About at the boarder between Goa and Maharashtra teams began being turned away due to a washed out bridge. At the bottom of the hill a road was barricaded and a large lot with shops was filled with villagers curious to see floods reported to be the worst seen in 20 years. Of course when 18 rainbow colored autorickshaws driven by internationals showed up, it became a wild and potentially dangerous gathering. Children and drunks began trying to enter rickshaws and provoke participants. Vehicles were lined up and the crowd kept at bay before a restaurant was identified as a safe stop point where everyone could wait before hearing what the alternate route, or embarrassed trek back to Goa, would be. In a tight convoy the autos left the village and waited at the stop point before being re-routed.

The new route looked to be a million times more glorious than the intended one; curved hilly jungle roads with ever more beautiful scenery. Even the monsoon seemed to begin cooperating a bit. The first accident hit Team 13, The Engine, resulting in the loss of their front windshield, a particularly uncomfortable problem during a monsoon with 100 kilometers left to go. Mechanics drove the autorickshaw into Tarkali through everything.

The big disaster came about 30 minutes later in a curvy downhill section of the road where the jungle becomes field. Team 17, Luft der Freiheit, lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a ditch. For reasons unclear, the autorickshaw then burst into flames from the front. Hannes, the driver of the auto experienced several injuries, including trauma to his ear and hand that later required over 30 stitches. Despite this, he was able to pull his stunned partner, Niraj, out of the flaming auto before other teams could show up.

The vision of a flaming autorickshaw, bloodied and shocked friends is enough to unnerve anyone. The teams that were first on the scene, however kept calm and collected, despite also being out of cell reception and being in an unknown area where none of the signs had been in English for several kilometers. Team 18 Northland Control’s Grin N Bear IT, found an ambulance in the next town, team 6, Screamin’ Cheetah Wheelies and 7, Compact Pussycats provided first aid, team 8, The Bald Spots, the GPS coordinates and team 5, The Jokes of Haphazzard, drove back and kept everyone moving. Organizer Nona Varnado was with Team 18, and took both injured participants to the nearest hospital, where lead mechanic supervisor and translator Kausar Baig was also on hand to provide assistance and transport to Mumbai if necessary.

Though Team 17 would be okay, other teams were still far from Tarkali with a major monsoon already flooding out the only roads available. Autorickshaws crossed roads just before, during and after rivers swelled into gushing floods. Only 4 teams made it to the hotel in time for the flag down, but all arrived safely before the next day’s flag off.

Within 10 kilometers teams began having problems with rainwater seeping into the fuel tanks and breakdowns became less fun. As mechanics and support vehicles rushed to assist, other teams also stopped to provide assistance –despite the reasonable desire to plod ahead and finish in the much anticipated Goa. Teamwork, gorgeous beaches and tropical scenery provided a great motivating lift to all the teams who kept their spirits, wits and enthusiasm high.

When teams made it to the boarder crossing between Karnataka and Goa, they were in for a surprise. Officials ushered team members into a small office structure and demanded 100 rupees to be allowed into the state. Without issuing receipts or notating the transaction, teams were waved in after handing over the money. At dinner that evening some teams were confused, was it a toll or a bribe? After a few laughs from the more experienced organizers and travelers, the bribery heavy culture had made a concrete introduction to all 18 teams.

Soon, the entry into Goa once again changed the landscape with the Portuguese and former military influences felt in the architecture, roads, people and animals lining the route. Despite the rain excitement was high as teams made it to the BASE hotel for flag down. Dinner was a rowdy group affair at the Hotel George, across from the main Church square. After consuming as much of the local delicacies as possible, teams and organizers ambled back to the hotel in joyous anticipation of the day off the next morning would bring.