Fall, and Introducing Smurfette

Smurfette (formerly and briefly known as 'New Blue') came from Missoula and visited us for a trip to Lost Creek.

We looked at the waterfall and took a short hike.

I like it when plants grow straight out of rocks.

That ridgeline waaaaaaaaaaay back there is the Great Divide.

Smurfette's trip here was her first of any distance under her new ownership. Congratulations, N, M, A, and R! 

Happy 41st Birthday, Gertrude!

(taken the day before--that's our first snow of the season)

I Am Thinking of Buying a VW Van

Oh, this is rich. The rainbow guy is representative of about a quarter of the people in the scene by my reckoning. More than three-quarters if you include 'hippie' wannabes, who are similarly motivated. The van/bus distinction is hair splitting though.

Happy 38th Birthday, Ludwig!

Good grief, I almost forgot that today is Ludwig's birthday!

I kind of don't like that Ludwig and I have birthdays ninety days apart because it just reminds me that I'm not far from becoming whatever age he is turning. Oh well. Happy birthday, old guy. (And to EP.)

500 miles

...minus about six miles.

Incredibly, Ludwig's engine has been installed for 100 days and we've only put 494 miles on him since. Fewer than 5 miles a day. With gas being so pricey maybe it's a blessing in disguise, but it still would be nice to trust him again.

Issues:

• Stalling when coming to a stop (likely a fuel-air mixture issue)
• Backfiring at idle (ibid.)
• No thermostat (we late bay owners are well aware that Type IV thermostats are No Longer Available; running it without one like this slowly but surely adversely affects engine longevity)
• Seems so hot (this is probably just my imagination; btw, all you gauge watchers enthusiasts can call me a stupid fatalist if you like but no, I don't run a CHT gauge and likely never will)
• Transaxle leaking at the seams (wtf? All I did was drain the old and put in new, just for fun, when I had the transaxle out. I didn't even use synthetic oil, a well-established no-no)
• Front tires unevenly worn (front end needs attention)
• Starter makes a really funny noise (suspected worn bushing)

So that's where we are. It'll get better, right? Right.