To Alpine or not to Alpine

[Tweety]

Yep, you guessed it. I'm having second thoughts. I doubt my ability to make the most of 400km competitive in one day, really enjoy it AND drive safely. The two obvious scenarios are that I get tired, don't realise it and stick it off in a big way (which I can't afford to do), or just lose enthusiasm and drive so conservatively Fro falls asleep and we get lost .

I'm probably being overly influenced by my current state of being, which is generally unenthusiastic about anything at all, run down and just really 'eh' about life. Unfortunately everything always has to be 'right' or I get stressed and dissatisfied, and then I'm impatient to boot, which really doesn't help since I'm seriously limited financially in what I can do 'now' to make myself feel better by actually 'finishing' something - anything!

I'm also less than enthusiastic about competing at the moment, not having particularly enjoyed my last two outings in the -2 (the Bay and BitB). That was partly due to my own failings (unfortunately I'm human and an Austin to go with it ), and partly due to other competitors taking the fun out of just being out there having a go, by making it one of their goals to beat me. Like WTF?? If you're male and you're not a novice, not in the slowest car ever, not in an RX-2 of death, or not coming back after a big off, you SHOULD be beating me, and if you can't do that, go find another *****ing sport to massage your petty little ego. Beating a girl, and this one in particular who lacks any form of male competitiveness, is no achievement at all (this is no reflection at all on the other female drivers out there, mostly just my experience). Physical strength, mechanical ability, confidence, ego, aggression, stupidity, whatever else, give a HUGE advantage to men over most women. Essentially all you have really achieved is to make me feel like I don't really want to be part of it anymore. Compete amongst yourselves and leave me the ***** out of it.


So, after that rant , I AM kind of looking forward to the Starmart and having Miss nav for me, I just need a little of the rally love to inspire me to get the car ready (there's not too much to do fortunately), and help me decide if I'm ready for the Alpine . Basically I want you all to tell me that I'll really regret it if I don't run the Alpine and that I'll have the time of my life if I do, it's worth the extra effort to get there etc etc . Ta.



Note: If I decide NOT to run the Alpine, I'm NOT going to try to give my preference to anyone else who happens to want to enter and didn't get their pre-registration in on time, and I doubt if I'd be able to anyway.

[AV1611]

Tweety

Don't run the Alpine.

Sell your car. With the proceeds, buy a few chill pills, a bar of soap (to wash your mouth out with!), take a nice holiday, and unwind a little. Then join the rest of the non-competitive males on the sideline. After all, greater than 50% of the community who identify themselves as "rally people" aren't competitors. Many of them are male.

Then join us of the Can't-Be-Bothered crowd in our deck chairs as we sit back and watch those more competitive ego-driven members of the rallying community.

[DaveTrees]

Tweety

If you DARE to bail out, we'll send up a posse of old hairy HRA types up to kidnap you, and strap you into the back of Simon Evan's HQ for the duration of the event.

There, that should scare some sense into her .....

Fro : Will you please talk some sense into this woman ?

[Spac]

You know how I'm approaching it - go out as fast and as hard as I dare* for the daylight. Try to set some good stage times without doing anything stupid. If I make it through, then I've gotten my money's worth, and anything from there is a bonus.

If I don't make it through, then that will just give the service crew something to do...

Seriously, I'm looking at it as being a lot closer to a Ye Olde Days rally than I'm ever likely to do. A challenge just to finish. I get the impression from the event reports from last time that its nowhere near as speed-obsessed as a normal club level ACT/NSW rally, anyhow (I mean, stock Hillman Imps are hardly good 21st centrut rally cars by anyone's standards!).

*yeah, yeah, pretty slow in the absolute sense... Basically, I'm not going to take the conservative "There's a long way to go, let's just try to make it" approach.

[fro]

Originally posted by Hagar
Tweety

If you DARE to bail out, we'll send up a posse of old hairy HRA types up to kidnap you, and strap you into the back of Simon Evan's HQ for the duration of the event.

There, that should scare some sense into her .....

Fro : Will you please talk some sense into this woman ?

I've PM'ed already... we'll get her there. Hopefully, the lurv will return at Caltex. If South Forest Way doesn't get her back in the fold, I don't know what the rest of us can do...

[Bogan]

Originally posted by Tweety
...I AM kind of looking forward to the Starmart and having Miss nav for me, I just need a little of the rally love to inspire me to get the car ready (there's not too much to do fortunately), and help me decide if I'm ready for the Alpine . Basically I want you all to tell me that I'll really regret it if I don't run the Alpine and that I'll have the time of my life if I do, it's worth the extra effort to get there etc etc . Ta.

