Re: "Live" from the Western Swing
 

Thanks for the posts and photos. It was great to read. 5 years ago I took a 5-week camper trip around the country with my daughter and then-wife, saw some of the same roads you have been on. Just this year I've been on a few racing trips to some of the same places and it's always fun. Just curious which Wal-Mart you got kicked out of in Portland, and which one you went to? I sometimes see RVs in the one in Clackamas/Happy Valley on 82nd Avenue. Have a safe trip to Denver and on to home!

Re: "Live" from the Western Swing
 

We're here! We pulled in about 9:45 tonight after driving another 1250 miles or so. Total so far 4434 miles total so far. Our last race before we have to go back to reality.

Sorry I haven't posted much the last couple of days, but internet kept coming and going. I took lots of pictures from the truck, so I am going to try to get everything caught up and posted tomorrow after a little rest.

Oh it sounded like they were not parking anybody else tonight. Are they the only track that doesn't park all night? There are lots of racers already here. Our # is 1342. I have no idea what their numbering system is!

More tomorrow.

Re: "Live" from the Western Swing
 

Track prep has been good for us at all three tracks. The parking at Sonoma was a bit difficult on the road course. I had to push the car up hill to get it out of the trailer every morning.
I hope we get a good spot to pit at the Mopar race.

Re: "Live" from the Western Swing
 

Patsy, are they pitting just behind the staging lanes, across the entry road in that gravel spot? We pit there during the divisional, but usually it's VIP parking for the national. Just hoping they changed their minds this year.

Re: "Live" from the Western Swing
 

Mike, we are stacked down to the right when you first come in. They are not starting to park until Wed. at noon.

Re: "Live" from the Western Swing
 

Here are a few pictures that I didn't get posted from Sonoma:
http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...ket/018-14.jpg
Rory McNeil M/S

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...ket/019-13.jpg
Tom Watts C/S

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...ket/001-23.jpg
Two first round runner-ups watching the race from the back of their trailer. If someone walked over in their way, they just raised the lift so they could see over!

Re: "Live" from the Western Swing
 

A little recap of the Sonoma race: We had a great time as usual, but the atmosphere was a little different there. Our immediate neighbors were very friendly, but unless we already knew most of the people we talked with, they were not nearly as outgoing as the group we met in Seattle. Of course we were parked pretty spread out and you had to go uphill to get there. One thing I noticed, there was a sign saying the area where the sportsmen were parked was restricted, so there were not many spectators venturing up our way. The sign might have been meant for other races, but I think people weren't roaming the pits like normal.

It was a neat view from the top of the hill, but scary coming back down. I couldn't get used to no green grass at all. It looked like somebody had sprayed Round-up everywhere. And the little stickers in the brown grass were mean. One good thing: No bugs! And a breeze blowing most of the time. Of course that made it a little bad for dialing. It could be blowing one direction at the top of the hill and the opposite at the starting line!

All in all it was quite an experience!

Re: "Live" from the Western Swing
 

A few pictures from the 1250 mile trip from Sonoma to Denver:
http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...ket/004-23.jpg
Up towards Sacramento

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...ket/005-21.jpg
Donner Lake in CA

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...ket/006-21.jpg
Donner Pass

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...ket/015-18.jpg
Around Truckee, CA

Re: "Live" from the Western Swing
 

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...ket/018-16.jpg
Truckee River

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...ket/020-13.jpg

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...ket/023-16.jpg
NEVADA

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...cket/028-9.jpg
NEVADA

Re: "Live" from the Western Swing
 

Hey Patsy and Larry,

It looks like you are having a fantastic time...and...a couple of wins. How great...Thanks for taking a vacation so that your "old" friends can vicariously travel while we are on our staycations.

What about that youtube video? Pretty exciting!!

Love you, Be safe...

Re: "Live" from the Western Swing
 

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...cket/030-8.jpg
At Winnemucca, NV a truck loaded with watermelons ran over a BIG rock turning in and blew a tire and dump some of his load. And he wouldn't even sell us a watermelon!

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...cket/034-7.jpg
The altimeter was about to go around again. We drove at altitudes of 4000-6000 all the way across the high deserts of Nevada.

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...cket/052-2.jpg
Northern Nevada

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...cket/054-1.jpg

Re: "Live" from the Western Swing
 

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...bucket/066.jpg
More Nevada

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...bucket/069.jpg
http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...cket/093-2.jpg
The Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. Salt, salt everywhere.
http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...cket/094-1.jpg
http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...bucket/095.jpg

Re: "Live" from the Western Swing
 

Thanks Patsy. We won't be there until Thursday afternoon. How many rigs are waiting already?

Re: "Live" from the Western Swing
 

WOW! As a flat lander, those big bumps coming out of the background sure look beautiful! Thanks for the great pics guys. Jim

Re: "Live" from the Western Swing
 

You're welcome, Jim. The pictures don't do justice to all the beautiful country we have seen. They don't show how far you could see sometimes, or high we were and looking forward to the road we were about to come down and back up!

