I recently came to the conclusion that I should do the BABE rally. The problem is, I live in California and the rally starts in New York. I need someone to tell me that I shouldn't fly to NY, buy a car for $500 and then drive it to New Orleans. Also, I am curious about how much a BABE rallyist spends for the event.
I certainly won't be the one to try to dissuade you. It is a really really really great time with some great people.
Though the buy in for BABE is cheap, you can easily spend lots more if you want, it all depends on how you roll.
Team mates helps to share the costs of fuel and hotels. There are always people who will rent/give you some floor space in their hotel rooms to cut costs. Hotels and gas are the two biggest expenses.
Other expenses are food and libations, both of which are only as expensive as you make them...you can eat dollar menu and PBR, or anywhere on up you want.
When you get closer to the event there are invariably people who are looking for a team mate and already have a car, you could just hop in with them.
Just do it though, you'll thank yourself.
dollar menu and PBR are more than ok with me 
I was also thinking a big POS van would be a good idea as I can sleep in it and not pay for a hotel
That's how we rolled the first year, though we didn't sleep in the van. Depending on the weather, some of those nights can get mighty hot and sweaty, which isn't much fun in the dirt and who-know-what-the-hell-else that is on the sleeper bed of a 20 year old conversion van.
Here's our 06 ride...damn she was a fine vehicle.
doitdoitdoitdoit.
Costs are up to you but I have the most fun when I throw the budget out the window and just roll with it.
As Sonic suggested, find a team that needs another member or come takes your chances on a local find. There have been lots of cars local to me (about an hour and a half from the start in NYC) that could have been purchased for $500 and go.
You might even be able to find someone out this way to pick up a car and give it a once over for you and hold it till the rally (Id offer but Im already doing this for a british team and if I start a fleet here the wife will kill us all)
Post on up over on the BABE message boards and see if you can get an assist or a team to work with. And bonus points for posting your ad in the form of a personals ad.
thatsnowinnebago wrote: I recently came to the conclusion that I should do the BABE rally. The problem is, I live in California and the rally starts in New York. I need someone to tell me that I shouldn't fly to NY, buy a car for $500 and then drive it to New Orleans. Also, I am curious about how much a BABE rallyist spends for the event.
if you do it by yourself, plan for $750 ($500 for car, $250 for entry fee) off the bat. With taxes, the average hotel is $100/night (w/ 6 nights this year), plus $30/day for food (rough estimate). Gas can vary widely from car to car, but its ~1500 miles. At 30mpg, that's 50 gallons, which last year were around 3.00/gal, so another $150.
However, you get a couple buddies in and you could probably get out for under $700/person+airfare.
You might also go on the site and post about wanting to join a team or hitch a ride with another team driving from CA. There's plenty of ways to get in on this rally.
I was at the starting line in '06 with out any vacation time and several seats were offered. In '08 my very pregnant wife made my seat available with less then 1 month to go.
In other words I say hook up with a team, don't sweat getting a car ... of course if you have the car you get to pick your team!
you can drive/sit in with our topless convertible 1992 mustang if you want to split gas/ car costs
i appreciate the offer maroon92 and will be considering it. i may be going to ANWR around the same time as the rally so if that goes though i'm going to pass on the rally (this time) and go to alaska instead. i find out tomorrow if i get to go or not so i'll start thinking then. I love GRM, nowhere else would someone offer to let me drive their assuredly "nice" car without even meeting me first.
. I love GRM, nowhere else would someone offer to let me drive their assuredly "nice" car without even meeting me first.
That describes our 2006 team perfectly. None of us had ever met (ok Jim W and I may have seen each other at an SCCA function but I doubt either of us could have picked the other out of a crowd)
I still dont remember if Sonic or I posted first but one of us said "Im in NJ and want to do it" and the other one said "Im in" Jim W joined us when another local SCCA guy had to back out and he put Jim in touch with me to join. And then we had room for one more so another note on GRM and Capitan Napalm (Rafael) joined us.
So basically 4 guys who knew each other only from posting on this board piled into a $250 van for a weeklong adventure. And we all keep doing it every year, we split into smaller cars but we still run as a team.
Come join us at the BABE forum. There is at least one team already driving in from CA. All it really takes is yourself the car and couple of buddies and you are really ready. If that proves to be too much then there has always been space for a 'parachute' babe enty or two.
Sonic wrote: Here's our 06 ride...damn she was a fine vehicle.
Hijack!
What's the blue convertible in the background? Is it a Speedwell Sprite?
Woody wrote: Hijack! What's the blue convertible in the background? Is it a Speedwell Sprite?
My memory is terrible but the most likely answer is yes. There was a team of guys with a sprite entered in the rally and alot of guys from their local club showed up to see them off.
do not be confused, my mustang cannot be concidered "nice".
i think i've seen a picture here somewhere 
maroon92 wrote: do not be confused, my mustang cannot be concidered "nice".
I can definitely say the same for the heap I had towed home today...dear god this thing is gross.
Thankfully we run in June cause the heater core is leaking all over the place, but at least there are plenty of holes in the floor for it to drain out of.
Anyone know anything about quadrajets? this one is not a happy camper.
JThw8, how many BABE cars are you up to now?
jwdmotorsports wrote: JThw8, how many BABE cars are you up to now?
Lifetime or just at the house?
Just did a big clearing so at the house is just 5 at the moment.
Lifetime? Check http://www.misfittoysracing.com/TheList.html and add an 88 Firebird and a 69 Olds 88 Convertible ;)
jwdmotorsports wrote: JThw8, how many BABE cars are you up to now?
Lifetime or just at the house?
Just did a big clearing so at the house is just 5 at the moment.
Lifetime? Check http://www.misfittoysracing.com/TheList.html and add an 88 Firebird and a 69 Olds 88 Convertible ;)
JThw8 wrote:jwdmotorsports wrote: JThw8, how many BABE cars are you up to now?Lifetime or just at the house? Just did a big clearing so at the house is just 5 at the moment. Lifetime? Check http://www.misfittoysracing.com/TheList.html and add an 88 Firebird and a 69 Olds 88 Convertible ;)
I need to bring my wife by your house sometime so she knows she could have it much worse. 
Sonic wrote: That's how we rolled the first year, though we didn't sleep in the van. Depending on the weather, some of those nights can get mighty hot and sweaty, which isn't much fun in the dirt and who-know-what-the-hell-else that is on the sleeper bed of a 20 year old conversion van. Here's our 06 ride...damn she was a fine vehicle.
Dude who's 3rd gen Celica? Those things are made of so much awesome it's ridiculous.
93celicaGT2 wrote:Sonic wrote: That's how we rolled the first year, though we didn't sleep in the van. Depending on the weather, some of those nights can get mighty hot and sweaty, which isn't much fun in the dirt and who-know-what-the-hell-else that is on the sleeper bed of a 20 year old conversion van. Here's our 06 ride...damn she was a fine vehicle.Dude who's 3rd gen Celica? Those things are made of so much awesome it's ridiculous.
The Celica died in a house fire in 2007 I think. Poor guy lost his house, and all his cars, including his BABE Rally 2007 prepped Celica cab as well iirc.
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