Santa Fe New Mexico to Albuquerque New Mexico - about 110 miles.

We are up on what they call the high plains over 7000 feet that is as high as mount Ruapehu. Hence we have had untold issues with vaporised fuel etc. Never the less we only had one Jeep we had to load twice.

The first load was straight forward in the middle of the road, using Kenny’s 20 ton semi-truck to block traffic. The second load was chaos; the Jeep had pulled off the road into an earthmoving site blocking the motor scrapers and dump trucks. A second recovery vehicle bellied on the curb leaving him stranded across one lane. One of the 5 ton heavies hooked on a chain and pulled him clear but bent the trailer leg in the process, more welding....

We managed to push the dead Jeep onto the trailer. We got back on track and took a wrong turn and Recovery team ended up three miles in the wrong direction. By the time we caught up with the convoy we had missed the daily drivers meeting.

We were given two memorial VFW gold coins for services rendered to the convoy.

We crossed the Rio Grande River like a rocket sled on rails.

Not a good day to be in the USA after the shooting at Las Vegas. Everyone on the convoy is in a pretty depressed state, all flags including our NZ flags are at half-mast.

Today is a rest day and it did not start well, the big red Dodge Ram would not start so it was off to the battery shop to get two new 850cca batteries.

Next we had a Jeep on the trailer with a dodgy starter motor which we fixed in short order. Next there was a Willys wagon with brake adjusting to be done. After that there was a Jeep M38A1 that pulled in with a new cylinder head to be installed. The old one had blown the head gasket and had overheating issues. The job was done in a Walmart car park.

Yates and co installed new brake shoes and wheel cylinders to provide Mitche's M37 with some method of stopping.

Peter, Paul and waiting for Mary

Tucumcari New Mexico to Santa Fe New Mexico 210 miles.

A very long day 210 miles at 25 miles an hour equals 8 hours driving plus two hours of rest stops etc. The environment of the route resembles the Mckenzie country . We were surrounded by Mesa or table top mountains, utterly spectacular drive, punctuated by pedestrian Tarantulas crossing the highways looking for a mate.

We had the M170 ambulance back on the trailer from first gear as it was running like a dog on only three cylinders. We had other issues to deal with including the Dodge Ram having flat batteries and another Dodge M37 running out of gas on the freeway. The State Trooper had no sense of humour about the situation. It was the third time this truck had run out of gas on the convoy. Paul has given the driver some very serious counselling.

Haigh and Parker Christensen.

Parker is 13 years old and loves MVs. Capt Boots shouted him a three yr subscription to the MVPA, and arranged for him to join the convoy for 3 days riding in different vehicles between rest stops.

Regards Good Peter (Peter Haigh) Bad Peter (Peter Yates) and Paul the Baptist

Day 15 Amarillo Texas to Tucumcari New Mexico about 120 miles

A very good day with nothing busted.

 
This pic is Mike Edridge who bought his 1944 Bedford all the way from Pelorus Marlborough NZ. Mike runs an earthmoving/contracting business. The Bedford has a leaking brake cylinder which they are fixing on the next rest day. His previous event was the Alcan Alaska Highway Convoy. Mike Is a member of the NZMVC, and is preparing a Series 1 Landrover, in addition to the Bedford for the Armistice 100 Convoy.

Mike and Diana from Texas in their Mercury 1946 V8. This is the truck that had the broken main bearing cap back in Chicago. Mike is an Aussie who builds new Spitfires in Texas. See supermarineaircraft.com

This pic is of two characters who turn up at our camp every night Leroy with the beard and JT. Leroy is practicing Gidday mate, with limited success.

Regards peter and Paul and still no Mary

Shamrock Texas to Amarillo Texas about 100 miles.

Well the day started a disaster. Right at the start we had a Jeep ambulance that was no go so we loaded him on the trailer. Then another Jeep ambulance was dead at the start so we loaded him.

Now we were two up on the trailer and that adds up to about seven tonne on the back of my Dodge Ram. Thank god she is the heavy duty model because that is one hell of a load. 100 yards from the start and we have another dead Jeep that was no go, so we put him up on Paul's trailer.

Another few miles and another dead Jeep with a broken fanny. He gets loaded on our last trailer.

The convoy finished early at noon and we spent the whole afternoon getting everything running again. We were given beer, money and shouted out to a big Texan steak house and challenged to eat a 72 ounce steak, we declined the challenge ( 72 ounce is about 2 kg )

Regards Peter, Paul and still no Mary