ALASKA TO MEXICO MARATHON RECCE REPORT

Part 1 – Anchorage AK to Boise ID

Monday 1 August saw me get up at first light and take a taxi to Heathrow for the long couple of flights to Anchorage, Alaska, to meet up with Sarah Ormerod and her brand new Toyota Tacoma truck and begin the first recce for Rally the Globe’s epic Alaska to Mexico Marathon Rally. Due to the time difference, my Monday lasted 32 hours and it was around 10.00 pm local that I arrived at the hotel and fell into bed. Luckily, I had no jetlag (that was waiting for me on my return!) and slept soundly until breakfast time.

After a day sorting out the start location and prepping Sarah’s Tacoma with two Monits, a Garmin 276, an iPad with Pocket Earth for mapping, TomTom for city centre navigation and a cool box filled with water and “emergency rations”, we left Anchorage, the last big city we would see for almost two weeks.

Less than 40km out of town the scenery became spectacular and the quiet roads a joy on which to drive. We got a warm welcome at Alaska Raceway Park, a splendid complex which will be a great place to start day one’s competitive action. The stunning scenery continued to the event’s first regularity section, 15 km of smooth gravel over a gentle pass amidst snowy peaks and ice-blue lakes in the Talkeetna Mountains.

We hope to run a test at a roadside speedway later that morning, before an early lunch will be taken just up the road, followed by the long but spectacular drive north, with a planned Passage Control at one of the best viewpoints for Mount Denali (formerly McKinley). Our final stop of the day was at a magnificent brewery complex with excellent light food, a variety of drinks and lots to see, so the schedule will be such that these can be enjoyed by all. From there it was onwards to Fairbanks, at almost 65 degrees latitude, the most northerly point of the event.

Day 2 heads south and east, direction Canada and The Yukon. The weather was still magnificent, and we followed the Tanana River for miles marvelling at the tens of thousands of logs floating in the opposite direction, towards the Yukon River. The Denali mountain range was still visible in the distance and stops for photographs were plentiful. We found a short-but-sweet gravel regularity before morning coffee in a welcoming establishment, from which it was 175 km following the Alaska Highway to Tok (pronounced toke) before turning off onto the Taylor Highway towards Chicken. Chicken features strongly on the map of Alaska but is in reality a collection of wooden cafes, souvenir shops, a single gas pump and some very welcoming people. We found a splendid location for a late lunch and the best coffee of the trip so far, before joining the gravel Roof of the World Highway with its smooth surface and wonderful vistas. Sixty-six kilometres later we were at the Canadian frontier, before an amazing 105 km of gravel took us down to the Yukon River and a small ferry into Dawson City. The town has an amazing frontier feel and we expected to see John Wayne on every corner. We decided to pass on our hotel’s Sourtoe Cocktail however, a drink with a mummified human toe….

A terrific regularity starts off the following day, after which we saw our first black bears. “Bear Right” became the day’s most overused navigational instruction and I sensed I was alone in the truck in finding that funny…. We emerged onto the Klondike Highway and there was a real “middle of nowhere” feel with infrequent, isolated fuel stations sometimes with an associated simple diner. We later found a peach of a regularity that followed a lake shore for a considerable distance. The surface was great despite the road disappearing from the map from time to time! The final stop of the day in Carmacks has fuel as well as the best stocked store we had seen, so this place was quickly identified as our final Passage Control before descending into Whitehorse. This town was a real surprise with a good selection of bars and restaurants, so we have set aside a free evening for people to explore.

Every foodie website had the Alpine Bakery at the top of its list, so we stopped there for breakfast coffees and croissants and a picnic takeaway for lunch. After getting back on gravel we found a challenging regularity with a fox standing guard on the start line (he couldn’t guarantee he would be there next year however). Ten changes of direction in 22km will reward those who had a quiet Friday night!

In the Yukon, Carcross Desert is a little taste of Arabia more than 60 degrees north of the equator. Our selected brunch stop is at a resort on the shores of a beautiful lake, before heading back on the Alaska Highway where fuel stations were as rare as ever, the rally will be advised to fill up wherever they can. At Teslin we discovered our first long metal grid surfaced bridge and the Tacoma had a bit of a mind of its own as to which way it should go. We look forward to reports of how older, narrower tyres fare… Side roads that do not finish in a dead end are very rare in the area but we did identify some sections of old road running parallel to the highway that we have deemed to be run as tests. Short but fun, with the route into our night halt in Watson Lake following on from this.

Sunday morning dawned dry with fluffy white clouds and blue skies. Before setting off for Fort Nelson we had a look at the Signpost Forest, where thousands of signposts from all over the world have been fixed, right next to the Tourist Information Centre. We thought it would be fun to do something with the rally cars there, and a helpful lady we met showed us a function room capable of hosting a rally dinner. Plans are currently being hatched for dinner in Watson Lake, so stay tuned for more details nearer the time.

The Yukon had impressed us both with its beauty, remoteness and sheer size, and now we were entering British Columbia, although amazingly there was no sign to denote either province. As we headed south we were both scanning side roads for a potential test or regularity and 75 km later one presented itself on our left. Test 5-1 “The Compromise” is a combination of Sarah’s ambitious ideas of driving down steep inclines into dry rivers, and my cautious almost straight short gravel track plans! The scenery was getting even more spectacular and we frequently stopped for photographs in a stunning valley where we saw mountain goats, buffalo and some moose. Enough bridges of various construction to satisfy the most ardent pontephile (we made the word up but think it should enter common usage) before we rolled into Fort Nelson.

First thing Monday morning we investigated a promising looking loop road marked on our long out-of-print British Columbia road atlas. The gravel road was smooth, wide and fairly fast but definitely a good wake up test to start the day. The really amazing bit came right after the end of the section, however. Without giving too much away let’s just say that various means of transport converge on one spectacular, breath-taking point. Back on the Alaska Highway we were both taken by with the wide, green verges and plentiful, now deciduous trees. On another exceptional gravel section, thirteen changes of direction in 20 km will keep the navigators busy before re-joining the great highway again. The final gravel section of the day was 25 km round Inga Lake, my favourite of the day although Sarah preferred the previous one. Like so many things on the recce we agreed to differ! We plan to run a couple of tests in Fort St John with the friendly folks at the Northern Lights Raceway, before our descent into Dawson Creek. With a decent hotel, plentiful garages, bars and restaurants we decided this would be the place for a non-driving day, both on the recce and the rally.

