Friday...Cadillac Ranch

Yesterday it was a visit to "Cadillac Ranch" Amarillo. Texas.  I think the most famous part or Rt 66.  Everybody tags the cars with spray paint.
Today we stayed in Tulsa, OK.

Driving along Rt 66.  Most places went out of business after Rt 40 was built.

Sometimes Rt 66 is a 4 lane highway and sometimes it's a dirt road.

Cadillac Ranch

Thursday...Petrified Forest

Yesterday it was a visit to the Petrified Forest in Holbrook, AZ.  It's a 27 mile drive with multiple stops along the way.

Stayed in Tucumcari, NM.  Today a few stops a long Rt 66 and who knows what else.

Wednesday...Grand Canyon

Wednesday we spent the day at the Grand Canyon.  Road the train from Williams to the Grand Canyon.  What can I say, photos just don't show the size of this canyon.  Truly amazing to stand at the edge and look down 1 mile to the bottom.  Tomorrow, the Petrified Forest and the Painted Desert.

Front of our train.  Takes about 2 1/2 hours.

On to Holbrook, AZ

Tuesday...Cruising Rt 66

Today we spent some of the day cruising Rt 66, around 130 miles.  We are in Williams, AZ for the night.  Tomorrow a train ride to the Grand Canyon.

This is the largest dry cavern in the country and the third largest in the world.

The cavern was certified a fallout shelter in 1962 and still retains that status today.  Holds 2000 people with surplus for 2 weeks. 

Yucca, AZ

Tuesday AM...Needles, CA

Time to get out of Needles, CA.  Today's high temperature will be 115.  Heading to Williams, AZ. Close to the Grand Canyon for a train ride tomorrow to the Canyon.

The windows looked blocked out.  Some type of special covering for cooling.

Monday evening...Needles, CA

It's 10:42pm and tonight the lodging is at Needles CA.  Temperature right now, 105 with a low of 86.  It's been a hot ride all day long.  I don't think it's been below 100 all day.  But, it's a dry heat.  Like a oven.

Aircraft bone yard.

Monday morning...Good bye HoJo

Our stay at the Howard Johnsons in Marina, CA has come to a end.  This was the ideal home base for the last 11 days.  Sarah the manager/owner has been the prefect host.  We also found a short cut to the race track, from 15 miles to 9 miles and no traffic.

Sunday...Race day

Yes, for most it was race day.  My day ended half-way through the morning race.  The half shaft bolts failed and bent the drive line.  If this had happened Friday, I might have had a chance for repair and a few next day shipments by Fed-X.
But overall we had a great time and I'm sure glad we made the trip.  Now onto the Grand Canyon.

Deb took these photos at the cork screw.

The arrows point to where the bolts should be.  The big problem was on the piece that is circled.  The tree ears are bent.  This piece might be had to locate.

Sunday morning-update

Today we have 2 races.  One in the morning and the other at 4pm.  The race track won't allow anyone to load up the race cars(550 vehicles) until after the last race.  So I have an idea that we will be in for a long night. Decided to keep our hotel room for another night.
The temperature on the average is around 70 during the day.  Yesterday we hit a record 90, that broke the old record of 85 set back in the 1950's.  Another hot one is forecast for today.

Saturday...Day of rest?

Saturday was an option.  No work, then sight seeing.  Work, no sight seeing.  As Deb says, we're here to race.  So most of the day was spent working on the car.  Saturday is the busiest day here, so to be around to answer questions is not a bad thing.  All work is done on the car and ready for Sunday.

Just happy to have it back.

Competitor parking, that's a very steep hill.

Even people in the grandstands.

This is the row where most of the F5000 cars are parked.

Wing found

Found the wing in back of a truck and now repaired.