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Well, the Talladega road trip continues...
We decided spur of the moment to drive from Colorado up to the Badlands of South Dakota by way of Wyoming. And let me tell you, Wyoming is a vast beautiful nothingness. Thank God the car was in excellent tune. If ever there is a breakdown, you are OUT there and ALONE!
We pass Cheyenne, I have just over a quarter of a tank, thinking it's plenty until the next town. You can go 100 miles between seeing civilization out there. I set the SID computer on DTE, Distance To Empty, for you C900 guys. I was sweatin' it as we were well beyond the point of no return. We had to keep going and the gas gauge is in the red. We get to Chugwater -- yes, Chugwater Wy with 73 miles to go in the tank. Thats about 3 gallons left.
Stupid, stupid, stupid...
So we gas it up, take a rest stop, then continue on.
But its not over yet. On Wy. route 16 heading east to the Black Hills of SD, what little traffic there is -- and beleive me it is rare -- is usually an RV or an occasional tractor-trailer. At one point on this two lane blacktop, we come to a rise and see a tractor-trailer being passed by a Dodge/Plymouth Neon -- make that two tractor-trailers back-to-back being passed by this Neon. No where to go, the Neon either has no room, or just doesn't see me, continues toward me in my lane!
I flash lights, honk the horn, no response. I manage to drive onto the half width shoulder at 80 mph and the Neon passes between us and the two tractor-trailers.
Man what an idiot. Not a scratch among us, but had there been, we were so far out in the middle of nowhere it would have been hours before help would have arrived.
But no, it's not over yet.
We get into Rapid City after touring the devastation found in the Black Hills -- I had forgotten about the huge forest fire last year; 82,600 acres blackened -- and stop to get gas and take the car through a much needed brushless car wash to knock the grime off. So the car is in the car wash and after the final rinse, the mechanism under the driver side wheels which trigger the car wash is caught on the exhaust system. Can't go forward or back without causing extreme damage to the sport exhaust, or worse yet, the down-pipe, turbo and/or manifold.
Totally stuck.
I open the driver's door after the water has finished spraying and try to stand on the wheel-switch mechanism while driving the car forward, however my legs don't reach. So I have my wife get out of the car and stand on the trigger, while I slowly drive forward. Bless her heart, she's a trooper!
Free at last! After examining the damage, I find two of the rear exhaust hangers had come loose and the clam-shell exhaust clamp is suspect. At the hotel I make repairs, and look for a much needed Corona.
To add insult to injury, T-storms just North of here with Softball size hail.
Cross fingers that we don't get hit.
Time to come home...
Jim M.
, Thu, 19 Jul 2001 12:19:24
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