Author Topic: Battle Mountain 2023 (Read 9294 times)

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #25 on:** 09 September, 2023, 05:35:56 am »

Well, most everyone is here. I'm not sure whether the Aussies have arrived yet but they’re definitely in USAnia, which is a good start. Weather forecast doesn’t look bad for the week either. Crosses thumbs, presses fingers, twiddles swonickles. Setting up of Stuffs tomorrow; hopefully there’s going to be a sufficiency of Penniless Student Oaves and/or dangerously fit high school hand-egg players to do the heavy lifting.

Qualification runs start at stupid o'clock on Sunday morning. Eight hour time difference for BRITONS plus we need to do things like have a late breakfast or early lunch so results may not be available until you lot are settling down in front of Antiques Roadshow or similar nonse. More news as and, moreover, when.

ElyDave · « **Reply #26 on:** 09 September, 2023, 06:18:53 am »

I think you shall find us ensconced in front of that minor matter of the rugby World cup

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #27 on:** 09 September, 2023, 04:08:04 pm »

There is that. Cracking result for France yesterday

ElyDave · « **Reply #28 on:** 09 September, 2023, 08:01:07 pm »

Quote from: Mr Larrington on 09 September, 2023, 04:08:04 pm

There is that. Cracking result for France yesterday

Yes, and a somewhat scrappy Ireland and Australia.

Trufax Mrs ED did not know Georgia was a country

Now for a bit of Argie bargie

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #29 on:** 10 September, 2023, 06:53:14 am »

Lazy day today. Qualifying runs start in about eight hours. Time for beddy-byes.

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #30 on:** 10 September, 2023, 07:14:53 pm »

No wrecks and nobody drowned. Speeds to follow but François probably over 70 on the short course!

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #31 on:** 10 September, 2023, 10:43:32 pm »

To summarise: wind mostly too windy but as this morning was only qualifying it didn't matter too much. François Pervis did 72.53 mph which might well be a record for the 2.5 mile course. Not much luck for Team Policumbent as Cerberus (the handcycle) ate its chain tensioner 200 metres into Diego Colombari's run, putting him out for the day. Enzo Yokota in their other machine Phoenix had divers issues and also failed to complete a run, though in spite of arriving in town a mere eight hours before the start Matilde Vittilo did get down the road OK. Bilby, the machine from Monash Uni in Melbourne has one or two launch fails on one run - they have four riders, or five if you include Percy the Penguin. Wild Bill Thornton in the Milan RS velomobile forgot to fasten his seat belt which ended up in the chain, restricting speeds somewhat.

Monash and Wild Bill Racing are sitting out tonight's runs, leaving only Matilde, François and Peter Borenstadt in his DF velomobile actually opting to run. Fingers pressed and thumbs crossed for the weather to stay nice - we had a wee thunderstorm overnight but everything was OK by morning.

Jaded · « **Reply #32 on:** 11 September, 2023, 12:37:47 am »

72mph

Auntie Helen · « **Reply #33 on:** 11 September, 2023, 06:08:37 am »

No one there with a Bülk velomobile?

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #34 on:** 11 September, 2023, 06:35:35 am »

Quote from: Auntie Helen on 11 September, 2023, 06:08:37 am

No one there with a Bülk velomobile?

One Milan RS and one DF only. RS is a lower, narrower version of the Milan and had just completed the TransAm race ridden by Niklas Bostelmann, who then rode halfway back across USAnia before his 90 days ran out and he had to pop back to Germany, just in time to catch COVID-19 on his return to the US!

Anyway. Tonight's results: François 83.55 mph but non-legal start AND non-legal wind chiz. Matilde DNF - crash about two miles down the road. Rider OK, bike a bit scratched. Peter (69) fully legal 55.85 in the DF. Excitement and adventure when Mrs Angry and her pickup truck ran the road closure at one of the ranch roads, proceeded on a collision course with François (who was able to change lanes to avoid a head-on), shouted much abuse at the various officials at start, blew past Matilde and Peter and their respective teams waiting to launch and off down the road. 911, video evidence from the Annecy team, statements to Highway Patrol officer, book hopefully to be thrown at driver. We could do without this sort of excitement.

Dickhead. Nevada. Sunday. by Mr Larrington, on Flickr. Sadly not even Hollywood-OS can read the number plate.

Kim · « **Reply #35 on:** 11 September, 2023, 06:42:33 am »

Jeez...

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #36 on:** 11 September, 2023, 10:39:32 pm »

Another roadblock-running dick this morning, this one from the Bureau of Land Management's Fire Department. Urgently needed at a fire. In Tonopah. Which is two hundred miles away. We managed to stop him from getting any further than catch and fortunately it was Niklas in the Milan SL coming the other way, so a bit easier to stop and steer than some of the other vehicles.

Good morning for wind, with only Niklas in the last run of the morning not getting legal wind. Enzo Yokota and Diego Colombari in Phoenix and Cerberus respectively, both qualified on the short course at 34.81 and 37.70 mph. Enzo was slowed by, we think, an improperly seated tyre - Matilde's crash yesterday having been caused by a flat. Next up was Alyssa Miller (12) starting from 600 metres out. Her 22.72 mph constitutes a World Record for Women's Multitrack age 12-13 (?), as she was in a different age group last year.

Alyssa (12) picks up her traffic ticket from last year by Mr Larrington, on Flickr

Sparsely attended runs on the 5 mile course followed, with the French, the Aussies, Peter and Wild Bill all sitting it out. Daniel did 54.74 in the Milan RS, followed by the Sprockettes whose 59.69 added 14 mph to the previous Women's Multitrack Multi-rider record. And was faster than the men made the Rocket go in 2019, though the machine has been improved a bit since then.

