Some of you know that myself(aka JoMo) and Dave(aka Nigel Prodrive) are at Rallye Defi in Quebec this weekend.

What some of you don't know is that we're here alone. Sure, there are plenty of other competitors and friends here, but we're crew-less. Now, a lot of teams don't have any crew, but LDR has a strong(and consistant crew).

Nothing has happened to our crew-most are quite fine. Problem is, none of them have passports. Lest you think it's because there are legal issues preventing them from attaining such documentation, I assure there aren't(at least none they've shared with me).

We haven't raced in Canada in two years and none of our crew was with us then(except for Duncan). We love racing in Canada, but have focused on the Rally America Eastern Regional Championship. We've missed Canadian Rally and wanted to come back. Rallye Defi seemed like the best event to come back to.

But what about the team!? After an extremely long day of recce(all recce days are long-don't mind my whining), Dave and I reflected on what it's like to be here without our crew.

Like any meaningful relationship, we miss them when they're not here. We miss the things they do for us and miss the comradery. We miss the way that we all seem to revert to early adolescence when we're on the road and on event together.

What we didn't realize is how meaningful that relationship is to us and our rally experience. We race for our team. They help engineer and build the car. They devote untold hours of their spare time to the team(at the expense of income and perhaps relationships). They want us to go big, or not go at all.

Most of all, they're our best friends. The time we spend in the barn/shop is perhaps more important that any of us realizes. It's our place/time to be creative, problem solve and provide amateur psychotherapy to each other(scary, I know!). It's our clubhouse. The team is essentially our gang. Sounds like we should write a sociology paper or something, doesnt it!? ;-)

Bottom line, Nigel and JoMo are piloting a fire breathing dragon this weekend sans LDR crew support. We'll have some folks on site volunteer some help, no doubt, but it won't be the same. We have to depend on each other and do all the things that the crew does for us. If the crew could've seen us today looking for stuff in the service truck, they would've told us to get out of, "their," truck and do what we do best-race a rally car.

Bottom line, we're not racing for ourselves this weekend, we're racing for our crew: Bronson, Duncan, DrewG, DrewS, Zach and NathanH. You guys are desperately missed and we'll do our best to make your armchair rally experience exciting this weekend!

Now, get those damn passport applications mailed in, will you!? We've got some more rallying to do yet! :-)

Just finished a double shot mocha I made here while I'm watching the snow fall. Storm waning locally that extends over a three day period-hard to remember the last time that happened! Regardless, it's a great way to start the New Year-with a little adversity.

Speaking of adversity. I just finished one of my many e-mails to our team mailing list. A likely somewhat groggy team is faced with the following to-do list(s) as we prep for the 100 Acre Wood Rally. I don't normally share this info outside the team, but there are no state secrets here, just lots of work, and I think it's cool for folks to get a peek into our world to see what it takes to field a team for ONE event!

To-Do Lists

Sprinter
Winter tires-I'm in the process of trying to get some pricing. Crazy expensive to get 15" tires in the load range we need them in©. Got stuck int he driveway the other day, so they're a necessity.

Plug in jumper cable system. Ordered parts today and will buy 2-0 cable locally to put it together(see T-4 list)

Trouble shoot brakes/trailer wiring

Finish aluminum shelving in rear

Clean/organize/label boxes/bins/pack

Consider power inverter install for AC devices.

T-4

Remove non-relevant decals

Relocate battery and electrical disconnect system to rear seat area. Associated is lots of other auxiliary wiring as a result.

Install hardwired plug with leads to battery for jump starting. Current battery terminals are too small to fit regular cables. A plug/cable system would solve this problem

RS+SP are getting rebuilt

Install solid front strut top-mounts

Change brake fluid/bleed brakes

Select and mount tires

Alignment

Check driving light functions-photo from NEFR showed one light out

BDA-clean and paint undercarriage

Rebuild turbo or source new

Troubleshoot turbo drain leak(hose cracked? pressurized crankcase?) Leakdown test. Engine currently out and on stand

Change fuel filter

Oil filter and oil change.

Weld 1/4" bolts to bottom of fans so that they can be removed quickly

Miscellaneous

Order barrel of race fuel

BDA on trailer-make sure all hubs are tight and spinning freely.

