Day 21 - Reno to Eureka California 601kms

Waking a little shabby today after a fun evening with the Roberts!!!  We made the morning route march to the rally buffet breakfast - the Peppermill Casino hotel is so vast that by the time you find the ballroom where our breakfast was served you had definitely worked up a good appetite - unfortunately the buffet breakfast, like so many other mornings was a great disappointment and hardly worth the effort! but with another long day ahead of us we needed something in the tank to keep us going.

Today's MTC found everyone in a very buoyant mood, maybe due to a relaxing rest day or the excitement that the rally is almost over - only two more days on the road!

The Californian Red woods appeared fairly early on today and once off the main highway we were travelling on lovely twisting roads eventually taking us back onto, sand and gravel, and the first test section of the day! A little nearvous today as we don't want to mess up at this stage of the game.

With hardly a breath of wind today driving through the the trees on the dusty sand track to the start of the regularity was very tricky indeed, the dust kicked up from the dry sand track left a thick blanket behind the car travelling in front leaving less than a 30 meter line of sight! The test was all down hill and very slippery in areas,we did have a few exciting moments when Peter got the little car into the odd drift slide but managed to keep her out of trouble - we are 49 seconds in the lead, so really don't need to jeppodize our position at this stage.

We came in 4 seconds slow and in the circumstances were pleased with that - others made it a few seconds closer but they have everything to gain and we have everything to loose.

Welcome to California

After the test we continued on towards Eureka now back onto Tarmac and travelling through part of the Lassen National Forest and eventually the city of Red Bluff, the birthplace of Tom Hanks.

The afternoon brought us another two regularities on Tarmac and the last tests of the rally - all we needed to do was keep our cool and not make any mistakes, both of us feeling a little sick with anticipation.

Both tests went well although a little slower than our previous result but we were happy with that! All we need to do now is get back to San Francisco with out a problem and with out missing a timing point and the podium is ours!!!!

The last part of the day brought some amazing roads and views as we drove through the Californian Countryside and the South Fork Mountains - roads with sweeps and swoops as we made our way to the coast and The Red Lion Hotel in Eureka.

Arriving at the hotel crews came to congratulate us but we asked that they please leave it until we arrive safely in San Fran - plenty of people had suffered with car issues today, it had been a tough last test on cars and crews and as I've said before in my blog "it ain't over till it's over" we still have 500kms left to cover tomorrow - anything could happen!

Tonight was brilliant! The sweeps and mechanics had decided to hold a car park party out side the hotel after dinner and had invited everyone to join in, by about 8.30 the car park was alive with laughter and excited conversation - a fantastic atmosphere, well done boys xx