Off The Rhumb Line

Start your Engines!

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July 14, 2013

The grounds were FINALLY quiet at 6am when I woke early from my  tent to take photos of this stoic castle in the morning light  – devoid of the public and Ralliers!

Mist was slowly rising from the moat’s calm reflective waters, sunlight was streaking through the clouds, ducks were bathing, a heron stood guard in the reeds near the entry walkway to the front gate, and the pastures in the distance shimmered in that hazy early morning light reminiscent of impressionist paintings.

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This magical peaceful morning with the castle would stand in stark contrast to the off the chart craziness that ensued with the launch just a couple of hours later.

When I returned to my tent, the great flurry of activity had begun as tents and gear were emptied, collapsed, packed away and hauled down to the mass of vehicles.  Don now had to figure out how to get an additional 5 team members’ gear up into the roof racks that had seemed maxed out with the 9 we left Little Switzerland with!

The Rally festivities cranked up around 10am   – complete with prizes given to teams for “most funds raised to date” (nearly 15K British pounds!!), “Least likely to finish”  – Team Serpico – which ran into the front of the ramp, banged it’s exhaust pipe, and had to be pushed up the ramp, “Most unique vehicle”   – Tryke around the world for his homebuilt Tryke – VERY cool!  4 Men 7 Brows was awarded a 30” old clunky TV that they had to figure out how to get into their car!  Knights jousted each other on horseback and a “group” photo was shot with all us Ralliers crowded around the stage

Then came the grand announcement  –  “Now Go…and Start Your Engines!!”

Everyone ran for their vehicles, which were then paraded one by one up the ramp, across the stage and back down and out the castle grounds.  No way the bus was going up the ramp, so we just drove in front of the stage and as we passed, Buddy the Emcee climbed up our back ladder and onto the roof to great cheers from the crowd!  We were officially launched at 1130am (we did stop  – barely – to let buddy down once we realized he was up there)

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We made a beeline for the Dover to Calais Ferry – just missing the 2pm ferry we had our booking for, but no problem, the 3pm gave us all time to catch our breath.

Taking the Ferry and seeing The White Cliffs of Dover have been on my TO DO list for MANY years!  Neither one disappointed.

On Board, I met 2 wonderful older ladies from Cheshire who were headed to France to go see Versailles and Monet’s Gardens for the very first time.  It reminded me very much of my Grandmother who had always dreamed of seeing Monet’s Gardens but never did get the chance.  One day, I will get there for the both of us!

The Sea Gulls were having their fun soaring in the Ferry’s wind wake – occasionally making a landing on various railings.  Folks were trying to either feed them or be photographed with them.  Not sure whether the gulls or the people were the more entertaining.

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The ferry docked in Calais, and for the 2nd time in my life I am on French soil for Bastille Day (essentially the French version of oour 4th of July).  It is after 5pm, and we are trying to make a campground in Cologne, Germany for the night, so there was no time to dally and partake in any of the country’s festivities, With no repeat visit for me to the presidential palace in Paris, we are in Belgium in a blink of an eye.

We arrive at a very dark and locked up campground in Cologne around 12:30am.  After rousing management we are told in a very UNPOLITE fashion that “This is NOT a reasonable hour” and we are denied entry.  Exhausted from a long day, Don drives us down to the end of the road to a small park adjacent to the campground, underneath a bridge overpass of the Rhine River, where 20 or so teenagers are partying it up under the bridge.  Hmm…we’re a bit put off, but they are a harmless Belgian boy scout troop – so up the tents go.

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(There’s the campground!)

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Final country count  for today = 5 : UK/France/Belgium/Netherlands/Germany


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HAD FUN STORMIN’ THE CASTLE!!

July 13, 2013

In The Adventurists words of “Up Yours Dover” – permission from The National Trust was granted & Launch Party #1 of the 2013 Mongol Rally is now at… Bodiam Castle!  Plus side – it has a MOAT!  Down Side – it is roughly 40 kilometers FURTHER AWAY from our campground, the Dover ferry, and our planned route.

After enjoying what may be the last HOT shower for quite a few days, the great pack-up ensued.  Don did a banner job jigsaw puzzling & ratchet strapping 9 folks’ gear up onto the roof racks.  However, when it came time to load up the 2 bicycles Will and Tommy acquired on their adventures around England, Don just BALKED!  NO WAY!!  Jock (center of photo below) became the proud new owner of one, as a thanks for his amazing generosity, kindness, and camaraderie throughout the week!  We made a compelling case that the other one would aid in our filming along the way and then be donated to the orphanage.

