Hello once again!
This blog may be a bit shorter--those 5:30 wake-up calls are starting to take their toll. We left Tuscaloosa for a 2-hour Motorcade by the Alabama State Police. At the state line, we were transferred to the Mississippi State Police for the escort to our destination in Tupelo. A police helicopter following us most of the way. It was incredible to see the Fireball Run cars traveling together, and we felt like celebrities with all the cars that pulled over for us to pass. I don't know how the officers can coordinate escorting so many cars for so long--it was incredible. They did a great job, and Susie got some really cool pictures of the cars and the helicopter.
We were escorted all the way to the Tupelo Children's Mansion, a facility and school for orphaned, abandoned and disadvantaged children. As the cars pulled in, the children were lined up to greet us. This was probably one of the most touching moments of the Rally. It was sad and inspiring at the same time. The kids themselves were absolutely wonderful, and it made everyone's day to see how excited they were. Susie and I talked with the kids and passed out Trading Cards that show the Team 33 'Vette and a little information about us. Some of the kids asked for our autograph. We all hope that we touched and inspired them in some way, even a fraction as much as they did us. What an incredible experience.
After lunch at the Children's Mansion, we got together with the white Lamborghini and Back to the Future Car to solve 4 missions in Tupelo. We made stops at the historic Hancock Fabric Store, met Krusty the clown from The Simpsons, saw Elvis' birthplace, and visited the store where Elvis' mother bought him his first guitar.
The last event of the day was another Autocross (the serious kind, not the “drunk glasses” kind). I got some wonderful instruction from several new Fireball friends--awesome people whom I greatly respect. I had a good run, but lots of other teams did really well, too. My ranking was decent, and I'm still getting feedback that I drive smoothly with good lines, and just need to focus on speed. Can I claim that I'm a little slower because of a nasty blister I have on my heel (how exactly do you get a blister from lots of driving)?!
We went to the evening Reception at the Tupelo Automobile Museum to hear the Mayor speak and see a great Elvis impression. The food was excellent—some of the best we’ve had, and aftewards we walked through the Museum. It was awesome, with over 150 chronologically displayed antique, classic and collectible automobiles, showing the progress of over 100 years of automobile design and engineering. My favorite, of course, was the 1957 Corvette.
Here's hoping that 5:30 doesn't roll around too soon, and that everyone is doing well!
Cassandra & Susie
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
DAY SIX – Jackson, MS to Tuscalousa, AL
Hi from Tuscalousa!
If you guys have been following this blog faithfully, you may now consider yourselves honorary Fireballers!
BTW, we found out that some of the Fireballers on the Rally have discovered this blog. My first reaction was complete surprise, my second was “oh, dear, what have I been saying about everyone?” and my third was “wonder if I’ve been giving away any of our brilliant discoveries or secrets to clue-solving.” Our whole strategy may now have to change, both in the blog and on the road. As you will soon read, the other Fireballers should feel really intimidated by Team 33 Corvette.
It’s been another great day of Rallying, meaning an evolving adventure with lots of twists and turns. The day started with the usual rolling out of bed at a ridiculous hour, snarfing breakfast, checking in to register for the day, checking out of the hotel, rushing bags to the car, frantic car-washing, the car line-up, a speech from the Mayor or other VIP, opening the Mission clue envelope, a police escort out of town, finishing with an immediate stop at a gas station. It tends to feel like “hurry up and wait” or “all dressed up with nowhere to go” (apologies for the clichés).
We were a little surprised to run into some actual gas shortages and had to stop at several before we found some. We didn’t have too far to go, though, and did some strategizing with our buddies that we keep running into—Team 11, the white Lamborghini. We’ve worked well helping each other out, once they got past thinking we were trying to sabotage them. I wish I could figure out a way for Joe to tell you how suspicious he was of us initially—he tells the best stories and gets everyone rolling.
Actually, I have to say how incredibly impressed we are by how the Rally runs. There’s an unbelievable amount of planning and coordination that the organizers (J.J., Martin & Natalie, along with some others) have done, and it rolls with incredible precision. We Fireballers tend to be the ones to mess things up and hand them problems they have to figure out how to solve (maybe that’s how we even the score for some of the dastardly clues and Missions they give us). But seriously, I can’t fathom how they do all this.
The morning Mission was to find the college where Jimmy Buffett was kicked out. Of course, the clues aren’t written out nearly as clearly as this. This was way harder than you might think, and we made good use of our phone-a-friend lifelines today. When we couldn’t find volunteers to help, we just drafted people—thanks everyone, you were extremely helpful! We ended up at the right place, Southern Mississippi University in Hattiesburg, where Jimmy Buffet did actually end up graduating. We’re still not sure if the “kicked out” part was a decoy clue to make things harder (they do that sometimes).
We ended up having lunch at one of the original Coca Cola bottling plants in Hattiesburg. It was an incredible reception, with tons of people and lots of news media. We met the Mayor of Hattiesburg, picked up our afternoon Mission Envelopes, and were off again. We officially hooked up with the white Lamborghini and our new buddies, Joe and Gary.
So here’s where the real fun began today. We solved the clue that we were to look for the “Black Warrior,” which is actually a translation of the word “Tuscalousa.” Simple enough, until an hour into the drive when it started to dawn on everyone that we probably shouldn’t be heading back to Jackson. So the red Corvette and white Lamborghini with four very smart, successful people end up going 2 hours out of their way, blowing the Mission for the afternoon and getting a solid “O” points for that leg of the Rally. Your learn really fast on this Rally not to spend time looking for who or what messed up because we all get humbled pretty quickly—if it wasn’t us this time, it will be the next.
We high-tailed it to the BF Goodrich plant in Tuscalousa, and made it in time to participate in the Autocross. For those of you who don’t know what that is, think orange street cones placed every-which-way that you drive around and try not to knock down. They threw a nasty curve at us just as we were getting in position—we had to put on what they called “drunk goggles” that completely distorted our vision. I managed to knock down 1 cone, blow past a figure-8, try to back up, bag it, back up part-way through another circle, knock down another cone, and get stopped without running anyone over. I felt proud to make it through (and maybe a little dizzy).
Once we all survived the Autocross, we had a police escort to downtown Tuscalousa and met with the Mayor. One of the afternoon Missions was for Fireballers to stop to buy some Children’s books to donate for one of the Mayor’s causes. We had to do a little scrambling to get some books since we had missed the instructions from the afternoon. Some teams really went all out. And everyone is doing a great job passing out flyers and explaining our “Real” Mission.
We were then escorted to a parking area for the City’s Reception, and the Mayor joined us again. It was incredible to see the number of police officers who helped, and we feel secure in knowing our cars are extremely well protected. At the reception, it was wonderful to chat with more of the Fireballers. We’re meeting some really neat people and making some good friends. And get this, I found out I placed 11th on the Autocross! Go figure, now I know I can be the designated driver whether I’m drinking or not!
