Day 33 - Last day
June 29th, 2013
Rally results on day 33: 3rd place!
Shiner back in London.
The finish line (credit Simon Steen -- thank you for sending us this pic!!)
Shiner's shiny awards
Shiner finishes third. Place Vendome, Paris.
Paris. Missing the rhythm of the rally. Could fill up a tank, do a u-turn and head straight back to Beijing. Shiner was a star-car. Thank you, Shiner, for getting us to Paris safely. Are you ready for the drive to London? Last leg home. Our final result. Third. Congratulations #1 and #2. More soon.
Thank you team! xxx
Paris. Our final result. Third. Congratulations #1 and #2.
Shiner -- 73 years old and still going strong. Where would you like to go next?
Paris. Thank you Shiner for looking after us all the way. Missing the rhythm of the rally.
Day 32
June 28th, 2013
Rally results on day 32: 3rd place!
The last day. Rain. Still a few hundred km to Paris. A churn of emotions as we frantically search for Shiner's keys (the morning ritual).
Last leg to Paris, come on Shiner.
Latest story in the Daily Telegraph -- the highlights and lowlights of the rally
http://t.co/67vY9Kasxe.
Was that really the last full day of the Peking to Paris? Woke up in Gstaad. Falling asleep in Troyes. Tomorrow, Paris.
Thank you, Pacific Prime, for your support! Pacific Prime Blog
Was that really the last full day of the Peking to Paris? Woke up in Gstaad. Falling asleep in Troyes. In between we did a quick couple laps on a track and an abundance of passage controls. Rain and spots of sun. Sun and spots of rain. Tomorrow. Paris. Thirty-three days later.
Route into Paris.
Shiner in Troyes last night before Paris.
Switzerland to France.
Day 31
June 27th, 2013
Rally results on day 31: 3rd place!
Davos - Gstaad. Switzerland
Gstaad, Switzerland last full day. Come on Shiner.
To celebrate the Peking to Paris Rally, our sponsors @AKTravel_UK are offering the chance to win a vacation in Paris http://t.co/eGhPH8arUj
Shiner racing through Verbier, Switzerland.
Shiner in the Alps, Switzerland.
Arrived in Gstaad to fill up with expensive petrol. Tweaking brakes. Adding oil. Wing and a prayer. Come on, Shiner!
Pressured to make checkpoints. Plus, lots of roadworks. It seems Switzerland has enough money to mend all its roads today!
Left Davos. Quick lap on a track. Through the Oberalp Pass. Twisty time trials in Tremola and the Croix de Coeur into Verbier.
To celebrate the finale of the Peking to Paris Rally in Paris, our sponsors Abercrombie & Kent are offering a chance to win a 2 night stay at the Four Seasons George V in Paris. Take a chance.
Everyone seemed to suffer penalties today. The top three remain the same. We stay in third. Fourth place is now our lovely Canadian friends, Tony & Lee Strelzow. Only a day and a half to go but anything could happen.
Left Davos. Quick lap around a nearby track. Passed an accident involving a rally car and a local car... but relieved no one injured. Up through the Oberalp Pass. A twisty time trial in Tremola. And a third time trial -- the Croix de Coeur -- on gravel into Verbier (passing the exact point where the Swiss police towed away our car a few months ago). Pressured to make subsequent checkpoints. It seems Switzerland has enough money to mend all its roads today. Lots of temporary traffic lights holding us (all) up. Arrived in Gstaad. Filled up with the most expensive petrol money can buy. Plus, found oil additive to enrich Shiner's oil (to fight our low oil pressure). Lovely friends from Verbier Patrick and Lisette met us at the hotel -- wonderful surprise, thank you! Tweaking brakes. Adding oil. Wing and a prayer. Come on, Shiner.
Day 30
June 26th, 2013
Rally results on day 30: 3rd place! Come on Shiner!!
Schladming - Davos. Austria Switzerland
Shiner in shop windows of Davos.
The beautiful Alps with Shiner...
Cobbled together a fix... attached wood to the clutch pedal.
