1st timer, needs help!!!

Hi All,

This is the first time I have ever done anything like this and I was just wondering if any of you vets have any idea of where to start! I know I need to sort out insurance and get a car and stuff but its the little things, like what to take (Camping gear, cooler, cb) and what not to!
Any advice or info is greatly appreciated and will definately be useful.

Thanks very much and see you all soon!

Good luck with the fundraising.

Kel.
x

Kel,

First things first.... well... AFTER you've got a reliable vehicle (Right Chris & Dee Pacey?!)...

Think very carefully about what each day will consist of then start striking things OFF your list.

For instance:
1. Get up earlier than you want to
2. Realise the time
3. Have a quick splash and teeth brush
4. Realise you're about to miss the window for picking up the first road book of the day
5. Dash off and beg the forgiveness of the loverly Rhiannon (Bora da my lovely!) to get the aforementioned road book
6. Realise that everyone else is leaving and your asmatcic 300tdi (minus turbo - I'll explain at the first campsite!) aint gonna catch most of the teams up... and you've still to take the tent down
7. Dash back to tent and start taking it down
8. Realise you've left your glasses inside the now folded tent
9. Unpack tent
10. Re-pack tent
11. Realise you've folded it wrong and it won't now go into the bag
12. Re-pack tent.... again
13. Find space for tent, beds, chairs, sleeping bags, table, two ring cooker with grill, gas bottle, booze not drunk the night before and other stuff that for some reason is STILL lying scattered around
14. Realise that the sound you can't hear is the sound of ANY other team...!
15. FINALLY get everyone aboard (after the all important loo stop)
16. Realise you've left the road book in the tent....
17. Unpack tent
18. Re-pack tent
19. Throw road book at nagivator
20. Leave campsite
21.Spend a "short time" reaching the end of the day's "adventures"
22. Report to marshalls at campsite, hand in ration packs (Keith'll explain at the start!)
23. Search for a decent spot in the now well populated campsite that doesn't back ontothe French loos
24. Un-pack equipment
25. Sit down with a well deserved beer... sweat dripping from your proboscis
26. Realise neither of you have eaten... and are actually quite smelly....
27. Think "Sod it!"
28. Take long apreciative pull on aformentioned beer, deciding to deal with it all in the morning!
29. Wake up earlier than you wanted to......etcetera...etcetera...etcetera!!!

Mmm - Frank; Based on the above (and I'm still laughing), I reckon we made it too easy for you in 2010. Tim and I will have a pow-wow to see if we can make the event a little more 'interesting'.

Worry not Kelly - believe it or not (prob not!) this is a fun event. For sure there were 'interesting' times between the Nav & Driver; but at the end all were smiling.

Have a look back at some of the older posts but in reality; make sure you have a reliable and serviced car, carry some basic spares, have some decent camping equipment, don't worry about 'Tulips' - once in the groove it's easier than map reading, everyone will help out. Prepare as if you are going on a 2 week holiday across Europe - simple as that (ish). Top of the agenda - raising money for H4H

For sure don't hesitate to ask any Qs.

Was Keith on the same event as us Frank????



On a more serious note Kelly, you will probably end up taking far more than you need. I took basic running spares (and brought them all back unused, well I do drive a Jeep ).

Think about stuff like spare fluids (Oil, Gear Box Oil etc), Emergency stuff (Tyre Weld, Gaffa tape, Cable ties) Don't forget things that are obligatory like Warning Triangle, First Aid Kit, Hi-Viz vests.

Camping wise, only you can decide how comfortable you want to be. Just remember that the more you take, the less room there is in the vehicle and the lower your fuel consumption will be.

After last year, I wish I had stuck to a phrase I learnt in the Forces. "Keep it Simple, Stupid"

We probably brought back a third of what we took, completely unused.

Delighted to note that Frank didn't have any issues at the Dutch, Belgian or German camp sites. Must have got his act together

reading this post makes me feel like i have taken on a bit more than i can handle ,i just hope i can do this as most of my hard earned money has gone on my entry fee and i have just to get things sorted like a new satnav well lets see how it goes as im now dreading doing this

Horses...

Forgive my tongue in cheek list... it's not as horrid as it may have sounded!

The key message has already been put acros, pack light, practice set up and tear down cuz after a long day in the sadlle... you'll be looing forward to a rest.

It will be GREAT fun... we had a ball last year and Tim & Kieth and theri team do a great job of keeping us all motivated.

Dominos pizzas at regular intervals helped of course!

Skibum

As Frank quite rightly said, the key message is there.

Probably if you talk to most of the folks who took part last year, we probably all went a bit over the top on kit and preparation.

Satnav is a must (but Christmas is coming). Essentially, apart from the Off-Road challenge sites, it is a two week driving/camping holiday (??????) in Europe.

You don't need to worry about keeping yourself entertained in the evenings, you'll be too knackered

Echo that. Just bring the essentials. A 3-second tent will be your friend, that's for sure. We all packed too much, all ended up throwing out food and wondering why we had piles of crumpled but unworn t-shirts.

CB is essential in my opinion. I guarantee you'll end up teaming up with a couple of other cars at some point and the ability to call out to other drivers without worrying about a phone bill is a must.

Sense of humour and a co-driver with a better sense of humour, and you're all set.

Tim- Remind me for 2011: 'Sense of Humour' = penalty points.

Hi Guys,

Thanks so much for this reassuring and very helpful thread. Planning well under way now and hopefully big bucks heading help for heroes way!
x

Glad to be of assistance.

I probably still have a load of stuff in the garage, still in the boxes, that we brought back

General Confusion wrote:

Glad to be of assistance.

I probably still have a load of stuff in the garage, still in the boxes, that we brought back

Got my spares pack sorted out for this year... same as last year.. same box... only thing missing is the turbo pipe...

Gonna be travelling a whole lot lighter than last year.

No double ring stove and associated gas botttle... single screw into small bottle type stove... though may upgrade to a Jetboil.

No box full of kitchen impliments... a couple of plastic plates with matching Spork...

No box of provisions that were left untouched... maybe a handful of RatPacks for when Dominos don't turn up!

Leaving plenty of space for Light refreshment and Heavy refreshment!

LOL

But a serious ditto - won't be carrying half of what we took last year.

Most useful thing we took was a Kelly Kettle

http://www.kellykettle.com/vmchk/Kelly-Kettles.html?TreeId=1

Bit pricey I know, but an exceptional piece of kit. It stays in the Jeep now and is great on days out Green Laning

nickburt wrote:

LOL

But a serious ditto - won't be carrying half of what we took last year.

Not taking Lynn then Nick

Richie, I'll let you explain that one to her