The city of angels might have a million stories, but so does the great American run.
As a fan of the surreal, I hit the pinnacle last night. Decked out in a tux for the final night party, you know you hit the peak of surrealism when you walk in and Kato Kailin of OJ Simpson trial fame says "hey, Jay!"
Kato was our the official GAR hanger-on and on camera talent for interviews, etc. And while his career path is a little odd, he's actually a hell of a nice guy.
Pretty sure my life is complete now.
Saturday, August 4, 2007
moral victories suck.
No first place prize for gold 101, but hell, we made it and probably finished up in the top.
We haven't gotten total results yet but rumor has it that there were 20 cars within 2 seconds. Yeah, you read that right, 3300 miles and 20 cars hit the number with 2 seconds.
To give you some perspective, the second place finisher had an average speed of 61.004 mph. Now that's close.
My heart goes out to Liam tho, this cat went for one prize and one prize only, the true cannonballer. He raced the course, got 4 tickets and arrived at each checkpoint hours before it even opened and did not take the prize.
Surprisingly, that went to Molly saleen and her Molly pop. Total fix, but in the true spirit of the race, controversy surrounded everything from the way it was handled to the winner, but it doesn't matter because it was impossible to not have the time of your life.
We haven't gotten total results yet but rumor has it that there were 20 cars within 2 seconds. Yeah, you read that right, 3300 miles and 20 cars hit the number with 2 seconds.
To give you some perspective, the second place finisher had an average speed of 61.004 mph. Now that's close.
My heart goes out to Liam tho, this cat went for one prize and one prize only, the true cannonballer. He raced the course, got 4 tickets and arrived at each checkpoint hours before it even opened and did not take the prize.
Surprisingly, that went to Molly saleen and her Molly pop. Total fix, but in the true spirit of the race, controversy surrounded everything from the way it was handled to the winner, but it doesn't matter because it was impossible to not have the time of your life.
Friday, August 3, 2007
FINISHED! and guess what?
We pulled into the checkpoint right on time and I really think we've got a shot at this!
As we pulled in, I hopped out of the car and watched him yet to back into a parking stall, when out of nowhere, coolant came streaming forth out of the car and gold 101 sat idle in front of yet another checkpoint.
Again, you have no choice but to proceed. We let it cool, added some water and antifreeze and watched the big boys in their super cars race around willow springs race track without restrictions.
Rally done baby! Now its on to LA, with a quick stop in GLENDALE to pick up the tuxes and off to the party at the Biltmore.
As we pulled in, I hopped out of the car and watched him yet to back into a parking stall, when out of nowhere, coolant came streaming forth out of the car and gold 101 sat idle in front of yet another checkpoint.
Again, you have no choice but to proceed. We let it cool, added some water and antifreeze and watched the big boys in their super cars race around willow springs race track without restrictions.
Rally done baby! Now its on to LA, with a quick stop in GLENDALE to pick up the tuxes and off to the party at the Biltmore.
the leaders are in trouble!
Paul and Sara, a really nice couple from the
UK had been the de facto leaders.
So far we saw them popped by the cops in Nevada and now again just 10 miles short of the finish line.
Two tickets, running late and the road is a 45 mph so they have to speed in order to make it on time because hell, we're close to running out and they left before us.
Trouble for the Brits may mean gold for 101.
UK had been the de facto leaders.
So far we saw them popped by the cops in Nevada and now again just 10 miles short of the finish line.
Two tickets, running late and the road is a 45 mph so they have to speed in order to make it on time because hell, we're close to running out and they left before us.
Trouble for the Brits may mean gold for 101.
the leaders are in trouble!
Paul and Sara, a really nice couple from the
UK had been the de facto leaders.
So far we saw them popped by the cops in Nevada and now again just 10 miles short of the finish line.
Two tickets, running late and the road is a 45 mph so they have to speed in order to make it on time because hell, we're close to running out and they left before us.
Trouble for the Brits may mean gold for 101.
UK had been the de facto leaders.
So far we saw them popped by the cops in Nevada and now again just 10 miles short of the finish line.
Two tickets, running late and the road is a 45 mph so they have to speed in order to make it on time because hell, we're close to running out and they left before us.
Trouble for the Brits may mean gold for 101.
ahhh... air conditioning!
When you're crossing the desert and its over 110 outside, it truly pays off to be able to take the inside of your car down to about 75 degrees.
As I look at the other cars on the road, i'm guessing that's what they're thinking because they probably have air conditioners that work!
Yep, sweating bullets across the arid southern California desert in a car that spits out enough heat from the transmission alone to warm even the coldest of bavarian nights.
Must be a buck-thirty in gold 101, which is coincidentally the coolest we've been able to get this car to since the catskills.
ssssss...
As I look at the other cars on the road, i'm guessing that's what they're thinking because they probably have air conditioners that work!
Yep, sweating bullets across the arid southern California desert in a car that spits out enough heat from the transmission alone to warm even the coldest of bavarian nights.
Must be a buck-thirty in gold 101, which is coincidentally the coolest we've been able to get this car to since the catskills.
ssssss...
California!
Oh man its good to be back.
We're blowing off track day and lunch and heading straight to the Biltmore after we check in.
