Everything was big today: Big canyons, gorges, basins and passes. Big weather and wind. The drama of storms over mesas and clouds pouring down canyons with driving rain. Sun in the distance setting distant mountains aglow. I felt like I was driving across the bottom of the ocean in the Utah archipelago. This place must have been a great place to sail before the sea drained out. Dirigo felt very small indeed in this geography, although in keeping with the day's theme of Big, the performance was right up there. I got my car back! Yesterday's huffing and puffing up the pass was gone and we were all about performance, especially as half the day was all downhill. But the mileage wasn't as good as I'd hoped, considering all the downhill: only 80mpg. I think we're still suffering a bit from altitude sickness even though the engine appears to be running well.

Approaching Delta on US 50 we picked up a strong tailwind and were able to cruise along at a good 70 mph will no ill effects. The Camden pit crew would be pulling their hair out in they knew what Dirigo was going through. The valley that comes down from the ridge leading into town is well irrigated and rich with corn, sorgum, and other green stuff I couldn't recognize. There were also piles of huge straw bales that were just waiting to be made into houses. There were longhorn cattle and dairy cows. With all this agriculture it shouldn't have been a surprise to find a welder to repair Dirigo's exhaust. I'd asked at the cafe-hotel where I'd checked in and  it turned out he was sitting right outside eating with his buddies with his welding truck nearby. I asked where his shop was, and he said "right here!"  He had to run off to a fire and took my muffler with him, but I'm sure he'll have it done in the morning. The fine ladies at the Stateline Immanuel Lutheren Church in Kansas appear to be watching over me...

Jay had his best day yet, with eighty miles before he melted two batteries. Some heat insulation didn't get replaced this morning's repair work, but it was still a successful trial.  He'll do another small reconfiguration in the morning and is hoping for even a better run. Tomorrow we meet the elusive Jack, and hopefully we'll all run into Carson City together.