What a great day!? We ran all legs at either Targa or Trophy speeds and
finished without a hitch with AHX 12?running strong across the flying finish
line, following which?we had a 10 or so mile transit into Saint John's?for a
ceremonial?"finish" down on the?quay.??
The?city is built into a bowl around the harbor which is about 1/4 mile wide
and perhaps 3/4 mile long with a narrow (fortified) entrance from the
Atlantic.? St. John's is a deepwater port?with an Old Town which?attracts
cruise liners, and as we?slanted down the steep narrow streets towards the
water we could see a big white ship ( The "Aurora" out of Hamilton, Bermuda)
tied to the quay just down from "The Keg" where?a few thousand folks were
posted to watch the cars enter amidst great fanfare.?
About 50 feet from the line 12 suddenly died?and?when Michael pushed the
starter button there was nothing!? After a few attempts?at push-starting we
gave up and threw a tow strap to our other "Bricks and Brute"?team car "Betty"
which?came in right behind us, and in true team fashion "12" was?towed across
the?line by a red Mini tugboat.? The crowds went wild!
After an hour's decompressing we began to sort out the problem and?as we were
working with a test light the heroic sounds of "Oh Canada" (the Canadian
National Anthem)?came out over?"Aurora's" loudspeakers as she?pulled away from
the seawall.? We soon discovered a blown main fuse and with a quick replacement
"12" fired right up--at that very moment the thin reedy strain of "Amazing
Grace" played on a bagpipe came from the ship.? Quite a?dramatic conclusion to
a wonderful event.
Tomorrow is a lay day with things concluding at an Awards banquet tomorrow
night.? I don't know where we stand--this morning we were about 15th overall
and may have moved up a few notches.??I know we will win our class as we are
the only one's in it!
More tomorrow--Michael Oritt
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