Check trailer brakes

Truck inspection. Make sure all registrations and inspections(Truck, trailer, car) are current

Confirm generator function and consider oil change

Range Rover

Head gaskets.

Man, I'm tired just reading it. The list seems deceptively small(to me at least), but one item, like the shelving in the Sprinter(which involves procuring, cutting and welding aluminum angle) or the electrical work in the rally car, could take multiple days.

Other items can be purchased and the value of time versus cost always see-saws prior to event. As the event draws near, time is more precious than cash(usually).

In addition to all the work we need to do here, there's the 6 days on the road to be mapped, with hotel reservations needed in each city.

None of this makes me cranky-far from it! It's all part of my psychological run-up to an event. Checking things off a to-do list is always therapeutic, but the time spent with the rally car and service truck only boosts our confidence as the event looms.

Finding loose bits, replacing zip ties, putting fresh fluids in the rigs is similar to the scene in Rambo(the first), where he's putting 80 pounds of weapons and ammo on his belt, chest etc. Our montage is a bit slower and we're not nearly that buff. ;-)

Our additional challenge here in Maine is the weather. We have heat in the shop, but it struggles to stay at 50 degrees. Add to that a post-Holidays mental slump mixed with some seasonal affective disorder and we have a lot to overcome. The list helps, as does the incredible LDR volunteer crew. We're a motley crew of talented guys that simply likes to do it cheaper and better than the next guy-it's the Maine way.

I always get asked about our sponsors. For the record, our sponsors are US! :-) We have no external financial support(not that we wouldn't welcome a few mutually beneficial partnerships). There are always rumors that teams like ours have 6 figure budgets. Hang on.....ok, I'm done laughing! ;-)

Seriously, we have a term for the financial impact of our racing-"deficit spending." There is no substantial purse money and it's very hard to find and cultivate partnerships with dynamic businesses who can leverage what we do for their benefit. That's the nature of what we do, and it doesn't keep us awake at night(much). Our goal is simply to field the most consistent and professional team that we can with the resources we have. Sounds familiar to all our rally friends, I'm sure.

So wish us luck over the next several weeks. Lots of craziness and late nights in the shop working on a myriad of projects in order to take the fight to Missouri and put in the best performance of our rally career!

And that adversity I referred to at the outset of this espresso fueled rant? Without it, we have no measure of our potential, no means to set goals and no incentive to strive or overcome. Let's all find some adversity this year and kick it's ass! :-)

Happy New Years everyone! John

As I get a bit on in my years, I'm finding that the seasonal change to fall is really not my thing. I love the colors, the cool biting air and the sense of urgency at, "getting ready," for winter. What I don't like is the lack of daylight.

Here at Triple Caution Farm, we're already near the Eastern edge of the EST zone. What does this mean? It means it's dark....a lot. Nights are pitch black and if you haven't gotten outside work done by 16:30, you're likely not going to be able to see well enough without auxilliary lighting to get it done.

Worst part is, once I get through my initial desire to crawl into bed at 19:30(my brain and light sensing organ is telling me it's more like 22:30), then I get a second wind and am up until midnight! Dammit.

Yup, I'm pretty whiny in the fall. Good thing there are lots of things going on to keep me moving. Just about to suit up in some chill inviting cycling lycra garments for a trip to the gym. Actually looking forward to it.

Movember is literally just a couple of days away. For those that haven't joined out team, please go to Movember.com and search for "Last Ditch Racing." Join up and get growing to help change the face of Men's health!

Exciting new development in terms of podcasting. The great guys over at http://www.openpaddock.net asked me to guest on their podcast a couple of times. Somehow I got Shaun and Mike way off track last night and we ended up talking about pulled pork sandwiches and beverages. Seemed more like a foodie show than a motorsports podcast, but was fun nonetheless. Check out their site for all the latest motorsports news, forums and some great op/ed stuff.

I'm hoping that they'll have me back on and I can start to share more information about ALL the rally news from the US and Canada. That means that my rally friends need to get in touch with me and keep me up to date with what they're doing and what the gossip is! Shoot me an e-mail people! :-)

On the fitness front, things have slowed a bit and been frustrating. A recent surgical procedure kept me down for about a week-and-a-half and then I somehow tagged my elbow in the dojo the other night. Hasn't fallen off yet, so I think it's ok. Excited to get back into the Les Mills RPM class at the gym. I'm a techno music fan(team members call the shop Club JoMo when I have control of the iPod), and dig the classes. The challenge will be to maintain the fitness throughout the cold months.

