AtomFest - Sunday - Day 4+ - the Aftermath

[Jamin]

I got to drive about 200 yards from the wildfire on highway 58 south of bakersfield last night.  The highway wasn't shut down, but the fire was RIGHT there and the smoke was bright orange from all the flames.  Talk about sureal!

A few months back, I was stranded an extra day in Salt Lake City when they shut 90+ miles of the I-15 down because of the wildfires there.  I was one of the first few vehicles through when they reopened it.  I thought they were pretty liberal on what conditions constituted being safe to reopen, lol.  That is, until I saw pictures from people who made it through BEFORE the closing - 40+ ft high flames literally up against teh guardrail in some places?!  Yikes.  Still, it was burning right near in some places when we passed, and the landscape was scorched for almost 60 straight miles, and as far as teh eye could see to each side (not as far as usual with all teh smoke, then several miles when the wind shifted).  Darth is right on the money - Surreal is the only applicable word.  I will never forget that - or the persistant cough all 3 of us (me, girlfreind, son) had for 3 days afterwards!

[CalScot]

I just walekd in the door. 10pm Tuesday night. Left Halllet Sunday afternoon. I drove 900 mls today. Got real sick on Sunday and stuggled to make any headway. 1hr driving, 3hrs stopped. It was like Chevy Chases Atom Vacation trip. I drove 2985 mls with the RV alternator packed in and I wired it up to run of the generator. I must be nuts.
No worries, I'm home....and the women here are 300+ under 450lbs and have no tattoes and all their teeth!!!
God, it's good to be home. Oh...but what a trip, and what stories to come!!

[John Lloyd]

I love the long journey stories, hats off to you all.  Well done Darth. 

[jon b]

Really, really, find it incredible you guys that have driven those distances

I've driven around the U.S states in various luxery cars, Canada, Europe but all of these trips have been circa 1500 to 2000 miles spread over 2/3 weeks

To put Darth trip into context - he's done 4800 miles in an Atom for a track day 

London to NYC = 3471 miles
NYC  to Los Angeles = 2462
London to Durban South Africa is only a little more at  5911 miles ffs 

Cannot get my head around - Darth - you must be a complete nutter 

[DarthChicken]

actually 2700+2400 miles for the track day (so more like 5100 miles).  Ah, but what a track, and what a great bunch of guys.  Don't tell my wife, but I'd do it all over again. 

And remember... Terry Kennedy still has me beat hands down, its not even close.  He's done more mileage, just "because" (not even for a track day).  But he's got padded seats 

Calscot - must have been too much local flavor.  About 300lbs too much. 

[apollyon25]

Thats staggering...
2700 miles is something like 4500kms... thats further than the top of the north island of NZ to the bottom of the south island and BACK!
(I think each island is something in the vicinity of 1000km long)

Mad...

[benyeats]

About to start the final leg of my somewhat indirect route home from Atomfest.  Have been to Boca Raton, New York and Toronto now heading home, can't wait to sleep in my own bed tomorrow night, or more likely goto my local

Ben

[wisp]

[quote="apollyon25"]
Thats staggering...
2700 miles is something like 4500kms... thats further than the top of the north island of NZ to the bottom of the south island and BACK!
(I think each island is something in the vicinity of 1000km long)

Mad...
[/quote]

That's great. I'm jealous. Even the Brits, althought the UK is smaller in land mass than NZ, can pop across the channel and have the whole of Europe and Africa to drive around.

[jon b]

[quote="wisp"]
[quote="apollyon25"]
Thats staggering...
2700 miles is something like 4500kms... thats further than the top of the north island of NZ to the bottom of the south island and BACK!
(I think each island is something in the vicinity of 1000km long)

Mad...
[/quote]

That's great. I'm jealous. Even the Brits, althought the UK is smaller in land mass than NZ, can pop across the channel and have the whole of Europe and Africa to drive around.


[/quote]

Do the islands start to feel a little small sometimes then wisp ?  you have got that rather large land mass over to the left of you - maybe drive across the middle 

[wisp]

[quote="jon b"]
Do the islands start to feel a little small sometimes then wisp ?  you have got that rather large land mass over to the left of you - maybe drive across the middle 
[/quote]

Ha ha. My Uncle told me, years ago when he first went to the UK, that people asked him did he know their relatives in Sydney. They thought the Sydney Harbour Bridge went over to New Zealand. F'ckin morons. 
UK to France may only be 50Km by tunnel but Auckland to Sydney is at least a 2157 kilometer swim.
Besides that large land mass does not allow Atoms on their roads.

[Bruce Fielding]

Just administered the antidote to Atomfest... Suite at Cliveden and dinner at the Fat Duck... Ahhh... civilisation returns to my old bones...!

[McFred]

Even at 1080km I thought that the Atom was quite comfortable.  With the standard seat I didn't have any problems with my butt, back, knees or ankles.  The most burdonsome part was heafty crosswinds Darth, Shinoo and I encountered in eastern New Mexico.  A few hundred kilometers of that and your neck gets sore.  But If you had a neck brace like Allen Smith had at Atomfest I'd think nothing of it.  The next thing was the temeprature.  I had a couple layers but 130kmh(80mph) makes for some good windchill at 4˚C (40˚F).

With the limited range of the Atom it actually helps to get out and move about and answer a few of the immortal questions that plague you at the pumps for a few minutes every few hours.  I have had pretty uncomfortalbe trips in other cars where I was getting 800km (500miles) per tank without stops.

The atom is not much of a luxury touring car but it certainly beats a motorocycle for lengthy trips.

As for "Civilisation" we get along fine over here without it Bruce.  And thanks for the mirrors they work very well. 

[Bruce Fielding]

[quote="McFred"]
As for "Civilisation" we get along fine over here without it Bruce.  And thanks for the mirrors they work very well. 
[/quote]

I wasn't referring to the whole of the US... just the Hallett track and specifically my wardrobe/trailer and the midwest dining experience - and sometimes a break from 'civilisation' is a good thing!

Glad you like the mirrors!

[Driver]

Those trailers were pretty 'sparse'. Alec, Ben and Rob should've did what the Ariel folks did and drive a RV in. Those are much MUCH nicer than the 'portable bunks' you guys had. Also would've saved on renting a suv as well.

[benyeats]

[quote="Driver"]
Those trailers were pretty 'sparse'. Alec, Ben and Rob should've did what the Ariel folks did and drive a RV in. Those are much MUCH nicer than the 'portable bunks' you guys had. Also would've saved on renting a suv as well.
[/quote]

Despite the moaning the trailer we had actually did its job well, we were only in it to sleep, the RVs that Ariel had were something like $1500 for the stay and ours was under $500.  The disadvantage of an RV is you can't easily use it to 'pop' to places like the gun museum or the ill fated attempt to watch the rugger.

Ben