After a day of scanning road books, writing up notes, laundry and truck washing, we headed west the following morning, remarking on the spectacular views at Pine River. We found a beautiful gravel road skirting Moberly Lake, well defined on both the paper map and Google… and then the road deteriorated. The Satnav said “Go straight” but there was a two-metre-deep ditch across the road. With lots of other roads in the area we were unconcerned – as the crow flies the asphalt main road was less than five kilometres away – but four hours later we were still looking. At one point we crossed a stream on a rudimentary, two-plank “bridge”. I congratulated Sarah on her skill and bravery and got a tense reply of “I wouldn’t want to do that again”. Five hundred metres later the road disappeared completely, and she had to repeat the manoeuvre! At least this time I got to video it correctly. We eventually retraced our steps over 100km back to Chetwynd where we arrived at around six in the afternoon to discover not a single hotel had any availability, so reluctantly we carried on to our planned stop in Prince George, almost 400km ahead. We phoned the excellent Coast Hotel to tell them we would be arriving very late and the wonderful staff arranged for hot soup and a bottle of wine to be waiting for us in the ready to close bar.

Heading south out of Prince George we quickly turned off the main road and after 40km found some fast, smooth gravel. After half an hour or so things started to get twistier and we pulled into a lay-by on the shores of Cleswuncut Lake to plot a regularity start and stretch our legs. That’s when I noticed the rear right tyre was deflated. Sarah’s foresight in buying an extra spare steel rim and tyre before leaving home in New Mexico suddenly seemed like a very good idea. In no time at all she had the bottle jack under the rear spring, wheel nuts were loosened, and the spare wheel mounted. At no time did my chinos get dusty…..

Back on the road the regularity was scenic and we continued to follow the gravel for a further 65km before arriving in the town of Quesnel, where a pair of potential tests were plotted at the end of the aptly named Racing Road. We lost further time with a closed road that caused a 50km detour, but found a great rally lunch halt in a roadside micro-brewery which serves light plates of food. As we continued south, the scenery was getting ever more spectacular and a final gravel section of the day was identified at Edmund Lake. An afternoon coffee stop was found opposite a wonderful antique store which had a couple of old cars out front, including an Austin Metropolitan, a car my father taught me to scorn from an early age! Due to our lateness that evening, we ended up with a Chinese delivered to the hotel – one of the most welcome home-delivery meals of my life!

It very much felt we had now left the wide-open spaces and “new-frontier” feel behind, with towns and villages much more frequent and quite a wide choice of roads to take. Mid-morning Sarah spotted what looked like an old race circuit on our right. We found a wonderful, time-warp, oval raceway, and the proprietor of the wood frame business in the former paddock could not have been more welcoming – so we plan a test in the style of 1960’s NASCAR racing. In the middle of Canada’s extensive but somewhat unknown wine area, we discovered a splendid winery where we hope to have a lunch stop. As our route continued, we stumbled across an extensive motor sports facility where negotiations to use the track are ongoing. From there it was a short drive to the stunning lakeside town of Osoyoos, our last night in Canada.

It was only four kilometres from our hotel to the U.S. border and a swift customs check. Our first 25km gravel section in the Okanogan Forest in Washington State was very similar to that which we had experienced in British Columbia, but things then quickly changed. The Western-style store in Riverside on the back road along the Okanogan River got our attention and that was quickly followed by what we both agreed was the finest regularity section of the event so far. We capped it at 30km but could happily have carried on for the same distance again. The vistas had become large again and there were wonderful rock formations to be seen on all sides, before a twisty, climbing road over the well-named Punish Mountain. We will wait and see what a further winter, and hopefully Springtime regrade, does to this road before letting the 48 Hour Car crew decide if we use it. The views are extraordinary, and this is a Marathon event so the chances are high. From there it was an easy drive into Leavenworth, a German-themed village with Bierkellers, Lederhosen and Alpine Horns as far as the eye could see.

With a swift “Auf Wiedersehen” we left early next morning, direction Walla Walla. We tried a back road over a mountain but after a promising start it deteriorated into a poor cart track and we abandoned it. We did find a splendid race circuit that was unattended, however, the local gun club were present in force and Sarah, as a former resident of Detroit, kept diving for cover. Back in safety we found Jim Smith Road and felt compelled to run a regularity over it and an adjoining gravel road. A longish flat run found us surprisingly on the edge of a canyon surrounded by vines. A bit too early for a tasting we settled for a coffee….honest. We were now heading due east following Crab Creek, a splendid dirt road. A short test was found just off to our right before the “No Horse Settlement” of Corfu which was totally deserted. Our plans for a Passage Control with sun-loungers and beach balls didn’t seem to amuse our colleagues nearly as much as they did us! We stuck to the back roads and found a wonderfully twisty road through a canyon before emerging onto Highway 12 for a few kilometres. This leg of the rally will be the starting point for the second recce, so we decided to go directly to Walla Walla, the centre of the Washington State wine industry with 30 or more tasting rooms within a short walk of our excellent hotel. Competitors on the rally will have a free day to sample the wonderful local wines and explore the many restaurants.

And so to the final day of this particular recce and the road to Boise, Idaho. Our plan was to investigate a few potential regularities in Oregon and this we successfully did before stopping at the quirky Blue Banana coffee shack that has a Volkswagen Beetle embedded in the back wall! A definite stop for the event. We had plans to reward ourselves with a fine dinner in town but the hotel bar, situated on the banks of a river, had three gentlemen of a certain age playing Van Morrison style blues so we sat in the open air with fish and chips and a bottle of Idaho’s finest red wine as the sun went down on a very successful recce.

Part 2 – Leavenworth WA to Tucson AZ

Having completed the recce from Anchorage, Alaska to the Canadian border, and a little beyond, back in August, it was time to continue through the 48 States and take things as far as the Mexican border.

My wife Hayley and I boarded a British Airways 787 at Heathrow on the morning of September 19th bound for Seattle on the Pacific coast in Washington state. With an eight-hour time difference it felt odd to arrive just before midday and the afternoon was spent exploring the city and desperately trying to stay awake.

After a good night’s sleep, we woke early and picked up our rental SUV, a Chevrolet Traverse with four-wheel-drive to cope with the gravel roads we hoped to find. We proceeded directly to Leavenworth where we had unfinished business after the first recce. One of our local competitors had kindly researched a road that we had seen on the map, but didn’t have time to explore, and it was a winner. Car and driver coped well with the sinuous gravel tracks and we arrived at our hotel looking forward to the days and weeks ahead.

Wednesday morning began almost immediately with a new section over the mountains directly east of Leavenworth and we saw what was to be the first of many “Big Views”. Once we descended into the valley, fruit trees were everywhere and continued to be so for the next couple of days. On reflection, the test next to the very active gun club didn’t seem such a good idea so we headed on to the “Jim Smith Road” regularity where once again I missed the tricky left turn onto gravel. Be forewarned! A fairly fast section then took us to our proposed brunch halt in a very large winery before we headed south to a long gravel section through Crab Creek. Along the way an abandoned side road will be used for a short test. Alternating gravel and asphalt took us through lovely, rolling countryside where we took a quick stop amongst the peach trees. A very twisty road on the map turned out to be a track in a canyon following a stream for 12 or so kilometres. A wonderfully stocked, massive general store a short distance away will be the perfect venue for afternoon refreshments before a pleasant run through farmlands on the back roads to Walla Walla where the rally will have a free day to sample the splendid local wines.

