[Author Prev][Author Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Author Index][Thread Index]

Pike's Peak Adventures



Hi Y'all,

The better half and I just got back from Pike's Peak, after two full days
of driving, last night about 10 PM EDT.  1,480 miles each way.

We made a short stop on the way West at St. Louis with Eric Fletcher
getting his suspension kit installed.  I think I like it.  I'll be more
certain after I get a chance to see what difference it makes in driving my
local roads with which I'm very familiar.  After/while the work on the car
was being completed the group assembled at an Applebee's west of St. Louis.
 It was fun spending much of the afternoon getting to know each other.
Then it was off for Kansas City.

We had a great time running through Missouri and Kansas and Colorado with
(Gee - I hope I don't misspell anyone's name here) Jim Phillips, Ingo
Rautenberg, Brendan Rudack and his buddy Jason, Ed Kellock and his
co-driver Leo (the Shih-Tsu), Eric Renneisen and Elizabeth, Dan Hussey, and
Gary Steinbru.  

The run West was a fun run.  Some of the fellows suffered from a couple of
serious testosterone attacks out in Western Kansas.  I found myself doing
120+ just trying to keep within CB range of them.  Thank God for that early
warning system or we might all have been arrested and put *under* the jail.
 :-)

A turbo coolant hose on my '89 200tq ruptured at Hays, Ks.  No warning
lights went off.  No sign of overheating.  No sign of damage except for the
ruptured line and a load of coolant on Arby's parking lot.  Lucky!  Had I
been alone I would probably have been stranded in Hays, Kansas, of all
places, until the replacement part and a decent mechanic could be found.
Not this time, thank you.  I was with friends.  Competent and knowledgeable
friends who came equipped with a couple of full toolkits, a set of jack
stands, and a full load of ingenuity.  YahOOOO!  :-)  

Brendan Rudack Jerry-rigged repairs.  He spent a couple of hours under my
car getting his hands nice and greasy and a nice hair conditioning
treatment with coolant.  Anyway, repairs were effected and we headed on
West.  It's amazing what can be accomplished with a short length of
oversized rubber tubing and a couple of hose clamps.  :-)  Think I'm gonna
spend a while replacing aging rubber on the car now that I'm home and have
no immediate major travel plans.

Thank you, Brendan and all the spectators/helpers.  It's great to have
friends in low places (like under the car)!

We arrived in Colorado Springs in time for dinner and had a great time
getting acquainted with everyone there.

I'm not going even to attempt giving the names of all who were there.  If I
do I'm sure to leave someone out.  Suffice it to say that a great time was
had by all.

The drive up the mountain was rather sedate with all of the non-Audi crowd
also on the road.  The racing was fun to watch.  Our vantage point was
excellent.  It was cold and windy.  The sun was brilliant.  The air was
thin.  I'm sure glad I had the foresight to bring along a cylinder of
oxygen or I'd have been too sick with hypoxia to enjoy the day.

Ben Howell did a great job making arrangements for us on the mountain.  We
got VIP treatment from the powers-that-be.  Discounted tickets, a special
parking space on the mountain, and we were the first to be allowed off the
mountain after the racing was over.

After getting off the mountain we cleaned up and went out to dinner
together.  Then back to the motel to view some awesome videos.  Goodbyes
the next morning and everyone went their separate ways.  We visited some
family in the area on Saturday afternoon/evening and headed home on Sunday.

The run back home was uneventful.  The repairs held - they had to hold.
Parts were not available in either Colorado Springs or Denver.  

Thank you Ben Howell and Jim Griffin for putting it all together.  My wife
and I had a blast and really enjoyed the opportunity to put faces with so
many of these names.

What's next?  :-)


___
   Bob
*****************************************************************
*  Robert L. Myers    rmyers@inetone.net      Home 304-574-2372 *
*  Rt. 1, Box 57                         FAX/Modem 304-574-1166 *
*  Fayetteville, WV 25840 USA                 WV tag Q SHIP     *
*  Obligatory quattro and sleddog-L references:                 *
*  My 3 Siberian Huskies enjoy riding in my '89 200TQ           *
*****************************************************************