Saturday, 16 October 2010

Day 37 - The very last day

Today is a short 200 km run to Place Vendome in Paris.  For some this is the greatest excitement.  For others, it is the deflating realisation that a marvellous adventure is about to finish.   For yet others, it is a huge relief to have travelled 16,000 kms over a bewildering array of countries in a car that is generally older than the occupants.

For Clive and Ces, we get the impression that the feelings are a complete mishmash of the above.  Sometimes, they seem truly amazed that they have accomplished such a feat.   Other times, Clive seems bitterly disappointed that such small mishaps (the coil and the choke) could have robbed him of a 3rd place trophy.   But mostly, they seem to be genuinely pleased to be home (or nearly home).

Chris, Fern, Marian, Karen and I were in Place Vendome (as well as squillions of others) to welcome the dynamic duo onto the finish ramp.   As usual, there were some unsuspecting local passers by who wondered if they'd inadertently stumbled onto a period film set.

There were many flags from many countries ... mostly English, French, German, Swiss, Australian, American, Portugese, New Zealand, Dutch ... but also Turkish, Russian, etc.   And there were many people with hankerchiefs to their faces ... but they were not mopping up tears of of joy or sadness ... rather they were treating the red eyes caused by the fumes of so many thundering great classic engines.

Here are some images from those final moments in Paris ....


The clown already precedes the main act ...

Fugly thunders google-eyed into Paris ...

C&C a're scared of the big crowds ... one grabs onto the passenger door
Oi ... where'd he come from ... but Ces seems typically unperturbed!!

Clive is hanging on ... he's next to be unseated!!!

Finally, they get to the finish ramp ... just Clive, Ces and Fugly

The happy couple ... with Fugly

Friday, 15 October 2010

Day 36 - Even for someone as eccentric as me ...

that's a bit much" ... commented Tim Scott when someone made a new suggestion.  Tim is the bloke on the motorcyle and sidecar.

Clive worked on Fugly till midnight last night ... in an effort to make it stop as well as go.  Unfortunately, different gremlins took hold today ... relating to the motor as well as to the brakes.   First the fuel pump ... but then 3 cylinders kept disappearing.   It was another late finish for Car no 72 ... and as a consequence a considerable penalty at the final control of the final day of the rally.   As a consequence, they dropped some places on the leadership board.  Drat and double drat.

The failure of the 3 cylinders turned out to be a stuck choke on one of the 2 enormous carburettors ... the one feeding the rear 3 cylinders of the straight six.   Once diagnosed, it was dealt with quite smarktly just after the final control ... by means of a plastic cable tie and a change of 3 plugs.  

Hopefully, Fugly will make it to Place Vendome in Paris without futher issue ... provided, that is, that the French protestors do not get in the way ... they have been making a habit of burning cars in their protest against upping the retirement age from 60 to 62.

As we were awaiting Clive and Ces this evening, the other cars were arriving every few minutes to Troyes ... and being ushered into the underground carpark ... which was filling with really noxious fumes.

A little selection the car park attendants follow:

The hero (ie. lunatic) of the rally must be Tim Scott who rode a motorcyle and sidecar from Beijing to Paris without a navigator ... the sidecar was for spare fuel and water only.   Because his bike was so slow, he regularly arose at 3-4am and rode (and repaired) until late into the evening (often well past midnight) just to stay in the event.
Tim Scott being welcomed by Steve Hyde

Never throw away the wrappers from your beer
Home for 16,000 kms and 6 weeks

Nice graphics
work continues ....
I hope it's not St Valentine's Day!!!


While the event finishes at Place Vendome tomorrow, each of the cars needs to get back to its original home after that.   As you might have heard, the French have just kicked off a new season of countrywide strikes, including blockading the petrol distribution depots.    Getting petrol might become difficult for anybody who has not already topped up their long-range tanks and is not ready to leave Paris immediately after the prize-giving ceremony ... and while the strikers are still loading up on Pastis overnight.

For and on behalf of CD and Ces

Late update:  The 12 hour penalty for late arrival today has demoted Clive and Ces to 14th overall and 7th in class ... while still a decent position, it was a bitter blow after such a long haul back up the leaderboard.  

