Women’s History Month had its origins as a national celebration in 1981 when Congress passed Pub. L. 97-28, which authorized and requested the President to proclaim the week beginning March 7, 1982, as “Women’s History Week.” Since 1995, presidents have issued a series of annual proclamations designating the month of March as “Women’s History Month.” These proclamations celebrate the contributions women have made to the United States and recognize the specific achievements women have made over the course of American history in a variety of fields.
And with that, on this first day of Women’s History Month, I want to honor Ramona “Noni” Bordwell, my mentor in the sport of road rally. We are still a part of each others’ lives these forty-eight years later, yet I marvel how our window of opportunity to connect was a mere eighteen months.
At the time of my 60th birthday, the following was her gift to me, as I asked her to write me some history from her library, as I shared with her that she had been my mentor into rallying —
OMG. My Dear Little Miss Cheryl, I do wish I could remember all your little mentoring moments!! Hey, maybe we can record them together!!
I do remember that every rally requires an extensive team. From a Rally Master and cohort; to an “expert” team to verify the correctness of the proposed rally and written instructions; to the collection of awards for the winners and biggest loser teams (typically a red lantern to help see their way home); to the registration team; to checkpoint workers who document the time a competitor team goes through a checkpoint (and in which direction! Kudos for the Rally Master for tricking someone into that booboo!!). Then, arrange a final gathering point (usually a food joint) and a team to calculate every team’s points and give out awards.
It was a complicated process. Frequently the Rally Master did many of those jobs. Does it seem I remember there were “Rally Master Classes”??? And there were many, many hours of tutoring fledgling Rally Masters. And you, my Dear Cheryl, mastered every one of those jobs! You went above and beyond to continue our sports car clubs’ rich legacy of rallying. You even orchestrated such an awesome community so as to gain national certification of our events!!
Now, some rally memories…
Ross Bordwell and I rolled this Saab in the Fall-for-All Rally on October 20, 1973, when the right front tire blew! They took Ross to the hospital for a dislocated shoulder. Yes! He had his seat belt on. And at that point, he decided that normal crossover shoulder straps are not so doggoned safe! (Give him a really good set of racing straps!)
I had had minor scratches, so they left me alone with my memories of rolling with stuff flying all over the place. It went dark when the battery broke loose! Not sure how it was that I had to reach BEHIND me to find the door latch. I was indeed somehow facing the seatback, still in my seatbelt!!
As a Novice Rallymaster, one of my goals was to catch Experts Satch Carlson & Rusty Link(??) and Experts Ross and his Navigator Charlie Connell with sly route instructions!
My best event was “Mona’s Madness,” in which I navigated around a small triangle in the route. I think I used mileage instructions. Ross was on his way down the wrong road when his Expert Navigator Charlie caught the trick mileage instruction. Yea, they made a timely correction!
That was as close as I ever got to catch them! It thrilled my soul to hear them tell of the NEED for their quick recovery! Even Satch agreed it was a good rally trap!!
John Stetenfeld’s Barbed Wire Special came from his experience of going around the Springer Loop, in the Matanuska Valley. He’s flying down the road at whatever impossible speed, trying to make time, when his partner (Big…?) says, “This is it! This is it!” John didn’t quite understand what “this is it” meant, so he missed the sharp turn and flew right through the barbwire fence and into the farmer’s field! That made such an impression on young John that from thereon, the “Barbed Wire Special” was an annual rally event, and it always went around that corner of the Springer Loop.
Another time on a rally upon Anchorage’s Hilltop, I was driving my Opel. There was a fairly big rock in the middle of the road. I misjudged its size and took out my oil pan as I went over it!! I decided I wanted a different car when I watched a Subaru that didn’t even flinch as it drove over that rock!!
And then there was the time Ross was driving (I think Hillside again!) and somehow managed to drive right off the edge of the road into a snowbank! No prob, but the funny part was the next car (apparently following our lead) followed us right into that same snowy ditch!!
#comeroadrally