We are planning on getting a 3-car Team going tomorrow, with the Back-to-the-Future car joining our little group. They are a couple of really cool guys, too. I did, however, have to insist on one rule: The red Corvette must always be in the middle between the white Lamborghini & the movie car. Picture what happens when people come over to look at the cars. I figure they at least have to walk past the ‘vette on their way to admire the other cool car! Both Teams were kind enough to agree.
As my final comment for today, I want to say that I’m pretty sure that any other Fireballers reading this blog will get a true sense for just how much of a threat we can be!
Cassandra & Susie
If you guys have been following this blog faithfully, you may now consider yourselves honorary Fireballers!
BTW, we found out that some of the Fireballers on the Rally have discovered this blog. My first reaction was complete surprise, my second was “oh, dear, what have I been saying about everyone?” and my third was “wonder if I’ve been giving away any of our brilliant discoveries or secrets to clue-solving.” Our whole strategy may now have to change, both in the blog and on the road. As you will soon read, the other Fireballers should feel really intimidated by Team 33 Corvette.
It’s been another great day of Rallying, meaning an evolving adventure with lots of twists and turns. The day started with the usual rolling out of bed at a ridiculous hour, snarfing breakfast, checking in to register for the day, checking out of the hotel, rushing bags to the car, frantic car-washing, the car line-up, a speech from the Mayor or other VIP, opening the Mission clue envelope, a police escort out of town, finishing with an immediate stop at a gas station. It tends to feel like “hurry up and wait” or “all dressed up with nowhere to go” (apologies for the clichés).
We were a little surprised to run into some actual gas shortages and had to stop at several before we found some. We didn’t have too far to go, though, and did some strategizing with our buddies that we keep running into—Team 11, the white Lamborghini. We’ve worked well helping each other out, once they got past thinking we were trying to sabotage them. I wish I could figure out a way for Joe to tell you how suspicious he was of us initially—he tells the best stories and gets everyone rolling.
Actually, I have to say how incredibly impressed we are by how the Rally runs. There’s an unbelievable amount of planning and coordination that the organizers (J.J., Martin & Natalie, along with some others) have done, and it rolls with incredible precision. We Fireballers tend to be the ones to mess things up and hand them problems they have to figure out how to solve (maybe that’s how we even the score for some of the dastardly clues and Missions they give us). But seriously, I can’t fathom how they do all this.
The morning Mission was to find the college where Jimmy Buffett was kicked out. Of course, the clues aren’t written out nearly as clearly as this. This was way harder than you might think, and we made good use of our phone-a-friend lifelines today. When we couldn’t find volunteers to help, we just drafted people—thanks everyone, you were extremely helpful! We ended up at the right place, Southern Mississippi University in Hattiesburg, where Jimmy Buffet did actually end up graduating. We’re still not sure if the “kicked out” part was a decoy clue to make things harder (they do that sometimes).
We ended up having lunch at one of the original Coca Cola bottling plants in Hattiesburg. It was an incredible reception, with tons of people and lots of news media. We met the Mayor of Hattiesburg, picked up our afternoon Mission Envelopes, and were off again. We officially hooked up with the white Lamborghini and our new buddies, Joe and Gary.
So here’s where the real fun began today. We solved the clue that we were to look for the “Black Warrior,” which is actually a translation of the word “Tuscalousa.” Simple enough, until an hour into the drive when it started to dawn on everyone that we probably shouldn’t be heading back to Jackson. So the red Corvette and white Lamborghini with four very smart, successful people end up going 2 hours out of their way, blowing the Mission for the afternoon and getting a solid “O” points for that leg of the Rally. Your learn really fast on this Rally not to spend time looking for who or what messed up because we all get humbled pretty quickly—if it wasn’t us this time, it will be the next.
We high-tailed it to the BF Goodrich plant in Tuscalousa, and made it in time to participate in the Autocross. For those of you who don’t know what that is, think orange street cones placed every-which-way that you drive around and try not to knock down. They threw a nasty curve at us just as we were getting in position—we had to put on what they called “drunk goggles” that completely distorted our vision. I managed to knock down 1 cone, blow past a figure-8, try to back up, bag it, back up part-way through another circle, knock down another cone, and get stopped without running anyone over. I felt proud to make it through (and maybe a little dizzy).
Once we all survived the Autocross, we had a police escort to downtown Tuscalousa and met with the Mayor. One of the afternoon Missions was for Fireballers to stop to buy some Children’s books to donate for one of the Mayor’s causes. We had to do a little scrambling to get some books since we had missed the instructions from the afternoon. Some teams really went all out. And everyone is doing a great job passing out flyers and explaining our “Real” Mission.
We were then escorted to a parking area for the City’s Reception, and the Mayor joined us again. It was incredible to see the number of police officers who helped, and we feel secure in knowing our cars are extremely well protected. At the reception, it was wonderful to chat with more of the Fireballers. We’re meeting some really neat people and making some good friends. And get this, I found out I placed 11th on the Autocross! Go figure, now I know I can be the designated driver whether I’m drinking or not!
We are planning on getting a 3-car Team going tomorrow, with the Back-to-the-Future car joining our little group. They are a couple of really cool guys, too. I did, however, have to insist on one rule: The red Corvette must always be in the middle between the white Lamborghini & the movie car. Picture what happens when people come over to look at the cars. I figure they at least have to walk past the ‘vette on their way to admire the other cool car! Both Teams were kind enough to agree.
As my final comment for today, I want to say that I’m pretty sure that any other Fireballers reading this blog will get a true sense for just how much of a threat we can be!
Cassandra & Susie
Sunday, September 28, 2008
DAY FIVE - Shreveport, LA to Jackson, MS
Hello once again! Hope you don’t mind the long blogs—there’s just so much to share, and today is no different. So here goes …
The day started with a wake-up call at 5:30am. For those of you who know me, that’s just painful. I generally don’t function much before 9. But I didn’t grumble too much, especially since they pretty much say “be there at 7am to line up the cars” or just go straight to the final destination and skip the day’s fun. If they continue with this up-at-5:30 thing, I might just have to seriously consider not being in line on time one morning. OK, I’ll stop the grumbling.
Today was considered to be our one “lighter” day, and everyone appreciated it since we’re all beat-with-a-stick tired. Side note: now that I look at it, that’s really an awful expression. I‘d ask Susie to look up the origin on the computer, but I’m sure that’s the last thing she wants to do since that’s what she does all day that makes her beat-with-a-stick tired. (Not necessary to lifeline this one, guys).
We learned our lesson from the chaos yesterday, and got a lot more focused, efficient and strategic with deciphering our clues. We found that the best way to start the day is to pull off, park and really study the CD with the clues before just hauling off in some direction.
