One Last Hurrah [FINAL RESULTS]

Community Challenges & Competitions
328

Team Mountain Pass

Team Bio
Day 4, 8 - 10AM

Day Four, 10AM to Noon

After enjoying our cheeseburgers and shakes from Wendy’s, Andrew got stuck into the repair while I alternated between relaxing and pacing about. What, in my opinion, should have taken, at most, half an hour, proceeded to eat up a total of an hour and a half! Turns out that some of the wiring harness was damaged by the faulty doodad, which necessitated the wires be stripped, re-clamped, re-sealed then load tested. Since Andrew knew what he was doing I left him to it. I have no idea how post 70’s wiring works and I’m most likely to slow down the repair rather than help in any meaningful way.

Once we were finally underway we could count the cost. We lost a whole session’s worth of driving, Andrew had to talk to the locals for something other than food or beer and the Bogliq is nearly worth twice it’s value thanks to $20 worth of parts! But, most importantly, we were underway again and this time the drama wasn’t resulting in us being unable to continue the race. So now we’ll just knuckle down, keep our focus and continue to put kilometres under our belts… New Orleans is waiting for us!

TO BE CONTINUED

Distance covered: 32 miles
Overall distance: 1709 miles
Fuel state: 1/2 a tank
Overall fuel used: 6 and 1/2 tanks
Morale: +0 (+11) Car’s repaired and working fine
Fatigue: +3 (+4) The repairs were frustrating but we persevered!

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V6 Vandals - D4 8-10a - “Refuel and Resupply”

“Getting close to lunchtime.” Jake said from the back seat.

“Name a place, then. I’m not a mind-reader.” Luke replied.

“How about a Burger King? Like that one up there?” Cody said.

Amy grabbed the handle above the door, barely managing to get out a, “Stupid move, you idiot.” to Cody before Luke wrenched the wheel around. The tires squealed loudly on the Truckling as they departed the otherwise-peaceful city street and shot into the nearly-empty drive-thru line. Luke stomped the clutch in and piled on the brakes just in time to avoid slamming into the back of a crossover, then proceeded to crawl through the line with the rest of the people.

After giving their order, and picking it up from the window, Luke passed the bag to Amy and left the parking lot with the same level of violence as he’d arrived, leaving nearly-matching stripes in both the entrance and the exit. The tires squealed and their twin-turbocharged V6 howled as Luke merged abruptly back into traffic.

“I’d like to live long enough to enjoy this Whopper, Luke.” Cody said, seeing several cars having to dart out of the way of the speeding Ishu Truckling.

“He’s making up your lost time.” Amy said. “Just enjoy your food and keep in mind to give more of a warning than ‘it’s this one over there’ for where you want to eat.”

“At least with how he drives, we’ll be about a hundred miles down the road before my fries get cold.” Jake said, fishing into the bag to get them. “Ugh. Scratch that, they were cold when I got them.”

“I told you, don’t bother with the fries, they’re always cold.” Amy replied.

The rest of the two-hour stage was spent weaving through traffic, with the only music being the sound of a snarling V6 and the blare of horns from other drivers who were less amused by the sub-compact truck cutting a path between slower moving cars. Thankfully no one got motion sick from the wild weaving, and Luke felt that he’d made up the lost time just fine.

MRL: +14 (+1) - Fast food solves a lot of problems.
FTG: +6 (+4) - Luke’s driving like a maniac on a race track.
WAY: 5 - Nope, still hasn’t changed.
GAS: 1/3 - I’m sure the hard driving isn’t helping matters.
FST: 6 - We’ll need another one of these soon…
OIL: 1 quart - And two stops before another of these.

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Team Pit Stop

Nathan is driving for the day, and the team has a lot planned since the trip has gone so well.

Upon reaching Fort Snelling, James calls up to confirm a tour… Of the AEA plant and headquarters just across the road from them. Tour is a go, and they head over.

The team takes the tour, with complimentary lunch at a near by restaurant… and prepares for the “fun part” of the tour… The small test track used to shake-down new cars. They take the old ElGovnor wagon on it.

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Legend of Terms:

POI NOTE: Blah blah blah you know the drill by now.