Mike, there are probably already 100 or so rigs here, a lot of them locals that have been here some since last Wednesday, the day we were parking in Sonoma.

Re: "Live" from the Western Swing
 

Larry, I noticed the picture of you at Bonneville. You should have changed the gear in the cuda to a 2 something and given it a try.

Re: "Live" from the Western Swing
 

Larry & Patsy... Thanks for what you do, you guys are so humble I really don't think you know what a GREAT Blessing you are to all of us out west who got know you! You are really neet people and I'm honored I got to park by you and meet you. I hope you do really really well at the "Mopar" race and win it!!! What a great cap that would be to your "Western Swing".

In Christ Love Always... Larry Peterson
PS: I always pray that God will cause me to be parked by the people He wants me next to... He really did a Great job for me at Sonoma! :)

Re: "Live" from the Western Swing
 

thanks for the great pictures
wish i was there

Re: "Live" from the Western Swing
 

Greg that thought did cross my mind.

Re: "Live" from the Western Swing
 

Well it is a nice morning here in Denver. Not many racers have arrived since we got here on Monday. There have been no "Droozemobile" sightings yet. The only stock racers we have seen so far have been Dick Geary and Ronnie West. Dick is coming by this morning and picking us up to go to breakfast. We should be starting to park by noon today.

More later.

Re: "Live" from the Western Swing
 

Pop, Keith, Myself, Mandie, Tonya, and 2 new guests to the NHR zoo are about 80 miles out....

My son David (aka Spongemonkey) and Kaylinn (Keith and Tonyas daughter) are along as well......with family and friends on both the Lynch and Wertman side coming in from SLC and other points west, I think we may indeed have the largest crew ever assembled for a Stock Elim car....should be interesting.

Look forward to seeing you all soon.

Cheers from NHR

Re: "Live" from the Western Swing
 

I've got to admit seeing you stand next to the Bonneville sign Larry makes me a little jealous. The salt flats has been on my To-Do list for a long time.
Have fun Danny Durham

Re: "Live" from the Western Swing
 

Danny, I would suggest moving that trip to the top of the list. My only regret after having gone there the last 4 years is that I can't afford to put a car together to race out there!! And by the way, regarding Larry's stocker...it's gonna need a hell of a lot more than 2-something gears to pass tech out there - starting with aftermarket seats!!

Re: "Live" from the Western Swing
 

Thanks for the tip, Paul. You'd think that as a kid growing up in the 60s and getting my first models and car mags around 65', and being exposed to all of that, I would've made the pilgrimage to Bonneville's sacred groung by now, but it just hasn't worked out.
As retirement hopefully looms closer, I'm thinking I can find a way to get there. Never say never!
Danny Durham

Re: "Live" from the Western Swing
 

Larry & Patsy, it was nice getting to chat with you for a bit at Sonoma, as others have said, your Western Swing tour is one that many of us would love to do at some time. Compared to your adventure, my little 2100 mile round trip to Sonoma was, as Mark Faul called it, "a hop,skip,and a jump', but in a non A/C equipped 36 year old ramp truck, by myself, well the old "getting there is 1/2 the fun" motto doesn`t apply! Good luck at Denver, and you will always have the stories of your trip to share with your locals when you get home. Drive safe.

Re: "Live" from the Western Swing
 

Well we are inside and parked. I think Wallace felt sorry for us after having parked us in the dirt at Seattle, so we have a decent spot. It is not on the pavement, but it is on the hard surface. It started raining just as we got parked. It rained pretty hard for a little, but is just sprinkling now. Drooze and crew are here. Unless they are in good with someone from Mopar, they are probably down at the end. We will go out and about when it quits raining. Other stock and superstock seen: Scott Pearson and Steve Hagberg.

More later.

Re: "Live" from the Western Swing
 

Larry and Patsy:

Pauline, Jimmy and I feel like we are on Vacation with you. We are following every move of you western swing anniversary trip!!!

Jim Whiteside

Re: "Live" from the Western Swing
 

Larry,

You would not want to run your beautiful Cuda at Bonneville, the salt would
just eat up that nice car.

I've got a buddy who did take his street car there to watch one year and even
after alot of car wash spraying to clean it up a few years later the sill plate screws
rusted off.

He now recommends taking a rental car instead.

Re: "Live" from the Western Swing
 

Larry, you and Miss Pasty are enjoying the GOOD LIFE. Congrat's. Thanks for all the pictures.. Have fun in Denver. Go down to Morrison to eat great food and neat town.

