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BMCU Memorial Day Run 2002
On Saturday, May 25, around 9 a.m., the horns were sounded and the Run began.
Thirty minutes later, it began again after determining the electrically operated
choke on Gary and Sandy Lindstrom’s Jaguar XK140 was functional. Ten vehicles
headed down the west side of Utah Lake for Delta. Nick Nichols brought a
DeLorean time machine along
in Stewart’s Capri. Mark and Joyce Noeltner were in their real DeLorean. Pugs
and Dianne Pivirotto actually brought a British car (Triumph Spitfire) instead
of the usual Cadillac. Susan and Jon Hermance hauled the cooler this year in a
4-Runner mothership. Mitch and Dianne Johnson in their Spitfire and Bill Walton
in his MGB were among the first-timers for this year’s tour. Ron and Kathy
came in their Jensen namesake. Julie and Bill Van Moorhem in their TD and Julie
and Don McEligot in the big Healey rounded out the convoy until we got to Delta
and met up with Connie and
Kendall Dewsnup with their MG Midget.
While in Delta, the group had lunch and visited the local history museum. Among the displays was an original barracks from the Topaz detention camp where up to 8,000 Americans of Japanese decent were interned from 1942 through 1945. The Dewsnups also gained us admission to a multi-mirrored Dance Hall upstairs above Main Street, which had originated back when Delta was a much rowdier mining town-type place than it appears to be today.
From Delta we headed for the Utah-Nevada border near Baker. On this leg, the
group divided up into those who were comfortable in the 55 to 60 mph range and
those who preferred to go a bit faster. This was allowed under a list of
suggestions for touring that took shape by email with Don McEligot prior to the
Memorial Day Run. Another suggestion successfully employed on this tour was the
maintaining of significant space
between cars. This allowed people to pass us one at a time instead of
endangering all in multiple car-pass-situations.
The Border Inn near Baker, Nevada, where we spent the first night was a bit of a surprise in that the motel consisted of twelve-by-trailers divided up into motel rooms. Shades of Topaz! Sunday morning we headed into the Great Basin National Park. The Lehman Cave tours were decided against in favor of driving up into the vicinity of 13,000 foot Wheeler Peak for great mountain scenery.
From Baker we headed south to Pioche, again divided into two groups based on
speed preferences. A new seal on the gas cap had caused an ancient hose between
the cap and the fuel tank of the Lindstrom Jaguar to collapse. The collapsed
age-hardened hose greatly restricted the amount of fuel that could be pumped
into the tank. There were no
service garages that might have had a new hose until Pioche. We weren’t there
yet when the Jag ran out of gas. The Dewsnup Midget had a few gallons to spare
and the car’s electric fuel pump was used to avoid people having to suck on
siphon hoses. Trickling fuel from a plastic milk jug into the Jag allowed
passage to Pioche and installation of a temporary piece of new radiator hose
from cap to tank.
More time could have been spent on the courthouse tour, antique shops and
restaurants of Pioche, but Cedar City and a real motel beckoned. The next
day’s return north through Milford to Delta was traffic free and quite scenic.
The fuel pump in the Midget, however, gave out about 50 miles south of Delta.
Kendall and Connie rode home in the 4-Runner and returned for their car with a
trailer. As far as we know everybody made
it home.
Next year we may go north into the Jackson, Wyoming, area. Check your windshield wipers and side curtains.
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