RTG AlMex Daily Dispatch - FINAL - Flipbook - Page 23
27 August to
26 September 2023
Day 12 Leavenworth to Walla Walla (398km)
8 September 2023
photos: Marcus rowe - gerardbrown.co.uk
Gerd Buehler and Janine Franssen, 1979 Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC
whilst Stephen partridge and Corgi la Grouw are
looking forward to their first day, spare a thought
for neil and Thomas Smith who, after an engine
rebuild in Anchorage, are still gamely chasing to
catch up. They made excellent progress to dawson
Creek when sadly they had to book their ‘sickly
Tiger’ into another garage for further attention.
for the rest of us it was business as usual with a Test and
three regularities more magnificent scenery and, as a bonus,
we crossed the famous lewis and Clark “Go west” pioneer
route. A trail which, incredibly, led the early settlers from
pennsylvania to the west Coast. The first regularity was
a special one. danny’s day Begins was named in honour
of the driver of the pontiac Trans-Am, who was so helpful
in getting this particular show on the road. naturally
we climbed into the hills above leavenworth on another
narrow dirt road. Then we tracked the mighty Columbia
river through miles of orchards to a Time Control at the
Sagecliffe resort where we enjoyed a few cool drinks with
views through the well-tended vines down to the canyon.
Keith Ashworth’s Bentley, suffering with a dicky
alternator, also enjoyed the attentions of russ Smith
and Jamie Turner in this oenophilic oasis before it could
continue to the Test.
“A planned diversion” was run along the side of a wide
dry valley surrounded by tinder dry, low lying scrub. near
the end, an oblique left turn into a rough downhill had
several cars overshooting, leading to some frantic braking,
grinding of gears and whirling of steering wheels to reach
the finish line.
Another regularity over a primitive road through Smith
Canyon was all that stood in the way of the Country
Mercantile Time Control - a roadside chocolate factory
selling all manner of truffles, candy apples, sweets and
ice creams. The latter being especially useful today as the
mercury climbs higher.
nine Mitre Canyon was the final regularity today. It was
suitably short but sweet, at a shade under 13km. what
it lacked in distance, it made up for in diversity, rolling
through open farmland and, as each hill was crested, the
night halt inched into view.
Tonight we’re in walla walla - a town so nice they named it
twice - with the rolling palouse hills and the Blue Mountains
to the east and the rain shadow of the Cascade Mountains
to the west. It’s a rest day tomorrow and there will be a few
crew changes to look out for on the restart.
www.rallytheglobe.com