Down Under Racing Equinic's Diary

Day 1



Down Under Racing was delighted to have been given the honor of picking up the Equinic Torch from Greece and delivering it to the good people back in Queensland, Australia. I hadn't been to Greece in some time and I had never been to Mt Olympus so it was with great anticipation that I, and I assume, my fellow Down Under Racers were awaiting the trip. We all met at the airport lounge in the city of Melbourne (the city was named after a former prime Minister of the United Kingdom) on Friday afternoon and most of us got there early even though our plane wasn't scheduled to depart until 5:30 that evening. By 5:00 we were all present and accounted for - even Wags who, late as usual, explained it away rather nicely by saying that he had had to find someone to take care of his new foal, Leroy. Personally, I think he found a local pub on the way to the airport to drown out any fear he might have of flying. We hardly had a chance to get aquainted/re-aquainted in this city known as the fox capitol of the western world with some six foxes per square kilometer in the metropolitan area, before our leader Theatrical rounded us all up (you'd think he worked for a railroad the way he kept calling "All Aboard"), and marched us out to our chartered Qantas jet for our flight to Greece.

Joining myself, Wags and Theatrical, were Proffactor, Scout, Pekays, Toplight, Thriller, Hawkz, and Rubies. No one wanted to miss out on this trip but Theatrical finally said DUR could only afford a 10 - seater plane because it had to have a big cargo area. The residents ended up drawing straws for the 8 seats left (Theatrical, of course, would be going as our Resident head and I, as our scribe). Theatrical ended up chartering a jet, as it was marginally cheaper than the cost of shipping everyone commercially. When asked how he could afford to do that, he explained that our residents had won so many stakes races recently that we had plenty of money in our coffers and…. just in case, he had his brand new American Express gold card. Besides, a commercial jet liner probably would not have allowed us to bring a lit torch on board, Equinics or not, not to mention the horse and wagon.

As the jet took off many of us took to drinking and there were several "Shouts" going around. Toplight brought out the Fortune cookies he had brought with him from China and kept us highly entertained discussing whether there was any 'truth' to our fortunes. Between the drinking, the fortune cookies and even some mis-fortune cookies we stayed up late into the night as the plane made it's seemingly endless way north. The flight, itself, was uneventful, thank goodness, and we all saved our favorite fortune to secretly slip to someone else when they were not looking. I slipped Theatrical one, thinking it sort of spoke for our DUR residency. It said:

"You will have good luck and overcome many hardships."

Someone, probably Thriller since I saw him skulking down the aisle with his nose supposedly buried in a magazine, left one in my seat: "You may attend a party where strange customs prevail." HA! Sounds about right - considering we are headed to the land of myths and legends.

We were due to arrive on Saturday morning at 6:15 local time at the airport in Thessaloniki. Yeah, we couldn't pronounce it either, but from there we would make our way to the southwest and Mt Olmpus. The ceremony would start in the evening and end with the High Priestess (represented by Chilcoat) lighting two torches from the permanent Olympic torch. The two torches would then be given to the two residencies entrusted for the first leg, and they would begin their journey to the site of this year's Equinics - one eventually going to Italy and the other to Vermont. It wasn't long before the long day filled with excitement and anticipation got to even the heartiest (and those Australians are hearty) of us and soon we all drifted off to sleep dreaming of torches and Equinic glory - I'm sure.



Day2



Theatrical woke us all up early and our rented jet was such that we all had window seats. Most of us had neck cramps from sleeping upright but the view of to the sparkling Mediterranean Sea and jewel-like islands that make up Greece, made all except Pekays forget the pain. It might have been a hangover, the cramped sleeping, or even a fear of flying, but he didn't look well. The last time I had been to Greece was via cruise ship and I had only been to the isle of Mykanos. I remember our cruise ship racing another liner into port and we won because our ship was Greek and we didn't have to stop to take on a pilot. Horse racing fans will take their races any way they can get them. Ahhh, memories. I certainly didn't ever expect to be back. The airport at Thessaloniki was not large but our captain must have been tired as we came in first with one wing hanging and then he would over correct and dip the other. We were all looking for the exits and no telling what the horse was thinking but we made it down and it was good to get our feet on solid land. Theatrical announced it was shortly after six am local time and to get all our stuff together as we had a ways to go. He grabbed hold of Scout, Rubies, and Thriller and they went towards the cargo hold to get the horse and wagon. The rest of us got to deal with the Greek authorities, but Toplight, the epitome of patience, got us all through in good time - even the horse.

