Ten Fifty-nine

[LongRanger]

Watching that JEEP get hooked-up like that was a little un-settling, so . . . . change of venue. So much for making time.

Headed West on the 152, cut over to the 101.

Nice little road. Smooth, roomy, good visibility, after some gas stations at the first junction, no services or rest stops. (Unless you like cherries.) 50 mi, isolated. And scenic. Road dog-legs north of the San Luis Reservoir. Always surprising to suddenly see so much open water --- big, big lake --- but feels a little spooky to be driving for a couple of miles right next to an un-kept-looking scrub-covered earthen berm that holds it all back. Gulp.

Further West, the road splits some hillsides, deep, steep, roller-coastery. I remember it getting windy through there, sometimes --- and 1059’s oh-so-NOT fun in a gusty crosswind --- calm today. And not many pick-ups/toy haulers/tourists this time. Could’ve been fun . . . lots of CHP, though. In the median, on the roadside, patrol cars with light-bars ---- not the pursuit cars without --- still, not much taste for a sprint.

1) Highway 152 --- aka Gonzaga Road. Nice little connector between The Five and the 101, about 480 km/300 mi out.

2) and 3) Two lanes, both ways, some traffic, all pretty well-behaved . . . . and just crawling with cops. Saw one in the median, two in the bushes . . . . just stuck ‘er into fourth, joined the Citizens.

4) and 5) Coastal marine layer coming up. Nice. Air temps dropped maybe 10 degrees?

Rick Kreiskott

[LongRanger]

Coming out of the hills, out into another valley, Hwy does a right-30/up, becomes two-lane through low-density/rural, produce stands, country stores, farms, barns, stables spread out, mail-boxes-on-the-shoulder. Traffic slows, 35 MPH?, can stack up, some gravel shoulders, some off-camber, so . . . leave some room.

Gets hot here, too, but the land is just prettier, greener, rollier, marine layered. Driven through here for 20-years . . . still feels the same.

10 minutes along, left-90/hard --- not well-marked, offset T-intersection --- a coupla miles, then Gilroy, 'Garlic Capital of the World,’ strip malls, convenience stores, gas . . . 101 North.

1) Aka Pacheco Pass Hwy, aka Co Hwy G9

2) Green-ness

3) Greenery

4) Lance. Nice-enough Fella. Strolled up while I was tanking-up, Gilroy outskirts, looking at the car, fired up a monologue about Jojoba oil in automotive applications. I mentioned that I’d heard of Jojoba (--- don't), and, well . . . . 10 minutes later . . .

Rick Kreiskott

[LongRanger]

From Gilroy, headed north to Fremont, on the 101 . . .

The Good News is that the highway’s gotta be 6-, maybe 7-lanes wide in places, crazy. Oh there’s room, alright. As for traffic? Wrong word. More like . . . . Mob. Think Romans, heading for the Coliseum --- a double-feature, criminals first, then Christians. Things start out busy, pretty decent flow of vehicles, then the pace picks up, picks up some more, more cars showing up all the time --- like, lots --- pretty soon a flood, big fast school of fish, gliding/flowing/cascading/plunging into San Jose. Charge-of-The-Light-Brigade stuff. Any thoughts of CHP evaporate . . . . ‘flow of traffic, Officer. Driving to save my life. Really. Not kidding.’

Fine.

And The Bad News? Anybody not prepared to join this Happy Horde --- gets over run. Some of the more stalwart-types try to hold back the flood, sometimes clogging-up the left lanes with some wacky display of civic-minded responsibility (As a matter of fact --- NO --- 75 is not fast enough) --- terrorists --- but all that does is back-up traffic in the so-called Fast Lane ---- an absolute curse, here, in California --- and diverting traffic to the right . . . into the Slow lanes.

Now. Picture. It’s a cool clear week-end morning. Birds singing, sun’s shining. Mom, Dad, The Offspring, out motoring, head for the freeway, come blissfully down the on-ramp, thoughtfully flip the turn-signals (maybe) ---- what do they find? A handful of grim Birkenstock Democrats have tourniquetted the left lanes, sending a red-eyed roiling avalanche of frustrated really fast traffic powering to the right, rubbing up against any merging traffic. Getting on that freeway must feel like jay-walking ---- at the Bonneville Salt Flats.

‘I’m sure he sees us.’ James Dean (Famous Porsche Pilot, deceased)

Welcome to Bay Area traffic.

