Tuscany, Italy 2018

With the success in France in 2013, I seriously considered turning in my rally badge and retiring permanently from this crazy business while I was still ahead. However, I had always wanted to rent a villa in Tuscany with friends and as an ode to the other half of my heritage - Italy - I put  forth the idea two years before to participants, found considerable enthusiasm, and began canvassing for potential partners. I ultimately found both Jeff Fulwiler and Michele Nannini to be willing victims and we based the 30th Anniversary of the RR on Dante's Inferno, from The Divine Comedy. Its nine circles of Hell - our nine clues - allowed us to present the intellectual narrative of  sinning teams having to climb their way out of the depths of a horrific underworld of gluttons and psychopaths to Paradise, which in this case was the sun-filled Villa d'Ulignano, a glorious old manor  once frequented by barons, filmmakers and actresses (Claudia Cardinale). It stood perched on a hill overlooking vineyards, olive orchards and a gigantic swimming pool, basking in the Tuscan sun. The teams were split in two directions, each with five runs, lasting two days; they started in Florence, Dante's home town,  with one group heading to Pisa and the second to Siena. The teams then converged the next day at the destination, spending time in Volterra, Lari and San Gimignano. The party, not to mention some of the clue planting, would not have been complete without the logistical help of Mark Shuman, who helped orchestrate a fantastic banquet with a gypsy-like band, an afternoon pizza party, a first night of introductory appetizers and drinks as well as taking on the thankless job of accommodating the needs of forty guests with bed and room assignments.