Tomorrow we head from Hobart to Burnie. I will have trouble updating the website tomorrow night, but we can attempt something so you can see if we get there.
I will continue with the GPS updates if possible tomorrow. Stay tuned as there is more video that is going to be uploaded tomorrow on th website.
Today we started very late, and completed a number of stages out from Hobart. Good day with no real drama in the car. A couple of hairy moments that I was told off for (crumpy Navigator).
Our mate Jeff Bobik went west again. Jeff thats 2 targa’s and 2 DNF’s (Did not finish). This time the Red 968 went down the road in the gravel and into a gum tree. Both Driver and Navigator are ok, but the car will need a little panel beating.
We had some video uploaded today at the www.dialbeforeyoudig.com.au website. Go check this out and download it. We have the spin from yesterday loaded, as well as some other stages.
Our tyres are our greatest concern at the moment. We pulled up at a local tyre dealer and they ripped the tyres from the front rims and moved them to the back rims. We run the same size tyres, but slightly different size rims. This allows us this luxury to change the tyres, but more than ever our tyre consumption rate is very disconcerting. At this rate we might not make the entire event. We only have access to a certain number of tyres for the whole event.
We are more than ever praying for rain. That will keep the tyre temperatures down and allow us to make it to the end. Last year was completely dry, and we have never experienced this type of wear before. We will run conservatively tomorrow and push slightly harder again Sunday.
Today has been difficult. I was working on Rex’s car this morning, setting up the in car carmera and left my mobile phone on the floor. That meant a number of things. I couldn’t update the website with the GPS coordinates during the event, and I couldn’t communiate with anyone all day. It proved to be an interesting 6-8 hours with no communications, I don’t think I have ever been without my phone when I wanted it for so long.
The event was interesting today. First time, but we spun in the “Elephant Pass” stage. Down the road sideways and around, missing the bank on one side and the steel barriers with wire strands on the other. We lost approx 20 seconds getting back to speed, but at that was great considering the other options. (panel damage, car wrecked, down a bank etc etc)
We stopped late afternoon to complete service before moving onto the night stage. This proved to be a very difficult stage, as reading the route was very hard at night. More importantly no one at the corporate facility saw us go through !!!!
