5-Star Sleeping accomodations

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

Rally Raid Kit: 2kg 2- man tent, 3/4 length thermarest & 1150g 2 - 3 season sleeping bag

Solo Cook Kit: coleman gas stove & spare cartidge, water bottle, chopped down wooden spoon, McDonalds cutlery, cleaning stuff and a couple of old socks to stop it rattling!!Solo kit packed: packs up reasonably small and weighs almost nothing

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  

Endurance Rally Kit: 5kg 3 man tent, full length self-inflating Karrimats & sleep mats, 2 season roomier sleeping bags with 800g Vango bags to use doubled up on cold nights, or to carry if we bin the car and have to walk out! Not that that is an option...Mostly Army Surplus - simple, reliable, bomb proof: Swedish Army issue Trangia burner with canteen, windshield, Bundeswehr canteen, Sigg fuel bottle, '58 pattern British Army Waterbootle and Crusader (metal) mug, and US waterbottle and metal mug - kits pack into a respirator pouch with room for brew kit :)

Trangia Kit packed: plenty of room for utensils and brew kit; food etc

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

Portable Chef's KitPortable chef's kit packed ...: Takes up a little more space but gives controllable heat and whole kitchens' worth of pots and pans and with the addition of a hob lighter and bottle/can opener .... fine dining awaits!

Are Camping Gas cartidges available in Barnaul? For a replen before Mongolia? 

Of course the alternative approach ...  

Any one for tea... in Mongolia?

Anyone for tea ... in Mongolia?: we better pack a white table cloth and black tie (tux) ...

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

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.