I'm late but what else is new?

DID YOU MISS ME?????? cuz I missed you pandodyssey(tm). (HUG.)

It's been so long, I had to go back and re-read the last post to remember why I stopped.

1. "large-scale writing project" - didn't happen, surprise! I thought about it a whole lot (like 5, maybe 10 minutes) and then suffered my first case of large-scale writing project writer's block, and couldn't write for eight months afterwards. Apparently, I can't handle the pressure so no more "projects" of "scale". Just blog posts.
2. "mid-tacular elections" - Did I win? Where's my prize?
3. "knit a scarf for the homeless" - I actually DID knit one, but gave it to my mom for christmas. She's not homeless so far as I know, but she really needed one and this one also happened to be red, which is a good color on her. I also knitted an alpaca wool hat for E but there is surprising little need for alpaca wool hats in southern california. He's never worn it so I doubt the homeless want it either.

So, with all the old news addressed, here's the new news: Mongol Rally 2007 is underway! The Amazing-est Race started July 21. The Rally Rules are simple - there are only three:

1. your car must be a POS with an engine smaller than 1 liter;
2. you must raise 1,000 pounds (insert squiggly L) for the sponsored charities;
3. you are ON YOUR OWN, meaning all those papers that you didn't read but signed anyway at the start of the race won't help you at any stage of the rally. Rallyers better be prepared, creative, resourceful, and hopefully lucky.

This year's event is even bigger than last year with 186 teams competing for the top prize - the top prize being avoiding getting arrested and/or detained in a -stan. If you're looking for a more goal-oriented race, the Tour de France is showing on Versus.

As far as Rally team names go: Team Panda Khanage and Team Prancing Pandas receive obvious honorable mention. Other clever-ish names are Team Starsky & Clutch, Team Bataar-Mobile, and Team Are We There Yet?

And now... the pandodyssey pick for Mongol Rally 2007 ... the sweet filly on which all (none) of my money will be riding on is ... Team EcoChallenge! This brave duo from Spain will be showing off their eco-know-how by racing/pushing a vehicle that runs on used cooking oil from London, England all the way to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia - a capital that needs to learn vowel conservation.

Spread the word - it's Rally season!