P9110005 by Mr Larrington, on Flickr. If this video works it'll show the stately departure of the Sprocket Rocket from the start.

Only Matilde in the second heat: 60.33 for the fastest run of the morning. And only Niklas in the third: 51.65. Let's hope those clouds bubbling up over there <<< go off and water somewhere else.

Edit: We have put Eri[c|k] of the Sprocket Rocket team on duty assisting the flagger at the offending ranch road tonight. He is built like a USAnian football team and has only to lie down in the road to stop a three-ton pickup dead in its tracks

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #37 on:** 12 September, 2023, 12:36:12 am »

Not looking very promising for Monday night. Wik lightning in the vicinity of the course plus rain in the distance. Awaiting report from recce party.

Edit: Monday night cancelled because this:

Looking out of the window at 17:05 by Mr Larrington, on Flickr. Wind, rain, thunder, lightning, ect &, moreover, ect.

Clare · « **Reply #38 on:** 12 September, 2023, 05:06:08 am »

The grey car on the left of your photo appears to have its windows open. That'll be a pleasant surprise for the driver.

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #39 on:** 12 September, 2023, 01:39:55 pm »

It's still got its windows open at hours 05:40!

Pingu · « **Reply #40 on:** 12 September, 2023, 06:39:56 pm »

Just catching up with the Automatic Diary

If I'd realised you were going to Missoula MT I'd've pointed you towards Iris the osprey (though you would've probably seen just an empty nest).

Kim · « **Reply #41 on:** 12 September, 2023, 08:07:09 pm »

Quote from: Mr Larrington on 12 September, 2023, 01:39:55 pm

It's still got its windows open at hours 05:40!

Probably at the point where they won't close due to soggy anbarics.

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #42 on:** 12 September, 2023, 10:03:39 pm »

Much better weather this morning and some nice runs. Notably by Alyssa (12) and the Sprockettes, who beat their respective records from yesterday. Alyssa did 24.24 in spite of having to wear trainers, having contrived to leave her bike shoes behind at the motel. The Sprocket Rocket hit 61.24 on their first run, did a fairly quick turnaround and then upped the record to 61.94 mph second time around. Fastest run of the morning was Al Haslam in Bilby, with a 68.74 mph wind legal run. Bad luck continues to follow Phoenix; Matilde dropped the chain and coasted through at 36.31, having been overtaken by Kit Kirby in Bilby on the course. Enzo had more problems starting then crashed with 500 metres to go. They're not sure why. François didn't run coz he wasn't feeling well but should be out tonight.

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #43 on:** 12 September, 2023, 10:39:51 pm »

Damp Toyota has moved to a different spot in the parking lot but still has all its windows open. Presumably to dry it out while it's still sunny.

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #44 on:** 12 September, 2023, 10:44:33 pm »

Denise Mueller, earlier:

...and the answer is "None". None more pink! by Mr Larrington, on Flickr

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #45 on:** 13 September, 2023, 04:21:18 am »

No new records on Tuesday evening chiz

But François became the second rider to earn an 85 mph hat

85.87 mph, legal wind.

P9120126 by Mr Larrington, on Flickr. Clicky to get Flickr then clicky vid for a brief clip of Altaïr 7 at full gas.

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #46 on:** 13 September, 2023, 11:52:31 pm »

Wednesday morning a bit meh plus the wind picked up later Kit Kirby in Bilby fastest with a non-legal 68.24 mph. Sprockettes tried a different acceleration profile and only managed 57.68. Alyssa (12) sat this one out. And Lynn Briggs' Saturn Sky dumped most of its coolant in the start parking area shortly after reaching 150 mph on the course sweep chiz. A couple of hours of Type 2 Fun required to get it back to town.

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #47 on:** 14 September, 2023, 05:01:43 am »

No legal runs Wednesday pm and only five rider/machine combos even starting, because Wind. Daniel Löw in the Milan fastest with but 55.37 mph. After some afternoon coaching from Professor Larry Lem of the University of Streamliners Enzo got away first time

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #48 on:** 14 September, 2023, 09:24:14 pm »

Not the most exciting Thursday morning either because of teams:

Resting, or
Fettling, or
Skiving off to go to the Reno Air Show

Which meant that Alyssa (12) was the sole non-Italian to run this morning. Wind mostly unkind though Matilde's 65.84 was legal, having been the first run of the day. She said she'd had a few breathing difficulties on this run - it was a good deal colder this morning than earlier in the week. Enzo's starting confidence continues to grow to the extent that he made his first run sans crash panels, clocking 57.66 mph into an illegal headwind. This was his second run of the day. Not to be outdone, Diego made THREE runs over the five-mile course with the third being the fastest at 42.75 mph, also with illegal wind. Alyssa (12) did 23.37, also into the wind. The Aussies, the French and the Sprockettes should be coming out to play tonight...

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #49 on:** 15 September, 2023, 04:30:00 am »

Much tactical not running in the early heats of Thursday evening, meaning only one machine in each of the first two heats. Heat one was Enzo in Phoenix, with 66.94 mph; heat two Kit in Bilby with 70.77. Alas neither had legal wind though Kit said he'd be stoked with > 70, legal or not, before we left the course

For heat three the weather behaved as expected and all four runners had legal wind. In ascending order of speed: the Sprockettes did 60.87, Matilde 69.98, Al in Bilby 71.39 and François 86.39 mph. François told me his legs were good but his brain was not working. "I 'ave not ze focus!". Hopefully he'll get it working tomorrow.

MOAR please!