「Giro、、」回想記�� 仲間と激走
- AMAZONとクラシックイベント
- by suna
- 2009/06/03 水 01:26
「Giro、、、」１日目は、軽井沢の浅間プリンスをスタートして、小諸市、上田市を経て、地蔵峠、菅平、そして、草津温泉から嬬恋牧場を通過して浅間白根火山ルートを南下して軽井沢へと戻る２２５ｋｍのコースに８箇所のチェックポイントが設定されていました。そのＣＰ間のアベレージ速度は、予想はしていたものの、「・122」AMAZONで必死に走っても、やっと5分の余裕が出来るか出来ないかのハイスピード。何しろ、往年の日本アルペンラリーや全日本選手権ラリーでさんざん走り回り、激戦の舞台となった地蔵峠（もっとも当時はダート、今は舗装ですが、、）や未だに根雪の残る標高２０００ｍ急の峠道でヒルクライムとヒルダウンを繰り返すのですから年老いたクラシックカーには、とても厳しいものでした。さらに、「林道大谷不動線」では、”自由参加”のヒルクライム（たったの８００mでしたが）まで用意されていました。「・122」AMAZONは、どうせエントリーしたなら、全てアタック、、、というチャレンジスピリットで、ポルシェ３５６やロータス、ランチア、ルノーＡ１１０、トライアンフ、アルファロメオ、などなど、元気なスポーツカーにくっついて、ヒルクライムに挑戦。ちょっと場違いかな、、、と、気恥ずかしさもありましたが、急坂を2速ギアで「ゼイゼイ」しながらスタート地点に並びました。きちんとＷＲＣ並みの計時をされるので、順番待ちとなるのですが、さすがに北欧のAMAZON、待機中に水温上昇。ただ、この状態を予測して、急遽電動ファンを装着したので、何とかオーバーヒートは免れました。そして、スタート計時オフィシャルの方が「いやー驚き、、、AMAZONでチャレンジですか、、、でもAMAZONはサファリやアクロポリス、モンテでも活躍しましたからね、、、。私、大好きなのです、、、頑張って、、、」と、熱い声援をいただき、必死にヒルクライム。ま、当然といえば当然ですが、たった８００mとはいえ、トップタイムのライトウェイトスポーツカーから、「軽く」20秒も離されました。このような、厳しくも楽しいＣＰ間を１００分の1秒の誤差を競って走るのですが、車をいたわり、可能な限り速く、ミスコース無く、電波時計の秒を追いかけ続けなければなりません。当然、前後を走る仲間の動向も気になるところですが、今年の「Giro、、」には、唯一のVolvo仲間としてP1800EのSさん、TACC仲間のベテランＩさんとＴさんのFiat850spiderも出場。「・122」AMAZONと時々、一緒に走る機会にも恵まれました。
The first day of Giro started off from Asama Prince Hotel, made its way thru Komoro and Ueda City, up thru Jizo Pass and into Sugadaira, Kusatsu Onsen, Tsumagoi, down Asama Shirane Kazan route and down back into Karuizawa. A 225kn route with 8 checkpoints. It was a high speed rally with .122 only able to make it barely 5 min. within the time. The course was set within the same type of route as the Japan Alpen Rally in the past going up and down 2000m class passes which is quite a lot of work for the old classic cars in this rally. There was a 800 meter hill climb that were were able to choose whether to participate. We decided we might as well since we entered the rally, so we wset off with the Porsche 356, Louts, Lancia, Renault A110, Triumph, Alfa Romeo and other great sportscars. We felt a bit out of place but climbed up the hill on 2nd gear to get the starting point. We had to wait in line, but being a Scandinavian car, the water temperature rose and we had to turn on the electric fan. At the starting point, the official said "wow, I never expected to see an Amazon here. But I guess the Amazon has left its mark in Safari, Acropolis and Monte Carlo rallies. I really like this car". So with this strong supporting words we started off but this was and Amazon after all, and even tho the distance was only 800m there was a 20sec lag between the cars ahead of us. The CPs measured us to the 100th of a second and during this time, we had to make sure that the cars were ok, we didn't go off course. At the same time, I wondered where my comrades were. There was Mr. S on a P1800E, a Fiat50 Spider from the TACC. We sometime got to run together during the Giro which made the whole event even more enjoyable.
The first day of Giro started off from Asama Prince Hotel, made its way thru Komoro and Ueda City, up thru Jizo Pass and into Sugadaira, Kusatsu Onsen, Tsumagoi, down Asama Shirane Kazan route and down back into Karuizawa. A 225kn route with 8 checkpoints. It was a high speed rally with .122 only able to make it barely 5 min. within the time. The course was set within the same type of route as the Japan Alpen Rally in the past going up and down 2000m class passes which is quite a lot of work for the old classic cars in this rally. There was a 800 meter hill climb that were were able to choose whether to participate. We decided we might as well since we entered the rally, so we wset off with the Porsche 356, Louts, Lancia, Renault A110, Triumph, Alfa Romeo and other great sportscars. We felt a bit out of place but climbed up the hill on 2nd gear to get the starting point. We had to wait in line, but being a Scandinavian car, the water temperature rose and we had to turn on the electric fan. At the starting point, the official said "wow, I never expected to see an Amazon here. But I guess the Amazon has left its mark in Safari, Acropolis and Monte Carlo rallies. I really like this car". So with this strong supporting words we started off but this was and Amazon after all, and even tho the distance was only 800m there was a 20sec lag between the cars ahead of us. The CPs measured us to the 100th of a second and during this time, we had to make sure that the cars were ok, we didn't go off course. At the same time, I wondered where my comrades were. There was Mr. S on a P1800E, a Fiat50 Spider from the TACC. We sometime got to run together during the Giro which made the whole event even more enjoyable.
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