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With the successful use of the wheelchair lift, Jan settled into her specially crafted seat, and the 9 assembled Dixie Chickens leave Little Switzerland shortly after 10am, radio blasting (LOVE SHACK!) & the Canadian team Bro’s & Khans in pursuit.

Rule of the Road #1 : Don’t Mess With The Bus!  The small British cars are quick to give way on their narrow British roads to our large American bus and give us right of way most of the time.

Road signage for Bodiam Castle is scant, and for the Mongol Rally – non-existent – we’re SURE there is a castle out here somewhere!  We do successfully navigate our way past rolling hills w/fresh bales of hay (reminiscent of Wisconsin), a stop for cherries at a roadside stand, & through small, but very active, English towns.

Giddiness by The Adventurists Staff was clearly evident upon our arrival on the castle grounds.  Rob immediately jumped at the chance to ride in the bus with us on down to the parking area.  We were prominently parked in the middle of the field up towards the front of the festivities  – no chance ANYONE will miss seeing us!

No Camping / Tent set-up until the grounds close to the public at 5p so we quickly set up our sun shade and chairs, pop open the beer and snacks, and meet & greet with new and old friends as teams arrive from all points.  Everyone wants to check out the bus and we quickly become a hot spot of social activity!  Our team also increases by 5 as teammates Dave, Amy, Caroline, Eric, and Cale arrive!  The Dixie Chickens are now at FULL STRENGTH! WHOO HOO!!

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 Bodiam Castle  From their website: “This fairytale castle is one of Britain’s most romantic and picturesque, set in the heart of 1066 country. With spiral staircases, battlements and a portcullis, 14th-century Bodiam Castle is the real thing. Windows where arrows were once fired, a tower that was once a look-out and ruins that were once walked upon by knights; this is a place where you can relive your childhood memories and let your imagination run riot.

Tonight’s Festivities include a “Black Tie” party inside the castle!  Team Dixie Chickens  – dressed in all their team finery – are ready to get this party started!

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All Ralliers marched en masse up to the castle led by a flamboyantly dressed “disco wizard” – a cross between Gandalf and Liberace. Inside the castle, a stringed orchestra played, wenches served up glasses of Mead, and the party-ing and people watching began.  I felt a bit underdressed in my tux shirt and chicken hat, (there were very few actual “Tux’s”).  They say less is more – but it is not always a good thing –  one team definitely stood out from the crowd –  one team of 4 guys dressed solely in black bow ties and their speedoes!  (Although I think they garnered MORE photo requests than all other teams combined! – YIKES!)

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AND – I did finally find my Knight(s) in Shining Armor – Go figure that I had to come to England to find them!

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We were all kicked out of the castle and sent back down the hill to the parking lot at 9pm to continue the after party.  We’re not sure the massive jugs of Mead had actually been polished off, but we all obliged and on our end, our team “held court” at the bus for quite some time.

Tomorrow is the launch!


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Spot Tracker

July 15, 2013

So the facy schmancy GPS tracker we had for the bus went missing somewhere between getting gas in Dover / arriving at the Dover Ferry Terminal, and disembarking in Calais – harrumph.

So Monday while en-route from Cologne, Germany to the Czech out Party (Launch Party #2) at Klenova Castle in Klatovy, Czech Republic, we made a detour into Frankfurt to get a replacement so all you fine friends and family can continue to track us via the fabulous  Norwegians tracking map!

A dealer was found via the internet, a voicemail message was left, the pertinent address was entered into the Garmin – and off we went.

We realized something may have gone greatly awry as we found ourselves, this large American school bus, in the middle of a tiny residential neighborhood, parked outside of an apartment complex.

After ringing the bell a few times and re-trying the phone #we had, we were feeling at a bit a loss.  Suddenly a guy peeks his head out of an apartment window above.  He was in fact the dealer, was in fact “home”, and had exactly 1 remaining spot tracker in his possession.  A small gathering was buzzed into the building, a deal was made, and a new Spot tracker was acquired!

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Turns out – Wolfgang’s company is called 8(Acht) F(Foxtrot) Computer…that’s right soaring friends…Wolfgang is a Glider pilot!

