Stage 9:
Kingsburg to Queensdale
Temperature at mid-day: 22°C
Night-time Low: 14°C
Weather: Humidity remains high, but the thick cloud cover is gradually gone by about 3 sun. Winds have not changed much from yesterday as well.
Camp Challenge: “On a Hope and a Prayer” (No Support Vehicle.)
Today, we spend most of our time on Highway Route 11, driving on a road with 75 MPH / 120km/h posted signs all while feeling like a roller coaster. We’d be going that speed limit if it wasn’t for the huge amount of traffic clogging up the road, doing 55 MPH in all three lanes. This is, of course, made worse by the number of cops pulling over cars for doing illegal passes. Apparently, passing cars on their right-hand side is very much a no-no around here.
Eventually, though, we see the huge city of Queensdale. Here, it’s clear that THIS was probably the capital city at one point in time, with the huge surrounding wall. The city is loosely styled after a crown, and as we arrive through the main gates, it’s actually proven that it was the capital… When Nehmenweld was a Crugandrian colony.
We’re eventually able to make it to the far side of the city, where we end up in a fairly large camping space about 3 miles from the last train station. An interesting feature of Queensdale’s train station is that the pair of stations were built into the great outer wall deliberately, making it one of the first cities in Nehmenweld completely designed around having rail access. A tram connects both stations together, ferrying people from one half of the city to the other.
As for our campground… It’s a nice grassy place with a lot of space for us to get settled in.
Next Stage Expected Conditions:
Road Speed: high
Road Condition: moderate
Traffic: very low
Police: low
Results Here: SR23 Stage 9 - Google Drive
Camp Challenge Winners:
Interior (Team Not-so slow)
AMuteCrypt (Team Flaming Gallahs)
Edsel (Team Friendship! :D)
AndiD (Team Taciturn)
BannedByAndroid (Team ReUnity)
Mikonp7 (Team GUNSHIP)
LDub (4 Dicks in a Truck)
Team Shift Happens
Other than a brief stop for Takaraya to talk himself out of a speeding ticket, it was a relatively smooth trip.
VS Mobil Generator AB
It was going well in the train, right up until something caused the wireless communication between the four units to shut down. With three units stuck at idle, Robert II was forced to slow down, then wait in a siding while Valentin solved the problem.
Team M.A.D.
No breakdowns, no traffic stops, just a slow and dirty drive today.
Team Sinesian Rejects
There’s not much to say after the head-gasket repair yesterday. The Imbe runs a “perfect” stage, with the engine pinging away like crazy thanks to the heat.
Team Not-So-Slow
Between a cop stop and 4 shredded tires, it’s a long day for this team.
The Ambassadors
It’s a clean run for both cars today. The only delays are the gas stops.
The Knockouts
After getting a face full of dirt in the last stage courtesy of a Dyre, Kate is much more cautious today to avoid wrong turns. She makes it to the end without a problem. Octavia, however, has a fair bit of fun changing a serpentine belt.
Team Mravolinski-Chitco
Four flats on the Kontir Cunningham result in a fair bit of lost time.
Team HETS
We’re not sure what turned both old ladies into shutter-bugs here, but a bit over 3 hours were lost to photography.
Team Flaming Gallahs
It’s a party when the party bus gets stuck at the side of the road with a steering problem. It takes a bit of fixing, but the bus returns to the road a few hours later.
Team Friendship! 
Nothing much to see here for the bus full of cars. It’s just an ordinary day in traffic.
Team Hillbilly Rollers
The only breakdown experienced today is the mental one from Marie as she starts screaming about how she really, really wants a beer.
Team Sane Insanity
Most of the stage was spent arguing about who put the scratch on the door of the minivan, which was a relaxing change of pace from maintenance and repairs.
Faolan Industries
Unfortunately, there’s a bit of bad news with the Aether 11/2. This bad news leads to a full engine swap.
Team Taciturn
Forward progress continues! No police stops, no breakdowns, just one very reliable Mara.
Team ReUnity
Floor it and hang on tight! One fast crossover makes it to the finish without getting busted.
Team Spy Kids
No trouble for either half of the team today.
Team J3
Between a speeding ticket, the Tiharris not starting up after the traffic stop, and then a windowed engine block in the Rhien, it was a long, long day of fixing cars. The Tiharris was used to tow the Rhien back to camp where the trio worked extra hard trying to fix it.
Team Aeromad
Other than being unable to pass up a gas station, it’s a smooth journey here today.
@Tzuyu_main & @FallingComet
Team Black Rabbit Disavowed
The Seikatsu’s driver gets a ticket after their wide truck bed breaks the aerial off the back of one of the patrol cars.
Sheriff Scott’s Posse
After getting off at the wrong exit, it’s a 4 hour journey trying to get back on the route. Luckily, the only setback is a minor traffic stop for the Bowie Bearcat’s driver being a bit of a leadfoot… And the officer gave some directions that got the crew back on track.
Team “486”
Two vehicles speed into camp without a problem.
Team Magdelena
Other than the Baumhauer getting a minor traffic stop for speeding, it’s not so bad today.
Team Machinas Con Passione
Passing on the right is a no-no. The driver of the Blue Wonder learned that with a nice expensive traffic ticket today.
Cunning Stunts
No stops, no problems, no worries.
Team Till D End
The Trailduster’s engine conked out, which was bad enough. Then the Linx rear-ended it and damaged the radiator. Ten hours of repairs later, however, and both vehicles were back on the road, even if it did look like a giant had played soccer with the Linx’s front end.
Basedworks
Another team with no breakdowns, no stops, and no problems.
Team Gunship
Another team who fell prey to the wrong exit problem. Unfortunately, it took a hell of a lot longer for the leadfoot behind the wheel to get a warning for speeding, and a chance to ask for directions.
4 Dicks in a Truck
It’s a long drive in a rattletrap truck and a nice trailer. Thankfully, there are no issues today.