Day 19 - Elko to Reno 585kms

Now running in first place we were the last of the competitive cars to leave the hotel en route to Reno and our hotel for the next two nights - another rest day, which is going to be most welcome!

We continue driving westwards towards Reno and take in more of the vast emptiness of Nevada, a real Wild West landscape with nothing other than low growing clumps of something! covering the dry & sandy terrain.

Little prairie dogs dodged back and fourth across the wide open road trying to avoid any passing traffic, you would think it more sensible to stay clear of the road especially when they have 1000's of acres to roam!

Two challenging regularities today, one on gravel and one on Tarmac 0/1 & 0/2 = 3 seconds in penalties for us in total for the day so quite happy with that thank you very much.

A number of other crews were suffering a variety of problems with either missing Marshall points, arriving to fast or to slow and generally messing up!

We lunched in a place called Fallon and with the temperature by early afternoon reaching 98 degrees, Jerry's Dinner was a welcome break, cold drinks and air conditioning - Bliss!

After lunch we continued on to Reno calling in at Virginia City on our way, the roads and the scenery had now changed drastically and we drove some amazing mountain roads twisting and turning all the way up to Virginia City.

Virginia City is a quirky old fashioned Place sat up in the hills above Reno, with wooden side walks lined with Saloons shops and museums. We enjoyed a bit of a look around and a nice cold Sasperelly before jumping back in to the red hot Porsche for the last few miles into Reno. 

Hot sweaty and dirty we decided to stop of and wash the car before going to the hotel, it would save a job tomorrow.

Arriving at our Hotel Peppermill Casino, we soon realised we were running a tad late and the coach was already ready to take us all to The Reno car museum for a pre arranged viewing and dinner! A quick shower and change and we hopped into a cab to catch up with the rest of the crew at the museum. A fantastic selection of cars on show here with the famous "Flyer" that completed the New York to Paris Great Race back in the 1908 - we had been told all about the car and the race, back in Buffalo at the Pierce Arrow museum, by the great grandson of the winner so it was great to now see the car for ourselves.

Day 18 - Idaho Falls to Elko Nevada - 655kms

Having gone to bed feeling full of anticipation of the comings days and how we would fair against Phil and Kieron in the Lead car, I woke to find that they were now in trouble and unable to leave at the start today almost certainly letting us take the lead! Not the way we would have wanted it to be at all - healthy competition is great but not when you are let down by your car, (Feeling deflated), and very sorry for the boys.

We all signed out in our normal order this morning but as we travelled onwards the boys stayed behind to try and get there car fixed so at least they could finish the rally and hopefully join us at some stage today.

Leaving Idaho Falls we travel past a few miles of decent farm land before heading on to a long straight road cutting through very poor quality flat scrub land with distant bare mountains, I imagine, a little reminiscent of a moon landscape. The fact we are heading toward a place called Creaters of the Moon Monument might have something to do with it!

By 8am the sun was already heating up and showed all the signs of being a very hot day.

After about 100kms of driving through very flat terrain we came to the town of Alco and a place called craters of the moon - a sea of fossilised lava rock with no sign of where the eruption could have started  1000's of years ago

Talk about big country, we have travelled through mile upon mile of wide open space with only a hand full of properties dotted along the way - large heard's of grazing cattle and acres of fresh cut and bailed hay lined our route today

Dropping down into the town of Mountain Home, a good size town in the middle of nowhere and with all the mod cones you could want! The heat now was a stifling 30 degrees, we stopped off for fuel here and found our selves being filmed by the film crew that have attached themselves to the rally over the past couple of days, they have spent most of that time following the Aston Martin of Tina and Alan Beardshaw - so you can imagine the ribbing they have been receiving.

Snake River & Dam - an oasis of green in the middle of this very dry and otherwise baron land scape, the first sign of trees we have had all day.

Dropping down to Duck Vally and a fuel and go site where we spent the next 90 mins,awaiting our out time,on a scorching hot forecourt having a picnic lunch purchased from the adjacent super market - boy we know how to live!

Onto today's rally stage 16kms up a mountain pass - 4 timing spots today ERA are squeezing us now!

We did a good run, but due to the incline should have carried a little more in hand - coming in at 1/1/2/2 slow at each stop.

We have heard reports that the boys are fixed and back on the road but as of the last check point they are already carrying a 1 hour penalty from missing two time sections. It would be great if they got to the Regularity so we could at least have a bit of a competition with those sections alone.

After the regularity we still had another 109 kms on straight roads until we arrived in Elko, and our hotel for the night.

Arriving at the hotel it soon became apparent that we were in a casino hotel so the dollar signs started spinning in my head and I needed to have a bit of a play at the tables - where's my brother Shane at a time like this!!!!

We had a nice supper with friends and then I had to have a few hand before bed to get myself in the swing before Reno tomorrow and a day off from the rally.

The boys have now arrived in Elko and yes we have now officially taken the lead from them! I'm feeling rather sad that it's turned out this way but I guess that's what happens at times during rallies! We still have a few days left and as we all know anything can happen so we need to keep our heads down and not make any mistakes.

Day 17 - Transit day through Yellowstone to Idaho Falls 512kms

Being a transit day we had no timing points today so were able to please ourselves as to what time to set off.

Peter and I spent the day with Martin and Oli Hunt and travelled in convoy through Yellowstone and on to Idaho Falls.