Driven a lot of places --- nothing like it. Ferocious. Like, Dancing with Badgers. I got tapped from behind on my morning commute, once, in my M3 --- and I was doing 90 MPH. Other Guy was in a pick-up. ‘Didn’t see ya’ (What? --- while re-entering the Earth's atmosphere?) ‘Nother time, had the driver’s side rear-view on my Rental sheared off by a truck. Honestly? ---- I still don’t know how he missed the rest of the car. Millimeters, Men ---- we’re talking effing millimeters!. All that’s missing from this melee are numbers on the car doors, a trunk-full of moonshine . . . . maybe some automatic weapons fire.

Love this sh!t.

And --- it fosters a certain . . . . driving-style.

I remember talking to this Navy Pilot Guy once, asked about carrier landings ---- was corrected. 'Landing' is a misnomer. The Naval Aviator does not land on the carrier deck . . . rather, he flies/crashes his aircraft into the deck/crash-barrier/arrester cable stuff. On a moving, pitching deck. When it rains. At night. On purpose.

That’s how to drive up here. And no ejector seat. (Those're for pu$$ies.)

Anyway, 20 minutes of my-life-flashing-before-my-eyes later, come wheeling up to San Jose, a mis-plumbed intestinal tract of freeways, 101-880-680-580, take my best shot, end up a little off-course. I kinda know where Fremont is --- like, I kinda know where Paraguay is --- make an adjustment, end up ‘in the area,’ call up my First Destination, Scott Kinder (YTNUKLR), get some directions/streets/numbers, roll up.

Good Guy, perfect host. We’ve talked a few times by phone, some e-mails, but this was our proper introduction. Was there a while, talked cars, met the family, looked over some bits/treasures, lost their dog, found their dog (hanging-out in the truck), a quick drive, some pics, great visit . . . .

But no traffic-cams. And I just put those plates on, too . . .

1) Kinder . . .
Note the expression --- post-901-2nd-gear traumatic stress syndrome. (Shock.)

2) . . . and Kompany . . .
Note the expressions --- told 'em all about the leaks/smells/fire-danger/financial ruin of Longhood ownership. (Lotsa shock.)


Rick Kreiskott

[LongRanger]

Leaving Fremont, I headed back South on the 101, this time to visit down in Morgan Hill. It was mid-day by then, traffic lighter, bright clear day.

Same MO . . . ‘cept Morgan Hill straddles the hwy, so no chance to miss it. Anyway, got the address in a text, coupla phone calls, my Guy actually hung-out at a street-corner, flagged me down, hadn’t seen the car before --- liked. Nice ‘hood. Big houses, still kinda close together, big shady trees, green belts, everything surrounded by low hills with oaks, vineyards moving in I hear. We talked houses (still pricey, but down), economy (muddy), kids (sprouting, and his 13-year-old little girl? . . . get a shotgun), life (looking up). I like Ed. Ex-boss. Got/took my job because of him, keep in touch. Drank some, ate some, talked a lot, hung out a few hours, could’ve stayed for dinner and the night, but . . . .

I’d stay on the 101 going home. Takes maybe an hour-and-a-half longer going that way than The Five . . . but just a much nicer drive, in general. And time isn’t everything. Making this same trip, about every other month, for, like, the last 25 years . . . . never get tired of it.

Lots of action roadside, gas, rest stops, restaurants, interesting, good roads. From Gilroy south, there’re hills, easy climbing curves ‘till the hwy dives down into this 5-mile cut lined with eucalyptus groves, small businesses on either side, even cross-traffic (!), before popping-up on a black-earth coastal plain around Prunedale. (Yeah --- still California.) Moving on, the hwy runs past Salinas, in a broad farm-filled valley, foggy ocean air from the North, roadway kinking and criss-crossing the Salinas river, valley narrows going South, little towns --- Gonzalez, Soledad, Greenfield, King City, San Miguel, Paso Robles, Atascadero (prison there), climbs a coastal range, drops down to San Luis Obispo, runs by Pismo, the Pacific, inland again.

Heading south, rolling hills, green when it’s cool, blonde when its not, live oaks, fog spilling over the ridgelines, more and more vineyards showing up, stretching back. Maybe 30 miles south of Santa Maria, the 154 cut-off turns East past Lake Cachuma, comes up behind Santa Barbara, re-joins the 101, runs along the coast (again), at Ventura wheels inland (last time), then up through Thousand Oaks, The Valley, Sepulveda Pass, The West Side, etc.

I’m on auto-pilot after LAX.

All good roads. Torsion bars help.