Shiner driving through a rainbow, Slovakia.
We still lie in third with just a few days to go. As one of our followers said, Shiner shines on. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT.
Time trial hill climb to Planai for breakfast -- though cloud and mist. And the highlight: the road blocked ahead full of fat happy cows. We laughed so much we could barely drive. Shiner hot and bothered today in spite of unseasonably cold June weather. Stunning drive to Davos. Up and down. Up and down. Metaphorically, too.
Shiner hot and bothered today in spite of unseasonably cold June weather. Stunning drive to Davos. Up and down. Metaphorically, too.
Time trial hill climb to Planai -- with a road blocked ahead full of fat happy cows. We laughed so much we could barely drive.
Day 29
June 25th, 2013
Rally results on day 29: 3rd place!
Bratislava - Schladming. Slovakia Austria
Bratislava - Schladming. Slovakia Austria
Arrived in Schladming. We realised we had been poisoned all day by fumes coming up through the open tunnel. Spaced out in Austria.
Bratislava. Drove under a full rainbow -- to Speedworld Driving Camp for a ferocious lap.
Bratislava. Drove under a full rainbow -- to Speedworld Driving Camp for a ferocious lap. There is no traffic here. It seems like a land of geranium boxes, long tunnels and few people. Therefore we don't see too many people waving, alas. We saw a deer leap into the woods. Rain and more rain. Shiner pushes on. Arrived in Schladming, Austria. We realised we had been poisoned all day by fumes coming up through the open tunnel (around the gearbox). It was no wonder we were so lacking in cogent thought. We were so spaced out we could not even write an update. We are back on. Shiner is back on.
Day 28
June 24th, 2013
Rally results on day 28: 3rd place! Come on Shiner!!
Kosice - Bratislava. Slovakia
Still in 3rd we live to fight another day.
Thank you rob!
Chaos in the cabin, Shiner, Slovakia.
Before the road got bumpy, so to speak, Slovakia.
THANK YOU hero-mechanics Rob & Bob, After your fix, a black cat crossed our path. The fight continues.
What can I say? Clutch. Gearbox. Rain. Perspiration. Tears. It was hard. It was wet. A 45min penalty was enough to do us in.
We've lost our position in the European Cup -- from first to nowhere. Somehow in the Peking to Paris we have retained third place.
Big day. Five time trials and several time controls. A 'go big or go home' kind of day. We went big and we almost went home.
Big day. Five time trials including a track and several time controls. It was a 'go big or go home' kind of day. We went big and we almost went home. We've lost our position in the European Cup -- from first to nowhere. Somehow in the Peking to Paris we have retained third place -- down to other people's errors/misfortunes and a nice healthy lead, too. On to our own problems. Clutch. Gearbox. Rain. Perspiration. Tears. Let's just say it was wet. We were slammed a penalty of 45min for arriving late at a time control... and that was enough to do us in. Sorry to all our supporters that we are no longer up there... but never fear, we are still fighting. A big thank you to Rob & Bob, the hero-mechanics, who helped us get on our way. We could not have done it without you. The good news is that a black cat crossed our path today. We live to fight another day.
Five time trials today. The day to win or lose. Come on Shiner.
Day 27
June 23rd, 2013
Rally results on day 27: 3rd place!
Sorting out the brakes in Kosice.
V exciting! Shiner is the fastest vintage car again. We lead the European Trophy... and await tomorrow's 5 time trials.
Shiner did the time trial in 8.04 fastest of the vintage cars.
Rain in Kosice. But soft and warm. We sort out the brakes, change sparks, add oil, grease, tighten engine mount... and we're done.
Goodbye Ukraine. To Slovakia. Challenging time trial near village of Herlany. It feels fast.
Shiner awaiting time trial, Slovakia.
How to navigate half way around the world. Thank you garmin!
Bye pretty Lviv, Ukraine.
Lviv - Kosice. Ukraine Slovakia
Lviv - Kosice. Ukraine Slovakia
Day 26
June 22nd, 2013
Rally results on day 26: 3rd place!
