Third Annual Treasure Hunt Rally
April 22nd, 2001

The Club held its Great Okeechobee Treasure Hunt Sunday April 22nd. Competitors and spectators met at around 9:30 or so, and the first car went off at around 10:30. Each crew received an instruction sheet and a separated sheet of clues and questions to be answered during the drive. Each crew had to drive the correct route by following a set of instructions and then finding the answers to twenty questions, whose clues would be found either along the route or from our knowledge of Jaguar cars and their history.

The route took the cars in and around lake Okeechobee, through some excellent scenery, and some twists and turns in the road. In addition to the Treasure Hunt, Bob and Lauri Frost (whose considerable expertise went into planning the treasure Hunt) also calculated the course for a Time/Distance rally for those so inclined. Drivers could participate in the Hunt, the Rally, both, or just come out for a leisurely drive in the country.

The plan was for us to end up meeting at the Seminole Inn on Main Street in Indiantown, where we had Brunch. The Inn is among the oldest bed and breakfasts in the State and is rich with history and hospitality. We did not arrive at the inn without some mishaps along the way! The driving directions took us out on a westerly course, which meandered through both Palm Beach and Martin counties. The questions to be answered however, posed the competitors a few problems. Among the more interesting were:

"FLA HEPC. Who would call here?" (Answer to be found on a sign along the road). Answers were varied to this. The correct answer is "Hepatitis sufferers." But someone wrote, "people who need an answer." Another competitor hazarded, " "your mom," while some just left the question blank and drove on hoping for better success at the next clue.

"The gates open at 5:00. But what for and on which day." The correct answer was "Racing on Saturdays," found at the entrance of the Moroso Speedway, but not everyone caught it as they flew by. One navigator/driver team gave a slightly X rated answer, "sex shop, Thursday," but most left it blank.

"Name of the Russian Invader to Florida," was a clue within a clue, from the sign on the Pratt Whitney building, and the correct answer was Sikorski. Answers ran the gamut, from one competitor who consulted an encyclopedia and came up with "Pascal Monvosetooski (1611)." "Smirnoff," "Ivan," "Pratt Whitney," were some of the more popular guesses.

A cool question was, "You have now entered Martin County. A free call would avoid what?" These signs were numerous and posted all along the roads, and underground cables were what were to be avoided. Still, one team answered, "teen pregnancy," and another just "pregnancy," which is surely an indication of the club's overall social concerns! Someone else came up with "25 cents," a hint of our monetary concerns as a group.

The designers of the course were also interested in our math abilities. We were asked to calculate the cost of 100 acres from a sign advertising land for sale. Everyone got the correct answer to that question! Good thinking, group! The clue to "Where would you buy a goat," was a road sign lots of us missed, so answers ranged from "farm," to "ranch," to "at a goat retailer," "goats r us," and "e-goat.com."

The final five questions had to do with Jaguars. Most curious was the question as to why the first XK 120 was made of aluminum. Answers were close guesses and having to do with its light weight, but the correct answer goes back to the conditions in the UK after the war. Steel was still scarce and until the car could go into production (steel was available to manufacturers who were exporting goods abroad) only this lightweight metal was available.

The winners of the Treasure Hunt were John Gommel and his sister, Cheryl Gommel, in John's '73 XKE with 14 correct answers. Tied for second with 13 correct answers were Bill Smail in his '92 XJ6 and his navigator, Bob Veder, and the crew of Pascal and his son, Pierre, Gademer in Pascal's 72 XKE 2+2. Tied for third place with 12 correct answers were Lilian Gademer and her navigator, Monique Gademer in the Gademer's '99 XJR and John and Patricia Sasson in their '85 XJ6.

The winner of the time/distance trial was Don Heim in his '62 XKE. All the winners and runners-up are to be congratulated as there were several who literally fell by the wayside.

Aside from the cars that got themselves hopelessly lost and were officially recorded as DNF (did not finish), a bunched-up group of competitors found themselves at the end of the drive filling up at a gas station near Indiantown. Because Russell Glace somehow filled his '74 XKE with diesel fuel, thinking it was premium, the ensuing billowing smoke from his exhaust not only attracted a good deal of local attention from the folk lined up along the route (shades of Bob and Lauri's arctic rally!) but also a cadre of sheriffs who helpfully escorted the group of Jaguar cars to the Indiantown Inn. Whether the sheriffs passed through the checkpoint is a question, which will remain moot.

The day, the drive, the smoking XKE, the brunch were enjoyed by everyone. On leaving, Russell said, "thanks everyone, I had fun," which summed up how much we appreciated the hard work and careful planning Bob and Lauri, and all those who helped organize the event, Brad Cline, John Sasson, Pascal Gademer… I hope I haven't left anyone out… that went in to making the day a lot of fun and just plain good driving on some interesting roads. Thanks guys!

Now, Russell, we look forward to your detailed article on how to clean out the effects of a gas tank full of diesel from the fuel system… points, plugs, condenser…

Cindy Gommel, DNF
       

Lilian Gademer in Pascal's XKR on the road

Awating the start near PGA blvd

Steven Jaffe red hot Sunbeam Tiger

Parking across the Seminole Inn... the VW van wasn't part of the rally...

Russell Glace in his 74 E-type V12 D 

South Florida Jaguar Club

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