RtG Japan Daily Dispatch - day00 - Flipbook - Page 48
Day 24: Kochi to Hiroshima, 12 October 2025
Photos: gerardbrown.co.uk
David and Jo Roberts, 1929 Chrysler 75 Roadster
Richard Clark and Jonathan Round, 1940 Ford V8
Taking on fuel for the crew was crucial, as the next two
sections took us back into the mountains with a tough pair
of Regularities: Tochu and What Tunnel? Run back-to-back,
both featured an arm-breaking amount of hairpins and, in
the case of the former, the descent was officially described
as having a few brake-boiling and buttock-clenching
moments. Like the earlier bridge, much of this descent had
no guardrails.
Once safely back in the river valley, a flat coastal road led
us through busy towns, rice paddies and irrigation canals to
the Time Control at the harbour side. Ohhama Restaurant
in Imabari provided another excellent lunch. Based on
whatever was fresh that morning, the kitchen served it up
either raw, steamed or wrapped in tempura batter, and we
washed it down with a pot of green tea, enjoying the views
over the Seto Inland Sea and the Kurushima Straits Bridge.
Whilst the rest of us wrestled with our chopsticks, Nick
and Serita Sleep’s Mercedes was one of two cars finding
themselves in dry dock. The crew had fitted new spark
plugs yesterday, but the engine was misfiring, so the old
ones were cleaned, refitted, and fingers were crossed.
Richard and Catherine Phillipson’s Mini was with Russ
Smith and Charlie Neale, looking for whatever was causing
an annoying “gonking sound”.
Once everyone had eaten their fill, some postprandial
entertainment was laid on by a local dance troupe who
performed a Shishimai or lion dance, to bring good luck
and good fortune to their honoured guests. Next we set
off across the Kurushima Straits towards Honshu and the
night halt in Hiroshima with only a Passage Control at the
foot of the bridge to delay us.
Safely ensconced in the Grand Prince Hotel, a Rally the
Globe question and answer session with David Roberts,
Fred Gallagher and Mark Appleton preceded dinner, where
some exciting plans were discussed as well as reviewing
some previously announced events.
Otakar and Otakar Jr Chládek, 1971 Mercedes-Benz 350 SL
Peter and Griz Gordon, 1967 Mercedes-Benz 250 SL
www.rallytheglobe.com
