Half Time is Over…Let’s Head West!

“It was an Elan. A delightful little thing famously made of Kleenex and unicorn farts.” ~ Sam Smith

Well the weather looks good after several days of wind and rain and snow. I was really fortunate to have made it home Saturday night when it was nice enough to have dinner outside, because Sunday was 30 degrees colder and Monday it was snowing as I noted in my last post. Meanwhile, the Elan sat snugly in the garage. On Tuesday, it was still cool and overcast but it was “get the car ready” day, so I had three appointments. The first was to replace the very loud and raspy muffler with an old stock one I got last year from Famous Frank. It made a world of difference in sound level and is so much quieter the western swing should be much more comfortable. Then I had the tires rebalanced and rotated as there was a vibration that the rebalancing has now smoothed out completely. Then, finally, I got the oil and filter changed with some help from Rob. And today I cleaned the car and finished the weatherstrip installation so now there is hardly any water on the floor after hosing it down. I should be dry and quiet now.

The car is ready, I’m all packed and it seems as though all signs are positive. So I am leaving tomorrow morning on the next leg. I am probably going south then west rather than take Highway 24 over Wilkerson Pass and through South Park because it will still be cold tomorrow morning and I am basically a wimp. I will then head over Wolf Creek Pass and through Durango to my target stop in Cortez. It will be nice to get back in the saddle again but it is also hard to leave the comfort of home.

I want to thank all you folks who have contributed to the kids collectively because I don’t know some of the names I see who have donated and though I haven’t thanked you personally I appreciate every one of your donations. So far you have contributed $14,861 to the Roundup River Ranch and while that is a thrilling amount, it sure would be nice to start the western swing with at least $15,000 wouldn’t it? So if you have not yet contributed, here is your chance!

In the meantime, I have a few thoughts on the next part of the trip

• The West has some of the most beautiful things to see in this magnificent country and I think I am more excited for this part than I was for the eastern swing. Nothing against the East but the geology, flora and fauna of the West are so varied and the sky is so big that it awes and amazes each day.
• While the car is ready, the clothes are packed and the weather looks good, I am most looking forward to the number of folks who have contacted me about meeting up along the way. This loop is going to have even more connecting than I had on the last loop. I realized that was an immensely enriching part of the eastern journey and I thank you all for taking the time to come join me or invite me to join you.
• Ann has done her best to get me rebooted and set for the next loop and I am really grateful for her support and willingness to soldier on alone while I go out and play. Thanks, Babe!

• I have heard from a number of people whom I discovered are actually reading the blog and keeping up with the continuing story. I hope you will stay with me and tell others about it so they can join the journey with us. Thanks for the thoughts and comments.

About Me

Hi, I’m Ross and I’m a tripoholic. I love driving especially in my old cars and then writing about the adventure that always follows. I’m old enough to know better but that doesn’t stop me. If you like stories of the road, every word true no matter how far fetched it may seem, then grab a beer or a cup of coffee and join me!

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May 2021

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