A week today -- all being well -- we arrive in Paris. Follow the last week of the journey @pekingparis2013.
Fastest vintage today seagullcircuit, Ukraine.
Lviv, Ukraine.
Spot the Shiner, Lviv.
A new competition the European Trophy will crown the fastest cars from Kiev to Paris. We lead the vintage class...COME ON SHINER!
A new competition-within-a-competition launched today: the European Trophy, crowning the fastest vintage and classic cars in the section from Kiev to Paris.
It's only the first day... but we are leading the vintage class...hurray!
Here's the latest news from the rally report: Best Vintageant was the V8 Ford Coupe of Mike Reeves and Michelle Jana Chan, who posted a time of 6:00 minutes dead, 15 seconds ahead of regular Vintageant top-performer in the red Chevy, Phil Garratt, and no less than 50 seconds better than the Chrysler 75 roadster of Bruce and Ben Washington.
So, in the European Trophy-stakes, the heat is on, with the V8 Ford Coupe outgunning the rest of the pack of Vintageants with a solid performance...
COME ON SHINER!!
Today Shiner is the fastest vintage on the track. That's what I'm talking about.
Happy, happy news. Shiner is the fastest vintage on the track. Thank you, Shiner, for looking after us. We will look after you.
Losing weight at the racetrack seagullcircuit, Kiev.
Looong drive. Rather dull but smooth. Tripmeter having a tantrum; the new tyres distorted its calibration. Arrived in lovely Lviv.
To Seagull Circuit. Chucked out some weight. Headed for our 3 laps on a sweeping swooping circuit on brand spanking new road tyres.
Arrived in lovely Lviv. But first... early start (again). To Seagull Circuit. Chucked out some weight. Headed for our 3 laps on a sweeping swooping circuit (wide open corners, great sight lines) with Shiner running on brand spanking new road tyres. Lots of dedicated driving. Love the bark of the Lancia and the door-handle-scraping Moskovitch. We flew. We await our time. Then drove west for a looong time. Rather dull but smooth road surface. Tripmeter having a tantrum; the new tyres distorted its calibration. Expansive view of this UNESCO world heritage site city. To the car to spanner and fettle. More soon.
Day 25
June 21st, 2013
New tyres for Shiner in Kiev.
Shiner up again.
Latest story in the Daily Telegraph. Hear me roar. www.telegraph.co.uk
Latest story in the Daily Telegraph. Hear me roar. http://t.co/n7K8GdhXHs
Clutch pedal failed. A worn hydraulic pipe. Ran around trying to source a spare. Sorted. And back on!
'Rest day' aka crazy-busy fix-it day. Changed oil. Fixed windows. Played with our jets. Switched off-road tyres for on-road tyres. Driving back from the garage the clutch pedal failed. Argh! A worn hydraulic pipe. We ran around trying to source a spare (thank you to locals Nadia & Sergei for going on the hunt, too). Finally cobbled something together. We are back on! Big day tomorrow. To Seagull CIrcuit in the morning.
'Rest day' aka crazy-busy fix-it day. Changed oil. Fixed windows. Played with our jets. Switched off-road tyres for on-road tyres.
Day 24
June 20th, 2013
Rally results on day 24: 3rd place!
Kharkiv - Kiev. Ukraine
Sunset in Kiev, Ukraine.
Kiev, Ukraine.
Thanks to our sponsors @AKTravel_UK!
www.abercrombiekent.co.uk/pekingtoparis/dailyhighlights.cfm.
Poor Shiner had this driver park in the next door space. Kind of. We watched this from our hotel room window in horror -- and someone has posted the vid on youtube...
Chimney sweep-look... Michelle looking like a street urchin on Russian television http://youtu.be/5y_J1KOE-tw.
Left Kharkiv through the city gates. 460km to the Ukrainian capital. Driving between cornfields and sunflower fields -- with local support lining the streets. Stopped for a break where the Ford Model T was fixing a broken tyre valve. They are stoic-heroic! Onwards to Kiev. Crossed the Dnieper River. Forced to park in an underground. All rather dark and dull. But looking forward to our last so-called 'rest day', which is of course nothing about resting and all about fixing the car. Top secret preparations! -- as we enter the European stage of the Peking to Paris Motor Challenge, and push for the newly-launching European Cup.
