RTG1 - Flipbook - Page 24
29 Sept to 13 Oct 2024
Day 12
Ioannina to Neochori (307 km)
11 October 2024
The route to the second Regularity across the achelous
River was just as impressive. Given the road conditions,
the short section called for substantial sidewalls and beefy
brakes. a long cross-country tour through some beautiful
autumnal woodland took us to the Time control Restaurant
in the Meteoron Panorama Restaurant in Kalambaka.
nestling beneath the hanging monasteries, crews enjoyed
stuffed peppers, lamb kebabs and homemade cakes and an
extra 15 minutes to take a scenic loop and enjoy the views
over this unique UnEScO Heritage Site.
Then it was back to business with three Route checks
in Meteora, valtino, and lazarina shepherding the cars
into the Regularity in agios akakios. This was another
map-based section before the rally lined up for a pair of
exciting closed-road Tests at limni Plastira. With help from
the local constabulary, we secured a sinuous 2km tarmac
road, dropping us straight into a Time control in the
Graham and Marina Goodwin, 1929 Bentley 4½ Le Mans
Shane Houlihan and Andrew Boland, 1936 Ford V8 Convertible
www.rallytheglobe.com
Design: K-Design
although thick fog welcomed us as we opened the curtains,
Zeus blessed us with sunshine and blue skies to showcase
the charms of his ancient Hellada. The first Regularity, the
arachthos, ran down, then up an immense chasm for 25km
and crossed a river of the same name via countless hairpins
and broken tarmac. It was exhausting and dramatic. When
the rally reached the Time control in the la Godru cafe in
Kalarrytes, there were some very sore arms and plenty of
nervous chatter.
Word spread that this section had only been a warm-up
for the next and, as soon as we checked out of the control,
we began the climb of the 1,903m Baros Pass, one of the
highlights of the Pindos Mountains. This was a remote and
wild landscape, with evidence of rockfalls and landslides
around almost every corner. for the most part, the only
other living things we saw were cows, goats and the
occasional herdsman.
Text & photos: gerardbrown.co.uk
The crews needed to summon their Spartan spirit today for a day where the pace never eased. We drove
307km, climbed to 1903m, faced four Regularities, three Route checks, four Time controls and two
Tests, stretching both Organisers and competitors to new limits.