Almost immediately after leaving our hotel we passed into the state of Oregon. The Lincoln Mountain Highway regularity covered 22 kilometres of relatively smooth gravel with big views off to our right. Morning coffee will be taken in a tiny café with a Volkswagen embedded in the rear wall, and a small aeroplane in the roof, while serving the best coffee we experienced all trip. Luckily, we took fuel in the small town of Joseph as it would be 150 kilometres before we saw another station. Our route through the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest was all twisty asphalt and we plan a self-catered lunch at the spectacular Hell’s Canyon Overlook where the local magnetic fields caused our Monit to keep counting even when we were stopped! We descended to the impressive Snake River that forms the boundary between Oregon and Idaho. In the latter state we found some smooth gravel roads through big farms as we headed due south to our hotel in the state capital, Boise.

Next morning the superb Immigrant Road took us over the Danskin Mountains and into Sun Valley. We took a short detour to visit Castle Rocks before descending into the Snake River Plain, our first really flat landscape since leaving Canada. The lure of the mountains to our left was too much, however, and we headed briefly northeast to introduce Hayley to the upmarket town of Hailey. Back on the plain we positioned a Passage Control amongst the lava fields of the Craters of the Moon Wilderness. Nearby Arco was apparently the first city on earth to be powered by nuclear energy. There are a number of disused reactors nearby and a raceway in the very strange settlement of Atomic City, population 29…. From there a short drive due east took us to Idaho Falls.

Tuesday is a short day for the rally competitors as we are heading to lively Jackson Hole. We identified a couple of test venues first thing before a fairly long forest regularity on gravel. Then, after passing into Wyoming, we stopped to admire the view from the Teton Pass at 2,570 metres above sea level. The rally may have a free afternoon, but we headed on south for what was to be a frustrating 24 hours of recce. The scenery was terrific as we followed the asphalt all the way to Alpine where we turned onto gravel. The road was wonderful for about 30 kilometres until we arrived at a junction where there was a lonely fisherman. I tried to catch his attention to enquire about the road conditions, but he couldn’t hear me. Our usually reliable map suggested the road ahead would become asphalt. In fact, it deteriorated massively, and we were forced to retrace our tracks back to Alpine and follow a rather tedious road to our booked accommodation in Afton, near where we expected to emerge from the back roads. The best option we could find for dinner was a Burger King that Hayley and I ate on the patio of the Holiday Inn Express. It’s not all glamour on recce.

Early next morning we came up with a totally new plan. Back to Alpine for the third time, we noted a possible alternative asphalt route before approaching what we now referred to as Fisherman’s Junction from the other direction. That road, that looked totally unpromising on the map, turned out to be fabulous and by midday we had a terrific route plotted. We were by now well behind schedule and heading due south on a cloudless evening proved very challenging for the driver with the setting sun in her eyes. We crossed into Utah in the dark and wearily found our intended hotel in Park City.

The hotel proved to be fine for the recce but not suitable for the rally itself, so we spent a few hours the next morning looking for an alternative, something we found in nearby Heber City. The only way to avoid the traffic of Salt Lake City seemed to be a doubtful looking gravel road over the wonderfully named Baldy Mountain but when we got there it was freshly coated in the smoothest asphalt. This was shortly followed by Skyline Drive where we stopped a planned regularity early so that competitors can enjoy the wonderful views. South of Huntington we found ourselves on wide, smooth gravel roads that sped us over a dusty plain that seemed to stretch to the horizon. An intriguing twisty road featured on the map and suddenly there was a bend sign and the road descended into a magnificent hidden canyon. I won’t say much more, but this was one of the absolute highlights of the entire route. A fast road took us to Moab and the scenery just kept getting better and better.

Like the rally we took a day off from driving in Moab. The town is full of 4×4 rental companies and big-tyred Jeeps are everywhere. It became apparent that these all follow pretty much the same, well-trodden trails so we spent some time rescheduling our route ahead to combine maximum spectacle with minimum traffic.

First thing Saturday morning we headed for Geyser Pass in the La Sal Mountains. At over 3,200 metres (10,500 feet) this is the highest point on the entire route. From there it was but a short drive, with a test scheduled along the way, to the Needles Overlook where the views of the Canyonlands National Park and the Colorado River took our breath away. A charming lunch spot was noted in Monticello. The day ended with us following the spectacular Comb Ridge along a challenging gravel road as far as Bluff where we will stay surrounded on all sides by impressive rock formations.

Our chosen route the following day turned out to be unacceptably rough, so we turned and approached the Valley of the Gods from the southeast rather than the northwest. This had the advantage of the early morning sun lighting the amazing landscape in a perfect manner. We took morning coffee in the wonderfully named settlement of Mexican Hat on the San Juan River. We then found gravel roads in the Navajo Indian lands that will form the basis of an interesting Time Control section before descending to Page and the impressive Glen Canyon Dam. The day’s final timing point will be at a historic motel in Kanab, allowing competitors to take their time as we travel west through the Zion National Park to Springdale and our final night in Utah.

We headed into Arizona, our final US State of the trip, and quickly became confused. Passing through the many Indian Reservations along the way, the automatic clocks in our rent truck and GPS kept changing. It turns out that those Native American Reservations all run on different time to the rest of Arizona.

We will pick a time for the rally and stick to it. We found a lovely regularity through Warm Springs Canyon before coffee at Jacob Lake. We headed east to Marble Canyon and crossed our old friend the Colorado River before heading due south towards Flagstaff. Along the way we plotted anther Time Control section west of a settlement called The Gap. “Mind the Gap” as they say on the London Underground! Flagstaff was the biggest city we had seen since Anchorage, and we started to get the feeling that this sector of the recce was almost over.

Heading south next morning on the final leg of this trip we were on the lookout for interesting gravel roads. After a few disappointments, Fire Control Road, after coffee in Pine, was a good choice. Soon after we saw our first proper cactus, and then a gravel section over Cactus Butte where there were literally tens of thousands of the things. This was a challenging road in parts, but Hayley considered it unmissable, and we did see a brand new Chevrolet Camaro at a trail head in the middle of the section.

Those competitors looking for an easier afternoon can take the asphalt on the west side of Theodore Roosevelt Lake and soon re-join the official route. From there it was a simple drive down to Tucson and the luxury of the Hacienda del Sol Resort, where we reflected on a tough but rewarding couple of weeks.

Part 3 – Tucson AZ to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

As RtG’s West Country Cloverleaf event was ending in Taunton, Somerset I was aboard an American Airlines Airbus en-route to Tucson, Arizona, via Dallas. Arriving mid-afternoon, Sarah Ormerod and her trusty Toyota Tacoma picked me up and we headed for the Hilton in the east of the city. Despite the hour, our rooms were not ready, so the ever-resourceful Sarah guided us to a nearby Mexican restaurant where a couple of margaritas and a large plate of fajitas put us in the mood for the food and drink to come. Realising at 9.00pm that it was 24 hours since my alarm had gone off back home in Farnham, I called it a night.

