Mongol Rally 2005 - Team Roshambo is formed

[ducktherope]

It started innocently enough, TeleRob (of Kookwood fame) and myself sat in a smoky Reno bar debating what we could possibly do to make our summer more interesting. A shade after closing and far too many drinks to count a memory of a post from Mulletizer last year creeped into my mind. The Mongol Rally... Team Roshambo was born.

The mother of all adventures, the Mongol Rally is an 8000 mile dash across 1/4 of the earth's surface in cars that most people consider underpowered for doing the shopping. We have no entourage of support vehicles, there is no carefully marked course, there are no professional drivers, fast cars, or even good cars. It's just you, your shite-mobile and thousands of miles of adventure. Not only do we provide the world's most extreme car challenge, you get to save the world at the same time. The Mongol rally is a charity event that raises money for an awesome charity with a slightly ridiculous name 'Send a Cow'.

And a few month's later, many more drinks consumed, and the race is now a reality. To make thing's a bit more sporting Rob and I have decided to attempt the most heinous of route's skirting such exciting locales as Iran, Uzbekistan, and the ever popular Kazakhstan. Now of course this all would be just a drive if we didn't add a bit of skiing - a month of South American corn farming is scheduled for after the race truly making this an around the world journey.

Our team site (http://www.team-mongolia-roshambo.com) has been cobbled together for tracking what surely will be a grand time. (no commenting on the flash on top, it will be fixed soon)

There are still a million things to be done but I thought a quick post to solicit maggot's help may be in order.

Spancership
The team (also 2 non-mags) decided early on that we could not ask anyone to help pay for our summer vacations; any money we raise goes directly to the charities. Our goal is to cover the minimum charity donation of $4000.00 by any means possible. To make donor's feel a bit more like part of the team we decided we would offer a chance to take part.

The top 10 TGR donations over $25.00 (in addition to a T-Shirt) will recieve a call during the journey from either Rob or myself. The phone call will come at some form of a crossroad where the team either has no idea on how to proceed or just cannot come to agreement. You will make the call and the team will be bound by your choice. This crossroad may not be a literal crossroad, think more like having to choose between running over the sacred cow (Turkey) blocking the road - or stop and talk to the angry armed milita man running after the car. Photo/video proof of our action's will be taken to show to your family and friends.

Corporate sponsorship - We will have 2 cars that would love to be labeled with your company's logo. Anybody that knows Rob or me can vouch that we will make the news The mongol rally founders have some photo shoots/press arranged in Europe and Rob and I will be trying to rally some local news here.

All donations can be sent via paypal to travisj@ducktherope.com. PM me if you need other delivery options.

London Help
Our current plan is to arrive in London July 22, 8 days before the rally starts. We may have a line on lodging but any info Euro mags have on cheap sleeping accomodation would be welcome. We also have some plans to "Monster Garage" the cars a bit if any mag's have a shop that would let us in for a night.

General Help
Any info in regards to the route, cheap travel, hookers and blow, euro insurance, another fiat panda, website tips, visa's, stickers, etc would be greatly appreciated.

And a quick word of thanks,
bad_roo and Mulletizer for all of the info and help that have gotten us this far. Beer on the team when we get there.

timmay - The mang. One could not ask for a better dude or better boss.

Thanks all,
-travis

[1080Rider]

GET AFTER IT!!! I sit here in total envy!!! Have a shit load of fun guys... yyyyeeeeehhhhaaaawwwww!!!!!!!!!

[timmay]

way to chase the dream man, best of luck, and get back here in time for the fresh crop of the 'pool

[truth]

Very cool, safe travels.

[hop]

damn! that looks like a lot of fun.

Where's Mulletizer's old Panda these days? it'd be purrrrrrfect!

[meatdrink9]

Holy crap. Sounds like an amazing trip. Be sure and take a photo or two. Maybe even some video as well. I can't even imagine the stories you'll be telling after this.

[Big E]

Wow, that is awesome. Can't wait to here some reports from the field on this, and then the final TR.

Have fun, stay safe. Count me in for a contribution, however paltry (pretty sure I can meet the $25 tho).

[joshbu]

At first I was confused. Then I felt fear. And then loathing. Then I thought that I should go to Las Vegas. Then I was hungry. After I ate, I was confused again.

Then I realized that dtr is da mang. This whole adventure will be tits, and the sporting thing to do would be to give him some bling (after all, everyone needs a cow.)

PM's comin' atchoo.