Travel highlights at @flyby_wire!
Bigsky country, Ukraine.
Beautiful Ukraine. Cornfields. Sunflower fields. Lots of local support en route. Shiner running like a dream.
Driving between fields and fields, Ukraine.
Cornfields, Ukraine.
To Kiev. Come on, Shiner!!
Day 23
June 19th, 2013
Rally results on day 23: 3rd place!
Results out. Fastest vintage on the dirt. Second fastest on the Tarmac. We like it dirty.
Results out. Fastest vintage on the dirt. Second fastest on Tarmac. We like it dirty. Had Chicken Kiev tonight. Tomorrow to Kiev.
Welcome to Ukraine!
Voronezh - Kharkiv. Russia Ukraine Belgorod.
Cornfields, Russia.
Another roundabout another tank, Russia.
Roundabout furniture in Russia.
Crossed the border. Left Russia with love. Arrived in Ukraine. Locals lined the square in Kharkiv. Loving Ukraine already.
One lap of an off-road dirt track. Felt so fast. Thank you Leo Forster @fracingschool for your tuition. Made all the difference.
Early start to Belgorod race circuit. Three laps of the Tarmac track. Three laps. One overtake. As fast as we could muster.
Arrived in Kharkiv. Early start in Voronezh. Mixed roads to Belgorod race circuit. All rather rushed as we entered the Tarmac track. Three laps. One overtake. As fast as we could muster. Then one lap of an off-road dirt track. So much fun -- and felt so fast. Thank you Leo Forster @fracingschool for your tuition. Made all the difference. Crossed the border. Left Russia with love. Arrived in Ukraine to an astonishing show of support. Locals lined the square in Kharkiv. Loving Ukraine already. Looking forward to seeing today's results. More soon!
Arrived Belgorod race circuit to burn up the track.
Day 22
June 18th, 2013
Rally results on day 22: 3rd place!
Peking to Paris rally: 'dreadful drive' in Russia...
Follow @flyby_wire for travel highlights on peking2paris2013.com!
Come on Shiner!
Arrived in Voronezh. Early departure tomorrow for a time trial at Belgorod race circuit -- before crossing into Ukraine.
Shiner's new higher-cut wheel arch.
Time trial through fields. Smooth driving. Usual evening fixes plus greased suspension. Cut into wheel arch. Tightened brakes.
Highlight of Day 22: an elderly couple standing by the road in the rain with a banner reading: FORTUNE FAVOURS THE BRAVE. Thank you, Russia.
Shiner down country roads between Saratov and Voronezh.
Saratov - Voronezh. Russia
Over 600km drive on mixed roads with fewer trucks. Weather cooled. Soft warm rain. Windows still broken so rains into the car, too.
Arrived in Voronezh. Over 600km drive on mixed roads with fewer trucks. Weather cooled down. Soft warm rain. Windows still broken so rains into the car, too. Time trial through farmers' fields. Smooth driving. Usual evening fixes plus greased the suspension. Cut even higher into the wheel arch with a grinder. Tightened up brakes. Highlight of the day: an elderly couple standing by the side of the road in the rain. The woman was taking a photo as we passed. The man was holding up a yellow banner reading: FORTUNE FAVOURS THE BRAVE. We will be brave. Thank you, Russia. Tomorrow there is a time trial at a race track before crossing into Ukraine.
Day 21
June 17th, 2013
Rally results on day 21: 3rd place!!!!
Samara - Saratov. Russia
Sunrise on the Volga...
Morning Shiner. Let's go to Voronezh!
Moved into 3rd in Saratov!
Shiner sleeping from the hotel room window, Saratov.
Leaving Samara
New friends at the filling station.
