Bridget the Midget

Always something! The container ship has had a problem with her propellors (can’t blame Lucas for this one) and had to go into dry dock to have things rectified. Subsequently the final 180 miles drive will be delayed until next week.

I have selected to finish at Abingdon and the MGCC has kindly agreed that we may use Kimber House as the official finishing line. A full report on the day will appear here around the 19th October 2009.

We had left Ottawa just after 9:00 am and found highway 20 east easily. The drive was uneventful except for the usual waving, horn tooting fans. We completed the near 200 miles in three hours arriving in time for lunch. Bridget was still running well.

It was immediately apparent to anyone that has travelled anywhere in Canada that the city of Quebec is different. Regular readers will have already deduced that I am not really a city person and as we approached the end of this journey my patience with city ways was diminishing. Quebec changed all that and I quickly realised what I had been missing for much of the second half of this adventure; history!

One of the few figures I learnt about in school, and remembered, was General James Wolfe and he is one of several characters I had always felt akin to in that he attempted tasks that others felt were unlikely to succeed just because they were difficult. I can’t say much more as my cousin who lives in France has forbidden me from making any disparaging remarks surrounding events from the campaigns of 1759, or any similar subjects!

The central area of Quebec is easily accessible on foot. The hotels have a feel about them that is different to most other locations in the Americas. The architecture is obviously, and some might think overly, European, but it gives an atmosphere to the city that is lacking in most others. Unlike Ottawa, which I enjoyed, Quebec is not a major shopping experience. The big fashion houses are not present pushing their latest design, which is not to say that Quebec doesn’t have good shops, it does, but they are not displayed as a major event in life. Quality of life is more important with food and drink being the major players, along with music, the arts and historical interest. Certainly tourism is a major contributor to the city’s coffers, but it is achieved with class.

Our second day in Quebec brought with it the first rain we had had since the deluge in Panama City. The temperature was noticeably lower and I wondered if this marked the official end to Canada’s summer.

Tomorrow we would leave Quebec on the last part of our journey through the North Americas. We were going to go to the northern part of the province then around New Brunswick and Nova Scotia before entering Halifax to prepare to return home.

We left Quebec early and took route TC-20 following the St Lawrence River north and east. The scenery improved with every mile covered. The trees were really colourful in places but many still had their summer coverage. Once again I kept a keen vigil for Elk, Moose and Bears, and once again saw none. I did however see plenty of seals sunbathing on rocks just off the beaches. Once we were just past Saint Maxime du Mont Louis we turned right and headed into the mountains around Murdochville.

Now we were back to the elementary pleasures of beautiful forested mountains, fast moving rivers and deep opal coloured lakes. I have to add though that we also discovered the worst road surfaces in all of Canada and the USA. Bridget had coped well, but I would have to check her thoroughly to make sure nothing had shaken loose. I’m afraid her rear licence plate had fallen victim to a steep slope again and the fixing screw that Peter Tilbury so kindly replaced in Vancouver was lost. I would have to do a temporary repair with an electrical tie once more.

Several people had mentioned the town of Gaspe as a possible stopover given my propensity to look for animals. There are purported to be many in this area plus the opportunity to go whale watching. I decided to splash out the dollars and took a boat out into Gaspe Bay and if necessary into the Gulf of St Lawrence. The trip normally lasts around 2½ hours. Everything started well, on time and with an excellent guide that explained what whales were in the area and their habits, and what we might expect to see. He overlooked mentioning the plunging temperature and rain.

We quickly came across dolphin as the boat ploughed steadily out into the bay. As we cleared the Cap-Gaspe headland the swell became noticeably more yawning, but then we spotted our first whales. They were Minke, the second smallest variety averaging only 7 metres in length, and they were fairly close to the craft. Shortly after we found our first Fin whale, also called the Finback or Razorback. This is the second largest mammal after the Blue whale, which are also in these waters. I had always wanted to see a Blue whale since seeing the one in the Natural history Museum in London as a child, but this was not to be the day.

Suddenly disaster struck! I turned to get a snapshot of a Fin Whale blowing when a gust of wind whipped my blue MG cap from my head and I saw it flying through the air several metres from the boat. We heard, on returning to port in the afternoon, that a whale with a go faster stripe and blue MG cap was spotted cavorting around the bay but I think someone was having a laugh at my expense.

The sea then became more severe and the cold was really penetrating, even the icebergs were turning blue. We returned to the wharf at around 12:30 and it was 3:00pm before I had thawed out, but it was well worth it. Bridget was refuelled, oiled and ready to go on to Fredericton, my wish was that the road condition would improve again.