Soon they had our fine looking steed that Snappa had graciously loaned to us named Clerk Alex, hitched to the wagon and all our gear stowed inside. Theatrical had asked me for Yucca but she was too slow and I said we would never get there. So Snappa offered up Alex and said in his younger years he had been a cart horse. I thought at first Snappa was hoping to be included in our party but he did it out of the goodness of his heart as he was on holiday in India.



I am not sure why were taking a horse and wagon (a buggy being to small for the 10 of us) but it wasn't too far and it should be an adventure. Well, we finally got the bags arranged on the bottom of the wagon so we would have something soft to sit on and then with Theatrical driving, away we went behind Alex who trotted amiably along. Greece isn't all white dust and rocks but it sure was on the trail we were supposed to take. It seems the Greek authorities wouldn't let us on the lovely paved highway that went to Mt. Olympus. No….. We had to take the burro trail that followed the road off to one side.

"This is great," said Thriller, "this is obviously the way it has been done for thousands of years."

"Well, my butt hurts," complained Rubies. "I think we should have gotten a taxi. Whose idea was this anyway?"

"Think of the low probability that we will get hit by a car," analyzed Proffactor.

"Well, I like it and it's my residency," laughed Theatrical, and that was that!

Complaints aside, we soon settled into a rough sort of rhythm as we worked our way to the southwest. Theatrical soon gave up the reins to Hawkz and joined us in the back singing songs of the season. Jingle Bells being the favorite - we all knew most of the words except for the part about getting "upsot", what kind of a word is that???? Rubies insisted that every time we got 'upsot' we needed to jump out of the wagon and switch places. Wags insisted the word meant drink 'up' so we could be 'sots' so Proffactor solved the problem and we did both. We were stopping at every small village along the way to buy souvenirs, Christmas gifts, and beer and this was making the wagon heavier and heavier. Poor Alex was not trotting quite so fast and by the time I took over the reins he had dropped to a walk and it became quite apparent that we weren't going to make it in time for the Lighting Ceremony. Our contingent was getting rowdy and loud and when we spied a cab at the next village we decided to send two people on for the ceremony. The rest would continue on with the wagon and if they got there in time since the wagon would be lighter - fine. If not, at least DUR would be represented and Lady and Mano wouldn't be panicking.

I, of course, got to go in the taxi being the scribe and Theatrical because he was the head. We jumped in an old jalopy of a taxi, driven by a swarthy pirate-looking type of guy and away we went - leaving the others to continue on with the horse and wagon. Proffactor said he would keep on the trail but if they didn't get there in time he would find a nice place to camp and we could use the torch and probably the noise to find the campsite. I knew they would try to make it though, because everyone wanted to see Chilcoat as the High Priestess.

We waved good-bye to the rest of the crew and it was only about 15 minutes later that we ran out of gas. Stupid taxi driver! Where was Ace when you needed her? I fell asleep and got in a short nap before the driver returned with some gas and away we went again. We could see My Olympus in the distance as it is the highest mountain in Greece at 9,570 feet. It is near the east coast in northern Greece and looks out over the Aegean Sea.

We pulled into the Park at the foot of the mountain where the ceremony would take place, Theatrical paid off the cabbie and we found an open Greek market that had a café selling spirits. We needed some - our taxi driver had been sweating profusely in the close confines of the car, he also smoked smelly cigars and worst of all, he wouldn't let us drink. Most of the GR Simisters were there already and we had a good time getting ourselves in the proper frame of mind for the Ceremony. Lady must have been off getting Chilcoat into her costume, but Mano was there and we all had a good time making Theatrical explain over and over again why he thought we would need a horse and wagon in modern day Greece.

The ceremony itself was wonderful and has been described elsewhere - Chilcoat looked lovely. The wagon group from DUR arrived almost at the end but they did get to see the very last bit of the ceremony as Theatrical, all dressed in his best bib and tucker, graciously took the torch, slowly walked down the steps and with the many spectators cheering took off at a slow jog as we started our journey home.

The rest of us piled back into the wagon and with beer and Ouzo to keep us warm, followed Theatrical as he jogged along the road with the torch held high. I guess the police figured us as a support wagon and not as a bunch of rabble rousers although we certainly looked the latter. Maybe they just didn't want to spoil the magic of the moment. Good thing they let us follow Theatrical because as soon as we were around the first bend and out of sight of the Vermont crew, he stumbled to a halt gasping for air.

"I can't go any further," he puffed, "someone else go for awhile."

