SF-LA Record Attempt Trip Report - Draft vv - 910722 Executive Summary Departure 0001 Thr 18 July from City Hall in SF Projected arrival at LA City Hall: midnight Thr +-4 hours Phase I: Out of town, El Camino, San Jose, Gilroy Mellow, good speed Phase II: Pacheco Pass Terror in the night - narrow road, mucho trucks Phase III: Dawn, down off the pass, onto I5 First stop at 140 miles at a rest stop on I5, making decent time, ahead of schedule. Phase IV: The long arm of the law Stopped by CHP, we didn't have the event permit (in another car from which we were temporarily separated). Cop wouldn't let Elaine go even though she is legal on that road. Drove 150 miles looking for other car, lost 4 hours total Phase V: Back on the bike, going down I5 pretty good. Phase VI: At Button Willow, sundown, 135 miles to go Officials won't approve continuing due to poor lighting and heavy traffic. Elaine is angry/heart-broken. We compromise, spend the night at Button Willow Phase VII: Fri AM, resume ride, pretty straightforward run to LA finish at ciy hall at 5PM. Our time, 41 hours elapsed. Riding time, approx 26 hours. We are in second place (only one other team finished so far), but two more attempts are scheduled. Epilogue: Have dinner and schmooze with Promoter and officals, get a shower. About 10PM, we are setting out to drive back. Doug notices that the steering wheel is almost 180 degrees off-center. Inspection reveals bent steering control arm! After a night at the promoters place, Toyota says they will fix it on Monday. Doug calls a friend who has an aero-car and we go there, pull the part, bend it straight, and drive back leaving about 3PM Saturday. Uneventful trip back.