Thursday, 14 October 2010

Day 35 - How steep is it ... going down the other side?

To get into character, we woke early today.   We didn't want to get too into character, so we skipped the Soviet style hotel and the sewage-burbling shower.  Instead, we headed up to the Col de Cenis at 2,000 metres to await the various cars arriving about midday.

Already there was one of the P2P mechanics (apologies for not remembering his name) and his wife.   He had been the mechanic for the 1st half of the P2P and then had to return home for business reasons, but drove back down to meet the P2P for the final few days.   He brought his wife down also, so that she could man the passage control that was established at the top of the Col.

P2P cars arrived erratically all through the afternoon ... until well after the sun had disappeared behind the nearby peaks ... after which the temperature plummeted.


The 78-year-old Aussie

The Bentley Boys

Fester, who is Fugly's "never puts a foot wrong" brother.



The German folks' wagon

The only all girls entry

Not sure this was an original factory colour
Now and again, Mr Mechanic would help some participants to fix mechanical issues ... mostly a very hi-tech sequence of actions ...


How to fix an old style bent wheel


... from this car
Finally, about 4:30-ish, Car 72 arrived over the crest.  


By now it was getting quite cold, but there was plenty of heat and steam within Fugly.   We soon discovered that the cause was plain old terror.   You see, the brakes on Fugly had been playing up all day ... and were now virtually useless.   Clive and Ces knew that what goes up must also go down.   Once they saw the passage control, they knew that the descent was about to begin ... and they wondered how fast it would drop from 2,000m to 300m.   

Clive nervously shook my hand, and promptly asked "Is it steep going down that side?".    "Yes" I said "same as what you just climbed  ... a quick drop from 2,000 to 1,400m ... and then a more gradual descent to 300m".   This did not please him, so he and Mr Mechanic started figuring out what, if anything, they could do.

a serious man concerned with a serious issue
Ces, of course, stayed calm and under control as usual.   While the blokes were all flapping about under the car, Ces enjoyed a cappuccino inside ... occasionally stabbing on the brake pedal as one or other of the blokes shouted "pump the pedal", "foot off" or "hold pedal all the way down"


Ces drinking and driving

Meanwhile, as we readied to depart, we realised that the window-sticker that we had made was badly worded ... instead, it should have said "Stop!   Fugly, stop!!"

Groupies waiting for Fugly ...
As I write, Clive is replacing the brakes on Fugly, so that he can have one last carefree blast around the Circuit de Bresse tomorrow.

For and on behalf of CD and Ces

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Late update (actually very early the next day):

Fugly features in the official rally update for Thursday, complete with honourable mention and photo.   The official report also confirms that Clive and Ces moved up yet another place to 9th overall and 5th in class.   Just as well those critical timed stages took place early in the day while the brakes had some function in them.   By the time Clive reached the Col de Cenis, his standing in the event had been banished from his priorities ... getting off the mountain alive had become the competitive priority.

Wednesday, 13 October 2010

Day 34 - I've had enough!!

A night sleeping on a ferry is bad enough.   But a day without competitive stages is worse.  All three stages today were cancelled.    Hence the SMS that said "I've had enough!!"

The official reason is that the ferry was late arriving in Ancona.  But that is right up there with London Underground's excuse of "leaves on the track".  

Even someone who just likes to participate would be really disgruntled at this point ... having had so few competitive stages over a period of 6 weeks.  But someone who is seriously competitive (not to mention the financial outlay) would not have participated in the world's greatest race just to tootle around the globe in an old car.

This evening there will be lots of grumbling in the bar in Viareggio.   At least there will be lots of wine and beer to numb the senses.

Tomorrow, we will be up at Lac Cenis to wave at Car 72 ... and to offer our encouragement.   However, given the mood in the car ... the normal risk of spectators throwing missiles at the car ... might be reversed  ...  :-)

At least on Friday, there is a special stage at the Circuit de Bresse.   This can not have a 3-legged donkey timing constraint and is very unlikely to be cancelled, so all fury can be vented onto the bitumen that day.   We will be in the grandstands with our camera ... ready to capture the moments!!!

