CONTINUING PLANNING

We are working to finalize planning including setting up tours, meal reservations, and printing the "Dailies" that Ken has put together for everyone. We keep praying for no volcanos, and the snow to melt on Tioga Pass and Estes Park.   Only 25 more days until the first MOAers arrive and 30 days until we leave. We have reservations for open tram tours in Yosemite, tours in Mesa Verde, attendance at Custer's Last Stand Re-enactment, bruch in Victoria, bear and whale watching in Torino, and more to be discovered. Sally (our Morgan) is back from Bill Fink's and we hope running a bit cooler. He sealed up lots of "holes" that let heat through.

MOA V Preparations

Monday I drove Sally, Elaine's 1992 Plus 8 to Bodega to visit Bill Fink at ISIS for some pre-tour preparations, including changing all the fluids, hoses if needed, renewing the hydraulic fluids and other general maintenance features. She will be there for another day or two. In the meantime, as a loaner I have sitting in the garage a brilliant red 2002 +8+ complete with 345 Corvette LS1 horsepower and a 6-speed gearbox! (see http://www.morgancars-usa.com/ for more detail)

This Morgan is something else! Acceleration that just won't quit, yet will cruise all day at 70 mph turning only 1500 RPM. It is not a stiff as I had expected and actually steers a bit easier than Sally with her 2.3 lock to lock steering rack. Considering how many journalist road tests this +8+ has endured, it is surprisingly rattle free and retains the expected Plus 8 crisp handling. The rear axle's disc brakes helps the car stop as well as it accelerates.

Fortunately I won't have it around long enough to get used to it. But we will all be able to observe one in action starting next month as Bob M. is bringing his new +8+ instead of the 1970 Plus 8 on this year's run.

REGALIA ORDER DONE

I finally finished the Regalia order and sent it off to Peter for preparation. I hope that I managed to get it right. The license plaques are also finally under construction. Now on to printing the daily itineraries for Ken. It is difficult to believe that in only 1 month Callie and Colin will arrive, and only 16 days until Roger and Linda leave for Las Vegas.

STEVE INVITES US TO HIS HOME IN GEYSERVILLE

Steve R, one of the organizers of MOA 1-IV has invited us to stop by his home for lunch and to see his auto collection on our way back down highway 101. He has a beautiful home which he designed and built high on a hill in Cloverdale. We look forward to it. Thanks Steve.