BD: Block Distance. This is the amount of mileage covered during the current 2 hour period.
OD: Overall Distance. This is the total distance that the team has covered since the event started.
AT: Ambient Temperature
FS: Fuel Status. Approximate fuel reading. May also include other fuel related concerns.
MRL: Morale modifier
FTG: Fatigue Level
Last Town: Last town of note that was passed (will not include tiny villages)
Next Waypoint: Should be self explanatory.
Notes: Any notes I have for your team during this time block. Including POI results, car issues, etc.

SUNDAY, NOON - 2PM

VicVictory:

T50-1
T50-11029×573 110 KB

BD: 74 mi OD: 1897 mi AT: 52 F FS: 1/4 MRL: -5 FTG: +3 Last Town: Burr Oak, IA
CRITICAL FAILURE: On Highway 52 just outside of Burr Oak, the Townsend loses a rear wheel at speed. The team skids off the road, and rolls twice into a cornfield. Kyle will need stitches on his brow and they’ll both be feeling this for a while, but are otherwise OK.
Final morale: +13 (That was fun), final fatigue: +4 (the day is young)

@Madrias
BD: 132 mi OD: 1879 mi AT: 53 F FS: FULL MRL: +1 FTG: +6 Last Town: Dubuque, IA Next Waypoint: Gateway Arch, St Louis, MO
Notes: Ongoing issue: Check Engine Code: P0420. TEAM MORALE IS HIGH. Waypoint completed: Eagle Point Park. Team has refueled in Dubuque, IA. Team is starting to feel slightly fatigued.

@Jaimz
BD: 125 mi OD: 2141 mi AT: 54 F FS: 3/4 MRL: +0 FTG: +6 Last Town: Galesburg, IL Next Waypoint: Gateway Arch, St. Louis, MO
Notes: TEAM MORALE IS HIGH. Team has refueled in Davenport, IA

@BobLoblaw
BD: 119 mi OD: 2039 mi AT: 54 F FS: FULL MRL: +1 FTG: +6 Last Town: Dubuque, IA Next Waypoint: Gateway Arch, St Louis, MO
Notes: TEAM MORALE IS HIGH. Waypoint completed: Eagle Point Park. Team miscalculated remaining fuel and had to use reserve supply to get to Davenport for fuel. This caused the fuel stop to be longer than expected. Team is starting to feel slightly fatigued.

@Zabhawkin
BD: 141 mi OD: 1945 mi AT: 53 F FS: 2/3 MRL: +0 FTG: +0 Last Town: Giard, IA Next Waypoint: Eagle Point Park, Dubuque, IA
Notes: None.

@HighOctaneLove
BD: 129 mi OD: 1840 mi AT: 52 F FS: 2/3 MRL: +1 FTG: +4 Last Town: Rochester, MN Next Waypoint: Eagle Point Park, Dubuque, IA
Notes: TEAM MORALE IS HIGH. Waypoint completed: Fort Snelling. Team has refueled in Minneapolis.

@DoctorNarfy
BD: 132 mi OD: 1996 mi AT: 53 F FS: 3/4 MRL: +0 FTG: +6 Last Town: Sageville, IA Next Waypoint: Eagle Point Park, Dubuque, IA
Notes: Team has refueled in Postville, IA. Team is feeling slightly fatigued.

@findRED19
BD: 0 mi OD: 1755 mi AT: 48 F FS: 2/3 MRL: +2 FTG: -2 Last Town: Minneapolis, MN Next Waypoint: Eagle Point Park, Dubuque, IA
Notes: TEAM MORALE IS HIGH. Team is on an extended POI stop at the Old Ford Plant.

@Mythrin
BD: 136 mi OD: 1867 mi AT: 53 F FS: 1/4 MRL: +1 FTG: +4 Last Town: Rochester, MN Next Waypoint: Eagle Point Park, Dubuque, IA
Notes: TEAM MORALE IS HIGH. Waypoint completed: Fort Snelling.

@abg7
BD: 129 mi OD: 1861 mi AT: 53 F FS: 2/3 MRL: +1 FTG: +6 Last Town: Rochester, MN Next Waypoint: Eagle Point Park, Dubuque, IA
Notes: TEAM MORALE IS HIGH. Team has refueled in Minneapolis. Waypoint completed: Fort Snelling

@LordLetto
BD: 118 mi OD: 1712 AT: 52 F FS: 1/2 MRL: +0 FTG: +6 Last Town: Elk Grove, MN Next Waypoint: Historic Fort Snelling, MN
Notes: TEAM MORALE IS HIGH.

