This day is not a holiday, birthday nor a religious observation date. It is the day that the Equinic Torch arrives for an overnight stay at our humble residence.

The morning started off with an excited Lordpye running past every barn shouting �I�ve Done it, I�ve Done it!!! I�m going to have Sex on my horse!!!� Atthewire and Bbudgies were sharing some brew and donuts with me and we looked at each other puzzled. Lordpye came flying by again screaming �I�ve always wanted to have Sex on my horse and now my dream will come true!�

�What the hell is that about?� asked Bbudgies. �I dunno� replied Atthewire �But I sure as hell don�t want to have any part of that�!

Hofman, who was our liaison on keeping track of the whereabouts of the torch came over and joined us. I asked when it we can expect it and he gave the unemotional �It should be arriving this afternoon.� Hoffman�s been a bit in the dumps. One of the recent contests at the EWC was a Nascar-like event called the EWC-500. Hoffman was the leader in the beginning of this long event, and looked like he could run away with it. After being caught midway in this contest, Hofman just blew a gasket and finished fifth. He�s been in psychological care ever since. We gave the Hof�er the important role of tracking the torch, hoping to cheer him up. Apparently, this hasn�t been working.

In a blink of an eye, the rambunctious Lordpye came flying by with the biggest grin on his face. �I�m finally going to have Sex!!! I�ve been trying to have Sex forever!!! My time has arrived!!! At post-time of the first race on Saturday is when I will finally have Sex�. As Lordpye galloped off once again, Atthewire shouted out �That�s too much information�. Bbudgies stated �I can�t believe that guy actually has scheduled a time to have sex. I know he�s hard-up, but does he really have to brag about it?�

Denovo was dragging some debris. �Hey gang!! You guys doing anything?�. Everyone replied that nothing was going on. Hofman asked �Why, what are you doing Denovo?�

�I thought we�d have a bonfire tonight. You know, light it up with the torch, sing some songs, and roast some marshmallows. That kind of thing.� Denovo replied, adding �If you have any junk, just bring over to the east side, that�s where I�m setting things up�.

The morning turned into afternoon and everyone contributed to the pile that would be used for the bonfire. Everyone, with the exception of Lordpye. I assumed he was off to the book store to find a �How To� manual for his upcoming weekend event.

By mid-day, a cry thundered throughout the network of residency barns �IT�S HERE, IT�S HERE�..THE TORCH IS HERE EVERYONE!!!!� Hofman shouted this with the most enthusiasm in months. Everyone gathered in the center of the residency and the torch was handed off to Hofman. He held it up high and proudly. Everyone took pictures as he placed it with great care onto the platform that would be the home for the torch until sunrise.

Fortunately, the platform had a roof over it as in very short time, thunder could be heard in the offing. Everyone headed off to their barns to bunker down their horses and secure their stables.

The storm did little damage, but did wet things considerably. The torch was unaffected and the evening events were soon to start. Irish Luck Farms and Avondale co-chaired the dinner activities. An old-fashioned barbeque was the agenda which featured Irish Luck Farm�s special hot sauce for the hot dogs. Avondale made the best potato salad this side of the Atlantic as well as the other side of the Pacific.

Lordpye came in still grinning from ear to ear. �If you say one more thing about having sex tomorrow, I will shoot you!!� cride out Avondale, who apparently was also sick about hearing about his braggings. Lordpye�s mouth dropped to the ground, bounced up and eventually rested upon the table. �What the he���Oh my�� he said. �There is definitely a misunderstanding here. I wasn�t saying the word sex, I was saying �S �dot� EX�. Continuing his explanation, you know, that jockey in Finland S. Ex. Oh my lord, I�m sorry for any misunderstanding. I�ve been trying for years to get S. Ex to ride my horses. He finally has accepted the mount for Saturday.� Everyone chuckled and felt much more relaxed with the situation now being resolved.

After a wonderful cake made in the shape of a race track, with gold, silver and bronze medals in the middle (containing the letters EWC) by Avondale and Irish Luck Farms, everyone helped in cleaning up the meal area and it was off to take the Equinics Torch and start the bonfire.

The sky was dark, the fire would burn bright, and fun amongst the residents would be abundant. But a problem was presented. The platform holding the torch was dark. Had the torch burnt out under our care? No, it had not. It just wasn�t there!!!

