Today is going to be a good day. Time to take it slow and take in some of the scenery that the Heartland has to offer. No highways, just back roads for us today. I'm rolling with the Bro's from Another Mo and Raags today. Just like old times.
Too bad the Jupp brothers weren't here. I also had Cameraman Chris with me today to document things. Guess Cameraman Mike had enough of my bad luck.
We did pick up some new friends, though - Ed from Tuner Icons w/ his 350Z rolling with cameraman Mike. Then later on Glen and Rockett with Verve in the M-powered Z4 hardtop, and Frank and Drew in the C5 Vette.
Today was just a simple day getting from point-A to point-B without any problems. Easier said than done.
Since I have such a huge fuel capacity, I didn't have to stop for gas on this leg. So I wound up passing the group that I was trying to catch up to! No worries, they were hot doggin it and were able to catch up to me. Nothing like hearing your buddies come over the cb saying they see you, and then you can see them racing up behind you in the rear view mirror.
Thankfully we were able to avoid the main highways, which let us fly WAAAAY under the police radar.
There was a point where the 5-0 got on to us coming through a small town, but we knew they were there so we took it easy. They were following so close that we decided to pull over at the local WalMart to rest and goof off a little.
While wandering around, I found myself in the toy aisle containing the Nerf foam dart guns. haha... >: ) So I grab one and a couple of packs of extra suction cup darts for a little roadway fun. Not wanting to be out done, some o the other guys grab guns and dart, too. Next thing you know, Cameraman Mike's got a kids Batman costume, Ed's got a Star Wars Stormtrooper helmet, and Raags has a fully automatic Nerf machine gun!! This has fun written all over it. lol
Back on the road, it's on.
Racing along, Ed comes up next to me and Mike comes out of the passenger side window dressed like Batman while Ed is driving in the Stormtrooper helmet! hahaha!! Next thing you know there's Nerf darts flying everywhere!! Good times good times!! Just when we think it's all over, Tony pops out of the sunroof of the RX8 with the Nerf machinegun and we're all caught up in a hail of flying darts!! lol... those crazy Canadians!
Raags and Tony speed off, and I mean speed off and leave the group. We think they're just totally ditching us at this point. Hosers. haha...
We're going for a little bit and we come into a small town called Haigler there in Nebraska. The speed dropped to 35mph, so we were respecting that and going slow. Next thing you know, Raags jumps out from behind a parked car on the side of the street with the machinegun and starts barraging the street with darts!!! Hahaha!!! Genius!!!
That was kinda my cue to pull over behind their car in the parking lot where they had stopped with Frank and Drew. PatDaddy and C-Bum, Ed, and Glen and Rockett kept on trucking to the Colorado boarder.
We were chilling and streching a little bit when next thing you know the RX8 starts billowing smoke from under the hood!! I grabbed my fire extinguisher and ran to the car, while Tony was trying to pop the hood. I get my hand under the hood and try to fish around for the latch and look to my left to see Frank w/ his fire extinguisher in hand ready to blast the engine bay as soon as it opens. Hood pops open and... steam. The coolant tank had gotten so hot from the turbo that it had melted and the coolant was spraying all over the engine bay causing steam!! We were so relieved. haha...
So we let the engine cool a little bit. Then I slapped some Hondabond over the hole, wrapped the tank in a few layers of Gorilla tape, then Duct tape to help reduce the heat transfer, and viola! We grabbed some lunch at the Country Cafe there in Haigler, NE while everything set. Best lunch ever!! So if you're ever out in Nebraska and find yourself near Haigler on 34, stop in and get some great food.
With the tank refilled and holding water at temp, and full stomaches, it was time to get back on the road. Since we left the rest of the group with the pit stop, it was just down to me, the RX8 and the C5. Denver here we come!
So we get there and find that we've been bumped to a different hotel. No worries. As long as I've got a place to sleep w/ a roof over my head I'm cool.
Since Denver is a big metro area, I went out before dinner to find myself a new power inverter for the car. (after my last one blew up) Driving around I came across some test vehicals that were "cloaked" while doing their high altitude testing!
(video coming soon)
While I was out I hit up a liquor store to get some beer and provisions for the night. When I got back I found out that dinner was like 30+ miles away, and that if I wanted to go I'd have to fork out $25 for a share of the limo fee. No thanks! I wasn't the only one who felt that way either, so a bunh of us gathered around the pool and had some drinks.
Perfect way to relax and end the day.