He belongs to a local glider club, owns his own glider – contest letters – yep – 8F, flies x-cntry, and sells these fabulous trackers to his fellow pilots (clearly I need to get one of these myself one day).

At the same time, teammates Will and Tommy had hoped to meet up with a team from last year – “The Dukes of Hessen” – as The Dukes had a gift for our guys.  With our detour, that seemed to now be unlikely.  But as luck would have it, they were also driving on the Autobahn, also headed for Frankfurt, and were about 10 KM behind us.  As our top bus speed is 50 MPH, they were able to catch up to us (we are not hard to miss) and they followed us to Wolfgang’s.

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I’ve been told these serendipitous events happen ALL the time on the Rally!

 

 


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JVC & Times Square

July 13, 2013

So the fine folks at JVC are working on one upping the folks at Go Pro!  Working with The Adventurists, they have selected about 20 teams from the Rally and equipped them with a complete kit of (2) of their fancy new Go Pro rival video cameras.

The Dixie Chickens were selected to be one of these lucky recipients!!  YAYE!!

All we need to do now is shoot the footage, upload it to their FTP site, and if selected, our footage will be shown on the jumbotron screen in Times Square, NYC…  Given the fact we have the amazing and fabulously talented Sarita Mehra as one of our teammates- this should be a no-brainer.

Sarita is an awesome filmmaker in her own right.  She is filming our bus trip & the adventures on the Mongol Rally to sell as a pilot episode!

So, you fine folks living in the NYC area – keep an eye out on said jumbotron between now and mid-august for some fab footage of the Mongol Rally, and maybe even see us chicks!!!

Now  – onto some adventures  & fun videoing them!!


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Dover Castle

July 12, 2013

Contrary to initial plans, word came from The Adventurists that…”the plonkers at English Heritage decided that despite confirming all was OK and telling us we should announce it to you fine folks; that they were a little scared of the great Mongol Rally and wimped out.”

I guess something about 400 (??) crazy ralliers romping about their fine castle gave them pause  – and 2nd thoughts – so Don, Sarah, and I  , along with Amber  – from the Canadian team Bro’s & Khans headed off to see this historic castle for ourselves.

According to the guidebook: “Dover Castle is considered to be one of the mightiest fortresses in Western Europe.  Henry II began building the present version of Dover Castle in the 1180’s.  The Castle is located at the shortest sea crossing between England and France, giving it significant strategic importance.  Over the following 800 years, the castle’s buildings and defences were adapted to meet the changing demands of weapons and warfare.”

Arriving via the local coastal bus, we walked up the hill atop the white cliffs of Dover and toured the castle, climbed up the great tower for magnificent views, saw the old roman lighthouse (built circa 2nd cent A.D.) and walked though some of the incredible network of tunnels which were used during WWII as a medic hospital, and the direction of the British evacuation from the beaches of Dunkirk in 1940.

I valiantly looked for and finally inquired about 2 cannons my friend Greta said might be at the castle – “The Queen of France” & “The General Wayne”  – The cannons were 3# & 6# wrought iron, built by a William Denning around the early 1780’s for the US Army.  One of her ancestors, a William Ferguson, assisted in the making of the carriages for the cannons.  Word was they were later acquired by the British and installed at Dover Castle.  Sadly I was not able to find out any more information from the docents on-site.

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On the way home, I got off the bus at The Battle of Britain War Memorial, It opened 20 years ago this Sunday, to commemorate and honor those airmen who flew so valiantly against Germany in this historic and important air battle over the English Channel during WWII, from July to October of 1940.

Winston Churchil is quoted as saying on August 20, 1940:

“Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few”.

The War Memorial, has a beautiful commemorative wall of those lives lost, full size replicas of a Supermarine Spitfire MK 1 and a Hawker Hurricane MK 1 &  aircraft, a statue and commanding views of the famous White Cliffs of Dover.

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From the War Memorial, it was a short 15 min walk along a cliffside pathway that led right down into the Little Switzerland Campground.

 

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4 more of our teammates arrived throughout the afternoon: Sarita, Jan, Lina, and Johnny.  It was great to finally meet some more of our team and spend our last evening sitting around our LED lantern “campfire” next to the bus with them, and the canadian, norwegian, and finland teams.  Off to Bodiam Castle in the morning.