The more relaxed day gave us a chance to spend more time with and get to know the other drivers. Our first clue took us to Gibsland, Louisiana, to find the place where Bonnie & Clyde were ambushed. It’s a stone Marker on the side of Hwy 154. We drove down the wrong back road and it took an hour to find the Marker. In the meantime, we met with the semi truck that’s participating in the Rally (for real) who couldn’t make it to the Marker because of a vehicle weight limit. So I offered to take him to the site in the ‘vette while Susie stayed behind in his semi so we could both get our pictures with the Marker as proof that we were there. It turned out well for everyone, and we made a new friend and CB buddy.
At the next stop, we met up and spent the rest of the day traveling with the Lamborghini. Yes, the same one that I passed on the timed laps at the track. Now there’s a guy who doesn’t let his ego get in the way because he “got beat by a girl.” They’re a blast to drive with and also very good at solving clues. But I have to say that a white Lamborghini tends to get more attention than a red Corvette—it’s just more exotic since people rarely see them. That’s OK, I’m pretty pleased with how our car is looking and performing, and even I love looking at the Lamborghini.
Some of the other places we visited were: 1) a bronze statue of Medgar Evers, 2) a Civil War monument at the Vicksburg National Military Park (where we were chewed out for leaving the Lambo’s engine running and for distributing literature without a permit), and 3) part of the bow of the U.S.S. Mississippi in front of the Jackson State Capital. We made it to the Finish Line check-in point with literally 5 minutes to spare within the window of time where we would still earn points for the day. We’ve gone to some really neat places, and I only wish we had more time to enjoy some of them.
The good news: tons of Missing Child posters have been distributed and nobody has gotten any tickets. It’s fun seeing all the Missing Child posters along the way when other Fireballers have gotten somewhere before we did. We’ve also gotten alot of media attention, which is fun for us and awesome for the Missing Children. We’ll have to start checking news stories in the cities we’ve traveled through.
At 7pm we went to the Jackson, Mississippi, welcome reception. We all enjoyed recapping the day, and I got to relive a special moment. One of the drivers had videotaped the laps around the track and brought his computer specifically to show me how I did. As we sat there, a big group of guys came around to watch, and I got lots of compliments and “atta-girls” from them. It was pretty cool.
This is the first night we get to go to bed early enough to get a full night’s sleep, so we’re taking full advantage. Wish us well tomorrow—it’s supposed to be a tough day, finishing with a timed Autocross challenge at the BF Goodrich Plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Thanks for all the offers to be phone lifelines—it sounds like we’re going to really need some help tomorrow. We really appreciate how supportive you have all been!
Cassandra & Susie
The day started with a wake-up call at 5:30am. For those of you who know me, that’s just painful. I generally don’t function much before 9. But I didn’t grumble too much, especially since they pretty much say “be there at 7am to line up the cars” or just go straight to the final destination and skip the day’s fun. If they continue with this up-at-5:30 thing, I might just have to seriously consider not being in line on time one morning. OK, I’ll stop the grumbling.
Today was considered to be our one “lighter” day, and everyone appreciated it since we’re all beat-with-a-stick tired. Side note: now that I look at it, that’s really an awful expression. I‘d ask Susie to look up the origin on the computer, but I’m sure that’s the last thing she wants to do since that’s what she does all day that makes her beat-with-a-stick tired. (Not necessary to lifeline this one, guys).
We learned our lesson from the chaos yesterday, and got a lot more focused, efficient and strategic with deciphering our clues. We found that the best way to start the day is to pull off, park and really study the CD with the clues before just hauling off in some direction.
The more relaxed day gave us a chance to spend more time with and get to know the other drivers. Our first clue took us to Gibsland, Louisiana, to find the place where Bonnie & Clyde were ambushed. It’s a stone Marker on the side of Hwy 154. We drove down the wrong back road and it took an hour to find the Marker. In the meantime, we met with the semi truck that’s participating in the Rally (for real) who couldn’t make it to the Marker because of a vehicle weight limit. So I offered to take him to the site in the ‘vette while Susie stayed behind in his semi so we could both get our pictures with the Marker as proof that we were there. It turned out well for everyone, and we made a new friend and CB buddy.
At the next stop, we met up and spent the rest of the day traveling with the Lamborghini. Yes, the same one that I passed on the timed laps at the track. Now there’s a guy who doesn’t let his ego get in the way because he “got beat by a girl.” They’re a blast to drive with and also very good at solving clues. But I have to say that a white Lamborghini tends to get more attention than a red Corvette—it’s just more exotic since people rarely see them. That’s OK, I’m pretty pleased with how our car is looking and performing, and even I love looking at the Lamborghini.
Some of the other places we visited were: 1) a bronze statue of Medgar Evers, 2) a Civil War monument at the Vicksburg National Military Park (where we were chewed out for leaving the Lambo’s engine running and for distributing literature without a permit), and 3) part of the bow of the U.S.S. Mississippi in front of the Jackson State Capital. We made it to the Finish Line check-in point with literally 5 minutes to spare within the window of time where we would still earn points for the day. We’ve gone to some really neat places, and I only wish we had more time to enjoy some of them.
The good news: tons of Missing Child posters have been distributed and nobody has gotten any tickets. It’s fun seeing all the Missing Child posters along the way when other Fireballers have gotten somewhere before we did. We’ve also gotten alot of media attention, which is fun for us and awesome for the Missing Children. We’ll have to start checking news stories in the cities we’ve traveled through.
At 7pm we went to the Jackson, Mississippi, welcome reception. We all enjoyed recapping the day, and I got to relive a special moment. One of the drivers had videotaped the laps around the track and brought his computer specifically to show me how I did. As we sat there, a big group of guys came around to watch, and I got lots of compliments and “atta-girls” from them. It was pretty cool.
This is the first night we get to go to bed early enough to get a full night’s sleep, so we’re taking full advantage. Wish us well tomorrow—it’s supposed to be a tough day, finishing with a timed Autocross challenge at the BF Goodrich Plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Thanks for all the offers to be phone lifelines—it sounds like we’re going to really need some help tomorrow. We really appreciate how supportive you have all been!
Cassandra & Susie
Saturday, September 27, 2008
DAY FOUR - Baton Rouge to Shreveport, LA
Hello again!
Today was the first day of the scavenger hunt part of the Rally. We’ve been on the road from 10am until 7pm, driving all across Louisiana and Mississippi. The day started at 8am in Baton Rouge where we all met in front of the old Capitol building. The organizer of the Rally got us lined up in 2 rows, and each of us had our picture taken with our car and the Mayor of Baton Rouge. We were given a packet of clues and information, which we were instructed not to open until a horn sounded. At that point, it was “gentlemen and ladies, start your engines,” and we opened our packets.
