This time every year, The Great Race is contested.

http://www.greatrace.com/

It's pretty cool - 100 vintage cars (at least 45 years old) on a 9 day timed rally from Minneapolis to Mobile, Alabama. Many of the cars are MUCH older than 45 years. Different route each year.

My son-in-law is the navigator and his dad is the driver in their (open cockpit)1916 Hudson. Here is their Great Race Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/greatracethesharpteam.

The cover photo is my two grand daughters in the 1916 Hudson. The cover photo inset shows the guys hoisting the trophy after winning the 2011 Race (in a 1911 Velie manufactured by John Deere). They have been driving in this thing for 20+ years and this was their first victory. Yesterday was the first leg of this year's race and they are currently IN 1st place!!!

That is, indeed, pretty cool! It must be nice to see the cars of your youth on the road again.

Love it! Thanks, Ray!

Glad you liked it!

After the first day, they were in first place. At he end of yesterday/2nd day, they are in 3rd place. The scoring is a bit misleading because each team gets to throw out the time of one segment during the race. Doug & Howard haven't done that yet, but the two teams in front of them HAVE tossed one segment. Essentially, that means Doug & Howard are still leading. This is much more competitive & exacting than you would think just looking at it. Pretty exciting stuff.

Today they stop in Peoria. Ill. A close friend and fraternity brother is going to try and track Doug & Howard down and introduce himself.

You mean fraternities are good for something except cocaine?

Very cool! My oldest is in Baton Rouge and we're 20 minutes from Covington. Will have to check it out if I'm in town.

Scott

Way back when we were in school, it was all about beer. Drugs hadn't been invented yet!

BTW - my fraternity brother DID catch up with the guys and they had a nice visit. After 3 days, they are in 2nd place.

Friar Tuck, could you pass the ale, Good Sir.
Why certainly Brother Ray.

Ray is old.

*high five*

I was actually on the Kickstarter-funded team that invented the wheel.

Don't be so modest. You were on the kickstarter team that invented the stone that was later used to invent the wheel, too.

Damn - BUSTED!!!!

After the first 4 stages, the guys are in 2nd place, hot on the heels of 1st place.

Cumulative results - stage 4

The guys ran into a problem with tires after the fifth day and changed the full set.

The new tires drove them crazy - the expansion/contraction was inconsistent and they couldn't get the calibration correct. When you are traveling for the entire day over great distances, the the mis-calibration adds up. Dropped them right out of the thick of things. I think they finished 16th.

You know, there's a reason obsolete technology is obsolete.


<<DUCKS>>

Sorry to hear, Ray. I hope they keep competing.

Ironically, it was the NEW-manufacture tires that did them in.

They absolutely will. The whole thing is a big family party with a stunning sense of community.

How was the visit with Pete?

Epic. As usual.

About 15 different, amazing beers. Clams, hamburgers and pizza. Seattle from across Elliott bay. Cruised top down in the roadster.

Good thing we are both already married.

The thought of you guys getting together makes me happy. So glad.

Thanks for posting this Ray, I love to see people driving and enjoying their old/classic cars. This event looks like a lot of fun.

+1 on that!

Sounds like a great brocation interlude. I am envious. I am sad to say that I have not had a beer since March 8th. Coming up on 4 months.