Hill Climber
by Marc Vallee
Like a demon's tail the path meandered down the mountains.At its height it rose to over 6000 ft. from its base.
To Wayne McDonald, Forktail Pass was a personnel challenge. Its steep grade and rocky surface seemed to tease him.
It had been 35 years since he had last seen the face of this pass. 35 years of gnawing and teasing. 35 years since that day in 1911.
It had been a warm day for northern B.C. in October.
After 2 months of driving the cars had finally made it to their last obstacle in the mountains.
From this point the roads were all down hill. The last hill climb in the event was the worst. Forktail Pass rightfully deserved the name.
Carved by glacial run-off each year, the pass was steep and at times completely impassable.
Fortunately by this point in the year there was no runoff. This didn't change much! There was still no road to speak of.
Never the less, the cars lined up at the bottom and one by one they took their shot.
The Rockies road trial was supposedly the most diabolical yet devised.
Almost a 1000 miles of terrain so difficult it would give a jeep headaches.
For the competitors this test of automotive endurance was unlike any in the world. This included Wayne.
For a native of Western Ontario the Rockies were like nothing they had seen before.
Their towering peaks stood silent witness to the power of nature and their rugged beauty left mixed feelings in the mind of the drivers.
In total there were eleven drivers and ten navigators, as well as their cars.
There was Martin Wendals, and his co-driver James Stevenson who represented Rolls Royce. They were the favorites...no doubt about it.
In terms of talent and experience it was difficult to find a better team than Cody Jackson and Will Carter. Their car was an Oldsmobile.
Another Canadian entry was Devon Sinclair and Ellen Frey. This Regina based team would be competing with a Model T.
As for Wayne his co-driver would be Alex Williams. Williams, a childhood friend of Wayne, was also a great driver and an excellent mechanic.
The base of the pass was relatively flat and open. The teams took their time checking to ensure their vehicles were ready for the challenge.
Alex lifted the hood on their Buick to reveal the cars four cylinder engine. He began his inspection.
"Wasn't my fault! I'm not taking the blame for those knuckle heads in Flint." retorted Wayne.
You're the only knuckle head with flint in his head!! As I recall you broke the original and got this piece out of your shed." snapped Alex.
Wayne's response to this was as typical as the black stains on his driving gloves. "And you could have done better?"
"Actually yes..."Retorted Alex.
"I would have clamped it and told you, besides you're driving would have knocked it off anyway." stated Alex with a calm arrogance.
"Then why did you agree that I should drive?" hinted Wayne.
"I didn't agree you won the coin toss." stated Alex.
Wayne didn't answer, he changed the subject.
"So hows Molly? Did you get another letter?" asked Wayne.
"Not yet." answered Alex as he pulled out the oil can.
"I still can't believe you're going to marry my sister." stated Wayne with a creeped out look on his face.
"Well you have six months and three days to get used to the idea. after that, call me brother." stated Alex with a grin.
Preparations were being made by all the teams to face the climb.
Everybody had their tricks, their own techniques, their own way of doing things.
Just after lunch the drivers met to finalize the preceding.
After much debate it was decided that Cody and Will should go first. They had arrived first.
Then it would be Devon And Ellen's turn with Martin and James being third and finally Wayne and Alex.
Promptly at one o'clock the engines started. One by one the cars drove off to take their places at the base of the canyon.
With a light rumble Cody drove off gradually picking up speed until he reached the base of the hill.
First, the front then the rear wheels hit the thirty degree incline, the car lurched forward slowing to a crawl.
The low rumble of the engine grew to a roar as the four over sized bicycle tires fought for grip on the steep loose terrain.
With a snort and a a rumble Devon Sinclair's Model T plowed forward toward the hill. It slipped, skidded and wormed up....
It finally froze half way up the hill.
Almost comically Devon got out and began pushing while Ellen tried coaxing a few extra Hp's out of the engine.
After a few minutes of not getting anywhere Devon chalked the rear wheels and began stringing a pulley at the top of the hill.
The trick was simple, attach a pulley at the top of the hill and tie it to the rear wheels.