We were lead by police escort to the highway, and were then on our own to figure out what was in the packet and what to do with it all. There was a CD and written instructions giving clues to our destination, with bonus points we could earn along the way. Each destination in turn lead to another packet with clues to the next destination, until we had gone several hundred miles cross-country and landed in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Our clues lead us from Baton Rouge, to Natchez, Mississippi, and back to Louisiana in Ferriday, Alexandria, and Shreveport, with lots of interesting stops in-between. We owe some special thanks to Cara and Steve, Susie’s daughter and son-in-law, who were wonderfully helpful with solving the “B-52” clue for the Barksdale Air Force Base. You wouldn’t believe how these clues can mess with you, especially when you tend to overthink things (which Susie and I are both very capable of doing). It’s harder than you think with clues like “someone from your team will need to dance with a B-52.” It could have been about the music group, especially since the Rally has an 80’s theme, and we even found out there are speakers named “B-52.” And the fun really starts when the computer decides to get glitchy, we’re out of range for the Air Card, or the battery runs out. Then there was the Garmin GPS that got completely flaky in Alexandria, Louisiana, and sent us to some remote dead-end trailer park, and then kept saying “recalculating” sending us in circles (sound familiar to some of you?!).
We saw some quaint little roadside attractions, like the “most haunted plantation in America,” a towering trio of Coca-Cola cans, and “Fatty Cracklins” which sells nothing but pork rinds. Usually we have to take a picture of ourselves and the car next to the attraction to prove that we were there so we can get our bonus points. We’ve heard some wild stories from last year, though, so we’re a little nervous about some of the creative requirements they may have in store for us.
We do have a safety net in case of emergency, like getting completely lost. In the packet we receive each day are red and black envelopes, but there’s a penalty if you have to use them. The red envelope gives a more specific clue, and the black envelope tells you exactly where you should be. Opening the red envelope means being penalized half the days’ points, and opening the black one means losing all of them. But I can see how that might just be preferable to being hours away in Timbuktu.
The people and places we run into briefly are great—it feels like we get to touch and experience different little pieces of the world. And whenever we arrive at our destination, the city that’s hosting us provides a lavish welcome party with dinner and entertainment, as well as an appearance by the Mayor. My understanding is that we are going to get a police escort every day, and the Mayor of each city will give us a welcome talk and wave the Start Flag. We receive wonderful treatment and are shown tremendous respect. People seem to understand that it’s not just any old car Rally—there really is a greater purpose.
We distributed a ton of posters of Jasmine today. We handed some to people directly and posted others (with permission) on the outside of businesses. The cars themselves attract a lot of attention and interest, which makes it easier to share what we’re doing for Missing Kids. Most of the participants in the Rally are great about trying to get exposure for their assigned kids. We learned that a couple of the teams that participated last year took it upon themselves personally to continue the search after the Rally. One businessman has been actively in contact with the father whose child was taken to Mexico by the non-custodial mother, including paying for a private detective to help. It’s interesting to learn the stories, and is both heartbreaking and inspirational.
We’re starting to make friends with some of the Fireballers—there are some really cool people (not to mention their really cool cars). Occasionally, we have a run-in with a little too much testosterone, but we handle it fine. And I have to tell you, Susie and I work incredibly well together as a team. Two smart women (can I say that?) with Susie’s computer savvy and my driving did pretty OK for the first scavenger hunt. With only a couple glitches and minor moments of irritation, we’re going to do great.
BTW, we’re trying to figure out how to upload some pictures so you can see some of the fun, so please bear with us. Hope everyone is doing well. Seriously, please let us know if you can be one of our phone-a-friend lifelines. We found out today that you guys will be invaluable, even if computer batteries don’t die on us. More tomorrow!
Cassandra & Susie
Today was the first day of the scavenger hunt part of the Rally. We’ve been on the road from 10am until 7pm, driving all across Louisiana and Mississippi. The day started at 8am in Baton Rouge where we all met in front of the old Capitol building. The organizer of the Rally got us lined up in 2 rows, and each of us had our picture taken with our car and the Mayor of Baton Rouge. We were given a packet of clues and information, which we were instructed not to open until a horn sounded. At that point, it was “gentlemen and ladies, start your engines,” and we opened our packets.
We were lead by police escort to the highway, and were then on our own to figure out what was in the packet and what to do with it all. There was a CD and written instructions giving clues to our destination, with bonus points we could earn along the way. Each destination in turn lead to another packet with clues to the next destination, until we had gone several hundred miles cross-country and landed in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Our clues lead us from Baton Rouge, to Natchez, Mississippi, and back to Louisiana in Ferriday, Alexandria, and Shreveport, with lots of interesting stops in-between. We owe some special thanks to Cara and Steve, Susie’s daughter and son-in-law, who were wonderfully helpful with solving the “B-52” clue for the Barksdale Air Force Base. You wouldn’t believe how these clues can mess with you, especially when you tend to overthink things (which Susie and I are both very capable of doing). It’s harder than you think with clues like “someone from your team will need to dance with a B-52.” It could have been about the music group, especially since the Rally has an 80’s theme, and we even found out there are speakers named “B-52.” And the fun really starts when the computer decides to get glitchy, we’re out of range for the Air Card, or the battery runs out. Then there was the Garmin GPS that got completely flaky in Alexandria, Louisiana, and sent us to some remote dead-end trailer park, and then kept saying “recalculating” sending us in circles (sound familiar to some of you?!).
We saw some quaint little roadside attractions, like the “most haunted plantation in America,” a towering trio of Coca-Cola cans, and “Fatty Cracklins” which sells nothing but pork rinds. Usually we have to take a picture of ourselves and the car next to the attraction to prove that we were there so we can get our bonus points. We’ve heard some wild stories from last year, though, so we’re a little nervous about some of the creative requirements they may have in store for us.
We do have a safety net in case of emergency, like getting completely lost. In the packet we receive each day are red and black envelopes, but there’s a penalty if you have to use them. The red envelope gives a more specific clue, and the black envelope tells you exactly where you should be. Opening the red envelope means being penalized half the days’ points, and opening the black one means losing all of them. But I can see how that might just be preferable to being hours away in Timbuktu.
The people and places we run into briefly are great—it feels like we get to touch and experience different little pieces of the world. And whenever we arrive at our destination, the city that’s hosting us provides a lavish welcome party with dinner and entertainment, as well as an appearance by the Mayor. My understanding is that we are going to get a police escort every day, and the Mayor of each city will give us a welcome talk and wave the Start Flag. We receive wonderful treatment and are shown tremendous respect. People seem to understand that it’s not just any old car Rally—there really is a greater purpose.
We distributed a ton of posters of Jasmine today. We handed some to people directly and posted others (with permission) on the outside of businesses. The cars themselves attract a lot of attention and interest, which makes it easier to share what we’re doing for Missing Kids. Most of the participants in the Rally are great about trying to get exposure for their assigned kids. We learned that a couple of the teams that participated last year took it upon themselves personally to continue the search after the Rally. One businessman has been actively in contact with the father whose child was taken to Mexico by the non-custodial mother, including paying for a private detective to help. It’s interesting to learn the stories, and is both heartbreaking and inspirational.
