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Georg and I talked it over and it looks like we're going to leave after the rally today. That would have us missing three hours of display time downtown, and the awards ceremony and photo session from 3 to 4.

As I said yesterday, I feel no small obligation to be here when they want us to be here. And I don't feel great about skipping out early. But, the arguments in favor of leaving early are pretty strong.

First, it seems like the important events are done. The display time today is just all the cars together in a parking lot, not spread out around the town like we were yesterday. And the fundraising "people's choice" vote is over. I'm not that into award ceremonies and UMJ isn't going to win anything anyway. (I always skip the awards ceremony in Houston too.) It will be a bummer to miss the photo session, but you know, I'll have other opportunities to take photos of the car.

The main thing is that it's the end of the art car weekend, we're both tired, and we don't want to wait until 4 pm to start a 5-6 hour drive. Also I'd be very happy to avoid 4 more hours of standing in the Florida sun on my already burned face and throat.

My only reservation is that Mt Dora has done so much to bring us here. I really don't want them to feel like we didn't fulfill our obligations. I'm going to track down a driver who's been here before and knows the organizers, like Carolyn or Dave, and find out what they think. If it sounds like the organizers would be really upset with our leaving early, then we'll maybe reconsider.

It's weird because all the other out-of-town drivers have the opposite problem from us: they all have to go west, so it would be better for them to stay here longer in order to miss the hurricane. They're supposed to be driving through Louisiana on I-10 just when Katrina will be passing through. Yikes. It makes my concerns about driving late and sunburn seem pretty trivial.