Tweety,

You'll really regret it if you don't run the Alpine, you'll have the time of your life if you do, it's worth the extra effort to get there etc etc .

But seriously (well, as seriously as I can), if the Tastics can brave the 0300-0400 elements to offer coffee to all those stupid enough to be running the alpine, the least you could do is be one of the stupid ones. You can even pre-request the controllie lollies you'd most like to have .

And if you need any rally love to get you to the Starmart you can count on me and Anna (Anna and I, we the people, etc, etc.) to give you that love (as long as Spac isn't watching).

We'll even bring our own carpet to lay on so that we don't get piles from your cold concrete grudge floor.

If you're lucky enough to be seeded near us we'll even crack crappy jokes all day to releive the tension of running at the pointy end of the back of the field .

T.

[Darren]

Tweety

I know the feeling of every bloody thing getting the way. BUT for me thats what makes getting out there so much fun. Its an opportunity to clear the mind of everything thats "important" and just have "fun". The enjoyment is in giving the car a squirt around a few corners and "letting your hairs hang out". Who cares if some knob-head wants to use you as their speed reference (almost a compliment if you think about it ). Get out there!! Forget about the knob-heads!! GO AS FAST AS YOU WANT (OR DONT WANT)!! ITS YOUR TIME!!!HAVE FUN!!

Always remember: YEEEhARRR and Wooohooo and Yabbadabbadoo. These contain great wisdom to those who understand their origins .

The Alpine?? - JUST DO IT and ENJOY IT......simple...

Doh!!...I wish I was doing it .

Darren

[DaveTrees]

Originally posted by Spac
Basically, I'm not going to take the conservative "There's a long way to go, let's just try to make it" approach.

Actually, you might be surpised how well up a "conservative" approach will get you ........ as others drop by the wayside.

Example - in the 2001 event (which was only 200 odd km of stages) Steve Richards & I probably went at around 90% of "full pace", kept our noses clean except for 1 ugly moment, and ended up 12th O/R

Dave
(who is now searching for an Alpine ride cos my driver & car cant make it )

[jem]

Tweety,

I reckon you should go do it... How many other opportunities do you get to run such a cool event??? And Fro will be there to keep you honest.

Bugger the people who are dragging you into the competitive crap. Drive for yourself.

And as far as getting the car ready goes, if you need a hand, I can volunteer my services.

Jem

[Miss]

Originally posted by Tweety
Physical strength, mechanical ability, confidence, ego, aggression, stupidity, whatever else, give a HUGE advantage to men over most women. Essentially all you have really achieved is to make me feel like I don't really want to be part of it anymore. Compete amongst yourselves and leave me the ***** out of it.

Tweets babe you forgot their brain changes location according to the proximity of beer/boobies/fuel.

Originally posted by Tweety
So, after that rant , I AM kind of looking forward to the Starmart and having Miss nav for me

Hell yeah girl! I've sourced us some angry pills (actually I'm in deliberations with Pete to loan us Lightweight for a while, same effect, no drug testing ), Gefgef reckons between us we've got the physical strength and mechanical ability sorted, in fact he reckons I'd go Tamsey over that anyday so no need to worry 'bout that, aside from that you KNOW I'm good for some man-ego bashing anyday, so what are you worried for??? Team GRRRRRRL, Motto: What, you think I'm gonna wear a dress? Run now, boy, run very fast.

[Tweety]

Ta everybody for your positive comments, sharing the rally love is the best way you can help .

AV - I p1ssed myself when I read your post, good work .

And after a little rally therapy on the weekend (ta to those involved), I'm really looking forward to the starmart now, just have to fix the brakes .

[MadDog]

The only kind of Rally Theropy (lol)

[Bede]

[Daniel]

Originally posted by Tweety
not in the slowest car ever

Cool - so I can compete against you then?

Run the Alpine - how often will you get to run alongside drivers of Simon Evans's caliber?

By the way, I do hope your not going to woose out on my event

[Tweety]

Originally posted by Daniel
By the way, I do hope your not going to woose out on my event

Tamsey is telling me I should official at your event and now you're telling me I should enter it...

I had been intending to enter the Safari since Nat Cap is the week before the Alpine, which with the positive comments from everyone I'm pretty confident of getting to now, so I'll probably official at Nat Cap instead.

Anywho, I've heard rumours of 40 and 50km stages in the Safari, a perfect warmup for the 120km final stage at the Alpine .