Stage 12:
Lastgas to Seacrest Overlook
Temp. @ mid-day: 29°C
Night-time Low: 22°C
Weather: Today, humidity is still high, but less so than yesterday. Winds pick up a bit, moving the thunderous clouds of yesterday elsewhere. Thus, today is mostly dry and sunny with some cloud cover.
Camp Challenge: “Wind in Your Hair” (Did anyone bring a convertible?)
As we resume our voyage northward on the Jungle Highway, we leave the little village of Lastgas in our rear view mirrors and head toward the second-to-last town on our little trip.
That town is Seacrest Overlook, a healthy 500,000 people strong, with another example of “build up, not out” design, though with a much safer material choice than Moonshadow Village had used. Stone and concrete buildings create a skyline we’re able to see from several miles away… Thanks to this stage being mostly flat with a little bit of a downhill trend to it.
We’re pretty much stuck on the highway at 55 MPH / 90 km/h because of all the police cars. Traffic is light in both directions, other than the occasional spot where someone was pulled over and all the locals brought the road to a crawl so they could stare.
On the way into town, we’re all forced to wait for a freight train to cross the road, rumbling its way into the freight depot with an early diesel engine hauling a not-exactly-small train behind it.
As we get to the campground, it’s obvious that we were expected. First, the locals made an unloading platform for a certain team’s unusual means of transportation. Second, they also made a primitive wooden parking platform for another team’s incredibly heavy vehicles so they wouldn’t dig holes getting going in the morning. Third, a few of those locals want to talk to the group of people that have driven their way from the “cold south” all the way up here. Luckily, this expectation also means they thought enough to at least get the outdoor bathroom unlocked and functioning, so no bucket toilets tonight, we have proper flush toilets to use.
Next Stage Expected Conditions:
Road Speed: very high
Road Condition: good
Traffic: high
Police: very high
Stage Results Here: SR2023 Stage 12 - Google Drive
Team Shift Happens
Between Takaraya getting a warning for his speed, and Kasiya having trailer trouble causing significant delays, the Shift Happens crew are the last ones to arrive.
VS Mobil Generator AB
15 minutes are lost to a signal set at danger. It turns out that you caught up to one of the many freight trains on this route and had to wait until it cleared the section.
Team M.A.D.
Convertible - Walkenhorst UtilXL FireRescue
The Walkenhorst gets stopped with a warning for speeding. The Citrine actually gets a ticket.
Team Sinesian Rejects
The engine got a nice long break to cool down after a tire exploded and tore up the front left fender. Between the damage done to the fender, the braking system, and then making sure it hadn’t actually managed to do any structural damage, it was a very long stop.
Team Not-So-Slow
The police stop (a warning for speeding) brought to light the electrical gremlins that the Schnell has. Nearly 5 hours were lost in trying to get the engine to restart.
The Ambassadors
The Mayland breezed ahead to the end of the stage with no troubles, while the IVERA was stalled by people being very curious about the idea of a car you could camp in.
The Knockouts
Kate gets tackled by another Dyre in uniform after a successful PIT maneuver sends her car crashing off the side of the road and into a ditch. It appears that someone has been informing the highway patrol crews that she’s a bit of an escape artist, so now they’re no longer taking chances.
Octavia, on the other hand, has a leisurely drive to the new camp for the night.
Team Mravolinski-Chitco
The Saguaro bursts a tire and savagely slams into the rear corner of the Kontir, spinning it out and causing cargo to go everywhere. It’s an extensive cleanup effort followed by a few hours putting a spare tire on the Saguaro… After fixing the mess that hitting the Kontir made of the fender so it wouldn’t cut a line into the brand new tire.
Team HETS
The VanGo loses a lower radiator hose and overheats. It takes a while to fix it, and even longer to find enough clean water to fill the radiator up.
Team Flaming Gallahs
The highly decorated party bus rumbles onward with no troubles or problems.
Team Friendship! 
Like the other bus, there’s no issues today.
Team Hillbilly Rollers
It’s slower progress today because the Rugger’s cooling fan is, well, still quite badly broken. Rather than risk burning up the engine, the crew holds a more reasonable speed. Marie isn’t particularly happy that if the Rugger overheats, she may have to tow it.
Team Sane Insanity
Convertible - KKR S2
Perhaps having the wind in your hair is the reason you got a speeding ticket? The rental minivan is, so far, in reasonable condition enough that it’s possible you won’t get fined for returning it like this. But will it stay that way?
Faolan Industries
Other than getting pulled over for speeding (with the 52 H getting a ticket, the 11/2 just a warning), the two Aethers prove that perhaps camouflage is an advantage out here.
Team Taciturn
Between a speeding ticket and another burst tire, it’s a long, long stop trying to get back on the road.
Team ReUnity
The plan of “Just floor it everywhere” seems to be working so far.
Team Spy Kids
Another team proves that speed can be a benefit, if you’re willing to risk the odds of spending some time in jail. With no breakdowns, the Spy Kids are safe… This time.
Team J3
Other than a warning for speeding, team J3 has no troubles on this stage.
Team Aeromad
The Nehmenweld Highway Patrol had to admit, this was a first for them. It wasn’t speeding that got the Torrento pulled over. It was the rolling burnouts that they were doing. After a warning not to do it again, they were back on the road again.
@Tzuyu_main & @FallingComet
Team Black Rabbit Disavowed
Just a warning for speeding for the crew in the Dauer today.
Sheriff Scott’s Posse
The Warren Warlock gets pulled over for speeding again.
Team “486”
No troubles for team 486 here today.
Team Magdelena
A warning for speeding reminds the crew in the Hinode ambulance that they stand out like sore thumbs out here.
Team Machinas Con Passione
The Blue Wonder gets pulled over and given a ticket for speeding. The Faenza escapes justice once again.
Cunning Stunts
Just a warning for speeding in the VHT Supermobile today.
Team Till D End
The JMX Linx gets a warning for speeding, and then spends a fair bit of time on the side of the road changing out a tire that was about ready to burst for a safe spare. Part of the delay was waiting for their ears to stop ringing after the tire blew up in the trunk.
Basedworks
The RV had some significant delays right from the start. Who knew that all of the “rescued” snakes from yesterday would decide to take refuge under the hood of the RV? Likewise, who knew that when it was started, the snakes would snap all of the belts, break the fan, and knock the radiator hoses off. It took a long time to get the repairs done, but once they were finished, the run was relatively trouble free. The only issue was for the MCMOTD, where they got a warning for speeding.
Team Gunship
Convertible - Haapala Streetcruiser
Another team that was pulled over and given a warning today for speeding. Is it a coincidence that all three convertibles got pulled over today? Probably.
4 Dicks in a Truck
Other than a speeding ticket, it’s a trouble-free run for the Centurion today.