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A Glorious Day for a Blat


scannon

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Temps were in the mid 70s with a clear blue sky today so three of us decided the time was ripe for one last blat in the Colorado mountains. Snow is expected tomorrow evening and highs in the 20s on Wednesday. Looks like winter is finally here.

 

Three of us met at the mouth of Boulder canyon and while doing show and tell on our cars we noticed 2 sherriff's cars head up the canyon so we switched canyons and headed up Left Hand canyon. We had a '67 Lotus Elan, a '96 Miata and my '04 Caterham SV. Carl commented that this was the first time his Miata was the largest car of the group.

 

Traffic was minimal and we were able to drive rather briskly. At the top of the canyon we took the Peak to Peak Highway north to St. Vrains canyon and headed down that one. After a stop in Lyons for lunch at Oskar Blues, Carl had to return to work and Jason and I jumped in my Caterham and went back up St. Vrains. I drove up and he drove back. Then we got in his Elan and did it again. This was the first time I had ridden in or driven an Elan. I was suprised how well his car handled and rode, better than I expected from a 40 year old car. Its also very quiet and calm in the cockpit compared to my Se7en. A very fun car to drive.

 

Did I mention it was a glorious day for a Blat! :lol:

 

http://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/1396587720_Elan 11.07009.JPG

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What effect does the altitude have on your power? 70 eh? How did you guys fit the flyrods and golf clubs in those cars? :D Tom

At Denver's 5280' it is about a 20% power loss for normally aspirated cars. My turbo doesn't much care about altitude, it just spins faster to make the same boost. It is almost as powerful at 12,000' as at sea level. Probably less than 3% loss. That's the reason I have turbos on all my cars instead of superchargers.

 

No time today for fishing and golf, didn't want to waste any time that could be spent on blatting. :hurray:

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Skip, you lucky dog! Wish I had been there to join you! I know those roads well...

 

It is fortunate that you didn't proceed briskly up Boulder Canyon and close in unsuspectingly on the sheriff's cars...

 

It's 15 degrees here today, a foot of snow on the ground, and more expected tomorrow. And only 6 hours of daylight. Hibernation mode, I'm afraid.

 

Alaskossie

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I went out Saturday for a short blat, probably my last of the year...temp about 37 degrees. Despite having lined leather gloves on, my hands were numb by the time I got home. I had a balaclava on, so my head was fine. In the words of Skip, I drove "briskly"...about the pace of the Skyline East 2006 drive. :D

 

It snowed that night here in NJ, and on Sunday and Monday too. Glad I got that drive in.

 

 

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