Day 14: Alaska to Mexico Marathon Rally Adventure
Day 14: Alaska to Mexico Rally 2023 - Act Two Begins
Endurance rallies are more than just thrilling drives; they also involve significant paperwork, a fact that's usually well-known to our navigators. Today, our rally adventure reached an important milestone as we opened a new road book, effectively marking the start of act two in the grand story of the Alaska to Mexico Marathon.
With the fresh road book in hand, we set out for a day filled with excitement, featuring three Regularities and a transition into the Mountain Time Zone as we journeyed through the beautiful landscapes of Oregon and Idaho. Joining us on this leg of the adventure are some new faces, each contributing their unique energy to the rally.
One noteworthy change is Rob Dance taking the helm of the 1937 Cadillac, temporarily replacing the legendary Jim Gately, who needed to tend to pressing business matters back at home. In another shift, Archie McAlpine has stepped in for his twin brother Henry as the navigator of the family Range Rover. Additionally, Steve Krippaehne has joined Lee Harman as the map man in the Ford Model A, as Winston Conyers concludes his maiden rally event.
Our journey took us to the challenging Lincoln Mountain Road, which served as the stage for the first Regularity of the day. While some cars faced difficulties on the steep gradients and narrow tracks, these challenges faded away as we reached the Time Control at the Blue Banana Café in Lostine. This unique little café, with an airplane tail sticking out of its roof, offered some exceptionally good coffee to recharge our spirits.
The road to the Hell's Kitchen Passage Control followed the winding path of the Snake River through the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. At Hell's Canyon Overlook Passage Control, rally director Fred Gallagher and Sarah Ormerod had a delightful surprise in the form of cookies for the crews. Following this, we had some time to gaze into the 2,436-meter abyss, the deepest chasm in the USA.
Sticking to higher ground, our journey continued to lunch. After crossing the state line, we paused at the Time Control of the Gateway Store & Café, where the crews savored a hearty meal featuring Idaho's famous potatoes alongside delicious pulled pork.
In the afternoon, we tackled two more Regularities, the Big Farms, and the Big Willow Creek, traversing a combined 80 kilometers of the area's finest dirt roads. Finally, our day concluded as we reached the Boise Riverside Hotel, where the crews joined together to celebrate a very special occasion: Marina Goodwin's birthday. Marina is a Rally the Globe founder and a Bentley co-pilot extraordinaire, and we wished her a joyful birthday as the sun set on another thrilling day of rallying.
