I love to romantincise. To me rallying and spectating it, is hardly just walking to the forest and see cars go pass me fast. There's more to it. Far more to it. This is why I'd like to get to know you, a forum member, better and hear your story - why do you love rallying so much that you ended up creating an account here and writing post.

To start with something, here's my few lines. In basic, I love rallying because my father did too and he took me to events when I was young. After a few phases I re-instutionalized my passion for the sport step by step since 2004 and since 2008 it's been full on. My first recollection of actual rally event is from 1987, Ari Vatanen and Terry Harryman jumping in a Texaco-livered Sierra RS Cosworth on some stage of 1000 Lakes 1987. It can't be far away from Ouninpohja, some of those roads. I was seven years old. It's funny how I don't remember any other car, or who was with us, just my father, the black and orange Sierra, a flame from the exhaust pipe and the rainy weather of late August in Finland. I've been later told that I've been to 1000 Lakes earlier, the Gr. B days, but being too young I don't remember as well as can't difference from was it a rally, a rallycross, or other autosport event. I have deeper memories from 1000 Lakes 1988 (like my father helping a crashed out pair from Estonia, under a CCCP flag at the day, to get their Lada VFTS away from the stage; that was super exciting!), Juha Kankkunen in Celica's early days, loved all that, or Carlos Sainz' first appearances in Finland, especially this Scandinavian flick from SS Säyrylä/Himos from 1991, ran in dusk/darkness. Those years I remember in detail, and it lasted pretty much until my teen years bloomed and I wanted a guitar instead of a go-kart. However, as I lived in the centre of 1000 Lakes, not going to spectate the rally was never an option, and I've missed the rally only once for past 25 years. Now, I find it funny - or sad - how my least interested year to rallying were when the sport was at its bloom during my adult life (1998-2003). Okey, I went to watch Ouninpohja during the early period of WRC years, but nothing more. Only after 2004 I started to get more and more interested in rallying, and since 2008 it've been full on, hold no barriers following of this beautiful sport. I'm still holding into it, and please God of Rallying, make it come that there'd be more teams and all good drivers that would get a chance. I'd been thrilled pass the two-team hiatus, it should get better now by any odds.

And it's not only cars going fast pass me. The whole concept of spectating rallies is appealing to me right now. First the decision which event to go, then the preparations (where they run, how are those places, which is the best, how many stages can we see in a day, etc.) and only then the execution of the plan, the long days and short sleeps, the rallying high, to meet new people and to see the actual sporting event, in good day to see your favourite driver do good. This whole "what does spectating a rally live mean to you" could be divided into so many smaller details that it'd end up as a book, at least. If you know what I mean, you know what I mean. And that is why I love rallying at the moment.

So please, if you care, please tell me why do you love rallying :-) I'd love to know you better.