We started the day in last place, 10/10th.

Because being contained within the confines of a small car really exaggerates and fast-foward things. That’s why back in in 2012 I wrote a column, “Your car is an ideal debating arena“.

But so many laughs for Team Autonet, right to the end too. The sign of a great teammate.

Even though that afternoon David made us put the top down, and exposed me to the sun. Don’t like the sun; I wear 60 SPF on a gray winter day.

Yes, I did wear the same outfit all 3 days.

Remember after Day 2 I was all cavalier about getting a handle on mapping?  Spoke way too soon. Got us good and lost a couple times.

But come on, look at this mess to be navigated without electronic help.

First time my name has been on a car.

Drove the ‘Tail of the Dragon’.

Non-car nerds: it’s a stretch of road running through a forest over the border of Georgia and Tennessee. It’s loved by enthusiasts, who come from all over to drive it because it’s so complicated – 318 curves in 11 miles with steep banks, 70% blind corners and no straight lines.

Anyone who says they “tamed the dragon” though, that’s pretty pompous and my face will look back at them like top right.

I attacked it, used the whole road, and in the rain at that, but come on, tamed it? It’s a ridiculously aggressive road that takes huge guts, and I’ll bet there’s really only a few handfuls of people in the country who could literally “tame” it.

Bottom left is me during extreme focus and concentration.

Typing this right now, I’m having some regret at not filming it.

Why I did that – ever since I declared my GoPro dead to me, I’m left with just my phone, which produces shaky footage in these scenarios.  Plus, it’s a tiny cabin, and I needed 100% visibility, because one tiny mistake and it’s over a 4 story cliff, and then I’m forever that guy. 

For 3 days the tach looked like that #DreamComeTrue

That’s getting turned into a blog header.

Part of the gang after we completed the Dragon [photo: Dan Izaak]

We were the last team to return to the hotel at the end of the day. Again. But we crushed enough challenges that we crawled back up from 10th…

… to have Team Autonet tie for 5th place!

For two newbies, not bad. Proof is here.

The winners are:

1 – Team AutoGuide. com – Mike and Sami win $10,000 for the Accelerated Cure for MS Project
2 – Team Autos.ca – Jonathan and Hannah win $2,000 for Sick Kids Foundation
3 – Team Autofocus. ca – Vince and Dan win $1,000 for Kids Help Phone

(and that’s Chuck, Mazda’s PR big brain)

Here’s David and my daily updates over at the newspaper.

– Autonet.ca – Day 1

– Autonet.ca – Day 2

– Autonet.ca – Day 3

A fantastic competition, and compliments to its designers, Keith Townsend and Jud Buchanan of Vehicle Dynamics Group.

And thank you to Mazda for having me, and giving me the best driving experience of my life.