Anger filled the face of Lordpye �This is not a joke!!! Who has the torch?�. Everyone looked around, but no one confessed. �Come on guys, this is no laughing matter. We are responsible for the torch and we could all be kicked out of sim-racing for life!�. Hofman looked extremely worried, and perhaps on the burst of tears as everyone elected him to be in charge of this important duty.

�I want everyone to search the grounds and go through every straw of hay until we find it! It�s got to be easier than finding a needle� Lordpye instructed.

�Hey, why don�t we have Roxynken find it. He has that crystal ball.� Denovo offered.

�Yea�, Avondale agreed �he�s done wonders with that!�

Atthewire chimed in �He is our fortune teller. You know he�s never been wrong before. Just look at all the letters of testimony that support his abilities in the BTB�.

�Ok�go get it Roxynken� Lordpy requested. Off I went to get my Crystal Gem ball.

I returned with it, sat it on the middle of a near by picnic table and sat down. I was quickly surrounded by my peers as I entered the appropriate trance. �The ball is starting to glow. I see a triangular, thinly shaped stick, with a fire emitting from it. It is the Equinics Torch.� I provided updates as the vision fell into the ball. �I see a barn. The Torch is lit and in someone�s barn�.

�Who, who has it?� asked Bbudgies.

�I see a body but they are hidden behind an open newspaper. The paper has the title BTB upon it. I cannot see the person holding it. Trophies are on the wall behind them. Three for winning a recent handicap contest� I updated.

Snapping their fingers, Bbudgies shouted �It�s Cuetec!!!! We have that handicapping contest that is held in a series of stages�Remember?�

Avondale added �That�s the one where there�s something like 8 weeks of races to pick from and the winner from each stage will face off in some sort of playoff at the end?�

�Correct� Atthewire replied �And Cuetec has won the first three series. I bet he�s back in his barn looking to make his selection right now�

�I bet you are right� said Hoffman, feeling relieve that the mystery would now be solved �Let�s go find him�.

No one had seen Cuetec all day and we all entered his barn without the courtesy of knocking. Cuetec jumped up startled from where he sat in the rear of the barn, just below his trophy showcase. Dropping the BTB on the floor, he had the Equinics Torch nestled in a holder, using the light to study the program.

�What are you doing with the torch� inquired Lordpye.

�I was simply borrowing it. My power went out and won�t be fixed until tomorrow. I had to make my picks for the contest you know. Why, is there a problem?� Cuetec asked.

�No, we just didn�t know where the torch went.� Lordpye replied.

�Ok, mystery solved.� Hoffman said happily. �If I may, I�d like to take the torch and start the bonfire.�

Everyone was in a more relaxed and joyful mood as the Hof�er picked up the torch, and led the troops to the location of the pile that would soon be set ablaze.

But another problem would become very apparent. The pile was still wet from the afternoon thunderstorm. �I�ve got a solution. I�ll be right back� I gleamed and ran off.

I returned with a special item I purchased on a late night info-commercial called New-Formula Nitro. It was guaranteed to provide me results in the previously mentioned EWC-500 contest. Everyone looked and thought it was the right solution. Surely it would ignite in a blink of an eye. I doused the pile with the two buckets I bought for $19.99 plus shipping and handling.

Hoffman took the torch, lowered it towards the pile, and it fizzled. Nothing lit. �You Fool!� cried Denovo �Remember what that cheap imitation stuff did to your horses in the contest Roxynken?�

�Um, yea, they blew up their engines and wrecked� I replied.

�That�s because you bought cheap watered down garbage. I�ll get the Nu-Formulo Nitro, that should do the trick.� Denovo galloped off to get his special formula.

The formula seemed to work, as he moved up in the contest using the stuff. He generously poured the powerful substance on the pile. Hoffman once again took the torch in hand, lowered it, and this time the spark caught and in moments, the bonfire lit the residency.

A round of cheers filled the air and everyone settled down and good times were held by all.

The night turned into day and it was time to say farewell to the torch. Avondale, Atthewire, Bbudgies and Hofman would relay it via horseback and a 25 mile journey to the next residency. Everyone else lined up to hand pass it from one resident to the other until it reached the horseriders. And off into the sunrise the torch would head, lightening up a day with hopes that the residency would be able to replace the torch on the platform with some prizes made of gold, silver or bronze from this year�s games.