The Ford Barn - Old Henry meets the Presidents

Four dead ones, that is, carved on Mount Rushmore. AnnaRae went to our daughter's in Idaho to watch her kids while she went to girls' camp. I decided to get Mount Rushmore off of my bucket list while she was gone. But, this time, I traded Pepe in for one of my 18 grandsons, Jacob, 11 years old. We were like Mr. Fredrickson and Russ in the movie UP, except that Jacob was not annoying and I was not annoyed. We had the time of our lives.

Here's our setup for the trip:

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...ps88syfyvt.jpg

On the speaker we had the indoor/outdoor thermometer to track the temperature in front of the radiator, the MP3 player, and the two auxiliary gauges in the glove box to track oil pressure and engine temperature more accurately than the dash gauges.

We set out up Provo Canyon headed for Heber City and beyond. When we got to Deer Creek Reservoir Jacob had to take a picture. So, we stopped for one. This is my little traveling buddy with Old Henry on the lake:

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...pso858dcwv.jpg

Unfortunately, during that stop I noticed that the left rear tire was low. I rolled my eyes, gritted my teeth and said, "Not again!" I'd been plagued with flat tires on my Mexico trip in February. I'd driven this car daily as I always do to coax out any problems I might have on the trip and the tire was full up when we left just 15 miles before. Now it was leaking.

I pumped it up with my rechargeable pump and headed for Heber City 15 miles away to fill up with gas. Just before we got to Heber we passed the airport and Jacob saw this 1945 Lockheed PV-2 "Harpoon" bomber that was flown over our town for the July 4th celebration by the 94 year old "Candy Bomber", Gail Halvorson, who dropped candy from a bomber for the children of Berlin during the blockade after WWII. (More here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gail_Halvorsen)

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...psywumsdvk.jpg

While filling up in Heber I noticed the tire was already low again so I pumped it up with the station's pump and headed down the road, hoping by some miracle the tire would "fix itself" (yeah, sure).

Soon after we headed for Wyoming Jacob opened up his laptop "desk" and wrote his family a letter about the trip so far.

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...psxdypxktn.jpg

Jacob is one amazingly good kid. He cares so much about others. He wrote a letter each day the first two days (after that he didn't write because we'd beat his letters home), called his family each day and talked to every one including each of his 5 siblings, asking how each was and how his dad was that was at work. In all of the souvenir shops he only thought of buying gifts for his family, never himself. And so smart and inquisitive and excited about life and everything. Just like Russ (which is actually his dad's name too) from UP.

When we stopped in Evanston, Wyoming for gas the tire was low again. I pumped it up again with their pump and went on down the road. After awhile I decided to stop and get it fixed. The next opportunity was Little America service center. I didn't want to pull off the freeway if they couldn't help me so I called ahead to make sure they could fix an inner tube. They said they could so there I went, into the huge 18 wheeler garage.

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...psmxoo9gnw.jpg

The guy that worked on the tire was as old as I was (and that's old) and seemed to have some idea what he was doing except when it came to finding the leak. He had no dunk tank so he just splashed some water on the tube from the sink for quite awhile and reported that he couldn't find a leak.

I was afraid that another tube had been bitten by a rusty rim but this rim was one I'd ground all of the rust off of and painted with appliance epoxy paint and installed a liner. So, I hoped it wasn't that again.

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...pslfprwrlc.jpg

Still looks like some rust might be breaking through the paint. Looks like I'm going to have to powder coat all the rims.

Nothing to do but put the tire back on and hope it had "fixed itself" (ha, ha.)

Everyone that I told we were going on this trip couldn't believe we'd go without A/C. We sure didn't need it the first day. It was 59° when we left and never got to 70° that day. It was nice and cool and eventually rained pretty heavy. I was glad I'd just treated the windshield with Rain-X as the wipers weren't keeping up very well on the freeway. Here's the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzrbvBJtDDI

