An Atom Across America (Again)

[Terri Kennedy]

Here are a couple pictures from Yosemite:

Half Dome and falls viewed from Glacier Point:


Upper Yosemite Falls:


They have the most inept road construction crews ever - they have actually removed the paved Highway 41 / Wawona Road and replaced it with a rutted dirt trail for around 10 miles, with other bad patches as well.

[ZBB]

Originally Posted by Terry Kennedy

They have the most inept road construction crews ever - they have actually removed the paved Highway 41 / Wawona Road and replaced it with a rutted dirt trail for around 10 miles, with other bad patches as well.

I noticed something similar just south of Yellowstone when we were there last summer. Tear up the entire road, make it horrible and bumpy dirt road for 10+ miles while they rebuild it -- and traffic was only one-way in a couple sections (so flag crews...).

[Terri Kennedy]

As you probably all know, I'm our own "Captain Slow". I mostly go to the Atom events to socialize. Some of the other guys take it a lot more seriously...

At Laguna Seca, one of the other Atom owners did a 1:33.something (we're waiting for the certified transponder figures). According to this article, the former production car record lap was held by a 2010 Viper ACR. Until Darin's Atom came along.

According to info I have, the record bike times are:

Superbike - Tommy Hayden 1:26.100
MotoGP - Dani Pedrosa 1:23.158

[Terri Kennedy]

By the way, Roy's in Amboy is open again, selling gas, souvenirs, and so forth:



Ran across a classic MG on the side of the road, chatted with the owner for a bit:



You'll note that it is being displayed in its natural habitat - on the side of the road with the hood up.

Read more on my blog here.

[Terri Kennedy]

Today was one of those days:





More on the blog, as usual.

Texas folks (particularly DFW) - I'll be coming through somewhat north of you (Wichita Falls) sometime over the next few days. PM or reply here if you want to discuss a get-together.

[operknockity]

Originally Posted by Terry Kennedy

By the way, Roy's in Amboy is open again, selling gas, souvenirs, and so forth:

Cool! Too bad Buster Burris is long gone.

One of these days i'll make it back out there. Prolly not going to go fossil digging again (too strenuous for this old body), but will have to find the general store and the flying saucer repair station in Chambliss again.

[Terri Kennedy]

Originally Posted by operknockity

One of these days i'll make it back out there. Prolly not going to go fossil digging again (too strenuous for this old body), but will have to find the general store and the flying saucer repair station in Chambliss again.

Yup - the Department of the Interior paved the access road to the crater, but they're not fooling me - I did the climb on the way back from Bimmerfest 2004 and the trail markings were not so good, and I got off the trail, seriously lost, and could have died. Let me know if you find the UFO service station - I've never been able to.

[operknockity]

Originally Posted by Terry Kennedy

Yup - the Department of the Interior paved the access road to the crater, but they're not fooling me

They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
With a pink hotel, a boutique
And a swinging hot SPOT
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
‘Til it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

Originally Posted by Terry Kennedy

Let me know if you find the UFO service station - I've never been able to.

The last time we were out there was the mid-80's. After this many years it might not be there anymore, but I'll let y'all know if I find it again.

[Terri Kennedy]

My videos of the Atom Coastal Cruise (Golden Gate Bridge and tunnel segment) are now up on YouTube:

[Terri Kennedy]

Originally Posted by Terry Kennedy

At Laguna Seca, one of the other Atom owners did a 1:33.something (we're waiting for the certified transponder figures). According to this article, the former production car record lap was held by a 2010 Viper ACR. Until Darin's Atom came along.

The same guy who did that got an invite to run one of the Spec Race Atoms at VIR (full course). He'd never driven VIR before, and was in a borrowed Atom, with a very different configuration (Honda / 6-speed) from his Atom (Ecotec, 5-speed). He did a 2:07:00

Spec Race Atom, VIR, 7-16-11

How the heck do you embed a Vimeo video here, anyway?