The drive from Gaspe to Fredericton was as varied as it was beautiful. It started as a coastal drive then we turned inland through forests and hills with the resultant rivers and lakes. The trees generally still had some way to go before they gained their full autumnal foliage, but some had already changed colour and the mix was just fantastic.

Fredericton is the Capitol City of New Brunswick. I had some difficulty getting accommodation as they were hosting a week long Jazz Festival which is an annual event, however I eventually managed to find a room.

I sent an e-mail to David Nielsen, my contact at the Fredericton Area British Automobile Club, and within half an hour some dozen members who had been attending their monthly meeting arrived at the hotel to welcome me and chat about the trip. The following day I was treated to lunch by David and Jim Bleakney, then shown around the city before doing interviews with the Daily Gleaner, CBC Radio and CBC Television. Following a lovely dinner prepared for us by David’s wife Carolyn, Jim and his wife and daughter, Ellie and Jill, took me to a “Shine and Show” meeting. All in all a very good day and I extend my hearty thanks to everyone that made my visit special.

After leaving Fredericton Bridget and I drove the short distance to Moncton. It was looking most unlikely now that I would see any bears during my visit which was a little disappointing. I did however see a couple of deer grazing at the side of the highway.

The weather stayed fine until the evening when there were a couple of light showers, but the temperature had noticeably dropped from a week earlier. People were starting to talk about the onset of winter so our departure timing was probably about right.

Our last day of travelling started with the discovery of a crack in Bridget’s windscreen. It was not the type caused by a stone but appears more like a stress fracture, so anyway it means a replacement when we get back to Oxford. The list of things to be done was growing.

Arriving in Halifax I went straight to a ‘Show and Shine meeting in the suburb of Bedford. I had been invited along by Bob Hamilton of the Halifax branch of BATANS, British Automobile Touring Association of Nova Scotia. It was a great way to meet some of the members and view some very nice cars.

The following evening I was invited to spend some time telling the members about Bridget and our adventure at the end of which they presented me with some lovely mementoes. They also made a very generous donation to the UNICEF fund.

On Wednesday I took Bridget to the container yard to be packed snugly in her container for the voyage back to England. I am returning on Friday 25^th September and will hopefully meet up with her again in Liverpool around the 7^th October. It seems funny not having a drive ahead of me tomorrow.

I had a bad night’s sleep. For some reason my body has broken out in a serious rash of heat bumps. They cover my head, neck, arms and legs and they itch like mad. Having kept me awake most of the night I am not really in good condition for today’s drive.

We left at half past seven in the morning before the sun got up. The temperature overnight caused a light dew and is a very welcome break for me. The heat bumps do not itch if they are kept cool, and so at least the first phase of the drive should be OK.

We took Highway 1 east from Winnipeg and eventually joined Highway 17 to Thunder Bay. The scenery is an improvement over the previous drive, with pines and even small hills breaking up the horizon. Then we arrived into Lakeland, there are hundreds if not thousands of lakes everywhere. I would love to find one of the ‘glassy’ ones to park Bridget beside and get a photograph of her and her reflection but it is not possible to get close enough.

During the day we stopped at Longbow Lake to re-fuel and Carlton Dent, overhearing what I was telling an inquisitive passer-by about our adventure, said the fuel was on him as his donation to the UNICEF fund. I was thrilled that someone with so little information about our adventure would put his hand so deep into his pocket to support us.

The days drive was a little less than five hundred miles and Bridget seemed as fresh when we arrived as she was at the start. She was certainly running as well as she ever has since I bought her.

Ten miles short of our destination we crossed a bridge over the Kaministiquia River. I looked to my left and realised from the view that there was a fairly substantial waterfall. It transpired that it was the Kakabeka Falls which are just beautiful.

When we arrived in Thunder Bay I found a high pressure hose car wash and cleaned off all the dust that had accumulated over the past ten days. We received an e-mail from New Zealand requesting a radio interview about the journey which was nice as we hadn’t even been there. Bridget is becoming an International Star!

My heat bumps were just too much and I decided after another bad night that I was not in a fit state to drive. I thought if I had one day in the hotel, which is air conditioned and cool, that my body would recover. I caught up on my e-mail, magazine articles and general administration.

Sunday morning and I feel as if I am a day late and have to keep reminding myself “A day late for what?” On top of that my phone alarm was an hour late so instead of getting up at six o’clock it was seven o’clock. However it was a misty morning again and when we left Thunder Bay it was cool.

My body seemed to have responded to the day’s rest and Bridget appeared to be performing well. I did not set a specific location to reach that day so I wouldn’t be disappointed.