After a solid night’s sleep, we met for breakfast. To my surprise there was a toaster that actually worked, a rarity in American hotels of all grades. Sarah and her geologist father Steve had already made the roadbook to the day’s first test, a great kart circuit on the city’s southern flanks. On the way in I noticed a NASCAR oval circuit almost directly opposite. I suggested we turn in, a move firmly resisted by my driver who claimed to have spent many hours of her life emailing and calling without ever receiving a reply. Since the gate was open and there were signs of life, I insisted we give it a go which did not go down well with my colleague. Ten minutes later Sarah was demanding I took shots of her with her new best friends as they exchanged phone numbers amid promises of life-lasting friendship, wonderful on-track action, and a guest appearance by the legendary Hershel McGriff, the oldest man to start a NASCAR race at the age of 90! The kart circuit will be fun too…..

All too soon we headed south. We cut a corner on a 40-kilometre gravel section through Native American country that led us to the small settlement of Why, where we were disappointed that the locals had not foreseen our plans for wonderful business names in the community, that had kept us laughing for miles. An open stretch of land to the south of the town will be the venue for a test where we expect Mark Appleton to come up with a layout worthy of the name ‘Why Knot?’.

From there it was a simple run to the border despite entering the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument where the giant prickly things looked exactly the same as they had all day. The border itself was a shock since we didn’t stop! No one wanted to see papers, passports, or anything else, probably due to us being in a US registered truck. We spent the next 20 minutes waiting to be stopped and sent back, before relaxing, and then bemoaning the lack of Mexican stamps in our passports. It was then a simple run to Puerto Peñasco, where our hotel was surprisingly good, and the welcome from top management even better. A staff “Day of the Dead” costume competition, and a couple of tequilas later, we knew we were now in Mexico with Cabo in sight.

Bright (well maybe not, after an evening sampling the bars of “Little Beirut” by the hotel), and early we set off following the Sea of Cortez on our left. The scenery was like nothing so far encountered with sand spits over the road from time to time and vast salt flats that I know from my Dakar days as Chotts, but Sarah tells me are known as Sabkahs in the Gulf. The pre-asphalt, old road was visible from time to time, so we enlisted it as an unusual regularity section.  After some spectacular rock formations, we skirted the southern flanks of the city of Mexicali, home to over 200 Chinese restaurants! There we discovered that every urban junction in Baja has a stop sign that the locals mostly ignore – we christened them “Stoptional” and came up with a new mnemonic for the road book, S.O.T.M.S.S. – “straight on through many stop signs”, a cousin to S.O.T.M.T.L. – “straight on through many traffic lights”….. Soon we were free of population and traffic as we headed south. Interesting roads beckoned but mostly proved to be full of false promises, petering out into fields of rubble. Gradually we became aware of what looked like rally service trucks and found ourselves amongst competitors ‘pre-running” the route of the Baja 1000. We admired the 1000 bhp trucks with several feet of suspension travel before soliciting the advice of the navigators as to which roads might just be passable for us. It turns out that a big hurricane in 2021 washed out many roads and the authorities are still working to repair the damage. More on this later when we meet Pedro Lopez. San Felipe’s pompously named Grand Marina Hotel turned out to be anything but, and we vowed to find a better option for the rally on our way back north, a few days hence.

Heading south along the coast we soon found our new rally friends from the day before and followed their tracks for a few kilometres to create a navigationally interesting regularity. Morning refreshments will be taken at CowPatty, a beach shack that is too eccentric to describe, as were both the barman and owner, an old Californian hippie who never went back. A couple more tests on the old road running parallel to the asphalt kept us amused before approaching Coco’s Corner, a legendary place for Baja 1000 competitors. Coco is sadly no longer with us, his shack has fallen into even greater disrepair, and the old gravel Highway 56 is now impassable so we followed the excellent new asphalt through the mountains to our midday halt. A surprisingly good sandwich appeared from an unpromising looking kitchen before we were quickly on our way. With an epic gravel section to go we decided to be sensible so changed plans and found rooms in Bahia de Los Angeles. The small hotel was excellent and the views amazing, the whole place reminding me of the Kenyan coast 40 years ago.

The following morning, we were straight into a 180-kilometre long gravel section, the very essence of a marathon event. The roads will need some attention before we arrive but there were signs of works beginning. Wonderful views, hidden ranches and spectacular cacti will make this a section never to be forgotten. From there it was a very short drive to Guerrero Negro where the hotel was surprisingly good, the tyre shop very helpful, the fuel station dog very happy to have some leftover food, and the margaritas the best yet!

Day 28 of the rally will be a transit section but with plenty of interesting things to see as we cross from the Pacific coast back to the Sea of Cortez. There were some big views as we descended into Santa Rosalia, an old French Colonial mining town. Opposite the fuel station there are the remains of some extraordinary pieces of industrial equipment, many storeys high. We look forward to some of the more engineering literate amongst you to explain to us what we were admiring. A little further down the coast we discovered the splendid Mulegé Brew Company which will host the day’s only Passage Control and where there will be time to sample the excellent food on offer. We entered Loreto just as darkness was falling and the Day of the Dead celebrations were beginning. The excellent La Mision hotel greeted us with Italian-chef made pizzas in the open air as we realised there were only two days remaining to Cabo.

Out of Loreto on our penultimate morning the road to Mision San Javier looked attractive on the map and the gravel thereafter was rated to be of the highest quality so we set off with a spring in our step. The asphalt climb was everything we hoped, twisty and spectacular with numerous smooth water crossings to keep the photographers happy. San Javier itself is a beautiful little place, quiet with clear mountain air. We then set off on the gravel. After two kilometres we had made seven rough river crossings. We stopped two locals in a rusty pick up coming the other way and tried my very basic Spanish. “El camino es bueno?” I asked hopefully. “Non. El camino es mal” they replied with a laugh looking at the two crestfallen gringos. We reluctantly turned and went back to San Javier for a regroup.

As I studied the maps, Sarah saw an ambulance so, of course, began a conversation with the local paramedic. Our new friend couldn’t have been more helpful and soon we had made arrangements to use the asphalt road before parking the cars in the picturesque square and taking refreshments at his mother’s café. We will then run another section down the hill back to the coast. Later, on our way south we spotted a gravel oval circuit, and a maze of nearby roads, so plotted a test before identifying a very suitable location for a lunch break. Our overnight stop was in La Paz, the capital of Baja California South, and the end of our 29th day of rallying.

