Super-Double-Secret Mudge BARF - 5-21-05 to 5-22-05
Pierre Said: It was fun trip, despite one very boiled battery, fixed with parts scavenged from the Mudge spider and a timely trip by Pat (aka Mudge Junior) in to town for a new battery. I reckon we did about 400 miles across the valley, through the hills and home by way of the Sacramento delta on RT 160. We made a quick stop at "Al the Wops" -- very very old school bar in the semi ghost town of Locke, a former chinese town on the river. Locke is well worth a stop if you are ever in that area, it has one semi used main street lined by tumble down buildings, the floor at the Wops is a twisted sloping affair which I am sure could be challenging after a few beers. We stuck mostly to soda since there were many miles still ahead. I almost ran out of gas at one point and bought a gallon at a marina which turned out to be about half a mile from the next gas station. I was so low I didn't want to chance it. Dan managed to drop one distributor wire on the bumpy delta highway which he quickly diagnosed and reattached. Lots of fun and a good shake down cruise after having my car in a million pieces and changing the motor, head, trans etc etc. I will be installing a voltmeter this weekend since this is my second boiled battery in a FIAT and this one was about ready to catch on fire/explode in the trunk. I'm not chancing it again. Pierre PS Napa had the correct new regulator/brush assembly in stock for $33. I bought two : ) Mudge said: We really did have a great time. I put Dan in charge of the BBQ-ing of the tri-tip because after a few beers I usually end up with a third degree burned hunk of meat that's bloody rare in the middle. I learned about indirect heat. Nice concept. The evenings movie was "Bubba Ho-tep" which sent most people off to bed before it ended. Nancy, Pierre and I made it to the end though Pierre and I were nodding off here and there. Nancy explained the ending to us Sunday morning. After a breakfast at the Starlight Diner, we took a run up Mosquito Ridge Road. I've only made it back there about ten miles but we probably made 20 before we turned back so they could make a reasonable run home. Dan lead the way with Pierre in hot pursuit. I was bringing up the rear trying to keep up without sending my wife into acute motion sickness. At one point as we were headed out I was almost awarded a knee dragger biker as a new hood ornament on my X. He cut a blind corner and was well into my lane. I'm ready to go again anytime anybody wants to make the trip. Mudge back to past events