Gambia or bust

winter

2012-01-03T13:58:00.000Z

This was the view from my back door last night, winter has arrived!

the road over the hill is closed! (in fact all the hills!)

Back to work tomorrow after nearly a week and a half off!

preparations will start next week for the trip!!

Flights

2011-12-30T18:36:00.000Z

after a lot of thinking I went on the interwebby thing and started to look for flights back to the uk after the run, I tried a few of the big names and got the "sorry only return flights" until I found The Gambia experience,
flight back with one of the 'other' big names all to Manchester £400, at least I have a return date on the books to keep my boss happy.

planning will start in Ernest next week once we have the festive season over with!!!

happy new year to you all

holiday time AKA Christmas!!

2011-12-24T14:06:00.000Z

well its the 24th of decemer, I am now down at my parents, my sister and her brood arrived two days ago and my Cousin and her hurricanes arrive tonight the stress is building!

on a lighter note panto is going well, my lines are still being forgotten!!

I wish you all a happy holiday and all that jazz.

happenings!!

2011-12-07T22:26:00.000Z

Been a bit hectic since the last post!! Fundraising is still going on (little by little!!) so far I am around the £1800 mark.
The bus is being painted and a new clutch is being fitted by the wonderful people at Stagecoach. should now get it at Christmas!

The reason I haven't blogged in the last wee while is that I signed up to help as stage crew in the local pantomime, then one of the leading parts had to drop out and I sort of volunteered myself as the dame! most evenings from now till Christmas will involve make up, padded bras, skirts and the odd whip!!
after that I will earnestly start preparing for the 8th of March!!
as the cartoon says : That's all folks!!

9/11

2011-09-11T14:55:00.000+01:00

What were you doing 10 years ago?
I was flying out to Malta to celebrate my cousins wedding, and with heavy hearts we celebrated it,
RIP.

a little taster

2011-07-09T18:21:00.000+01:00

a short video of how it all started!!
had a meeting a few months back and this was one of the outcomes!

long time!

2011-07-06T18:18:00.000+01:00

Just realized I haven't blogged for a bit!

so......the bus is now sitting in Aberdeen I am going in to see the engineering chap next Wednesday.

I am an uncle to twins (two little pink ones!!) going to see them in august, Matilda and Isabella born 8th June.

we are organizing a fundraising day on the 3rd of September at the Braemar gathering Howard and Dagmar are so far coming to help.
oh and its raining here today!!

lucky.....

2011-03-28T21:32:00.000+01:00

this was a link I was sent from you tube: Lorry-cam
I hope the driver of the car put the lottery on at the weekend, could have been dead!

shows the advantages of CCTV on vehicles, both the Yorkie eaters were cleared of all blame!

I drive professionally and I see stupid driving every day and I do wish I could film it and put it on the interwebby thing just to shame some of the dafties into thinking about what they do!!

year yesterday

2011-03-13T15:19:00.000Z

well this time next march we will be en-route to Gambia I suppose we will be on a big metal floating thing going towards Spain.
I have not picked up the bus yet (this week maybe!)

I nipped down to the borders yesterday to pick up the seats for one of my projects to find the mice and the mould made them unusable.
it was snowing when I got home at 5 and its still snowing now!
not much more to say.

all change!

2011-02-27T14:25:00.000Z

I was supposed to pick up the Yellow bus yesterday (Saturday) but at the last minute I got a call to say it wont be ready till tomorrow! (Monday)

Neil and I were supposed to drive it south to Wales on Thursday, however Howard rang today to say that he was just recovering from swine flu and Dagmar was just going down with it! so I made the decision to prospone the run south till all are better,
This means I might have to get the bus MOT'd up here before driving it south. which then beg the question do we MOT it as a bus or as something else. oh well to be discussed.
that is all for today!!

all quiet on the northern front?

2011-01-30T21:14:00.000Z

I have just come back from the Scottish Hillrally club AGM in Perth and for my sins I have been Roped (read asked nicely) into being on the committee!
we had a good day with lots of things to discuss, including the subject the way forward for off road motorsport in Scotland (and the uk as a whole!!)
at the end of the meeting we moved onto the important subject (and my favourite!!) FOOD!!!
we had our annual dinner!
to start I had salmon on rabbit food......sorry greens,
Main course was a fantastic and very tasty roast beef

and the calorie free pudding was of the sticky and toffee with a bit of ice cream type!
then lots of tea for me and some slightly stronger liquids for the other participants!