Took our boys to the local flu shot clinic yesterday for both the H1N1 and routine seasonal flu vaccines. There's a lot of misinformation out there folks. Please visit some reputable sites for information on the vaccines and the flu strains and make an informed decision for your children. I'm not going to preach one way or the other(and please no flaming).

What's going on with the rally car you ask!? Nothing. :-) She's sitting in the drive waiting in the queue to get into the shop once John's Forester is ready to roll, which I'm hoping is sometime next week. We'll start some system upgrades, primarily electrical, as well further diagnose our power issue with the motor.

Don't worry, I'll keep you posted! Be well and keep moving foward! :-)

Hey everyone! JoMo here, challenging all of you out there in Cyberspace(which is real space wherever you actually are! ;-)) to join the LDR crew in supporting the efforts of Movember.

WTH is Movember you ask?! Glad you asked. Movember is a fundraising event that renames the month of November with a nod towards the word used down under to describe a mustache, or Mo. :-)

Here's the skinny. You start the beginning of Movember with a clean face. Grow a mustache and raise money to benefit research for men's cancers while you're getting all sexy!

Not only is this a very fun way to raise money for a great cause, the LDR crew is inviting ALL OF YOU to join the Last Ditch Racing team on http://www.movember.com to start farming some Mo's! :-)

So, head on over there and sign on up and join our crew. We're going to have a blast. Best part is, you don't have to be athletic to do this fundraiser. You're even growing your Mo while you sleep! :-)

Cheers! John

The title might suggest that this is some history lesson, but thankfully, it's not. A 100 mile ride in the cycling community is called a, "Century." 2009 Saw me start road biking a bit, and I've done a couple of longish rides, but the longest has been 81 miles....until today.

Good friend and personal trainer Scott Kahkonen and I were invited by Livestrong proponent and survivor Jeff Bennett to join him and the, "Not Dead Yet," team at the Dempsey Challenge ride today. From the event website: "The Dempsey Challenge is a fundraising experience for The Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope & Healing at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston."

Scott and I knew that pro cyclist George Hincapie would be at the event, but we were pumped to hear that fellow pro Dave Zabriske would be in attendance. We're huge fans of his DZ Nuts product and really get a kick out of his sense of humor. We soon found out that Ted King of the Cervelo Test Team as well as Irish pro Stephen Roche were on hand! Oh yeah, Patrick Dempsey was there too! ;-)

As we made our way to the staging area for the ride, Scott was looking for our fellow Not Dead Yet members, and happened to miss that Big George himself was sitting about 10 feet away, just chillin'. My wife fired up the camera and we asked George if we could snap a couple of pics. He was most gracious and you would have thought we were giddy schoolgirls seeing the hottest boy band outside their tour bus! ;-)

Staging area. Mind racing. 100 miles?! Are you friggin' kidding me?! What the hell did I sign myself up for, and more importantly, why?! The last year has seen me loose 50 pounds, join my oldest son in the Dojo for Matsumura Shorin Ryu Karate, and attend a bunch of classes at the gym, all the while wearing skin tight outfights that embarass those who know me. Not much new on that front. ;-)

Riding to the first rest area, and I see a couple chase cars. Look a bit closer and it's the group with George Hincapie, Patrick Dempsey and Ted King. I tuck in a couple back from George and make pretend I'm Lance Armstrong for a second. How many times has Lance had this view!? We're going about 24mph and George is barely pedaling. :-)

As we reach the first rest stop and pull in with the superstars, DZ Nuts himself is pulling out. He must've really wanted that Lobster dinner! ;-) I hook up with the Mojo team from the county and tack onto the back. I'm nowhere near strong enough to take a pull at the front of their group, but the train ride to the next stop is amazing! Smooth and fast at more than 20mph.