By doing this the car will pull itself up the hill with the aide of the pulley and not the wheels.
With the ropes in place Devon tried again. This time the Model T lurched its way to the summit.
With two cars up Wayne walked over to the Rolls Royce idling just ahead of him.
He addresses Martin Wendals with the standard line, "If you quit now. No one will think you're a chicken!"
Martin Wendals laughed, "I'm not a quitter so, come hell or high water I'll make it up that hill!"
"Well then best of luck to you." said Wayne with an encouraging tone.
"Best of luck to us both." was Martin's answer.
By now he was concentrating on the road ahead.
When he jumped off the running board and walked back to his car as the Rolls Royce started up.
With Martin's eyes fixed at the top of the hill as the car reached the incline.
Its doubled up rear wheels shooting gravel back as it plowed up.
With astounding swiftness the car reached the landing and struggled to make its enormous length across the sharp turn.
That only left Wayne and Alex waiting....
Wayne stared at the top of the hill. His eyes focused on the landing.
Breathing slowly he attempted to clear his mind to be prepared to face the challenge ahead.
Alex said nothing, he knew what was passing through Wayne's head. Being a driver himself he knew the importance of being mentally prepared.
After one of those minutes that feel like an hour Alex turned to Wayne and whispered, "Ready."
Wayne shifted into first gear and pulled the throttle back. The clicking of the engine grew louder and faster.
As the car pulled away a low end whoosh blended with the now droning click of the valves.
Then a pause....
Second gear....
The car accelerated down the gravel path. As it reached the base of the hill it rocketed up with an impressive speed.
Twenty feet.
Thirty feet.
Fifty feet.
Pause....Wayne down shifted into first gear and pulled the exhaust pin.
The low whine of the engine became a loud roar as the car fought to keep its momentum.
Sixty feet....
The car was travelling barely ten miles an hour.
With the slips of rubber some people would call rear wheels fighting for traction.
Wayne battled with the steering. The car kept a straight line for the top.
100 feet.......120 feet. The car was more than halfway up.
The smell of exhaust filled the air as the thick white grey smoke belched from the open exhaust beneath their feet.
Still the car kept climbing faster and faster, 150, 160 feet, almost there.
CRASH!!!!!!
When swerving to prevent the car from hitting the rock Wayne ran the drive line over another one.
The engine revved wildly. The car shuddered from impact.
The vibrations traveled up the frame through the seat and into Wayne's body like a chill travelling up his spine.
The shuddering hit Wayne's head like a freight train. His concentration broke....
Sweat poured from his head as he struggled to regain control.
The car rolled back faster and faster. Wayne slammed the brakes with all his force!! Nothing!
SLAM!!!
The rear axle hit a rock and the car began to come around.
Wayne screamed, "Jump!!!" the two cleared the car just as it began to roll.
And roll it did, all the way down the hill, coming to rest in a crumpled heap at the base.
The smell of fuel emanated from the base of the ruptured gas tank. The seats crushed, the frame bent, and the wheels broken off.
Wayne stood there paralyzed. The terrifying thought passed through his mind.
If I wouldn't have jumped, I'd be dead....the shock slowly turned to anger.
All at once he screamed, "This isn't over! I'll take this hill someday!"
"You mean we will take this hill!" came a voice from behind him. Alex limped over and said, "You can be sure of that."
In the years that followed, Alex and Wayne continued to race and trial cars, eventually building quite a reputation of excellence.
But one thing still haunted Wayne, the large rocks and steep grade of Fork Tail Pass.
Finally thirty five years later he was there, Wayne Macdonald at the base of the pass. Unchanged despite the decades that had passed.
A pity Alex couldn't see this. Remembering his friends and brother in law's near fatal accident a few weeks earlier.
This was why he was here to do it for both of them. The straight six howled through its open exhaust as Wayne focused.
All at once Wayne screamed, "READY!!!"
The car took off towards the hill......
The low rumble of the engine grew to a roar as the four over sized bicycle tires fought for grip on the steep loose terrain.
With a snort and a a rumble Devon Sinclair's Model T plowed forward toward the hill. It slipped, skidded and wormed up....
