More publicity
Got a bit in Motorcycle News web site - possibly in the weeks paper too.
MCN
Â
Indian newspaper
One of those moments in life when I had the opportunity to go to a news stand and buy every copy of the morning's paper I was in. Can anyone translate?
On the road
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On the road
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SMS Update
Last dinner in India after a day exploring Delhi. Another memorable experience. Non stop till Jersey now.
appendix
Now in Delhi staying at http://www.metropolistravels.com/php/tourist_home.php where we're about to head up to the roof top bar.
Thanks to the organsisers and all the teams we've met and chatted with, particularily team Elephant for putting up with us all the way!
Not quite so many thanks to Mr Garmin, Mr L. Planet and other providers of dubious miss-information.
Massive praise to Baja - purveyours of fine mechanical wonders.
Â
Chin Chin! I hope I'll finally get a G&T upstairs!
Â
SMS Update
At the closing party. Many very similar tales. Uniform appreciation of an incredible adventure through a wonderful country.
SMS Update
ignition block failed this morning. Saw the steam train. Rain on the final run to the finish. And believe me, this particular tuk-tuk is definitely finished!
SMS Update
Last corner of roof rack broke. Siliguri tourist assistance service didn't. Challenging drive up mountain in fog, dark, rough roads & cliff drops. Will buy some local Darjeeling tea tomorrow.
SMS Update
saw K9 team @ dawn. Crossed northern tropic. Phill gashed toe in Ganges where we met several other teams. Solved poor running issue (again we think). Traffic getting more interesting. I'm the only one in our 2 teams who hasn't hit anything.
Phill Rogers
read more...
Load Phill
I've done plenty on 2 wheels and 4 but not yet tried 3.
More blurb to follow.
Owen Lewis
read more...
Load Owen
Hi all and thanks for visiting my little page. I run a motorcycle shop in Jersey, Channel Islands and think the Rickshaw Run will be an exciting challenge - bring it on !
<h2>Who</h2><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>Phill, 40+, Jersey, computer programmer</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>Attributes brought to the team</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>gadget lust, ability to eat a hot curry</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>moderate mechanical ability</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>Quotes:</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>It seemed like a good idea at the time.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>Owen, 40+, Jersey, motorbike salesman</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>Attributes brought to the team</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>It was his idea in the first place!</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>Bike experience in Timbuktu</div><div> </div><div> <strike></strike><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"><strike> </strike></span><strike>You? - There's still plenty of space for a third if you fancy it.<br /></strike></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"><strike> </strike></span><strike>Attributes you will need</strike></div><div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"><strike> </strike></span><strike>14 days off work, 21 days away from home </strike></div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"></span><strike> </strike><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"><strike> </strike></span><strike>A spirit of adventure</strike></div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"></span></div><div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"><strike> </strike></span><strike>About £1500 spare<br /></strike></div></div></div> <strike></strike> <div> </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>Attributes missing from the team</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>Any experience driving Rickshaws<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>The organisers</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>Seem like jolly nice chaps and have done stuff like this many times.</div><h2>What</h2><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>The Auto-Rickshaw</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>range =~ 200km @ 70mpg ?</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>laden weight (+8 +80 +80 +luggage) =~ 1/2 ton</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>Engine:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>2 stroke, single cylinder, forced air cooled</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>Engine Size:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>145.45cc</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>Power:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>7 HP at 5000 rpm</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>Tourque:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>12.17 Nm at 3500 rpm</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>Transmision:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>4 forward, 1 reverse</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>Brakes:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>Hydraulic expanding shoe</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>Fuel Capacity:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>8 ltr inc. 1.4 reserve</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>Top speed:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>55kmph</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>Weight:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>277kg</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>This won't be the least powerful thing I've ever crashed as my first vehicle was a "nifty-fifty" moped.