2018 Colorado Rally, July 12-16

[Bonz]

Glad things haven’t progressed a lot more.

The big jet, was it the DC-10? Saw that one during the Waldo Canyon and Black Forest fires. There are 747’s in the fleet as well. Watching any of them do a drop is awe-inspiring.

We had a cool day temp-wise down here on the front range. Did you guys get some of the same?

How’s the bike running?

[Bonz]

This fire is up to 1,400 acres, expecting some scattered afternoon showers and storms, hope they all “scatter” and end up over Skids place.

Southern Colorado west and north of Walsenburg has a fire up to over 41,000 acres now. We have been getting smoke up here in Palmer Lake (just north of the Air Force academy) from that fire when the wind is right.

[skids]

Glad things haven’t progressed a lot more.

The big jet, was it the DC-10? Saw that one during the Waldo Canyon and Black Forest fires. There are 747’s in the fleet as well. Watching any of them do a drop is awe-inspiring.

We had a cool day temp-wise down here on the front range. Did you guys get some of the same?

How’s the bike running?

There was a DC10 and another smaller jet. I heard a helecopter and saw prop planes. Wind will blow towards the house today. I found two pennies in the driveway and put them in my pocket for luck. The bike is running great but economy is not so good. I put in almost 2 gallons and calculated 32 mpg. But it runs good.

[BA80]

I put in almost 2 gallons and calculated 32 mpg. But it runs good.

That's a lot better than mine. Mine runs in the high 20's and low 30's constantly.

I run 1 size up on pilots and mains though to help keep the engine cooler and I ride pretty fast on the highway. I can get mid 30's if I stay 65mph or lower.

[Bergman16]

That was my big brother flying the converted KC-10. He was a boom operator in the AF for 20 years, then Delta, now does this in his “retirement.” Kurt he lives near you. He said that fire has kicked their asses and he thinks they only saved a few houses. A really bad one.

There was a DC10 and another smaller jet. I heard a helecopter and saw prop planes. Wind will blow towards the house today. I found two pennies in the driveway and put them in my pocket for luck. The bike is running great but economy is not so good. I put in almost 2 gallons and calculated 32 mpg. But it runs good.

[skids]

That was my big brother flying the converted KC-10. He was a boom operator in the AF for 20 years, then Delta, now does this in his “retirement.” Kurt he lives near you. He said that fire has kicked their asses and he thinks they only saved a few houses. A really bad one.

Tell your brother that may have saved more houses and real estate than he realized. It gave the ground crews some headway. Many thanks.

[Bergman16]

Thanks, I will definitely will tell him. He’s the family hero, awarded the DFC in the 1st Gulf War, all-around great guy. Loves his job.

This is his outfit: www.10tanker.com

Tell your brother that may have saved more houses and real estate than he realized. It gave the ground crews some headway. Many thanks.

[Bonz]

Sid, how goes it? Can’t tell from the news how the fire is moving and changing.

So, I have been hanging around 3Phase too much at the rallies... While getting the ZRX engine back together with the high compression pistons, I reused the valve cover gasket and did the copper spray treatment on the head gasket. I had reused the head gasket once with the copper spray treatment with great results.

After my scouting ride, and for a little while before the ride, I had a minor oil weep out of the valve cover gasket and just a tad around the cam chain galley from the head gasket on the left side of the engine.

Yesterday I had a spare day with no one around the house. I pulled the valve cover and the head and replaced both gaskets. With brand new ones.

I took a page from Scott’s book doing stuff like that less than two weeks from the rally. Yeah, I know he has cases split, piston sleeves in the oven and flux capacitors being swapped a day before a rally, but you get the idea.

Took it for spin today and ran it hard, and everything is sealed up and ready to go.

[Bonz]

Hope you are doing alright, Skids! Would Sebastian be under evac or pre-evac where he is along Hwy 24? Looking at the fire map, your place is south of Hwy 24 a ways, yes? Do you get to your place from 24 or off of 67?

[skids]

Hope you are doing alright, Skids! Would Sebastian be under evac or pre-evac where he is along Hwy 24? Looking at the fire map, your place is south of Hwy 24 a ways, yes? Do you get to your place from 24 or off of 67?

Sebastian's house is at least 5 miles north east from mine. He is safe. Note that the Weston Pass fire has hwy 285 closed between hwy 24 and rd.9. The detour is 24 to 9 to 24 and back to 285 assuming you are making the route southward. Keep an eye on the progress of that fire as it has become large. The fire near me is being controlled I think. No new reports since yesterday when it was zero contained and 1422 acres and about a mile south of us. We can't leave until they lift preevacuation or we won't be allowed back in if it changes to mandatory evac.

[Bonz]

Good to hear Skids that things are not changing in terms of growth.

You guys that did either of the Royal gorge Canon city rally’s, we rode on county road 1 and county road 11. They were the back roads going up from the Royal Gorge to meet up with Highway 24 to go down to Pikes Peak. County Road 11 is where Harry had his famous “60 over” quote. Both those roads are closed.

On a map, take CR 1 south out of Florissant, where the turn is onto CR 11, the midpoint of the fire is straight west of there, maybe a few miles on the map. He lives straight north of the fire, about the same distance as the length of the fire itself.

Holy cow, I did that exact route on Wednesday on my ride. I stayed at higher elevations in order to stay cool. My how things change... there was lots of road chip work going on so I couldn’t make a blast in honor of Harry.

[skids]

Here is the link to the Weston pass fire which may effect some of your routes. Keep an eye on it.
to

[skids]

[URL="http://parkco.us/"[/URL]

Oops, what happened? Here is another try.
Use search, Weston Pass fire

[Bonz]

How would you guys feel about moving the rally out to Gunnison?

They are on the backside of all the fires, generally cooler temperatures, much greener, and we can access the same rides that we would have done in Buena Vista.

This is huge last minute, but I want to get an opinion. The Gunnison KOA can easily accommodate us BUT no cabins available.

The Gunnison Econo Lodge has four rooms with king beds at $149 a night for the 12th-16.

Gunnison Rodeway Inn has 1 king room at $129 per night, 5 double queen rooms at $139 a night for the same dates.

Other hotels available, however they have a Cattleman days in Gunnison during that time and they could fill up quick.

By my count, JeffH, Bohn, Scott are the only ones in hotels or cabin in Buena vista.

If we want to make this change I need to know ASAP! The hotel guys are the only ones that would be affected in terms of having to make new reservations quickly.

I can get all but $10 of the deposit back from the KOA in Buena Vista and apply it toward the KOA in Gunnison.

[soccer4m]

Rally Move

Greener and Cooler,,,,,,,,I am in for the rally move. After a blast through the Gates of Hell, Barstow to Vegas Skin Pealing Heat to get to the rally,,,,,COOL sounds good. I dont know the area there but leave it up to the Colorado Master of Rallies, the infamous Bonz to make the call either way........seeya, Mike in SUn DIego