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03-07-2009, 12:54 PM
This is great.
03-07-2009, 01:24 PM
Cool little thing, I wonder if it floats too.
03-14-2009, 07:15 AM
March 05, 2009: 36th short message (11:57 a.m. MEZ)
Trapped between mountains
It is really stressful. On the one hand we are trying hard to find and modify a 12v fan engine, one the other hand the weather conditions appr. 30km outside of the mine are such extreme, that we are not able to continue. A convoy consisting out of 2 D10 bulldozer, one chain-driven vehicle in front and 7 trucks, which is on its way to the mine of Ewekinot, is trapped in snow masses since several days. Nobody knows where they are. They assume them to be appr. 32km away from Valonisti in valley in front of the dreaded pass. There is no radio contact with the trapped people and no dozers are starting due to safety reasons. It is simply not possible. Even a scout car which intented to start today came back. Sh**.
March 06, 2009: 37th short message (05:05 a.m. MEZ)
Engine fan is working. We built one by our own out of several Jeep and non-Jeep parts as well as Russian wrapping technique. It is spinning in the wrong direction but that doesn't matter. Main point is a non overheating vehicle and that we can continue our journey with F2. We will see if it provides the same performance with full load and trailer.
Furthermore, more or less catastrophic circumstances. Snowfall and winds are hardly weakening. We are not able to leave. Got stuck. A second convoy from the direction of Pevek also got stuck somewhere between 50 to 150km away from here. That means there are 12 trucks, 3 crawlers and 1 chain-driven scout vehicle with 30 people in total have to wait for improvement in the weather somewhere in the wilderness.
In terms of the situation, we currently have double risk. Insufficient fuel and too extreme track. We currently have 600l prepared fuel mixture. Normally that would perfectly be enough for the 300km to Egvekinot. But as we assume to be trapped in snow again, that could become scarce. Therefore we decided to wait for one of the convoys. If the one from Pevek is arriving first, we will refuel another 400l and start on our way. Then there would still be the risk of being trapped in the snow, but we are able to wait in warmth. If the convoy from Egvekinot is arriving first, we will start with the fuel reserve we have right now. As crossing of the pass must be possible, that reserve should be sufficient. Either way, we have to leave here. It is really blatant. The men told us, that last year was hardly any snow in whole Tschukotka. This year there are really huge amounts of snow masses - even for experienced ones.
March 07, 2009: 38th short message (10:32 a.m. MEZ)
We started and try to reach Egvekinot.
We already wanted to decamp yesterday, but after a scouting at the first mountain with a chain-driven vehicle we realized that there was no chance. Today morning at 10 a.m., we noticed the first D10 bulldozer arriving at the mine. We were told, that 2 out of 3 bulldozer left the convoy appr. 35km away in front of Valonisti, due to insufficient fuel for another night. We started immediately in order to use the brand-new cleaned track. Now after 10 hours of driving we are appr. 45km away from the mine. The snow masses are unbelievable stirred. The trucks broke more than 1.5m deep into the snow surface. Extraordinary hard work for us to come through.
Team in good health, vehicles ok, fuel reserve low - only 350l left. We turn down the engines at every stop, heating with the Webasto Air-Tops as they only need a maximum of 0.5l per hour. Outside temperature appr. -30°. Food reserve for appr. 6 days. We have to escape here. It is really a fight against time and a decreasing fuel reserve.
GPS Cords: N 66 39`22" / E 178 19`16"
March 08, 2009: 39th short message (07:14 a.m. MEZ)
We thank all Russian friends who we were able to meet in the mine and who helped us wherever possible. Starting with the possibility to sleep in the rooms of the workers, further the donation of the last available 300l fuel in the mine (it was from the vehicle of the director!), further the ladies who stitched our tattered clothes and so on and so on...
Nevertheless it was time to continue. We had to leave this white mountain area as fast as possible, which kept us in a gilded cage in this gorgeous region in the snow.
It was a struggle against time and decreasing fuel reserve until we reached the roadcamp 20 hours after our start from Valonisti. Due to the fact that we received the warning from the German Weather Service, that a strong-wind-area (hurricane) will hit us (Sunday 12 p.m.), we had a time frame of 24 hours to escape there. That means continuous winching, driving, and shoveling from yesterday 12 p.m. until today morning at 8 a.m. Fast driving in order to reach the destination before the storm meant a higher fuel consumption, slower driving meant led to a decreasing time limit. Basically we had the rule: We have to escape, the show must go on.
And we succeeded. We reached the camp (app. 100km in front of Egvekinot) with the beginning of the increasing wind intensity. We should not have arrived any 2-3 hours later as there is such a storm right now again, that you cannot see your hand in front of your face. If we would not have managed it, all tracks of the convoy would have been gone and we would have been trapped to wait another week in the mountains.
