Preparation Rally Acropolis 2022
The preparation started around the beginning of June with the closing of the hotel in Kamena Vourla and from then on the days did not pass. As soon as the maps and timetables came out, the search for access began, Google Earth for access points, Youtube the entire special for a better understanding of the landscape and Google Maps to calculate the times from special to special. The last part was to get the OAKA ticket. The purpose was to have the perfect organization from our side with enough “air” time in each stage, calculating that we may walk for more than 1.5 hours.
Thursday 9/8/22
We arrive by electric train at 6.45 at OAKA, the climate was Acropolar but not at 100%. We enter the OAKA, the epic scene with a lot of people, a nice sight along with the unexpected (Mikkelsen, Lappi), the only negative for me was that the crowd broke up quite immediately after rally1. The OAKA ends, the experience was special as it was what we needed to warm up for the real Acropolis. Now on our minds is waking up in the morning to go to Loutraki.
Friday 9/9/22
The plan was to watch the special Loutraki 2 and Bauxites. When we woke up the atmosphere of the group became completely acropolar, it was this quick coffee at home and departure according to schedule. Departure from Athens at 7.00 and leaving for the special at about 8.30 where we saw some passes from Loutraki 1. After the end of the special, comfortable with time we find the place we want for the 2nd pass from which we had to leave at 13.30 to go Bauxites. The crowd was enough where we were but relatively obedient to the orders of the judges. We sat on a pressed right which then changed weight for a pressed left near the finish. When Rovanpera passed (everyone passed quickly but it was the first contact with these cars for this year) we all said together “yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!”. The continuation finds us in Olympia Odos, Rio-Antirio, Agia Efthymia and walking in the Bauxites. There we sit quite close to the special (1-2 meters) but on a rock 1-1.5 meters higher than the special, we got the OK from Mouton so everything is complete. Very impressive passages with a lot of dust on us, we even see the man who is almost twice our age in Rally Acropolis entries and departure for Kamena Vourla. The people where we were in Bauxites were not enough, but the percentage of “intelligent” people was quite a bit higher. The first day of real Acropolis ended with a complete success in the outcome of the planning as we were always at the point 1.5 – 2 hours before the start of each special. Full of emotions and dust we take a quick bath and go to eat, sleep about 4 hours and wake up the next day.
Saturday 10/9/22
The program included Pyrgos 1 & 2 and then Service Park. Violent awakening at 5.00 (but you are Acropolis, don’t want to sleep) and departure at 5.30 from Kamena Vourla for Mavrolithari. We arrive around 7.30 at the special relatively easily from the parking issue and with a minimum of walking (for Acropolis) we find the point to see the first pass. Different landscape compared to Loutraki, mountain, firs and ferns. He ends the first pass after the interruption caused by Ingram’s exit and begins the search for the 2nd pass. As soon as we arrive at the place we want we nibble on some food we had and then we had the best sleep anyone could have. We wake up as soon as the security cars pass by and prepare ourselves mentally for what we will see. We watch all the races and then we head to Lamia and the Service Park. I had only one purpose, to get an autograph from Tanak and that was done, ride to SP for no time and then return to the hotel to dust ourselves off and eat almost anything edible. The second day also went according to plan and we were full of what we saw and did, there were enough spectators in the Tower and from there there were no shortage of individual cases of “smart” people who knew more than the judges and the organization. Strong passes that paid us off but we were hurt when the King didn’t go through on the second pass.
Sunday 11/9/22
Relaxed awakening at 8.00 to see only Eleftherochori 2 and return to Athens relatively rested. From Anavra we arrive close to the finish and by walking in the forest without following a permanent access we reach a special road. The queue passes from the first pass as soon as we reach the special stage and we immediately search and find the spot we want to sit. We ate some sunflower seeds (almost 1 kilo), we also ate our dust, we applauded the driver again who has started at 45 Acropolis and started on our way back.
The experience was what we expected and even better because a lot of research and organization went into it before we went. We were all off the grid and out of touch with the world, which added a bit more emphasis to the moment and the spectacle we were seeing. The way back was quiet with music and just waiting for next year.
P.S.1 The epic discussions that in 30 minutes the topics changed from admiration to the opposite leaf, to ideal position and area for the need no2, geology and geography about the mountains we see, about what we will eat next and various other things.
PS.2 The appeal and pleasure that Acropolis brings to me is 50% the skills of the drivers and the cars and 50% the awakening, the fact that in the middle of nowhere you will see 2 people walking and you know where they are going. The company that at the end of the day we are warm from a mixture of sweat and dust. Where are we with 3-4 hours of sleep but why not drink a beer after the meats and tzatziki??
That’s it, next year…
Akis Giovos