Our, by now shredded, Baja Atlas that had promised so much over the previous days indicated a good quality gravel road that went over a mountain before following the ocean for a while. It started impressively but had the occasional stony section where we looked at one another, unsure whether to continue or turn. We decided to keep on to the end and make a decision there, but not before Sarah voiced how happy a grader would make her feel. And then, a few kilometres later Pedro Lopez came into our lives, driving as big a grader as could ever fit on that particular road. He assured us he was heading in the direction from which we had come and would continue all the way through the section. We thanked him profusely and arranged to meet him in 2023! Safely back on asphalt, we found a great little restaurant for a pre-podium regroup, and then made our way to Cabo and the finish hotel. It had been an intense 10 days, and different in every respect from that which we had seen in the US and Canada but promises to be a scenic delight and a wonderful Latin American experience.

See you in Anchorage!

GENERATIONS RALLY WINS PRESTIGIOUS RAC AWARD

Rally the Globe are absolutely delighted to have been crowned the winners of the Competitive Event of the Year Award for the Generations Rally 2022, at a glitzy awards evening at the Royal Automobile Club’s Historic Awards in London.

The judges said:

“Rally the Globe’s Generations Rally 2022 was well-conceived, organised and executed. It was designed to encourage mixed-generation teams of all ages and levels of experience to enjoy their vintage and classic cars of all shapes and sizes on legendary roads in some of the most beautiful parts of Northern England. As an introduction to classic rallying, it was superb.”

As an organisation which has just passed its fourth birthday, and has spent two of those years under the shadow of a pandemic, we are honoured to have recognition not just for the event, but for Rally the Globe as a club and the fantastic team of many talented and experienced individuals who worked together to deliver the Generations Rally, both behind the scenes and on the ground. We are also grateful for the support of all of those who entered the event and threw themselves whole-heartedly into making it an incredible success. 

Graham Goodwin, Chairman, said “To be shortlisted for this award was a real treat and a confirmation of the innovation and experience than runs through Rally the Globe. To win the award is the icing on the cake and is a lovely confirmation that we are making a serious contribution to the sport of historic rallying. We have come a long way in a short space of time, but we are not complacent. Watch this space!”    

Mark Appleton, Clerk of the Course, added “The idea for the Generations Rally was hatched in the very early stages of Rally the Globe’s journey as a way to share our wonderful sport with younger family members and we’re over the moon to win this award. To receive plaudits such as these in the prestigious surroundings of the RAC, that has nurtured and influenced the development of motorsport and motoring itself, makes it all the more special.  The Generations Rally and RtG is going from strength to strength and we can’t wait to welcome crews to the second edition in a few months’ time.”

Congratulations to all the winners and finalists at what was a fantastic celebration of historic motoring.

 

Photography © – Rob Cadman

CLOVERLEAFS SERIES SHORTLISTED FOR HISTORIC MOTORSPORTS AWARD

Rally the Globe are delighted to have been shortlisted for the prestigious Historic Motoring Awards 2021.  The innovative Cloverleaf series of events, that was created as a way to restart rallying after the worst of the pandemic, has been selected as a finalist in the category for the “Motorsport Event of the Year”.  This recognition from the expert judging panel is a reflection not only of the dedication and high standards of the Rally the Globe organising team, but also of the support and faith of our amazing Club Members.  

We are thrilled to have our events recognised in this way, and look forward to the winners being announced at the awards ceremony on Thursday 18th November 2021 at The Rosewood Hotel, London.

Photography Highlights from the Cloverleaf Series

WE ARE RECRUITING AN EVENT COORDINATOR!

Rally the Globe is a Members’ Club that organises vintage and classic car rallies across the world. We are currently looking for an Event Coordinator to join our small but busy Rally HQ in Leeds, to support the team in all aspects of researching, planning, organising and delivering our adventurous programme of events.

The Event Coordinator role is a varied and exciting position, and you will need to work autonomously and manage competing priorities. As the first point of contact for new customers enquiring about rallies, and existing customers who have queries about events, you will need to be able to react quickly and find answers to their questions, whilst building ongoing relationships. You will need to have strong administrative and organisational skills, tenacity, and be proactive and adaptable.

This is an extremely busy role at times, particularly in the lead up to an event where liaising with various venues on final arrangements is critical, and you will also need to provide back-up support from the office to deal with any issues that arise when the rest of the team are on events. You will have the opportunity to be involved in almost all aspects of the work which goes into the planning of our events, making this a fantastic opportunity in a fast-paced and ambitious organisation.

To request a copy of the Job Description & Person Specification, please email info@rallytheglobe.com . You can also contact Loren Price for an informal discussion on 0113 360 8961.

To apply for the role, please submit your CV and covering letter (maximum 2 pages of A4), demonstrating how you meet the criteria in the Person Specification, by email to info@rallytheglobe.com .

Closing date: Tuesday 31st August 2021

Full time role, based Leeds, with the possibility of some home-working and flexible hours.

Salary: up to £25,000, depending on experience

Benefits include 25 days holiday, pension and private medical insurance.

ARI VATANEN JOINS RALLY THE GLOBE AS CLUB PRESIDENT

  • Inspirational new role for much-loved international motor sport legend 
  • World champion renews winning partnership with former co-driver Fred Gallagher 
  • Finnish star eager to experience the ‘spirit and comradeship’ of Rally the Globe adventures 
  • New-look calendar welcomes new members and entries 

Rally the Globe is honoured to announce that motor sport legend Ari Vatanen will be its very first Club President. 

Now aged 69, the illustrious Finn is one of the most revered and respected rally drivers of all times, being crowned as World Champion in 1981 and, thereafter, winning the epic Paris Dakar Rally no fewer than four times. He was also one of the idolised heroes of rallying’s revered Group B era and, more recently, served as a Member of the European Parliament from 1999 to 2009. 

With such an international sporting and political pedigree, Vatanen is the perfect figurehead for this ambitious, not-for-profit members’ club established in 2018 to incite, enthuse and entertain all owners of pre-1977 vintage and classic cars with unforgettable driving adventures all around the world. Moreover, it is also a prominent role that Vatanen clearly relished accepting. 

“I’m honoured and touched,” he admitted. “These historic rally events have real appeal; they are full of spirit, comradeship and enjoyment and that’s my kind of lifestyle. I love going back in time and looking at all these cars from the past and I’m really looking forward to being part of this very special atmosphere when I attend future events.”   

The high-profile appointment also reunites Vatanen with his former co-driver Fred Gallagher, the well-respected Ulsterman who is one of the founding forces behind Rally the Globe. Together the pair won the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies with Citroën Sport in 1997 and also teamed up to score a famous podium finish on the Safari Rally when sharing an Escort WRC for the Ford factory team in 1998.

“I know now, as then, I will be in very good hands,” endorsed Vatanen. “Fred had a very calming and reassuring effect on my driving and it’s the trust and friendship that we have built up over the years which has energised me to accept this wonderful position as Club President of Rally the Globe.”  

