May 2013
Sunday 19th Starliner in Portland Southern Oregon heading towards the Californian border. Hydraulics in clutch system has gone. Will limp into Redding California and fix it tomorrow. GM is going like a train.
Monday 20th Limped out of Yreka 6am, headed to Redding. Repaired master cylinder (2hr). Headed south to Red Bluff 170 miles north of San Fransciso, stopped for groceries. Headed to the Golden Gate Bridge and not only drove over the bridge but became intimately close. Doyley stuffed up, looks like some panel beating tonight. I guess if you are going to hit a bridge, it might as well be THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE.
Tuesday 21st Early start and headed to San Diego surprise surprise to look at more clippers. As they say you can never not keep an eye out for clippers. They visited the home of Blast from the Past. Click on link below to have a look!!
1946 Flxible Clipper
Tomorrow they head back to LA to get the Starliner ready for its big overseas trip. Lets hope the Starliner Express doesn’t get seasick. Here is the 471 passing a Kenworth on the hills south of Bakersfield. Birchy will be grinning!!!
Wednesday 22nd Had breakfast with Bob Boswell (home of Blast From The Past), then headed north to Long Beach. Staying at New Port Beach, then heading to wharf tomorrow to prepare the Starliner Express for the big seas.
Thursday 23rd Starliner is in the holding yard waiting for its overseas trip. Leaves June 2nd and arrives in Brisbane June 18th. The boys are now playing tourists at Long Beach.
Friday 24th Even when they are playing Tommy Tourists they find clippers!! A visit to Catalinia Island turned out to be a Clipper visiting expedition. Click on the links to have a look at what they found and look in the photo gallery.
Discovery Tours Catalina Island
Catalina Island Photos
Saturday 25th Enjoyed being tourists and seeing the sights. Home tomorrow.
August 2013
Don’s Starliner has arrived at Brisbane wharf. Customs sent it off to its little cottage industry for cleaning and cleaning out of Don’s pockets. All done and after several issues Tony and I got it safely home to the Queensland Clipper Service Centre for a few repairs including door panel beating and upgrades to prepare it for its next journey to the Victorian Clipper Service Centre.
Starliner number 2 is being sandblasted at the moment, so that will be the next Doyken adventure!