We decided to wait here until the storm is over and to prepare the vehicles and trailers for the upcoming last 1000km on Russian ground. We were kindly offered two small rooms with bed in the camp and given the possibility to use the big garage of the cleaning dozers.
On our way towards Egvekinot, we also crossed the 180th degree of longitude! Now we are in the West and GPW-wise everything is the other way round.
GPS cords: N 67 01`21" / W 178 56`00"
March 11, 2009: 40th short message (09:25 p.m. MEZ)
After an unsuccessful try to reach Egvekinot starting from the roadcamp yesterday (we had to cancel due to the heavy snow storm), we managed it tonight. We just arrived.
GPS cords: N 66 21`10" / W 179 07`00"
03-22-2009, 05:43 AM
March 13, 2009: 41st short message (03:48 a.m. MEZ)
After some administrative tasks and the last refueling in Russia (enough for 2700l of bioethanol mixture) we returned to the road department yesterday. Just now we left this camp near Amguema and try to reach the village of Vacarem at the Arctic Ocean which is appr. 200km away
March 13, 2009: 42nd short message (10:06 a.m. MEZ)
Big setback / again heavy damage. Again a broken accessory differential. The manufacturer says they seem to be too weak for the expedition vehicles. Stronger ones should have been used. We were standing for hours somewhere in the deep snow and tried to get F2 ready. F2, the vehicle which was already modified with a totally new accessory differential out of F3. Currently we try to reach the road camp again with a rough-and-ready fixed vehicle. F1 is towing both trailers. That's really a damn bad situation. I am totally upset. The third rear-axle differential within 5000km. We will try to repair it as I brought spare differentials for a huge amount of money with me on my return flight to Russia - in wise foresight and with support of the differential manufacturer.
The worst thing is that we lost minimum two days of optimal weather conditions again. What a crap.
March 13, 2009: 43rd short message (01:14 p.m. MEZ)
Just now we drove the 1600th km with the Goodyear Wrangler MT/R on both vehicles with an air pressure not above 0.5 bar without any damage. Additionally there was no tire damage at any vehicle or trailer since Paris. That means 26123 harmless kilometers under toughest expedition conditions.
March 13, 2009: 44th short message (01:48 p.m. MEZ)
We reached the roadcamp after 6.5 hours of driving. The situation with the differential is really such annoying that the nerves of team were all on edge. To make matters worse, all drivers are on the winter ways and the house was locked. We are standing in front of the door, but ok. Outside temperature: -32°C. We are only running the good Webastos to save fuel which is already reduced due to the damage. We hope that there is anyone coming back tomorrow, that we can enter the garage. Otherwise we will change the differential in front of the door.
March 14, 2009: 45th short message (11:40 p.m. MEZ)
We changed the differential under most difficult conditions and just started over again - 42 hours after the breakdown. We kept on repairing and hardly slept. We hope to reach Vacarem at the Artic Ocean. Weather conditions perfect. Appr. -30°C and sunshine.
GPS cords: N 67 16`57" / W 178 39`22"
March 15, 2009: 46th short message (09:54 a.m. MEZ)
We are struggling for every further kilometer in direction of Vancarem. Currently we are appr. 55km in front of the village. So far, we needed 13 hours for 130km. Since the last mine, which was located appr. 90 km behind the roadcamp, there is nothing but a small slope, made by a chain-driven vehicle. The vehicles manage the situation very good, although we have to shovel and break the track over and over again. Weather is excellent. Nearly no wind and starlit. We are only running on air pressure of 0.1 (front) and 0.2 (rear) any more.
GPS cords: N 67 40`00" / W 176 50`59"
March 15, 2009: 47th short message (03:04 p.m. MEZ)
We did it. We reached Vacarem at the Arctic Ocean, which is inhabited by Chukchi people, after shoveling, track scouting, deflating, winching and so on. Temperature appr. -30°C, storm force 4, light snow fall. Team in good health, fuel reserve ok. Now we are resting. Together with local people we will tomorrow discuss the opportunity to reach Nuteplement from here. The countdown to the Bering Strait started: Appr. 400km left.
GPS cords: N 67 50`22" / W 175 52`15"
03-24-2009, 06:56 PM
holy shit
03-25-2009, 10:50 PM
If you get a chance can you explain the dual wheel set up? Looks like they are just strapped together but it does not seem likely that would work on its own.
I feel for this group in those conditions. Way to be dedicated to the journey. Big Kudos to all of them.
03-26-2009, 07:42 AM
when they come through chicago, i think i am going to drive down and see them
03-28-2009, 04:53 AM
March 21, 2009: 48th short message (11:18 p.m. MEZ)
The plan was to decamp at 5 a.m., but due to a delay with the welding repair at F1, it is now 10.30 a.m. Wind is starting to blow. The predicted next storm arriving. Visibility appr. 300m, we eventually have to stay here until the storm is over. The DWD forecasted bad weather until the end of the week.
