Totem Rally 2008, by Ron Sorem

November 22-23, 2008 Cache Creek to Clearwater, BC.

The West Coast Rally Association, and co-organizers Paul Westwick and Nicki Beverly presented their 2008 version of the Totem Rally. "Winter Roads Summer Ditches" warns of sometimes icy and snow covered roads, without the aid of soft snowbanks. 2008 brought plenty of winter roads, with the the odd addition of dust. Snow played its role late Saturday, but all cars made it through, altough  two controls were cancelled.  Sunday saw most of the two-wheel drive cars turn back on one snow-covered hillclimb, missing at least one control.

Twenty-four cars took the start, including 11 Subarus, seven cars from BC, and the stateside competitors from as far away as California and Arizona; in addition, Paul's Course Opening Car and five checkpoint crews, including three from Washington.

Teams began the day with a brisk run up Battle Creek FSR with its narrow twisting climb early, then hairpin exposure clinging to the slope. Into the woods another hairpin climb steeper still, before turning onto Deadman - Cache Creek Rd for the "Yawning Pit of Death" downhill switchback. Three checkpoints kept crews striving for zeroes.

Next up was an uncharacteristically dry Red Lake Regularity. The uphill hairpins of Sabastion Creek FSR and the following downhill with a spectacular view of Kamloops Lake (Thompson River) were dry and dusty. Copper Creek through the cattle valley, and the hairpins climbing to Red Lake were smooth and brisk. Tranquille - Criss Creek dropped to the river at Kamloops for the first gas stop and break, after five scored checkpoints.

North along Westsyde and the North Thompson, for Gorman Lake Regularity, and O'Conner Lake FSR into the first signs of snow. Slippery roads and deer hunters (paying more attention to along the road than on the road) were challenges for the field. One novice team missed the intersection for a right turn off the main road and continued several minutes off course, to recover and be led out by a checkpoint car, rejoining the rally, on-time, after the next break, in Barriere. One car found a rock had been too large for the oil pan and limped back to Kamloops.
East from Barrier along Agate Bay Road to Johnson Lake Regularity and the hairpins climbing, the run along the lake, and the hairpins dropping back to Adams Lake FSR. Both Car 1 and Car 2 suffered flats along Adams Lake after taking zeroes at the only checkpoint.

Over the Pass Regularity will be the one of stories to come. The first checkpoint crew (call them the scouting party) radioed snow on the road at 11km. Then 4-inches or more at 15km. Then serious snow and difficulty staying in the only track. Over the pass and the snow was reported a bit less deep, but no less tricky going. The two-wheel drive course opening car lost traction, climbing the ridge, high centering in the deep snow. The first competitors helped get him going again and  pushed him up and over, presenting a four-car train at the next checkpoint. A bit further back in the pack, Car 8 led a seven-car train, all passing our control in a 41-second window. Instructions of "just get through" met most of the cars, others ran on time, with time declarations. Quoting the Organizers: "Conflicting instructions given to those who were held up behind course opening makes it impossible to generate reasonable and fair scores, even with the time declarations, therefore, those controls [at 29.89 and 41.90] are not being scored". It should be noted that all cars made it through the regularity, although several more two-wheel drive cars needed some assistance, and held up others in the field. I can confirm that snow depth at our control was 10-inches, already on the downhill of the ridge. The Historic Saab Sonett retired in Clearwater with transmission issues.
Dinner and parties ensued at the Wells Gray Inn in Clearwater.

Day Two began with a transit south and a short distance west on Highway 24. A frosty gravel Eakin Creek Regularity would wake up the rally. Three checkpoints greeted the teams, first in gravel then in snow. One team slid wide on a medium right uphill and parked in a dry creek, on the driver's door. Minor scratches on the car, nothing on the crew. Sweep transported the team to Bridge Lake where they waited a little more than an hour for a recovery vehicle from 100 Mile House. Following the extraction and the various cell calls reporting to wives and organizers, they drove to the finish in Cache Creek.

A transit into Clinton BC for fuel and snacks preceded Big Bar Lake Regularity. Big Bar and Jesmond are nearly automatic on Central BC events. This year's route covered 89.57km (55.66 miles) of smooth main-line gravel with a few sections of frosty snow. There are numerous speed changes on Big Bar due to the Guest Ranches and working cattle ranches. Speeds ranged from a high of 72km/h (44.7mph) down to a very short stint at 27km/h (16.8mph) in hairpins, past a couple of cabins right on the road.

 
A very short transit past Kelly Lake brought the rally to Pavilion Regularity, a 19.42-km run, beginning with a snowy twisting hillclimb, that took its toll on the two-wheel drive cars. Of course, this impacted everyone else behind them on the road. Only one 2wd car made it though -- the rest backtracked to Clinton and south on Highway 97 to Cache Creek. We were later told that the "Winter Road Closure" sign was not in place one week earlier. Recent snow and light travel, to break a path, contributed to Totem's difficulties on Pavilion.

Congratulations to Glenn Wallace and R.Dale Kraushaar for First Overall, First Unlimited, with only 5 points for two days (Subaru Forester XT). Second to Jeff McMillen and Marvin Crippen one second back with 6 (Subaru WRX). Third to Jason Webster and Brandon Harer (Subaru STi), edging out Lee Sorenson and Rod Sorenson (Subaru 2.5RSW) both teams with 8, Jason and Brandon with more zeroes.

In Calculator Class, Paul Eklund and Kala Rounds (Subaru Forester XT) took 1st Calc, 7th Overall, with only 27 points. Steve Richards and Gary Reid (Subaru Impreza wagon) took 2nd Calc and 8th Overall with 34. Robert Gobright and Alex Schubel were the highest placing two-wheel drive, 3rd Calc and 9th Overall in the '92 VW Golf GTI, with 38.

First Paper (SOP) went to Steve Perret and Kathryn Hansen (Subaru Impreza wagon) with 156. First Novice to David Fox and son Simon Fox (Subaru WRX) with 251. First Historic to Mike Palm and Garth Hales in the '74 VW Superbeetle with 477. Twenty-two cars reported to the finish, 21 official "finishers".
Totem 2008 covered 806 kilometers or 501 miles, in 15 hours 40 minutes.