Day 15 (Sunday 27th November 2016)
Tucuman to Salta (376 kms)
The sun is shining again.
The first Regularity was Cerros Tucumanos, about 20kms out of town. This one was 50kph but again the road surface did not suit the Morgan and there were washaways, narrow tracks and care needed.
The time control was at a village called El Jardin. No chance of getting lost here as there were small numbers of local people on all the corners. When the marshalls arrived, the town was deserted but word soon got around that there were rally cars in town and we were swamped with families all wanting photos of their children with, or in some cases, in the cars.
We were warned that the next sectíon was 'muddy' and that care and patience was required. We can do that!!. Well, mud after 40 or so cars have gone through soon turns to rutted muddy slush. In addition to the mud, there were numerous washaways across the road.
We made it through fairly easy (navigators were hanging on for dear life as the left side was a very deep drop and the right side rock wall) until the last 20 metres and had to be towed the last little bit by the photographer.
Worse was to come. Through the next corner where one of the Mustangs had gone very close to the edge and was waiting for a tow we discovered that we had no brakes.
So it was out with the drop cloth to get under the car in the slushy mud. Two of the marshalls came along and between Graham & Phil diagnosed a brake line had rubbed through on the extractors. We then waited for the sweeper car and Andy the Wondér Mechanic.
So Andy quickly made a new line and we were on our way again. There was insufficient time to make the circuit test or the time control so we knew we would tumble down the leader board. We decided to head for the hotel.
Around this time we had doubts about the accuracy of our Halda given the shaking it had borne and the dust getting inside. From where we had to repair the brake line to the next passage control was 117 kms so we knew that was impossible to reach before it closed. The road was rutty, dusty and slow going. We did get to see the local farmyards. We passed farmyards, dodged chickens on the road, an enormous pig on the road and several gauchos, very distinctive with their broad brimmed practical hats.
Tucuman to Salta (376 kms)
The sun is shining again.
The first Regularity was Cerros Tucumanos, about 20kms out of town. This one was 50kph but again the road surface did not suit the Morgan and there were washaways, narrow tracks and care needed.
The time control was at a village called El Jardin. No chance of getting lost here as there were small numbers of local people on all the corners. When the marshalls arrived, the town was deserted but word soon got around that there were rally cars in town and we were swamped with families all wanting photos of their children with, or in some cases, in the cars.
We were warned that the next sectíon was 'muddy' and that care and patience was required. We can do that!!. Well, mud after 40 or so cars have gone through soon turns to rutted muddy slush. In addition to the mud, there were numerous washaways across the road.
We made it through fairly easy (navigators were hanging on for dear life as the left side was a very deep drop and the right side rock wall) until the last 20 metres and had to be towed the last little bit by the photographer.
Worse was to come. Through the next corner where one of the Mustangs had gone very close to the edge and was waiting for a tow we discovered that we had no brakes.
So it was out with the drop cloth to get under the car in the slushy mud. Two of the marshalls came along and between Graham & Phil diagnosed a brake line had rubbed through on the extractors. We then waited for the sweeper car and Andy the Wondér Mechanic.
So Andy quickly made a new line and we were on our way again. There was insufficient time to make the circuit test or the time control so we knew we would tumble down the leader board. We decided to head for the hotel.
Around this time we had doubts about the accuracy of our Halda given the shaking it had borne and the dust getting inside. From where we had to repair the brake line to the next passage control was 117 kms so we knew that was impossible to reach before it closed. The road was rutty, dusty and slow going. We did get to see the local farmyards. We passed farmyards, dodged chickens on the road, an enormous pig on the road and several gauchos, very distinctive with their broad brimmed practical hats.
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