He tried to blame it on the altitude, and maybe it was, but as a former smoker, I have heard that cough before……

Rubies took over running the torch and made it back to where Proffactor said we should camp for the night. We got a nice fire going and spent an enjoyable evening trying to beat some local gypsies at cards. Scout was sure they were after the torch and a very disreputable lot they were, but then so were we by this time, although he was probably right. At any rate we kept it close and someone guarded it all night. The gypsies did take our money, and worse, they slipped away with our stash of beer. The absolute nerve!! Good thing Theatrical has that credit card.

Day 3

We were up early and had poor old Alex harnessed and hooked to the wagon. After much discussion we decided we would only run the torch through villages so we all jumped in the wagon and a rested Alex took us at a high trot back towards the airport at Thessaloniki. At every crossroad or village we took turns running the torch on foot so the people could cheer or make rude remarks - we really had no idea what they were saying so we just smiled and waved. We also bought more food and beer and arrived at the airport well after dark with no major mishaps along the way. Theatrical splurged for a hotel room as we were all beginning to smell of a long journey. The hotel was not going to let us keep the torch in our rooms but Thriller can be very formidable when he wants to be and soon had them convinced that it would be in everyone's best interest to let the torch stay in Theatrical's room overnight. Wags had made a special cage for it so that it would sty upright on the plane but it worked in the room also. Of course we had to turn off the smoke alarm and we were awfully glad they didn't have a sprinkler system.

Day 4

We slept in and then had a leisurely breakfast before rounding up all our possessions, hitching Alex to the wagon and making the short trip to the airport. We again took turns running the torch and the thing is so darn heavy most of us couldn't carry it more than a half mile. Pekays and Scout seemed to carry it the best - maybe because they were young and strong. At the airport we unhitched Alex and stowed the wagon on the plane while Theatrical carried the torch around (at a slow walk) so everyone could see it before it started its journey to Australia. Toplight and Thriller got Alex in his crate and then boarded him on the plane. Wags put the torch in its special cage and the rest of us found our seats before settling in for the long trip. We waved to Snappa again as we flew over India and landed some 13 hours later back in Melbourne where we were met by the rest of the DUR residents. Wags immediately rushed off to check on Leroy and Proffactor met with some of the groups that were going to run the torch around Melbourne and later Sydney accompanied by at least one of our residents. Later we will take it on to Brisbane and hand it over to our good friends at the Queensland residency.

Day 5 and 6

After a meeting with a reporter from "The Australian" (Australia's national daily), Proffactor had set up a very stringent timetable with special interest groups that had requested a turn at running the torch. He was so organized, I was amazed. All the local racetracks, pony clubs, and just about any horse related group that asked were given a turn as we worked our way north to Brisbane. It is summer down here and it was great to get out of the cold and damp of Greece and back to the balmy weather of the southern hemisphere in December. We deliberately went on foot through this stage as it gave the rest of the DUR residents a chance to run the torch.



I think everyone who wanted to see the torch on the east coast of Australia got to, as the way was lined with people cheering the torch along. Our original ten mostly disbanded for some sleep and a hot shower leaving Pedro and Thechamp in charge of the logistics of getting the torch to Queensland. After a short rest, Proffactor, Toplight and I took off to see Sydney


and some of the other sights around this part of Australia since we are all from a long way away. Toplight wanted to see a Tasmanian Devil and a wombat so of course we went to one of the animal parks and just enjoyed being a tourist. A tour bus took us around Sydney and then we had a swim before a nice dinner at our hotel - courtesy of Theatrical. Tomorrow the entire residency is required to meet at the Sydney Opera House where the busses would meet us to transport us to Brisbane.

Day 7



It was an easy trip north to Brisbane and all of us had a great time singing and gossiping on the buses Theatrical leased for us. The torch was in its carrier and I am sure that people passing thought the bus was on fire as all they could see was the flame. But we just waved at their honking - and who knows, maybe if they read the newspaper, they knew it was the Equinic's torch. We arrived late morning as we wanted to be able to party a bit with the Queensland group before they took over the torch. We were directed to the Adrenaline Sports Bar where we met with all the Queensland residents. I like to drink, but those Australians were too much for me and I was soon drinking water so I could make the handoff ceremony later that evening. I must admit it was a bit sad when Theatrical officially handed off the torch to Sabalou of Queensland, but we waved good-bye and wished them luck. We were all pretty tired and it was good to get back on the busses headed south, confident that the torch was in excellent hands and glad to be relieved of the responsibility.