50 miles in. Cramps started about mile 40. Not as bad as they have been, but quads and hamstrings feeling like they're verge of just saying f$%k it, and locking up-pole vaulting me off the bike. At the rest area, I try and stretch. Every time I try and stretch a quad, the hamstring spasms and cramps. Vice versa. Damn-can't stay here all day, although it is beautiful. Sunny and at the end of a lake.

Back on the bike and I soon learn why the organizers put the rest area there. Small grade up through town. Right turn and....holy crap.....are we supposed to cycle up this ski jump of a hill!? Really!? Really!? I look halfway up and a fellow masochist is trying to unclip without falling as he cheats gravity. He promptly lays his bike down and sits on the shoulder looking downhill. My quads are angry. Dammit-I fed them, watered them, and replaced electrolytes for them. How many friggin' bananas and peanut butter and jelly sandwhiches have I had today, anyway!? Gels, Clif bars, Endurance drink mix-you get the idea.

I shift to my granny gear. Only it feels like granny is a harsh Eastern European dictator. I get slightly higher than the aforementioned masochist and mentally run through the process of unclipping on a hill without killing myself or fellow riders. I unclip and as soon as my feet hit the ground, both quads seem to fully retract to just above my knees. A few deep breaths and they start to relax enough to attempt walking. I walk up the hill. The walk of shame. Dammit. Better than than another fall and more stitches on my knee. ;-)

A bit further on and I'm getting cramps on my inner thighs-I think to myself, "That's a new cramp, I wonder what muscle that is?" Then I remember I sucked at anatomy and just focus on pedaling through the pain, hoping I don't have to try and get off the bike again.

Rest stops are frequent enough that we're able to nickel and dime our way towards the finish. I hook up with a guy on a nice Lightspeed Titanium ride and he's out in the wind in front of myself and a nice young lady. We're all just trying to survive. I put on a bit of speed and get out front and tell him to tuck in and I'll take a turn up front in the wind. Somewhere, the cycling Gods are smiling and perhaps all that damn caffeine in the gels is kicking in. My legs feel like....legs! I get into the drops and pull Mr. Lightspeed along at about 27mph. Awesome! He thanks me later and tells me the pull inspired him to push on. Makes my day and we commiserate and swear grinding up a hill at 0.003 mph around the next bend.

I skip the last rest stop and decide to power(relative term) through the last 9 miles. I'm feeling good and not asking why. Out of the saddle charging up hills, maintaining a decent speed on the flats and throwing caution to the wind on the descents. I'm loving it! As corny as it sounds, I actually said to myself that I was Living Strong! Sporting the Mellow Johnny's jersey and riding in this benefit with my newfound energy, it seemed appropriate. Across the line and Scott, Allie and Sharon are there to hoot and holler. Another awesome moment!

The day was not without its' costs. My left knee started to bother. I had fallen on it a few months ago while standing still(with one foot clipped in) a few months ago and it's been a bit funky. Now it hurts. Might need further evaluation. Frozen veggies and Ibuprofen on it tonight. We'll see if I can walk on it tomorrow.

100 miles on a bike. Being in a group with George Hincapie. Sharing the day with friends and my loving wife. Quite the day of making memories! For those interested in stats, here they are:

101 miles. 6:34. FWIW, I hit 100miles at 6:30, which became my goal near the end. Average speed 15.4mph, avg watts 115, Max speed 42.6, max watts 548. 5,606 feet of climbing. 2,595 calories burned.

Livestrong Everyone! :-) Cheers! John

Difficult to put down in words what's been going on of late, as there's been so much, really.

The season is essentially over for the LDR team until the Regional Rally Championship at the 100 Acre Wood Rally in Missouri, early 2010. Having finished second in the RRC the last two years, we'd really like to add a win there to our palmares. :-)

What do we do when we're not racing? Sitting still isn't one of them! ;-) I'm currently working on fixing up a used Forester for use as my teen son's first car. Another crew member has been restoring a Chris-Craft power boat, yet another is crewing for a national level team and others have been Rallycrossing. Erik Lee has been co-driving in Canadian National events of late, and Dave Getchell will be Chief Steward at the Black River Stages in New York this coming weekend. Black River will also see LDR crew member Rob Sockalexis strap into the role of Co-Driver with fellow Bangor native Kevin Turner driving in his GC8 Impreza. Never a dull moment.

