Here we go, six stages left, including the 58km Mt Arrowsmith stage. Today's journey goes across the state from Strahan to Hobart, through an enormous World Heritage National Park.
First stage was the reverse of the Rinnadinna stage the day before, a long climb out of Strahan, on wet roads, in trees, with a low sun to hit you in the eyes as you apex some of the corners ... Took it easy at the start, and then wound it up a bit when the road opened up further into the stage, really enjoyed this one. Overtook a few cars close together near the end, which was interesting on quite a narrow bit of road!
Then into Queenstown stage, up out of an old mining town, 'Deliverance' territory again, a very twisty road that is carved out of the mountain side, with a serious drop to one side. This is the stage you'll see some photos of if you look at Targa's website. I was very circumspect on this one, there's something about a helicopter hovering alongside you that is faintly intimidating. Still on Trophy though, as the road opens up into fun flowing stage down the back side of the hill, without the death-defying drop, so we could push on!
Mt Arrowsmith ... 58kms. Awesome ... Through the National Park, stunning scenery, and great road, but potentially treacherous, lots of surface changes, plenty of water on the surface although at least the sky was clear, and in places you could see diesel down on the race line, on top of the water ... nice. We had a few minor moments when the car understeered a touch in the corners. Fortunately there was once again plenty of long fast flowing stuff, some of which was already dried by the sun, so we made our Trophy Time quite comfortably. Three shortish stages to go, but a couple of long road runs, through amazingly beautiful unspoilt scenery; in some of the views it really wouldn't have been a surprise to see a brontosaurus, as it cannot have changed in that long.
Tarraleah was next up, moderate length stage at 8.64km, at the beginning of the week we'd have thought that was long, now it's just a short blast! A fun stage again, but we aren't pushing too hard now that we've nearly got to Hobart! Two stages to go ...
A long run to New Norfolk for lunch. I pulled the car up and a local greeted me warmly, and said he'd driven 30kms specifically to see us and our car, as he had seen it in the Sunday paper, this was news to us! He was a nice gentleman, a farmer nearby, and had a TR6 hence his interest. Obviously I went in search of a Sunday newspaper to see the photo that had piqued his interest - true enough it was taken at the corner on Riana stage on day 4, that I mentioned earlier - it's a great shot, with two wheels in the air on the left side of the car - I'm delighted, and texted my wife to tell her that I'd get it blown up to 6ft x 3ft to put it on the living room wall, it's much too good for the bathroom where car photos usually have to go!
Molesworth was a stage shortened by rain damaged roads, a bit mickey mouse in it's curtailed form, what David Ogg called a Goat Track, narrow, twisty and slippery as the rain had started again, coupled with that, this was our usual post-lunch time to foul-up. I didn't drive it well at all, but we beat the Trophy time again. One to go.
Grasstree Hill, a nice flowing smooth stage to finish, really enjoyed it, didn't push too hard for obvious reasons. We made it, Trophy Time again. Just a 20km road stage to complete in time and we're done - not a easy task with the clutch issues now worse ...
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