The scenery was improving all the time. The pine forests spread out on both sides and as we drove through MacKenzie I got my first good look at Lake Superior. It was much the same as looking out to sea but you need to remember this is a fresh water lake.

Bridget was still consistently getting attention as we made our way along the highway and we were constantly approached by curious strangers at service stations and viewpoints.

I decided to stop for the night at Sault Sainte Marie after some 450 miles. This put us two days from Ottawa and I had now been contacted by the local MG club there. I promised we would let them know where we were staying and for how long. I was also contacted by Mediaworks New Zealand owners of a number of radio stations who want a telephone interview. I found this surprising as of course we hadn’t been to New Zealand even though I know we have a regular group of supporters checking out our website. Anyway when we get to Ottawa I will give them the hotel phone number and see what happens.

Our next destination on route was North Bay. The road followed the north coast of Lake Superior through the towns of Marathon and Wawa, and The Pukaskwa National Park. The scenery was now just beautiful as some of the trees had started to turn colour so that in addition to the greens there were now yellow, gold, orange and red leaves.

From North Bay we drove on to Ottawa arriving so quickly I was taken by surprise. The countryside on this leg of the journey was far more agricultural and less forested. However I saw an antelope of some description making its way through a wheat field but it was too far away to get a photograph.

Bridget is now running so consistently well it’s almost becoming boring. Checks over the last three days show that we are averaging 60mph and her fuel consumption is now 34 miles to the gallon.

I spent the afternoon catching up with my administration and e-mailing and in the evening I was entertained by the Ottawa Austin Healey Car Club! They are a good crew and as usual have a mixture of cars with many owners having MG’s as well. This raises the conundrum of whether they are MG’ers or Austin Healey people?

The city of Ottawa is of course the country’s capital and there are a number of interesting historical Parliamentary buildings. It is a pleasant city which you can walk around easily and also has a good public transport system.

In the evening around a dozen members of the Ottawa MG Car Club gathered in the hotel and we commandeered the lounge for an impromptu MG meeting. It was all very convivial but we had to conclude early as I was scheduled to do the radio interview.

There is now only one thousand miles left to drive before arriving at Halifax to ship home to England and I am struggling with the idea that it is almost over. Still I have Montreal, Quebec and Nova Scotia to look forward to on route.

Calgary, situated to the east of the Rocky Mountains, is home to some one million people. It is twinned with, amongst others, the city of Jaipur, or the Pink City as it is sometimes called (see diary entry – Royal Circles 04/09/2008).

We were to stay here for two and a half days and the Calgary MG Car Club entertained me magnificently. They were assisted on Saturday by the Vintage Sports Car Club when I was taken on a Garage Tour to see a number of cars and motorcycles in various stages of renovation.

In the afternoon I was taken to experience the Calgary Highland Games in High River where a number of ex-pats threw hammers and tossed cabers, but they were even worst shots than the Talaban, so I stayed. There was also a pipe band competition that I thoroughly enjoyed and the Scotch Pies were excellent.

On Sunday we went up to Bragg Creek and the scenery is gorgeous, with mountains as a backdrop, the creek and waterfalls.

Our departure came all too quickly and we had to move on Monday morning towards Medicine Hat. We had been invited to stay at the Callaghan Hotel and Convention Centre and have been asked to do a couple of interviews with the local TV station and newspaper. As a bonus I found the hotel and attached nightclub is frequented by many British servicemen that train at a nearby location leased to the MOD for such purposes. I hadn’t expected to meet up with so many of my fellow countrymen in that location.

Next day we were off to Regina on route to Winnipeg. Bridget is running so well it is almost becoming boring. Admittedly we had to change the brake light switch in Calgary, a replacement being supplied by Bob and Resa from their own MGB, but that hardly equates to a major interruption in service. Quietly I am pleased as it is really nice to motor along without having to constantly scan the instruments for signs of trouble and keep listening to the engine beat.

We stopped for a few moments for a photo shoot at the Saami Tepee, which is the Worlds Highest Tepee. This is a tourist attraction in Medicine Hat that was originally constructed in Calgary for the Olympic Games.

From there we continued along Highway 1 East towards Regina. The landscape now changed dramatically and I was faced with the wheat growing plains of Canada. Here were thousands of square miles of cereal growing land, water holes with wildfowl, bison herds, domestic animals and salt flats.

We arrived in Regina a little after lunch and having checked into the hotel I went for a walk over to the local shopping mall to buy something to drink. I had only just entered the mall car park when two guys jumped out from behind a drive-in something or other, one carrying a camera on his shoulder and the other a microphone. They wanted to know “Do you think the use of mobile phones should be banned when driving a car?” When we finished the poll item I explained what I was doing in town and the news editor of CBC asked to do another interview the next day around about our adventure. So we are going to be delayed in the morning whilst they film Bridget.

