Date:         Thu, 11 Jul 2002 01:11:58 -0400
Reply-To:     KimBrennan@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Kim Brennan <KimBrennan@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Day 4 (west to east)
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Well, today, was a bit shorter (and longer) than I had planned.

Today started in Gunnison Colorado, and the first order of the day (after adding a quart of oil...the box being low a quart) was to tackle Monarch Pass. I made one bad decision (trying to maintain 30mph in 2nd gear) and almost compounded it with a second (took too long to hit a turn out to let the box cool down a bit.) Both the coolant idiot light AND the oil pressure light turned on (and the buzzer for good measure) JUST as I pull off the road about 2/3rds of the way up.

I let it cool for a moment (only 30-60 seconds) with the engine off, then leveled the beast and turned the engine back on and let it idle for a while so as to circulate and cool the coolant and oil.

After about 10 minutes I resumed the ascent...for all of about 2500 feet...to the first of MANY construction zones on Route 50. I got to idle for 10-15 minutes while chatting with the flagman. When it was finally time for our side to go I let all other vehicles go first (I was first in line), and then I got to be the tail car. 25 mph from that point on to the top of the pass. No more heat problems and it was easy enough on the engine at that speed.

Then it was coasting (in gear) all the way down the eastern side. By the time I finally stopped for gas, I had managed just over 20mpg on the tank (199 miles, 9.8 gallons.) Truely excellent for a syncro.

Then it was onward and onward across eastern Colorado and western Kansas, on Route 50. Different, and greener than a similar trip would be on I-70.

Tonight I'm in Wichita, Kansas, about a 85 miles short of where I wanted to be at the end. Oh, well.

I do have one peeve. What's with the garbage gas in Colorado? "Regular" is 85 octane. Plus is what I consider normal for regular at 87 octace. Super is 91, mostly (if available). Get me back to a civililzed state and decent gas!