El Taxi Perdido's Blog

Well, as you can see by El Taxi’s face, it was a tough run but we finished. What an amazing experience. This is our third time but the excitement and intensity are just like our first La Carrera in 2009.
We won our class for the final day but did not make podium for an overall result. However, to have finished after being in a ditch is something we’re quite proud of. It took lots of people to make this happen and here are just a few: Special Thanks to:
Peter Lambert, the only guy who’ll lend you his Land Rover to tow a car to Mexico and back! Thanks Peter!

Paul and Nancy Frame for researching and printing out each day’s route plus specialized notes on the course. We used their gifts every day! Thank you!

To Ed Adams for coming along and pitching in so much. Sorry about the wardrobe Ed.

To Beans for getting the Taxi to Texas and back (I hope).

To John Norman and the guys at Alfa Parts for getting us what we needed. We’ll be back for more.

To Jim Groom and team for a great safety cage, unfortunately put to use. It worked!!!

To Frank Z for the quick paint work and turnaround.

To the folks at Swirl for holding down the fort and allowing me to indulge this passion.

To all the people from all the other teams who helped Conrad get El Taxi back on the road.

And to friends and family that sent texts, posted comments and called to wish us luck and offer encouragement.

And lastly, to Bill, Christine and Conrad for being a team and never giving up. Great people, wonderful friends and willing adventurers.

A big thanks to all the support from all the BAT addicts out there. Thank you R & G! Martin.

Day 6 was fantastic! The car ran strong. Conrad drove a cautious, yet solid pace and we ended the day at the Aguascalientes NASCAR oval. It is a surreal experience to emerge out of the entry tunnel into the infield of this gigantic piece of asphalt. And any of you road racers who think “going around in circles” is easy – it ain’t.
It’s an absolute thrill to wind our little car and hold it against the banking then transition down then back up again. All the while, fighting El Taxi’s urge to twitch and spin. Very cool. Also, very cool to pass the big cars with more horsepower but less nerve. Conrad drove an amazing day and El Taxi was a NASCAR crowd favorite.

Bill Mertz and Christine Rotolo (Conrad’s better half). The best La Carrera crew our little Taxi could ever want. Visit her blog at www.vagabundaindustrial.blogspot.com

As we start day 6 way behind in the standings, we feel totally motivated to finish strong due to all the support we’ve gotten from friends, blog followers (thanks BAT!), fellow participants and Taxi drivers in every Mexican town we been through. Even our competition is cheering us on (go team Taz!!!). So this is just a quick THANK YOU!

And for more of a look inside the workings of a La Carrera crew, check our Christine Rotolo’s blog at

www.vagabundaindustrial.blogspot.com

She and Bill Mertz are working hardest of all.

And today we had both. Good in the morning. Bad in the afternoon.
Day 5 started out well. Three great speed sections and the car performed admirably. A little worse for wear perhaps but a survivor and a willing warrior. Then lunch happened. After the lunch time service the car developed an electrical gremlin that just couldn’t be found. Or at least not whilst doing 180km. It wouldn’t start without a push or bump start and seeing as how there are only two of us and the afternoon sessions were uphill – we were SOL if we turned off the car. But if we didn’t turn it off it would overheat as we sat and waited for our turn. Well that’s exactly what happened on the first post lunch speed section. That and the battery didn’t have enough juice to crank the starter once we stopped to cool it down. In any case, we missed two speed sections and the finish arch. All of which means we’ll be back in the back again tomorrow and also that we’re out of contention for a podium finish. BUT! we’re still having fun and pinching ourselves over how lucky we are to even be here, battery or no battery

As Willie says, “I just can’t wait to get back on the road again” and I didn’t have to wait long. Conrad, Christine, Bill and Ed pulled a near all-nighter and we made Day 4. The first three speed stages were canceled due to a bad accident between a La Carrera car and a civilian car. Everyone is going to been fine, but the driver of the La Carrera car has a broken clavicle. We had a broken sway bar, tranny mount and oil pan, but Conrad worked his magic and today was a solid day. We were started 82nd due to missing the last stage yesterday but our time today will hopefully put us back in the top 20 and in the hunt for a class win. We’ll see. I’m the meantime – here I sit at a rooftop bar in old city of Morelia thinking about how lucky I am. To be safe, to have friends like Conrad and Christine and to be able to do this. It’s a good day indeed.

Day 3 started out well enough. Nice long transit to the first speed stage – a short fast one. Then a quick downhill twisty second speed stage. Another long transit and a couple more speed stages and then our luck ran out. Or, rather I ran into a guardrail, bounced off and we landed fifteen feet off the road in a ditch. It was a simple turn but I came in too hot and lost it. The little Taxi is tough but it doesn’t like going off road. The underside was badly bent up and the team is still in the process of sorting out just how badly. If anyone can fix it, Conrad can. I just wish I hadn’t broken it to begin with. Tomorrow is uncertain. I will keep you posted.