Following the interview with CBC first thing in the morning we set off for Winnipeg, a distance of some 390 miles. I had checked Bridget’s oil level and added some brake fluid to the master cylinder. During the run I checked the fuel consumption and even though our average speed has increased to 60 mph, consumption has improved to 34 miles per gallon. Bridget really is a delight to drive.

Winnipeg is a pleasant city with lots of recreational areas. It’s very pedestrian and cyclist friendly, something I have noted in several locations in Canada, probably more so than any other country we have visited. However the countryside for hundreds of miles around is very flat and lacks the pleasing vista that hills and mountains give. I must however mention the trains that I saw several times even though I commented when in the States; but these are in another league altogether. I measured one as I passed, it being stationary at a red light, and it was two miles long!! It consisted of around two hundred wheat filled wagons and is incredible to see in a similar vein to the Australian Roadtrains.

From Kelowna we headed south on Highway 3B towards Rock Creek and Kettle Valley. The whole area is overshadowed by fir tree forested mountains. Occasional rivers and creeks are seen flowing mellifluously over gravel beds and rocks worn smooth by the flow.

I had decided to stop by one of these rivers, between Carmi and Rhone, to take some photos of Bridget and the scenery, when I spotted a helicopter carrying a very large box object under it. The chopper was skilfully manoeuvred between the hundreds of fir trees so that the box could be emptied by ground crew and then it departed the way it had come. The pilot could not have had more than a few feet in which to manoeuvre its rotors and it was fascinating to watch.

We spent the night at Nelson, a town on the banks of Lake Kootenay, British Colombia. Just like Kelowna the night before, Nelson is a tourist trap.

The following morning we headed north to the town of Proctor where we caught the longest free ferry in the world across Lake Kootenay. Then we joined Highway 3A north to Creston. This town has been in the news recently due to the purported behaviour of some polygamous sects. Outwardly it is just like many small towns in this part of British Colombia, a community with friendly, helpful people in a pretty location, and I am sure that most of them are just that. The scenery in this area is wonderful and there are a lot of Bavarian immigrant families here.

Whilst driving at around 65 mph just north of Creston, the River Moyie flowing on our right; I spotted something in the river. At first I thought it was a bear, so I braked hard, turned 180º round and returned to the spot where I first saw the creature. I jumped out of the car, crossed the road and also a railway line. I followed the bank along until I spotted the animal again and it turned out to be a moose. It had only one antler and was apparently cooling off in the river. I took several photos before starting back to Bridget. Then I noticed a heron stalking some sort of delicacy down the river so I managed to snap some extra footage.

That night we would stay in Kimberly and I had decided not to drive the following day but to go walking around some of the forest trails before continuing to Calgary.

What a good decision it turned out to be. I spent 6 hours walking around the Kimberley Nature Park hoping to see bear, deer and perhaps a cougar. Instead of bear I found mosquitoes that attacked me unrelentingly for much of the day. I was trained in unarmed combat so when I caught two aggressively gnawing at my leg I despatched them both with a chop to the back of the neck. Don’t tell me the day of the Great White Hunter is over.

My legs will no doubt ache tomorrow as it’s the first reasonable exercise for some time but it was worth it. I didn’t see another soul the whole time I was out there and it was so peaceful. Next time I must remember to give myself a swift squirt with the Bushmen’s!

A little reluctantly we left Kimberley where I would have liked to have done some more walking, but I have promised to be in Calgary by tonight.

The first part of the drive was pleasant with pretty scenery, bright sunshine and Bridget running smoothly. We stopped at Colombia Lake just past Canal Flats and a huge timber mill. The view over the lake is beautiful and the colour of the water a perfect Royal Blue.

At the town of Radium Hot Springs we turned right picking up Highway 93 and entering the Kootenay National Park. I was back to one of my two favourite areas of nature, serious Mountain Country. The scenery is magnificent, with towering craggy mountains partly covered in pines and firs, raging rivers, trickling streams and some with snow still on the peaks.

On one stretch of road there was a sign “Wolf on road, DO NOT STOP”. A little further on I spotted a deer and so had to stop. I couldn’t miss the opportunity of snapping a deer even if there was a wolf about, but I saw no sign of it.

On the other side of the Kootenay National Park is Banff and another park with more majestic mountains. It really is a fantastic part of the world.

The drive to Calgary should have only taken 4/5 hours. With all the stops I wanted to make it took me just over 6 hours. That was the third major mountain range of the trip and I really will have to revisit them all again and spend far more time walking.

