5-Star Sleeping accomodations
Submitted by Team Blitz on Fri, 19/12/2008 - 5:47pm. in
Andy, what are you thinking as far as sleeping gear? I was thinking an army cot with sleeping bag, so I'm not on the ground with the "critters". Sleep in the open roadside if weather is OK. Pop a tarp over if it's raining or likely to dew. Any ideas you have chewed on? (An army cot weighs about 24lbs, folds to around 42-in long by 8-in diameter.)
I'm still nurturing the idea of a light motorcycle-spec trailer too. A Capri ain't a truck. If we expect to see out the rear window, we'd better have roof stowage, and perhaps tow a mini box on a ball hitch. Food, camp gear, clothing, spares, tools, a bit of fuel, it all adds up... without a lorry, we have to be self-contained. Thinking aloud, "blue skying", quite open to ideas here.
Norm
I'm still nurturing the idea of a light motorcycle-spec trailer too. A Capri ain't a truck. If we expect to see out the rear window, we'd better have roof stowage, and perhaps tow a mini box on a ball hitch. Food, camp gear, clothing, spares, tools, a bit of fuel, it all adds up... without a lorry, we have to be self-contained. Thinking aloud, "blue skying", quite open to ideas here.
Norm
More blogs from this team
Date | Message | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 days 5 hours ago | Don't worry, the night is warm, the beer is cold & the sheep are safe. Will resume my rally to Mongolia via all of England (& now Wales) tomorrow! Night all xxx | 0 | |
| 2 days 5 hours ago | In true random rally style I accidently visited Wales today whilst heading to County Durham via Cheltenham & Liverpool. Now wild camping on the Severn Estuary x | 1 | |
| 3 days 7 hours ago | "N-LA 915 V Norm, Larry, Andy, 9-15 victory... we got 13 green Capri2Mongolia .... in 38 days in London we'll be back UB done Russia gone 915 split 24 ways ... 38 Jack! thirteen in a row ... thirteen in a row ... low and slow ... We are good to go... 13 in row................. let's go!"
the god of numbers is smiling Speedy-B
| 0 | |
| 4 days 4 hours ago |
| 0 | |
| 4 days 4 hours ago | Re: Shed Monsters have been stirring...
| 0 | |
| 1 week 2 days ago | Ha.. sleep is forr losaz, lol. Fed and washed, now wide awake again. Prob | 1 | |
| 1 week 2 days ago | Car is really close to driveable, the interior is resembling an interior again. We are going with Rally look (stripped out, wires visible etc.. above the window line, and Grey velour recaro "sports saloon" below. lol. Loads of extra switches (with illuminated tips - I can get "missile style" flip up covers (red) but didn't feel the extra £3.99 per switch fully justified. There will be a "go baby go" button, but mood I'm in it will set the alarm off, then lock you in ;) | 0 | |
| 1 week 6 days ago | Fathers day! I ignored the whole thing and escaped to the garage from 9 this morning till just now (10.30pm) read more »Lots done, windscreen changed, some more interior fitted, roof bars and rack tried out, dash fitted, radio fitted. Looking for a good place to put the inverter, given that river crossings were mentioned - how high is the water likely to get? | 0 | |
| 2 weeks 14 hours ago | The Just Giving charity donation site is undergoing some technical glitch this morning. Give it a couple hours. Hopefully it will be back on-line and running soon. PLEASE come back to make your donations. All funds go directly to the charities. None to us. If you'd like to donate to the Team, please email us to become a sponsor. We could certainly use fuel money, food money, and lodging money. All of that is coming from our pockets in order to make the charity pledging aspect go forth. But all the same, please donate to the charities, soon as the glitch is fixed later today. Thanks, Norm | 0 | |
| 2 weeks 5 days ago | Aw, Speedbird Andeh, relax, my friend. Breathe, inhale. A cleansing breath. Now listen, you're a brave lad. This concept is your nutty idea. I'm the one who was circumspect, and dragged some additional expertise into the web: Larry and Scary. We're both quite fortunate to benefit from their enthusiasm and skills. Now then, you've done a lot of brave things and some foolish ones too, and some that are both. I too. But think of Larry! He's along with stage rally drivers in the passenger seat, with an open face helmet, and a packet of route instructions and a computer below the front windshield. No wheels to turn or shifter to grab or brakes to stab for Larry! Complete faith in the intentions and preparedness of his cohort(s). read more » | 0 |
Ah Norm, you have hit on a particular concern that has occupied my thoughts for some time ... I mean for us more mature ralliers i.e not twenty something anymore; good grub and a good nights sleep are essential to a successful holiday let alone endurance drive across a third of the world and back in a not particularly luxurious vehicle! So sleeping and eating have vexed me for some time, but I have arrived at some plausible solutions:
The ultra lightweight rally raid kit
This kit is good, but we would need two of everything, which would take up some of the weight and space gains anyway ... and to be honest, this is ok for a fast short raid over a long weekend ... but three weeks and 10,000 miles ... ??? ... I don't think so! Too small, cramped, claustrophobic and limiting ...
So a rethink followed ...
The Endurance Rally Kit
The trouble with Trangia kit, either civilian or military - it is either on or off - you put meths in, you set light to it and you cook on it. No moving parts, nothing to break - brilliant! On the other hand, it doesn't burn in a controllable way ... so probably worth while as a back up ... but if we are to eat anything other than boil in the bag ready meals ... a further rethink required ...
Portable Chef's Kit
Are Camping Gas cartidges available in Barnaul? For a replen before Mongolia?
Of course the alternative approach ...
Any one for tea... in Mongolia?
On a serious note, which ever option we go for, and I really don't think the ultra light rally raid option is viable for this length of trip, we are going to need a roof rack and bag/box. By the time we add in 2 x 20L Jerry Cans of Fuel and 2 x 20L Jerry cans of water, two spare wheels and tyres, some spare springs, dampers and a other mechanical spares ... I think you are right ... a trailer of some sort might be needed ... but if that is the case ... you better work your magic and find some one to build one strong and light! Of course, a trailer might bugger up the handling ... no sideways action for you! tee hee hee
My 2 cents.
I used a Trangia kit with the multifuel bottle (sponsored by trangia)
The coleman 2 man tents are good quality/value/weight (2.2kgs)
I use an EXPED goose down DLX9 inflatable matress and get a half decent sleeping bag.
40 litres of water (40kgs) is over the top
My bike had a 250-300km range, I carried 5 litres spare with me from Turkey and only used the reserve twice (but fill your tank at every oppotunity)
thanks Matt! Have you fully recovered from your heroics yet? Email me when you are next visiting London. I want to buy you a pint!
I did think two jerry cans worth of water might be a bit much. Probably settle for a 15 litre collapsible water carrier. I wll probably carry two fuel cans though -although not full all the time - only in the remotest parts! It all depends on what mileage/range I am getting from the Capri on some test runs when I finally get it finished. Obviously I would prefer to carry only one jerry can 'cos of space and weight.
Hi Speedbird,
No, I havent fully recovered from my antics yet, I broke myself on the rally and needed surgery. It will take a few more months before im right again, but I did manage to have an hours ride a few days ago (just to see if I could!). Im hoping to get to London sometime this year, Im just not sure when. I will deffo send you a mail when im in the area.
Keep it real.
Matt