From Glenna:
The people in Argentina were amazing fans. Everywhere we stopped we were mobbed and asked to be in photos - and we are just the assistance team. Conor has lost track of how many autographs he's signed!!
Jan 5 drama: It was the assistance team's turn to have some drama. We tried to make a 602 km stage with a 450 km tank of gas and 5 gallons in reserve. Luckily we ran out of gas at 4800 meters altitude. Troy removed the air filter and we put the car in neutral and coasted down on 32 km worth of gas!
Conor drove very well today and showed up at camp just after us. For the first time they got more than 3 hours of sleep! They started the toughest stage so far well rested this morning (Jan 6)! We are just waiting at the bottom of "the hill" for them.
Jan 6 - after the toughest stage by far so far, Team Chinook race vehicle team is sleeping in the dunes between waypoint 11 and 13. They will head out at first light on Jan 7 to finish the stage and make it to the starting line for stage 6!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
A brutal day after a brutal night - still going!
At 3 am the truck rolled in. After a number of great sections where they passed a number of seasoned Dakar driver they were plagued by fuel problems. Then the alternator went at the end. At one point in the rally they need a tow and 15 trucks went by with none of them stopping finally the locals came to the rescue and got them going.
Troy sold his soul to get us an alternator from Robby Gordon's crew. Working til 6 am he got the truck back in top form.
At 7:33 am Tom and Conor hit the road in the pouring rain! It will be a long drive through the mountains and then a short but tough special ending up in Chile.
We leave after the race vehicle are gone. It will be a 9 hour drive through the mountains with no stops. We hope our gas holds up. Were counting on coasting down the mountains.
Troy sold his soul to get us an alternator from Robby Gordon's crew. Working til 6 am he got the truck back in top form.
At 7:33 am Tom and Conor hit the road in the pouring rain! It will be a long drive through the mountains and then a short but tough special ending up in Chile.
We leave after the race vehicle are gone. It will be a 9 hour drive through the mountains with no stops. We hope our gas holds up. Were counting on coasting down the mountains.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Monday, January 3, 2011
Men hate to ask for directions?
The ever dedicated assistance team spent 3 hours tracking down Peltor connectors in Cordoba so Tom and Conor can communicate during the rally.
... This being important because Tom needs to tell Conor where to go (literally and figuratively). Conor had forgotten the connectors - is this because he didn't want Tom to give him directions - you know how men are...
... This being important because Tom needs to tell Conor where to go (literally and figuratively). Conor had forgotten the connectors - is this because he didn't want Tom to give him directions - you know how men are...
Wardrobe malfunction: Behind the Scenes Stage 1
Or "The fireproof underware strike again..."
During the liaison section prior to the special timed stage Conor realized he forgot his balaclava so he called his assistance team to bring it to him. Even though it was 400 km out of their way they rushed to his aid! Unfortunately time got away from Conor and Tom and they remembered they were in a timed rally so they rushed to the start line. Our "MacGyver" Tom suggested to Conor that he pull his T-shirt over his face to pass the start line. This is the end of the story of why they were 40 minutes late for their first timed section of the rally.
With that 40 minute head start they gave everyone else, they went on to do very well!
During the liaison section prior to the special timed stage Conor realized he forgot his balaclava so he called his assistance team to bring it to him. Even though it was 400 km out of their way they rushed to his aid! Unfortunately time got away from Conor and Tom and they remembered they were in a timed rally so they rushed to the start line. Our "MacGyver" Tom suggested to Conor that he pull his T-shirt over his face to pass the start line. This is the end of the story of why they were 40 minutes late for their first timed section of the rally.
With that 40 minute head start they gave everyone else, they went on to do very well!
Sunday, January 2, 2011
A long night too on Jan 1
From Glenna:
Troy and I got the camp-service area set up after a bit of a fight for space!
Tom called around 10pm we needed to find a radiator cap and two connectors for the peltor speaker system, they were 3 hours away. Troy got the radiator cap from the Hyundi team and the head electrician made the peltor connector.
At 1am conor and tom arrived. Unfortunately the connector didn't work and the VW team was now asleep. The good news - the rad cap fit. Troy stayed up til 4am working on the truck. Luckily he's a night owl and could sleep in the car the next day
Troy and I got the camp-service area set up after a bit of a fight for space!
Tom called around 10pm we needed to find a radiator cap and two connectors for the peltor speaker system, they were 3 hours away. Troy got the radiator cap from the Hyundi team and the head electrician made the peltor connector.
At 1am conor and tom arrived. Unfortunately the connector didn't work and the VW team was now asleep. The good news - the rad cap fit. Troy stayed up til 4am working on the truck. Luckily he's a night owl and could sleep in the car the next day
Saturday, January 1, 2011
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