@cpufreak101
BD: 134 mi OD: 1983 mi AT: 53 F FS: 3/4 MRL: +0 FTG: +8 Last Town: Millville, IA Next Waypoint: Eagle Point Park, Dubuque, IA
Notes: Team is feeling a little tired. Team has refueled in Decorah, IA.

Vehicles that are traveling in packs:

Note: vehicles within ~5 miles of each other are within CB range.

Team Moss Boss

“Yeah. Yeah, ma,” Kyle spoke into his phone, trying to break up the stream of concerned words mixed with expletives coming through the phone. “I told you, ma. We’re fine. Just a little… ma…”

Hank snickered as he listened from a chair.

“Ma, I said we’re… MA, JUST SHUT UP AND LISTEN.”

Hank couldn’t help himself and burst out laughing. His chest hurt from the seat belt, but it was worth it.

“No, ma. I was driving. The truck lost a wheel. No, ma, it wasn’t anyone’s fault. No. No, it’s not Hank’s fault. We didn’t know there was anything wrong with…”

Exasperated, Kyle rolled is eyes and mocked smashing the phone into the ground.

“Sounds like we’re going to have a fun homecoming,” Hank joked.

“You’re going through the door first. I’m not dealing with this.”

And thus, the saga of Moss Boss came to an end.

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Team Thunder Taxi, Part 19

Rochester, Minnesota

After a routine refueling stop, the Thunder Taxi continued its journey south past Minneapolis, and made more progress than ever before. No sooner had one rumor emerged, though, than another began to circulate. This time, it was about the car they were chasing - the Moss Boss.

“What on earth just happened to them? Did they crash?” Jack murmured.

“We won’t know untill we pass them…” Chris replied.

Bob added: “…but due to the circumstances surrounding their demise, they would have gone out with a bang, not a whimper.”

Vince concluded: “I hope they’re in one piece, but it leaves us with one fewer opponent to chase.”

Jack belatedly realized that nothing could justify a return to a less aggressive strategy now. They were now driving in warmer conditions than they had previously encountered, and their rapid pace was finally paying dividends. As such, the team was in high spirits, confident that they would be able to reach the next waypoint or two without incident. And so they carried on according as usual, hoping to make further improvements on their situation along the way.

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V6 Vandals - D4 10a-Noon - “A Very Quick Fast Food Stop”

“So, why aren’t you going faster, Luke?” Jake asked.

“I’m already breaking the speed limit. Do you really want me to put the hammer down and risk everything for a little bit more top speed?” Luke replied.

“Maybe not everything, but it’d be nice to catch the leaders at some point.” Cody asked.

“Fine. Next gas stop, I’ll take the hot seat.” Amy said. “After all, Luke tends not to go any faster than he’s comfortable with. It’s why he’s never been a great race driver, he doesn’t push the limits.”

“I used to, then I blew a hydraulic line in a rally car. I don’t push the limits anymore, not after that experience.” Luke replied.

The Truckling shrieked into the gas station, and Luke got out along with Amy. Amy filled the tank with Premium while Luke settled into the passenger seat. Once they were all filled up, Amy got into the driver’s seat and sent the little Ishu Truckling scampering out into the street.

“So, how fast are we gonna go?” Jake asked.

“Not sure yet. But we’re going faster.” Amy replied.

MRL: +15 (+1) - We’ve put a proper racing driver in the hot seat.
FTG: +12 (+6) - We’ve been on the road for a while, though.
WAY: 6 (+1) - Hey, we actually passed one!
GAS: 4/4 - Just got gas.
FST: 7 (+1) - Something tells me we’re going to have another one of these soon…
OIL: 1 quart - And next stop gets one of these.

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Team Shitbox Brothers - Aftermath.

(You know the drill with the accents.)

Alejandro and Ana are sitting on the curb of the road, next to Gramps GT. The bonnet has been lifted and one of the two brothers has drawn a dick on the head cover with a black marker, over the ‘Contendiente PowerTech’ lettering. Ana’s phone is playing music, no flashy synthwave this time though. Only ‘A horse with no name’ by America.

Alejandro: “The crankshaft decided to commit suicide.”

Ana: “Well seems like we’re out of the race.”

