We made quick work of loading the Gremlin after Eric arrived, but, of course, he wanted a tour of the Barnyard Viper. Everyone enjoys checking out the Truck!

Darren had already left, with a plan to hit a parts store for both him and Boone. Rachael and I were loading up in the Satellite when I heard Boone ask Dale to be his co-driver in the Truck for a while. Dad didn't seem to mind, that meant he was riding in an air conditioned car with Robert and James, two guys who haven't heard ANY of his myriad of stories! A fresh and captive audience, he relishes that type of opportunity! Robert followed Boone into a gas station across from the track, but I figured I had quite a bit left, and I wanted to start eating into the three hundred miles on our route sheet, so I continued on the course.

Seven or eight miles down the road Il-3 merged with Mississippi Ave. and a big, tan 73 Charger popped along side me from the other street. Darren waved, and went ahead of me for about four or five miles more then he abruptly pulled to the shoulder of the road. I pulled past him, parked, and walked back as he quickly opened the hood.
"What's going on?" I asked.
"Breather is on fire! Get me a wrench, it's already too hot for me to get the top off with my hand..."
I grabbed a wrench for him, then held the hood up while he fought to get it off. The element was smoking pretty good by the time he removed the top, then huffed and puffed until it was out.
"What the heck caused that?"
"It vapor locked, then backfired when I tried to restart it", he shook his head, "It's just too hot out here, we need to find a spot to eat, and get off the road!" He exclaimed.
"Robert, Dad, and those guys are working on it", I agreed, "They've been in contact with Rachael already, heck the old Satellite is running at 210, it's just miserable out here."
Luckily, once we got rolling again, we were on a stretch of road that allowed us to run about 45-50, and had no stop lights. Everything seemed pretty smooth for ten more miles until the Satellite burbled and died, apparently my fuel calculations were flawed!