CleanMPG members reenact the Centennial of the 1908 NY to San Francisco Race

Wonderful additions and updates....see Sean I knew once you got going we couldn't stop you

BTW I have the funniest short vid of Wayne pushing one of the cars outside McDonalds, where he sees me standing there and realizes uh oh, she's not IN the car and tries to stop it. I about died. Got to upload more stuff soon.

 

Thanks! I got a bit carried away once I started. Good memories!

I REALLY want to see that one!!!

 

I'll email it in an hour or so as soon as I get home.

 

Wayne, here's some comments to filter in as you see fit.
formating here in the paste from notepad looks a little sucky. sorry have to leave for school.

Ken (before Sean right after first Schuster quote)
I first read the book about George Schuster and the Greatest Race when I was
in 2nd or 3rd grade, and it completely captivated me. My mom probably still
has colored pencil drawings I did back then of the cars like the Thomas
Flyer. Getting the call from Wayne to participate in this adventure was a
thrill to say the least. Trying to get some 'period costume' pieces and 45
star US Flags and tire chains before heading out to New York City was
maddening in some ways: watching the best looking hats or goggles disappear
in the frantic last 2 seconds on bidding on ebay! Begging the people to
please please ship so that I would have it before leaving on this adventure.


Ken (prelaunch comment)
The morning of February 12, 2008 is one I won't forget. Franticly shoving
breakfast down, wondering where Billy was, hoping to get the WAI kit
installed in time, the flags mounted without getting torn off by passing
traffic. Preparations ended up going like a well oiled machine - we scurried
about the cars installing, cleaning, wiping, sticking, taping our way to the
final 'look'. The excitement kept building the whole time, and crested when
we headed out for Times Square.

Ken (launch comment)
We pulled into Times Square just a little behind time - due to it having been
closed to traffic for some vehicles that were part of a press conference.
Sean pulled up behind the 2008 Civic, I jumped out in my trenchcoat, driving
cap and goggles to snap a few quick pictures of Wayne and Tarabell with the
2008 Civic. Jumping back into the 2005 Civic next to driver Sean, we started
the adventure of a lifetime...and immediately found out that our route was
now trashed because Broadway was now one way - the wrong way! We adapted and
moved on 'in cabbie style'.

It wasn't more than about 40 minutes and the little Navi unit had a brain
cramp and started heading us BACK to New York City! We ended up pulling over
and I swapped seats with Wayne so he could beat some sense back into the
Navi.

Ken (while travelling to Geneva)
My first chance behind the wheel on this journey dumped me right into my
element: heavy sleet and snow. I was comfortable driving, yet a bit
apprehensive as this was my first time in the 2008 Honda Civic. This car
should handle better than TorqueNada was my immediate thought, and I was
relieved to be correct. It was very predictable and a pleasure to drive. I
thought often about those men in 1908 driving in an open car through similar
conditions, but really 'facing the weather' head on.

Ken (near Sydney / Rawlins)
I had the dubious pleasure of being in the same car with Sean on both
occassions of pushing the tanks to the limit and beyond. Somehow both these
puckering incedents occurred one after the other. Oh yeah Sean knows how to
'FuelStretch' as the sign says in Sidney... and then I got to see it again
when Rawlins disappeared (for us!). That one had me more concerned since we
were dealing with -4F temps with 40mph winds that would suck the life out of
you in a short time if we did run out of fuel and had to wait for the others
to find us.

Ken (Wyoming)
Well, the tale that Brian tells of the first encounter with the Wyoming State
troopers is 'pretty close' to the way it happened... I was disoriented from
Brian's cannabis comment and expecting the trooper to show up at the driver's
door, where upon he came up on the passenger side. Somewhere near the
beginning of the 'chat' I remember pointing and telling him to look at the
sign on the door, which probably served to confound him a bit, and then
things just went on from there.

At least the second time I met up with the Wyoming Troopers it went
smoother...

Ken (final comments)
This Reenactment was something truly special. I still have a hard time
believing that we were able to put something this monumental together in such
a short time, and then actually pull it off! We six were such an incredible
team, helping each other out throughout the trip in so many ways. Sometimes
it was as simple as staying up for a little while longer to keep someone
awake, sometimes it was having just the right all natural fruit bar to quench
a moment of hunger, sometimes it was saying just the right thing to bring a
smile to your face or outright laughter.

In light of the original event, I like to think about a 'factor of ten'. We
did it 10 times 10 years later. We did it in a tenth of time (4.2 days
versus 42 days). We used approximately a tenth of the fuel, an educated guess
of about 60 mpg versus 6 mpg that they probably did. But there is one area
that we are equal on: The feeling of accomplishing a feat like no other, with
a group of people like no other. I am proud to be a member of this elite team
of hypermilers.

 

I like the separated quotes the way they are now.

For the Wyoming trooper stop quote by Brian, I think right after he commented about the hazard lights is when:
Ken pointed out the passenger side and said 'Sir, see the sign on the door? We're coming from New York.... going to San Francisco like in 1908.' The trooper was starting to look concerned.

 

Oh the picture of the jackalope was taken in Wolcott, WY if you want to clarify 'somewhere in Wyoming'

You might add to Sean's comment after he says Ken get a load of that... Ken talked to the store owner at length about free-range versus feedlot jackalopes.

 

http://ludb.clui.org/ex/i/UT3169/

This link will take you to a picture of the 'Tree of Utah' and the story behind it.

http://www.utah.com/amusement/metaphor_tree.htm

another pic and story

 

I agree with Ken -- the multiple quote sections is a nice separator.

I do like your fictional quotes, though!!

Please do add that jackelope comment to mine -- I like it!

Thanks for the link, Ken! Now I know what that crazy looking thing was... Wayne, could we include a pic for the readers?

 

Hopefully a couple sentences about it can be put in too... it is one weird looking thing, but quite a labor of love on the artist's part not only financially, but to include actual chunks of Utah in the making of it.

Yeh, those are good 1-liners

 

Just uploaded the video. But I think it has a bad word in it. mg:

 

in the body of Brian's quote: I bolded the sentence / words that I think should be added or changed. the trooper quotes are as currently shown.

Trooper: Well, I pulled you over because you kept using your hazard lights.

Ken, pointing out the passenger window towards the side of the car: Sir, see the sign on the door? We're coming from New York... going to San Francisco like they did in 1908.

Ken, who continues throughout the entire event to sound completely confused: Yeah. I'm driving for some economy and some of the trucks (not cars as is currently shown) are really fast. Really fast. San Fran... west coast. That's where we're going.

Trooper: Why were you using your hazards?

---------
Darn Darn Darn... the jackalope pic and comments are from the return trip, as can be seen by the date of the picture 2/17/08... I guess it really wouldn't be part of the NY to SF trip.

 

Wayne, there are a few wording cleanups I want to do -- I put them in earlier but it looks as though you overwrote them at some point...

I'll post again when I've finished.