</div><h2>When</h2><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>Spring 2010 - While you're on your Easter hols</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>Target of 14 days but who knows?</div><h2>Where</h2><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>Start - Fort Kochi, Kochi, Kerala, India</div><div><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Fort+Kochi,+Kochi,+Kerala,+India&sll=9.939625,76.259498&sspn=0.168746,0.292511&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Fort+Kochi,+Kochi,+Kerala,+India&t=h&z=14">Start</a> </div><div>http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Fort+Kochi,+Kochi,+Kerala,+India&sll=9.939625,76.259498&sspn=0.168746,0.292511&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Fort+Kochi,+Kochi,+Kerala,+India&t=h&z=14</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>Route - plan 'B'</div><p> <a href="http://wikitravel.org/en/Cochin">Cochin</a><br /> <a href="http://wikitravel.org/en/Kanyakumari">Kanyakumari</a><br /> <a href="http://wikitravel.org/en/Chennai">Chennai</a><br /> <a href="http://wikitravel.org/en/Visakhapatnam">Visakhapatnam</a><br /> <a href="http://wikitravel.org/en/Kolkata">Kolkata</a><br /> <a href="http://wikitravel.org/en/Siliguri">Siliguri</a><br /> <a href="http://wikitravel.org/en/Darjeeling">Darjeeling</a><br /> <a href="http://wikitravel.org/en/Gangtok">Gangtok</a><br /> </p> <p><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>Finish - Tibet Hotel, Gangtok, Sikkim, India<br /> <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Tibet+Hotel,+Gangtok,+Sikkim,+India&sll=27.049342,88.442688&sspn=1.159459,2.340088&ie=UTF8&hq=Tibet+Hotel,&hnear=Gangtok,+Sikkim,+India&t=h&z=16">Finish</a></p><p>http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Tibet+Hotel,+Gangtok,+Sikkim,+India&sll=27.049342,88.442688&sspn=1.159459,2.340088&ie=UTF8&hq=Tibet+Hotel,&hnear=Gangtok,+Sikkim,+India&t=h&z=16 </p><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre"> </span>Appendix - Probably fly to Agra to see the Taj (and wave at Mount Everest as we pass) then home from Delhi.</div><div> <a href="http://wikitravel.org/en/Agra">Agra</a><br /> <a href="http://wikitravel.org/en/Delhi">Delhi</a><br /> </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold">Why</span></div><div>Why does a dog lick it's balls? Why not. Because I can (do the RickshawRun that is, not lick my balls - though to be honest, I don't recall ever trying).</div><div>There's no denying that we're doing this for the adventure but we're paying our way - all your money (and quite a bit of ours too) is going to the charities.</div><div>For you, there's the photos, blogs and video clips to look forward to. A degree of pride that you can drop into any conversation. The opportunity to interrogate us after to satisfy your curiosity - "Could I do that?". And of course the pleasure of knowing our pain! </div><h2>How</h2><div>How hard can it be? I mean, what could possibly go wrong?</div><div>The finish party is 14 days after the start. I'm budgeting for loosing 4 days in that time due to break-downs, crashes and hopefully a bit of sight-seeing. And because that leaves a nice round 10 days on the move. If we start fairly early each day, don't take too long over food & fuel stops, and stop when the light fades then we should get 10 hours driving in (again, largely a guess to pick a nice round number). It's about 3500km so that would need an average speed of 35kph. That doesn't sound much when a tuk-tuk can do 55kph (flat-out in the right conditions) but this will be fully laden on pot-holed dirt-tracks for much of the way.</div><div>Driving down to the ski resorts is the closest thing I can compare with but for 10 days in a row, without the nice roads, or the nice car.</div><h2>Call to action</h2><div>You can be a part of this too. With just a few clicks and a couple of minutes.</div><div><strong>In fact, when you make a donation, you are the most important part!</strong></div><div>We thank you for your much appreciated contribution.</div><div>word and forward those charity links to everyone you know.<p><a href="http://www.justgiving.com/Phill-and-Owens-RickshawRun" id="ctl00_ctl00_ctl00_ctl00_cphMain_cphJGSiteContent__accountContent__yourPageHeader__pageUrl">http://www.justgiving.com/Phill-and-Owens-RickshawRun</a> for the Frank Water Projects</p><p><a href="http://www.justgiving.com/Owen-and-Phills-RickshawRun" id="ctl00_ctl00_ctl00_ctl00_cphMain_cphJGSiteContent__accountContent__yourPageHeader__pageUrl">http://www.justgiving.com/Owen-and-Phills-RickshawRun</a> for the Mercy Corps - India</p><p>Many thanks.</p></div>