Tuesday, 12 October 2010

Day 33 - coming ashore in Italy under cover of darkness

Today was the 2nd part of the run across Greece ... complete with 3 more timed stages ... followed by an overnight ferry to Ancona which is halfway up the Adriatic coast of Italy.

We have no information on the events of today, either from Clive or from P2P Central Command, other than an SMS earlier this evening that Car 72 had just boarded the ferry.   Since the ferry would have left Greece over 2 hours ago ... and doesn't dock in Ancona until 10:30 am tomorrow ... we will remain in the dark (excuse the pun) at least until then.

Meanwhile, the official P2P site has a nice clip of Fugly motoring along a wet dirt track toward Erzurum in Turkey.   You can access the video by going to their Video Journal (click here Video Journal) ... and then selecting the video named Erzurum.   First you'll see Fester (the yellow Fangio Coupe) and, then a few cars later, you'll see Fugly.  You can't miss it with that wheel bolted onto the roof.

Hopefully, the official classifications will be updated tomorrow morning ... and we can see whether or not the Greek timed stages were further 3-legged donkey stages ... or seriously competitive stages that would have enabled Clive and Ces to move further up the leaderboard.

For and on behalf of CD and Ces

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Early morning update on Wednesday:

Official classifications for yesterday have now been posted.   Car 72 is now 10th overall and 6th in class.

The day's stages were again of the three-legged donkey variety, with most of the able-bodied competitors receiving the same elapsed time.   Presumably somebody who was in the first 10 on Monday had an off or a breakdown on Tuesday ... enabling Clive and Ces to move up a spot.   As any seriously competitive person will tell you, it doesn't matter how you move up the leaderboard, so long as you get there.  

________________________________________________________________________________


PS: 

Fingers crossed for Wednesday evening's blog update ... or more specifically for access to the internet tomorrow evening.   Karen and I will be motoring across Italy today... and staying overnight in a little village at 2,000 metres in the French Alps ... so that we can intercept the P2P as it blatts through on Thursday morning.

We'll be freezing our various extremities ... on the shores of Lac Cenis in the Parc National de la Venoise ... but we'll be waving encouragement to Car 72 as it passes. 


Monday, 11 October 2010

Day 32 - what a waste!!

It's just after 11:00pm in Greece and the telex machine has been silent all day.   However, we can tell from the official despatches that Car 72 has been through the 3 timed stages as well as the finish control.

We also know from the P2P command centre that the maximum times for today's timed stages could be easily achieved by anything faster than a 3-legged donkey.  Hence the first umpteen participants have been accredited with the same time/position on each stage.   More importantly for the competitive drivers, any hope that they might move up the leadership table has been scuppered ... at least for today.

Therefore my theory (for Clive's silence this evening) is that he's blowing off steam in the bar ... and in no mood to be reporting on the waste of a day's competition.



For the sake of the global recovery, let's hope that the time windows on the remaining stages are a little more difficult ... actually a lot more difficult.

For and on behalf of CD and Ces

Sunday, 10 October 2010

Day 31 - Moving on up ...


This morning we woke to a heavy frost and snow all around the car.   Luckily it was the start of a transport day during which we were only required to drive from the Abant Lake Hotel to our next overnight stop just North West of Istanbul.

We had set the alarm for 6.00am to ensure that we'd miss the worst of the legendary Istanbul traffic ... but I was awoken at 5.30am by some P2P competitors who were already pulling out of the car.   Now that is dedication.

The journey to Istanbul was uneventful and I drove deliberately slowly (100kph) giving Fugly a day off as well.   The snow turned to rain once we were off the mountain and, as usual, the water poured through the dashboard and soaked my feet, but c'est la vie!   As we moved west, the rain stopped and the sun began to shine.   As a result, the temperature rose to 19C ... not bad for a day that started off in snow.  

Once we realised that we were driving onto an enormous suspension bridge, we knew that we were crossing the famous Bosphorous.   So after several weeks, we had finally left Asia behind ... and we had arrived back in Europe .... fantastic!

