Day 3 (Tuesday 15th November 2016)
Bahia Blanca to Puerto Madryn 769 kms
A very long drive awaited us today, passing several flower and fruit controls but we were waved through without any checks. After 120 kms or so we crossed the Rio Colorado into Patagonia. Long stretches without much interest- pampas grass and sand dunes.
The first test today was at the Autodromo at Viedma. Before we reached the circuit on the outskirts of town many of the rally cars were pulled over by the police to the side of the road. Eventually we realised that this was done for the benefit of the town residents who came out to take photographs so we all drove off.
Once again it was a quick drive around the circuit. The hay bales blocking off parts of the track was a bit disconcerting until we spotted the small orange flags indicating which way to go. Being so low down we couldn't see the flags until we were close.
The Regularity was taking place in the Camino Costale area- gravel roads with lots of cattle grids. The average speed was 80 kph (70kph for the older cars) and named Moby Dick but who had time to look for whales in the sea on our left when we had to concentrate on time and speed. We were 2 seconds late on this test. At the finish of this test we still had 50kms or so to travel on gravel but the road followed the coast so it was very scenic.
Finally another long windy drive (320kms) through ordinary scenery to arrive at our Puerto Madryn hotel overlooking the sea.
With tomorrow a rest day most crews were able to relax and tell tall tales of the day's events.
At the end of day 1 we were in 9th position in the classic division, after day 2 were 7th and as at end of day 3 we have moved up the 6th place.
Bahia Blanca to Puerto Madryn 769 kms
A very long drive awaited us today, passing several flower and fruit controls but we were waved through without any checks. After 120 kms or so we crossed the Rio Colorado into Patagonia. Long stretches without much interest- pampas grass and sand dunes.
The first test today was at the Autodromo at Viedma. Before we reached the circuit on the outskirts of town many of the rally cars were pulled over by the police to the side of the road. Eventually we realised that this was done for the benefit of the town residents who came out to take photographs so we all drove off.
Once again it was a quick drive around the circuit. The hay bales blocking off parts of the track was a bit disconcerting until we spotted the small orange flags indicating which way to go. Being so low down we couldn't see the flags until we were close.
The Regularity was taking place in the Camino Costale area- gravel roads with lots of cattle grids. The average speed was 80 kph (70kph for the older cars) and named Moby Dick but who had time to look for whales in the sea on our left when we had to concentrate on time and speed. We were 2 seconds late on this test. At the finish of this test we still had 50kms or so to travel on gravel but the road followed the coast so it was very scenic.
Finally another long windy drive (320kms) through ordinary scenery to arrive at our Puerto Madryn hotel overlooking the sea.
With tomorrow a rest day most crews were able to relax and tell tall tales of the day's events.
At the end of day 1 we were in 9th position in the classic division, after day 2 were 7th and as at end of day 3 we have moved up the 6th place.
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