Still in!
Poor wmitchell... the devil made him do it!Jan. 6th. Driver No. 28 wmitchell – 1932 Ford (OUT – withdrew)
As each team followed their directions, and interpretation of the symbols and codes used for navigators, things got a bit interesting. The distances and times to their nightly check in locations were identical, but routes were different from team to team, sure they did cross paths, some nights all will be in the same town, but variety did exist. Each team’s navigators had to decipher the symbols and codes for identifying the correct road to take.
Team E was off to a good start, and interesting group of vehicles. All from across the pond. We have a Studebaker, Packard, Cord, Cadillac, a Ford and here a real twist. A Datsun from the other side of the world. Luxury cars, family cars and a sleeper from the Orient.
Driver Noodles is off in his Cord, the sleek form disappearing quickly over the horizon. Hopefully he can watch the speed. Each car must complete the set legs of the rally in pre-determined times. So being too slow is as bad as being too fast here. Looks like they team drivers are sticking together.
Driver wmitchell turned to his navigator, “Did you just miss telling me about a turn?” “No not at all. We keep on this route for …… 2 ½ miles more, then hang a sharp right.” Behind them wmittchell could see the shiny Cord in the distance, damn they were catching up!. Driver JohnYaddy motored along in his Datsun, surprised at the nimbleness of the small car. Turning to his navigator, “Lucky for us speed is not the objective. This little unit is actually a nice car.” “Yes, it is, could be a real sleeper for us.”
As per a pre-arranged set the vehicles stopped in a local pub for lunch. As they were staggered times, the team members only met for a brief time before leaving again.
Driver wmitchell put down his pint, “and I am telling you that we must go to the west! There is a shortcut I know of,” “But sir, this is a timed event not a race.” “Stop interrupting me, I am the driver after all. If we get ahead, this will allow us to pull over for a snooze, or better yet a quickie.” Small cough “If we make this little town I know, there is the perfect little establishment we can visit.” With that he downed pint, “Come on, come on time’s a wasting.” Soon they were off. Wmitchell pulled to the side about an hour after lunch. “Well we are set. Full tank of gas, some food, cigarettes and googles. Here is the shortcut.” The navigator gasped, “Shortcut! that is nothing but a cow-path, and a poor one at that.” “Don’t you worry laddie; I know what I am doing.” With that he turned off the road and began going down the cow-path, the vehicle bouncing erratically over the rocks, ruts and bumps. Soon they were out of sight of the road, and of any dwellings.
As the sun set, and the teams pulled into their assigned hostels for the night. After the first day of driving there was an air of excitement around. The teams checked over their vehicles, making sure everything was mechanically sound, and all fluids topped up. At the dinner table CJB3 held out the newspaper he had been reading. Look at this. “It says that after the long history of mining in the area, it is like a big Swiss cheese, hole, tunnels every where. You could lose an entire bus in some of these old pits.” “Yes, rather fascinating isn’t it?” “say we should an early night. Supposed to get a bit of weather tomorrow.
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In the morning the time-keeper and officials are recording the depart times, the air noticeably colder, as their breath shows. “I say, CJB3, you're the lead driver in your team. We have not seen wmitchell. Do you know what is on with him?” CJB3 checks in with the other cars on his team, then the hotel. Finally, he walks up to the officials table, “No one has seen wmitchell since lunch time yesterday. Some heard him talking about a shortcut. Most likely lost somewhere, and/or broken down. May have to drop him. It would be shame, so early in the course.”
I think I will refrain from the feb one blade challenge not because I can't do 29 days but I have 23 days on the blade I have now and am not wanting to retire it early so I can see if I can stretch it to 60+. But I would encourage folks to try the one blade Feb challenge because you might be surprised how long a blade really can last.
Ruckin (super frugal in some dimensions but not others)
Give it some time and they will work out the bugs. There will be updates to the design and perhaps better materials, too. You already have what you need for the sabbatical.
