Friday 20 June 2014
We're ready for the Beijing Rally!
It has been a long final evening in the UK before our departure. In less than 5 hours we'll be setting off on the Beijing Rally 2014. We packed up Red and carried out some last minute maintenance as well as some shopping. All our updates from this point on will be via the Twitter feed that is published on our website and Facebook. Thanks to all who have supported us in the preparations and have made donations to Mercy Corps.
Our finish line will be at the Badaling point on the Great Wall of China
Mercy Corps have been helping us co-ordinate a rather special finish for the Beijing Rally 2014. After some discussions and planning, the final spot where we hope to arrive on Friday 18th July 2014 will be at the Badaling point at the Great Wall of China.
Badaling Great Wall
We are thrilled at the opportunity of finishing our rally at this spot and are very grateful to have Mercy Corps make the finish line so special. Now we've got to figure out how to get from London to Beijing in 28 days!
Badaling Great Wall
We are thrilled at the opportunity of finishing our rally at this spot and are very grateful to have Mercy Corps make the finish line so special. Now we've got to figure out how to get from London to Beijing in 28 days!
Thursday 19 June 2014
Our Land Rover, Red, is ready for action!
To describe the last few days as colossal in terms of effort that has gone into Red would be an understatement. It would be impossible to go through everything in detail.
One of the big wins for us is the replacement of the front leaf springs. It took two days of effort in the end to replace them for a variety of reasons. We also finally replaced our two front tyres. Replacing front tyres is normally a fairly straightforward affair, but when you end up with a tyre supplier delivering the wrong tyres and then running out of stock the week before a rally, it becomes a bit of an issue, but one that we managed to overcome.
Some electrical rewiring has also been carried out as well as replacing one of our oil hoses. Whilst working on the car we also discovered an oil leak, but this was easily resolved.
The 'Beijing Rally 2014' stickers were also applied to Red. This is a rather time consuming task that Alex had to work through over a few evenings. We also got our inside/outside temperature sensors working again.
Our useful temperature display
So here is Red with new tyres and stickers looking all ready for the rally! :)
One of the big wins for us is the replacement of the front leaf springs. It took two days of effort in the end to replace them for a variety of reasons. We also finally replaced our two front tyres. Replacing front tyres is normally a fairly straightforward affair, but when you end up with a tyre supplier delivering the wrong tyres and then running out of stock the week before a rally, it becomes a bit of an issue, but one that we managed to overcome.
Some electrical rewiring has also been carried out as well as replacing one of our oil hoses. Whilst working on the car we also discovered an oil leak, but this was easily resolved.
The 'Beijing Rally 2014' stickers were also applied to Red. This is a rather time consuming task that Alex had to work through over a few evenings. We also got our inside/outside temperature sensors working again.
Our useful temperature display
So here is Red with new tyres and stickers looking all ready for the rally! :)
Saturday 14 June 2014
Red undergoes further repairs
Having inspected the chassis and welded it up previously, the plan this weekend was to replace all of our leaf spring with some new ones we bought sometime ago.
The process of removing the leaf springs can be incredibly time consuming and involves hours on end of bashing. After around 7 hours or so of bashing, the rear springs were successfully replaced.
Another chassis inspection was carried out, and rather unfortunately, a new hole was found measuring around 11 inches. Ouch!
More than just a crack in the chassis!
Moss, of the Desert Bunnies, had been helping with the leaf spring replacement and in no time at all was in action welding up Red, again!
Although more time consuming that we'd have hoped, we've got new leaf springs at the rear and we've welded up a section of Red that really needed it. A number of other repairs were carried out including replacing the alternator, sorting out the electrics with our roof lights and internal gauges.
For those of you following our news, will know that we had a fire in Red not that long ago and had to use our fire extinguisher, so we have also mounted a new, larger, fire extinguisher in an easily accessible location for both driver and passenger.
We still have more to do on Red but the progress made over this weekend is huge and with less than a week till our departure, things are starting to get in shape.
