Off Road Racin at Line Mt.

[OLDCHEV4X4]

I went up to Line Mountain Race Track this past weekend for the 3.5 miler. For though's of you that never heard of this, Its a 5 mile course through the woods of Pennsylvania. I know its called the 3.5 miler, but the course has been changed over the years, and the name has not. So you have to go around this 5 mile course for 6 laps. There are all kinds of obstacles. Mud, hill climbs (big and small), rocks (big and small),mud, tree limbs, mud, broken down racers.....did i say mud? It has done nothing but rain lately, so water was everywhere.
So we draw a high number. This is good. The water will be splashed out and the mud will be driven through many times. Wrong! 112 racers start at 1 minute intervals. You have 4hr and 15 min to do 6 laps.

Lap 1: Everthing is going good. "I feel good!" (say like James Brown) 26 min lap.

Lap 2:I'm in the section called "The Up And Downs." Utt Ohh... I feel loose! Some spectators yell at me that my RR tire is flat. No prob..I carry 2 spares. They run over and help us change the tire.
I hit "I80" and hammer on it. I Hit "The Coal Road" which is a RH turn, And hammer on it. Utt Ohh.... I feel loose again! Only this time i'm going fast. I get it straitened out and stopped. The LR is flat this time. So we change it. I say to my navigator, "If we get a flat now, we are driving out on the rim." Just then a racer goes flying by and a tire falls off the back and rolls at our feet. I look up and say "Thankyou God." ;-) 45 min lap.

Lap 3: We stop in the pits and switch tires around and look things over real quick and grab a water. 1/2 way through this lap we notice the temp is up to 250 deg. Dam. Pull over at the next spot and shut it off. I thought mabey we cut a hoze. No ,the fuse for one of the 2 electric fans blew. We pop a new one in and wait. We talk with other racer's that are walkin , broke down.
Finally we get going and make it to the start finish. 53 min lap.

Lap 4: My shoulder strap pads aren't staying in place. My straps are cutting into my neck and shoulder. Suck it up and keep going. 28 min lap

Lap 5: Almost done the lap when we encounter a broke down racer and no good place to pass. He has the hood up and is working on it, so we cant push him out of the way. I pull to the right and try to do a 5 point turn. The power steering gives out. I back up into a tree. Suddenly a large dead tree limb comes crashing down onto the dash of the race truck. My navigator was about to climb through the windshield opening to look at the power steering problem. That was close!
The power steering over heated, nothing we can do about that. Muscle it. 36 min lap.

Lap 6: I am tired, I have mud in my mouth, my shoulders have brush burns, the truck is making noise's i have never heard before and the power steering is kaput. But....its my last lap. 32 min lap.

Its Miller Time!!!!
112 Jeeps, trucks and buggies start the race. Only 33 finished. Everyone else broke or gave up.
I finished 7th in the long wheel base class, 29th over all. I take home $40 and a sore aching body.