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Re: A ride for Mike Lishego (long)

To: mgs@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: A ride for Mike Lishego (long)
From: Eric <eric@erickson.on.net>
Date: Mon, 02 Oct 2000 10:09:58 +0000
Well, I am awake (it is a Monday public holiday in most parts of
Australia - maybe to get over the Olympics:-) and a little weary..

My "ride for Mike" consisted of 120 miles through the beautiful winding
roads of the Adelaide Hills and the wine country of the Barossa Valley
(60 miles there and 60 miles back) and then almost 200 miles of mostly
gravel/unsealed roads.  Yes, Primrose desperately needs a wash now (as
did I) inside and out (I, also, swallowed a lot of dust).

The day was fine but cool, leading into a bitterly cold night (I
couldn't arrange SNOW - sorry Mike).  I drove the couple of hours home
from 22:00hrs and My passenger was not impressed with the dirt, dust and
cold but I had warned them.  I loved every moment of it.

I was Chief Steward for a rallysprint event which eventually was called
off a little early due to visibility problems.  No wind meant that the
dust of the 100% unsealed track eventually just hung there after each
driver had gone through.  Visibility went down to just ten or fifteen
feet in some places during the night (this was a twilight meeting) with
drivers trying spotlights, just high beam or even just low beam lights
to try to see through the dust.  It simply got too dangerous.

A lot of that dust settled in my topless MG :-)   Topless, of course
because the top does not fit over my competition rollbar - and I haven't
had any sort of tonneau cover made to fit around the rollbar and
crossbrace, either.  Topless, of course, in memory Mike.

300 miles of beautiful scenery, kangaroos, sheep and rabbits on the
roads.  Slipping and sliding on gravel.  Dust in every orifice and numb
ears and fingers (through gloves and my beanie!).  Clear skies with
masses of stars and in places not a street or houselight to be seen. As
my boss said when he came off the track after his first SPRINT in his
Ferrari... "the worst part was my aching muscles - my aching SMILE
muscles that is".

There ya go Mike... hope you enjoyed the ride!

Now to wash the 'B  <sigh>


Eric
'68MGB MkII

PS  Yes, I need to pay particular attention to my passenger's seat and
their finger indentations in the dash - I wish some people would have a
little more confidence in my driving :-)

PPS Yes, I did get to go out on the rally track (as co-driver as full
speed) ... Primrose would not have made it over those rocks, but it sure
was fun!

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