Our hotel room has a magnificent view the of the Eastern Mediterranean.   Not that we've had time to enjoy it because, once checked in, we started the routine of work on Fugly.  This included removing the kilos of mud that had accumulated over from the previous days' timed stages.  

In total we spent 5 hours working on the car, whilst other competitors went sight seeing.   Perhaps some of this obsessiveness has contributed to us moving up another slot on the leaderboard ... we're now 11th overall and 6th in class.    I am still chasing a trophy but time is running out.   I spend more and more time thinking about how those 2 coils could have failed us on the 2nd stage on day one!!!!!!!     Oh well, I suppose that's motorsport.

Tomorrow we head into Greece and there are 3 more timed stages, so I hope that the time spent on Fugly today will pay dividents yet again.

There is a cocktail party tonight courtesy of the local car club, so Chin, Chin .... update tomorrow.

CD & Ces

__________________________________________________________________________________

PS from Peter:  Istanbul is one of my favourite cities, so I'm very envious.   Shame they didn't get to see the sights, but then that's why they're competing in the P2P and I'm at home in my armchair.  Maybe they'll be able to stock up at the Spice Market...


... the spices are very practical ... they could even be used for sealing that leaking windscreen.


As you all know, Istanbul used to be known as Constantinople ... as explained in the short historical clip below:

Saturday, 9 October 2010

Day 30 - Well, I wasn't expecting that ...


The morning started dry and cold.   The spa hotel has been quite good, but it was still Islamic Turkey, so we were limited to one beer last night.  

As Ces signed out for the day's event, we were told that the 1st of today's 5 stages had been cancelled ... for safety reasons.   Apparently, the heavy overnight rain had made some of the passes treacherous ... and after the crash of the Alvis yesterday, the organisers were using extreme caution.

As you might have seen on the official website, the crew were safe and well, but their 1930's Alvis was destroyed.   When they left the road, the car travelled down a steep 90 foot incline and came to a stop on a rock platform.   The bad news was that the rock broke the front axle.   The good news was that beyond the platform, there was a freefall drop of over 1,500 feet!

With this on my mind, I drove just like Miss Daisy on the other 2 stages ... and so was not too hopeful of moving up the leader board.

Today's stages were also fairly slippery and dangerous ... but then that is why I do these holidays.   Unless you live life on the edge, how do you know you're living life at all?    Sitting on a beach does nothing for me, but a rally car skipping along is something to be experienced ... the noise, the smells, the fear .... fantastic!

Today went well and apart from one stage called Canyon, which had big drops, I think we did alright.

However, I wasn't expecting to be practising my snow-driving skills!   The routes were so high that we encountered snow on three of them ... in fact, our hotel is blanketed in snow and fog.

Fugly has taken a real battering over the past few weeks and I've included some pics below to show you:  

Gear lever re-welded


Watertight dashboard ... not really!!
(Clive, so it runs on gas then ... Peter)



A cracking repair to a cracking wing


Not surprisingly, Fugly is covered in snow and mud and looking kind of tired ... as you can see below

In need of a wash and polish ... and the sort of TLC that a 72-year-old is entitled to

The 72-year-old twins ... Fugly and Fester

Turkish Police keeping an eye on the rally

The unexpected ... approaching this evening's hotel


As for Fugly's internals, the manifold/exhaust started blowing today ... but the engines is still going like a train (good job, Howard!).

As I was typing, yesterday's results were posted here in the hotel ... and I am pleased to say that we're now 12th overall and 7th in class ... apparently I was in the top 5 on all stages yesterday ... not bad for Miss Daisy!

CD & Ces

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Late evening update:

Despite what Clive claims about being in 12th overall and 7th in class, the official P2P website places them in 11th and 6th.
  • Yesterday they were 5th, 3rd and 4th in the 3 timed stages.
  • Today they were 4th, 6th, and 5th on stages 2, 3 and 5 (stages 1 and 4 were cancelled).

Friday, 8 October 2010

Day 29 - I smell blood in the water ...

Late post:
  • As of late Friday night, Clive was unaware of the final classifications but there had been talk of the 1st timed stage being excluded from the results because of the accident.
  • As of Saturday morning, final classifications from Friday still have not been posted. 
__________________________________________________________________________________
 
I woke today at 3.30am.   Of course, all I could think of was that this would be a day of competition.  So I couldn't get back to sleep ... such was my level of readiness.

