[ba] MH '01 and misc events

[Tony Lum]

Hi guys,

Well, I didn't go to MH'01.  It was an interesting weekend to say the 
least.  On Friday I was all set to go down to Monterey and drop off the 
wheels that came with my urq to Jeff Lewis.  All I needed to do was change 
out my leaking proportional valve and bleed the system.  Across the street, 
the neighbors had decided to remove this huge (60 ft?) eucalyptus tree from 
their back yard.  In order to do that, the tree trimming company brought in 
this monstrous mobile crane which they managed to back into the drive way 
next to the house.  Then a tree climbing lumberjack went up the tree with a 
chain saw and rigged slings around the parts he was cutting and attached 
the crane's hook to it.  What looked like small branches up top of this 
tree were the equal of good size trees by the time they came down to the 
ground.  Quite a sight, people from all over were standing in my drive way 
watching this event.  What made me nervous was that the cut parts were 
swinging right over the urq when they brought them down.  When they started 
to remove the main trunk, which was 5-6 ft in diameter, I decided to move 
the urq to the corner where it would be safer in case of an accident.  So 
while they're cutting down the tree (which took from 8A to 6:30P), I 
changed the valve no problem and started to bleed the system and that's 
where I ran into problems.  After bleeding the proportioning valve I went 
to the right rear and started to remove the tire.  First thing that 
happened was the key to the Euro locks broke and the shaft started to spin 
inside the plastic housing.  No problem, I grabbed what's left with the 
channel locks and managed to get the lock, then the wheel off.  Then I 
realized I didn't have a wrench small enough for the bleed 
valve.  SOB!  Not too late to go to OSH and pick up some small 
wrenches.  But somehow in putting the wheel back on, I managed to stick my 
leg thru the storm drain grate (remember I'm parked on the corner 
now).  Luckily I didn't break my leg, but scrapped and bruised it up pretty 
good.  After a while it started throbbing. Just great.  I'm still prepared 
to go, take the CGT instead when I read the evening's email and get one 
from Jeff saying he's got to reschedule because of work.  That and the leg 
killed all my motivation for going.

The weekend looked like a total loss and decided to at least go out to 
early dinner on Saturday.  Just as I was leaving the house a blue blur goes 
by and as it hits the corner screeches to a halt and suddenly backs up and 
parks.  A brand new S4 Avant with dealer plates is now sitting right across 
from the urq.  The driver hops out and starts eyeing the urq.  "Is that 
your Sport Quattro?" he asks.  "I never seen one up close".  "I wish" says 
I. "Its just a '83 ur-quattro".  Turns out this guy is an writer who writes 
articles about cars.  He's had the S4 Avant for a week now and loves it, 
showing me the beautiful interior and engine after I'd shown him the urq's 
interior and engine.  He's also reviewing a Volvo S60 with the light 
pressure turbo (he prefers that one over the high output turbo engine-more 
real world power).  We spoke for about 15 minutes about Audis.  Really made 
my day after what was going to be a gloomy Saturday.



-Tony
urq #900302