Ray and I had a real good time this last weekend.
Saturday the Volvo was performing to expectations; setting a real good time for the first (very long) stage (third overall). On the second stage I went wide in a left and planted the right front (that same corner of the car again!!) in soft dirt that had no intentions of letting me back out of it. I broke reverse in the Jerico trying to back out. Ray was PISSED. Me too. We had a good samaritan stop with a white Impreza and pull us out (I had the tow strap in hand). Thanks guys. We continued, and with time penalties landed ourselves dead last for Saturday.
Sunday arrived with greyer skies (to my liking). Exciting roads awaited all those who were able to make the start.
I always have trouble with the tight, twisty stuff; and this is where Scott Fuller with that nice VW Golf and That rascal Californian Jay Streets in that Yellow Volvo 740T managed to build a good lead over Ray and I. We were not keeping track of times of our competition, but had a good feeling about how it was going, in particular when we learned that we put a minute on the other two wheel drive guys on the long (fast) stage. I managed to not need reverse all day, and after Dave Clark fished the large chunks of reverse out of the gearbox, I could then consistently select first and second gears. Prior to Dave doing this first and second were hit and miss, with my arriving at many acutes unable to select anything other then third or fourth. This made for a number of turns that cost us 10-15 seconds each, as the engine s-l-o-w-l-y climbed from under 1000rpm's to make power. I'll only abuse the clutch so much. Early in the day I managed to (in my mind) Poo-Poo Ray's call of a triple caution crest to right into a gravel pit with a left and then 90right immediatly following, and had an 80+mph MOMENT that I won't get wrong again. Ray tells me that the three seconds we lost to Jay Streets to we lost in the time spent going slower through that triple caution the second time.
So, Many thanks to Mike Irby for his help in servicing the Fire Breathing Monster this last weekend, as well as Dave Clark for his help. Todd Hartmann gets thanks for the bleeder nipple he so graciously persented us so that we could have a clutch again.
All the organizers, volunteers, Simpson Timber and everyone else who brought this event together, Thank you for an unforgettable weekend in the woods that left certain body orifices chaffed.
Ray---Thanks for hanging in there. We finally finished an event, and didn't do that badly at it too boot.
JohnLane
