Aurora Report #7 from Bibendum. 3 June 2010

SWEET SWEET SUGAR LOAF

One more event but possibly the most fun. A parade of the most interesting cars from Bibendum 2010 at Flamengo Beach against a background of Rio’s most famous landmark, Sugar Loaf.

This required an early start from the Rio Centro pavilion. Seven thirty in the morning. Thankfully everything had been loaded the night before and it took little additional work to join a convoy of trucks taking vehicles through the centre of Rio to this beautiful area of Flamengo. All was helped by the fact that today was a public holiday.

The solar cars were unloaded at the head of the parade. It did take several hours to assemble all 40 vehicles and this gave an opportunity for the local residents to see the weird and the wonderful close up.

Finally the Michelin man Bibendum started the 3.5 km demonstration run. Almost walking pace. In fact Nick paced the Aurora all the way whilst Derrick was doing the slow cruise.

 

 

Jean-Pierre Lamour was on hand to see this last event safely completed. Then he was to take a well earned holiday. This was the fifth event he had organised and to do Brazil he needed to be in Rio for six months such was the organisational task. Who will be the organiser for the next Bibendum in May of 2011 scheduled for Berlin?

Following the parade was the time for photographs. Each car and team had their photo taken with the Sugar Loaf as a backdrop. Then there were group pictures, Michelin pictures, private pictures, local pictures and so on. Pretty much all with the famous landmark in the background. As promised by the rally organiser Armand Paradis, the sun shone. The Michelin man did a samba shuffle. What a lovely day

Then the final lunch at the fantastic Porcao waterfront restaurant. Famous for superb meat, which was carved from skewers at the table. It would have been the ideal time for an afternoon nap and a time to reflect on the incredible event that was Bibendum 2010. But not so. It was time to pack the solar car, get to the trucking company and load it into a container for its next journey to….Japan.

All done and dusted by 6.00 PM.

THANK YOU MICHELIN for the wonderful organization of an event that has an impact on the efforts around the world to improve our future environment.