# | Name | Exception | Car |
Team One | |||
1 | Pepin | Vintage razor | Citroën Traction Avant |
2 | pbrmhl | Stirling razor | Audi Type SS |
3 | CzechCzar | Stirling's new efficient razor | 1933 Duesenberg II SJ Boattail Speedster |
4 | jim99 | Stirling Christmas soap | 1937 supercharged Cord |
5 | garyTha | No Exception | Austin 12 |
6 | JAHE | No Exception | Audi 920 black drop-top |
Team Two | |||
7 | JeffJ | No Exception | Lancia Dilambda |
8 | deafficianado | Wolfman razor | Bentley Speed Six |
9 | martym | No Exception | Renault GS |
10 | tsimmns | Tub WK Fern Concerto Menthol | 1929 Alfa Romeo 6C |
11 | Ruva | No Exception | 1936 Ford Model C Ten |
12 | Ruckin | No Exception | 1937 ford pickup |
Team Three | |||
13 | Sotiris_A | Shaving scuttle | Bugatti Type 57S |
14 | AZBronco | No Exception | 1933 Derby (French car) |
15 | Invicta | No Exception | Jensen H type |
16 | VerbaVolant | one stainless razor | Bugatti 55 Roadster |
17 | Chandu | No Exception | Rolls-Royce Twenty |
18 | T.Orso | witch hazel | Triumph Gloria Vitesse |
Team Four | |||
19 | ByDoms | No Exception | MG 14/28 |
20 | Keen Edge | No Exception | Scuderia Ferrari Alfa 8C-35 |
21 | Emwolf | No Exception | Opel Kapitan |
22 | AlphaFrank75 | Red Tip Rocket refurbished | Mercedes-Benz SSK |
23 | RTM | No Exception | Bentley 8 Litre |
24 | 02fhhtci | (1) tub of Murphy and McNeil Nantahala | Cadillac 355 |
Team Five | |||
25 | CJB3 | grail razor | Studebaker President |
26 | GeromimoWSB | No Exception | Packard 8 |
27 | JohnYaddy | OneBlade razor | Datsun type 11 |
29 | Noodles | Wolfman razor | 1937 Cord 812 Phaeton |
30 | JohnnieTime | witch hazel | Cadillac Series 60 |
Team Six | |||
31 | bobmsp | stainless steel razor | Dusenberg SJ Speedster |
32 | Brian C. | No Exception | 1937 Ford Convertible |
33 | mikelz777 | No Exception | Mercedes Benz 320A |
34 | Timeclo | One artisan brush | Mercedes Benz 500K |
35 | Atlantic59 | One pack travel razors | Alfa Romeo 6C 2300B Mille Miglia |
36 | Carm10 | No Exception | GAZ-M1 |
Team Seven | |||
37 | 5Cantonas | Fatip slant | Chrysler Imperial |
38 | ShavingPanda | Brush | 1937 Jaguar SS |
39 | Ryanshh | Bingle Buddy Gift Exchange | 1936 Lincoln Zephyr |
40 | Drquantum | DR Harris Arlington soap | 1932 Nash Ambassador Eight |
41 | olegunnar | Travel Cart(s) | Peugeot Type 183 |
42 | Doc_S | strop replacement | Steyr 220 Gläser Roadster (1939) |
Team Eight | |||
43 | Geneaut | Old Spice Shave Mug | Wolseley Hornet 6 ( 1930 ) |
44 | AKH223 | Bugatti Type 35B Grand Prix (1925) | |
45 | Chesty | No Exception | Hispano-Suiza H6 |
46 | Earcutter | Mentholated aftershave | Fiat 518 |
47 | Meanpr | Travel Razor | 1935 DeSoto Airflow |
48 | Mr_Houston | No Exception | 1931 Hillman Wizard |
Team Nine | |||
49 | Azwetshaver | Straight razor | Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster |
50 | It's Hedley | Grail Razor | Moon-Ruxton 1930 Model C |
51 | Silky Glide | No Exception | 1933 Pierce Silver Arrow |
52 | MuhleShaver | No Exception | 1938 VW Beetle |
53 | karhu | Semogue Mistura Brush | 1928 Morris Minor |
54 | Thomas Darkblade | No Exception | 1925 Mercedes W05 SSKL |
Team Ten | |||
55 | kaidecologne | 39 Opel Kapitän Cabriolet | |
56 | jamesearthdrum | No Exception | 1930 KJ Henderson |
57 | Raven Koenes | Fatip Slant | 1939 Fiat 1500 B |
58 | Neffarious | No Exception | Mercedes Benz 710-SSK |
59 | Wtd1911 | Simpson Chubby 2 or 3 Manchurian | Adler 2 Liter |
60 | Heron | Shave soap | Datsun 17 |