The process of removing the leaf springs can be incredibly time consuming and involves hours on end of bashing. After around 7 hours or so of bashing, the rear springs were successfully replaced.
Another chassis inspection was carried out, and rather unfortunately, a new hole was found measuring around 11 inches. Ouch!
More than just a crack in the chassis!
Moss, of the Desert Bunnies, had been helping with the leaf spring replacement and in no time at all was in action welding up Red, again!
Although more time consuming that we'd have hoped, we've got new leaf springs at the rear and we've welded up a section of Red that really needed it. A number of other repairs were carried out including replacing the alternator, sorting out the electrics with our roof lights and internal gauges.
For those of you following our news, will know that we had a fire in Red not that long ago and had to use our fire extinguisher, so we have also mounted a new, larger, fire extinguisher in an easily accessible location for both driver and passenger.
We still have more to do on Red but the progress made over this weekend is huge and with less than a week till our departure, things are starting to get in shape.
Thursday 12 June 2014
Satellite phone arrives
We've taken a satellite phone with us on the last few rallies after some friends and family all thought it would be a good idea. We've decided to stop renting satellite phones and actually purchase our very own Rusty Rhinos satellite phone. So after much searching around, we picked up a used Hughes 7100 satellite phone that uses the Thuraya satellite network.
Coverage on the Thuraya network is perfect for the areas we'll be travelling to or are likely to travel to.
Thuraya Network Coverage Map
This marks another important addition to the equipment toolbox that we take with us on a rally.
Coverage on the Thuraya network is perfect for the areas we'll be travelling to or are likely to travel to.
Thuraya Network Coverage Map
This marks another important addition to the equipment toolbox that we take with us on a rally.
Tuesday 10 June 2014
Passports and visas are here
The search for precious stamps in our passports (also known as visas) has come to an end today. We started the visa hunt in February this year and since then we've been without passports. The Kazakhstan visa was the first to arrive in early March, followed by the Russia visa a couple of months later. At that point we thought the only remaining required visas were for China and Mongolia but as our route changed to avoid Ukraine, we also had to get a visa for Belarus.
With less than two weeks till our departure we were getting increasingly keen on receiving our passports and they finally arrived today with the remaining visas for China, Mongolia and Belarus.
Mongolia, China and Belarus visas
This is another essential step to our launch on the 21st June, now only 10 days away!
With less than two weeks till our departure we were getting increasingly keen on receiving our passports and they finally arrived today with the remaining visas for China, Mongolia and Belarus.
Mongolia, China and Belarus visas
This is another essential step to our launch on the 21st June, now only 10 days away!
Monday 9 June 2014
Food and drink
Our food and drink shop for the Beijing Rally is done and everything is packed and ready to go into Red when we launch.
Alex packing the food
Our shop has included our usual key meal items which are generally either pasta, rice or noodles. We can never have enough carbohydrates on a rally! However, even more essential is our 'snack box'. This has some of the usual suspects in terms of snacks such as nuts, custard, sweets, seasame snaps and the legendary granola bars but we've got some new additions for this rally which include dried seaweed and Belgian waffles.
The rally isn't necessarily renown for its healthy dietary benefits but we do try and pick up some local produce and meals when we're on the road, however when you are lost in the Gobi or just hacking it across Kazakhstan for days on end with not a village in sight, then our food and drink supplies keep us refuelled and energised.
After a few hours of packing, the final result is a set of neatly packed food boxes.
Food and drinks supply for the Beijing Rally
We'll be carrying our usual large supply of water which enables us to survive comfortably for up to a couple of weeks as well as Monster energy drink for the night drives, especially through Europe, and plenty of Lucozade for those times when water alone just isn't quite doing it for us!
Our shop has included our usual key meal items which are generally either pasta, rice or noodles. We can never have enough carbohydrates on a rally! However, even more essential is our 'snack box'. This has some of the usual suspects in terms of snacks such as nuts, custard, sweets, seasame snaps and the legendary granola bars but we've got some new additions for this rally which include dried seaweed and Belgian waffles.