Having first-hand knowledge of Vatanen’s immense capabilities and magnetic charisma Gallagher, too, is understandably excited to be renewing their collaboration. 

“Ari is just a magical character and I have no doubt that his affiliation and involvement will help us to raise awareness for all the amazing events we have planned,” enthused Gallagher, the Club’s eminent Rally Director. “He has terrific contacts in both political and motor sport circles, and his incredible charisma will be an inspiration to us all.”

“It is a true honour to have someone as well respected and loved as the great Ari Vatanen as our Club President,” confirmed Club Chairman, Graham Goodwin, himself a long-distance historic rally winner when sharing a 1925 Bentley Supersports with wife Marina. “I know our members will relish sharing unforgettable times and experiences with such a true legend during future Rally the Globe adventures.” 

Looking ahead, to revive the spirits of its members with some welcome escapades, Rally the Globe has devised an enticing calendar aimed at rekindling driving passions and convivial camaraderie as national lockdown protocols are lifted post pandemic. 

The evocative action recommences in the UK with four single hotel based ‘Cloverleaf’ rallies, before the reintroduction of more intrepid international fixtures in the autumn. Initially these overseas events will be based in Europe before once again venturing further afield in early 2023. 

October’s splendid Carrera Italia is one event to which Vatanen is particularly looking forward as it will start and finish in his old rallying haunt of Sanremo. 

VIVA CARRERA ESPAÑA!

  • New Spanish adventure added to Rally the Globe calendar
  • From Barcelona to Santander in spring 2022 
  • Mountain roads, race tracks and luxurious hotels en-route
  • Entries now open to pre-1977 classic and veteran cars

With the optimism of a clear roadmap out of lockdown ahead, Rally the Globe has its pedal-to-the-metal creating new competitive adventures for those crewing much-loved vintage and classic cars.

Fuelled by this renewed enthusiasm and excitement, a revised calendar of events was confirmed last month and that future programme is now further enhanced by the addition of the alluring Carrera España, entries for which are now open.

Set in the warmth of welcome spring sunshine in Spain and open to all cars built before the end of 1976, Carrera España will run from 24 April to 5 May 2022 and will explore the empty, scenic roads in the northern part of the fêted Iberian country.

Running to Rally the Globe’s much-admired Carrera format, the meticulously researched driving route will run entirely on asphalt surfaces. The overnight camaraderie will be experienced at hotels chosen specifically for their luxury, comfort, style and, perhaps a little quirkiness to make them all-the-more memorable. The inclusion of Regularity Sections, often set on twisty mountain roads, plus Timed Tests arranged at permanent motor sport venues will add the captivating element of competition so enjoyed by both drivers and navigators.

The route for the Carrera España will start outside the enchanting seaside city of Barcelona and finish 11 days later in Santander, the beautiful resort famous for its eye-catching beaches and mouth-watering cuisine.

Guaranteeing a fast start, the opening day includes tests at famous circuits as well as challenging regularities in the Pyrenees. From Barcelona in the region of Catalonia, crews will travel through the wonders of Aragon, Navarra, La Rioja, Castilla y Leon, Galicia and Asturias before finally arriving on the Cantabrian coast. Evenings en-route will be spent in a variety of top class hotels including Benedictine monasteries, a mountain lodge and even a mediaeval fortress.

“Like the greatest of grand touring GT cars, our Carrera events are created for both competition and comfort – and the Carrera España will have both those two pleasures in abundance,” promised Fred Gallagher, Rally the Globe’s well-respected Rally Director. “The event travels through seldom seen, traffic-free parts of northern Spain with gloriously open roads through some truly stunning scenery. The hotels are equally impressive and no doubt where every day’s adventures will be revisited, shared and, perhaps, sometimes embellished around the dinner table!”

Rally the Globe’s previous visit to Spain for the Carrera Iberia in 2019 proved an instant success with entries selling out swiftly. With numbers again limited to avoid overcrowding, keen participants are advised to register their interest without delay.

For those eager for some restorative driving adventures in the meantime, this autumn’s Highland Thistle Rally and Carrera Italia still have a few remaining places on their respective entry lists.

Based in St Andrews the former is a magical trip to and from the spectacular Isle of Skye via the Scottish glens, lochs and mountains. The latter is an equalling alluring journey through the dramatic Dolomites and idyllic lakes of northern Italy.

RALLY THE GLOBE CHAIRMAN’S SUMMARY – 2020

Dear Members

2020 was the year in which Rally the Globe completed its first long overseas rally, the Southern Cross Safari.  This was an exceedingly difficult event to organise, which probably explains why Kenya and Tanzania are seldom visited by Vintage and Classic car enthusiasts in such a rally format.  Exceptionally, there has never before been a competitive rally which has managed to successfully navigate the red tape required to get permission to drive through the very special Masai Mara and Serengeti game parks.  It is a credit to the contacts and determination of our World Champion co-driver Fred Gallagher that we managed to do just that, and Marina and I will never forget this once in a lifetime trip.  To drive an open topped Bentley through a game park bigger than Wales and to watch the vast migration of animals in this natural setting was amazing.  Navigating heavy rain, washed out roads and swarms of locusts en route was the icing on the cake.  Unfortunately, we arrived back to the UK with a bang. 

From here on in events were postponed and cancelled one after another and it felt like travel and related companies were collapsing like a stack of cards.  Sadly, two of our fellow rally companies have closed their doors for good and this makes us more determined than ever to fly the endurance rally flag.  We have a rally family to support and look after and we intend doing just that.  

From an RtG point of view our plans for the remainder of 2020 were hit hard.  As a result of the UK national lockdown, we had to cancel our Celtic Challenge rally and our Round the World rallies.  I was particularly gutted at the prospect of cancelling Round the World because this marathon had not even been attempted for 20 years and at 30,000km was more than twice the distance of the well-known Peking to Paris.  It’s the prospect of challenging ourselves, creating new events and going to special places which motivated us all to set up the RtG club in the first place.

Whilst we are a not-for-profit club, we are still a commercial business run by experienced business people.  Given the turmoil in the motor sport and travel markets last year I thought I should give you a quick update on our financial position at the end of 2020.  This is because I, like you, would not want to place my money in the care of a company I did not have confidence in.  I would want to know that they are on top of their figures and operating model.   Fortunately, not by accident but by design of having an excellent Finance Director and an experienced long-distance rally team, RtG had the best insurance in place to cover our cancelled rallies from 2020.  In common with other companies, we will be unable to sensibly insure against communicable diseases going forward so must remain vigilant and only commit funds, your funds, with utmost care and due diligence.  

I am pleased to report that our income for 2020 was £1.3 million and despite refunding rally entrants in full to the tune of £1.03 million we still made a small operating profit during this extremely challenging year which is already reinvested in our coming events.  As an indication of Members’ confidence in our business, we also finished the year with over £1 million in cash and continue to manage our cashflow and currency exposures to the highest standards.  In summary your money, our money, is safe with us.  

