Day 1 (Sunday 13th November 2016)

Buenos Aires to Mar Del Plata 524 kms

After beautiful weather up until Saturday, Sunday dawned grey and very, very wet for those of us in open cars. First car out was at 7.30am. We were off at 7.43 into the heavy rain. There were two amendments for the exit instructions due to a marathon being held in the area. The transport stage took us through lots of roadside grill houses (parillas) and many roadside huts selling cheeses and salamis. Unfortunately no time to stop and savour the local delicacies.

Through several toll booths we arrived at the Autodromo Mouras for a timed drive around the wet circuit, Two laps only and all the drivers wanted more, such fun was had despite the rain and some puddles on parts of the track.

The next challenge was a Regularity (time/distance test) "Interiagos". We thought we were back on the Alice Classic Trial such was the red dust and rutted track. A tight corner gave the cameras some great photographs (and of course some drivers played up to them).

Driving with lights on is compulsory and it took us a while to realise that the locals in oncoming cars were being friendly & appreciative of the cars by flashing headlights and waving madly.

By this time the rain had eased off and we were drying out. Lunch break was in the spacious grounds of Estancia Las Viboras where we enjoyed smoke grilled lamb and sausages. Local gauchos rode their horses around in a great display of horsemanship.

The final Regularity was "Old Macedo Station" over a gravel road and ending in the pampas grass.
Our stop for the night was at Mar Del Plata, a huge city on the Atlantic coast.
All teams had made it safely to the hotel and undercover by the time a heavy hailstorm hit making a horrendous noise on the hotel roof.