Monday of Errands

Today was a day full of errands.  Brandon started day camp at the Boys and Girls Club of Corvallis.  Katrina went back to work.

Our day.

Home Sweet Home

We made it home early this evening, driving from Burley Idaho to Corvallis Oregon.

Katrina sent a text to friends to see if they could meet us at the house to help unload the Fiat.  Errol and family showed up soon after we arrived.  The whole family pitched in to help push the Fiat into the garage.

It's always good to be home again after a trip.  Tomorrow is the start of normal life again, in so many ways.  I start seriously looking for work.  Brandon goes to day camp.  Katrina goes to work.  For the first time in a little over two years, we have no vacations on the horizon.

Driving Home

Today was a driving day.  After a slow start leaving Colorado Springs, we headed through Wyoming, Utah and into Idaho for the night.  We are staying in Burley Idaho.

Fiat 600 and BBQ

Today we picked up the Fiat 600 that our good friend Jack saved for us.  He's had this car since the 1970's, when he 'rebuilt' it while living in Arizona.  It's a 1960 Fiat 600.  Jack had it painted in California Highway Patrol black and white.  He would show it off on special occasions and periodically drive it in the Colorado Springs St. Patrick's Day Parade.

A detailed account of the Fiat's life will be documented in my new Fiat blog when I get it up and running in the next few weeks (Reminder - for the most part, this blog will be ending on August 31st).

The following pictures are from our morning with Jack - all photos taken by Katrina.  

Jack and I check under the hood, which is actually the truck.  The trunk holds the battery, gas tank and a very small place for luggage.

The car has been sitting on the side of Jack's garage since approximately 1998.  The tires were a few inches deep in the dirt.

Overall, the body is in really good shape.  Little or no rust on the main body.

The engine.  This is a 3 cylinder engine with an average cruising speed of about 40 - 45 mph.  The engine needs to be completely rebuilt.  We are considering going electric.

Some of the original stickers can be seen inside the engine compartment.  That is also the original color, a tan-ish green-ish color.

The rear end engine compartment.

Jack in his Fiat 600 one last time.

The Fiat starts its journey by climbing up on the trailer.  The Fiat was just barely wide enough to straddle the gap in the middle of the trailer.

We had to winch the car up on the trailer.  

Notice how the car is just barely wider than the gap. 

Jack called this the point of no return.  

Jack and the Fiat one last time.  

We gave Jack a diecast model of the Fiat 600, painted in Carabinari colors (Italian police)

Loaded, secured and ready to hit the road to its new home, our garage in Oregon.

That Harley is the background has a bigger engine!

Rest stop in eastern Oregon.  

We received many looks, questions and comments during our two day drive back to Oregon.  

Now the car is safely parked inside our garage.  It looks so tiny.  We decided we could pack the garage with 5 of these cars, that's how small they are.  

Our plan is to rebuild the Fiat over the next couple of years, or less I hope.  You will be able to follow the progress on my new blog, which I will introduce very soon.  I also plan to share some stories from Jack about the Fiat's earlier life.  Stay tuned....