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March 7, 2011 4:22 p.m. JThw8 SuperDork

Just a friendly reminder from you resident BABE rally cheerleader (no I dont get compensated for this) that the 2011 rally is fast approaching and signups are going on NOW.

This proves to be an interesting year and while many details are being sorted out and I'm not being made aware of all of them I do have some inside track...

New route. Still starting in NYC and ending in New Orleans but the in betweens may shake up a a bit.

New challenge. Aside from the usual challenges there may be a persistent daily challenge which will help light a fire under the butts of the dawdling teams each day.

New exposure. No, you dont have to be nekkid on costume day but there are some things in the works which if they play out could make this particular year very interesting and very well publicized.

So for everyone who responded last year that "next year I'm coming" where are you? Or is it going to be "next year" one more time? Carpe diem my friends.

And if anyone is so inclined there is an informal spec class this year for any Ford/Mercury Tempo/Topaz.
March 7, 2011 5:57 p.m. Junkyard_Dog Dork

I won't be back until the organizers get their act together. The last minute changes and lack of response from the promoters really soured me on the BABE Rally. Yes I know there were reasons those things happened that hopefully will be ironed out this year. To me you can't run this kind of thing by phoning it in, and despite some attempts at shaking things up the event has stagnated. I'm sure its still a fun time and I don't want to discourage anyone from trying it, but for me to there are better ways to spend my money and vacation time. At least until something changes to persuade me otherwise.
March 8, 2011 6:51 a.m. littleturquoiseb HalfDork

Junkyard_Dog wrote:

I won't be back until the organizers get their act together. The last minute changes and lack of response from the promoters really soured me on the BABE Rally. Yes I know there were reasons those things happened that hopefully will be ironed out this year. To me you can't run this kind of thing by phoning it in, and despite some attempts at shaking things up the event has stagnated. I'm sure its still a fun time and I don't want to discourage anyone from trying it, but for me to there are better ways to spend my money and vacation time. At least until something changes to persuade me otherwise.

Wow thats kinda harsh ... Not to put personal stuff on the web but 'The organizer' is a citizen of the UK and was stuck in his home country last year trying to be here permanently... several weeks before the rally last year the host hotel locked its doors with out notice... both not exactly the normal circumstances or under the control of the organizer. If they can be blamed for anything its not asking for more help.

The Babe Rally is a lot fun, yes I'm a superfan ... yes I'm ready for a new route (which sounds like there doing) and some new challenges (which sounds like they're working on).

Mostly I think it's more about needing to be ready for a 'tour/party/parade/road trip' then a highly competitive highly structured motorsports event. (although some of us take the challenges waaay to seriously).

Think more 'Amazing Race' with crappy cars and less 'Cannonball Run' and you'll get what I'm saying.
March 8, 2011 7:06 a.m. 92CelicaHalfTrac SuperDork

Question, though i'm probably not in this year....

Is this more fun with a COMPLETE pile of crap car? Or is bringing a "ringer" a great way to have fun without stress as well?

I have a spare car i could put together and prove $500 or under status. I've been having a hard time determining the fate of this car. It's either BABE, Lemons, or the crusher. I'm not entirely sure i want to pony up the extra money needed for Lemons.
March 8, 2011 7:20 a.m. JThw8 SuperDork

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote:

Question, though i'm probably not in this year....

Is this more fun with a COMPLETE pile of crap car? Or is bringing a "ringer" a great way to have fun without stress as well?

I have a spare car i could put together and prove $500 or under status. I've been having a hard time determining the fate of this car. It's either BABE, Lemons, or the crusher. I'm not entirely sure i want to pony up the extra money needed for Lemons.

It's fun either way. Admittedly most of our best stories seem to start with "while I was broke down on the side of the road...." But stress free non-troublesome cars can be just as much fun too.
March 8, 2011 5:05 p.m. Sonic Dork

I'm in again this year too. We are still debating what to use for a car, though it is guaranteeed to be crap! Looking forward to the new routes and challenges, supposedly a bit of refocus to make the challenges more road game oriented, which is what the rally needs.

Celica, as far as how crappy a car to bring, a lot of that comes down to personal preference. My opininon is that the car should be sound, but you should still be afraid of it. Make sure to go through the brakes and address and obvious flaws that might strand the car or are safety related, then give the car a good theme, pack some tools and perhaps some spares, and hit the road! Just going for the drive is fun, but the added adventure of a possible (likely) breakdown is the icing on the cake of the adventure that this is supposed to be.

For the spirit of it, think 1500 mile road trip with 100 friends, most of whom you just haven't met yet. You all go through the same insanity, help each other, have a little friendly competition, and the tailgate parties in the evenings are just fantastic.

Yes, the organizers aren't the fastest to return emails and could do a lot more with the event, but it is the people that go on the event that make it what it is and keep me coming back.
March 8, 2011 6:19 p.m. littleturquoiseb HalfDork

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote:

Question, though i'm probably not in this year....

Is this more fun with a COMPLETE pile of crap car? Or is bringing a "ringer" a great way to have fun without stress as well?

I have a spare car i could put together and prove $500 or under status. I've been having a hard time determining the fate of this car. It's either BABE, Lemons, or the crusher. I'm not entirely sure i want to pony up the extra money needed for Lemons.

I think the best clue is what scares you and what is your level of wrench-abilities. I don't start with a non runner (exceptions made for the ab-so-freakin'-lootly gotta have cars), I make sure all major systems work (transissions, engines, and axels etc), then I fix the brakes... All other work it toward theming and 'fun stuff' like air horns, neon, bozuku, flamethrowers, radios (cb, sirius etc) and what ever else I decide I want to pack into my already full spring.

If you can't turn a wrench (and why would you be here if that was the case), it's ok to have something you trust.... but basically your status will rise amoung the group the crappy-er your car is ....

My Gods are Camshaftprelube for the Triumph Spitfire held together with filling cabinates, JThw8 for doing 18 hrs in an untested wartburg, and the people who put together the most amazing theme cars (baked potato racing and their jingle benz, and the crazy cougars who couldn't turn a wrench but showed up in a fleetwood broughm decked out like the Edmund fitzgerald jump to mind)

No one will look down on you for brining something you trust, some of the nicest cars have some of the worst problems.
March 8, 2011 7:32 p.m. 92CelicaHalfTrac SuperDork

Oh it's a non-runner presently. Donor car for the Deathscort swap.