Day 14: Battle Mountain, NV

First, The Bridge:

The Bridge, Thursday morning

The Bridge, Friday morning.  Hooligans!

 Friday morning photo courtesy of Alice Krause.

The weather was greatly improved for the morning runs; only Cam Robertson had Naughty Wind during his run.  We ran four and a half heats over the full course, which meant lots of driving up and down the road at flat harry chatters and left me with no time to take any pictures.  Wil Baselmans clocked the highest speed of the week so far, with a 79.18 mph pass.  Graeme did 56.62 for a new prone record, the previous one having stood since 1984.  There were sarky comments along the lines of "having the world's fastest prone is like having the world's fastest biplane", but buggrem.  The Beastie Boys are a great bunch and we all hope they'll come back.  Full Friday morning results here.

Following the long runs, Graeme had a go in Vortex over the short course but was obliged to pull up after less than half a mile when the chain came off.  He's intending to have another go first thing tomorrow and may even do a run on the full course if all goes according to schedule.  He's not riding this evening as "Ah'm worshin' mah hair!"

I did nothing all afternoon except go to the cash machine, being too decrepit and infirm to attend the drag races over the road.  Out to 305 again.  I find myself switching on the wipers as I approach catch.  By the time Graeme has done a slow-speed pass in Beastie for the benefit of a cameraman it is raining with various degrees of intensity along the entire length of the course.  After about half an hour the match is abandoned chiz, and we all traipse back to town, though not before I have finally photographed this:

The Delft / Amsterdam Rat-Van

For the previous two years the Delft / Amsterdam PSOs have turned up in immaculate rental vehicles.  This year they have a rusty old heap with a Several of previous owners.  I have asked quite a few of the PSOs whether it's stolen.  They have always declined to reply.

On returning to the Super 8 a bunch of us congregate in Al 'n' Alice's room to sample Al's moonshine.  Really quite palatable, if rather strong.  I also borrow some cutters to permit myself clean underwear; some muppet in the Northumberland Park branch of Tesco failed to remove the security tag from a triple pack of boxers and as a result they were literally joined at the hip.  At the meeting I ask to be relieved of my sweep car duties and will instead be at the 2.5 mile mark where nothing every happens.  Note to self: take Kindle...