Late last year I got one of those phone calls I probably shouldn’t have taken. Was I interested in stepping up, serving at a higher level, giving back to my community.

Of course I was … then I realized it wasn’t my local, or even regional community – the call came from the Sports Car Club of America and I was being asked to join the National RoadRally Board. (Yeah, not as altruistic as you thought, is it?)

I’ve been rallying for almost two decades now, it was time to do it. It was just a monthly phone conference, some committee work here and there. Nothing strenuous. Oh, did I mention I have to go to the SCCA National Convention?

Yeah, that slipped by me at first … so Thursday morning, I dropped a kid at school, packed up and headed west. The convention is in … Vegas.

Las Vegas.

As in, Nevada.

I’m such a Vegas kind of guy … I mean, I’m more than happy to throw my life around inside a car on a twisty road at night in the snow. But tossing my money away? Not really me …

Once I got here, though, I realized something else: I have no idea what I’m doing here. I had some short conversations yesterday where I think I offended everyone in the rally community at some level. I don’t like the way the national championship is structured. Not a big fan of the way the convention is going. Scared at the near total lack of diversity in the rooms. And everyone here is … well … older.

I suggest the hotel put away all the eggs and bacon, no one can afford a heart attack here.

Anyways, some images from the trip and space so far …

Canon PowerShot G10, 6.1 mm, ISO 80, 1/500, f/5.6

Canon PowerShot G10, 6.1 mm, ISO 80, 1/1600, f/4.5

Canon PowerShot G10, 8.1 mm, ISO 80, 1/1000, f/3.5