BigApple2BigEasy is a unique motoring experience about which the organizers say, “You either get it, or you don’t.”
After all, what’s not to get about buying a $500 car ($150 in our case), making it safe and road legal, cramming it full of like-minded friends, then chugging across — at least — 1500 miles of pure American highways and byways?
Big Apple 2 Big Easy is based around StreetSafari’s same formula for their highly successful European rallies, Staples2Naples and Home2Rome.
The car…
The car must cost less than $500. This is a princely sum compared to the $250 limit imposed on the teams that ran the rally 2006-2008. Teams can either look for the most comfortable cruiser around for that $500, or can look for a car that’s on its last leg and needs coaxing to New York, let alone New Orleans.
The key to having fun is to find a car that is safe but is also utterly knackered. Teams will be pitching their mechanic skills in getting their heaps of trash to the end. None of this cruise control, air conditioned, motorized sofa nonsense. Raw, edgy and uncomfortable.
Just ask the Teams who managed to puff and pant their way through the American Deep South and BABE history. They’ll tell you… sweat and steam are good for the soul!
If a team’s car breaks down they have two choices: retire from the rally; or get the car disposed off and start hitch- hiking with other teams to the end!
The challenges…
Along the way teams will be asked to participate in some challenges. These are simple challenges, they may include costume on one particular day, they may involve collecting things from particular places. Challenges, in turn, are worth points.
The challenges do not, however, involve doing anything dangerous or any sort of mechanical competition. This isn’t a race, and no points will be given for arriving first, doing something fastest, etc. Safety is important at all times. Anyone caught displaying bad driving will be disqualified. Or worse.
The Prize…
The Team that manages to acquire the most points over 5 days of hard driving will get $1500 in cash.
The second place team will win $350 and the third place team will win $150. However, teams (and their cars) must make it to the end!
The Charities…
StreetSafari events aren’t officially run for charity, but teams are welcome to collect sponsorships and do the event for charity. Many of the European teams use the events for charity and an impressive amount of money is raised each time.
For more information, please visit:
Two Horsemen of the Carpocalypse 
[…] BABE […]