61 | Esetter | eplate one razor | Morris Oxford |
Team Eleven | |||
62 | bjm | Timeless razor | 1930 Cadillac V-12 |
63 | Rvshave | No Exception | '29 Ruxton Roadster |
64 | _Stormin_ | No Exception | 32 Duesenberg Model SJ |
65 | 147_Grain | No Exception | Alfa Romeo P3 |
66 | Aziraphale | King Cobra SE | '36 Lincoln K-Series (Zephyr) V-12 |
67 | KQY61 | No Exception | 1917 Disbrow Special |
68 | gcconspiracy | OC plate for Karve CB | Bugatti Royale |
Fantastic!As I was heading for the next checkpoint at a breakneck speed; I rounded a blind corner in my Bugatti. There in the narrow road an object suddenly appeared ahead! At that speed; I instantly knew that I was in trouble. It wasn't a huge object in the road, but enough to damage tires, wheels, suspension, oil pan, and if it kicked up in to the undercarriage who knows what damage the car would sustain. Visions of wrecking out of the race and disappointing all of my team members flashed in my head. I had only one option. I hit the brakes hard, but a bit too hard and the rear end broke loose and started to skid. My car threatened to spin me around like a top! Quick counter steering kept me on the road as I pumped the brakes furiously and fought for control. I barely managed to keep the car pointed in the correct direction. I finally got stopped, and with just inches to spare. I hopped out of the roadster to investigate this menacing object in the road that threatened to take me out of the race and end my sabbatical journey.
It looked like a strange rock....However, as I picked it up it was far too light on one end to be a solid rock. Wiping the dust and dirt away with my hand it became more apparent what I was holding. It turned out to be a piece of aluminum that had threatened my continuation of the race. It had slots and teeth cut all over it. A thought crossed my mind, but could it really be what I thought? I rushed to the car and grabbed my canteen. A quick pour of some water revealed its identity.
It WAS a Rock....a Razorock!
There on the bottom was the laser engraving! It said Razorock on one side, and there on the other....SLOC 2.0. It was the previously teased and just released razor from Razorock!
I had to sit down and lean against my Bugatti's front bumper to calm myself from both the narrowly avoided collision and the excitement of finding this new razor in the road. I began to wonder how it had gotten here? My mind then jumped to the rules of our race. Specifically the rule that forbids purchasing or acquiring any additional shave gear while the race is ongoing. If you didnt have it in the car when you started, you couldnt add it. I knew I couldnt bear to leave this lovely razor on the side of the road. Luckily I had the foresight to declare the milled SLOC as my solitary exception to this rule. Now that exception has been used!
Finding an extra cloth in my car; I wiped the razor down, wrapped it carefully, and packed it away in my lugage. I jumped back in the car, buckled my lap belt, and headed down the road. Eagerly anticipating getting to the next checkpoints and being able to give this new found razor a thorough shakedown to see if it is as sleek, fast, forgiving, enjoyable, and reliable as my Bugatti auto has been!
For me this is one of those “look no further” combinations. The Old Type is my favourite razor aesthetically, the most pleasing to use as an object. And Bic seems to be the blade to deliver its best performance.