What a beautiful day in Library Park located in downtown Waterbury!

When I arrived in the early afternoon, the Tour de Sol vehicle entrees were lined up in the 'Tech Inspection Area" getting weighed, and examined by several of the Tour de Sol staff.

Vehicles ranged from electric cars to hybrid trucks, including currently available automobiles from Toyota and Honda.

In the expo area there was a large display from the Ford Motor Co., promoting the Think! electric vehicles, a Ford hydrogen fuel cell experimental vehicle, and Think! electric bicycles.

Other displays included the Micronesia Team which brought several electric scooters, a giant solar electric and solar heating panel truck from the "New England Renewable Energy Show" for educational demonstrations, and a Tour de Sol first time entree, the "Sunray" from Kailua, HI, which was originally designed by the late Johnathan Tennison, a sadly missed EV advocate of the Hawaiian Islands.

Bolton High School team entree " The Solar Bolt " was back again and well prepared for the event with a enthusiatic group of students and teachers, as well as the Cinnaminson High School "Olympian", which had teachers and students in a discussion over pre-race adjustments to the electrics of the vehicle.

A favorite of the America Tour de Sol is the New Hampshire Technical Institute's "Sungo", built from the ground-up, and uniquely designed as a city commuter.

The Irondequoit High School's "Zodiac" is a solar three-wheeler that challlenged the vehicle's driver to keep all three wheels on the ground while manouvering aroung the pylons on the test course, a common concern for most three-wheeled vehicles.

Olaf Bleck, a Tour de Sol allumni entrant brought back a winning vehicle, the Solectria Force, with a extended battery trailer, which will surely prove to be a contender for first place in it's catagory.

Also back this year is the Ethel Walker School, with a 1996 Solectria Force using new Ovonic nickel metal hydride batteries, a prominent energy pack in many long range electric vehicles.