Eventually the rain stopped and I thought about where to leave the freeway to head north to our first destination of Martin's Cove, a Mormon historical site. (https://www.lds.org/locations/mormon...-site?lang=eng) We were navigating with good old fashioned paper maps and I knew I needed to leave the freeway at Rawlins. It seemed like we were going way too far and I hadn't seen the turn off. Eventually I decided to have Jacob look at the map while I was driving and tell me what the exit number was for Rawlins. Both lanes of traffic were on our side at that point because of construction, one lane each way with those temporary orange pots dividing us. I was trying to show Jacob where to read the exit number (there was no shoulder to stop on for miles) and keep my eye on the narrow road, glancing back and forth. Suddenly, when I glanced up at the road from the map I saw I was about to hit an orange post. And I did. It sounded real bad. I imagined that I'd wiped out my left side. And, one of the left tires was wobbling or bouncing. Besides that trauma, I figured out from the mile markers that we'd driven 35 miles past our turnoff! "So, that was the town off to the side of the freeway way back there that I never saw a sign for and couldn't figure out what it was."

The lanes eventually returned to their own sides so we had two lanes again. There wasn't an exit for miles so I decided to turn around at one of the emergency U-turn places (for authorized vehicles only, mind you.) I got in the left lane to do so and an 18 wheeler was bearing down on top of me. I couldn't slow down any to pull off so did it pretty fast and sudden. Scared the trucker who veered to the right to keep from hitting me.

I got out before completing my U-turn to check the left side damage. Nothing. Just some black on the whitewalls on that side where the tires had run over the black rubber base for the poles. Must have just missed or only skimmed the poles themselves. That was good news.

So, we got turned around and headed back to our turn-off. It was then that I realized that with the extra 70 miles we were probably going to run out of gas before we could get some. Three miles from our exit the engine started to die. I turned on the electric fuel pump to try to keep it going and it helped until right at the exit itself, the engine died. So, there, in sight of a gas station at the end of the exit ramp I had to get out and put the gas from the can in the trunk in.

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...psoakliyc5.jpg

We filled up with gas just ahead and headed north on US 287 for Martin's Cove. When we arrived there and pulled into the parking space one of the missionaries came over and said, "I sure hope you didn't lose your gas cap." I got out and, sure enough, the gas door was open and there was no cap. I'd left it on the pump at the last station we'd filled up at. So, after our visit at Martin's Cove we headed for Casper without a gas cap and a wobbling/bouncing tire (oh yeah, the left rear was low again.)

After staying at a motel in Casper, the next morning I googled the nearest tire store to get the tire fixed. I pulled in and asked first, "Do you have a dunk tank to find leaks in inner tubes?" "Yes." "Can you fix an inner tube leak?" "Well, I used to fix them all the time on my bicycle when I was a kid." (This was a man in his 30's) What the heck. Let's give it a whirl. Oh, they had to call and order a patching kit to be delivered.

I gotta say, though, this "kid" that worked on my tire was the most careful, conscientious person that had every worked on my tire. (One of the "benefits" if you will, to flat tires is getting to meet a lot of interesting and different people who work on the tires.)

Well, he did find the leak. And, it was not on the inside caused by a rusty rim. It was on the outside from something that came through the tire or was caught inside of it. That was good news that my rim conditioning effort had not been totally in vain.

The next stop was to the local NAPA Auto Parts to get a gas cap. They didn't have one listed for my car (which surprised me since they usually have what I need, especially the common stuff). But, the parts man got out the real book and put in a lot of effort to find a vented cap that fit and we went on our way.

By then I didn't notice the wobbling or bouncing of the tires. So, some things do, indeed, "fix themselves".

Since I hadn't paid attention enough to the road signs to navigate by paper map I decided I'd better leave it up to Siri on my iPhone to guide us. So, I told her to get me to Mount Rushmore and headed out.

I followed Siri's directions which took us up Wyoming highway 59 to drive through Thunder Basin National Grassland. Here's the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UM7vrtysnZ0

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...ps0maau5ki.jpg

I had actually thought we were on a road much further east and was disappointed that Siri had taken us so far north instead. So, that was it. From then on I used the paper map to decide which way to go and only used the GPS to find out where we were if I had any doubts. It worked much better from then on. At every junction in the road when the GPS said to turn one way I checked the paper map to make sure that was really where we wanted to go and sometimes ignored the GPS and went the way we wanted to go instead.

Eventually we crossed the border into South Dakota on US Hwy 16 heading for Mount Rushmore. Here's the drive: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7pfmw5sSdo

And, eventually arrived at Mount Rushmore late in the day when the light was at the Presidents' back.

