[Clois Harlan]

Friday I had driven my Cobra to work (mid 80's day) and was feeling pretty good. Didn't take the Cobra out at noon because I didn't want to set off everyones car alarms that early in the day. I wrapped everything I needed to do at the office by 3:30 so I could do a little crusing. So left the office and headed for the freway (fastest way out of town) which meant I sat in traffic on So. Yale for about 20 mins. before I could get on I-44. While I was in line waiting on lights I got the usual number of thumbs up and other drivers asking me to "Rev it up once".

Anyway, finally got to the ramp to the interstate and was rolling through the gears on the access road and up to I-44 where I found the perfect opening to get on the freeway when everything went quiet. My engine died! Quick check of the gas gauge and I still had over a quarter of a tank. So I let out on the clutch and she fired again and off we went about 20' when the engine died again so I pulled to the shoulder and came to a full stop. Turned the key and it fired right up and then died but I noticed I couldn't hear my fuel pump. So I climbed out of the cockpit and checked my fuel cell. Sure enough it was bone dry with a little piece of my foam baffle from my fuel cell underneath my fuel sender holding it up and giving me a false reading at my gauge. %$&$ to make things worse traffic is backed up behind me as far as I can see with people looking at a stranded Cobra beside the highway. Quick call to my wife who works about three miles away to pick up some gas and come and save me (20 mins tops). Well an hour and 10 mins later she shows up with the gas. Apparantly, I had traffic backed up for about four miles and she had to crawl through traffic like everyone else. She was almost as happy by the time she got to me. I am just glad one of the news helicopters didn't come by and hover over me during this episode. Although one trucker had this women holding her camcorder out the window of their truck taking my picture so I just smilled and waved. The rest of the weekend wasn't much better either.

So much for bailing out of work early for a cruise. I might try it again next week.....N O T!!!

So how was your weekend?

Clois