Looking ahead we are delighted to be launching our new and innovative Cloverleaf rallies in 2021 and look forward to returning to the open road for our Highland Thistle and Carrera Italia events later in the year.  We get the ball rolling in 2022 with the much-anticipated Generations Rally in the English Lake District before moving on to the annual Carrera offering, next year exploring the glorious northern regions of Spain on the Carrera España.  There’s then six weeks to draw breath before setting out on a proper Challenge, rallying along a fantastic route from Ypres to Istanbul.

During the summer months, we leave the roads to the tourists and cyclists but at the end of September we will be back in the rally-heaven that is the Dolomite region of northern Italy for our first event solely for pre-war cars.  

We accept that the world will not be open to rallying overnight and you will probably have noticed that all our rallies to the end of 2022 have a European focus.  This is a deliberate decision taken to keep our crews, our team and your money as safe as possible.  2023 will start with a bang in the shape of our first Marathon event with the Road to Hanoi – 4 weeks exploring the lesser-known parts of South East Asia.  I know from experience that this area of the world is one of the best and Marina and I cannot wait to return.  

The directors are delighted with our 2020 results in what was a terrible and difficult financial climate, and we have confidence in the future of the club and our diverse array of rallies.  I would like to thank them on your behalf for their first class and selfless service to the club.  There is a fantastic team working at Rally the Globe and we cannot wait to get back on the road shortly.  Watch this space for challenging, new and innovative events going forward.  

Graham Goodwin

Chairman, Rally the Globe

SKIPPING A GENERATION

It is with regret that Rally the Globe announce that the innovative Generations Rally, scheduled for the end of March, will not now be going ahead in 2021.  Although the delay to this exciting new event is disappointing for us all, it has unfortunately become the only sensible course of action.

As a result of the huge increase in Covid-19 cases throughout December and January, all parts of the UK are currently locked down with schools, hotels, restaurants, offices, and many other workplaces forced to closed to reduce the chances of virus transmission.  The politicians are linking the end of this current period of lockdown to the successful vaccination of high-risk groups of the population and, although vaccinations are being administered at an unprecedented rate, the absolute best scenario is that the lockdown may start to be lifted just a few weeks before crews were due to convene in the Lake District.  

In addition, it is becoming clear that the lockdown will be eased cautiously, and that we are likely to return to a multi-tiered regional system.  Due to inevitable restrictions on accommodation, hospitality venues, and group gatherings the Generations Rally would only be able to run if all of the areas it passes through are placed in lower tier areas.  This appears unlikely, at least initially.  On top of that, Competitors and Officials residing in higher tier areas would be unable to attend the event and those travelling from overseas would be subject to the new stricter restrictions on international travel, that include both a requirement for a negative test before setting out and a period of quarantine on arrival.  

Bearing all of these elements in mind, Rally the Globe have taken the view that the chances of being able to run any event, especially one that lives up to the high standards we set ourselves, are slim.  It would therefore be neither prudent, nor responsible to press on with arrangements for the event, so instead we have taken a timely and clear decision to reschedule it.  

The RtG team have spent some time assessing different options and searching for an alternative date when the grip of the pandemic will have reduced sufficiently to ensure safe travel and socialising.  After considering factors including availability of accommodation, likely weather, tourist traffic in the National Parks, hours of daylight, and the other events on the busy Rally the Globe calendar, we have decided that the best course of action is to delay the event by a full year to the weekend of 25-27 March 2022.

We have already informed all of the crews entered in 2021 of the change of dates and, although most are still planning to join us, some places are likely to become available on this previously over-subscribed event.  If you would be interested in joining us in 2022, an entry form is available from info@rallytheglobe.com. 

GENERATIONS RALLY 2021 ATTRACTS NINE FRAZER NASH CARS

The Generations Rally has proven to be a very popular early season draw and, next March we are very much looking forward to welcoming at least 50 crews to the start line on the shores of Lake Windermere.

Fathers and daughters, mothers and sons, in-laws and soon to be in-laws will be thrown together for a weekend of fun, motorsport and a bit of Northern exposure to boot.

The Rally has attracted a great field of entrants with some exceptional cars as well, but it is the Frazer Nash company who are fielding the biggest team, with a total entry of nine. And, from this quirky, much loved but shortlived brand, six of them are chain driven models with the other three being the slightly more civilised BMW 328 variant.

Of this chain gang, no fewer than four are TT Replicas which were built from 1932 to 1938 and were the most numerous Nash’s to have come out of the Kingston Upon Thames works.

Founded by Archibald Frazer-Nash in 1922, the original company failed in 1927 but, a new company, AFN Limited, was created from the ashes.

They continued to produce Frazer Nash cars with the famous multi-chain transmission until the Second World War, whereafter they made another 85 vehicles before ending production totally in 1957. All of these post-war cars had conventional transmissions.

We spoke to a few of the Nash crews who have signed up for this inter-generational challenge and they gave us a few insights into what they’re bringing, why they’re bringing it and who they’ll be sharing the experience with.

Bill and Olivia Holroyd, 1932 Frazer Nash TT Rep’

Chassis number 2026 started life as a Tourer in 1931 and was raced at Brooklands by D.A. Aldington, part owner of the company. In 1933 it was re-bodied as a TT Rep and sold to Albert Tinker, a Yorkshireman who insisted that the new car be given the identity of the most famous works car of the time – MV 3742, chassis number 2065. It then lived a fairly easy life with another two owners before being acquired by Bill in June 2019. Bill says that “I love the quirkiness of the chain drive – and the car in general. It is a unique driving sensation”.

“We are using the TT for the Generations Rally because it is a short event and it should be great fun to really get to know the car. There is no roof, but hey it never rains in the Lakes!”

Patrick and James Blakeney-Edwards, 1928 Frazer Nash Saloon

If the Frazer Nash’s are something of a factory team, then it must fall to Patrick to be the team principal and director of engineering. Founder of his eponymous motorsport company, there’s not much Patrick doesn’t know about pre-war cars and Frazer Nash in particular.

He’ll be accompanied by his twelve year-old son James as navigator, who will be the youngest competitor on the start grid. According to his father, James is obsessed with cars. He’s surrounded by them and has learned to drive already, in an Austin 7, at the age of 8. “We’ve done some VSCC events already and he’s fiercely competitive and can get really cross when things go wrong. His first rally though will be a step up for him with a defined role and serious responsibilities to deal with”.

“What could be more fun however than spending three days with your son in this sort of environment, although I can’t imagine the amount of times he’ll say that the notes are wrong and we may even spend some time following the other crews”.

It’s certainly not going to be an easy ride for him and after a hard day on the road, Patrick expects him to muck in every evening with the spanner checks and maintenance tasks.

“Luckily he likes maps, geography the company of adults, and handbrake turns”.