Closer to home, here at Triple Caution Farm, T-4 will be getting some love in the form of a complete overhaul of the wiring system. The aim is to make the system more efficient and easier to service/troubleshoot. The battery will be relocated to the interior of the car, also redistributing some weight. The current turbo appears ill and that'll have to be replaced.

We are also looking at building a new engine for the car and perhaps going with a different engine management unit that has a more effective anti-lag system. Our current ECU, while performing consistently, simply does not have an effective ALS implementation. In rally, this can mean a couple of seconds/mile.

For those of us that rally out of their own pockets, the intellectual/technical adventure is/has to be as rewarding as actually being on event. As always, we're trying to attract partners for the 2010 season. We really are an irresistible group of guys. ;-)

On the personal side, I continue to push my physical limits and find out where they are. I continue to be surprised that they're not where I expect them to be! For instance, on Sunday I rode a charity bike ride and logged 81 miles. While not keeping up with the more experienced, younger, fitter cyclists, I held my own. Pedaling into a headwind for more than two hours, I began to talk to myself-hey there was no one else there! ;-)

I asked myself why I was doing it, why pro cyclists do it, why the other guys in lycra out that day were doing it. We all have our reasons. Ultimately my participation is a result of not wanting to do it, but knowing that I actually can. I have internal discussions/struggles between sitting on the couch and actually getting up and out to do something.

There's an interesting parallel between fitness and cars for me. There was a time that I didn't know how to change oil on a car or check the air filter. Now I can fabricate, weld, and perform most major system repairs. I sometimes lament to my wife that I have NO EXCUSE not to fix something automotive and I would really enjoy a day where I could feign ignorance in order to avoid the task.

Fitness is fast becoming the same. I can claim that I can't ride 100 miles next month in the Dempsey Challenge, but I know that I can. It won't be easy-I'll likely cramp and hurt and gasp up the climbs, but I can do it. Will I? Don't know...yet. :-)

After the 81 mile ride on Sunday, I went to the Dojo Monday night for Kumite night. We all went a bit harder than perhaps we should have. After Kumite is fight night-a time for those that want to take their fighting to the next level of intensity and contact. Of course I stuck around. I spent last night with a bag of frozen mixed vegetables on my leg and a frozen breakfast burrito up my shorts. I woke this morning with a large red mark on my chest that I can only surmise is the ghost of someone's foot. Still kind of feels like it's there! :-)

So here's the challenge for all of us. Let's try and move outside our normal pattern of behavior for our own betterment. Maybe you have 4 Starbucks this week instead of 5(that might be detrimental for some of you). Maybe you switch to diet soda. Maybe you take up ballroom dancing. Maybe you spend more time with the kids. Maybe you stop smoking or drinking for a month. Maybe you put yourself on a bike or hit the dojo.

Honestly, I wish I had an excuse not to make positive changes, but I really can't find a good one anymore. Dammit. :-)

Cheers! John

"What the hell are you guys up to, anyway!?" Alright, so no one has actually asked us, or perhaps they have and we've been too busy to hear it! Anyway, we've been busy on a lot of fronts and we're way past due for an update.

I've spent the last few hours packing for the Trek Across Maine. A charity bike(bicycle) ride for the Maine Lung Association, it's a three day ride from Sunday River(also HQ for the New England Forest Rally next month) to the town of Belfast on the coast. Forecast is for rain all three days. My friend Scott and I are planning on tenting out each night. Adventure, here we come! :-) I completed a 70 mile ride a week ago and am feeling pretty good about this three day event.

If you're feeling charitable, feel free to pledge towards my ride at this link:

http://www.mrsnv.com/evt/e01/part.jsp?id=2078&acct=9000004129&rid=975065&part=fund

Last weekend saw LDR's and Mark Fleming's stars align for a photoshoot. The first round of images from the day can be found here:

http://markflemingphotography.blogspot.com/

Mark's talent is obvious and we're going to see much more of him in the near future. :-)

New England Forest Rally is coming up quickly and T-4 ran well during the photoshoot. While I'd love to make some modifications to the car, it's really not prudent. There's neither the time nor the funds, so we'll do what we do best and make sure she's 110% before the event.

Condos are booked, entry has been made. The field of regional entrants already looks much larger than 2008, which is really exciting for us. If you've been waiting to see an event, or haven't been to Maine Forest in a few years, pick this year to come back and check it out! It's going to be an awesome show.