We arrived in Canada just after lunch on the 21^st August having replaced Bridget’s fuel pump. She was still misfiring at low revs and over 4,000 rpm, but otherwise was running OK. I still believed the carburettors were not balanced.

We had been invited to stay with Peter and Anne Tilbury from the Canadian Classic MG Car Club and their home is only three miles from the USA border. Peter came down the drive to greet us and guide Bridget into a waiting garage. After the introductions we were joined by Rod Taylor- Gregg and set about trying to resolve Bridget’s misfire.

Rod examined the jets, needles and seats in the carburettors and noted that the seat of the rear ‘carb’ was somewhat higher than that of the front one. This meant that the starting position for the mixture control would different, something that you would not be aware of if you just tried to balance them without first looking inside. After setting them up and tuning the mixture and idling adjusters he and Peter soon had Bridget’s engine running far smoother with only a slight hesitation between 2000 and 2500 revolutions. She would be alright for Sunday’s slalom!

The club, jointly with the Canadian XK Jaguar Register, have a slalom event arranged for Sunday and Bridget and I have been entered!

We duly presented ourselves to the scrutineers to be inspected and then were introduced to the other members and competitors. Bridget and I had never done one of these events before and were somewhat nervous, but the others made us feel at home. I had been promised that there would be no other Midgets and therefore Bridget would win her class, however that transpired to be slightly inaccurate. We had to drive three times around a track marked out with traffic cones (all the same colour) each lap taking a slightly different route, and this was against the clock. We made four attempts and our best time was 49 seconds. Needless to say we were not the fastest, but neither were we the slowest. The whole thing was great fun and we will certainly do some more of these events, but where the track doesn’t favour left-hand drive cars!!

When we got back to Peter’s house I decided to check the spark plugs as I felt they must have been somewhat abused during the past few weeks with all the misfiring even though they had been replace only 6,000 miles earlier. We found that the gap on one of the plugs was almost non-existent and I choose to replace them all. The next morning we took Bridget to get replacement tyres and she ran without any hesitation or misfire whatsoever, so hopefully that is no longer an issue.

A local dealer fitted four new tyres replacing three that were on the edge of legality and one that was more than three quarters worn. Three of the five tyres I had were originally on the car when I bought her and had driven over 48,000 miles.

We said our farewells to Peter and Anne, and the others that we had so briefly met in Vancouver, and set course for Kelowna. We left at mid-day and the temperature was in the mid seventies. The road was smooth and Bridget was running really well. We will spend the next few days in the Rockie Mountains, the last of the four major mountain ranges in the world that I had yet to see. I had been told that Kelowna was the jumping off point and that there was nothing much too see on the drive there. However I found the scenery beautiful with huge tree covered mountains interspersed with bare rocky mountains and occasional lakes. The trees are mainly spruce and some appear precariously perched on the rocky faces of the mountains will little soil in which to put down roots.

We arrived at our destination at five o’clock and checked into a hotel. Kelowna is a tourist resort on the banks of a Okanagan lake. It appears lively and still very busy even though school holidays are over. It is the starting point of my Rocky Mountain adventure.

My first impressions of Canada are overwhelmingly focused on the people who are not only warm, friendly, and hospitable but also very law abiding. The only other nation I can think of similar to them are the Swiss. With regards to traffic they rarely speed, are patient, courteous, obey traffic signals and give way to queue jumpers, pedestrians and MG’s.

I chose to drive north from San Francisco on highway US101 rather than the quicker route I-5 after several people told me that the coastal road was really pretty. I left immediately after an early breakfast; the weather was sunny but the temperature only just over 70ºF. Being a Sunday the traffic was light.

A forty mile stretch of the US101 between Garberville and Pepperwood is called Redwood Highway or the Avenue of the Giants, referring to the giant redwood trees that are reputedly the largest in the world. I drove Bridget through the Chandelier tree which is one of four that has had a small roadway bored through the trunk. Not surprisingly they are big tourist spots but fortunately the conservationists have ensured that no more suffer this fate in the future.

The drive as far as the town of Fortuna, eight miles north of the worlds largest timber saw mill, was picturesque and I decided to stop here for the day as I have plenty of time to get to the Canadian border and I want to experience some of ‘small town’ America.

The next morning was decidedly chilly but sunny. We rejoined the US101 north. We could either drive all day making Portland by early evening or take it easy and make it another two days to Portland. Not being pressed for time the later was most likely and as the day progressed I decided to slow things down a little and enjoy the scenery.

The road was still flanked by Redwood firs and then it met with the Pacific. Rollers rushing up the beach and a multitude of rocky outcrops from 20yards to a mile from shore. Sometimes we were at sea level with warning signs telling us we were in tsunami danger areas and others the road was several hundred feet above the beaches.

