a little like roller bearings.
We performed quite well on the first but on the second regularity we experienced the fuel vaporisation issues. When standing at the start line awaiting the signal to go the engine bay gets very hot and the fuel starts to vaporise.
Accordingly as we spluttered up the hill after the start we lost time that was hard to make up on the winding hilly track.
Good fun though as we start to get a little more competent in the cabin. The driver drives to the limit that he can and the navigator looks at the regularity chart and reads out the time and position. Stressful but enjoyable after the event.
So off back onto Tarmac on the final few kms to the hotel at Sheridan.
We were early for a change as we got all the navigating right and Betty performed without any mechanical problems. She is running smoothly apart from the fuel vaporising.
A few drinks and a few tales in the bar, then to dinner and bed. We are tired.
Tomorrow begins with a leisurely drive from Sheridan to the Little Bighorn Battlefield where we have time to have a look around, then onto Garryowen where the official day begins again at midday. Should be enjoyable.

The journey today was planned in three sections. Bismark to Faith, Faith to Deadwood then Deadwood to Rapid City. It’s quite some distance of 600 plus kms.
Today’s start for us was at 8.10 am which means that we are tenth slowest of the event yesterday.
Included early in the day was an amended regularity section, which as it happened was the best performance that we and Betty had undertaken. It was up with some of the best times of the day!
However the navigator did not comprehend some of the other amended instructions and we cruised too far off the intended track. An error that could have cost us many points had we not quickly retraced our tracks and returned to the correct track. You see, we do not follow other rally cars, we do our own navigating, and this time should perhaps have copied their moves????

We pushed Betty quite hard to get to the Time Control in Faith, within three minutes before the required max time without penalty. Whew!
Long straight roads that just went on forever into the horizon. Not another rally car to be seen. They were well in front. They travel like cut cats. They all mostly pass us en-route. We wave and we take photos of each other as they pass us. Good fun.

Being late at any control check means that the pressure will be on for the entire day, as is what happened.
The next leg to Deadwood, 190kms was hard going. By this time of course the top was down and it was enjoyable to feel the wind and to see unobstructed views of the expansive countryside all around and upwards.
Again, long straight roads that disappeared into nowhere out front.
About three quarters of the way along we encountered fuel problems. This had happened some time earlier also but the problem would come and go. This time it set in quite seriously and we had to limp into the first petrol we could find. Not many of these on this route but at last we stopped, filled up and then next checked the petrol filter. It was full of muck. Petrol could not get trough to the carburettor. Cleaned this up and carried onwards, but problem persisted. Dirty fuel. We must have picked this up in some remote spot where there was only one pump and not many users.
When we got to Deadwood the problem was exacerbated by very hot weather and we had to pull over to the side and do some cleaning up around the fuel delivery system.
Steve got stuck in and looked at all the possible reasons for the problem. He had every imaginable tool with him in case of such an event. Like having a doctors bag with him.
With limited results for solving the problem we got under way, but not too far.
Back under the bonnet and some assistance from the mechanics from the ERA who were doing sweeping duties finding those cars who had encountered difficulties.
What a great team of chaps they are. What great attitudes they have. They work hard and late into the night quite often.
Without a whimper they get down and dirty in an effort to get competitors cars back up and running onto the road. What a dedicated group of people. We met most of this support team during the P to P where we experienced the same response.
Got the car operating again after cleaning the lines, but still not running smoothly with 77kms ahead of us to Rapid Falls.

Got in late to the Hilton Garden Inn where we were met by a couple of guys who competed in the P to P. They drove to Deadwood from Canada to meet with the competitors.

Len and Kim drive a 1965 Chevy Impala half way across the globe with considerable aplomb, taking along with them a coffee maker and a wine chiller,along with folding chairs to enjoy their trip. Great guys. It was good to meet up and “chew the fat”.

Today (day 14) is a rest day and Steve got going early to attend to the draining of the fuel tank and clean out the fuel lines and filters and maybe the fuel pump.

Hopefully we will be able to visit some of the sites in Deadwood, which include Mt Rushmore, Bear country,Custer State Park, the Indian Crazy Horse Memorial to name a few.
Lots to do, not much time.

This morning we woke at the normal rally time of 5.00 am. An overcast day with drizzle and the expectation that it would linger all day. Starting from the hotel heading on a westerly trajectory toward Jamestown and onto Bismarck in the evening. A relatively  short day of about 300 kms with basically the afternoon of free time to get from Jamestown to Bismarck.

Included in the morning was one regularity and I think we did this quite well. We’ll see. It turned out to be a nice day though cold. Not a hood down day. We have been in last to the control checks for the last two days and today was no exception. It doesn’t matter so long as we get in before the set time, and we do. Only just. Quite relaxed and no pressure.

We were asked to join in on a paddle boat trip on the Missouri River, a good opportunity to relax and catch up with other competitors.

It was still a tiring day even though it was short. The rally takes its toll and one must get all the rest that one can. Quite a long day tomorrow I think some 700 kms. Had a few drinks and went to bed at 8.30.

The day began by waking at 5 am to a most beautiful red sunrise over Lake Superior.

We learned that our overall placing for yesterday was at 27. A little better than the previous day.
The sky soon turned, as the saying goes “Red in the morning, shepherds warning”
It began to lightly rain at the start out, which for us in Betty was at 07.43 hours.
We made our way out of the city heading West stopping just for some car shopping, for the likes of oil and other additives.
It was still cold at 9.00 although the sun had emerged from a cloud receding sky.
329kms for the first leg of the day without any events to undertake just long way driving on some side roads discovered by the ERA organisation. Quiet roads with natural scenery which in many ways replicated NZ countryside. There were many unsealed roads of smooth contour and surface conditions and we ate up the miles.

