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The Route
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Night 0 - Night out in New York, or Staten Island, to be precise
As always, the rally route is subject to change. Participating teams receive updates.
A pre-event evening is usually arranged so that we can get together and inspect each other's equipment. Cars, that is. This is the moment where you can discuss strategy, which seems to center mostly around the many uses for duct tape. It's a moment you won't forget once you see more rolling wrecks than you ever imagined.
It will, of course, be difficult to beat the BABE2006 grand entrance of Team Don't Call Us Christopher, 'cuz We Ain't Walken, who managed to arrive with their vehicle on the back of a tow-truck. It seems that having sputtered and spewed from San Diego, the thought of just one more mile was too much for the old girl, and she showed her disdain at the first Staten Island exit.
In true Banger Rally style, however, the Walken boys were true to their name and were cruisin' down the road the next day in hulking American steel.
In BABE's inaugural run, they set the tone for all events that followed: Just get 'er there.
Day 1 - New York to Harrisonburg
The end of the first day should find us in Harrisonburg, Virginia, provided we can read a map. We made it every year so far, no reason to think we won't find Harrisonburg again.
It's an easy drive that will finish with a short stretch on the Skyline Drive across the top of the Blue Ridge, before decending into Harrisonburg.
Day 2 - Harrisonburg to Newport
Day 2 is similar day to Day 1 with a fairly easy drive to Newport, Tennessee.
The day starts with a fabulous drive along the Blue Ridge to take in a bit of the Shenendoah, and then onto the Interstate to make up time to Newport.
Day 3 - Lost in the Appalachians
Day 3 is the first of the two hard days.
Starting at Newport we head down to Gatlinburg and across Right Hand Gap. We pass through Cherokee and Bryson City and onto the famous Deals Gap.
Deals Gap is 318 turns in 11 miles, which works out at one curve every 50 yards. An incredible drive!
Day 4 - Emerge from the Appalachians
In 2009, we added a second driving day through the mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina. It was a raging success and gives us an additional day along the route that we can vary things up from year to year.
These two days are under regular redevelopment as we drive the roads and find new and cool things.
Teams will receive direct updates, which may or may not be posted here.
The final part of the day is a dash to Gadsden, Alabama, for a relaxing evening and a well-deserved dip in the pool.
Day 5 - Gadsden to New Orleans
The final day will be the longest of them all in distance so your vehicle needs to be up to snuff.
There is a photocall first thing in the morning and a prompt 9:00AM start to get you into New Orleans in the late afternoon for a night in what is probably the best party town on the planet!
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