Peking to Paris 2016

Day 23 Naimb. Desert to Canon Lodge Day 24 590 kms

Breakfast and packed some goodies for our long travels today, car sounding very rough coughing and spluttering. We travelled 20 kms and the Mistress decided that she couldn’t go anymore. Bruce lifted the bonnet and checked everything that he could however we were going nowhere. Bill, David, Gina and Jose all stopped to assist us but after 2o minutes we told them to go ahead to the first time trial and we had to wait for the mechanics back up crew. Andy and Tony arrived 30 minutes later and we had 20 minutes to get to our first time trial before we incurred our first penalty points, a bolt had fallen out of one of the carburettor choke mechanism causing it to stay on, they wired it open and cleaned the dirty plugs we tried it again and still no power, pulled over again where Tony checked the electrical system, checked points changed condenser and changed coil of plug leads. We set of still not going well however were hoping to make our time trial. This did not happen because the Mistress had no more grunt left in her to go up hill and first time trial was being held in the Zarishootge Pass we were just halfway up the pass when she just stopped, Bruce revved the car very hard while in first gear and moved forward 0.50 metre each time, this took us 20 mins and we realised we would of missed our first time trial, we continued downhill to find no- one at the time trial, we were hoping the mechanics were their to sort out our problem , we pushed on very slowly just making our PC control at Helmeringhausen Hotel famous for its apple pie. I ran in to get my book signed and ordered 2 take a way apple pies and Bruce had to stay by the car because the ignition had been hard wired and couldn’t turn it off, the mechanic Rob took of the tops of the air cleaners and immediately the car ran easier and freer, the air cleaners appeared to be perfectly cleaned however put in two new ones, filled with fuel and set of at full speed again. The fine white dust were the cause of blocking these air filters, Bruce has renewed these once already and blew them out with air every second day. A lesson to be learnt for next time? Now that we had missed the time trial we have been put down to 2nd place. The drive into Canon Lodge was again wonderful with amazing large red boulders and our accommodation built in and around this fantastic setting, we exhausted from our long day, Bruce spend a little time with the car disconnected live wire to coil, and took of our broken spot light and the normal check around the car. Purchased some beers for Bruce, checked it and showered and went to see if we could get some internet coverage. Great meal and early to bed for another long day ahead.