Steve put the hood down when the sun stayed out and we enjoyed a ride into Park Rapids.
Uneventful to this point but after lunch there were two regularity sections.
The first was an amendment to replace the published regularity, and along with this usually means misinterpretations.
We didn’t do too badly.
The second Regularity segment, also amended, the navigator had difficulty in locating the designated side road and half an hour later just in time before the timekeepers were about to pack up we made the start line. Only just!
We did ok again until the end on a side road we missed the turn. Lack of experience on keeping the driver informed well in advance of the event.
Then onto the last leg home a distance of 168kms. The weather was really good and having the top down was great. All through which an analysis of what we had done wrong and what to do next time. A lot of sole searching.
Betty performed without issue. She just purred along. A great car.

This last leg was a bit boring on concrete paved motorway most of the distance.
Got to the final check-in at the hotel in Grand Forks in North Dakota, three minutes before our set time. Just in time.
Again there was no need for the GPS in this instance although we did need it to locate a petrol station earlier in the day.
We’re a little buggered. A long day.
Saw quite a few deer on the road today, one of which sprang out onto the road from the verge and just managed to cross in front of us without being hit. Lovely to see so many animals like this in the wild.

Day 10 was planned to commence at 7.00 am but changed for some reason to 8.00. It was going to be a long day traversing over 700kms.
As well, there were planned to be three regularity segments but one was cancelled due to the roads being too rough.
It was a cold morning though clear skies were a marked change to so many previous days. Really nice for travel and we soon found our way to the first regularity event. Nice gravel road, and we thought we had worked out how these things are done. Good for the first segment then just too fast for the second segment. Still we had a better order of communication in the cabin and felt more comfortable during the trial.
Then onto the second regularity which was down a long rough dirt road, full of potholes and water/mud and quite deep.
We had not got to the start when two cars became bogged and needed a tow. All other cars behind found a better track and got through without incident.
But at the start we were cautious as we did not want to cause damage to Betty on these rough tracks.
Although careful, when the “gun went off” the full “boy” competitive spirit came to the fore and Steve gave what he could under some awful conditions. Our time to speed was well coordinated and we had some good fun manoeuvres sliding around bends and fishtailing a bit. Great drive but hard on the car. Betty was covered in mud and very dirty.
I think we did ok. We will find out in the evening when results for the day are published.

Then on to the destination for lunch which was planned to be early, but due to the regularity delays we had little time to eat and give the car a wash.
Then, on for another 475kms and be in on time at destination before 6.12pm. Six hours with traffic delays and boring highways.
The top was down for most of the rest of the day and we did enjoy the beautiful lakes and some of the little villages that we passed through.
There were no incidents for us and we pulled into the town of Duluth on the shores of Lake Superior, again without the use of the GPS!
Betty has run really well. No issues at all, and after the regularity? We are lucky.
Had to put our clocks back an hour so arrival was really not so late.
We’re tired though. Early to bed.
Another long day tomorrow of some 670kms.

Firstly, some photo’s from the dress up function as requested – starring Casper.

Awoke early this morning as we thought that it would be a long day from Bay City to St Ignace. As it turned out we only had about 430 kms to travel. But included in this day were 3 regularity’s and one track event at Onaway about 90 kms east of our destination.

We now dread these regularity’s as we have not been able to get it very much right. Quite the opposite and we are loosing points.
Today again we squandered points due to misunderstanding, at least that is the navigators argument. We will keep at it though. The more we do, must catch on soon.
Betty hummed along flawlessly over the beautiful countryside and we made the destination in time.

As we came closer to St Ignace the giant bridge across Lake Huron came into sight. A beautiful spanning structure some 7 kms in length. Fantastic!
Our Hotel for the evening is the Harbour Point. Right on the edge of Lake Huron where the mosquitoes are about 15 mm in length. At least that’s what they look like. They would drain one in short order.
A pleasant evening quite balmy.
We had the top down most of the way today which allowed the carpets to dry out from the storm last night.
All is well. Dinner at a local eating place. Will be nice.

We began the day  at 7.00 am in order of placement travelling +500 kms from Buffalo Bay to Bay City Michigan.
We felt a lot more confident as on our rest day in Buffalo we purchased a Garmin GPS. Only $160.00 and then no more hassles in the complicated road ways into big cities.
Joy!
The day started out overcast with some sunny spots and quite warm.
We were to do two regularity sections and a run on a drag strip, so a full day.
Had also to cross the border into Canada and back.
Most of the roads travelled are secondary roads and these are far more interesting.
All went well and we dropped the hood attracting the requisite rain!
Just after completing the regularity sections it just hosed down. Visibility down to just 500 meters! Other than a few drips inside the cabin (not us) it stayed dry and before long the weather cleared.
We again did not do well in the regularity sections. Something to do with the navigator?
Got to the destination and the organisation had planned a dress up function for diner.
Making the dress ups from what we had in our possession. Well the results were very good and some were excellent.
Steve dressed up as Casper the friendly ghost. A bed sheet from the room cut a hole for his head and whited up his face with some white stuff. Some teeth from a dollar shop, and voila!!!
What a hoot!
Early to bed for a long day tomorrow some

Three quarters into the trip we ran close to a fuel shortage. Punched the GPS and again, voila. refuelled at a service station close by and one not shown on the tulip book. Paid for the Garmin!
But we didn’t need the GPS to find our destination. Navigator experience is showing up?

The results for the day kept us in 29th place. Something to be said about consistency?

Some photos from our rest day…