July 11, 2018. Liège, Belgium

We did about 150 miles today wandering some back roads on the way to Liege, Belgium. I was on my back making repairs or adjustments three times but that's the point of driving to the event as opposed to trailering there (which is what the vast majority seem to have done).

Better to suffer your vehicle's indiscretions when the clock is not ticking than when the rally begins and breakdowns can cost you in the competition or worse.

The list included checking the rear axle hub bolts for appropriate torque, a loose dipstick that allowed oil to spew all over my engine compartment, the clutch cable adjustment lock nut going missing and the cable going slack, an air filter housing that kept coming apart and finally a loose exhaust flange nut resulting in a blown exhaust gasket.

I'm tired just recounting it all. The last of the repairs was done within minutes of the first event dinner at 8pm. I'm having the time of my f'ing life and Lorraine is hanging admirably. We now have to ditch the phone and GPS and do serious old fashioned navigation using maps to find various specified passage control milestones, which will be Lorraine's job as navigator. Wish us luck and sleep.