Light at the end of the tunnel

Last week (since the draft for this post started earlier, today is 20th August), I set out to write a post-event report for EMENENTS at the Shell Eco-Marathon 2011. And that reminded me. The Shell Eco-Marathon 2011 Asia has been.

Ok, that may have not made much sense, but you know what I meant. I mean, the last post here was over two months ago, when the world was young, and well...SEM hadn't taken place. Kaar was very much on the move, and Primus opened its eyes for the first time. We didn't know whether the vehicles would even get to the competition, let alone compete...and other things like that. So naturally, we missed a whole lot of posts, events, people and fights.

We missed, for example, a post on a guy called Sabri, where I wanted to say that growing beards don't necessarily make people wiser, and that Sabri sahab was a hag. We missed a post when EMENENTS won the EME-derby when reliability issues for another team from EME left us as the sole representatives of our institution. That team took off a great start, but claims without substance last just as long. We missed the anxiety over sending the vehicles, over who would go and who wouldn't. We missed the great treason of the team manager sahib of Primus. We even missed the annual 'meet the team' post too.

And although I do feel the urge to write on some of the topics, I am worried that it might arouse anger and nostalgia. So, let's limit ourselves to the end. Kaar managed to post an official mileage figure at the competition, a meagre 35 km to the litre...oh no no, it was a whopping 98 mpg (UK). Primus had to remain content with staying in the pits, and hope for better returns next time.

In fairness, the result for Kaar isn't remarkable. We stood last in our category. In more fairness, however, this is a start. A harbinger for further improvement, and better results in the future. As Sir Raja will later say, "Nothing succeeds like success." So, while our returns were unremarkable, those of the peope who succeed us at EMENENTS may be much better. Only if we have been inspiration enough. And that is no little achievement. Moreover, it must be mentioned that we were last in the teams that qualified. We effectively had a better than mid-table finish when all the teams in the competition spectrum are considered. And we didn't even have to take a piss over India during our flight.

Primus, in my opinion, was a more competitive chance. The simple driveline, and the featherweight...weight promised greater returns, but we couldn't tamper with the brakes enough, and were not allowed on track on safety grounds.

Worthy of mention are the efforts of all team members (who did consider themselves as such at least), especially those who accompanied the cars to Malaysia.

Anyhow, the results for our categories can be found here:
http://www.sonoma.fr/projects/SECOM_AS11/src/iframe.php?f_compGroup=4vwsua70j5&f_engineType=_lgbaful_q&f_fuelType=vza7xfdyek&f_DispUnits=2
http://www.sonoma.fr/projects/SECOM_AS11/src/iframe.php?f_compGroup=7vtbzw2hj2&f_engineType=c77x0qpppp&f_fuelType=34p_4z7ddd&f_DispUnits=3

From what I have been able to understand, back home, our results have been considered a success. We have shut-up those who kept on waving flags of last year's debacle, and have managed to incite new students to join the cause. This is special, more so because we had less time to work on the vehicle than our competition at the track as most Pakistani cars were brought late. That reminds me, we have also missed a post on 'a case of exploding mangoes'.

Anyway, this brings me to the end of my official association with the vehicles and the team. For the last two years, I have rarely thought of something else. Throughout my life, I have never given much effort to one cause. I may have failed miserably in what I and my original team set out to achieve, but I feel content due to the fact that I could not have worked harder for it, and that the team I helped form has a bright future. The association with the team was accompanied by lots of highs and lows...ok, that's enough sentimentalism for two years I suppose.

Finally, we can now see light at the end of the tunnel. The men and women who shoulder the responsibility for this team would be without the corruption of ideas the pioneer team might have had. There is great hope.

What else? Ok, if I think of something, I'll make a post or two, or an edit thereof. Yeah, if someone from the team wants to continue on this blog, they are most welcome. I am thinking of changing the domain name to something that covers the entire team.

Anyhow, this is how it ends. I wish the future team good luck.

FORZA EMENENTS!