[Tr-gang] Ya want fries with that?

[Mark J Bradakis]

First, a bit of housekeeping.  As some of you know, there has been a
trgang@autox.team.net list for some time, something I set up as a personal
list on the side.  And some time ago I also was testing out the Mailman
list management software, and set up a list called tr-gang@autox.team.net
under that system.  The last few days at work we've been doing major email
shuffling, which prompted me to start some cleanup here at autox.team.net,
which includes merging and modifying the tr-gang/trgang lists.  If you are
reading this note, you are on the tr-gang@autox.team.net lists.  More later,
I'm a bit worn out at the moment, and plan to spend some sofa time with
the cats after I ship off this note.

What wore me out was the autocross today, the first of this year's points
events with the Utah Region SCCA.  6 am and I are not on a first name basis,
but I managed to get out of bed, tend to some stuff, get my coffee and oatmeal
made, etc. and get to the site well before registration closed.  I didn't
drive a Triumph, but had the good fortune to drive Ed Oblad's Caterham along
with Robert Allred.  What a sweet little car!  Bob went out to Wendover with
it a couple weeks ago for a test and tune, so he had a lot of recent seat time
in it.  I figured I'd be at least 3 or 4 seconds behind him.  After the first
two runs I was looking at a 6 second deficit.  Yikes.  But I finally managed
to NOT put the car sideways in this critical turn, and finished the day only
3 seconds back.

It was a typical spring here in Utah.  Very light rain showers and a steady
wind at first, the rain showers stopped but the wind got stronger and colder
as the morning progressed.  I spent the first of the three run groups in the
timing trailer with the wind slapping me right in the face as it came through
the big window.  I was pretty cold at the end of my shift, and headed for the
motorhome.  With the first IVR event of the season next weekend, Bob tested
out his motorhome this weekend with the much shorter trip to today's event,
making sure things like the fridge and the stove were in good working order.
So working first and running third I got a lunch break, and a place to
spend it.  Nice.

Chili dogs are not something you would find in my normal diet.  I honestly
can't say how many years it may have been since I had my last one.  But
going from the windy timing trailer to the comfort of the motorhome, and
then having a steaming hot chili dog was one of those simple, priceless
luxuries that defies description.

mjb.