Mongol Rally - A Mini Adventure
Growing from a two-man adventure in 2001, the Mongol Rally is now a well established fixture in the 'Extreme Events' calendar. A quarter of the way around the earth, from London to Mongolia. 8 000 miles, two deserts, five mountain ranges, roads ranging from bad to non-existent, no support crew and all this in a car with no more than 1 ltr of power
Each car carries two adventurers and is not only transport, but also home, with the driver and co-driver sleeping and driving in shifts for long periods. For this years rally, which launched from Hyde Park on 22nd July, Allport are sponsoring John Ensor and Jamie Lemon who are raising money for three very worthwhile charities. (Please follow the links below to find out more.)
Text Updates
2006-08-18 - It's All Over!
Have now arrived in UB and no sooner parked outside of Dave's Place, than whisked off to the Children's School to hand the cars over. It was a sad occassion to see them being driven erratically up a dirt track (although not an unfamiliar experience for the cars) with 4 Mongolians crammed into each!
2006-08-17
In Novosevisc or however it is spelt. Still managing to defy odds with Mabel - botching her together every two or three hours. Back right wheel collapsed again in Kazakstan with a nice big tyre blowout (damn place) managed to get it welded up again by someone called Borat.
2006-08-15 14:32:14
Coming into Irkutsk, will camp at Lake Bikal. Minis going well, lost exhaust today but have botched it together. Blue mini surprisingly good after crash.
2006-08-08 13:57:57
Headed north out of Uzbekistan to Kazahkstan, not doing Kyrgzstan due to time. Mabel's rally over. Boys meeting in UB
2006-08-05 06:32:45
Approaching Nukus in Uzbekistan, border crossing took nearly all day, road shakes cars to bits, lost front bumper, fuel gauge, fanbelt came loose, all at 15mph.
2006-08-03 04:19:10
Heading for Beynau from Qulsary, roads really bad, sandy tracks with rocks, red mini subframe broken on other side, stuck in Opornyy for repairs.
2006-07-29 21:44:43
Sat on the Russian border after a long day driving up through Ukrane. Only stopped once by police, for a dubious driving offence... Cash in back pocket.
2006-07-28 16:50:01
Border crossing took longer than expected, camped at around 4am just inside Ukraine. Found crack in red mini subframe, spent morning getting it welded.
2006-07-27 19:16:33
Just got into Chisnau, Moldova, long drive through Transylvania last night, tired but a good swim in a lake sorted us out. On to Odessa tonight.
2006-07-26 08:30:50
Heading for Romania today, mini is getting loads of love from the locals, flying the red white and blue
2006-07-22 12:00:00
The Official Launch in London's Hyde Park
Mongol Minis Charities
Mongol Rally
