7.24.13- Highway 180

Our day began in Snyder, Texas with an 8:00 AM drivers' meeting. The Volt-Tech team was in the parking lot by 7:00 AM taking the car off the trailer and positioning the canopy for optimum sun coverage. We were scheduled to depart at 9:26. Shortly before departure time it was discovered that the brake light was broken. Nick and Chris were able to do a quick repair.

Nick was the first driver; the photo below shows him being wheeled into position by Joe and Chris on the side of the car and Tyler and Myles in the rear. Mr. Harris can be seen in the background.

Nick in the driver's seat.

After Nick was in the lineup he discovered that although the car started earlier, it now would not. The canopy had to have its zip ties broken, and the canopy removed so that troubleshooting could begin. It was discovered that there was a bad fuse and this was easily replaced. The canopy went back on, new zip ties secured and we were able to leave Snyder, Texas at 10:09.

U.S. 180 out of Snyder is quiet compared to our previous route. It stretches long and straight to the horizon and every few minutes a few clustered cars speed by. I am the last car in our race caravan. On the rare curve in the road I am given the opportunity to catch a view of the race car from behind. It reminds me of a Stealth or Harrier aircraft on a runway. The team members jokingly talk about flux capacitors and the DeLorean car from  Back to the Future. Most of the time the car is not in my field of vision. When this happens I take great pleasure in the surrounding landscape. The car has been traveling at a speed of between 15 -20mph which is slow enough to notice the unusual.

This is Silverleaf Nightshade. It was so pretty I thought I might pick a blossom and keep it in the car with me. Those soft sage colored leaves and stems are thorny and one touch with my fingertips forced me to take a picture rather than pick one. 

I have not discovered the name of these purple flowers growing along the roadside.

This looks like a type of cedar, but again, I have not been able to identify it. 

The photos below show how vast the sky and land are. Although it is not discernible in the photos, there was an upcoming steady incline. The battery was nearing its charging point and it was decided to trailer the car for 15 minutes or so which allowed it to catch rays through the trailer walls and at the same time avoid it having to drive up the incline. 

The photo below shows Mr. Smith and Tyler who is carefully dusting the solar cells.

Here are a few videos highlighting the landscape.  Note that I mistakenly identified Myles as Nick. Myles is the driver. 

Each day the solar teams are required to make several stops. On this day we had a scheduled stop at the Borden County Court House where you can buy a can of Coke for sixty five cents. It is situated on route 180 and is surrounded by a few buildings, two of which are abandoned. The first photo shows Mr. Smith, Chris, Brittany, and Miles on the courthouse steps. The burr oak trees behind them offered some much needed shade.

Myles talks about driving the solar car.

The team from Houston, Mississippi showed us the spider they captured.