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2015 Polar Bear Blat


Guest Terry

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  • 1 month later...
I am proceeding with planning on the Alaska end, and have had no indication from Terry or anyone else that PBB 2015 is no longer on.

 

How did that rumor arise?

Because Terry either left the forums or was kicked out. He started a thread that he was thinking maybe he "was done" with this forum, then started another one with a post that was in clear violation of the rules. Admin closed that thread and indicated Terry had asked to "leave", though I can find no post where that request was specifically stated by Terry. Maybe he PM'd an admin requesting to leave? His account now appears to be disabled.

 

Anyway, it would appear that, at least in the near term, any updates on the proposed 2015 GBB from the organizer will not be found here.

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Terry has a thread about this tour on BlatChat, so my guess is updates will land there. Given this was not an official USA7s tour, I don't see why he would cancel it, although I suppose he could opt to make it a Caterham-only event.

 

-John

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Sean,

 

I guess there has been some personality-driven drama on this forum that I (thankfully) have not been following. It's all news to me.

 

My understanding has been that the 2015 PBB was not to be a Lotus/Caterham-only event (or else it would be cutting its entry list by half, or more). I believe Terry's Grizzly Bear Blat last August was an "all-comers" event, and that the PBB would be the same.

 

John is correct that updates re the PBB have appeared on BlatChat. They also appear on Terry's own website, http://www.7cars.ca/polar-bear-blat.htm.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Looks like Terry joined the California Caterham Club site and started a PBB thread here. Might be another thread to monitor for updates.

 

-John

 

Heaven help me. I'm a member of CCC also, but never post there . . . . how they let me in with a Storker :jester: is beyond me. Thinking about it, I may have even joined up back in the day when I had my Birkin, but still, that's NO Caterham. I wish Terry well and no ill will, but don't tell him I'm a member!!! :D

 

No hijacking . . . . back to 2015 POLAR BEAR BLAT! :seeya:

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  • 1 month later...

Terry Johns and I have put together a proposed itinerary for the 2015 PBB.

 

This epic Blat is tentatively scheduled for August of 2015. It will begin in Vancouver BC Canada, and end in the Anchorage, Alaska area, followed by a scenic 4-day cruise back to the Vancouver vicinity (Belingham, WA) on the Alaska Marine Highway System, through the spectacular Inside Passage.

 

Attached is the tentative itinerary, with overnight locations and driving distances. Highway route names and numbers have no yet been added, but they are pretty straightforward. Terry and I are looking for feedback and suggestions for anyone who might be thinking of joining in.

 

This promises to be an epic adventure blat for any group of Seven owners -- perhaps the most ambitious ever planned -- don't miss it!

PBB 2015 prelim. itinerary No1.pdf

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Sign me up. My only concern would be the longer stints of 350+ miles which Google estimates at 7+ hours. If peoples cars start ailing midway I could see that getting harder to complete especially towards the end of the event. However since you have done the GBB already I guess you know how far people typically drive their sevens.

 

Google maps links

Vancouver- Skagway: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Delta+Town+%26+Country+Inn+-+Delta,+BC,+6005+Hwy+17A,+Delta,+British+Columbia+V4K+5B8,+Canada/Williams+Lake,+BC,+Canada/Dawson+Creek,+BC,+Canada/Fort+Nelson,+BC,+Canada/Northern+Rockies+Lodge,+Muncho+Lake,+BC+V0C+1Z0,+Canada/Watson+Lake,+YT,+Canada/Whitehorse,+YT,+Canada/Skagway,+AK/@57.3264459,-133.231256,6z/data=!4m50!4m49!1m5!1m1!1s0x5485de2793cb58ff:0x178762c3fcd5bff6!2m2!1d-123.055812!2d49.109444!1m5!1m1!1s0x5380a35be20a5c35:0x50135152a7b2200!2m2!1d-122.1416885!2d52.1416736!1m5!1m1!1s0x539199367e0787b9:0x50135152a7b3130!2m2!1d-120.2376623!2d55.7596274!1m5!1m1!1s0x53eead910da086fd:0x5f2e4258bd5e0070!2m2!1d-122.697236!2d58.8050174!1m5!1m1!1s0x53efdd6857ec6333:0xee62e96dc36a2e32!2m2!1d-125.773298!2d59.009481!1m5!1m1!1s0x53fb59a95bb32ca3:0x8e010d3860a6ee53!2m2!1d-128.710913!2d60.062806!1m5!1m1!1s0x5154449880bc5381:0xe43db7ea64d0354b!2m2!1d-135.0568449!2d60.7211871!1m5!1m1!1s0x56aaa92500de9141:0x5e251777323a536a!2m2!1d-135.3138889!2d59.4583333!3e0