[Foggy_Goggles]

This is full on, in your face, insanity. Do you have to buy the car independently or do they provide you with a stock one? I'm in for a sponsorship of some sort. Make sure you but together some sort of bribary back. My experience is that was western gifts often go a long was.

[ducktherope]

Thanks all for the kind words and bling. FYI - the charity money raised from one car ($2000.00) is actually enough to get 1 cow, 2 goats, a pig and a hundred fruit tree saplings and still have enough change for 20 chickens! Bargain shopping I tell ya.

Foggy - The car was purchased by us on Ebay. The rally doesn't really provide anything except a set of meeting points and a place to ask questions. We are the only ones coming from North America so even for stuff like Visa info we are pretty much left to our own devices.

Bribery item's we were thinking should include Vodka.. not sure what else? Also just found out satellite radio (XM/Sirrius) doesn't work over in Europe - any mag's know of a similar service so I don't have to listen to Rob sing Nova Scotia maritime hits

-t

[iceman]

I'll kick down some cash if you promise not to call me.

Sounds like a blast.

edit: you gotta put paypal on there or something, I can't figure out how to help you. (maybe if I spent more than 15 seconds I could've, but I want OBVIOUS!)

[Oarhead]

Bribery item's we were thinking should include Vodka.. not sure what else?

I am pretty sure greenbacks and smokes will get you quite a ways. A couple of cartons from Duty Free may help grease some wheels.

Chocolate bars are a bit too meltable considering you are travelling through some warmish places in the middle of summer.

Edit: I bet some playboys would be welcome in some boonieville border crossings. You should make sure you know what "you sure got a purty mouth" sounds like in most languages you will be exposed to - that is the universal signal for foot to the floor.

[mr_gyptian]

if only you could run this in the Thunder Chicken.

[Rusty Nails]

DTR,

Fackin sweet.

For bribery, fuck carrying heavy shit like vodka around. Cash money, US Dollars. Green bling-bling will get you anywhere you need to go (trust me).

I'll be in touch soon and send ya some kwan.

Also -- surgical masks or something similar. You will likely be choking on some serious dust in some places. Also, if wear contacts, get used to wearing glasses. Contacts and dust in central Asia do not mix.

btw, Uzbekistan's not too bad.

Rusty

[ducktherope]

Doh! I should make it much easier for folks to give cash. Paypal: travisj@ducktherope.com. Hidden somewhere on the website is a donate button, will get that updated and moved to a bit more visible location.

Keep the ideas coming!

Thanks again.
-travis

[Darkside]

Sounds killer, way to get after it.

[FollowMe]

fucking gnar nar...

[mntlion]

who ever donates the most gets a pair of 188 dynastar bigs (in the same kind of shape as the cars the guys are using)

[mmcpheet]

Doh! I should make it much easier for folks to give cash.

Try this.

[shamrockpow]

Holy shit, that sounds like an awesome race!

Which Panda are you driving? The 4x4 version?

When one car breaks down, are you all gonna pile into the other and make it look like a clown car, or is that considered cheating?

[Tippster]

Done sent some money...




Please do NOT die.

[James Carvile]

Corn Harvesting that doesn't sound like Ushuaia again.

[Mulletizer]

I should be at the start. Especially if there's a beer in it for me.

Do you want me to put you in touch with my friend who did it? I think he is doing it again. edit - he is: The Infinite Improbability Drive

[Tap]

how did i just see this? awesome, Trav! really a killer idea. we'll miss you here. get in touch with me b4 you leave Bend.

Tap

[ducktherope]

mtnlion and tippster - HUGE thanks. You guys rock.

shamrock - We are still hunting for a 4x4 panda but currently have a 1000 that we picked up off of ebay ($180.00 made it hard to resist). The original thought was 2 cars for safety but the weight/space restrictions for a Fiat Panda make it pretty unlikely that we will all pile in unless something goes really sideways.

jc - Ushuia is definitely on the list. If we end up going with round-the-world airfare tickets we may end up hitting NZ for a bit or staying over in Santiago for a bit of Portillo/Valle Nevado love. Hopefully we can get through the rally early enough to catch the tail of Santa Rosa but neither of us are counting on it.

tappah - Thinking a poker game at my house the weekend of the 25/26, you game to come give me more of your money?

Any mag's know anything about Euro insurance? Knowing the cost of the car we really just want the cheapest thing that will allow us to get through Europe without hassle. It has been suggested by certain criminal elements of the team that perhaps a scanner and a good laser printer may be of use in this department - anybody have any experience/know the risks?