We entered Yellowstone through the east gate and travelled South to then leave by the west gate.

We had a couple of good buffalo sightings but that was it for wild, however we enjoyed everything else Yellowstone had to offer in the way of geysers lakes and other wonderful vistas and scenery.

Wyoming - Montana & Idaho all in one day, we even spent some of the journey to Idaho falls following the line of the snow capped Rockies to our left way off in the distance.

Off to Nevada tomorrow and back in Rally Mode - let's see what can be done?

Day 16 - Sheridan to Cody Wyoming 418kms

Today we were given the chance to visit the historical site and battlefield of Little Big Horn and Custers last stand just over the state line in Montana before returning to Wyoming for the only stage of the day and onto our hotel for the night in Cody.

Once again stunning scenary lined our route, I've tried to give a flavour but to be honest the camera does not really do it justic!

Arriving at the battlefield we were able to walk around and learn a little of the history,

Up the hill at the main monument and where Custer met his end we saw the actor Tony Robinson (Baldrick from Black Adder) filming a documentary for the discovery channel. 

After a quick lunch stop it was off to find our regularity section and see if we could close the gap on the boys in the Triumph Stag a little more - ooh the pressure!

A great 14km gravel section through the forestry high up in the Black Mountains. 

Awaiting our slot on the start line the Porsche cockpit is quiet but thoughtful! Trip zeroed, stop watch zeroed we are ready!! The speed is low so no need to panic - precision is what's needed here.

A few little hidden gems along the way as usual but we felt confident we had done ok.

At the end of the section the ideal times were posted, we had managed 0/0/3 so now just had to wait to see what the boys had done.

Leaving the TS we drove down the most amazing twisting and winding road through the black mountains along side a wonderful fast running shell river, stopping off halfway down to see the waterfall and canyon.

Arriving in our hotel in Cody we had a quick turn around as an early chuckwagon supper had been planned before we jumped on the bus to take us to the Rodeo, kitted out in check shirts and cowboy hats all looking quite the part.

Today's results for the regularity were posted! Car 25 is now only 7 seconds away from the lead car and with another 7 test sections to complete before the end of the rally, we have every possibility of closing the gap further if we hold our heads.

Night Night - from a very chuffed navigator and driver 

Day 15 - Rapid City South Dakota to Sheridan Wyoming, 423kms

I may have seen this yesterday but Peter had not so we stopped off for a few more pics as we left Rapidy City.

A great mornings drive leaving Rapidy City and taking the Needles Highway through Custer State Park,   a different route tha we took yesterday so lots of new sights to enjoy, the Park has 72,000 acres so I guess it would take some time to cover all the routes available. The needles are rock formations that are like giant stalagmites lining the route,pretty impressive with a very tight and winding road that leads you through this section of the park.

Spectacular views today as we finish our trip in South Dakota and make our way into Wyoming. Kim Bannester ( Rally Route Planner) once again has come up with the most outstanding route taking us off the main roads and leading us down wonderful gravel roads leaving the hustle of the highways behind us.

Two good regularity tests today with three timing sections in one and a start and finish on the other - we came in 3 seconds closer to Phil and Kieron in the lead car so closing the gap nicely each day, fingers crossed we have another good day tomorrow.

Day 14 - Rest Day in Rapid City

A nice leisurely breakfast and then boys worked on the cars and the girls meet in the laundry room!

I organised a big 4x4 truck for the day so a group of us could go and visit the parks and monuments in the area in comfort and cool! We had a fab day visiting Mount Rushmore, the crazy horse memorial and Custer state park. 

Peter was not able to join us as he stayed back to help Martin with his Bently after a bit of an incident during the mornings work! A bit of help from a welding shop and the Bently was back on the road again.

Tonight a gang of us went to a fantastic resturant for supper Fuji steak house and suchi bar - the food was excellent and the entertainment of the cooking show a real hoot - lots of laughter and wine as usual, not really the best plan when we have another full day back on the road tomorrow!

Day 13 - Bismarck to Rapid City South Dakota 581kms

Fantastic scenery as we left Bismarck on route to Rapid City South Dakota, very quickly we were off the Tarmac and back on gravel roads for 100kms or so before returning to Tarmac for the rest of the day.

The mornings TS  came within the first half hour of the day, a relatively simple stretch with two intermediate timing points. We got a 2/2/1 and found out later down the road that Phil and Kieron had done the same so no change to the leader board for today.

Coffee and Fuel in South Dakota in the very small town of Isabel, having been travelling on long straight roads with little to no tree cover the girls were pleased to use the facilities. This tiny little village which would have had a population of hardly 300 people was a welcome break and we were able to buy fresh coffee and homemade buns and pies in the little fuel station - the owners were very pleased to see us and said it was the most excitement they had seen in the village for some time.

Another 80 kms down long straight roads cutting through the prairie land we arrived in Faith for a TC, lunch could be purchased here but did not look that appertizing so we made the decision to press on and snack on nuts we had purchased earlier in the trip for such days. 180kms more and we would arrive in Deadwood so I was quite happy to get there and spend a little time before moving on to tonight's stop and a days stopover in Rapid City.

The long drive over these very straight roads led to navigational narcalepsey so Peter had to give me a nudge when approaching a turn to get the next instruction.

We eventually arrive in "Deadwood" where Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hicock made their fame. We clocked out at the final control of the day and then were able to look around the museum and local area before making our way to Rapid City for the next two nights.