March 22, 2009: 49th short message (01:59 a.m. MEZ)
Perhaps it is the right time for news I normally do not write, but it reflects our feelings.
Certainly the expedition is currently in a difficult situation. Due to the global economic crisis we have to bare big losses. Exhausted of many technical backlashes and the fight against snow masses (more intense than for a long time), we are mobilizing every possible motivation to stand up against the difficulties. We try to fight with all power and emotion for continuation and hope that history is on our side.
Thanks to all who currently work for us, believe in us and keep their fingers crossed. Thanks to my team in Limburg, explicitly to you, Jürgen for you tremendous amount of good work and invested time.
The upcoming storm is taking our breath. If we do not manage to escape before it arrives, we have to stay here in Vacarem for another week. We try it and decamp. We informed nuteplement, we have left a note to a driver who is on his way to Vacarem. If necessary both can come for help.
March 22, 2009: 50th short message (04:49 a.m. MEZ)
We got stuck in the ice and have to shovel a lot. Currently overheated engine. Fan out of order. Emergency reparation done. After 1 hour warmth again in the vehicle.
THREE kilometers in THREE hours.
March 22, 2009: 51st short message (12:57 p.m. MEZ)
How much effort did we invest and with us so many others, but ...
The "Paris / New York - Transcontinental 2009" - expedition currently came to a stop. Yesterday evening the journey was ended by a heavy hit at F1. We do not know the reason by now, but currently a continuation is impossible with that noise emission.
We are currently located at GPS cords N 67 48`03" / W 175 46`47" onto the Artic Ocean directly at the shore line.
Team is in good health, food reserve for 10 days, fuel reserve 1300l.
March 22, 2009: 52nd short message (09:00 p.m. MEZ)
Salvage operation finished. Team, vehicle and trailer safely reached Vakarem after 26 hours of driving, supported by a chain driven vehicle. Further progress currently in planning.
March 24, 2009: 53rd short message (01:30 a.m. MEZ)
We try to leave Vacarem as soon as possible before the storm starts over again. We fixed F1 rough-and-ready in 12 hours outside night work. Now it is at least movable. We literally try to punch through to Egvekinot by front drive only. Cross fingers for us. 300km of snow drifts without any other vehicle. The last trucks left Vacarem yesterday before the storm, but did not have F1 movable at that time. Food reserve for 10 days, fuel reserve appr. 530l. Team in good health but partly very tired.
March 24, 2009: 54th short message (05:30 a.m. MEZ)
With the storm behind us, we are shoveling towards Egvekinot. 60km in 12 hours with 2/1 rate. 2 meter forward, 1 meter backward in order to take a run-up... and so on...
March 25, 2009: 55th short message (02:07 a.m. MEZ)
What a drudgery. Team to some extent 46 hours awake - reaching personal limits. 24 hours and 100km with "two-step". 2m forward, 1m backward in order to take a run-up. Continuous shoveling due to snow drifts. We just slept some few hours because we necessarily had to leave the deep snow. We did not catch up with the trucks, so we have to struggle on our own. Food reserve 8 days. Fuel reserve 240l plus full main tank. Visibility worsens. Only minutes between sunhine and maximum 10 meters.
March 25, 2009: 56th short message (04:17 a.m. MEZ)
First one-third with front-drive done. We reached a mine after appr. 61 hours and 108 km behind Vacarem. Since hours we are waiting for a truck which tries to reach the mine of Egvekinot. We will decamp when it arrives in order to use the track. Probably today evening.
March 25, 2009: 57th short message (12:55 p.m. MEZ)
The storm is blowing like everything should be destroyed what has been built by humans here around. No chance of decamping. We will wait until the truck leaves the mine. This will probably happen tomorrow at midday.
March 26, 2009: 58th short message (06:39 a.m. MEZ)
Marco and Konstantin on their way to Egvekinot in the truck. Ulli and Matthias try to break through with the Jeep. Meanwhile lost tire and linchpin rear-left. We provisionally blocked and mounted the tire with belts. I am curious how a Wrangler MT/R manages to be pulled over snow, ice and stones in blocked mode. Will it manage 150km?
GPS cords.: N 67 24`47" / W 177 24`01"
March 26, 2009: 59th short message (06:39 a.m. MEZ)
The tire made it, but after 60km the whole thing broke apart again. We used a wooden piece as runner - 90km left.
03-28-2009, 04:54 AM
More traction through a bigger contact pattern.Originally Posted by Mtn WJ
03-28-2009, 09:08 AM
Best of luck to all of you.
