Event Coverage ACME SPEED SHOP - ROAD TRIP TO THE ROUNDUP April "fools" edition

I really liked the welded plaque on the water tank.
I would like to have that thing and bring it to
work to show my fellow employees. I am
Employed by Chicago Bridge and Iron as
an Iron Worker. The Company is 135 years or so
in business.

 

Well today was a long one. We set out from Green River Utah before sun up. And just arrived in Albuquerque NM at midnight. That's something close to an 18 hour day.

We were heading for Moab yesterday but as usual got distracted by old crusty stuff that we felt obligated to investigate. Its our duty to go get photos and we don't take that duty lightly.

With it being Monday morning and being 50 miles shy of our planned destination of Sunday night, we thought an early start to get back on track would be smart. I guess you can see how that worked out. Who were we kidding?

Because it's late and I'm tired I'm going to list the stuff we did today and then just post a bunch of photos in roughly the same order as it happened.

Here goes.

First we stopped a few mikes shy of Moab and hiked out to see what looked like a door in a hill. That's what it was but we have no clue what it was. Got that?

Then I told Citizen Mike we were going to drive right past the entrance to Arches National Monument. We both decided we shouldn't go there since we were already off schedule and wanted to get to Wellington to see Bob Owens salvage yard. Well, let me just say you are going to love the photos of your the Arches National Monument.

Next we drove into Moab, got food, gas, and coffee. No photos because we spent all our time in Moab talking about how it's so touristy and we couldn't wait to get out of there and we didn't take one photo.

Then we started driving with full intensity and purpose towards Albuquerque.

Well one of us had the bright idea of taking a different route than I drove last year, you know, to see different stuff. It was then we saw the turnout for Mesa Verde. I said "Mike, I think this is "THE MESA VERDE, you know the one with the cliff dwellings" he said "no shit?, I've always wanted to see that". We had a quick roadside discussion and a unanimous decision was made. We agreed that only fools drive past something this awesome just to keep on schedule. Pffft! We can always drive late right? Just then it began to snow.

We paid for our entry fee and asked how far in did we need to drive to see a few Arches. The nice lady said 20miles. Well shit, what's 20 miles when you are part way thru a 5000 mile epic tour? We did not know that the 20 mikes included a 3000 foot elevation gain. In the snow. Yes it snowed pretty much non stop. It was awesome.





































Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

I forgot to mention that in between Moab and Mesa Verde we stopped at a bunch of random places and took equally random photos.

Colorado was really pretty. It was an awesome day.




























Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Well I'm in for the ride, love the pics, looks like you guys are having fun, be safe.

 

Thanks for posting another epic road trip so this ol' fella can follow each day with his morning coffee. You are in the tradition of the late Charles Kuralt and of Povertyflats in documenting the byways of America. Great pictures.

 

Great stuff guys, thanks for posting. See y'all at the Roundup!

 

You have just paid me a huge compliment by comparing me to Poverty Flats; Paul is one of my favorites. I love his writing.


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Great stuff, love it. Drive safe. Visited Mesa Verde about 10 years ago. There were about 100 people there that day.
Got stung in Moab for $ 60 by a motel owner who said we broke his furniture. I reported him to the chamber of commerce the next day. Note to travellers, report all broken furniture to the front desk at once when you inspect a room.

 

Today we head to Flattop Bob's in Wellington Texas. This is what the front of the van looks like after a day of thrashing.

We'll try to keep it clean today.




Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

cool look like you guys had a good trip thanks for pics

 

Yesterday we drove in snow for a while but somehow that seemed normal. I mean it's springtime in southern Colorado right?

This morning we are driving east out of Albuquerque and this happened. Now I'm no expert but I don't think this in normal.








Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

It ain't over yet.


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Drove right out of the storm.




Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

When you get to the Texas border you're half way there.
Welcome to Texas, y'all.

 

After all the winter weather you guys had over there this year it is reassuring to know that both of you are probably seasoned vets by now when it comes to driving in the snow

 

Tucumcari NM






































Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

You didn't leave Mr. Bill at the hotel, did you?

 

OH NO!

 

Nope. He got put away yesterday because we kept having to wipe the inside of the windshield to see out and poor bill was in the way. He's back now.

This question reminds me of a story from last night......

When it's cold outside and you really need the heater in the van it blows cold air. The heater itself actually will blow very hot but only when the engine temp is up above 180. The problem is that when it's cold enough out to want the heater, the damn truck is only running at somewhere about 150. This means it will blow Luke warm, coldish air on you. And it isn't hot enough to defrost the windshield.

So every time I'm driving in the van freezing I start to wonder if I could fashion a winter front grill of sorts or a grill bra like I used to see on the old diesel trucks. My thought was that if we could make less air go thru the radiator the engine would run warmer, thus blowing hot air in the cab where it is desperately needed.

Well last night we got so cold and so fogged up that we decided to stop and try this. I cut up an old blanket and zip tied it over the grill. Almost immediately the temp started to climb. Within 5 minutes we were up to 180 and feeling the warmth in the cab. But the the temp just kept on climbing. About the time it hit 220 I was looking for a spot to pull over and make adjustments but by the time he time we found a spot to safely stop we were in a cloud of steam.

What a sight this must have been to the folks at the gas station. The van looked like it had its own fog effects machine, I mean it looked like something out of a Michael Jackson music video.

Unknown to us at the time; the defroster had been blowing full tilt this whole time which basically was depositing vaporized coolant all over the inside of the windshield. That stuff is not easy to clean off and somehow seemed to make it fog even worse after we got going again.

Needless to say we had a very cold drive the rest of the night.

The upside is I think I have a new idea to make the grill bra work. More on that later......






Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Just block the radiator with cardboard. Start with about 1/3 of the core covered. Standard yankee winterfront.

vic

 

Yup about a third, I always use cardboard on the radiator. Assuming you can get to yours.

Even having the motor running at correct temp should help it be warmer in the cab. Might take the rest of that blanket and block off the back of the van. Then your not trying to heat the entire thing

 

That's global warming caused by evil, unregulated hot rods.

 

I love these trip logs, the photos are great!

 

Looks like Helper needs a lot of help. So many vacant buildings. When we travel USA it is sad to see what were thriving towns abandoned.

 

Helper is not abandoned by any means. That is the old part of town.

 

Man, I've got to get out West. Thanks for the ride a long.


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Tonight we spent time with Bob and Linda Owens (aka Flattop Bob) at their place in northern TEXAS. Always a privilege to be able to do this.


Art by Jack Hamilton




Getting a personal tour of one of the salvage yards at Owens Salvage.



































Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Did you identify what the door was for?
We have one of those close to home in Knights Ferry where there was an Union Army Camp during the civil war. It was a powder magazine to keep the gun powder dry and away from any drunk soldiers also I'm sure.