See you at INDY

Re: "Live" from the Western Swing
 

Larry & Patsy, are you two north of the final (truly the only) return road? Or are you just north of the e/t shack & weight scale? I hope you're in the latter and not the former, because otherwise you're in the dreaded "North 40", which is out of sight of all the action (even the shut down area). :(

If you take a picture of your surroundings, or ask someone (like Steve Hagberg), he'll say for sure if you are or not. If you are there, then I hope you're closer to the exit, and near the entry/exit road too, and be glad you have a pit vehicle, because you'll need it there...the manufactures midway is way down near the other end of the track.

Re: "Live" from the Western Swing
 

Just ate at Cafe Prague in Morrison last week.

Very Good!

Bill

http://thecafeprague.com/

Re: "Live" from the Western Swing
 

Well, we have been out exploring and seeing where everything is around here. We decided we have a pretty good spot, level and hard surface. Drooze is parked down in the North 40.
http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...ket/006-22.jpg
Looking down toward the North 40 from the tech area.

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...ket/014-19.jpg
Some people have unusual exhaust pipes for their generators. We noticed a big lack of pipes here also.

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...ket/001-24.jpg
This is a super gas car that hit an antelope at the end of the track last weekend in Douglas, WY. This was taken this morning while we were stacked.
http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...ket/015-19.jpg
This is the car tonight being repaired back in the North 40.

Re: "Live" from the Western Swing
 

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...ket/003-23.jpg
Looking out toward Denver from the end of our row.

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...ket/004-24.jpg
Looking down the track from the end of our row.

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...ket/005-22.jpg
Looking back down toward the shutdown area from up here.

Re: "Live" from the Western Swing
 

Hey Redman,

I met a friend of yours today, Harold, and he said you just had a birthday.

So "Happy Birthday"! We will see you at Bowling Green and Indy

Re: "Live" from the Western Swing
 

The car that hit the antelope (I think its them) has bar none the oddest haircut on a dog Ive ever seen....it was sleeping under the trailer and Spongemonkey said it looks like a lion....he was right.....what happened there ?

I have to say Ive pitted in the boonies before, in bikes and car....this is a MILE out.....and I dont have my 40mph golf cart.

I missed you I was fortunate to get to talk to Patsy but I think u were working on the car.

Youd think I was still a "Phantom" lol....of course were here and while I was a bit bummed about not seeing our eastern friends I am eager and fortunate to have met some new western ones.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4116/...75764a8f_z.jpg

Everyone lookin UTTERLY Thrilled....1300 miles takes a toll....its amazing we all got here without someone getting a homicide charge at least in our cramped vehicle.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4114/...9b684baa_z.jpg

Tommorow for the fun.... TECH....I love Tech.....Dono why.....oh well...

Look forward to seeing you tommorow.

Cheers

Chris

Re: "Live" from the Western Swing
 

Larry, it was very nice meeting you and Patsy. That Vette was just purchased from our friend and T/S competitor Bob Herr. Very nice Corvette. So Antelope steaks for dinner?
It was very nice meeting and talking with y'all. We hope when things get better for the racing budget we can come back and race with you folks.
Good luck and be SAFE!

Barry P.

Re: "Live" from the Western Swing
 

Yes, Pete I have been having trouble breathing a little. In the drive over from Sonoma, we have been at 4000-7000' since Sunday. I had a headache one morning when I woke up, which is very unusual for me. The locals told me I need to drink lots of water, which I have been trying to do (along with my wine). Speaking of wine, thanks again Barry for the wine. One bottle is gone, and I am saving the other for Jerry Bennett to try. Since his heart surgery, he has been trying out red wines instead of the hard stuff.

I just went down to check the schedule, and we run 2 qualifying sessions tomorrow and then class. Then 2 rounds on Sat. morning. If you get to the 3rd round, you will get to hear the national anthem on Sunday (we run after 2 rounds of pros.) I guess everybody out here likes to sleep in because we don't start until noon tomorrow. We run after Super Street.

I am going to try to get some pics today, so more later.

Larry hasn't gotten teched in yet. The car wasn't wanting to run at all, so he is changing jets.

More later

Re: "Live" from the Western Swing
 

That first pass will be a shocker. You'll think you forgot ot put it in low gear. So much slower. Going to the Block party in Golden tonight? Really enjoy your "live from" threads and the pictures. Thank you.

Re: "Live" from the Western Swing
 

Pull out the weather staion and give a reading if it gets below 6000 ft it mite be fast out there. Don,t foget to coast down to stageing lanes and if your horn works use it. Tom

Re: "Live" from the Western Swing
 

Well the DA today is 9600'. It is sprinkling rain, but Larry finally has the jets changed so the car will run well enough to get to tech. I haven't taken any pics today yet. Ronnie West took us out for lunch along with Steve Hagberg to a nice little restaurant in Morrison--TNT. Hey, thanks, Ronnie.

The block party is on for tonight, but no shuttle bus or Mopar giving any thing away for food or drinks. We have to see if we can get a ride.

More later.