RTG Espana Daily Dispatch - mid-res - Flipbook - Page 6
24 April to 5 May 2022
Day 2
La Seu d’Urgell to Sos del Rey Católico (360 km)
Chris and Rita Dillier, 1930 Ford Model A
Four Regularities were scheduled to keep the crews focussed
on the leaderboard and, following the long pull up and over
the 1725m Coll del Canto, the first of these came at Peramea.
The results team of Andrew Kellitt and Audrey Rudd doubled
up as the start marshals for this section which boasted a
short sharp hill climb with a series of wheel spinning and
clutch defying hairpins taking the cars through thickets of
vivid yellow gorse and dense pine trees.
A great piece of road took us into the Ancient Kingdom of
Aragon and, once they’d cleared the Coll de Creu de Perves,
the rally found a very well placed Time Control and coffee
halt in the Restaurante Ribagorca. The second Regularity
was along the old road of the Valle de Bardají. By now a
rhythm was developing and it was clear that the crews
had worked out that there was plenty of time to enjoy the
scenery, stop for the occasional photo, and still keep their
time card in respectable condition.
It was hungry work nonetheless, these are challenging
roads and the lunch Time Control in the excellent Asador
Zabrin, an Argentinian barbecue, came at precisely the
right juncture. Platefuls of Iberico ham and fresh salads
were quickly dispensed, before the fruits of the flaming
grill made their way to the crews, with coffee and dessert
served to round things off.
Hard on the heels of this culinary diversion came the
third Regularity. This long section over the Puerto del
Serrablo was a real corker, offering staggering views from
both the windscreen and rear view mirror. Once the top
had been reached a long downhill alongside the Rio Guarga
dropped the rally out of the hills and onto the main roads
for a long, but easy, pull through Jaca and along the Rio
Aragon to the fourth and final Regularity at the long ruined
Castillo de Ruesta.
From this ancient fortification it was then only 10km to
the night halt at one of Spain’s exceptional Parador Hotels,
in Sos del Rey Católico, a stronghold town which was
established way back in 907.
Dinner was a lively affair where, between the courses,
everybody seemed to have something to say about their
day and, as usual, several teams had the sweep crews to
thank for getting them in on time.
Photos: gerardbrown.co.uk
Today we struck out westwards and took in
some stunning scenery, some testing gradients,
and some great hospitality, whilst enjoying the
spectacle of the snow capped peaks of the mighty
Pyrenees running along side us.
26 April 2022
Ean and Alison Lewin, 1973 Ford Escort Mexico
www.rallytheglobe.com