Alejandro: “And there goes our last chance.”

Ana unmessed her hair once, letting a sigh.

Ana: “These events attract too much attention and get so many second hand cars sold I doubt we’ve seen the last of it. By the way, can I keep Gramps GT if I get you an engine to swap in?”

Alejandro: “Sure. Next time we’re bringing something else though. A Caliban-frickin’-Thunder.”

Ana: “Could be fun to drive a kit car on the road for thousands of km.”

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Team Mountain Pass

Team Bio
Day 4, 10AM - Noon

Day Four, Noon to 2PM

The repairs to the alternator wiring have held up fine. No more drama or burnt plastics occurred as we kept the hammer down and our eyes on the prize. When we stopped at Minneapolis for fuel there was no signs of trouble with our repair whatsoever!

Other than fussing over the wiring, we’re going fine, nothing interesting to report. Just munching up miles and some beef jerky (bought at the fuel station on a dare) and looking to make up the time that we lost fixing the wiring issue.

TO BE CONTINUED

Distance covered: 129 miles
Overall distance: 1838 miles
Fuel state: 2/3rds of a tank
Overall fuel used: 7 and 1/3rd tanks
Morale: +1 (+12) Easy session with no dramas
Fatigue: +4 (+8) Gotta keep rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ :grin:

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Mopey: Gran, you know that spanish cutey, I mean girl that shouted at you?

Gran: Yes dear?

Mopey: Well they’re out of the race.

Gran: That’s karma dear.

Mopey: And another team has flipped.

Spanners: They met the goon from the last race?

Mopey: No, proper flipped. Rear wheel fell off and they rolled twice!

Gran: David?

Spanners: NOOOOOOoooooooo…that had absolutely, 100%, definitely, completely, totally, utterly had NOTHING to do with me! Plus, there is the fact that they hadn’t pissed me off. So what does that mean for the race?

Mopey: We’re one of 11 cars remaining, have a comfortable lead and the nearest team is the faded red Enforcer who are about 100 miles behind.

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TEAM OUTRIDERS

Blake: Fifty cents.

Marc: I’ll see that, and raise you a buck.

Zach: I’ll see that, and I’ll call.

Blake: Full house bitches!

Marc: Aw, I’ve just got a two pair. A pair of red aces, and a pair of black aces.

Blake: Shit!

Marc: I’ll just take this.

Zach: Not so fast. I have a four, a five, a six, a seven, and an eight. All clubs!

Marc: Dammit!

Zach: Hah! Come to daddy!

Luigi: Hey look at that.

Blake: That’s one of the teams.

Marc: They broken down?

Blake: Looks like more than that. Judging by their stance, I’d say they’re out.

Luigi: So we go up another spot.

Marc: That sucks.

Zach: One spot closer to winning.

Marc: Not the way I want to win though.

Blake: Lord knows we’ve lost that way before.

Luigi: But the car soldiers on.

Blake: Gives me an idea though, I could start a business buying up these old Enforcers and swapping the motors out. The 432 is a beast after all.

Luigi: So is the Triforce, as long as it’s not neglected.

Blake: How’s our fuel doing?

Luigi: Needle is below “E” I predict another thirty miles before we need to stop.

Marc: I don’t like trusting instinct like that.

Luigi: Don’t trust me eh?

Marc: I don’t trust running low at all. I try to never let my gas get below half a tank.

Zach: Why is that?

Marc: Guarantees I won’t risk running out. Plus it doesn’t feel like I’m spending as much when filling half a tank as opposed to an entire tank.

(Cough, Sputter)

Blake: What was that?

Luigi: Power loss.

(Sputter)

Marc: You stupid ****! I told you we should’ve gotten gas in that last town!

Luigi: Hang on, I’m pulling over.

(The Enforcer pulls over to the side of the road, Luigi gets out and uses the gas can in the trunk)

Luigi: How many miles to the next town?

Blake: About fifteen to twenty.

Marc: Assuming your fuel calculation fits into that.

Luigi: Shut up!

Radio: And now for the local traffic report. All appears smooth except for a rollover accident on Highway 52. Traffic is slowed due to gawkers. There were two occupants of the small pickup truck, only minor injuries reported.

Blake: Small pickup truck, you think it’s that Townsend?

Marc: It’s hard to say, not like these reports focus on describing vehicles.