We crossed the state line from California into Oregon.

Driving through the Samuel H Boardman State Park I saw a lay-by and pulled in. There was a trail signposted ‘To the Bridge View’. I followed the trail and found that the road I was travelling on was about to pass over a bridge several hundred feet high although when on the highway it was impossible to see the structure. I managed to snap a shot of the bridge but decided to continue walking and with some physical agility found a ledge that looked back across the bay and beach of the park. This was many times more beautiful than the bridge.

We stopped for the day at Coos Bay, a small coastal town.

The last day on Route 101 was again scenic, warm and varied. The traffic was a little heavier than we been accustomed to recently but it was only noticeable because there were several stretches of single carriageway where overtaking was not possible. Bridget was fine although still suffering some misfiring.

Once again I took a gentle stroll amongst some of the Redwoods and found a pleasant spot overlooking Tankenitch Lake. It was beautiful, peaceful and felt remote although not far off the highway. We arrived in Portland shortly after lunch. I have not been here since 1980, just before Mount St. Helens erupted and tore half the mountain away, and my memories of it were not particularly pleasant. However is has undergone considerable re-generation and is now a vibrant pleasant place to be. Moreover, although it has more car parks than you could wave a big stick at, it is a city where people actually walk. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Tomorrow will be my last day in the USA. We will drive up to Seattle ready to cross into Canada on Thursday. I have changed my mind about returning to Chicago to ship back to the UK and instead will drive to Toronto and return from there. My apologies to those in Chicago that were hoping we would be there.

Our last night in the US was in fact spent at Everett just north of Seattle. The two hundred mile drive was easy and Bridget ran well with little misfiring. From here we will go to Vancouver where the local MG club is organising something and then I have a five day route across the Rockies planned out before going on to Calgary. Canada should be a lot of fun.

Postscript: It’s never over till the fat lady sings. Bridget’s fuel pump has failed and it proved difficult to change because of my location. I managed to persuade a company to let me use their hoist to get at the pump but we couldn’t do the job that evening. It resulted in having to spend Thursday in Everett to complete the job, but at least I now know the cause of her misfiring, fuel starvation.

We drove out of Vegas early Sunday morning and made good time heading north towards Carson City and Reno. After around 80 miles we turned left heading for Death Valley National Park. This is one of the iconic drives in the USA that motorheads must do similar to the historic Route 66. It is supposed to be one of the hottest areas to drive in although I had some doubts about that after being in Pakistan and Australia.

Bridget started out well with no misfire or hesitation. Approaching the turn to Death Valley I thought I had fluffed the gear change when there was a grinding of gear cogs, but then I found it extremely difficult to shift into any gear. I pulled over and sprung the bonnet catch. Getting out and lifting the bonnet I removed the top of the clutch master cylinder. Sure enough it was almost empty! When on earth did I last check the level? Apologising profusely to Bridget for such behaviour I fetched the clutch fluid from the boot and topped up the cylinder. I crossed my fingers it would not require bleeding. However it became obvious that it would need to be bled but I hoped we could at least get to San Francisco before having to do it.

We passed the original Nevada desert nuclear testing site and the morning’s temperature was rising. Bridget’s temperature gauge stared climbing and whenever there was an incline it was going into the red. Not being able to change gear easily was making things difficult. As we passed Bad Water, a huge salt lake, there was a signpost warning of ‘Extreme Heat for the next 20 miles’. It was not exaggerating and to make things a little more difficult we had to climb a couple of thousand feet before dropping down the other side and then doing it all over again. Half way along this road there is a water stop, comprising of public toilets and a water supply for radiators but not for drinking.

I decided to stop in the shade of a tree and allow Bridget’s engine to recover. There was a old Ford camper van already there and the occupants where a young couple from Torbay in the UK who are motoring around the states for six months. With there assistance I tried a quick fix bleeding of the clutch master cylinder which didn’t work very well, but improved things enough for me to decide to continue to San Francisco. Bridget will be due another service there and I will fix the clutch at the same time.

Death Valley lived up to its reputation as being extremely hot and Bridget’s engine was at the very maximum of her temperature range several times. I had to nurse her up the hills in third gear which helped bring the temperature down just enough to continue but it was touch and go.

Several miles further on we drove through Kern River Canyon which is stunningly beautiful. The mountains tower over the river on both sides as it meanders down the canyon floor with stretches of white water. It also looked so cool.

We arrived in Bakersfield at 5:00pm and will strike out for San Francisco in the morning.