We’re starting to make friends with some of the Fireballers—there are some really cool people (not to mention their really cool cars). Occasionally, we have a run-in with a little too much testosterone, but we handle it fine. And I have to tell you, Susie and I work incredibly well together as a team. Two smart women (can I say that?) with Susie’s computer savvy and my driving did pretty OK for the first scavenger hunt. With only a couple glitches and minor moments of irritation, we’re going to do great.
BTW, we’re trying to figure out how to upload some pictures so you can see some of the fun, so please bear with us. Hope everyone is doing well. Seriously, please let us know if you can be one of our phone-a-friend lifelines. We found out today that you guys will be invaluable, even if computer batteries don’t die on us. More tomorrow!
Cassandra & Susie
Friday, September 26, 2008
DAY THREE - The Green Flag for Fireball Run
We hope all of you are enjoying the blog—we really love receiving your comments!
Today was the official beginning of Fireball Run! We woke up early, had a good breakfast, and drove to the Louisiana State Police Training Academy for our first Track Day of the Rally. They have a great Road Track that they use to train officers. Originally, the State Police were going to join us on the track for some friendly competition, but they got a new Commander recently who nixed the idea. So it was just us Fireballers.
After the initial check-in, we were given a bunch more decals to put on the car—she looks even more like a race car than before. We then went through inspection to make sure we carried all the required equipment, including a fire extinguisher, first aid kit and emergency road gear such as flares and jumper cables. Radar detectors, CB’s, GPS’s and computers were optional.
After passing inspection, we had to upload our fingerprints into a computer through a company called Biotraits—that’s how they track all scoring and points for each team and competitor. This is pretty cool high-tech stuff.
All participants were then given the official Game Manual, along with the rules and expectations for the Rally. It sounds like it’s much more involved this year, with a lot of additional fun pieces. We were given strict instructions not to speed, which will be a relief to some (including Susie), and a disappointment to others (specifically Cassandra). But that’s what the Track Days are for.
When we finally got out to the track, we all took turns following a pace car to get familiar with the track and determine our lines. We were then split into different groups based on each driver’s car and level of experience, which ranged from Professional Drivers/Instructors to Novices. I was placed in the Novice group, even with 2 High Performance Driving Schools and only 2 requirements away from qualifying for my SCCA racing license. It was a pretty tough and experienced group, with some impressive cars, including 3 Lamborghinis, a Viper, a Cobra, 2 Dodge Chargers, and a modified Corvette Z06 with 100 more horsepower than mine!
It got a little nerve-wracking when the first few cars driven by professional race drivers were hitting the grass and turning sideways on the track. I had to wait a good portion of the day before my turn came. In the meantime, I just studied a map of the track that I had worked hard to get before leaving for the Rally.
Susie was a trooper waiting patiently for me to run. It was hot, and I was pretty uncomfortable in my Fire Retardant suit. But Susie got the worst of it—she ended up with a nasty sunburn. Poor thing looks like a lobster, or “crawfish” as they say in Louisiana. She was surprised since she doesn’t usually burn, but I think the Southern sun can be a fooler.
I was as prepared as I could have been by the time I went out. Each car got to take a warm-up lap, 3 hot laps (full speed), and a cool-down lap. I ended up coming in a lap early because my clutch got stuck. I was relieved to find out that it had gotten caught on the car mat, so it was no big deal. I cooled the car down driving around a big parking lot.
There are only 4 all-women teams in the Rally, and I was the only woman who raced on the track. I was nervous, but felt pretty confident and gave it my best. On my first lap, I passed a Lamborghini. I heard later that there were a lot of comments about how well I had hit the lines and driven smoothly. Susie overheard one guy say with surprise “is she a girl?!”
Later, one of the guys came up to me and asked if I had seen the results from the track. Out of 65 cars, I came in 8th, above some of the professional drivers themselves! You can check out the scores at http://www.fireballrun.com/ by clicking on “race results” and “Sports cars.”
That evening we attended a weekly outdoor concert in Baton Rouge called Live after Five, where the Mayor introduced us as the Guests of Honor. We had a lot of people ask us questions about the Rally, and enjoyed explaining what we were doing. We got to hand out a lot of Missing Child posters, with only the rare “don’t try to sell me anything by handing me a piece of paper” response.
There were 3 really cool cars at the Live after Five event, which are also being driven in the Rally: the Back to the Future car, “Kit” from the Knight Rider, and the “General Lee” from the Dukes of Hazard. They are not the original cars that were in the movies, but are considered to be some of the best replicas around. They drew a lot of attention.
Then there was the Kick Off Party at the Belle of Baton Rouge Casino. We had a nice buffet dinner and listened to the Mayor of Baton Rouge and President of the Child Rescue Network speak again. Susie and I then snuck off to check out the casino. After losing $25 between us in 15 minutes, we decided to call it a night. The road trip part of the Rally begins bright and early tomorrow.
We are hoping that some of you will be part of our team by acting as a Phone-a-Friend Lifeline. It sounds like this year will be a lot more challenging, and I think we’re going to need all the help we can get. Please tell us if you are willing and able to allow us to bug you.
We’ll keep you posted, and take care!
Cassandra & Susie
Today was the official beginning of Fireball Run! We woke up early, had a good breakfast, and drove to the Louisiana State Police Training Academy for our first Track Day of the Rally. They have a great Road Track that they use to train officers. Originally, the State Police were going to join us on the track for some friendly competition, but they got a new Commander recently who nixed the idea. So it was just us Fireballers.
After the initial check-in, we were given a bunch more decals to put on the car—she looks even more like a race car than before. We then went through inspection to make sure we carried all the required equipment, including a fire extinguisher, first aid kit and emergency road gear such as flares and jumper cables. Radar detectors, CB’s, GPS’s and computers were optional.
After passing inspection, we had to upload our fingerprints into a computer through a company called Biotraits—that’s how they track all scoring and points for each team and competitor. This is pretty cool high-tech stuff.
All participants were then given the official Game Manual, along with the rules and expectations for the Rally. It sounds like it’s much more involved this year, with a lot of additional fun pieces. We were given strict instructions not to speed, which will be a relief to some (including Susie), and a disappointment to others (specifically Cassandra). But that’s what the Track Days are for.
When we finally got out to the track, we all took turns following a pace car to get familiar with the track and determine our lines. We were then split into different groups based on each driver’s car and level of experience, which ranged from Professional Drivers/Instructors to Novices. I was placed in the Novice group, even with 2 High Performance Driving Schools and only 2 requirements away from qualifying for my SCCA racing license. It was a pretty tough and experienced group, with some impressive cars, including 3 Lamborghinis, a Viper, a Cobra, 2 Dodge Chargers, and a modified Corvette Z06 with 100 more horsepower than mine!
