Well, it is nearing the time when we must go. Go North, that is.
You see, Newfoundland is just this side of China, or Greenland anyway. They're all so far as to defy comprehension, so why try? What I do know, is that we're driving somewhere in the middle of the ocean. This seems counterintuitive, I know. Luckily, an enterprising Nova Scotian (don't you think "New Scooter" is a bit catchier? I do.) somewhere in the past decided that he'd like to take his car to see his cousins in Newfoundland and started a ferry service. So, we'll be driving 2600 miles for a boat ride.
Seriously though, tonight is the last night of wrenching on the car and finalizing details. This weekend is "Load the Trailerfest", admisson is free, strong arms encouraged. Then, Sunday afternoon, we hit the road.
These sorts of journeys are always a bit anticlimactic, at least in the short run, because the first place you arrive upon exiting Texas is Arkansas...not exactly the ideal destination location. But, being almost east of the Mississippi, it's one of them 'itty bitty' states that only takes about 5 hours to cross, so it's easily dispatched.
We're leaving and we're not coming back for another month, or at least we're not coming back until it's a different month. Nick Papayianis and I (Will Atkinson) are towing the race car, a 1988 BMW M3 to Newfoundland for the Targa Newfoundland. http://www.targanewfoundland.com/
We have a faithful crew in Greg Snyder and Brian Beckett flying up to man the support vehicle and eat all of our beef jerky. The event starts on September 8th, so hopefully we'll be there and be ready by then.
Keep your eyes peeled for updates, pictures, and video. We're taking a raft of photo equipment and even a computer, so hopefully we'll be able to avail ourselves of some sort of connection to the wider web. Post comments and questions, keeping in mind that we already know this is a stupid idea and our mothers are sure we're going to be eaten by a moose.
That's all for now, more soon. Very soon.
Trophies
So what if I actually drank out of it?
Roy and Adrienne
Overall Winners!
Little Joey
2030 WRC Champ
Final Stickers
Arrival Time
The GPS Doesn't Lie, Does it?
Departure Time
Two cars, two guys, and a long way to go
BMW M3
Fan Card
2 comments:
HANNOVER
Eighteen of our A/C took off between 0718 and 0726 hours to lead the 102nd Combat Wing in an attack on a target in Hannover, Germany. Lt. Col. William E. Buck and Capt. Donald G. Parker were pilots of the lead ship with Lt. Lohnas H. Knapp, Navigator, Lt. Edward J. Bruni, Bombardier, Lt. McIntosh, Tail Gunner, Sgt. Wheelis, Radio Operator, Sgts. Dyer, Taylor, McIntosh, Champion and Schmigle, Gunners.
After crossing the Zuider Zee the formation received a recall signal and made a wide turn north of Zwolle, Holland to return. As the formation was crossing the Zuider Zee on the way out spirited attacks by enemy fighters began. From 30 to 40 Me 109’s and FW 190’s came in in frontal attacks, holding their fire until within about 500 yards. A 20MM cannon shell hit the nose of Col. Buck’s plane, exploded and knocked out the oxygen system on the left side. The cockpit immediately burst into flames fed by the oxygen and hydralic fluid. The concussion knocked Capt. Parker, the first pilot, unconscious. Lt. Knapp, Navigator, was also knocked out. The fire blazed around Parker who was slumped down in his seat. Col. Buck took over the controls of the plane, pulled Capt. Parker out of the fire and called for a fire extinguisher. Capt. Parker came to a bit, felt himself over carefully as far as possible and said, “Hell, I don’t seem to hurt anywhere, maybe I wasn’t hit”. Parker then got hold of an extinguisher and started to squirt the fire when he passed out again due to lack of oxygen. He dropped the extinguisher which Col. Buck began kicking around on the floor so as to point the nozzle at the source of the flames, at the same time doing violent evasive action with the plane and trying to arouse Parker. The enemy fighters, seeing the fire and smoke in the nose of the plane, must have thought they had a “dead pigeon” for they began concentrating their attacks on this plane, coming in singly, in pairs, seven or eight at a time. The evasive action taken was undoubtedly the only thing that saved the aircraft and its crew. Col. Buck succeeded in getting an oxygen bottle strapped onto Capt. Parker and connected to his oxygen mask. Dense smoke and fire were virtually blinding in the cockpit. Parker revived with the oxygen and got another fire extinguisher which he turned on to the fire, then passed out again. The Upper Turret Gunner’s elevator mechanism had jammed, making it useless so Sgt. Taylor had come down out of his turret. He hooked Parker’s oxygen hose to the turret oxygen supply which again revived him. Then Parker and Sgt. Taylor together succeeded in putting out the flames. During all this time the two nose guns had been shot out and one of the Ball Turret guns had jammed. The pilot’s compass and air speed indicator had also been damaged. Col. Buck had nosed the plane down, then pulled it up in evasive action, when he glanced at the air speed and saw it registering “zero’. He put one hand on his forehead and said, “Good God, we’re done for”. He nosed the plane down, thinking it was in a stall, switched the indicator to an alternate source of air but that didn’t make any difference. Then he realized that the indicator must have been shot out and looked around to see if the formation was still with him. He then called Lt. Bruni, the Bombardier, to see if his speed indicator was working . When told they were doing 170 M.P.H. he said, “Boy, what a feeling of relief to know we were still flying. I don’t know what I had been using for hand and feet to operate the controls during the excitement - I guess that plane operated itself, it was just as scared as I was. Bruni called air speeds to me over the intercom the rest of the way home. Lt. Knapp was still out on the floor of the nose without oxygen. I led the formation due west to get out of enemy territory and let down to get oxygen for the crew that had passed out. Fighters stayed with us until fifty miles out over the North Sea”.
In addition to his other troubles the Tail Gunner had called in as they crossed the enemy coast that two planes of the formation were straggling. “I had to slow down until they caught up and got back into formation. After the fighter left us and I learned that none of the crew was badly wounded all I had to worry about was a crash landing. My hydralic brake fluid had been shot out and I was afraid that I would have to land without brakes. I called the Control Tower, on approaching the field and told them my trouble and ordered a crash truck and ambulance for the end of the long runway, then circled the field until all of the others had landed. The brakes held enough to enable me to bring the plane to a stop before we reached the end of the runway. We didn’t know until after landing that two bullets had gone through the main wing spar weakening it so that the wing might have broken off with any excessive stress. I have had a number of close calls but for a while this time I really thought we had had it. For thrills I recommend this flying with a bunch of FW’s coming in head on. If those boys don’t quit taking this thing so seriously somebody’s going to get hurt.”
Sept 3, 8pm - The team was furiously working, getting ready for the 9/4 departure. Last minute details...and an air of excitement. It's really happening. Go north, young men, go north!
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