03-28-2009, 09:37 AM
good god those poor guys
03-30-2009, 10:12 AM
I see it now that the second set of tires on the outside do not have a rim. They are just strapped onto the inner set of wheels and tires. Looks like a great idea for the snow. I just could not figure out how well they were secured.
Thanks and be safe out there.
03-30-2009, 07:00 PM
I can't even imagine that. I'm sure it's almost miserable now, but looking back on this once in a hundred lifetimes journey will be awesome.
We know that a little turbo'd Suzuki won't be breaking this record anytime soon ;D
Be safe out there!
03-31-2009, 11:27 AM
Way to press on, simply amazing.
04-02-2009, 09:09 PM
Matthias, you’re a crazy bastard!
i highly doubt anyone is driving across the bering strait unless we have another ice age
float? yes - drive across on ice? no
Keep forging ahead bruv, the weather should be breaking soon...
http://www.simona.de/en/service/news/extreme-event.html
04-05-2009, 06:59 AM
March 26, 2009: 60th short message (11:50 p.m. MEZ)
In the last night, we reached Egvekinot with front drive and a missing back wheel. It was an amazing "strange handicap run".
We met two Ural truck drivers on the way, who stayed and helped us. One of them let me cut of his dirt trap of one the wheels in order to build a sledge surface under the wheel, the other gave me his fender and some wood to attach it. At another spot one organized a damaged wheel out of thin air in order to bond it below the axis. Many thanks to you two super truckers.
Now there is the task to quickly organize spare parts for both vehicles. Juergen Graf and his team is busy working on it and they try to make everything possible. I hope we will manage it in short time. Together with the team I am currently working on further solutions. We have still a maximum of 8 weeks left to reach Uelen. After that, snow and ice will melt and it would be impossible.
April 02, 2009: New video clip
Dear partners, friends, and fans,
The expedition is currently still in Egvekinot, and the expedition team as well as the employees from Limburg/Germany and all involved helpers are working with full pressure on necessary reparations and the development of strategies for the further progress of the expedition according to the current challenges.
In order to let you participate in the life of the team, we finalized and provide you a new video clip of the part from Jaktusk to Bilibino via the following link:
www.pny2009.com/cms/front_content.php?idcat=659&lang=4
Best regards,
your Extrem Events team
04-05-2009, 09:18 AM
hope they dont go Titanic on the way across
04-14-2009, 03:40 PM
April 14, 2009:
Dear partners, friends, participants, supporters and all we met or who excitingly follow us,
We were bound and determined to return to Russia still in April in order to continue and successfully finish the “Paris / New York – Transcontinental” - expedition in 2009. However, on Wednesday, April 8, 2009, after due consideration and the check of all possible scenarios, we had to take the difficult decision to suspend the expedition for app. 6 months. The decision is based on the project goals, whose compliance is top priority for us.
Snow masses, which are exceptional also for the Tschukotka-region, strong gale-force storms and blizzards as well as reparations at the vehicles led to a uncatchable time difference in contrast to the necessary schedule, despite absolutely most effort of the whole team.
The “driving over the Bering Strait on ice” and the “traceless managing of all parts (also the difficult app. 2500km at the Alaskan west coast) would not be possible, even not on a route much more in the north. Therefore we will continue the expedition in fall/winter 2009/2010 with the following unchanged goals:
- Accomplishment of a historical, spectacular journey with the use of renewable energies
- Traceless round the world with a CO2-neutral balance
- Driving across the Bering Strait
- On the track of the emigration of nations round the world on wheels for the first time ever
Among others, the upcoming time will be used to neutralize the so far produced amount of CO2 with tree plantings and the preparation for the continuation of the journey. All activities, news, and project steps will be published as usual on the project page www.pny2009.com as well as in the internet panels in all languages.
Matthias Jeschke and Jürgen Graf / project leadership
04-14-2009, 06:34 PM
Floating JK... TOTALLY SWEET!
04-14-2009, 11:38 PM
THEY QUIT!!!??!?!! ive been hooked like a fish for them to go accross the water and now the wont??? basterds
04-14-2009, 11:45 PM
Damn that sucks! I was looking forward to the extreme water crossing.
More pics on their website FYI:
http://pny2009.com/cms/front_content.php?changelang=4
04-15-2009, 08:23 AM
Vielen Dank! to BlueGerbil for maintaining this thread and keeping us up to date on the expedition.
04-15-2009, 09:16 AM
Do you have a moose strapped to the top or something??
04-15-2009, 09:39 AM
Wow! Be sure to keep posting when the trip starts back up! What are you doing with the Jeeps for the next few months? Storing them somewhere in the area? Or are they being flown out (and back in)?
I just saw that you are planning to head through the Toronto area on your way to NY. I was hoping you would swing through the Buffalo area, but I guess Toronto is probably a better choice.
Originally Posted by SB406
04-15-2009, 12:39 PM
read the thread and you'll find out
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