Doesn't sound like it, but this is a true endurance test. The driving is one thing, but its activity after activity when we check in and virtually no down time.
We're blowing off track day and lunch and heading straight to the Biltmore after we check in.
Doesn't sound like it, but this is a true endurance test. The driving is one thing, but its activity after activity when we check in and virtually no down time.
warped perspective...
This leg of our trip is 238 miles, and now only 40 miles into it both my dad and I have the feeling that we're almost done. After averaging over 800 miles a day, 238 seems like a trip to the corner store.
My ass still hurts tho.
My ass still hurts tho.
on to willowsprings
The international raceway to be exact where the big boys are gonna strut their stuff.
We had mistakenly thought yesterday was our final checkpoint, with a caravan to LA, but we just met up with the Miami group for the final of five legs.
We made up all our time and we feel like we're in good shape so if we can just hit the 61 mph average today, I should be driving home in a new saleen tomorrow.
Still no Molly pop sighting, but we did get full blown helicopter TV coverage this morning. This event even makes waves in a town famous for ignoring tsunamis.
We had mistakenly thought yesterday was our final checkpoint, with a caravan to LA, but we just met up with the Miami group for the final of five legs.
We made up all our time and we feel like we're in good shape so if we can just hit the 61 mph average today, I should be driving home in a new saleen tomorrow.
Still no Molly pop sighting, but we did get full blown helicopter TV coverage this morning. This event even makes waves in a town famous for ignoring tsunamis.
i love this town...
Its 830 and about 95 degrees right now.
I hit the cigar shop last night, knocked back a few mojitos, played a little poker, got married to second pair and realized I was too tired to play good cards.
Our run today is out to the track and rumored to be only 200 miles. From there we run the track at open speeds (very nice treat and the thing the southern boys are looking forward to most) and then a caravan out to LA.
One more leg. We'll get our variance time from leg 3 I suppose, which will help me double check if I had my math right for the first there legs. If its different, we just need to make up that gap.
I hit the cigar shop last night, knocked back a few mojitos, played a little poker, got married to second pair and realized I was too tired to play good cards.
Our run today is out to the track and rumored to be only 200 miles. From there we run the track at open speeds (very nice treat and the thing the southern boys are looking forward to most) and then a caravan out to LA.
One more leg. We'll get our variance time from leg 3 I suppose, which will help me double check if I had my math right for the first there legs. If its different, we just need to make up that gap.
Thursday, August 2, 2007
lying in wait...
Made it! We're hiding next door waiting for our time which is 19 minutes away.
We nailed it and i've prematurely lit my victory cigar, the last bolivar royal corona from the trip!
It'll get announced tomorrow, but we've got as good a chance as anyone to take home first.
We nailed it and i've prematurely lit my victory cigar, the last bolivar royal corona from the trip!
It'll get announced tomorrow, but we've got as good a chance as anyone to take home first.
forty six and two
Could there be a finer song playing on the mp3 player as we rip through the desert on the homestretch?
No.
No.
Vegas, 75 miles...
It's HOT!
We came through the desert at the perfect time, a nice gentle rainstorm (heavy sarcasm) but now its clear and hot.
Vegas is almost in sight. We just passed through the 30 mile stretch ps Arizona that I-15 cuts through.
Gold 101 has just about made it but we ain't counting no chickens yet.
We're on time and have about a 30 minute cushion, traffic notwithstanding.
Our target driving time today is 11:34.30. Yep, calc'd it to the second and the stopwatch is going.
We came through the desert at the perfect time, a nice gentle rainstorm (heavy sarcasm) but now its clear and hot.
Vegas is almost in sight. We just passed through the 30 mile stretch ps Arizona that I-15 cuts through.
Gold 101 has just about made it but we ain't counting no chickens yet.
We're on time and have about a 30 minute cushion, traffic notwithstanding.
Our target driving time today is 11:34.30. Yep, calc'd it to the second and the stopwatch is going.
more storms
We're about to drive into a black wall that gets lit up with lighting every few seconds.
This thing is nasty.
This thing is nasty.
rain and accidents.
The rain is unrelenting as we hit the summit of this range of mountains in southern utah.
Visibility really decreased and we've come across two nasty accidents.
Each accident was solo, and each one rolled their cars. And both happened just moments before we approached them. In fact, the ford explorer probably happened less than a minute before we got there.
This has been by far the most dangerous atetch of road we've seen in the 2800 miles we've gone.
But our car is clean!
(everyone in each accident appeared to be okay)
Visibility really decreased and we've come across two nasty accidents.
Each accident was solo, and each one rolled their cars. And both happened just moments before we approached them. In fact, the ford explorer probably happened less than a minute before we got there.
This has been by far the most dangerous atetch of road we've seen in the 2800 miles we've gone.
But our car is clean!
(everyone in each accident appeared to be okay)
the descent...
If this were an airplane ride, we'd be descending at the moment.
We just picked up interstate 15 south towards Vegas and this gets us to the four hour mark and we need to maintain 63 mph.
We have a legit shot at taking this thing down.
We just picked up interstate 15 south towards Vegas and this gets us to the four hour mark and we need to maintain 63 mph.
We have a legit shot at taking this thing down.
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