We're in Port Lavaca Tx tonight. Beautiful breeze to keep it cool. Great day with no codes. Cat is running strong. Corpus Christi tomorrow morning, find a nice motel and settle down for a couple of days. Do the tours and cruise around with a base for the night.

I'll post a note when we're on the way again.

 

Nice Jag - Great dog! I grew up around there, We had a weekend house on Matagorda Bay that could have been one of those in the background. Hope you don't need any car service on the trip - closest is probably in Corpus Christi. DaleD

 

Thanks for the comments DaleD. Don't expect anything big. Bought a new MAF at a NAPA store this morning and some top fluid while I was there.

Now I've got to figure how to get the top fluid into the reservoir. Is that a plug or a plastic nut on the top of the reservoir? Very hard to see and get my big fingers in there.

 

After a couple of nice quiet days on South Padre Island with fantastic weather, we are on the road again. Went through McAllen then up to San Antonio to visit the Alamo. We've stopped in Junction Tx for the night. tomorrow we'll check out Canyon Tx.

Got nearly 3000 miles on her and we've used 96 gallons so far plus I topped up the oil with a half litre today.

I picked up a baby medicine syringe from a drug store and neopreen tubing from Home Depot to top up the reservoir on the cvt top pump. Should have done that at home before I left but was a little busy.

NAPA had the fluid and I should mention that the MAF sensor was $155.
Works great so far with no more rich codes.

This place was on Hwy 10 about a half hr from San Antonio. I love the over the top tourist attractions.

 

Is it just me, or do the two pinkish things in the background look kinda like legs?

 

I didn't know your trip plans included SOUTH PADRE ISLAND; that's where I live! We could've gotten together so I could show you around, help you with what to do & what to see, have a brew at the local micro-brewery, and of course, compare rides! Sorry we missed that opportunity!

John

 

Sorry John. We did the North end then decided, What the heck, let's see how much the South end has developed in the 40 yrs since I've been there. Sad to say that one building was being rebuilt and it wasn't there when I was. Man!!! talk about old!

That's kind of the fun on these trips. We make very little if any solid plans. We just set a general direction and possible destination. We avoid the nasty weather and if we like a place, we can drag our feet there a bit.

As for you my good man, Rev sam, those are seashells, NOT legs! Geeze! LOL

In Amirillo tonight. Local Route 66 then the Canyon drive tomorrow.

 

RJAG... how did you go? Did you go through Niagara, Detroit or Sarnia?

Some nice pictures. Especially with those... colourful?... houses in the background. Took me forever to figure out what I was looking at... To be honest, I still don't quite understand it. Are those "beach" houses... on stilts to avoid flooding or what?

Either way, I really love that picture. Pretty neat.

For the unobstructed (unconstructed?) view of the picture, please see the VIP section...

 

John: Brings back memories of flying F9s at Kingsville in 1962 (I was a Marine Aviation Cadet) But that was a Long time ago! I was driving a 1960 Corvette then.

RJAG: Sorry, didn't mean to hijack the thread!

 

Fedoraja1, we went down through Ft Erie. Quick way South for me. I was dodging weather anyway so Detroit was out.

All the houses on the coast at water level are on stilts. This is protection from the storm surges that can flood inland for many feet high during the bad ones.

The really impressive ones are concrete with steel shutters. I would need a ramp to get the car up into the livingroom when needed. Otherwise, it would be like leaving your dog or kids outside while you're in and up safe and dry.

Not a problem Paul. There was a steady stream of 'Naval Aviators' working on twin ratings and instruments I believe, going round the pattern while I was there at the North end. There was also another one doing a T and L patrol down the beach and I've attached his pic.

 

We did the canyon tour South of Amirillo and the mile of Route 66 that is being rejuvenated here. That will be nice when it's further along. Met the fellow who is starting up Moe dogs. Great guy and it's going to be a really nice place. Opens in two weeks. Hope he does well. East on I-40 tomorrow.

 

For those of you unfamiliar with Palo Duro Canyon, It's more impressive when you consider what surrounds it. It sits in the middle of a vast plain. It's flat as a pancake for miles around, and suddenly this enormous canyon. Just appears out of nowhere. It's no Grand Canyon, but it's still pretty cool.

 

Well, we are home safe and sound.

8700 km (5405 m) to the garage. Car ran great and used only a half liter of oil for the duration. That tells me I have about 130000km on an engine that is still running very clean and strong. A lot more road trips in this girl.

Code reader was mandatory for me to sort out the MAF issue and my throttle sensor still acted out one more time after a long run with the cruise control on. There is definitely a cruise control connection going on here.
JTIS has an item on balancing the voltage for the pedal and cable sensor. I'll review that now I'm home.

I learned the following things.

It gets better mileage at 80 than at 60. That defies the common wisdom of slowing down to save fuel but I proved it on three separate tests.

It gets better mileage with the top down than up. I would have bet against that but again, I proved it by testing.

It gets about 3 mpg better mileage on 93 octane than on 90. That does make sense but is more dramatic than I would have guessed.

For my Canadian friends, you can expect 28 to 33 mpg in Imperial gallons. I'm guessing that's about 25 to 27 mpg US.

The only damage on the trip was a Texas rock taking out my right fog lamp. I'm looking for a used one if anyone has any ideas or knows where I can get one at a reasonable price?

Thanks to all for the comments and the input on the trip. It was very nice to stay connected to you all.

These pics rather sum up the flavour of the trip.

 

RJag - loved the story, loved the photos, loved the whole concept of the drive South in your Jag. You have a nice way of just letting it flow. I look forward to more driving stories- more from you, and also more of my own in my own new (to me) Jag.
Steve8