Arrived in Saratov. Terrible roads. Buckled bitumen. Crater potholes. Lots of electrical problems including no cooling fan on a day the temperature was in the high 30s. Poor Shiner. Hot and bothered. Then we crossed the Volga into the city and everyone was swimming on this mighty river's sandy banks... and the day felt sweet. Spent the dusky evening putting Shiner right while hundreds of Russians came to tour the cars and show their support. We have loved Russia. Last full day tomorrow. To Voronezh in the morning.
We have loved Russia. Last full day tomorrow. To Voronezh in the morning.
Our friends Bill & Mark falter in their Ford Model A. This is about endurance. We rise to 3rd place. Come on Shiner.
Arrived in Saratov. Spent the dusky evening putting Shiner right while hundreds of Russians came to tour the cars and show support.
Lots of electrical problems including no cooling fan on a day the temperature was in the high 30s. Poor Shiner. Hot and bothered.
Terrible roads. Buckled bitumen. Crater potholes. But then crossed the Volga and everyone was swimming and the day felt sweet.
Day 20
June 16th, 2013
Samara rest day. Servicing breakdowns.
So-called 'rest day' in Samara. A big fix-it day in actuality. Another flat. Repaired all tyres. Reinstalled sump guard. New fan belt. Tapped wheel studs, which were wearing out. Added oil. Changed dampers. And found huge crack in chassis and welded it up , phew. Just another typical 'rest day' on the rally. Dinner by the Volga with lots of friends. Could not scrub out the oil and grease today. It's ingrained.
Could not scrub out the oil and grease today. It's ingrained.
Another flat. Repaired tyres. Reinstalled sump guard. New fan belt. Tapped wheel studs. Changed dampers. Welded crack in chassis.
Day 19
June 15th, 2013
Rally results on day 19: 4th place!!!!
Ufa - Samara. Russia
Shiner in the air again, Samara.
Arrived in Samara. Dull driving day. Most exciting thing was getting stung by a bee while as driving over a speed bump. Also, got pulled over by the police (again)... who turned out to be only curious about our car. Moved up to 4th place! Not the way we'd like to get ahead. But our friends Lars & Annette in Car 8, a 1928 Bentley 41/2 litre, had car trouble and slipped down the ranks. That said, we lost the lead in the number of flat tyres on the rally -- to our friends Tony & Lee in Car 26, a 1936 Bentley Drophead (they had five only today!!). That's one competition we don't want to win. I had such wondrous imaginings about Samara. The name alone conjurs. But currently stuck in a Renaissance hotel on the outskirts of town. Spannering day tomorrow.
Shiner sparks, Novosibirsk. (credit Nikita Khnyunin)
Toolkit, Novosibirsk. (credit Nikita Khnyunin)
Fix-it day, Novosibirsk. www.khnyunin.ru
Thank you Nikita Khnyunin for your great shots in Novosibirsk! www.khnyunin.ru
Follow @flyby_wire for travel highlights on peking2paris2013.com.
Moved up to 4th place. Not the way we'd like to get ahead. But Car 8, a 1928 Bentley 41/2 litre, had car trouble and we step up.
Time trial cancelled today (again).
Endless roads of Russia.
Driving between Ufa and Samara.
257.25km to Abdulino. Then 281.20km to Samara. Come on Shiner!
Start time 0704. Heading to Samara for a 'rest day' aka 'fix-it day'. Bring on the fight. Always racing.
Day 18
June 14th, 2013
Rally results on day 18: 5th place!
Yekaterinburg - Ufa. Russia
Arrived in Ufa. Day driving through Urals region. Lots of impatient trucks overtaking carelessly en route, ah me. Had a near-miss this morning involving broken traffic lights, an incompetent traffic policeman and overzealous drivers. Braked hard, stopping a metre before T-boning a terrified Lada. Time trial today was changed to regularity section. Steady (read: stuck) in 5th place. Hard to catch up. Must re-attach sump guard tomorrow.
Follow @flyby_wire for travel highlights on peking2paris2013.com.
Day driving through Urals region. Lots of impatient trucks overtaking carelessly en route, ah me. Arrived in Ufa.
