WIA AGM 2017

Tha annual WIA AGM for 2017 was held at Hahndorf in the Adelaide Hills. Commencing Friday night May 19th 2017 with a pizza meal at the Adelaide Hills Convention Centre. Saturday morning was the AGM commencing at 0900. Followed by an open forum session with the newly elected board of Directors. Saturday afternoon had a raft of local presenters in their special fields. Saturday night the gala dinner was held at the Convention Centre. Sunday morning many headed to the Birdwood Motor Museum, some tried out Parks operation. The afternoon at the Hahndorf football club was a display from all the presenters, including a balloon launch by AREG, followed by a BBQ meal.

 

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Friday. October 23rd.

Leaving Port Augusta at 8am this morning. Thats 9am daylight saving time. With car 88 still. The team booked a motel last night so a good sleep.
Expect to be in Adelaide after lunch. In Victoria square.
The last 3 weeks have been a wonderful experience meeting people from all walks of life and 25 plus different countries.

3 phase AC motor. Usually only one wheel driven.

Battle to the finish in Cruiser class between my car 88 Kogakuin uni Japan and team 40 Eidenhoven, Netherlands. We leave 13 mins before them. Live tracking at WSC 2015 website.

Car 88 arrived around 12.30 Friday followed later by 40.
With the Cruiser Class there are other tests to Calculate points for the winner. Tesults at the awards night on Sunday night at the Entertainment cente.

Thursday October 22nd

Coober Pedy.
5am rise, well 6am SA time. Event stays on NT time. Car repaired last night so car 14 should be off again at 8am.
It was cold last night. First time for a couple of weeks.

We slept while they worked.

At Glendambo. Leaving car 14, waiting for the next car. Could be 88 by the web map. Car 88 it is.

Port Augusta at 4.30 race time. 30 mins in control means no move on tonight. Will leave here with team 88. Probably arrive in Adelaide around 1pm Adelaide time.

Eidenhoven Stella Lux charging at Pt Augusta.

Getting the best angle.

Car 88, KoGakuin University charging at Pt Augusta.
Will leave tomorrow with them for Adelaide.

Wednesday 21st October

Tuesday night with team 17 we were heading to Erldunda. Looked forward to a grassy spot with a shower. Team spotted a storm near our destination and pulled up 20k north while still in sunshine so the batteries could be charged. Well we got wind, dust, spots of rain and under the rules we stayed here for the night. Dust abated, still windy, lightning in the distance, could be a fun night. 😨😨
Anyway they fed me and I will hit bed shortly and see what the night brings. Lucky I grabbed a shower in Alice Springs.
Time now 8.15 NT time.

The night was warm and windy till about 3am. Then the wind dropped and it became quite cool. Needed the blanket.
5am start again and car positioned to get the first rays of sun on the panels. Breakfast cereal with eggs and bacon.
All ready for an 8am start. Will upload this as we flash through Erldunda where there is a Telstra cell. Could make another 600k today.

Coober Pedy. 4.30 SA time. Change car and move on. Moved back to the other South African team. Both very competitive with each other. Unfortunately the car 14 has problems so we overnight at Coober Pedy.
Shower and green grass to camp on. Well no grass at Coober Pedy.

Last charge for car 14 at Coober Pedy. Note they spray the solar panels with distilled water to cool them.
Spaghetti Bolonaise for tea, yum. Team 14 are awesome cooks.

Tuesday 20th

Overnight at Bonney Well with car 14. Sourh Africa. Awesome food. Mum and Dad are cooks. Approaching Barrow Creek. Could make Kulgera tonight.
Staying with car 14.

Mum and Dad cook. BBQ last night. Sausages, satay and salad. Breakfast scrambled eggs and muffin. Great night under the stars.

Arriving Alice Springs. 1.45. All times in CST not daylight time.

Changed to team 17 and off again in 5 minutes. Managed a quick shower at the check point. Clean shirt and clean sox.

Monday 19th.

