 I
thought updating this web site would be no problem when I got back to my
hotel each evening. Hah! I should have known better.
And tonight I am only doing it because I feel that I have let a few folks
down.
For the past several days things
have been a blur of highways, back roads (mostly) small and large towns,
farm fields, forests and desert. But mostly the face of my speedometer
and voice of John my navigator as we wander through the southwest.
Right now I am in Scottsdale, AZ.
I can't exactly remember my last update but think it was in Fort Worth.
That seems an age ago. Since, we have traveled to Clovis, NM (just
six miles into New Mexico from northern Texas) and then to Rio Rancho which
is just outside of Albuquerque, then yesterday to Williams, AZ right outside
of Flagstaff. The picture at right is the welcoming dancers in Clovis.
In between, we have visited a bunch
of cities and small towns for coffee breaks, lunch or afternoon pit stops.
We have been in Littlefield, TX and Sweetwater; in Tucumcari, and Las Vegas,
NM; in Gallup, NM and Winslow, AZ. Pretty soon you can hardly remember
which is which except that the people are so warm and welcoming and interested
in what we are doing. Every ride along crowded streets with cheering
and applauding people is sort of disconcerting but very nice. Now
here, to spark a little interest, I am inserting some pictures. I'll
tell you about some, others will need no explanation.
These are the glamour girls of the 2002
Race. They drove a very nice 1937 Ford Cabriolet and wore a different
matching outfits every day. They always looked cool even after a
long day driving through the deserts.
 Now
just a bit about how John and I are doing. Not too much because I
really have to get to bed. We have a 6:00 am drive away time in the
morning. Our car has been pretty good but sadly not quite up to the
task of coping with the heat and the strain of climbing big mountains and
super hot deserts. So we have had a little overheating necessitating
a slowdown and an occasional stop to reinstall cooling fluids. Not
a problem if we are not on a timed course but unfortunately most have been
on such a segment and although we do well on the legs we complete, our
delays have put us out of the money on daily totals. And, we don't
think there is a real solution so we will just have to face the reality
of getting the race done and enjoying the experience. Perhaps tomorrow
I will you tell more.
This picture was taken by Sandi
McRae, race photojournalist, Great Race Cheerleader and wife of Great Race
founder, Tom McRea. We had stopped because our cooling sytem needed
refreshment when an "Official" vehicle stopped momentarily and lowered
the window to the blazing desert heat. A pretty face told us to smile
and continue to add antifreeze, then the picture was snapped and the vehicle
drove off toward the sunset. Minutes later we did also.
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