Once we got to breakfast, I sensed that many of my competitors were not relishing the forthcoming day as much as I was.   They were complaining of fatigue, colds and general malaise whereas my mood was bouyant.   

Ces asked     "What's up with you?"
I said             "I smell blood in the water!"
She knew I was ready to race!    I'd been waiting for bloody weeks ....

Once we pulled away from the car park, I immedialty felt that the brake adjustments that I'd carried out the night before were bang-on.   The car was running perfectly.   The only dampener was that rain had started falling.

The rain was falling heavily as we made our way to the 1st stage some 170 kms away from the hotel.   We proceeded to the start line, where we were warned that the conditions high up in the mountains were very slippery. 

After the count down, we flew away from the line and began the climb up into the clouds and along the side of a mountain.  All was running well.   After about 30kms, I approached a hairpin left which marked the end of the mountain and indicated the start of a big drop.  The car started sliding ... almost uncontrollably ... until I steered hard left and released the foot brake ...  in an attempt to make the front bite and turn in.

The car responded, we made the turn, but immediately the back tried to overtake the front.   I had no choice but to steer directly towards the cliff edge.   Once again the front turned in, so now I applied power and maintained the opposite lock to keep us from dropping over the edge.

This "tank slapper" was repeated and repeated and repeated ... four times in total.   By the time we'd emerged from the bend and the car was under control, my early morning passion to win had turned into a simple desire to live!    Over the rest of the stage, the car was sliding everywhere, right and left.   Even on the uphill sections, the wheels would spin and the car would choose it's own route.

Later the same morning I would learn that another car had indeed left the road and this was driven by our friends Mike and Anne Wilkinson.   As I write I understand that the there was "only" a 90 foot drop ... so their injuries are minor.  The car is still being assessed.

The big scare put a halt to my early exhuberant pace ... the 2 later stages were slow but controlled.   I started today 9th in class and 15th overall so time will tell where we are now.

There are 5 short stages tomorrow and Time Controls along the route that you must "make" to avoid penalties.   The total route today including stages was over 700kms and that is a lot for an old car.  Accordingly, we expect some competitors to fall by the wayside tomorrow.  

Fugly is running very well and the radiator is holding position thanks to a number of cable-ties!

CD & Ces

(PS:  Stay safe, Clive.   It's the most important thing.   ... Peter  ... and I believe that I speak for all of your blog-readers)

Motor Sport is Dangerous.  But only while you're still alive.

Thursday, 7 October 2010

A photo summary of the last week

As before, the photos are in chronological order ... from top to bottom ... so that you can just scroll down.

 
isn't this where we left off last week ... remember the snow-capped mountains?
Hmmm ... but the road wasn't as good as this!

Hmmm ... money and taste were never synonymous!


Grandad's MG


Clive says that this is Turkmenistan ... ok ... we take your word for it.


Ces looking more elegant than ever ... and Clive looking like the dude!
(George Clooney, look out!!!)


That famous Pontoon Bridge ... where the bloke wanted both USD and TMM
(Remember Turkmenistan Manats)


Turkmenistan ... not sure if it's where Clive barfed or ... well, how can I put it?


Still in Turkmenistan ... but Clive is not able to party
... but at least there's a bed, a light, a phone, a radio!


 
Luxury in Iran .... they had Ahmedinejad to thank for this
... and he never even turned up.



Now where would you get flowers from the local Police ... Iran of course
... but check for radio-microphones all the same.

  
They really know how to make foreigners comfortable!!


A Muslim Mechanic with Lotus-coloured headscarf ...
... and stopwatch ... bravo!

The beard's gone ... hmmm ... was that a statement?



Custom Chevrolet Luggage ... colour-coded to gender ...
radiation resistant ... works in hotel room or just on the floor!



Capturing the hearts and minds of the locals ... while keeping fingers and toes crossed



Mount Ararat ... site of the original Noah's Ark


The Noah's Ark that Clive had in mind!!

Beautiful scenery ... but still accelerating hard to get out of Iran