My solo adventure in 9/82
73 spit from Springfield, IL (L 9PM) to St. Joe, MO (A 3AM) (L10PM) to Rapid
City, SD (A 1AM) (L3PM) to Laurel, MT (A11PM)(L10AM to Cour D'Alene, ID
(A6PM) (L9AM) to Seattle (A6PM) stayed for one week(L8AM) to Lava Hot
Springs, ID via Mt.Ranier(Paradise Ranger Station, Mt. St. Helen's, Astoria,
Portland, The Dalles, Boise, Picabo(A2PM following day{30 hours}) stayed 2
days(L4AM to Springfield, IL via Denver (A2PM) (This leg was exactly 1500
miles in 34 hours including sightseeing, gas ups, and meals-Avg 44mph)
I usually ran 80 mph (on some of the Mountain grades above 12,000 ft, I could
barely do 45) and had a cruise control installed as well as a "Fuzzbuster"
and CB radio with earphone
Problems along the way:
Extreme thunderstorm north of Omaha
Trapped by herd of cows on "state" highway in SD
Snow from Rapid City to Laurel, MT (this was September 12!)
6" of snow for 150 miles from Laurel next morning
Blown exhaust gasket between downpipe flange and manifold-fixed in Missoula,
MT parking lot
High winds and 1000's of small "dust-devils" in Eastern WA
Drove to highest auto point on Mt. Rainer
Heavy, Heavy fog around Astoria
Stopped at FASPEC auto parts in Portland-no problem here just parts
Fell in love with Columbia River Gorge and Multanomah Falls
Exhaust flange at downpipe broke at Arlington, OR - Little Ol' man with
welder fixed it before sunset
Unbelievable and rare display of Aurora Borealis "Northern Lights" ( I should
have stopped, but could see it all with top down-thought I might have been
hallucinating at first-you have to see it to believe it)
Ran out of gas 50 ft from pump at gas station on OR, ID border at 4am
Fell in love with Lava Hot Springs, Idaho-stayed extra day
Chased by redneck trucker in CO-didn't like being passed by a spit
Differential starts to vibrate in Kansas-actually a good thing-helps keep me
awake
Just miss the biggest rear end I've ever seen on a deer-could have been an elk
Old US 36 so bad in Illinois I thought the car would fall apart-again, kept
me awake
My son will be 16 in three years-this time I won't be alone and we'll take
the XKE instead-got to test those Montana speed zones-no 45 in the mountain
passes either.
Bill Brockschmidt
7 Spitfires
64 Jag OTS
65 S
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