Day 71 to 79
September 15th to the 23rd, 2007 |
In Richfield, Utah
One of the first things we do when get to Richfield: Wash the quads. It's good to clean
off a layer of all that dirt and dust! Especially since we want to be part of the parade!
Here in Richfield, the quads will get the Royal treatement: One week vacation and a
thorough health check! Personnally, we'll spend most of the week socialising and meeting
new friends.
A lot of folks with whom we've been corresponding by email for a while mentionned they
would like to meet us. This will be the ideal chance to do just that! Everybody's here!
The Rocky Mountain ATV Jamboree is BIG ! ATVs are everywhere!
Hotels are full !
-Over 1000 miles of trails (Paiute trail syst.)
-Quad lovers from 38 states, Japan, Germany and Canada...Although only 2 rode their
machines over 3000 miles to get here...;)
-The largest week long Jamboree in western USA
-600 riders registered on guided rides.
-The jams' 15th anniversary!
-All rides are guided.
-Visit www.atvjam.com
Here we are with Kevin Arrington, Director of the event.
Thanks again for everything, Kev !
During the opening ceremonies, Marc had a chance to say a little speach.
(Unfortunately, that's the moment the camera chose to act up so, no pics...:(
That gave him the opportunity to let people know about our trip. Think he got a few
questions after that?? Yep! People are curious, interested and amazed by what we're
doing!!
After the ceremonies, the parade! There are 600 participants to the rides but, I think
there was even more people joining the parade! It's something to see! Hundreds of quads
rolling down Main st.! They even had the Police close side streets for us.
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1st time we sleep in a hotel after 72 nights of camping (excluding the 3
nights spent at our pal Fred's place) What a luxury! We take a week vacation from our
sabbattical year!! |
You'll never guess what happened the first night...I mean...Besides the sex...
It was a bit hot in the room (you know, it happens, sometimes, after...) so, Marc turns on
the A/C and goes to take a shower while France snoozes out...When he gets out of the
bathroom, Marc nearly freaks out 'cause the room is full of smoke!!!
He litterally flies to turn the A/C off, open the window and...The door...But
wait...I'm naked as a worm!! Quick, a towel!! With the door wide open, we can only hope
the smoke gets out...Before the sprinklers go off!!!
Can you imagine...Being soaked by sprinklers even INSIDE A HOTEL !
One thing's for sure, everybody would have heard about us if the fire alarm would
have gone off!!
I can just see it: Quadtrek team empties the Comfort Inn at 3 am...
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Chris Newman, from the "At your leisure" TV show (most watched
outdoor TV show in Utah) interviewed us on location. |
To check out the 5 minutes video, click here
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The next day, it was Brian Fisher from "Fisher's ATV world"
(watched in over 90 millions homes across the US, Canada and Porto Rico) who was
interviewing us...To be aired in March 2008... |
With Brian.
...A tiny bit intimidating...
Here we are with a really happy bunch of folks that emailed back and forth with us and
that we met in Richfield:
From left to right:
France, Marc, Darell, Carleen, Sean, Jackie and Dave. Each of them crazier then the one
next to him/her...
We would have a whole list of other great folks we met but, not wanting to forget
anyone, we will simply thank them all for their friendship, generosity, basically for just
hanging around with us!
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A little plug for our friend Darrell. Imagine: He delivers ice cream in
the desert to people attending quad or 4X4 related events! |
4X4'n ICE CREAM
CAMPSITE DELIVERY IN
CAL CITY...
661-733-8364
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Be advised: The following photograph could be considered
indecent by some people...CURIOUS...
click here!
Yeah ! TV Stations hit the road
to interview us!
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We play celebrities... |
Bof... |
It'd be hard to find something to complain about ! |
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Life is good for us! |
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Now time for our Toy Hauler Festival!
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The long one...
...The big one...
...On 2 floors...
...The deluxe...
...On the second floor...
...Side by side, lenght wise...
...Width wise...
...And following closely...
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What does that have to do with the rest of the
story? (Nothing...) He's a guy who probably never heard about portable
computers!!!
(Note the work table.
It doubles as a cooler to keep his drinks cold!
Very handy!) |
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Our third thousand mile! Time for a thorough inspection of the machines! |
That's going to be taking place in the Polaris trailer. Cool! Kinda feels
like race track action! The company asked Roy, who designed the X2s, to come and meet us
in Richfield. It is him who will take our machines apart and put them back together.
Polaris also asked Roy to install new engines in our 2 machines and bring back our motors
to Minnesota so they can take them apart, study them and see if there's anything they can
do to make them even better for the future. Kinda like a real life test run. Roy will also
replace a wiring harness that runs between the Atmospheric pressure sensor and the EFI
system. Seems it's that cable (and not the sensor itself) that created our sputtering/low
idle problems in the first place...
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In the Polaris trailer:
Marc, Tracy (truck driver),
and Roy (far right).
O.M.G.!!
We're heading for Mexico on these machines!
Got to put your trust in the man!
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Marc will get busy replacing the front box and lid (the only parts
severely damaged in the roll over). He'll take the opportunity to switch gear from one
quad to the other, always aiming at evening the wear and tear on both quads.
From what we hear from Roy, it seems to be working great! After
inspection, he simply put everything back in place without replacing anything in the
clutches or whatever! He even put the original drive belts back on! (We're curious to see
how long they will last.) Not bad for having pulled a trailer over 1500 miles through
mountains and hot deserts!
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What a pile!! |
Polaris
Industries - Canada
Polaris Industries - USA
Dear Polaris, see how we look right at home in this RZR !! You'd think we're ready for
our next Adventure!
Think you've seen them all? Not if you have'nt come to the Jam yet!!
Well there you go. The vacation's over...It was pleasant, interesting and a lot of fun
but now, we have to hit the trails again, get back to the sleeping in the tent again...It
is time. Many folks warned us, soon winter will hit, it'll turn cold. In fact, just last
year, it snowed on the Jamboree...
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"Hon, are you serious? do we absolutely have to carry all this
stuff??
Look at the quads, there already loaded.. Where are we suppose to put all this??" |
The warm temperature of the first few days in Richfield is gone...The weatherman says
the cold is coming...Possibility of snow in the mountains...Good thing we put new tires
on...
...T.B.C...
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