Stage 1 Official Start to 2018 Great Race

Pre-race prep June 23, 2018

Today was the official start to the 2018 Great Race! We started our morning at the hotel packing up our cars and heading to the Pierce Arrow Museum to the starting line.

Starting Line Buffalo, NY

The day began with each team leaving the hotel in their starting order. We drove to the starting line, which today was The Pierce Arrow Museum. The Great Race puts on a big event for the first day, and despite forecasts of rain, there were plenty of spectators.

We were at the Museum by 8:30, so we took some time to enjoy some of the beautiful Pierce Arrow collection of cars that were built at the plant that was once in the spot where the museum is today. The museum is also home to the 1927 Frank Lloyd Wright Buffalo Filling station.

Frank Lloyd Wright Buffalo Filling Station

We had about two hours before we actually started rallying. We were talking to different people when Brad found our new friends Vicki and Bruce (the couple we met earlier in the week), thank you Vicki and Bruce for making it out this morning. While chatting with them, we met up with our cousins Jack and Zachary.

Thank you Jack for making the drive to Buffalo!!! It means so much to us to have family and friends at the start. We only wish we could have had more time. I also have to apologize for not knowing we were going to be so close to your home town tonight.

Our supporters and good wishers, left to right Bruce, Vicki, Jack, me, Brad, Zachary

Time flew by and it was time to start our day of rallying. We said our goodbyes, and it was official we were on our 5th Great Race.

We headed toward Albany, and ended up in farm country in upstate New York. The fruit trees and grape vines are all full of leaves. The corn is just about knee high, and the rolling fields are all in perfect rows. We even came across some chickens in a field. They were truly free range. We mostly drive through back country, and it is always so beautiful to us. Maybe because we are city dwellers it never gets old, but it might just be because it is just a vast and beautiful country we live in.

The rallying today was challenging, but having received the directions last night, we were prepared for the day. We had one hang up when there were two cars ahead of us and we were all going to the same stop sign. We are suppose to be a minute between each car. We were less then 30 seconds away and we could foresee havoc ahead. We decided we could slow down for 10 seconds and request a time delay due to lack of safe distance if we did not have time to make it up. Sure enough we came out of the stop sign and the check point was right there. There would be no making up time on that one.

We finished the day driving into another charming and old US town. We had entered the town of Fair Port. Everything is so manicured and well maintained. It is also located on the Erie Canal. There was a huge crowd when we drove in, and we were greeted by the kindest people. The town organizers set up a host for each team. Our host was a man by the name of Tom. He was so helpful and curious at the same time. He had many great questions about the race, and shared with us a little about himself.

We ate dinner with Tom and a friend of his, and then strolled down the main road enjoying the cars and people.

Bridge over Erie Canal with Brad, Tom and his friend, Fair Port, NY

We had a fantastic day, mostly because of the people who made it so special. We also had a good day on the course. We finished with our first Ace (a perfect score) of the race, a 1, 1, 1, 3, and a 3. The total for the day was 9 before the factor. We have not seen the overalls, but it is only the first day, 8 to go!

Thank you again for all of your support! Thanks to our family and friends who continuously cheer us on in our adventures.