Creeping ever closer to our deadline; we reached mid-March with the TR6  lurching ever forward in much the same way I imagine 1960’s advertising executives walked, following yet another boozy lunch.  Apparent progress but no real sense of the final destination in terms of time or location.

Meanwhile, in my corner of the world, rally back-up plans were being wrapped up.  The Egg returned from her doctor with a clean bill of health and re-balanced wheels.  We’d also begun the conversation about future improvements to consider – replacing the Fuchs wheels with something as interesting to look at, but lighter in weight and better in performance, and the reality of fifty-one-year-old metal bodywork.  She still looks great, but much like her owner, needs a more comprehensive ‘skincare’ routine these days.  For the Egg, I’m looking at moving ahead with at least a partial restoration come 2018.  For myself?  A similar plan seems more and more likely with each year that goes by!

Cousin Harry continued to insist that all would be well and yet seemed to be doing little else than directing the rest of us to complete various tasks…..a situation I realized was completely and utterly of my own making.  After all, until now his only job was to show up, look pretty and try not to fall asleep before we made it out of the stadium car park.  Everything else had been taken care of, with almost military precision, by yours truly; the family Rally Fairy. The wings are clearly optional, but the ability to sprinkle my fairy dust has become second nature over the past 5 Copperstate years.  I reminded him we still had Plan B waiting in the wings, should she be needed; but my suggestion we ship The Egg over to AZ, just in case, was rejected outright with no chance of renegotiation.

So, I opted for a slightly different tactic and made sure to send reminder emails and texts every couple of days until we reached last Friday, and the collective sigh of relief could happen. Boxes ticked, mechanical updates finished, paperwork completed and submitted; all signs are hopefully go.

Early on, during one of his super-enthusiastic phases about the TR6, we’d had a discussion about goggles, and how we probably needed matching pairs.  However, I require prescription lenses and the options he’d found seemed to have more in common with a swimming pool than automobile.  Instead, I decided to tread a somewhat different sartorial path, and can report with confidence that I’m going to look fabulous, even on the back of a tow-truck.  Cream coloured Davida Helmet, vintage style mirrored (prescription) sun-glasses, my fabulous driving gloves and scarf thanks to the team at Autodromo.  I may be missing the Egg this year, but I’ll be representing her in style!!

And so, with two days left before I fly to Phoenix, I’m happy to report I’m really looking forward to this year’s event.  I’ve made a couple of appropriate offerings to the rally gods in the hope they’ll smile kindly on dear cousin Harry’s endevour.  The Copperstate app has been updated (available for free download on either iPhone or Android), and we have another collection of spectacular cars and fantastic people to explore the back roads of Arizona, with.  There will be photos, hopefully a few blog posts and the guarantee of some really wonderful memories, again!