Wet Lap Race at Hi Desert Roundup 2010...

The action was hot at the vehicle games, but the weather wasn't so hot on this Sunday afternoon, May 30, 2010, as my son Matthew, my buddy Robert and I checked out the vehicle games, an important part of CA4WDC's Hi Desert Round-Up, one of the most awesome four wheeling events that you cam imagine. In the wilds of Stoddard Valley, there is no air conditioning, so if the weather was hot, how would you cool off? Well, I have a friendly suggestion: Participate in the Wet Lap Race, hosted by the Rim of the World 4WDC.

Photo: The start and finish line of the Wet Lap. The mountain in the background, just to the right of the flag, is Stoddard Mountain, elevation 4888 feet.

Photo: We did some serious partying the night before, and Matthew and Robert seem to be more interested in sleeping off the effects rather than to watch Wet Lap in action.

To run Wet Lap, your best bet is to find a co-driver, a.k.a. passenger, who doesn't mind water spilled on his/her lap. Like in many of the CA4WDC events at Hi Desert Roundup, Wet Lap is divided into two classes: Men and women. It seems like Simple Simon, but it's not so simple as to run the race. You see, you have to navigate a course, outlined by stakes, while your passenger balances a bowl of water over his/her lap, maintaining it inside the vehicle for the duration of the course. The bowl of water contains 32 ounces, and the object of the "race" is to drive the course as fast as possible, but you have to keep in mind that each ounce of spilled water results in a 2-second penalty. Ouch! Not to mention that there is a 5-second penalty for each stake the driver hits. Another caveat: Any team finishing with less than 12 ounces of water is disqualified. The fastest official time, measured by the combined actual. time minus the penalties, wins the race.

Photo: This gentleman is getting checked off and signed up for the race.

Photo: This Jeep nears the finish line, as the lady passenger holds the pan of water, and tries to spill as little as possible, despite the bumpy course.

Photo: This couple decided to run the race again, so one of the volunteers is handing her a pan of water.

What about the race track? Four wheel drive required, as it's situated in the Mojave desert, and there are dips, loose shale, twisty curves and just about anything else that Stoddard Valley can throw upon the contestants. However if the driver messes up and misjudges the course, the passenger is rewarded with a cooling splash of water from the pan that's perched upon their lap.

Photo: This contestant returns a half full pan of water after completing the race.

Photo: Don't look at the water or it might spill! This gentleman seems to be trying to put a Vulcan Mind Bend on the pan of water to keep it from spilling.

For a refreshing change of pace, the Wet Lap Race is the hot place to be at Hi Desert Round-Up.