Howard and Dagmar discussed the Rainbow run at length and Howard and I arranged that the bus should be driven to Fishguard the first week in March, I have asked another PSV holder to accompany me in the drive down and for Janis to drive my car down to pick us up (have you looked at the price of a train these days £175 Fishguard to Aberdeen!!!)

I have made the decision to now not take a land rover with us but instead I will drive the bus as far as Algeciras in spain there are three of us with PCV licences going so Europe is not a worry!!!

now to start some more fund raising

meet the yellow bus (no name yet)

2011-01-21T19:22:00.000Z

Meet the yellow school bus, thanks to Stagecoach Bluebird this is the bus we will be taking to The Gambia.

This coming Tuesday I am meeting the engineering chap in Aberdeen to go over the fine print regards the bus!

we then have to get it to Fishguard.

It also needs a name so suggestions please.

Tomorrow finally comes!!

2010-12-29T18:44:00.000Z

Well Christmas was "ahem" fun!
I am going to be an uncle!! to twins! congratulations to my Darling Sister and her Hubby

Tomorrow I am finally going up to Tain to pick up the replacement for Hamish.
the weather has given us a chance to clear some of the roads up here!

feeling a bit down because some nice person has given me a dose of MAN FLU!!!

cold!!

2010-12-22T14:57:00.000Z

its quarter to three on Wednesday 22nd of December and the temperature outside my back door is a heady -10c!! it hasnt come above that all day!
stinker the 110 took a couple of heats to start and was very reluctant to run the diesel in the tank was frozen! I nipped down to the garage to fill him up and he got 5lts of petrol to try and help the problem.

tomorrow I am off to the heady wilds of central Scotland to see my folks for Christmas, I also have to be back in Braemar for 2pm on boxing day for the final runs of the local pantical! (musical)
wonder when its going to warm up!!!

not more

2010-12-17T16:53:00.000Z

Here we go again! blooming snow! I still haven't managed to pick up the replacement for Hamish yet
this little spell of white is causing problems!!

it is due to drop to minus freezing again tonight and I am getting into the glad rags for the staff party!!!!
at least stinker the 110 is earning his crust!

Please Please stop!

2010-12-02T06:59:00.000Z

its now been snowing for more than a week, the daycare centre is closed to all,
getting out of the drive at the house involves engaging 4x4 on the landy!

off back to bed is the best option!!

let it snow, let it snow, let it snow,

2010-11-28T08:07:00.000Z

well it started to snow Tuesday! so no work has been done on any vehicles, stinker the 110 has come into his own! The shiny thing ( Hyundai Tucson) is completely useless in anything but a couple of inches of snow,
My intention was to take a trailer up to Tain near Inverness to pick up the replacement to Hamish. This is a chassis and bulkhead that has all the bits in kit form! However until the roads are clear and I can get over the Lecht I have no chance!
Right off I go to clear the paths again!

Off to play

2010-11-14T08:25:00.000Z

this coming week I am off to play! its the scottish borders hillrally at Forest estate in Galloway.
I was down at the stake store (stakes are what we use to keep the arrows up!!) yesterday to pick up all the arrows and signage.
my other task this week is to deliver a land-rover to Manchester and the pantomime has asked me to pick up some rostrums from Milton Keynes (they have been let down by the people who were supposed to be picking them up)
another blog in a week or so with some photos of the rally!

back

2010-10-28T11:28:00.000+01:00

went to see the Doctor today

I am back to work Monday (thank the lord)
I was getting really bored!

another week

2010-10-22T12:48:00.000+01:00

went to see the Doctor today
he took one look at the toe and I am now off for another week
I suppose my health comes first.

oh well

ouch

2010-10-17T21:58:00.002+01:00

As I said two blogs ago I will be off games for a few days!!
well I had to do a full day in ARI (Aberdeen Royal Infirmary) for various ahem "tests" and at the same time have a toe nail removed from one of my big toes!!! (biiiiiiiiiig ouch!)
currently I am sitting with a foot up rattling like a chemist's shop (on top of my normal meds I am taking a couple of others!) I am off to see the doctor in the morning to get the dressing changed and make sure all is as it should be!