Steady (read: stuck) in 5th place. Time trial today was changed to regularity section. Hard to catch up.
Straddling two continents.
Russian monument marking boundary between Asia and Europe.
Day 17
June 13th, 2013
Rally results on day 17: 5th place!
View of the Churchon Blood from our hotel window -- the site where the last tsar and his family were...
Washing clothes in the hotel bathtub.
Our thoughts are with the loved ones of fellow competitor Emma Wilkinson who died in a car crash on the rally. We send our love and support to her partner and co-driver Peter Davies, and her brothers Robert and Mark Wilkinson, who were also competing in the rally.Reflections on the last 24 hours here.
The accident: http://t.co/SLsP37f5jL.
Shiner in the press: http://t.co/Ub4Nn7sWbr.
We travel on to Yekaterinburg today with no competitive stages.
Yesterday a competitor was killed on the rally. We are all saddened and shocked by the news.
Sad day for the rally.
Day 16
June 12th, 2013
Rally results on day 16: 5th place!
Omsk - Tyumen. Russia
Just over an hour's sleep. Adrenaline is fuel today. Always racing, yeah.
Check out my latest Insider Guide on the BBC... including the finale of Peking2paris2013 in Paris on June 29th.
Day 15
June 11th, 2013
Rally results on day 15: 5th place! Come on Shiner!!
Garage in Omsk. New friends. Just finished fixing Shiner. It's 4am. Our start time 0704.
Under Shiner. Trying to remove the sump and change oil pump.
Another crazy fix-it day. Welded cracks in chassis. Changed oil pump -- pressure back up :). Gunked up hole in leaking radiator.
Left Novosibirsk. Arrived in Omsk. Spent most of the night in a garage.
Novosibirsk - Omsk. Russia
Arriving in Omsk
Flat tyre to start the day. Flat battery, too. 700km to Omsk. Flat landscape, too.
Grrr. All time trial stages are cancelled today due to weather damage. Fightback postponed by a day.
Day 14
June 10th, 2013
Novosibirsk rest day.
Thank you to the mechanics at the Rainmetal garage, Andrieu, Dimitri and Nikita, who helped fix our car today, Novosibirsk.
Shiner on a hoist getting fixed in Novosibirsk.
Sourced parts across city. Found special gearbox & engine oil. No luck on a spare throttle cable. But we do have 8 spare dampers!
Drained old oil. New oil and pressure restored. Cut bigger wheel arches. Changed sparks. Changed shocks (again). Tightened handbrake.
Novosibirsk. Met some great guys with a garage workshop behind the railway tracks playing 'lock, stock...' soundtrack.
Day 13
June 9th, 2013
Rally results on day 13: 5th place!
Aya - Novosibirsk. Russia
Novosibirsk off to find a hoist for Shiner.
Traffic stopper Shiner.
Slipped to 5th today. Pondering plan. Big spannering day tomorrow.
Shiner causing a stir in Russia. So much support. Thumbs up and cheers from roadside. Everyone snapping with their camera phones.
Stopped by police on outskirts of Novosibirsk. Called a 'hooligan' for an illegal u-turn but no fine. Lucky Shiner.
Silverbirch trees, Siberia.
First time trial along farmers' fields. Next two stages on deep sand. Tough.
Fixed both spares at roadside. Removed tubes. Tired of fretting. Bought a bag of cherries with spare change (more borrowed money).
So pretty around Aya. Snowy mountains and rinsed air. Switzerland without the cutesiness.
Arrived at car to see another flat. Realised pressure gauge is 7psi out. We were running too soft. One of spares also flat. Groan.
Day 12
June 8th, 2013
Rally results on day 12: 4th place!
Border - Aya. Russia
Russia feels abruptly European. Starting 4th today. A lot to do. Meanwhile -- loving Siberia.
Shiner enters Russia at Tashanta.
Crossing the Mongolia-Russia border.
Leaving Mongolia en masse.
Smoking! Or steam? Relief. Just a fretting of pipe from radiator to coolant reservoir. Fixed and on our way to border.
