Hello folks – been a couple of days of action here in the US with this the first chance to get to an internet connection. Today is Tuesday and we have finally made it to Reno after a few dramas along the way. Monday we aimed for an early start and did get away at a reasonable time, however the battery in the navman went flat and the cigarette lighter in the Oldsmobile isn’t working so it was a visit to the local Pep Boys (Repco on steroids) where we got an auxiliary lighter and wired that into the car so at least we could find our way around this town. We then headed to Grant Downings workshop where he makes the drag car chassis for his Funny Car and those for Del Worsham as well – this place is amazing with about 4 drag cars in the workshop, all the chassis making gear, a bar complete with 2 land bowling alley upstairs for after work drinks and a methanol burning V8 powered ex drag race motor mounted to a couple of mixing bowls to mix marguaritas with!! Grant kindly bent up a roll cage for us as this is a requirement of running on the salt in our class.Next was to head out of town for Bakersfield where we were to meet Dwayne Jones (Kiwi Konnection) and pick up some stuff that he had stored for us – unfortunately heading out of town the Olds had a blowout on the freeway, in 4 lanes of traffic, so we rolled along the edge of the road till the next off ramp where there was enough room to park and change the tyre. The spare didn’t fit, neither did the jack nor wheel brace so we borrowed one from a local then Craig and Noddy headed off with the rim to get another tyre. A couple of hours behind schedule we finally got going again which of course meant we didn’t get to Bakersfield until late. Check into a motel and try for some sleep – except it is damn hot, around 90-95F which I think is low thirties.Tuesday was another early start with a visit to Dwaynes to collect our bits and pieces. Then hit the road heading for Reno where all the will be taking place. It was an all day drive to cover the miles to get here, including a stop for another blowout on the Olds – this time we replaced all 3 remaining tyres which of course cost us another couple of hours travel time but the good thing was while we were waiting we headed across the road to a bar called the Doghouse Saloon, owned by Tom Kimble who thought what we were trying to do was so cool he gave us the sign of his bar off the wall to mount somehwere in the car!!

Once back on the road we got to Reno with only one further incident coming off the freeway, running out of gas - luckily there was a station close and it was only a short push to get some more. Now we are in the hotel – Club Cal Neva, who are supplying the rooms as sponsorship – for the rest of the week and the first thing on most of our minds is food and sleep ready for tomorrows thrash getting ourselves setup to start the build on Thursday.