Build Complete & roadworthy

090511-008-1, originally uploaded by mark benger.

It's done - all complete & roadworthy, PBC & IVA passed just in time for the rain :)

Picture shows me about to leave Caterham Midlands for the long trip oop north.

Progress update

caterham_build-010_edited-1, originally uploaded by mark benger.

Progress so far:
Suspension complete
Diff filled
Coolant in engine
First go at bleeding brakes
Boot carpet fitted

Waiting for shortages

caterham-004, originally uploaded by mark benger.

Apologies for the lack of updates - I don't rearly like writing.
So raidiator on, cooling connected (with the exception of some hose where the wrong size was supplied) and headlights on, the front is basically done.
I would have started on the rear, but I need to install the hanbrake first, which I am waiting for Cateram to supply.

Engine In

caterham-006, originally uploaded by mark benger.

Had some help yesturday installing the engine.

Front suspension is now complete as well.

Day 2 Build

caterham_02, originally uploaded by mark benger.

Day 1 & 2 spent putting the front suspension together.

The begining

caterham-001, originally uploaded by mark benger.

Caterham kit arrived today and typically for Barrow it was pouring with rain, so everything started out wet.

In garage, wax & protection applied, serious build work starts tomorrow.

Getting Ready

pen_test05, originally uploaded by mark benger.

Garage cleared out, floor & one wall painted (badly)

All Change

If anyone is still reading this (hello there) you may notice some changes - more to follow

New resident

Rolo on stairs, originally uploaded by mark benger.

New lodger just moved in.
Got to work out where to put a cat flap now :)

Kirkstone pass

Kirkstone pass, originally uploaded by mark benger.

Had a little drive up to Kirkson Pass in the lake district last weekend - and it wasn't in the SAAB :)

New (old) car

saab_9-3001_nonum, originally uploaded by mark benger.

Yes, I've now got wheels

In Bath next weekend

I will be in Bath next weekend (29th/30th) so if anyone wants to meet up send me an e-mail

Home at last

Well its been 10 months, a few flights, most of which were under 4 hours, and a lot of train travel, 15k miles on Amtrak alone, but I'm finally back in the UK.

Miami, no Vce

worldtour_6066.JPG, originally uploaded by mark benger.

No posts for a while, but I've been recovering from the train journeys in South Beach, Miami, which is full of Art Deco & Bronzed bodies (which being America are either extremely thin or grossly fat).

Tomorrow evening I fly down to Brazil to see Rod, so I should be back home on the 12th, making approximately 10 months on the road.

Monuments & Aerospace

worldtour_5995.JPG, originally uploaded by mark benger.

As you can see from the above pic, I'm now in Washington DC, home of many fine monuments, a certain pale residence, and most importantly the Smithsonian Air & Space museum.
Two complaints though - it's bitterly cold, and the only food option at the Air & Space museum is Macdonald's. Still they did have Spaceship One and a spitfire, and unlike most US museums were prepared to note & credit when something wasn't invented in the good old USA.

Austin Texas

First off many thanks to Ray and Ryan, who I met up with in the Bay of Islads in New Zealand, for putting up with me for the past couple of days.

So what have I been up to since my last entry? From Seattle I headed down to Portland on the shortest US rail trip so far at only 4 hours, before hading back east to Chicago where I bounced back west to LA via the Grand Canyon (snowy but uncrowded). I then headed straight east to Texas and Austin. The train stopped overnight in San Antonio, so I wandered off to see the Alamo at midnight.

Next stop is back to Chicago (all rails lead to Chicago) and then onto Washington DC.

Home of Starbucks

worldtour_5840.JPG, originally uploaded by mark benger.

I'm in Seattle, home of Starbucks, Boeing and Microsoft for a flying visit - just one night before heading to Portland, then back to Chicago before heading south to the Grand Canyon and a bit of warmth (its cold here).

I seem to be loosing things on this trip, the latest count is:
1 Mobile phone (plus 1 broken)
1 Compact camera
4 or 5 hats
1 t shirt

Ps I will be arriving back home in early march

San Francisco to Denver

worldtour_5780.JPG, originally uploaded by mark benger.

I've survived the two day trip on Amtrak from San Francisco to Denver, not without a few delays. The train was over two hours late leaving, and was held up by snow in the mountains so was about six hours late into Denver, which meant arriving at 2am.

Denver itself is cold (had 2 inches+ of snow this afternoon) but I've managed to get some shopping done.

Napa Valley Wine train

worldtour_5773.JPG, originally uploaded by mark benger.

Trains & wine tasting in one day, a hard combination to beat, pity its still raing non stop though.

Cycling in the rain

worldtour_5766.JPG, originally uploaded by mark benger.

Its cold & wet here - so cold I've even had to buy a pair of gloves (and a lightsaber, but for different reasons) so obviously the thing to do was to rent a bike for a nice ride over a certain iconic bridge for a late lunch on the other side of the harbour?
I think I managed to pull off the drowned rat impersination quite well.