It got a little nerve-wracking when the first few cars driven by professional race drivers were hitting the grass and turning sideways on the track. I had to wait a good portion of the day before my turn came. In the meantime, I just studied a map of the track that I had worked hard to get before leaving for the Rally.
Susie was a trooper waiting patiently for me to run. It was hot, and I was pretty uncomfortable in my Fire Retardant suit. But Susie got the worst of it—she ended up with a nasty sunburn. Poor thing looks like a lobster, or “crawfish” as they say in Louisiana. She was surprised since she doesn’t usually burn, but I think the Southern sun can be a fooler.
I was as prepared as I could have been by the time I went out. Each car got to take a warm-up lap, 3 hot laps (full speed), and a cool-down lap. I ended up coming in a lap early because my clutch got stuck. I was relieved to find out that it had gotten caught on the car mat, so it was no big deal. I cooled the car down driving around a big parking lot.
There are only 4 all-women teams in the Rally, and I was the only woman who raced on the track. I was nervous, but felt pretty confident and gave it my best. On my first lap, I passed a Lamborghini. I heard later that there were a lot of comments about how well I had hit the lines and driven smoothly. Susie overheard one guy say with surprise “is she a girl?!”
Later, one of the guys came up to me and asked if I had seen the results from the track. Out of 65 cars, I came in 8th, above some of the professional drivers themselves! You can check out the scores at http://www.fireballrun.com/ by clicking on “race results” and “Sports cars.”
That evening we attended a weekly outdoor concert in Baton Rouge called Live after Five, where the Mayor introduced us as the Guests of Honor. We had a lot of people ask us questions about the Rally, and enjoyed explaining what we were doing. We got to hand out a lot of Missing Child posters, with only the rare “don’t try to sell me anything by handing me a piece of paper” response.
There were 3 really cool cars at the Live after Five event, which are also being driven in the Rally: the Back to the Future car, “Kit” from the Knight Rider, and the “General Lee” from the Dukes of Hazard. They are not the original cars that were in the movies, but are considered to be some of the best replicas around. They drew a lot of attention.
Then there was the Kick Off Party at the Belle of Baton Rouge Casino. We had a nice buffet dinner and listened to the Mayor of Baton Rouge and President of the Child Rescue Network speak again. Susie and I then snuck off to check out the casino. After losing $25 between us in 15 minutes, we decided to call it a night. The road trip part of the Rally begins bright and early tomorrow.
We are hoping that some of you will be part of our team by acting as a Phone-a-Friend Lifeline. It sounds like this year will be a lot more challenging, and I think we’re going to need all the help we can get. Please tell us if you are willing and able to allow us to bug you.
We’ll keep you posted, and take care!
Cassandra & Susie
Thursday, September 25, 2008
DAY TWO - Early Arrival Fireball Run
Hello Rally Fans!
Today we caught a few Z's--truly very few Z's. We got the room reservation issues straightened out and don't have to sleep on a hide-a-bed tonight. We are quite happy about that! We got into bed so late (early, I should say) that we did not get an early start, as we had hoped we would.
The main goal of the day was to get the 'vette show ready! We had to travel half-way across Baton Rouge, but finally located a car wash and gave her a good bath. She was spit-shined to perfection. Here is a chance to put in a plug for one of our sponsors. Cassandra uses products from Adam's Polishes. She has tried just about every car care product on the market and these are truly her favorites. Thanks, Adam, for your support and for helping our 'Dream Car' shine!
Considering the long trip down, the clean-up took quite a while. When we got back to the hotel, it was really fun to run into other Fireballers and their cars. We rushed to our room to get ready for the early arrival banquet. Boy, did we destroy this room.
The food at the banquet was quite good, and a welcome change from grab-and-go. We met the Mayor of Baton Rouge and the Secretary of State. The organizer of the Rally, JJ Sanchez, addressed the group, as did Jeff Greisemer, the President/CEO of the Child Rescue Network. Getting ready for the Rally has been a lot of work and taken a lot of effort, but the speeches we heard tonight brought the whole experience into focus to a degree we had not previously known. We are here to find those missing children and we can't wait to get started!
The GPS Locator in our car should now be active, so you can track our progress if you like. The website is www.skyguard.com/fireballrun/ . Remember we are team 33. Don't get concerned when you see us not making much progress tomorrow. Cassandra will be out there running in circles kicking butt racing the Louisiana State Police around their road training course.
So you are all off the hook tomorrow. Remember though, Saturday morning when the Rally really gets underway you all go on the bubble! If we get stuck on our clues, we consider any of your brains fair game for picking!
Susie & Cassandra
Today we caught a few Z's--truly very few Z's. We got the room reservation issues straightened out and don't have to sleep on a hide-a-bed tonight. We are quite happy about that! We got into bed so late (early, I should say) that we did not get an early start, as we had hoped we would.
The main goal of the day was to get the 'vette show ready! We had to travel half-way across Baton Rouge, but finally located a car wash and gave her a good bath. She was spit-shined to perfection. Here is a chance to put in a plug for one of our sponsors. Cassandra uses products from Adam's Polishes. She has tried just about every car care product on the market and these are truly her favorites. Thanks, Adam, for your support and for helping our 'Dream Car' shine!
Considering the long trip down, the clean-up took quite a while. When we got back to the hotel, it was really fun to run into other Fireballers and their cars. We rushed to our room to get ready for the early arrival banquet. Boy, did we destroy this room.
The food at the banquet was quite good, and a welcome change from grab-and-go. We met the Mayor of Baton Rouge and the Secretary of State. The organizer of the Rally, JJ Sanchez, addressed the group, as did Jeff Greisemer, the President/CEO of the Child Rescue Network. Getting ready for the Rally has been a lot of work and taken a lot of effort, but the speeches we heard tonight brought the whole experience into focus to a degree we had not previously known. We are here to find those missing children and we can't wait to get started!
The GPS Locator in our car should now be active, so you can track our progress if you like. The website is www.skyguard.com/fireballrun/ . Remember we are team 33. Don't get concerned when you see us not making much progress tomorrow. Cassandra will be out there running in circles kicking butt racing the Louisiana State Police around their road training course.
So you are all off the hook tomorrow. Remember though, Saturday morning when the Rally really gets underway you all go on the bubble! If we get stuck on our clues, we consider any of your brains fair game for picking!
Susie & Cassandra
DAY ONE - On the Road to Baton Rouge
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Well, as those of you who know us might suspect we got a bit of a late start. Of course, there were the last minute tasks for work (Susie) and the forgotten cell phone charger (Cassandra). We got the car packed, and were pretty proud--how's this for two women on a 10-day trip in a Corvette?!