Luigi: I always said we need more gearheads in the news.

Zach: Yeah, except that would scare off us normals.

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Legend of Terms:

POI NOTE: Blah blah blah you know the drill by now.

BD: Block Distance. This is the amount of mileage covered during the current 2 hour period.
OD: Overall Distance. This is the total distance that the team has covered since the event started.
AT: Ambient Temperature
FS: Fuel Status. Approximate fuel reading. May also include other fuel related concerns.
MRL: Morale modifier
FTG: Fatigue Level
Last Town: Last town of note that was passed (will not include tiny villages)
Next Waypoint: Should be self explanatory.
Notes: Any notes I have for your team during this time block. Including POI results, car issues, etc.

SUNDAY, 2PM - 4PM

@Madrias
BD: 153 mi OD: 2164 mi AT: 61 F FS: 1/2 MRL: +0 FTG: +8 Last Town: Peoria, IL Next Waypoint: Gateway Arch, St Louis, MO
Notes: Ongoing issue: Check Engine Code: P0420. TEAM MORALE IS HIGH. Team is tired.

@Jaimz
BD: 140 mi OD: 2281 mi AT: 61 F FS: 2/3 MRL: +0 FTG: +8 Last Town: Litchfield, IL Next Waypoint: Gateway Arch, St. Louis, MO
Notes: TEAM MORALE IS HIGH. Team is slightly tired.

@BobLoblaw
BD: 139 mi OD: 2178 mi AT: 61 F FS: 1/2 MRL: +0 FTG: +8 Last Town: Peoria, IL Next Waypoint: Gateway Arch, St Louis, MO
Notes: TEAM MORALE IS HIGH. Team is tired.

@Zabhawkin
BD: 140 mi OD: 2085 mi AT: 61 F FS: FULL MRL: +1 FTG: +2 Last Town: Davenport, IA Next Waypoint: Gateway Arch, St. Louis, MO
Notes: Waypoint completed: Eagle Point Park. Team refuels in Davenport IA.

@HighOctaneLove
BD: 143 mi OD: 1983 mi AT: 60 F FS: 1/3 MRL: +0 FTG: +6 Last Town: Millville, IL Next Waypoint: Eagle Point Park, Dubuque, IA
Notes: TEAM MORALE IS HIGH.

@DoctorNarfy
BD: 142 mi OD: 2138 mi AT: 61 F FS: 1/3 MRL: +1 FTG: +8 Last Town: Galesburg, IL Next Waypoint: Gateway Arch, St Louis, IL
Notes: Team is tired. Waypoint completed: Eagle Point Park.

@findRED19
BD: 0 mi OD: 1755 mi AT: 48 F FS: 2/3 MRL: +2 FTG: -2 Last Town: Minneapolis, MN Next Waypoint: Eagle Point Park, Dubuque, IA
Notes: TEAM MORALE IS HIGH. Team is on an extended POI stop at the Old Ford Plant (ends at 4PM).

@Mythrin
BD: 136 mi OD: 2003 mi AT: 61 F FS: FULL MRL: +1 FTG: +6 Last Town: Dubuque, IA Next Waypoint: Gateway Arch, St. Louis, MO
Notes: TEAM MORALE IS HIGH. Waypoint completed: Eagle Point Park. Team has refueled in Dubuque, IA. Team is starting to feel slightly fatigued.

@abg7
BD: 138 mi OD: 1999 mi AT: 61 F FS: REFUEL IN PROGRESS MRL: +1 FTG: +8 Last Town: Dubuque, IA Next Waypoint: Gateway Arch, St. Louis, MO
Notes: TEAM MORALE IS HIGH. Team is refueling in Dubuque. Waypoint completed: Eagle Point Park

@LordLetto
BD: 122 mi OD: 1832 AT: 61 F FS: REFUEL IN PROGRESS MRL: +1 FTG: +8 Last Town: Rochester, MN Next Waypoint: Eagle Point Park, Dubuque, IA
Notes: TEAM MORALE IS HIGH. Team is refueling in Rochester, MN. Waypoint completed: Fort Snelling. Team is tired.

@cpufreak101
BD: 143 mi OD: 2126 mi AT: 53 F FS: 1/4 MRL: +1 FTG: +10 Last Town: Galesburg, IL Next Waypoint: Gateway Arch, St. Louis, MO
Notes: TEAM MORALE IS HIGH. Team is tired. Waypoint completed: Eagle Point Park.