It finally froze half way up the hill.
Almost comically Devon got out and began pushing while Ellen tried coaxing a few extra Hp's out of the engine.
After a few minutes of not getting anywhere Devon chalked the rear wheels and began stringing a pulley at the top of the hill.
The trick was simple, attach a pulley at the top of the hill and tie it to the rear wheels.
By doing this the car will pull itself up the hill with the aide of the pulley and not the wheels.
With the ropes in place Devon tried again. This time the Model T lurched its way to the summit.
With two cars up Wayne walked over to the Rolls Royce idling just ahead of him.
He addresses Martin Wendals with the standard line, "If you quit now. No one will think you're a chicken!"
Martin Wendals laughed, "I'm not a quitter so, come hell or high water I'll make it up that hill!"
"Well then best of luck to you." said Wayne with an encouraging tone.
"Best of luck to us both." was Martin's answer.
By now he was concentrating on the road ahead.
When he jumped off the running board and walked back to his car as the Rolls Royce started up.
With Martin's eyes fixed at the top of the hill as the car reached the incline.
Its doubled up rear wheels shooting gravel back as it plowed up.
With astounding swiftness the car reached the landing and struggled to make its enormous length across the sharp turn.
That only left Wayne and Alex waiting....
Wayne stared at the top of the hill. His eyes focused on the landing.
Breathing slowly he attempted to clear his mind to be prepared to face the challenge ahead.
Alex said nothing, he knew what was passing through Wayne's head. Being a driver himself he knew the importance of being mentally prepared.
After one of those minutes that feel like an hour Alex turned to Wayne and whispered, "Ready."
Wayne shifted into first gear and pulled the throttle back. The clicking of the engine grew louder and faster.
As the car pulled away a low end whoosh blended with the now droning click of the valves.
Then a pause....
Second gear....
The car accelerated down the gravel path. As it reached the base of the hill it rocketed up with an impressive speed.
Twenty feet.
Thirty feet.
Fifty feet.
Pause....Wayne down shifted into first gear and pulled the exhaust pin.
The low whine of the engine became a loud roar as the car fought to keep its momentum.
Sixty feet....
The car was travelling barely ten miles an hour.
With the slips of rubber some people would call rear wheels fighting for traction.
Wayne battled with the steering. The car kept a straight line for the top.
100 feet.......120 feet. The car was more than halfway up.
The smell of exhaust filled the air as the thick white grey smoke belched from the open exhaust beneath their feet.
Still the car kept climbing faster and faster, 150, 160 feet, almost there.
CRASH!!!!!!
When swerving to prevent the car from hitting the rock Wayne ran the drive line over another one.
The engine revved wildly. The car shuddered from impact.
The vibrations traveled up the frame through the seat and into Wayne's body like a chill travelling up his spine.
The shuddering hit Wayne's head like a freight train. His concentration broke....
Sweat poured from his head as he struggled to regain control.
The car rolled back faster and faster. Wayne slammed the brakes with all his force!! Nothing!
SLAM!!!
The rear axle hit a rock and the car began to come around.
Wayne screamed, "Jump!!!" the two cleared the car just as it began to roll.
And roll it did, all the way down the hill, coming to rest in a crumpled heap at the base.
Wayne stood there paralyzed. The terrifying thought passed through his mind.
If I wouldn't have jumped, I'd be dead....the shock slowly turned to anger.
All at once he screamed, "This isn't over! I'll take this hill someday!"
"You mean we will take this hill!" came a voice from behind him. Alex limped over and said, "You can be sure of that."
In the years that followed, Alex and Wayne continued to race and trial cars, eventually building quite a reputation of excellence.
But one thing still haunted Wayne, the large rocks and steep grade of Fork Tail Pass.
Finally thirty five years later he was there, Wayne Macdonald at the base of the pass. Unchanged despite the decades that had passed.
A pity Alex couldn't see this. Remembering his friends and brother in law's near fatal accident a few weeks earlier.
This was why he was here to do it for both of them. The straight six howled through its open exhaust as Wayne focused.
All at once Wayne screamed, "READY!!!"
The car took off towards the hill......
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