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...psxncqowpt.jpg

Had to park next to the two old VW buses of course for the photo shoot. Can't get cars very close to the mountain for pictures. But, my favorite is around to the side of the mountain for a picture just under Washington's profile:

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...psyfcosbjz.jpg

We stayed in Deadwood, SD that night and headed for Devils Tower the next day. Here's how it looked as we drove toward it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlyBubkN6vw And at the foot of it:

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...psysmfepdz.jpg

We met up with the blue VW bus again:

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...pswwwdn5n9.jpg

And, almost to the top are two doing what the tower is best known for - hanging on for dear life: http://youtu.be/0L0b34QfC74

This trailer should have been behind the VW bus but wasn't.

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...pssraarht0.jpg

From there we headed toward our next destination - the only All American Road in Wyoming that ended at the north entrance to Yellowstone then south through Yellowstone and the Tetons to home. When we got to Buffalo, Wyoming Jacob suggested that such route was way too far and would take us too long to get home. I stopped and figured out the total miles and travel time and he was right. So, we decided to head straight for home the shortest route instead.

In Buffalo, elevation 4,646, it had warmed up to 90° but we weren't too bad off as long as we kept the air moving through the car. But, as we left Buffalo, in about 35 miles we climbed over 5,000 feet up the Bighorn Mountains to Powder River Pass at 9,666 feet and 60°.

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...psytimd29u.jpg

That night we stayed in Worland and headed out the next morning on down US 20. At some little town along the way we found this quaint little abandoned Motel - the B&B Motel (that's for Bates and Bates).

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...psjrrslapa.jpg

For you urban explorers, here's the video of the inside: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z79vgqRN4LI

Jacob's mom (my daughter) and I worried that he might get bored on the trip so she and I loaded him with all kinds of road games, puzzles, etc. The only thing he ever used was recordings of historical dramatizations on his MP3 player. The rest of the time he was quite content with just watching the road like me, AND flying his imaginary Star Wars Fighter in the rapidly moving air out the window, complete with all of the sound effects including R2D2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2KWR7-6W88

When we got to Lander the gas gauge was a bit low and I thought about getting some gas. But, it looked like there was another town shortly down the road so skipped it - much to my chagrin it turned out.

After Lander we climbed again up the Wind River Mountains through Wind River Canyon. Here's the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGDPECUkgFs

On the way we passed by Red Canyon:

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...pslqxroy7d.jpg

When we got to the top of the Wind Rivers, the two cities on the map turned out to be ghost towns with no residents and no services. Then I knew we were in trouble. Rather than wait until we ran out of gas I went ahead and put in the reserve from the trunk.

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...psu3fnyo1f.jpg

We then carried on back to the plains of south east Wyoming under the beautiful white billowy clouds.

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...psdjrdzmvg.jpg

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...psoa0cfmkb.jpg

We just made it to Farson before all of the gas, including the reserve, was gone. From there it was smooth sailing home.

Total distance 1,551 miles in 4 days of traveling.
Good time had by all.

Previous trips:

Pony Express Trail in April 2015: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=166241

Mexico and around in February 2015: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=162633

Ghost towns of Modena, UT and Pioche, NV in November 2014: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=155331

Million Dollar Highway, Durango to Montrose, Colorado in June 2014 https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=142975

Transcontinental Railway Grade in May 2014: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=139471

City of Rocks, Idaho in April 2014:https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=137684

Capitol Reef National Park in March 2014: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=133018

Grouse Creek and the AAA garage in February 2014: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=130966

Grand Canyon in January 2014: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=128820

Moab, UT in December 2013: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=127222

Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument November 2013: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123694

Across Nevada on US 50, "The Loneliest Road in the Country", October 2013: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=120098

Mount Evans (the highest paved road in North America) August 2013: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=115013

Canada in June 2013: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=109872

Monument Valley in March 2013: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=99523

Bryce Canyon in February 2013: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=97822

Milford, Utah in December 2012: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=93137

Nevada and Idaho in November 2012: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=89080

Rocky Mountain National Park in September 2012: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=83966

Yellowstone National Park in May 2012: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=72864

Death Valley in February 2012: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=62705

Pike's Peak in July 2011: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19141

Route 66 in April 2010: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=57511