As always, please feel free to contact us via e-mail, and please, please, please do look us up in the service park at NEFR! :-)

Cheers! John

I know a bunch of you are following us/me on Twitter/Facebook and Myspace(and if you're not, add us up!), but I wanted to check in again with some personal and team updates.

Spring has finally come to Triple Caution Farm here in Maine. In fact, the Daffodils out back bloomed about 2-3 days ago. Very nice! Each year, I snowblow a huge pile of snow in the yard, and it's always fun to see how long it takes to melt come spring. This year, it lasted until April 25th! Crazy.

Team members have been busy. Dave and Rob hit a RallyX in NH last week in Rob's car and did very well. Apparently it was a blast! Mikey Rad went to an AutoX in NH. Eric W just completed the cage in his WRX and bought a tow rig. He has officially dove into the deep end! George started his Factory Five Cobra up for the first time last weekend. Can't wait to see some pics/vids of the final product! :-)

T-4 hasn't moved off the trailer since 100AW in Missouri. She's getting a bit pissed at me, I can tell! ;-) I have a front mount intercooler for her, so hopefully that will make her happy. :-)

Been working on my daily driver WRX wagon. I rear ended someone a couple months ago(I know, I know), and decided I'd put an '07 nose on it. It's an '05 and the parts cost the same, so why not? A bit of cutting and welding, and the nose is just about on. Needs a new timing belt and radiator, then it's back to the body shop for final paint and fitting. It'll be nice to have it back as I've been driving the Sprinter daily. That's not a bad thing, as the Sprinter has the Euro coolness going for it, and the best stereo in the LDR fleet!

Fitness continues to be a challenge and taking up a lot of my time. I'm not an active person-honestly. I'd much rather sit on the couch or preferably lay on it and close my eyes! ;-) Trainer Scott asked if I wanted to do a 50 mile bike ride last weekend and, although terrified of the prospect, I figured the worst that could happen is that I'd have to stop.

Joined a group of seasoned riders and headed down one side of the Penobscot River to Bucksport, across the new bridge, and then North again towards Bangor. Lots of climbing, which I'm still sucky at. Coming back was ALL uphill though, with a nice headwind. I cramped up at about mile 30. Couldn't straighten my legs or they'd stay that way, so I just kept riding. About 41.5 miles, I threw up the white flag. The group was long gone and I called my wife to bring the Sprinter down to fetch me.

So, we have the Trek Across Maine coming up in June. Three 60 mile days of riding. If you'd like to support my suffering(for a good cause), please check out my pledge page at: https://www.mrsnv.com/evt/e01/part.jsp?id=2078&acct=9000004129&rid=975065&part=fund

The Maine Lung Association needs the cake to help fight these diseases, and I need the support to keep my butt on the bike! :-) Please consider giving what you can.

LDR's next event will be the New England Forest Rally in July. I've heard the route will be different this year, and that headquarters will be in a different location. None of that will keep our crew from pushing as hard as possible. After a fifth place overall last year, anything is possible this year(as it always is in rally!)!

Now that spring is here-get outside and do something that puts a smile on your face! :-)

Cheers! John, aka JoMo

What do rally racers do when they're not racing? We think about rally racing of course! ;-) All joking aside, I liken the downtime between events as the time between recording of albums for rock bands. We're all doing our side projects, getting our, "space," from each other and the studio(er, shop), and generally trying to catch up on the life stuff we miss out on when racing. :-)

This is also kind of a silly season for us. We contemplate what we're going to do for the rest of the season. Budgets are discussed(we have none), events contemplated(Mexico sounds awesome this year!), and then try and set some goals.