Day 11
June 7th, 2013
Rally results on day 11: 4th place!
Ureg Lake - Border Mongolia
Ureg Lake - Border Mongolia
Ureg Lake - Border Mongolia
Ureg Lake - Border Mongolia
No brakes by day's end. Arrived at border camp. Bitterly cold. Will miss Anna, CG, Claudia of Nomads, THANK YOU.
Another flat. What's going on? Oil pressure in flux. Yet another flat. A rabbit crossed the road. Sleeting. Ice on windscreen.
Moved up a place. Starting 5th today. COME ON SHINER!
Day 10
June 6th, 2013
Rally results on day 10: 5th place!
Chjargas Lake - Ureg Lake. Mongolia, yurts
Driving hazards of Mongolia.
Drying laundry (with a pry bar on one end), Mongolia.
Spent evening switching around dampers and changing slow flats in most beautiful of settings. Best of days. Will miss Mongolia.
Heaven-sent, the Russian competitor in a Moskovich gave us 2 Czech dampers which fit our car. Mystery how he knew...
Most beautiful of camps on banks of UluregLake. Come here!
Astonishing timed stage up steepest hill. Some driving up backwards. Others switchback like trains. Shiner screamed up to the pass.
Rescued Bentley twice. Towed it backwards then forwards out of sand. Karma flows.
Shiner, Mongolia.
Shiner finding the best track Mongolia.
Cutting into gearbox tunnel, Murun Mongolia.
Shiner making family photo albums across Mongolia.
Offending trailing link.
Another flat tyre. Fortunately not at a critical stage.
Mongolian herdsmen on motorbikes with their shaggy camels.
Love to return here Mongolia on a less frantic road trip.
So many cars/friends not making it to camp. Gotta keep on.
Porsche 911 and Mustang Fastback getting trucked to border. Disqualified but driving on.
Snow-covered peaks on left, wide plains, suddenly Tarmac albeit broken.
Refueled from a tanker in camp. Omelettes for us. Feeling strong and fast.
Day 9
June 5th, 2013
Rally results on day 9: 6th place!
Mongolian horseman, Telmen Lake - Chjargas Lake Mongolia
Telmen Lake - Chjargas Lake Mongolia
In pursuit, Mongolia.
Realised down to 2 dampers but quick as we could and held 6th place. Fighting back.
Had a flat between time trails. Sorted. Camping at serene Lake Chjargas. Went for a cold swim.
Shiner felt strong but running o 3 dampers. Broke throttle cable. Borrowed spare off lovely Car 32 merci.
Day 9: only 76 cars starting today. Down 25%.
Day 8
June 4th, 2013
Rally results on day 8: 6th place!
Murun - Telmen Lake. Mongolia
Prettiest day yet through valleys and past crisp glacial rivers. Woolly goats and herders on horseback.
Day 7
June 3rd, 2013
Rally results on day 7: 6th place!
Bulgan - Murun. Mongolia
Slipped to 6th place. Day 8. Bust same trailing link as yesterday. Pushing on slowly. Held 6th place.
Found local mechanics to cut open transmission tunnel and fashion a fix. Late into camp.
Later in day gear linkage snapped. Struggling. Towed three times.
Toughest day yet. Opposite trailing link bust early in day. Improvised fix with chain. Limping;
Day 6
June 3rd, 2013
Rally results on day 6: 3rd place!
Welding station, fixing our first broken trailing link (the first of three!)
Ulaan Bataar - Bulgan Mongolia
Ulaan Batar start.
Start list (our departure time 08:46).
Day 5
June 2nd, 2013
Ulaan Bataar rest day breakdowns servicing.
Day 4
June 1st, 2013
Rally results on day 4: 1st place!
Still holding on Day 4. Come on Shiner.
Help! Anyone know where we can get some Bilstein 24-027823 shocks in Mongolia (or Siberia)?
Definitely in Mongolia.
Reward.
Shiner & borrowed tent, Mongolia.
Altanshiree - Ulaan Bataar
Altanshiree - Ulaan Bataar
Shiner on the road.
