Day 22: Battle Mountain NV

 Thursday morning was another sparsely-attended set of runs with various teams resting, fettling or skiving off to visit the Reno Air Show.  Yes, Wild Bill Racing, I surely do mean you!  This left Alyssa (12) as the sole non-Italian rider to venture out this morning; here 23.37 mph run was a little off the pace but was into a headwind which afflicted most runners this morning.  Big ups to volunteer Dane from Texas, who stepped in to assist when Linda Barnett apparently went on strike this morning.  Matilde and Enzo made two runs apiece with their better ones being 65.84 and 57.66 respectively.  Enzo's second run was without the crash panels in place so the coaching from Professor Lem is paying off handsomely.

Professor Lem engages in some more one-to-one reëducation

Diego made three runs.  È pazzo.  Fastest was 42.75 mph, though not with legal wind.

Roadkill-eye view of Cerberus

Hopefully the weather will be kind tonight and encourage the big girls and boys out to play.  It ent as hot out there as it has been earlier in the week but the wind forecasts are promising.

Some time later

A certain amount of tactical non-starting went on tonight as teams vied to get into the final heat, because Wind.  Our laid-back Aussie mates:

are particularly adept at this as they have four quick riders.  Which led to Peter Borenstadt coing the phrase or saying "Monash à quatre".  He could be on the radio with that sort of stuff.  Only Enzo and Phoenix ran in the first heat, getting away on the third attempt for a 66.94 mph run.  Non-legal wind though.  Bah!  Better news was rocking up at start after the first sweep run to find our old pal Officer Arthur Aten, his Nevada Highway Patrol pickup truck and his new handlebar moustache there, as if he'd never retired.  After not being elected Sheriff last November, he's unretired from the Highway Patrol.

Scott Wilson absolutely not telling Officer Aten to eff off

Only one rider in the second heat too, viz. Kit in Bilby.  He said afterward that he'd be pretty stoked with > 70 mph irrespective of wind legality.  He didn't get a legal wind but he DID clock 70.77 mph.

Drama before heat three even before it started when Phoenix was visited by the P*nct*r* F**ry.  While a rapid wheel change was underway, with Matilde still installed in the noseless bike, François set off.

Matilde waits while the team completes the pit stop

After the heat was over he approached this Unit to show me pictures of his dream car, a vintage Shelby Mustang, before a little prompting got him to admit that his legs were working OK but his brain was not.  Since he still managed 86.39 mph this bodes well for tomorrow when, we trust, his bonce will have been rebooted, updated and cleaned of cruft.  Second off was Al in Bilby, whose 71.39 mph is closing on the Aussie record - currently held by Gareth Hanks at 73.95 mph in the All Overzealous trike back in 2016.  Matilde was supposed to be next off, but first she had a fall and then another case of catenaitis, requiring Phoenix' nose to be removed.  Hence the Sprockettes were third off and reached 60.87 mph.

Ivan Gundersen models the new Sprocket Rocket team-issue hi-viz

With Phoenix back together, Matilde was able to start successfully and achieved 69.98 mph, coming into catch at the same time as the Sprockettes for extra drama.  This is not as disheartening as when Thomas van Schaik did 69.99 all those years ago, because she already topped 70 last year.  The Italians have been having such a torrid time, at least in part, because their machines got lost in transit on the way home last year, taking three and a half months to get back to Torino.  Leaving precious little time for last year's team to hand over to the current crop of Penniless Student Oaves - there are only two team members in 2023 who were also present last year.

Successful launch for Matilde at the third time of asking

Wind forecast for tomorrow and Saturday is better than today, so if weather, legs and head-branez are all in working order...