 

Haines Junc, AK - Valdez, AK: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Haines,+AK/Haines+Junction,+YT,+Canada/Alaska+1,+Tok,+AK+99780/Fairbanks,+AK/Anchorage,+AK/Seward,+AK/Cooper+Landing,+AK/Homer,+AK/Anchorage,+AK/Valdez,+AK/@61.9777595,-148.0352746,6z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m62!4m61!1m5!1m1!1s0x54001f972851b98d:0xb4f19a60eafd118e!2m2!1d-135.445!2d59.2358333!1m5!1m1!1s0x5153380039d607f5:0xa5d678734ba642a6!2m2!1d-137.5117818!2d60.7544541!1m5!1m1!1s0x56c9c36721b0fe19:0x9f6dcb823dbb38bf!2m2!1d-143.1007142!2d63.1933686!1m5!1m1!1s0x5132454f67fd65a9:0xb3d805e009fef73a!2m2!1d-147.7163889!2d64.8377778!1m5!1m1!1s0x56c8917604b33f41:0x257dba5aa78468e3!2m2!1d-149.9002778!2d61.2180556!1m5!1m1!1s0x56c79b6ef22affc5:0x5be160c236d211bf!2m2!1d-149.4422222!2d60.1041667!1m5!1m1!1s0x56c7b341ae0b1391:0xbed66858caf72dec!2m2!1d-149.8341667!2d60.49!1m5!1m1!1s0x56c12deea7865acf:0x1f2e94ed71e773bb!2m2!1d-151.5483333!2d59.6425!1m5!1m1!1s0x56c8917604b33f41:0x257dba5aa78468e3!2m2!1d-149.9002778!2d61.2180556!1m5!1m1!1s0x56b644030f1a7539:0x1f54b4edc991a14f!2m2!1d-146.3483333!2d61.1308333!3e0

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rnr --

 

On the proposed PBB 2015 itinerary, we have planned three days of 350+ miles (393, 358, 358, and 364 miles). These are interspersed with shorter-mileage days, or rest days. The last long day (364 miles) will likely be split into two days of 131 miles and 233 miles, respectively).

 

One problem in planning an itinerary like this (as anyone who has driven to Alaska can tell you), is that setting a convenient day's drive distance, and finding suitable accommodations and fuel at the end of the day, are often two different things entirely.

 

So I had to plan the daily destinations at places where we could be pretty assured of making advance overnight reservations, and that would make acceptable overnight stops.

 

The long-distance reliability of any Seven is going to be a continual question mark. We will plan for some contingencies, but the responsibility of each participant will be to insure that the car is mechanically top condition, and to carry spares of items that might go bad.

 

(Of course, hitting a bear like on the GBB 2013 is not among the contingencies that anyone plans for. We have one stretch on the Alaska Highway where there may be wild, free-roaming bison on the road, but we'll just plan to drive under them!).

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One problem in planning an itinerary like this (as anyone who has driven to Alaska can tell you), is that setting a convenient day's drive distance, and finding suitable accommodations and fuel at the end of the day, are often two different things entirely.

I completely understand - just mentioned it as you did ask for feedback :)

 

 

The long-distance reliability of any Seven is going to be a continual question mark. We will plan for some contingencies, but the responsibility of each participant will be to insure that the car is mechanically top condition, and to carry spares of items that might go bad.

 

Agreed on this part. Hopefully the things that break will be basic mechanical bits and not something that would require specialized repairs/parts. On my 2K mile road trip last year I only split a coolant hose and lost a throttle return spring which were both easy fixes. I did get super lucky in that the rear suspension collapsed the day after I got home instead of at the track.

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