I finally got all (well most of them anyway...) photos up on Flickr.
You should be able to see them at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24341440@N03/sets/72157605305560614/show/
Monday, June 2, 2008
BABE Rally Video
Here is a link to a video by Justin "the Rallymeister" from the Rally.
http://www.streetsafari.com/ph/BABE2008.mp4
http://www.streetsafari.com/ph/BABE2008.mp4
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Getting Home......
We did a Cannonball Run from New Orleans back to Richmond. We donated Evidence to a local charity and rented a Toyota Minivan for the drive back home.
Drove straight through.
Finally got out of the I-10 IHOP North of New Orleans around 12:30 pm on Monday.
Arrived in Richmond around 6:15 Tuesday morning.
Day 4: Ft. Payne AL to New Orleans LA (The Finish!)
Final day. Just have to make the ~440 mi Interstate trek from Northern AL to the Big Easy.
The group was lined up in the Lowes parking lot for the start and got a police escort out of town. We departed by 9:30am. Challenge for the day was to find 6 BP/Amoco gas stations and have the team's picture taken in front of pump #1. We cranked this out rather easily once we got in the grove. The tough part was the signs that indicated the presence of a BP and there actually was none, or the reverse--driving past an exit at 70 mph and seeing a BP sign emerge from the trees. But we got them all.
While searching for our third sign however, we noticed the temp gauge had jumped up significantly. This didn't bode well as we were in lots of traffic lights looking for !@#$ BP stations. As it turns out, our second cooling fan switch melted. So, we just hot-wired everything together and hit the road. Pulling the fuse became our on/off switch from there on out.
As we lost much time we figured we were in the back of the pack (it was an Amazing Race moment). As we stopped for gas somewhere in Nowhere AL, we run into three other teams. One included the wrecked "Crapriolet" that was worked on for most of the night. We stayed with them for until just outside N.O. when we had to do a splash-and-go for gas.
We were behind that previously wrecked car for a good portion of the day and it was doing 70 easy all day long. Amazing.
We made it to our destination--The Hotel LeMoyne in the French Quarter with about 90 minutes to spare, got our challenges turned in and broke out the post race beverages.
The award ceremony was at 8--we didn't win anything but had a blast the whole time. I have to get my thoughts together to sum up the week, sort through hundreds of photos and a couple hours worth of video----so here are some pictures instead:
The group was lined up in the Lowes parking lot for the start and got a police escort out of town. We departed by 9:30am. Challenge for the day was to find 6 BP/Amoco gas stations and have the team's picture taken in front of pump #1. We cranked this out rather easily once we got in the grove. The tough part was the signs that indicated the presence of a BP and there actually was none, or the reverse--driving past an exit at 70 mph and seeing a BP sign emerge from the trees. But we got them all.
While searching for our third sign however, we noticed the temp gauge had jumped up significantly. This didn't bode well as we were in lots of traffic lights looking for !@#$ BP stations. As it turns out, our second cooling fan switch melted. So, we just hot-wired everything together and hit the road. Pulling the fuse became our on/off switch from there on out.
As we lost much time we figured we were in the back of the pack (it was an Amazing Race moment). As we stopped for gas somewhere in Nowhere AL, we run into three other teams. One included the wrecked "Crapriolet" that was worked on for most of the night. We stayed with them for until just outside N.O. when we had to do a splash-and-go for gas.
We were behind that previously wrecked car for a good portion of the day and it was doing 70 easy all day long. Amazing.
We made it to our destination--The Hotel LeMoyne in the French Quarter with about 90 minutes to spare, got our challenges turned in and broke out the post race beverages.
The award ceremony was at 8--we didn't win anything but had a blast the whole time. I have to get my thoughts together to sum up the week, sort through hundreds of photos and a couple hours worth of video----so here are some pictures instead:
Monday, May 26, 2008
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Day 3: Newport TN to Ft. Payne AL
Day 3 took us from Newport TN through the smokies and Deals gap down to Ft. Payne AL. Wasnt really a long day but the days are getting warmer and our AC only works when the windows are open.
Car got a work out up and down the mountains but did just fine. She was cruising through the tail of the dragon just fine as well.
We had to replace our fan switch as it basically melted and stopped working properly. There were a couple of times wherein we thought we had the fan on but in reality it wasnt. No overheating close calls but the switch needed replacement. We really need to be running it off a relay but we need only one more day for the switch.
Big excitment was last night in Ft. Payne when one of the BABE cars was in a traffic accident. The BABE car was turning left at a light into the hotel and was hit by an oncoming car. Nobody was hurt.
The great thing was once released by the police everybody pushed the BABE car (VW Golf Cabriolet) into the hotel parking lot and swarmed to get the car fixed to make it to New Orleans on Sunday. It was awesome. A combination of hardcore VW heads and a tug from a Toyota pick up to pull the frame out. It was like being in the pits at night at LeMans or the 24 hours of Daytona. Looks like she will make it to the start today.
That's what its all about.
Car got a work out up and down the mountains but did just fine. She was cruising through the tail of the dragon just fine as well.
We had to replace our fan switch as it basically melted and stopped working properly. There were a couple of times wherein we thought we had the fan on but in reality it wasnt. No overheating close calls but the switch needed replacement. We really need to be running it off a relay but we need only one more day for the switch.
Big excitment was last night in Ft. Payne when one of the BABE cars was in a traffic accident. The BABE car was turning left at a light into the hotel and was hit by an oncoming car. Nobody was hurt.
The great thing was once released by the police everybody pushed the BABE car (VW Golf Cabriolet) into the hotel parking lot and swarmed to get the car fixed to make it to New Orleans on Sunday. It was awesome. A combination of hardcore VW heads and a tug from a Toyota pick up to pull the frame out. It was like being in the pits at night at LeMans or the 24 hours of Daytona. Looks like she will make it to the start today.
That's what its all about.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Day 2 Pics
Quick update...
Made it to Newport TN. Car still running good. Seems to be smoother in 3rd Gear vice Overdrive so we are running w/o over drive. Mileage is still much better than we thought. We were getting about 24 MPG and its about 22 w/o overdrive.
Many hills today including a "short cut" up a dirt road over a mountain in western VA.
Made all the challenges but they really added alot to the trip. Left Harrisonburg at 10:00 am and arrived in Newport around 9:00pm.
Some of the cars are feeling the pain but folks are hanging in there. One of the teams is currently repainting their car in the motel parking lot--they are changing it every day. Greg just pushed Team "there will be bacon" into the lot--they have two good cylinders left (they started with four).
Long day and were tired--and the cold beers at the end are kicking in.
Made it to Newport TN. Car still running good. Seems to be smoother in 3rd Gear vice Overdrive so we are running w/o over drive. Mileage is still much better than we thought. We were getting about 24 MPG and its about 22 w/o overdrive.
Many hills today including a "short cut" up a dirt road over a mountain in western VA.
Made all the challenges but they really added alot to the trip. Left Harrisonburg at 10:00 am and arrived in Newport around 9:00pm.
Some of the cars are feeling the pain but folks are hanging in there. One of the teams is currently repainting their car in the motel parking lot--they are changing it every day. Greg just pushed Team "there will be bacon" into the lot--they have two good cylinders left (they started with four).
Long day and were tired--and the cold beers at the end are kicking in.
Off to Deals Gap at 9:00 am and the Tail of the dragon!!!
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