Six members of the Hendricks County Amateur Radio Society, of which I was one, left K9PZ's house in Avon, IN, at 4:30 this morning for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in order to work the 500 as a fundraiser for our club. (I think this is the 4th year we've done this.) Once again, we were assigned to Gate One at the corner of 16th Street and Georgetown Road, which is waaaaaay far away from the employee parking lot. (Probably 1 1/2 miles.)
We managed to catch one of the last shuttle rides from the parking lot to our station before they shut the shuttles down when the track opens. Standing at Gate One before dawn, I was amused: birds were chirping the sun up, and helicopters were beating the air overhead. Ahhh...Mother Nature at her finest! We had fire trucks; we had ambulances; we had police cars; we had a religious person on a microphone across the street, extolling a world full of sinners; and, when the track opened, we had cheery people carrying coolers to our checkpoint, and we ripped their tickets. Nothing special there.
Traditionally, the race begins at 11:00 AM. This year, however, for reasons known only to God, the race was to begin at 1:00 PM. As the crowd of track-goers began to increase, so did the temperature. By 10:00 AM, there was a sea of race fans, all seeming to converge on Gate One! By 11:30 AM, the heat was beginning to take its toll. Both track workers and fans alike were dropping like flies. (Several of us noted that we had been drinking water like crazy, but no one had to take a bathroom break!) There was no break at all in the crush of people entering the track. By noon, we had been instructed to stop ripping tickets and just ask to see tickets as we waved fans through. (This was the first time we had ever experienced that. Regular track workers say it happens all the time in the last hour before the race.) It was clear to me that track attendance was up, and it was clear to a lot of us that running the race two hours later than normal in high temperatures was a BAD idea!
As the final ceremonies began, the crush at the gates ended. Several of us went to the stands to watch the beginning of the race--the parts that I love! The balloon release, the songs, the fly-over, Taps, and "Lady and Gentlemen, start your engines!" After the cars got through the first two race laps (and into their first caution flag), I went back to Gate One to try to snag a ride for us back to the parking lot. We waited an hour, but at least we didn't have to hike it in that heat. Back at the vehicles, we had an easy exit and trip home.
Did I mention that it was hot??? Forecasts earlier in the week said it would be 88 degrees today, but the actual temperature got to 96. The ice in the coolers of water at Gate One melted just about the time we needed it most. (No more ice would be delivered, generally because golf carts wouldn't be able to get through the crowds of people.) Megan and Nathan attended the race with Meg's father and wife. Thank goodness they had seats in the shade!! I felt sorry for the folks sitting in the sun. (Some of those stands began to thin out about halfway through the race. I know why!)
We were a bedraggled group that arrived back at our vehicles in Avon. I had every intention of mowing my lawn after the race today, but my motivation completely evaporated in the noonday sun! After I got home, I laid down on the couch to cool down for a bit and don't remember anything for an hour after that. ZZZZzzzzzzzzz....
Had a brief visit with my grandchildren at the Heffelman grandparents' house before coming home for good. What an exhausting day! I hope we made some decent money for the club. I'd hate to think we went through all of that for peanuts!
Oh...had a cell phone call from my daughter on their way home to Muncie. They have had a flat tire and are limping home on the "donut" tire. Awaiting word that they have arrived before I fall into bed....
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