Good sleep at the Daly Waters roadhouse. Had to get the hotel management to remove a belligerent drunk last night. He wanted to discus the was with the Japanese lads. Most have poor english so it was harassment. Probably get a car change later today. Car 88 is leading the Cruiser class.

5am the camp stirs. I have the key to the battery boxes. The truck and car move to the forecourt of the servo and the car tolted to get a charge from the morning sun. 8am of South. Breakfast in the roadhouse.

Travel today could be around 700km. Depending on the car. The fast Challenger cars are well past us already. Could end up around Ti Tree or Barrow Creek tonight.

1025. Elliott. With car 5 Colombia.

Incident with the car. Canopy blew off. Car did a 360 to the other side. Young lady driving ok. Changed drivers. Happened again after 10 mins. Decision for safety to tape part of the canopy down. Uneventual trip to Tennant Creek.

Waiting to be put in another car.
Car 14 just came in.
South Africa

Car 14 filling up at the control stop

Darwin. Sunday 18th. Start day.

WoooHooo. Its 4am and sleep has gone. 6am pickup by the team to assemble in parliament square and leave around 8.
In the last 2 weeks I have met people from all walks of life. all ages and many countries of the world. Made many new friends, some will endure, others will pass. All without exception having a passion to see this event succeed. We were lectured yesterday by the clerk of course, superintendent of police, and doctors all with a view to keeping us safe and well. To ensure the event continues. I start with car 88, but will most likely be changed to another car upon reaching Dunmurra. Sleep tonight will be somewhere we find at 5pm. Yes, 5pm all teams stop and make camp for the night. To leave at 8am the following day. All event times are CST, even in SA.
Check the website for live tracking information. Google Bridgestone World Solar Challenge. Also a twice daily web tv report. WSCTV.

See yaalll in Adelaide. Bugger that is the Texan teams influence.

Beautiful shower. Possibly the last till Adelaide.

More technolgy in the car than the space shuttle. Lol

Wetting down the panels while in control at Katherine. Arrived 1.06 CST. Leaving after 30 mins

Daly Waters roadhouse for the night. The team all rush out to set the car up for a charge from what’s left of the sun. It will end up on its side facing west.

Support truck.

Looks like I will get a shower and camp on green grass.
580km today. Top speed over 100km per hour.
50k north of Dunmurra. I expect to be moved to another car when we get there tomorrow morning. Telstra cell here so internet ok. No Optus for phone. Email ok

Darwin. Saturday

Observer training this morning at Hidden Valley. Safety briefing this afternoon. Our assignment to a team will be announced. Need to arrange for them to pick me up in the morning at 6am. Otherwise it is a long walk along Mitchell St to the start.

Ready for training, but first a coffee…..😨😨😨

Cruiser Class. Team 88. Lap time 73.5km/h. Grid 22
Kogakuin University. I will be with them tomorrow. They have a chef so good food guaranteed. 😄😄😄😄😄

Packing up for an early start. Charging all the gadgets. Need to be at the start area at 6am. Team will pick me up from here at 6am as there is quite a walk with heavy stuff.
I am carrying a swag, daypak and a bag of clothes. Thanks Nicholas for the loan of your Candy camper canvas bag. I will look after it. I have stashed a few snacks and a couple of tins of food just in case.

Darwin. Friday

Extended the car for another day. Caught up with Damien from NEC for coffee. Visited Crocodile Park. Called in to Hidden Valley. Shopped for last minute supplies.
Drinks at the CAV hotel.

This car is so cute. School from UK

At the Cav.

Darwin. Thursday

Visit to the Darwin Amateur Radio Club this morning.
Welcomr BBQ at the showgrounds at 6 tonight.
Posting home 4 to 5 kg of clothes to lighten up the trip home.
Tomorrow we all get 3 yellow observers shirts, a hat, a timing watch.

More static scrutineering.

University of Adelaide

Cambridge University

Tokai University. One of the favourites for 2015.

Bridgestone provided a BBQ for the 800 people involved.

Just had to get a selfie with Shane Jacobsen. One of Australias best actors.

Jim and Terry received an award for volunteering at all events since the beginning.