Feb 5th , 2009.

3:30 in the morning the alarm rings. My girlfriend slaps the alarm clock off the bedside table and says “its time to go do your rally ‘thing’”. So with that firm pronouncement I got out of bed, re-checked camera gear, and got ready to leave for the airport, and after three or four more frantic checks of my camera gear I finally decided I was ready to go.

The rally ‘thing’ that my girlfriend so bluntly described is a short flight and drive (relatively) to Maniwaki, Quebec for the first round of the Canadian Rally Championship, Rallye Perce-Neige!

I made the trek across the country to do media coverage of the event, offering not only photographic packages for contestants, but press release services and event synopsis writing for teams and clubs. What an exciting start to the year! The opening of the online store at http://www.worldrallysport.com has made selling / purchasing photos and coverage packages easier than ever.

The temperature outside right now, as I sit in the pub at Rally Headquarters, waiting for my burger is around -20C judging from the ache in my knee and the speed at which skin freezes to my monopod.

I will be staying with competitor Andrew Comrie-Picard while I am here in Maniwaki, and after a brief phone conversation about an hour before this (currently 7:30pm) I found out I had hurried a bit too much and made it to Maniwaki 4 hours before my host. Drat...I suppose this means more beer in the pub? I recognize a few faces around the tables, namely Alan Ockwell, 2008 Canadian Rally Champion.

I will continue to update my blog nightly with new photos and write ups from the event. Right now I think my burger is on its way, time to eat.