Our first stop was a shopping trip. No, this was not the result of Susie's shopping addiction. One of our phone-a-friend pit crew was kind enough to research Sprint stores along our route on I-65 (thanks, Jackie!). Not a good indication that with two GPS's in the car we needed this kind of support and still didn't manage to find the Sprint store. We did find a Best Buy that stocked the needed charger. With two at home, this one may be like the lawn elf of commercial fame that gets to do a little traveling before relocating back to the 38th St Best Buy in Indianapolis. There was a Sam's Club right next door and we could not pass up the opportunity to stock some provisions. Susie's shopping addiction was not responsible for this one either. It is just too difficult to pass up the opportunity to purchase a little chocolate in bulk. I don't think we can fit one more item in the car! And we don't want to hear any comments about our weight when we return--especially from you, Josh (he's Cassandra's personal trainer at the Indianapolis Gold's Gym, one of our company Sponsors)!
We have discovered along the way that there are no gas stations in Kentucky, and very few in Tennessee. Not a good thing when you get lost in Memphis! We found ourselves wondering if the Bluegrass state is ahead of the game and everyone owns electric vehicles, or if the horse and buggy is still the preferred method of travel (sorry to our loved ones from this beautiful piece of USA real estate--just a little frustration showing!) Someone needs to get busy on that Ethanol technology so more fuel stations can be made readily available. So, how ya doin', Chad?
The last minute acquisition of the CB radio proved to be a wise move. The truckers were kind enough to suggest a way around our first traffic jam, which worked out perfectly. Listening to the chatter it was evident that they appreciated the Dream Car! Cassandra was proud!
A commentary about motorcyclists (sorry family!) ... Isn't it thrilling enough to be a rider on a fast moving highway--do you have to look for ways to enhance that excitement? There were a couple motorcyclists that pulled up along side us and, of course, admired the 'vette, as they should. Her beauty proved too much for one rider. He was so overwhelmed by her that he could not contain himself and found it necessary to stand up on the bike, pop a wheely, and proceed down the road pretending he was a unicyclist. He seemed to be very skilled at this madness. We finally lost site of him in the traffic--or was it because it was dark? We were going a respectable 65mph, so we estimate he had to be doing at least 90mph. The cop we saw shortly after this clown act had not pulled him over to give him a stern lecture, so the good news is he is still out there and can keep honing his skills. Cassandra was happy it wasn't her driving that merited Susie's first freak out. I think a little anxiety over speed would have been much better than the mental image of dodging body parts somewhere down the road.
Cassandra's first panic attack came somewhere in Tennesse when she noticed some flashing lights in the rearview mirrow. She just couldn't understand because she was actually behaving herself. Turned out the poor guy behind us was not having a good day. This was a mild reaction , however, compared to some time later on the dark, desolate Interstate 55 somewhere in Mississippi, when Cassandra once again noticed flashing lights coming up behind her. She had shed her halo by this time, and hadn't exactly been paying attention to her speed. Hard to think some other schmuck was going to be the unlucky target this time when there wasn't another car on the road. Susie tried to calm the frantic Cassandra as she ripped the radar detector from the windshield and threw it on the floor. It just seemed to Susie that they would have closed the gap much faster, and Cassandra would be standing at the side of the road explaining herself by now if she were the intended target! Ahhhh yes, just as suspected..... an ambulance in transport. Whew! (Again!)
The finale to the trip was the room mix-up. So much for reservations and calling ahead to confirm. We arrived in Baton Rouge around 3:30am and it only took another 1.5 hours to get to our room. We were too tired to argue any more, and just collapsed into our pull-out hide-a-bed! Good news, though, we do get a steep discount for the night.
We want to thank you for the suggestions for names! There are some very good suggestions ... Cara--now that is a great name! (For those of you who don't know, Cara is Susie's daughter's name!)
Susie & Cassandra
We have discovered along the way that there are no gas stations in Kentucky, and very few in Tennessee. Not a good thing when you get lost in Memphis! We found ourselves wondering if the Bluegrass state is ahead of the game and everyone owns electric vehicles, or if the horse and buggy is still the preferred method of travel (sorry to our loved ones from this beautiful piece of USA real estate--just a little frustration showing!) Someone needs to get busy on that Ethanol technology so more fuel stations can be made readily available. So, how ya doin', Chad?
The last minute acquisition of the CB radio proved to be a wise move. The truckers were kind enough to suggest a way around our first traffic jam, which worked out perfectly. Listening to the chatter it was evident that they appreciated the Dream Car! Cassandra was proud!
A commentary about motorcyclists (sorry family!) ... Isn't it thrilling enough to be a rider on a fast moving highway--do you have to look for ways to enhance that excitement? There were a couple motorcyclists that pulled up along side us and, of course, admired the 'vette, as they should. Her beauty proved too much for one rider. He was so overwhelmed by her that he could not contain himself and found it necessary to stand up on the bike, pop a wheely, and proceed down the road pretending he was a unicyclist. He seemed to be very skilled at this madness. We finally lost site of him in the traffic--or was it because it was dark? We were going a respectable 65mph, so we estimate he had to be doing at least 90mph. The cop we saw shortly after this clown act had not pulled him over to give him a stern lecture, so the good news is he is still out there and can keep honing his skills. Cassandra was happy it wasn't her driving that merited Susie's first freak out. I think a little anxiety over speed would have been much better than the mental image of dodging body parts somewhere down the road.
Cassandra's first panic attack came somewhere in Tennesse when she noticed some flashing lights in the rearview mirrow. She just couldn't understand because she was actually behaving herself. Turned out the poor guy behind us was not having a good day. This was a mild reaction , however, compared to some time later on the dark, desolate Interstate 55 somewhere in Mississippi, when Cassandra once again noticed flashing lights coming up behind her. She had shed her halo by this time, and hadn't exactly been paying attention to her speed. Hard to think some other schmuck was going to be the unlucky target this time when there wasn't another car on the road. Susie tried to calm the frantic Cassandra as she ripped the radar detector from the windshield and threw it on the floor. It just seemed to Susie that they would have closed the gap much faster, and Cassandra would be standing at the side of the road explaining herself by now if she were the intended target! Ahhhh yes, just as suspected..... an ambulance in transport. Whew! (Again!)
The finale to the trip was the room mix-up. So much for reservations and calling ahead to confirm. We arrived in Baton Rouge around 3:30am and it only took another 1.5 hours to get to our room. We were too tired to argue any more, and just collapsed into our pull-out hide-a-bed! Good news, though, we do get a steep discount for the night.
We want to thank you for the suggestions for names! There are some very good suggestions ... Cara--now that is a great name! (For those of you who don't know, Cara is Susie's daughter's name!)
Susie & Cassandra
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
The journey begins in a few hours!
Hi everyone!
Susie and I are finally packed and ready to go. We leave on Wednesday to begin our cross-country jouney.