Vehicles that are traveling in packs:

Note: vehicles within ~5 miles of each other are within CB range.

FYI, I’m on vacation for the next couple days. Next update when I get home.

Also, some of y’all may want to think about rest stops…

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Team Mountain Pass

Team Bio
Day 4, Noon - 2PM

Day Four, 2PM to 4PM

Nothing new to report. We’re getting the job done and the car is well behaved. We are holding off thoughts of food or rest until next session as it’ll get in the way of our excellent progress so far…

Don’t forget to check out our progress on the interactive map at MountainPass.com.au!!!

TO BE CONTINUED

Distance covered: 143 miles
Overall distance: 1981 miles
Fuel state: 1/3rd of a tank
Overall fuel used: 7 and 2/3rd tanks
Morale: +0 (+12) Been on the road for a while but still in good spirits.
Fatigue: +6 (+14) Starting to feel the effects of the day’s activities but we’ve still got a lot of fight left in us!

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Team Thunder Taxi, Part 20

Dubuque, Iowa

Having outlasted the Moss Boss and the Shitbox Brothers, Jack and his three loyal teammates were more confident than ever of a decent finish. Fatigue through prolonged driving was beginning to take its toll, but none of the crew had suffered any ill effects yet. Even so, Jack kept an eye out for points of interest to stop at just in case they had to take a well-earned rest.

As he refueled the Thunder Taxi Chris told Jack about the perils of an ill-timed stop. “We’ve been gaining momentum for the past two hours. It’d be a shame to sacrifice it by stopping too soon, or in the wrong place…” he murmured, knowing that where they stopped was just as important as when they did it.

Bob then continued: “…especially since there are other teams not very far from where we are right now. We don’t want them to know too much about our intentions, after all, which is why I’m thinking twice about addressing anyone within a five-mile radius.”

Vince added: “If we actually choose to stop, it will most likely be in Davenport. I’d recommend we visit the Putnam Museum and Science Center, the Bucktown Center for the Arts, or the Figge Art Museum. In either case, we shouldn’t stay there for more than an hour or two.”

Jack replied: “Agreed. I’ll think about that en route to Davenport, and if we stop, we’ll vote on where to do it.”

And so another round of friendly banter came to an end.

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Spanners: We’ll drive until 5 and then stop to eat for an hour. Then we’ll continue until 10. Have supper, up at 5, breakfast, check car and be on the road by 6. Everyone happy?

Gran: Sounds good.

Mopey: Yeah, can do.

And so our intrepid pioneers continued on their way…

Gran: Oh, dear Lord…what IS that smell?

Mopey: Sorry…

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TEAM OUTRIDERS

Luigi: Countin’ flowers on the wall, that don’t bother me at all.

Blake: Playin’ Solitaire 'till dawn, with a deck of 51.

Marc: Smokin’ cigarettes and watchin’ Captain Kangaroo. Now don’t tell me, I’ve nothin’ to do.

Zach: sigh I sometimes forget how old you guys are.

Marc: What’s for dinner bitch?

Luigi: I figure we’ll put some sandwiches together and eat em on the fly. No sense stopping unless we have to.

Blake: We’ve got cheese and lunch meats in the cooler. And plenty of bread.

Zach: Don’t forget safe dining, use a condiment every time.

Marc: Ha!

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V6 Vandals - D4 Noon-2p - “Now This is Street Racing”

The Vandals’ Ishu Truckling was sitting at a stop light, and Amy was revving the engine mercilessly, watching the lights. The twin turbos howled as the 2.7 liter V6 snarled, the whole mini-truck shaking with the fury of 325 horsepower threatening to be unleashed.

The light turned green, and Amy dumped the clutch at about 4500 RPM, then carried first gear to the 8000 RPM redline. The tires squealed, then chirped in second, and a soft chirp in third as she went through the gears. Luke looked over at Amy, then said, “And you call me crazy.”

“I didn’t make a wig of brass chains just before the event, nor am I the one with a 150 mile-per-hour speeding ticket in Nevada.” Amy shot back.

“Keep this up and you will, but it won’t be in Nevada. Luckily for you, I’m eavesdropping on the police channels, and they haven’t noticed our shit-brown mini-truck yet. But they’ll be able to follow the cloud to find us because we’re still burning oil.” Luke replied.