We've won the Open Class regional championship in the East two years in a row, Overall Champions in the East in 2008 and second in the Regional Rally Championship two years in a row. What else do we need to do? Not much. What do we want to do? Same thing every crew does-we want to go faster! :-)

With the economy in the hopper, our attendance at many events in 2009 is in doubt. We'll likely find events that are close or events that offer good value for the dollars spent. In other words, we're going to try and be fiscally responsible. As racers, this goes against every instinct in our beings. We'd prefer to hock the kids and a few non-vital organs for one more trip down the special stage! ;-)

In other news, I'm pulling my friend Dave Mirra in the upcoming Olympus Rally. After his great showing in Missouri recently, look for some speed. With Derek Ringer in the right seat, he's got one of the best mentor's in the business. :-)

I'm continuing on my middle-aged fitness quest. Continuing visits to the gym and Karate. I recently tested in the dojo and advanced one belt level. The Grand Master of our system is coming from Okinawa in a couple of months, so we're all training very hard to perform well for him and represent our dojo in the best way that we can.

The weather is nearly(he said hopefully) ready to allow a little road cycling. Went for a short ride the other day with my friend Scott(also my trainer), as we were trying to calibrate our new iBike power meters. Hoping to have some good data to see how the season is progressing.

On a more somber note, one of the folks that has had a somewhat crucial relationship with the team over many years has recently passed. Dana Walls was one of my contacts in the parts department of Quirk Subaru here in Bangor. I would come in with intake manifold under my arm looking to match a gasket or bring in some Japanese spec part and he would find the replacement. He learned pretty quickly not to ask what year the car was or what the VIN # was! ;-) He always tolerated my odd requests with aplomb, no matter how many good customers I was holding up behind me. His smile will be missed, and I know that I'll be looking for him to roll out from behind the parts shelves on his stool when I visit for some time to come. :-(

http://legacy.com/bangornews/Obituaries.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonID=125513833

Just back in the hotel in Rolla.

We had some fluid leaking from the power steering line fittings that Bronson and I brazed on. Chris tightened them up and off we went.

Shortly after leaving service, I knew that something was wrong with the power steering. Shortly thereafter, it was gone.

We had three stages and I knew that it'd take all my manly buffness to wrestle T-4 through the stages without power steering. It was pretty rough, and now I know what the WRC guys go through.

Worst part was when the wheel jerked on one corner and my elbow slammed into the rollcage. Ouch. I'll be wearing my wrist splints to bed tonight.

So, we knew the power steering pump would eventually fail and likely seize if the fluid was leaking out. Sure enough, after the next stage, it was chirping like a chipmunk under the hood.

About halfway into the stage, we started smelling smoke and seeing sparks/embers coming out from the hood vents and into Dave's footwell. He was pretty sure we were on fire, but I told him it was just sparks(optimistically). We had also found a crack in the headers and I was worried that if the power steering fluid was pooling on the skidplate, the blowtorch temperature heat coming out of the cracked header would ignite it.

Anyway, we pushed the pedal down and kept on. Eventually, the smoke stopped and the sparks subsided, but not before we launched over a cattle-grate jump smoking and sparking! :-)

With the alternator belt gone, we knew we were running on just battery power. We shut down all unneeded electrical items and I ran with just one set of HID's on, figuring that once lit, they draw less than normal halogens. Of course, driving with the HID lights on the road made many people happy! ;-) We got about halfway to Salem and the HID's started to flicker. Not good. Dave said to find a spot to pull over and I pulled off near a driveway.

We flagged down a fellow competitor, George Georgocopalus(? SP) and he towed us the rest of the way to Salem. Eventually all trace of electrical activity faded from T-4 and we were just a shadow trailing George's car on a tow rope. He was going about 55, so it was a bit hairy and took some concentration.

We made it back to the final Main Time Control without penalty and the boys are still in Rolla fixing the issue. Pat Moro gave us his spare pump. Chris blobbed some weld on the headers and we went to Auto Zone and bought a new belt and power steering fluid.

Just got a call that there is a leak below one of the fittings that we brazed on. They told me they thought they might try brazing it again, but it's nearly impossible in the car. I told them to head to Autozone and find some good that they can plug the damn hole with.

Who knows how long the repair will hold(if at all) and how far we'll make it tomorrow. Snow is forecast, and that should make things interesting! :-)

Up at 06:00 tomorrow and won't be done until tomorrow night.

Dave Mirra is doing great and is in third place.

Thanks for all the support-we'll push as hard as we can tomorrow. We were in 4th in the Regional event, but lost about 3 minutes with the lack of power steering. Not sure where we sit currently. With all that's happened, we're just happy to still have the chance to continue. :-)

Thanks for all the support! Cheers! John