For those of you who we haven't been bombarded with all the details of this journey, let me give you a quick description. The Fireball Run Transcontinental Rally is co-organized by Fireball Run and the Child Rescue Network. Susie, my co-pilot/navigator, and I will spend 10 days and 3500 miles traveling in a 2006 Corvette Z06. Our adventure begins as we drive from Indianapolis to our initial destination, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and will end on October 4th in Grand Rapids, Michigan. There are 3 main components to this journey, in which the Team 33 Corvette will be participating with 65 other teams. First, there's the adventure of the daily scavenger hunt where we will decipher clues to lead us to destinations unknown. Second, there's the fun of several racetrack, drag strip and autocross events, including competing against the Louisiana State Police at their Training Academy. Finally, there's the mission behind all of this where each team is assigned a missing child and we promote awareness for missing children by passing out 1000 posters each to search for our assigned child--Jasmine Sajedi for Team 33 Corvette. It doesn't get any better than this ... combining adventure and fun with a worthy cause that can change the lives of children and families.
The Team 33 Corvette is being sponsored by some special companies and individuals, and their support helps make the vision to find America’s Missing Children possible. Our Sponsors are important to us, and we ask that you take a moment to check them out on our website, at RaceforMissingKids.com. We hope you will support them, too--please visit their websites, email them, buy from them, and tell them you saw their sponsorship information on this blog and our website. We give a special “Thank You” to all of our Sponsors!
As we get underway on Wednesday, we'll be mapping our route to Baton Rouge and doing lots of planning for the days to come (at least, for what we know of them). And we're not waiting for the Rally to begin handing out posters--we have 200 copies already printed (courtesy of Pip Printers at Zionsville Rd in Indianapolis). Of course, we'll let you know if we find out anything regarding Jasmine or any of the other missing children.
On a personal note, I have to confess that we haven't even started, and I'm thinking a nap may be in order already. I was amazed by how much preparation it took to get the car ready, and I think she's better packed and equipped than we are. We bring clothes and she gets her car cover; we bring toiletries and she gets car washing products (courtesy of Adam's Polishes); we bring a computer, iPod, cameras and cell phones, and she gets a CB, radar detector, GPS map, GPS locator and Horntones. I think half of what's packed is for her! So really, it's more accurate to say that all 3 of us are packed and ready to go!
I mentioned to some of you that will be able to follow exactly where we're at with the SkyGuard GPS Locator installed on the car. I will forward this link to everyone on our email list. Feel free to email with any important feedback or suggestions like "pick up the pace" or "slow down the pace," or "you guys are the only ones heading that direction." The email we'll be checking regularly is RaceforKids@aol.com. Don't be offended if we don't respond--we may be busy deciphering some clue, passing out posters, or consulting our trusty GPS to figure out how we got so lost.
We could also use your help! If Susie and I get stumped by any of the clues, we may blog, email and/or call some of you to share in your wisdom, suggestions, or outlandish guesses. There's nothing in the rules that says we can't use "Phone-a-Friend Lifelines" (remember Who Wants to be a Millionaire?), so we plan to take full advantage.
And I'd love some suggestions for nicknames for the 'Vette! I've always wanted to give her a name, but could never come up with a good one. I think she's a "she," but I'm open. Any ideas?
Enough for tonight, guys--I've got to sign off, or I really will need that nap tomorrow. Please say a prayer, wish us well, and join us through this blog as we undertake this special journey!
Cassandra & Susie
Susie and I are finally packed and ready to go. We leave on Wednesday to begin our cross-country jouney.
For those of you who we haven't been bombarded with all the details of this journey, let me give you a quick description. The Fireball Run Transcontinental Rally is co-organized by Fireball Run and the Child Rescue Network. Susie, my co-pilot/navigator, and I will spend 10 days and 3500 miles traveling in a 2006 Corvette Z06. Our adventure begins as we drive from Indianapolis to our initial destination, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and will end on October 4th in Grand Rapids, Michigan. There are 3 main components to this journey, in which the Team 33 Corvette will be participating with 65 other teams. First, there's the adventure of the daily scavenger hunt where we will decipher clues to lead us to destinations unknown. Second, there's the fun of several racetrack, drag strip and autocross events, including competing against the Louisiana State Police at their Training Academy. Finally, there's the mission behind all of this where each team is assigned a missing child and we promote awareness for missing children by passing out 1000 posters each to search for our assigned child--Jasmine Sajedi for Team 33 Corvette. It doesn't get any better than this ... combining adventure and fun with a worthy cause that can change the lives of children and families.
The Team 33 Corvette is being sponsored by some special companies and individuals, and their support helps make the vision to find America’s Missing Children possible. Our Sponsors are important to us, and we ask that you take a moment to check them out on our website, at RaceforMissingKids.com. We hope you will support them, too--please visit their websites, email them, buy from them, and tell them you saw their sponsorship information on this blog and our website. We give a special “Thank You” to all of our Sponsors!
As we get underway on Wednesday, we'll be mapping our route to Baton Rouge and doing lots of planning for the days to come (at least, for what we know of them). And we're not waiting for the Rally to begin handing out posters--we have 200 copies already printed (courtesy of Pip Printers at Zionsville Rd in Indianapolis). Of course, we'll let you know if we find out anything regarding Jasmine or any of the other missing children.
On a personal note, I have to confess that we haven't even started, and I'm thinking a nap may be in order already. I was amazed by how much preparation it took to get the car ready, and I think she's better packed and equipped than we are. We bring clothes and she gets her car cover; we bring toiletries and she gets car washing products (courtesy of Adam's Polishes); we bring a computer, iPod, cameras and cell phones, and she gets a CB, radar detector, GPS map, GPS locator and Horntones. I think half of what's packed is for her! So really, it's more accurate to say that all 3 of us are packed and ready to go!
I mentioned to some of you that will be able to follow exactly where we're at with the SkyGuard GPS Locator installed on the car. I will forward this link to everyone on our email list. Feel free to email with any important feedback or suggestions like "pick up the pace" or "slow down the pace," or "you guys are the only ones heading that direction." The email we'll be checking regularly is RaceforKids@aol.com. Don't be offended if we don't respond--we may be busy deciphering some clue, passing out posters, or consulting our trusty GPS to figure out how we got so lost.
We could also use your help! If Susie and I get stumped by any of the clues, we may blog, email and/or call some of you to share in your wisdom, suggestions, or outlandish guesses. There's nothing in the rules that says we can't use "Phone-a-Friend Lifelines" (remember Who Wants to be a Millionaire?), so we plan to take full advantage.
And I'd love some suggestions for nicknames for the 'Vette! I've always wanted to give her a name, but could never come up with a good one. I think she's a "she," but I'm open. Any ideas?
Enough for tonight, guys--I've got to sign off, or I really will need that nap tomorrow. Please say a prayer, wish us well, and join us through this blog as we undertake this special journey!
Cassandra & Susie
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