Seattle to Saratoga Springs Raid to Rendezvous – Day 5
Well, this should be a shorter blog as this was really only a travel day…Cody, WY to Custer, SD. So, lots of driving and the only sightseeing, more of the incredible western scenery, which was constantly amazing. We drove over the Powder River Pass at almost 10,000 feet. What a downhill that was…I won’t talk about the uphill. We did local roads and highways and did a stretch on the interstate too.
Marcel and I have been getting along very well and this might be a good time to share some of my experiences with him these first 5 days.
Starting up in the morning, even if it’s cold, is no issue. The engine turns right over and starts purring. However, after a longer drive, especially when driving hard, Marcel seems to need more coaxing. Foot on the floor, turn key, add a little choke and we are off to the races…no choke and he obstinately refuses to start.
This morning it was fun to see all the “compact” cars parked in the hotel lot. Guess which really is a compact car?
I’ve already mentioned the soft suspension and lawn chair seating. The 2CV has no lateral seat bolsters, but that’s okay because mostly it just goes up and down. On tight corners, the whole body bends over. Who needs recarro seats?
Just another incredible road in Wyoming…yawn!
Lastly, you might not know that 2CVs came with a rudimentary cruise control! I had heard about this ingenious system from other owners and with part of our trip happening for the first time on an interstate, I-90, I thought I would give it a shot.
In Wyoming, the speed limit is 80. I might hit that on a downhill run, if it’s long enough, but on an interstate the 2CV is a bit out of its element. Mostly, we just try to go as fast as possible and stay out of the way of all the other traffic. When we got on I-90 in Buffalo, WY wouldn’t you know it was an uphill section and we labored to even make 50mph. I pulled out into the lead when we finally came to a downhill section and applied the cruise control…resting my foot on the floor, running wide open. Checking the GPS my daughter called out 72…73…74…till I hit 76mph again. I charged down faster than I wanted to go, just so I’d have enough juice to make it up the next uphill section. My foot rested on the on the floor fully activating the cruise control. It was an interesting experience, but I was happy to leave the highway at Moorcroft, WY and enjoy a smaller, but no less fast, smaller road (speed limit only 70mph!).
We ended up at Echo Valley Campground in Custer, early enough to set up and clean up and relax. The owner, Gary, is a car nut and Axel entertained him with 2CV stories and he, in turn, showed us around his fantastic property. First time I have been glad to be camping and sorry to only be staying here one night.
A building thunderstorm in the distance and our campsite in the woods in South Dakota.
I prefer the campsite!
We’ll get a good nights sleep for sure and then a looong day tomorrow. Not as many miles as the 360+ we did today, but likely a longer time on the road because we will be stopping to see the sights and drive through The Badlands before doing another stint on the interstate.
[Read the story about the complete trip here.]