“So, rest plans when, exactly?” Jake asked, breaking up the talk of speeding tickets.

“Probably tail end of 6 PM, maybe 8 PM. Not sure yet. When this lunatic feels like relinquishing the wheel.” Luke replied.

Cody laughed, then said, “Good thing your mom’s a race-car driver, Jake. We might actually make decent time.”

“If she doesn’t break the car. After all, tapping the rev-limiter isn’t nice to an engine with an oil-burning problem.” Jake responded. “And she’s driving it like a race-car.”

“No, I’m driving it like a rental. There’s a reason a rental car is the best off-roader, and the fastest car you’ll usually ever drive, and it’s because you don’t have to care about it.” Amy said. “This just happens to be a sporty front-drive rental in an unassuming shell.”

The next stop-light also ended up with a one-tire-fire all the way across the intersection, and the V6 wailing like the Hounds of Hell were chasing their smoke-blowing Truckling. The blow-off valves hissed like a bowl of angry rattlesnakes between each gear change as Amy tried to close the distance on the other teams.

“So, Cody, Jake, tell me, who’s gettin’ passed by the Turbo Truckling next?” Amy asked.

Jake looked at the GPS, then said, “If things hold out, we’ll either be matched with the Outriders in a couple hours, or we’ll blow their doors off. Depends on how much gas they’ve got versus how much we’ve got, and whether they plan to stop or we plan to stop. Either way, they’re the ones in front of us that we stand a chance to catch.”

“Good. It’ll be fun to pass their Petoskey Enforcer.” Amy said.

“You’re still bitter about that?” Luke asked.

“About what?” Cody inquired.

“Few years back, contract to replace some police cars out in Tatum Heights, MI. We put in a bid but while we were liked, our car just couldn’t win the contract.” Luke said. “So Amy’s bitter that we lost the contract, and that two of the people who were involved are in the car in front of us.”

“I am not still bitter about that. That was 18 fuckin’ years ago, and we still contracted with a different police department and unloaded our supply of Interceptors.” Amy said.

“So, why the sudden urge to pass them?” Luke inquired.

“Because I’m competitive and I’m driving. It’s like racing on a road course, you push just that little more when someone’s close enough to pass. That’s why I want to pass them.” Amy replied.

“Fair enough.” Luke said, as they raced down the road.

MRL: +15 (NC)
FTG: +20 (+8)
WAY: 6
GAS: 1/2
FST: 7
OIL: 1 quart

(Yep, felt that a bit more story had to come out. And contrary to what Amy says, she is still bitter that the Tatum Heights Police Department didn’t pick the Interceptor. Mostly because it took three years to find a buyer for the cars that were made. As for me, no, I entered knowing mine was a wild card and wouldn’t win. But it makes for a better story if Amy has a little touch of a rivalry just because her Police Interceptor didn’t get chosen. As for all the links, they go to a Car Shopping Round that was done forever ago.)

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Nice touch, though I should point out that Marc is the only one who’s a cop. Blake and Luigi are mechanics, and Zach is an accountant (Albeit in training)

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Oh, I know that Blake and Luigi are mechanics.

From a role-playing perspective, though, my characters don’t know everything. Does Luke know Blake and Luigi are mechanics? Yes. To him, mechanics are just as important as police officers. Why did he say ‘two members’ when there’s technically three, by his count (including mechanics)? Because Luigi wasn’t involved with the contract. Does Amy know Blake and Luigi are mechanics? Probably not. She knows Blake and Marc are from Tatum Heights and that Marc’s a cop. She also knows that Tatum Heights was the police department that they were contract-bidding on with the Storm Interceptor.

I will, however, adjust one line to better fit what Luke intended to say. While it said “two of the members of their police force are in the car in front of us.” before, I’ll adjust it to “two of the people involved are in the car in front of us.” Which, I suppose, is more what Luke should have said, keeping his mechanic bias under wraps.

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Well, if their perception is skewed, I can live with that. Just thought I’d clear up any misunderstandings.

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Legend of Terms:

POI NOTE: Blah blah blah you know the drill by now.

