Stephen spent three hours under the car last night attending to a broken u boot as reported, but then found numerous other matters to attend to, like removing the entire rear left spring to get at the hangers and replace rubber grommets, replace the grommets in the shock absorber and put a new bearing in the axle. Plus some other bits and pieces. He was truly buggered.
All this plays on the psyche and wears away the resistance. It wears one down. We’re both tired and sleep well but we can’t catch up on sleep.
The start time for the 382km voyage was again 9.25am. Becoming normal, so perhaps there’s a change coming? No time ever for complacency.
The first event only a couple of kms from the hotel was the same as that of last night, only the other way around the track.
Most participants didn’t much care about breaking yesterday’s time and meandered around. Denise didn’t get around faster, about 10 seconds slower. No sense in breaking things at this stage of the game.
So, onto the next event a hundred and fifty kms down the road where they had planned four Sporting Time Controls in a row. The entire time for this event should be about 12 minutes, but on the final part we got lost on a turn onto a landing strip. No directions other than written instructions in the route book.
That’s the way it is. If you don’t understand and click the distance accurately then things go awry.
So onward to the next trip to the hotel down any lane/road that looks as though it can do some further damage to the car. We often cabin talk as to why there is so much time left for a short distance travel. But it may be short though it’s slow and hard going. Roads are really bad and the wind plays havoc too. The trees grow at an angle in the direction of the predominant wind.
The MTC today is at the Szczecin Marina, some short distance from the hotel. A real welcome to all the contestants with the cars being driven up onto a Dias and announced as to who we are and where from. Gala like atmosphere and a great reception.
Then onto the hotel in the centre of the city’s traffic at rush hour. It’s a busy place and if you have no idea of where you are it can be frustrating getting to the destination.
gravel travel 