As for land rovers, because I have not been too mobile I have done nothing but looked at some tasty (and some not so tasty) series motors on Fleabay but all have gone for ridiculous prices! (Bad winter coming!!!)
Howard did say he would speak to an acquaintance near his home who might have something!

will keep you updated
and the update is I am signed off till next Monday

not so good

2010-10-11T16:35:00.000+01:00

I removed the engine from Hamish today and his chassis is completely shot more holes than a Swiss cheese!

I am now having second thoughts about taking him to Gambia.
I have an M reg discovery sitting here and I am tempted to take that. it will need a bit of fettling but is whole runs and has an MOT.

tuesday

2010-10-09T20:17:00.000+01:00

going to be "off games" from Tuesday for a few days will update goings after that.

hooray

2010-10-04T17:47:00.000+01:00

well off I went to the diet wifey to be weighed and measured today! I think she was mildly impressed with the weight loss, (2 stone on her scales!!) gave me lots of encouragement!

well I did the road-trip from the last post, 15 hours in a 110 with 2 punctures (one on the landy and one on the trailer) £150 worth of diesel a chipper supper (naughty but it was fine!!) 2 Ginsters cardboard pasties and several mugs of tea!

I did have a look at another 109 chassis but it was just as rotten as the one I have!
I will keep looking.
I think that is that for today.

getting there

2010-09-22T06:28:00.000+01:00

well I weighed myself this morning and from 20 stone I am now down to 17stone 12Lb's :)

I can now see my toes!

on another note I have been asked to move a land rover for a mate from home to Manchester. because of this I am planning to do a road trip from Braemar to Manchester with the landy on a trailer, then up to Consett near Durham to pick up a hard top and roof for Hamish, from there its up to Jedbrugh to drop off the spare cylinder head I was given and pick up a set of lights (cheers Malc) from there its off up to Edinbrugh to pick up 2 engines one for Hamish and one to go off to Gambia as spares and finally Motherwell to pick up a free set of seats for stinker (the 110 pick up) and an engine crane,
thankfully the fuel for this trip is being paid for by the chap who is buying the landy of my mate!!

PHEW!!!!!!

its home

2010-09-05T15:26:00.003+01:00

I picked up the 109" today
he will need a little work, at the moment he has a 2.25 petrol fitted that will be hauled out and a diesel put in its place.

the chassis has a couple of holes that will need attention and the front spring hangers/dumb irons will need replacing

on another subject I weighed myself at work on Friday and I am making inroads into the belly!

I am feeling better for it as well!

UPDATE: we have decided on a name for him its HAMISH the land rover

tomorrow!

2010-08-31T19:10:00.000+01:00

well as I said in my last blog tomorrow is the day!

I have made it public as I need all the support I can get!

I will ask people for sponsorship so please support me!

weight

2010-08-29T15:33:00.000+01:00

last Monday I went and saw the dietitian, she told me I was required to loose at least 4 stone (dont ask me what that is in modern measures!) so as of Monday I started to diet!

I mentioned this to my boss at work who was all enthusiastic and suggested I go one step further and do a sponsored slim!

the first official weigh in will be Wednesday when I do duties at the centre and then the challenge will start!
I will keep any readers (if there are any) updated!!

fund-raising.

2010-08-22T23:15:00.000+01:00

I am going to sit down and think about some fund-raising opportunities
a couple of thoughts have crossed my mind, number 1) a return trip for the curry night but with a Scottish theme, number 2) is a disco this will occur sometime after the new year once the Braemar Panto is over and done with (getting into the hall before then is a kerfuffle, I know as I am involved!)
another suggestion was a sponsored "something" (walk, bike-ride, slim!)

I am going to approach some of the larger companies in Aberdeen see if they could fund us with a donation or in some other way.

ideas are coming all the time.

whats in a name?

2010-08-14T23:28:00.001+01:00

we have two names to find
name number one is the team name a few suggestions so far are:
team haggis, mmm original!!!
team Scotland, mmm even more original!!
team neep (turnip) no thanks!
and Howard suggested one and I cannot for the life of me remember it! he did however suggest wearing a kilt for the whole trip mmm do I want to be bitten by mossies in some more delicate parts of my body no thanks!!

the other name is the land rover I cannot do that till he or she arrives back here in bonnie Braemar
that is scheduled for the 5th of September or when I get my 110 back!

update looks like team Jockland is a favourite

UPDATE ok team jockland is off team JOCKS IN FROCKS it is!!