The rally isn't necessarily renown for its healthy dietary benefits but we do try and pick up some local produce and meals when we're on the road, however when you are lost in the Gobi or just hacking it across Kazakhstan for days on end with not a village in sight, then our food and drink supplies keep us refuelled and energised.
After a few hours of packing, the final result is a set of neatly packed food boxes.
We'll be carrying our usual large supply of water which enables us to survive comfortably for up to a couple of weeks as well as Monster energy drink for the night drives, especially through Europe, and plenty of Lucozade for those times when water alone just isn't quite doing it for us!
Sunday 8 June 2014
Red on Fire!
We experienced an interesting event on Red a few days ago, the kind of interesting event you wouldn't want to have happen just 2 weeks before a launch of a rally. Red was on fire! It was an electrical fault that caused the fire. Alex was driving along when suddenly some smoke started to appear inside the car, by the time he pulled over, the entire cabin was engulfed in thick smoke. The fire extinguisher was deployed and it put out the fire, however the fire burnt out a large number of cables and switches.
Burnt cables with fire extinguisher residue
Alex has put in over two days and 20 hours of effort for all the wiring to be put right, it was a mammoth task but almost all electrical components are now in operation which is a huge relief.
The first oil change on Red after the engine rebuild has also been carried out. Outstanding now is the fitting of the new suspension, alternator, two new tyres and various other smaller bits.
The rebuilt engine has made a huge difference with performance and engine temperature at an all time best on Red.
Alex has put in over two days and 20 hours of effort for all the wiring to be put right, it was a mammoth task but almost all electrical components are now in operation which is a huge relief.
The first oil change on Red after the engine rebuild has also been carried out. Outstanding now is the fitting of the new suspension, alternator, two new tyres and various other smaller bits.
The rebuilt engine has made a huge difference with performance and engine temperature at an all time best on Red.
Sunday 1 June 2014
Red, our Land Rover, is back on the road!
It is with some relief that we can say that Red, our Land Rover, is now back on the road, complete with a fresh MOT issued on Saturday 30th May.
Red had been undergoing an engine rebuild that actually started back in October 2013. The 2.25L engine needed a bit of work before it would have been ready to take on the journey to Beijing. Alex picked up Red late on Friday night. An MOT was booked in for 3pm on Saturday, so there wasn't much time for an inspection and any maintenance on Red, but an early start Saturday morning revealed a number of holes that need to be welded up.
Moss, of Team Desert Bunnies, along with Alex, undertook a number of repairs including the much needed welding.
Moss of the Desert Bunnies welding Red
Red then went in for the MOT on Saturday at 3pm and came out with only one advisory on a tyre that is due to be replaced ahead of our launch on the 21st June.
Red going through the MOT
The work on Red continued after the MOT with some military spec bonnet catches with custom Moss made fitting kit amongst other things being fitted.
There is still more work required before Red will be ready for the rally. Two new tyres, a new alternator, brake repairs, engine service (after it has been driven around a bit) are just a few of things outstanding on Red but this has certainly been a much needed result with less than 3 weeks till the launch!
Red had been undergoing an engine rebuild that actually started back in October 2013. The 2.25L engine needed a bit of work before it would have been ready to take on the journey to Beijing. Alex picked up Red late on Friday night. An MOT was booked in for 3pm on Saturday, so there wasn't much time for an inspection and any maintenance on Red, but an early start Saturday morning revealed a number of holes that need to be welded up.
Moss, of Team Desert Bunnies, along with Alex, undertook a number of repairs including the much needed welding.
Red then went in for the MOT on Saturday at 3pm and came out with only one advisory on a tyre that is due to be replaced ahead of our launch on the 21st June.
The work on Red continued after the MOT with some military spec bonnet catches with custom Moss made fitting kit amongst other things being fitted.
There is still more work required before Red will be ready for the rally. Two new tyres, a new alternator, brake repairs, engine service (after it has been driven around a bit) are just a few of things outstanding on Red but this has certainly been a much needed result with less than 3 weeks till the launch!
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