Craig and Cosmo McWilliam, Frazer Nash Super Sports

The records show that there were maybe 115 Super Sports built between 1924 and 1929 and chassis number 1139 was built at the Kingston Works in July 1927, it was described as three-seater Super Sports and given the registration PK3764.

Whilst the car itself is a veteran of many an event, its owner, Craig McWilliam only “bought it two years ago – so I’m a newbie to the Nash world (though I have had vintage cars for quite a few years).”

“My “other car” for example is a 1926 Twincam Sunbeam super sports – a lovely car but my wife doesn’t want to drive it as it’s too big. So we got the Nash – sporty, light, easier to drive, a great club and also fun to slide round corners”.

“Our car is a 1927 Anzani powered Super Sports – so a proper vintage Nash. It’s a well-known original car, with some well-known club luminaries as owners in the past. Many of these people used the car for very strenuous rallies – so I am really hoping it will be good enough to get up these Lakeland hills – should be better than the Sunbeam up the narrow twisties!”

“The car went into the garage with a broken starter motor last December – and we had a terrible attack of the “whilst we are here’s!” Anyway – the chassis is back together and the body is back on now and it should go off for painting soon… “

“My son, Cosmo, is coming with me – he will have recently turned 17 so I keep telling him he could take the wheel for a bit… He prefers moderns!”

Maybe after a few days with this little cracker though he’ll change his mind?

Theo and Olivia Hunt, 1933 Frazer Nash TT Rep’

Theo is no stranger to this car and revels in its nimble handling and effortless acceleration. He’s also a student of mechanical engineering so was more than happy to wax lyrical about the darker, and more oily parts of his Nash.

“It is an original meadows powered car with a wide type Elkington body. Not much is known about its pre-war activities, however it was recorded that it started life as a blue and white car, which is terrible to think about.

“We have owned AMF since 2011, which may not seem like a long time but is almost half my life and, ever since we bought it I have always had a fascination with everything about it. I can vividly remember the first time I drove it at the age of 15 around Goodwood Motor Circuit, (a pretty special place to fall in love with a car)”.

“There are so many special things about Frazer Nash cars which make their owners adore them, however, the most important is the way that the cars drive. Pre-war Nash’s have a weird and wonderful transmission which combines to make the most magical driving experience”.

He continues “the rear axle of a Frazer Nash is solid, no differential, this leading to the most ludicrous handling characteristics. As a Nash driver you will find yourself with an arm full of opposite lock around most corners when travelling at speed, and you are always pleasantly surprised how the low ratio steering allows these slides to be caught and controlled rapidly. The steering is a ¾ turn, lock to lock. The transmission, combined with the lightweight nature of these cars means that it can change direction on a six-pence and will always ensure big smiles when drifted around a race track or a quiet village roundabout.

“Given the opportunity I would drive them everyday. For rallies in the UK they are unbeatable, I can guarantee that the driver smiling the most at the end of the day will be clambering out of a Nash, gasping for a pint and desperately stretching their sore back. They may not be the most comfortable, or the most powerful, but they are the most fun and can be darn fast when they need to be. Being a Nash owner also means being a Nash mechanic and, a tinker in the evenings is an occupational hazard.

I will most certainly be wandering around the car park in the evenings offering a hand where I can; as long as I’ve completed all my post thrashing checks first!”

I cannot wait to shock my mother, Olivia. But, I’m sure that she will try and give me some stern words beforehand, and then her competitive streak will come through along with cries of FASTER FASTER!

I hope that there will be a proper Chain Gang spirit during the Generations Rally and I’m so excited for an awesome rally, and the premise of it is brilliant!”

Martin and Georgemma Hunt, 1937 Frazer Nash-BMW 328

Martin has campaigned this car far and wide and is no stranger to the challenges of a rally in a small open car. Daughter Georgie however is a relative newcomer.

“The Frazer Nash-BMW has been our rally car of choice for short events for the last five or six years. In addition it occasionally comes out to circuits for pre-war events. The car was unbelievably ahead of its years when it was built in 1937. Obviously it was built in Germany by BMW, but it was one of the 48 or so right-hand drive examples which were imported into the UK by Frazer Nash. It still has its original six cylinder, 2 litre BMW engine, which makes the most glorious noise, sounding more like a Cooper Bristol than a pre-war BMW! It’s an incredibly nimble car, and really quite easy to drive, without the need for the tricky double declutching that is required in most pre-war cars. It doesn’t have a huge amount of luggage space, so it’s ideal for an event like the Generations Rally, which is a hub and spoke event, without the need to transport luggage in the vehicle.

I will have my daughter Georgie in my car, who has never done any motor events before and says she is not going to try and compete with her brother and mother…that’s going to lead to an interesting dynamic because given (her mother) Olivia’s navigational skills and competitive nature, I reckon that they might do quite well in this rally!”

Rory and Diana Henderson, 1939 Frazer Nash-BMW 328

Rory is tackling the Generations Rally with his mother, Diana, in the family’s Frazer Nash-BMW 328, which is no stranger to rallying as it claimed outright victory in the 1939 RAC Rally, driven by AFP Fane.

Rory says “for the Generations Rally, I have been allowed behind the wheel under strict instructions to obey my navigators’ orders! Having previously rallied a Bentley with my fiancé Anastasia, I’m looking forward to tackling the various routes in something slightly smaller and nimbler”.

“My father Gavin is swapping the 328 for the Bentley, with Anastasia as his navigator, so we are all looking forward to some friendly family rivalry along the way!”

RIDING THE SECOND WAVE

When Coronavirus was first identified back in January, it was a concern for everyone involved with international rallying, but it was not until the middle of March that the scale of the problem became apparent. After a lot of assessment and analysis, and a degree of educated guesswork, Rally the Globe responded to the first wave of the global pandemic with a new and exciting programme of events for 2020 and 2021. Our strategy was to start with what we hoped would be safer and more secure events close to our home base, before gradually expanding our horizons back to the global view that we have been targeting since the initiation of RtG.

Early in the evolution of the new programme, as part of a sensitivity analysis, we considered the possibility of the virus returning for a second wave. Clearly, we were hoping that this would not occur, but the potential was no secret. Now that we are in the midst of the second wave of the pandemic and, despite some positive news on the vaccine front, we have taken the view that we need to progress to the next level of our contingency planning.

Therefore, in order to minimise risk to the health of our members, participants and team, and to ensure that we as an organisation are in a position to run adventurous and ground-breaking events in the future, we will postpone the events that we assess to have the highest vulnerability to a prolonged pandemic by a year.

With this in mind, the 3-week long Ypres to Istanbul Challenge will now run in the second half of June 2022, and the 4-week long Road to Hanoi Marathon will now run in February 2023. At this point in time, we assess that our other events represent a lower risk and should be able to go ahead as planned. We have already been in contact with the current entrants on the postponed events and the majority of them are planning to join us on the new dates.

Entry forms for all our events are available on request from info@rallytheglobe.com.