1059 ran great. And the faster the better. Couple of pumfs, here and there, usually cleared up by opening ‘er up. Tijuana tune-up. Gearing feels tall --- tough to keep the car below 125 kph/80 MPH without having to drop into 4th to keep the revs up. That’s probably the biggest adjustment to have to make --- this motor wants/has to run above 3500, pretty much all the time. And, compared to the <17 MPG I managed coming cross-country, 19 MPG this trip says the car’s happier for it.

Draining to drive . . . in a good way. No distractions inside --- no radio --- so lots to listen to, feel for. Short list of things to deal with. Wheel imbalance in one of the fronts --- distracting. Otherwise drives turbine-smooth. Oil consumption concerns. Usual drips haven’t changed but a lotta oil-residue-mess on the license panel, plus 1.5 qts to top. (Oil gauge is dead accurate.)

Overall? . . . . very fine little driver.

Biggest surprise? ‘Cept for the schmutz on her tail, 1059 barely got dirty, just a few (lucky) bugs on the windshield, around the headlights. Even the wheels/tires stayed pretty clean.

Want/need a bigger tank. And a better seat.

Rick Kreiskott


1) Staying small in Morgan Hill. Way more relaxed going home. (I think it was the brie?)

2) through 5) 101 S, between King City and Santa Margarita. Light traffic, cool temps, CHP’s around but I’ve only had one ticket on this stretch --- was being paced . . . just too car-dopey to pick-up on it.

[LongRanger]

1) I can always tell when I’m getting close to the coast in CA

2) and 3) SLO is down below

4) Almost. Zaca Station/154 cut-off. Outta light, batteries low.

5) Back in the barn, 19 hours out, km = 67916 . . . still smiling.

Rick Kreiskott

[72targa]

You are an excellent story teller...thanks for the trip report!

[LongRanger]

. . . C'mon Rick. You should know what those stickers are.

They're QC stickers . . .

Put some close-ups (and speculative commentary) of the 'QC' stickers on R Tilton's Satanic Details thread. . . posts 348 and 349. . . .

http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...please./page35

Rick Kreiskott

[TeeItUp]

Rick,

You are a true road warrior making that drive in one day. The next time you go north take Jolon Road. You pick it up just north of Camp Roberts and it drops you back on 101 just past King City. Beautiful 2 lane road through the country side. Very light traffic, good for opening it up. When I lived in OC in the 70's and had my 67S I used to take this road when I went north. Hit 120 once but it was pretty scary, front end was very light.

Good motoring.

Bill

[LongRanger]

. . . The next time you go north take Jolon Road. You pick it up just north of Camp Roberts and it drops you back on 101 just past King City. Beautiful 2 lane road through the country side. Very light traffic, good for opening it up. When I lived in OC in the 70's and had my 67S I used to take this road when I went north. Hit 120 once . . .

Whew.

I think you're on, Bill . . . next time --- with photos.

Rick Kreiskott

[LongRanger]

Turned-out that the rear license panel that was on 1059 when I got her was a genuine factory piece, after all, probably the original panel ---- not after-market. The channel that took the rear hood seal was missing --- a common fault on the repos --- threw everybody off. But, from its shape and, more tellingly, those spot-welded tabs that mount the guards, panel was The Real Deal. Shows me that even Factory Stuff fails . . .

Short-term, it’ll probably go up on a wall, somewhere --- keep-sake/souvenir/garage porn. Looking at the lumps and bubbles, the cracks, that color . . . remember where it all started.

Long-term, it’ll go on The Next Car (--- a narrow-hipped little light-weight). Needs a little work . . . straightening/de-puttifying, fabbing/adding back that channel, crack repairs (the First Alu Lid is way worse) . . . but I like re-using stuff like this --- 'specially when the repairs show. ('Custom.')

Anyway, pulled this bit out last night, along with other sundry . . . took another (closer) look.

1) Panel looks to be in decent shape, big paint divot --- filler seems to’ve been used, blistering, small tear . . . but not hit. Good.

2) Spot- --- not gas- ---- welded tab = factory bit

3) Sharp panel reliefs + tight corners = factory bit

4) Inner re-enforcement. Odd little feature, does not appear to be spot-welded --- or welded, at all, looks like. These ‘gussets’ were missing entirely from the panel that I used. All that remained on that one was what looked like some kind of residue in the well where these would’ve resided--- adhesive, maybe? I don’t even know if these parts are steel or alu. Check tonight. *** I checked --- non-magnetic *** Notice the hole on the inside surface.

5) No channel to take the rear lid seal means going/coming up with something/anything that works. Contact cement. Silicon sealant. Super glue. Positive thinking. (I'm a Duct Tape Man, myself.) Different approaches, same result.

Mess.

Rick Kreiskott