1174 miles

2010-08-01T12:51:00.000+01:00

I learnt one thing on Friday!!! Don't trust the bloody Sat Nav!! yes it says 7 hours from the borders of Scotland to south Wales and yes it says the Quickest route is turn left at the top of Wales and go down the coast DON'T!!!! go the long way via the Motorway.

I left my home at 6am drove down to the borders picked up my crew-mate Janis at 9(ish she slept in!!)
ok the traffic on the M6 was crud (as normal!!) took us an hour to go 3 miles!!

we made it to Fishguard at 1930 I had driven for around 11 hours!

we met supporters of the run and some of the other participants
supper was good and filling (starving!!) and Howard Janis and I had a question and answer session

we drove home yesterday taking less than 8 hours to Janis's

I got home at 11.30 and surfaced at around 8 this morning!

looks like its going to be fun!

long way for a curry!

2010-07-28T22:41:00.000+01:00

I am off to Wales on Friday For a curry!!

we are having a Curry night to raise funds.

my intention was to take the trailer and drag the 88" landy I have been offered back, however a mate in the Scottish borders has come up trumps and found me a 109" landy for the same as it was going to cost me to drag the trailer to Wales and back!!

will update you on how good the curry was when I get back!!!!!

Trips!!

2010-07-24T07:55:00.000+01:00

well the general appeal has gone out for some LHD series parts.

All is arranged to pick up Crusty from Wales next weekend (and a quick curry at the same time!)

Tomorrow I am off to exchange some spare series bits for a Ford Escort estate that needs work. I will then sell that to gain some more green Land-rover vouchers.

I have been offered a system for creating diesel form used cooking oil. Again another weekend going to pick it up this time I don't have to go so far but at the price I cannot resist!

planning is ongoing Howard as finalised the route I will get a copy next Friday when I go for crusty.

I am still trying to find a bus for the trip and I am speaking to my contacts at a big bus company!

and that is the update

D-Day

2010-07-20T06:09:00.000+01:00

16th March 2012. Departure day!

permissions!!!!!!!

2010-07-18T19:40:00.000+01:00

Well I spoke to Mum and Dad today regards the trip,
Dads reaction "You will hate the heat!!"
Mums reaction "Who's paying for it!!"
My brother in law asked if he could come then he got hit and told he couldn't!
so I am looking for a willing volunteer who is willing to come along!

I got an email came in from a friend and the possibility of a bus is being looked at.

I also got an email from Howard over the weekend with a provisional route, looks like fun!

I am asking friends who have run series landies in the past to check the back of their garages for spares we can take with us (I am off to pick some bits up tomorrow)

and so on we go........

or bust

2010-07-12T15:11:00.000+01:00

well the bust bit came along today!
Driving down to work this morning running a tad late so I was "ahem" motoring a bit!!! (honest officer I was doing 60)

out from the side of the road pops A very suicidal Wood Pigeon!!

net result one Hyundai front Bumper required!!

I am now trawling Flebay for another, seems I can get all manner of 04 to 06 model bumpers but an 07 tucson limited is a bit on the hens teeth side of rare!!

any way news is I am allowed the 30th of July off so I am going to Welsh Wales!!!

well it starts

2010-07-11T17:26:00.000+01:00

I was asked by an acquaintance a couple of weeks back to accompany him and some other travellers on a charity run to the Gambia.

this will involve driving a bus (if we can source one) and some old battered and hopefully reliable series three land-rovers from the UK out to Gambia via Spain, Morocco, Western sahara, Mauritania, Senegal and into Gambia.
these vehicles will then be donated to the charity Shine Africa for them to use.
the run is called the Rainbow run. we also have a facebook page

we are hoping to start the journey in the first quarter of 2012. and at the moment we have 5 vehicles and 10 people signed up.

I will try to give you an idea of the fun I am having trying to get organised!

first thing on the list is an old land-rover and I might have sourced one in south Wales it needs two things 1) bringing home to north east Scotland and 2) a touch of welding!

I am intending to drive down to Wales at the end of the month to meet the rest of the crew so will be taking the trailer to bring the landy back, oh and he has been christened Crusty!

so the fun begins!