We’re still prematurely wearing through tread on the Porta Hedge’s rear passenger tire. When we stopped this afternoon at a service area on the Pennsylvania Turnpike we realized that the tire was completely bald with white chord showing, so we left the Hedge at the parking lot with a crew member inside while we acquired a new tire in the nearby town of Everett.
Porta Hedge Waits Without a Wheel
On a more practical note, the Porta Hedge wore out its first tire after only 6,000 miles. Oddly enough, none of the other three tires showed significant wear, so it seems that the worn out tire must have been defective.
New Tire for the Porta Hedge
Just over Donner Pass on I80, the pass named after the ill-fated pioneer emigrant party that found itself snowed in on the east side in 1846, resulting in cannibalism to keep 45 of the 86 members alive, we found our own party stranded. Five hours later with two tow trucks in three days under our belt, the mechanic in Truckee was able to extract the front drive shaft from our towing vehicle and send us on our way. The drive shaft now lives in the back of the car, packed in just below the sleeping bags.
The Suburban Undergoes Surgery
No More Front Drive Shaft
Chasing the sun across Nevada on I80, about 60 miles west of Reno, surrounded by rolling desert hills, we developed a wobble from the rear of the vehicle. Several hours, dozens of phone calls, and two tow trucks later, we landed in the parking lot of a small garage in Fernley, where we spent the night conducting security surveillance on the lot gratis. The roadside tacos were fantastic and the cool dry desert air at night proved great for sleeping. We hope to be on our way this afternoon to a cocktail party planned for the Porta Hedge this evening at the Museum of Kitsch in Incline Village.
Suburban Getting a Tow on I80 in Western Nevada
Suburban Getting a Tow with Decoupled Porta Hedge
Discussing the Porta Hedge on I80 Westbound
Porta Hedge Immobile on I80 in Western Nevada
Porta Hedge Getting a Tow
Last night the Porta Hedge rolled through northern Pennsylvania, across Ohio, Indiana and Illinois into Wisconsin on I90 and I94. As we drive farther into the Midwest, the road has straightened considerably and the Porta Hedge is able to travel through locations much faster than we originally anticipated.
In an attempt to keep small birds and insects from becoming lodged (and perishing) in the branches of the Porta Hedge as it travels down the interstate at speeds close to 70 MPH, the crew secured a tarp over the front of the Hedge (Christo Hedge?). Alas, our plan backfired! As the tarp flapped on its sides, it tore out a small patch of branches on the driver side, leaving an unsightly bald spot on the Hedge that we will repair later today.
Porta Hedge With High Speed Tarp Cover Secured to Front
Bald Spot in Porta Hedge
THE ROOF LEAKED!
We had a torrential downpour on Tuesday and regrettably the Porta Hedge developed a small leak in the roof along a seam. Our friends Bob and Martha Naylor at Windy Hill Farm in Newport, New Hampshire provided a space in their 150 year old barn to keep us dry as we removed part of the Porta Hedge roof and resealed the seam. 24 hours later, we were back on the road, on our way to Provincetown, Massachusetts.
First tank of gas, the Porta Hedge replaces parking spot at the pump with greenery.
Weatherproofing at Walmart in Claremont, New Hampshire