The drive to San Francisco was interesting in that it meant driving through the American Fruitbowl area. This is just mile after mile, after mile, of apple, orange, and lemon trees. There are vast acreages of grape vines, for California’s wine industry and also large areas producing almond nuts.

Road and weather conditions were good and Bridget ran reasonably, with her gearbox almost back to normal. We arrived into Frisco at 3:00pm.

My first impressions were that this could be a fun city and that is what I found to be the case. There are the famous names such as Alcatraz, Fisherman’s Wharf and the Golden Gate Bridge and it has more than its share of ‘characters’. I made contact with the North California MG Owners Club and immediately received an invitation to dinner by a couple who are members and are planning a trip in their MG to Europe. Craig and Kim supplied wonderful hospitality as well as helping me out by changing Bridget’s oil which because of disposal is always a potential problem for me.

Whilst driving over to their home I was on highway CA-24 and became aware of a white saloon keeping pace beside me. I looked over expecting the usual photo opportunity and saw two lads in the front and a girl in the back. They waved to me which I happily returned and then without warning the girl ‘flashed’ me. I’m warming to this city already.

Bridget now has fresh oil, new spark plugs and all the fluid levels have been checked. The clutch now seems fine and I have re-adjusted the carburettors again because she was misfiring slightly. On Friday I contacted the local MG Specialists “Collins Classics” to see if I could get replacement gaskets for the carburettor float chambers. Not only did Tom Collins supply and fit them he also kindly replaced a couple of other parts in the float chambers, adjusted the height of the floats and then balanced the carbs for me as well. To top it all he wouldn’t take anything for his efforts, what a top guy, thanks Tom. 

On Sunday we start the trip north to Canada. I am reconsidering the route from Winnipeg as I am now back on time and might to Chicago then onto New York and ship Bridget home from there, or possible stay in Canada and drive over to Toronto. I will just have to see what takes my fancy.

Page, Arizona is a small and very young town. It really didn’t exist until it was decided to build a dam, creating Lake Powell and the town was officially incorporated in 1957. It also has a copper mine but the major income earner for the town today is tourism.

It is a great jumping-off point for the Grand Canyon, both southern and northern rims, has a fascinating and quite unique canyon called Antelope Canyon and lots of water sports on the lake.

The people here are genuinely warm, hospitable and friendly, and they are also well aware of the outside world.

The owner of the local radio station, Dan Brown, a fellow MG owner (2 in fact, a MGB and a TD), contacted me through this website and invited me here for a couple of days R & R. I thought this was very kind of him and that was before I knew that he had arranged a number of activities for my delectation.

One in particular I want to mention was a tour of the Antelope Canyon (or Slot Canyon as it is sometimes known due to its extremely narrow passage). The canyon has been formed by flood waters and wind carving out the passageway in the red sandstone. With sunlight streaming in from the top the walls which are smooth, but striped by different formation layers and shaped with wind carved undulations, the resultant effect is one of artistic spectral design.

I have uploaded to the Gallery section a special selection of photographs that I took which have not been in any way altered or enhanced by filters or artificial lighting (I wouldn’t know how).

During the afternoon I recorded an interview for the local radio station and then appeared at a local community event raising awareness and offering support to families affected by crime and drug abuse.

During my second day in Page I worked on Bridget during the morning and have overcome the misfire. She still gets a little hot and the carburettors are not perfect but we will continue the way we are.

Late in the afternoon I was given the opportunity to try riding a Sea-Doo for the first time. I always knew these as a water scooter and remember seeing one in a motor cycle shop when I was a mere slip of a lad. Since then I had always wanted to try one. My teacher, Janet, was marvellous and I had an absolute ball, even managing to show off and stand up on the seat whilst going full belt. Another ambition achieved.

We left Page on Thursday morning feeling considerably refreshed and I would recommend the resort of Page to anyone planning a trip to the Grand Canyon area as they can offer so much more than just the canyon.

We ventured on towards Vegas and a last minute change of mind meant we did not go to the northern rim of the Grand Canyon, however we did pass through the Zion National Park which is another fabulous area of mountains and canyons. A second location on the trip well worth seeing is the Virgin River Canyon, once again dramatic, rugged sandstone cliffs and mountains with a good MG driving road. We arrived in Las Vegas at 3:00pm and are in our 4^th state, being Texas, Arizona, Utah and now Nevada.