BD: Block Distance. This is the amount of mileage covered during the current 2 hour period.
OD: Overall Distance. This is the total distance that the team has covered since the event started.
AT: Ambient Temperature
FS: Fuel Status. Approximate fuel reading. May also include other fuel related concerns.
MRL: Morale modifier
FTG: Fatigue Level
Last Town: Last town of note that was passed (will not include tiny villages)
Next Waypoint: Should be self explanatory.
Notes: Any notes I have for your team during this time block. Including POI results, car issues, etc.

SUNDAY, 4PM - 6PM

@Madrias
BD: 153 mi OD: 2317 mi AT: 63 F FS: LOW MRL: +1 FTG: +10 Last Town: St Louis, MO Next Waypoint: Mississippi River Museum, Memphis, TN
Notes: Ongoing issue: Check Engine Code: P0420. TEAM MORALE IS HIGH. Waypoint completed: Gateway Arch. TEAM IS EXHAUSTED. Team will check in for the night at the Magnolia Hotel St. Louis at the beginning of next time period.

@Jaimz
BD: 46 mi OD: 2327 mi AT: 63 F FS: 1/2 MRL: +3 FTG: -1 Last Town: St Louis, MO Next Waypoint: Mississippi River Museum, Memphis, TN
Notes: TEAM MORALE IS HIGH. Team is slightly tired. Waypoint completed: Gateway Arch. Team has stopped for dinner at Llewelyn’s Pub in St Louis.

@BobLoblaw
BD: 139 mi OD: 2317 mi AT: 63 F FS: REFUEL IN PROGRESS MRL: +1 FTG: +10 Last Town: St Louis, MO Next Waypoint: Mississippi River Museum, Memphis, TN
Notes: TEAM MORALE IS HIGH. TEAM IS EXHAUSTED. Waypoint completed: Gateway Arch. Refuel in progress.

@Zabhawkin
BD: 142 mi OD: 2217 mi AT: 63 F FS: 1/2 MRL: +0 FTG: +4 Last Town: Peoria, IL Next Waypoint: Gateway Arch, St. Louis, MO
Notes: None

@HighOctaneLove
BD: 128 mi OD: 2111 mi AT: 62 F FS: 2/3 MRL: +0 FTG: +6 Last Town: Davenport, IA Next Waypoint: Gateway Arch, St Louis, MO
Notes: TEAM MORALE IS HIGH. Waypoint completed: Eagle Point Park. Team has refueled in Dubuque, IA

@DoctorNarfy
BD: 130mi OD: 2268 mi AT: 63 F FS: FULL MRL: +0 FTG: +10 Last Town: Springfield, IL Next Waypoint: Gateway Arch, St Louis, IL
Notes: TEAM IS EXHAUSTED. Team has refueled in Springfield, IL

@findRED19
BD: 139 mi OD: 1894 mi AT: 60 F FS: 1/4 MRL: +0 FTG: +2 Last Town: Rochester, MN Next Waypoint: Eagle Point Park, Dubuque, IA
Notes: TEAM MORALE IS HIGH.

@Mythrin
BD: 133 mi OD: 2136 mi AT: 62 F FS: 2/3 MRL: +1 FTG: +8 Last Town: Davenport, IA Next Waypoint: Gateway Arch, St. Louis, MO
Notes: TEAM MORALE IS HIGH. Team is tired.

@abg7
BD: 75 mi OD: 274 mi AT: 61 F FS: 3/4 MRL: +2 FTG: +2 Last Town: Davenport, IA Next Waypoint: Gateway Arch, St. Louis, MO
Notes: TEAM MORALE IS HIGH. Team stops at Putnam Museum and Science Center in Davenport, IA for a POI stop.

@LordLetto
BD: 137 mi OD: 1969 AT: 62 F FS: 1/3 MRL: +0 FTG: +10 Last Town: Guttenberg, IA Next Waypoint: Eagle Point Park, Dubuque, IA
Notes: TEAM MORALE IS HIGH. TEAM IS EXHAUSTED

@cpufreak101
BD: 129 mi OD: 2255 mi AT: 52 F FS: 3/4 MRL: -2 FTG: +12 Last Town: Peoria, IL Next Waypoint: Gateway Arch, St. Louis, MO
Notes: TEAM IS EXHAUSTED. Team has refueled in Peoria, IL

Vehicles that are traveling in packs:

Note: vehicles within ~5 miles of each other are within CB range.

4 Likes