Secret filming at Mongolian border just before getting yelled at by the police.
Fuel stop with Mongolian monks.
Day 4. Mongolian grasslands. Realised we also lost the air compressor yesterday. Means sticking with 31 psi in the tyres.
Just found out we are in first place in the vintage category!!
There are classic cars quicker than us but nothing in vintage. At least for now.
First time trial of day. Spanked poor Shiner. About 90km in 1h 06min.
The off-road is hurting Shiner. Blew 3 more dampers. 3 spares left but won't change them yet. Gotta slow down :(
Blue skies. Clouds bubbling up. Shaggy camels. Corrals of horses. Litter flying in the wind.
Mongolian packed lunch is a Cornish pastie and a Twix. Go figure.
Gods are on our side. They cancelled second time trial of the day. We can go slow and get Shiner fixed in Ulan Bataar.
Only telegraph poles and electricity pylons on the road to Ulan Bataar.
Managed to get 14 litres of fuel in US dollars. Should be enough...
Suddenly overcast. Temperature falling. 50km from Mongolian capital.
Snow on the hills. Brr. Glad we're not camping tonight.
Starting first in the line-up tomorrow. Jeez. Dep 0846 -- after a parade in the main square and a farewell from the Mayor of Ulaan Baatar. Come on, Shiner!
Day 3
May 31st, 2013
Rally results on day 3: 1st place!
End of day 3.
Erenhot - Altanshiree. Gobi camp
Erenhot - Altanshiree. Gobi camp
Erenhot - Altanshiree. Gobi camp
Just found out we're still holding first place at the end of Day 4 of this 33-day rally. In Ulaan Baatar. Time for some shut-eye. Fixing up Shiner tomorrow for some more gruelling off-road.
Check out the leaderboard -- we are currently -- happily -- in first place! But that's only after a few days. All to play for!
Day 2
May 30th, 2013
Article about the race on the Daily Telegraph! Read it here!
Dahai - Ereenhot
Day 1
May 29th, 2013
Traffic of inner Mongolia trucking the grass of the grasslands.
Driving North of Beijing.
First day...
The flag drops at The Great Wall.
Great Wall - Dahai
It's now!!
May 28th, 2013
We are supposed to depart at 8.08am Beijing time (1.08am GMT).
0:55min ;-)
On the road in Beijing!
Day -1
May 27th, 2013
Last night before the flag drops. Night night Shiner.
Officials scrutineering Shiner.
Chinese dragon...
...and le French coq!
Aerial of the car park.
Oily hands.
Day -2
May 26th, 2013
:D
Filling up our tank. Credit card rejected. Had to borrow money. Thank you Lutz in Car 96.
Shiner waiting for us.
By bus to the warehouse to pick up our cars.
China
May 25th, 2013
The key item retrieved.
Briefing with traffic police. Now we know red is stop, yellow is caution and green is peaceful.
We hope all our streets to Paris are lucky!
China
May 24th, 2013
Knock-off Converse still intact. Will they last 33 days?
Just bought knock-off Crocs for wading across glacial rivers in advance of Shiner. Shoelace already broke of course...
We'll remember that on http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/activityandadventure/10068937/Peking-to-Paris-classic-car-rally-2013-The-latest.html
If only the roads were going to be as smooth and quiet as this one -- north of Tiantan.
Hurray! We have arrived in the murk of Beijing. We forgot the car keys. Just kidding. Not. Don't ask. We have a day to buy everything we didn't have time to buy before leaving London -- including rechargeable battery charger, watercolours, shoes, sunglasses, various cables that probably don't exist, a good luck snake, rice wine, chilli sauce and insurance against ourselves.
Beijing airport
May 23rd, 2013
Zip broke on one of the bags but at least they arrived -- including all the spares for the car. Phew!
Carousel 38 for Car 38. Must be a sign.
Leaving London
May 22nd, 2013
Destination Beijing.
Leaving London with enough stuff to fill a car. Lucky we've got a car in Beijing!! What's in the tube?
THAT'S ALL... FOR THE MOMENT!