Stage 10:
Queensdale to Gasstop
Temp. at mid-day: 30°C
Night-time Low: 24°C
Weather: Cloud cover starts increasing and eventually unleashes the occasional, strong shower for the afternoon. The showers turn into a breezy drizzle by the evening.
Camp Challenge: Miles per Gallon, Best and Worst.
We leave our comfortable campground on a lightly-rainy day, blessed only with the fact that it’s warm rain and not cold. We head out onto the curiously named “jungle highway” and cannonball our way northwest, slowly descending the whole way as more and more trees become visible.
It quickly becomes obvious that, very soon, we’ll be taking another little trip on some terrible roads.
Today, however, it’s still glorious 55 MPH / 90 km/h speed limit signs and basic traffic enforcement all the way.
When we make it to our destination, we find it’s barely even a village. They have a small railway depot where they get fuel tankers delivered, which are used to make sure people insisting on traveling through the rainforest have enough fuel to make it.
The 1500-or-so people who call this place home have named their village “Gasstop” because that’s precisely what it is for most people. A quick place to fill up a fuel tank, a couple chunky fuel cans, and grab a quick bite to eat.
We’re told to park “wherever we can find space,” and that “we just got a shipment of fuel, so fill up while you can.”
Next Stage Expected Conditions:
Road Speed: very low
Road Condition: very poor
Traffic: none
Police: none
Results Here: SR2023 Stage 10 - Google Drive
Team Shift Happens
It’s a slow and steady drive for the two giant trucks, one of which is still towing double trailers. Needless to say, Kasiya is not happy about this arrangement.
VS Mobil Generator AB
Today’s track takes the scenic route, crossing above the Jungle Highway on bridges as needed, giving the crew in the four steam-powered Diones a chance to see most of the other teams on their run of this stage.
Team M.A.D.
Both team vehicles end up pulled over and given a warning for speeding.
Team Sinesian Rejects
Best Fuel Economy: Ilaris Imbe Sport S 1.3 - 42.77 MPG
Other than the ping-o-matic rattling away under the hood the whole time it was traveling down the highway, it’s a smooth and swift journey. Finding out you got the best fuel economy was just icing on the cake.
Team Not-So-Slow
Nothing really new to report here. It’s another long, long drive on the Jungle Highway, the old former-luxury-car soaking up the bumps in the road.
The Ambassadors
It’s a smooth cruise full of excitement for the explorers in the Mayland, while the support crew in the IVERA are just enjoying the drive.
The Knockouts
Kate almost got away this time when her engine cut out. Unfortunately for her, the Dyre are exceptional trackers, and after getting her scent from the car, the hunt began. After a few minutes, Kate was caught, handcuffed, and stuffed in the back of a police car. Octavia passed by the stalled and empty car a while later, just shaking her head as she knew what it meant.
Team Mravolinski-Chitco
The team in the Saguaro pushed things a little too hard and ended up off of the highway, out in the dirt. As it turns out, that’s a good way to get stuck for several hours while trying to tow out the Saguaro with the underpowered and overburdened Kontir.
Team HETS
After the previous day’s photographic chaos, it seems like the old ladies put their feet down today. It’s a clean stage with no breakdowns, no traffic stops, and no more pictures.
Team Flaming Gallahs
It’s a good, simple cruise today, no breakdowns or troubles, not even really much of an issue with traffic.
Team Friendship! 
Like the other bus, it’s a breakdown-and-trouble free day for the two cars driving the bus.
Team Hillbilly Rollers
Marie got pulled over today. The police saw her tailgating the Rugger and decided to find out why. As it turns out, Marie’s ranting about wanting a beer, wanting to kill the person who murdered “Mr. Spikey,” and needing to pee weren’t what the officer expected. Surprisingly enough, the officer did let her go with just a warning.
Team Sane Insanity
It’s the Roadmaster that stopped the team today. One very, very flat tire, combined with being the good samaritans who removed the road debris from the highway, and being very cautious not to scratch the paint or damage the side-skirt of the van, costs a lot of time to fix.
Faolan Industries
That 2 hour and 16 minute delay was even before the crews started driving. You see… When a wizard overheard that the Aether 11/2 was running on the spare engine, he offered to fix it. Sure, it took a little while, but now they have a working spare engine again. On the road, however, it was the Aether 11/2 that got pulled over, and the driver got a warning to keep his speed down.
Team Taciturn
Forward progress continues with the cloaked aliens and their journey across another world. It’s another stage with the very-reliable Mara being very reliable.
Team ReUnity
It’s hard to imagine the team was enjoying their high speed trip down the highway, but being second place has to feel pretty good.
Team Spy Kids
Nothing goes wrong for this team today, even with sirens screaming the whole time.
Team J3
The team decided to make a deliberate delay today. After spending almost 7 hours buying some hopefully-workable spare parts for their cars, they set off on their journey with every spare square inch of space loaded down with parts.
Team Aeromad
Worst Fuel Efficiency: Juggernaut 862 Custom Aeromad - 3.47 MPG
Between the Torrento chugging fuel (as usual) and the throttle getting stuck wide open again, causing it to slam violently into the back of the Juggernaut, it’s a long day of repairs. It’s the first time that the spare parts brought for “The Jug” get to be used, and it’s amazing how much damage the Torrento was able to do while still remaining drivable. In camp, Team Aeromad is advised to take as many spare fuel cans as they think they can carry.
@Tzuyu_main & @FallingComet
Team Black Rabbit Disavowed
The Dauer has an engine failure. While the team is fixing it and trying to figure out what exactly gouged the oil pan, they get a warning for the toolbox left in the traffic lane.
Sheriff Scott’s Posse
For once, both cars manage to avoid getting pulled over or having a breakdown.
Team “486”
Team 486’s cannonball run across Nehmenweld continues. Fortunately for them, there are no breakdowns to slow their progress.
Team Magdelena
Other than the Baumhauer getting a warning that they’d need to leave more space between them and the vehicles they were passing, it’s an uneventful stage.
Team Machinas Con Passione
For once, it’s a win for the good guys. A well-placed spike strip pops all four of the Faenza’s tires, and an armored Dyre was right there to pull the driver out of the car through the window, where an officer quickly got the driver in cuffs and in the back of the patrol car. The Blue Wonder gets pulled over for speeding and gets a warning for it. Said warning includes an 11-foot-tall werewolf growling at you, wearing a bullet-resistant vest declaring he was part of the “Nehmenweld Highway Patrol," as well as an irritated patrolman who flat up stated, “Go ahead, make my day,” while resting his hand on his pistol.
Cunning Stunts
Other than both drivers getting a warning for speeding, it’s a clean run today.
Team Till D End
“Hey, this looks quite familiar.”
“You’re going the wrong way, you fool!”
It’s a 10 hour detour you didn’t really want to make, but it happens.
Basedworks
Engines like maintenance. Unfortunately, the RV’s engine hasn’t quite had enough maintenance, and it proves this by shutting down on the highway.
Team Gunship
Another team that sent it hard in the wrong direction. In your case, however, you asked the cop (who wrote you a ticket for speeding) how long it’d take to get to Gasstop. You were informed it was back in the other direction.
4 Dicks in a Truck
Between being pulled over for speeding, and then having a severe engine problem that left the truck limping along at 20 miles per hour, it’s a long, long day. A roadside engine repair gets the truck running at full power again… 12 hours after the repair started.