Last day of July and the drive from Dallas to Amarillo went well. The first 100 miles was a little worrying as I kept smelling petrol which has occurred previously. Eventually I pulled into a service station and lifted the bonnet (I don’t want a repeat of the Volvo’s fate). Instead of the trickle that has happened before it was running out quite freely. I switched off the engine and removed the carburettor bowl, where the leak appeared to be. The gasket looked OK but I wasn’t totally convinced and so I checked my stores for a spare. Unfortunately it was not one of the items I had but I did have some ‘instant gasket’ which I used. I also refitted the old gasket and since that I have had no further problem. The remainder of the journey was really straightforward.

As today’s drive is fairly short I started rather lackadaisically but Bridget was very ready to go. She accelerated smoothly and easily as I tried to detect any of her previous problems but we seemed to have, at last, cleared them. The air was cool and the sun bright when we left Amarillo but the temperature soon climbed as the miles slipped by.

With only about 60 miles to go I passed a white 4×4 at the side of the road and noticed the logo on its side KRQE News 13. I watched it in the rear view mirror as it pulled out into the traffic lane and accelerated quickly. As it drew level I realised it was just keeping pace with me so I looked over and sure enough the window was wound down and the driver was gesticulating. We pulled over onto the hard shoulder and the other driver jumped out and came back to Bridget and me to introduce himself, Ian Schwartz. He wanted to know “Are you really driving around the World?” So I told him about the adventure and we met up again in the late afternoon to record an interview. It all helps to spread the word.

Unfortunately after our encounter on the highway, when I restarted Bridget the misfiring started again and she is losing petrol from one of her carburettors again. It may be temperature related so I will see how things are in the morning.

I removed and refitted the carburettor float chamber first thing and Bridget has been as good as gold all day. The drive to Flagstaff was only just over 300 miles but it was very hot again so I kept our speed down to around 55mph. Several people along the way have said they saw our television interview which is nice to know.

The countryside is now taking on a new look with desert and mountains appearing. The desert here is different from those in Australia, Peru and Pakistan. It is populated with lots of small trees or bushes, I am not sure which although I think some are Tumbleweed, but they give the landscape a speckled appearance. The hills that we first came across are in New Mexico and are bright red sandstone, similar in colour to the outback sand in North Queensland, Australia.

As we passed the city of Gallup the colour changed to yellow. The shapes of these hills are typical of what I have seen as a youngster in western films with steep cliffs and plateau tops. I was half expecting to see Tonto anytime. Approaching Flagstaff the first real mountains came into view, more ragged than those in the Himalayas or southern Andes.

Bridget celebrated her own special achievement today as we crossed the State line from New Mexico into Arizona, her odometer completed its first 100,000 miles and this evening displays 000161.

We left Flagstaff early in the morning and headed to the Grand Canyon’s southern rim. This is the part most commonly visited although I am hoping to see the northern rim also. The morning was bright and soon became very hot. Bridget was running well again although we still have a problem at the higher revs.

It was only 90 miles to the canyon and what a spectacle it is. I had been prepared to be disappointed after all the other natural wonders that I have seen, but the Grand Canyon is spectacular whatever else you have witnessed. It is not just its vastness although that is impressive, but the size and shapes of all the hillocks, or whatever the correct name is, in the canyon. I am told you get a quite different perspective from the other rim and so I look forward to that later in the week.

From the canyon we drove on to Page, a small town some 90 miles further north. A kind gentleman that owns a radio station there has organised some R & R for me.

So what are my initial observations on the USA. It’s funny how some of the things we observe are the most insignificant items. Clearly the significant items are geography, flora and fauna and culture, and these are unique in each part of the world. So it is extraordinary that two things I repeatedly have noticed are the large number, and length of the trains; and the whispering trucks.

Firstly the trains, for those that do not know, are anything up to a mile or more in length with 2, 3 or 4 engines pulling and/or pushing the wagons. The whispering trucks is a reference to many of the large trucks, or rigs as they are known here, that make very little noise but just hiss slightly as they pass, even at speeds of 70 mph. They are a terrific improvement over those in Central America that make an unholy din caused largely by poor maintenance.

As I say the significant things are those given to us by nature and after Australia, South and Central America I have noticed that there are considerably fewer birds and their colouring tends to be largely browns and black. The scenery I have already described so that leaves the people. Those I have met so far are just what I had expected from my previous visit to the States. They are outgoing, friendly, confident but also somewhat insular. Many have little understanding of what life outside of the US is like although they are more inquisitive than I previously found them.

After a fairly slow start, they are now aware of Bridget and the journey we are attempting and suddenly lots of offers to help have been received. It just remains to see if they will join in with some donations for UNICEF. It occurred to me that if everyone that viewed the CNN IReport news item about us gave one dollar we would have reached our target by now. It’s very easy to donate just click the UNICEF logo in the side column and you the page will take you through the process, but have your credit card ready. Every dollar helps!