THE INCA TRAIL

the big South American adventure rally

Day 39: Ushuaia - Rio Grande (354km)

The Inca Trail is proving to be one of the toughest ever rallies for classic cars. John Batesons Escort, navigated by Colin Francis, has had a share of troubles, but still clings onto a Gold Medal chance at the turning point of the event on Day 39.

Do and Ans Meeus celebrate reaching the end of the road - kilometre 3065 of Route 3 - and the most southerly rally control ever.

Car mascots celebrated as well, while this Magellan proves the point.

The most southerly main road draws to a close

Not a long day today, but a pretty busy one - and another record. As Route 3 comes to a full stop at Lapataia in the Tierra del Fuego National Park, the latitude reads 54( 51' 19"S. This is the end of the world's most southerly main road - and the location today for the most southerly rally control ever in the world.

Each competitor and 4x4 participant who visited the control received a certificate commemorating the moment, handed over by the King Penguin Marshal. A special way of remembering the moment when the Inca Trail turned around on the road to begin its return trip to Rio de Janeiro.

But classics and 4x4s had already had a busy morning. First came a visit to the most southerly race circuit in the world, just outside Ushuaia. It's a dirt track, with wonderful mountainous surroundings, and a brilliant atmosphere.

Then on to the world's most southerly steam railway, which was built by convicts to bring timber down from the hills into Ushuaia in the 19th century, and is now privately owned.

The return journey took crews from the most southerly point of Route 3 back to Ushuaia and thence to Rio Grande. There's not much choice of roads: you go down, you go back up. The afternoon's regularity for the classics repeated the route of yesterday's - in reverse. Yet more estancias, sheep, pampas and decaying forests. They don't manage woodland here: places where there have been forest fires are just left. In 1920, one fire burned unabated for an entire year. Time will tell whether nature intends most trees to grow in their place, it seems. Meanwhile, there are plenty more ...

And the most northerly main road ...

For Vic and Pam Quayle and one or two other crews, reaching the end of Route 3 completed a double. They have also travelled the most northerly main road, to Nordkapp, in Norway. It's a lot nearer the North Pole than our Route 3 is to the South: at this latitude we are only as far away from the Equator as southern Alaska, Labrador or Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Even so, we are much further south than the extremities of Africa or New Zealand. It's just the way the world is.

Lions and dirty pictures

Vic's been having a good time. When we returned to Rio Grande, he had a supper appointment. Vic is a member of the Guildford Lions, and has been meeting up with South American members throughout his trip. One of the Rio Grande members turns out to be President of the Association of Rally Clubs of Tierra del Fuego. So they ate at the rally bar in town - a parilla with lots of dirty pictures on display: seriously muddy rally cars. Sounds as though they had a great night!

Moving out - and moving in ...

Alan Smith's navigator, Willie Caruana, who comes from Malta, has got the wanderlust. He's decided to take time out to go sightseeing for a while - maybe to visit Antarctica. Alan is being joined by his son, Dan, who will keep Willie's navigator's seat in the Jensen C-V8 warm for him until he's back at Buenos Aires.

Welcome back - for real this time?

Among 4x4 crews who pulled up at the world's most southerly rally control today were Howard Seymour and Ann Bennett.

No sooner had they rejoined us in Marbella than they discovered a cylinder head problem on their Land Rover Discovery. They headed for Santiago to get it fixed: and it began to look like mañana all over again ... But here they are now, after spending 22 days away from the body of the rally. Their experiences could fill a volume: all their luggage was stolen, and they ran into riots in Tacna. When they've had time for a long drink with Inky Trailer we'll try to find room for more ...

Crowing again?

Asks Colin Francis, 'Have you heard of the Pampas Bull? His real name was Froilan Rodriguez. He drove Formula One cars for Ferrari in the 1950s, and won the 1951 British Grand Prix and later the Le Mans 24 Hour race among other victories. A great performer.' Colin adds, 'I've decided to call my driver, John Bateson, the Pampas Cockerel, after his performance on the circuits here in South America.' Whatever do you mean, Colin?