another pic

Another pic to go on with as we await for the report, courtsey from Amy of Team0077 (Lada Riva Estate!).

This picture shows (l-r)Allan, Rob and Iain stickering up the car, realising communication between the UK and Canada broke down and the charity logos don't fit! They managed to fit them all on though and the car looked great.

Lots of pictures

Rob sent me lots of pics. As I know he will be writing a report for the blog, I'll save most of them for that, but here are a few to go on with...
ps: also a shed load of pictures of heaps here (linked to one of the carlton)

..and thank you to our sponsors

Massive thanks to everyone who sponsored us...


(On some browsers, you can click on the images for a larger view)

back in Blightie!

The boys made it back to the UK and I should have some photos soon. In the meantime, there are quite a few photos HERE including some of the Carlton.

Rolling Stones win Best Car and Best Bodge Award

Well, good news. Rob, Iain and Allan won the Best livery award for their Flintstone paintwork and the Best Bodge, I assume for the gearbox repair that Iain undertook.

The guys did amazingly well against over 100 entries. They were joint 1st on Day 1 and think they were 1st on the last day, just the middle two days (not helped by the Clint props I mentioned in the earlier posts) let them down. Rob thinks they were probably just about in the top 5, top 10 overall at worst, so a MASSIVE WELL DONE to the three of them.

Thanks to everyone who supported all of us through sponsorship and donation in the UK. Just from sponsors I know of (I dont know about 'traditional' sponsor forms in the UK) we've raised around £ 3000 ($6200 CAD) between the three charities.

THANK YOU!

I'll get Rob to write up a report in the coming days

THEY MADE IT!!!!

Just had a quick text from Rob. They have made it to Naples and now at the hotel waiting for scores (which last year was after 9pmCET 12PST). They did really well considering the gearbox was on its last legs after Day 1

I'm assuming they picked up the pack. More news as I get it

Day 4 - Task

No news from the guys, but according to another team the final days task is a map and 5 village names. The teams have to visit and then have to answer questions about the villages for points

Thats assuming they got today's task. Got a text from another team (thinking it was Rob's phone) saying the organisers would be leaving a pack at reception at the Hotel for them, due to there busy night....lets hope they somehow found out about that!

detour to hospital!

Seems Allan has really replaced me!

If anyone knows about my countless trips to hospital, trying to work through them all A-Z. Allan ended up visting casulty tonight with a problem with his contact lenses according to a text sent at 4.30am CET! I assume he's OK!

Something tells me, they will be finding the final day rather tough!

Day 3 - news from Rob

Rob, Iain and Allan managed to get four of the five petrol stations on today's leg and currently watching Clint Eastwood films on the DVD player they brought with them for a Clint General Knowledge test (!) this evening which are worth more points. There pretty gutted they missed one of the pertol stations, but they still did really well.

Rob mentioned that they only missed two pictures yesterday and they could only find a couple of people who had got these although in view of the gearbox problems on Day 1, and lack of Clint props, finishing is the main aim.

Of the other two SEATCupra.net members, Rob Banbridge and his guys are doing well, but with hardly any breaks while the Lada of Amy is still going strong

Day 3

No news yet, but today is potentially a long day through central Italy. I've found out the Challenge for the day is photo of all team by pump no 3 at 5 Esso stations. All the teams have to be dressed in Clint Eastwood western gear conplete with Super Soakers - Quite controversial between the teams as these were discontinued. Add to the extra cost of cowboys hats and ponchos and many people were wondering before hand if this was actually a rally or not!

Unfortunately in the haste to send all the bits to the UK, I forgot to send the ponchos I made. The guys are also a cowboy hat and a supersoaker short, so will loose points for this non-rally element, but its the taking part that counts.

Goos news, one of the other teams (www.s2nrally.co.uk) have taken a pic of our hood (bonnet!) with all the sponsors on.

More news as I get it :)

pic courtsey of www.s2nrally.co.uk :)

'New' news is good news!

Couple of texts now recieved:

The guys got up at the crack of dawn and worked on the gearbox. Iain did a great bodge job that kept the gearbox cool all day (?!?). They then decided to go over the Alps as planned and take part in today's treasure hunt. Car is now spot on and the guys have managed to get 18 of the 20 photos required for the day so there very happy.

Day 2 - No news is good news

No texts or emails so far (its early afternoon in Europe) so that has to be good news. A quick surft of the net and it seems lots of cars have had trouble with brakes on the Alps and also overheating including Team PistonBroke.

More news as I get it. This year's route is similar to last years and we got in about 8-9pm last year, so hopefully news in a few hours time. Main aim for Rolling Stones now is just to keep going (and Rob, Iain and Allan cant get maximum points tomorrow as its a pathetic fancy dress day tomorrow and much of this is still in Canada!)

(There are some photos from another team here:- http://jem-barnard.fotopic.net/c661666_13.html )

message from the boys

The car is a bit ill but we may be able to do a bodge job on it we are going to get up early to have a look we are considering having a go tomorrow as we a leading and it would be a shame to throw it all away now.

The first day was a snooker chalenge where we had to find and photo a red car then a colour for 15 times and then all the colours in order but black a pink where swaped so pink was last and guess who found a pink car whith only 15 miles to go!

Amy (from SEATCupra.net) and the girls have won a mio travel pilot we may have too, but we will find out tomorrow.

Cheers mate sorry that you are not here but the car is the star of the event.

Rob

Joint Leaders after 1st day!!!!!

Had a text from Rob and Iain. They did really well today with maximum points and out of over 100 cars, there actually Joint 1st!!!

However as they reached the Hotel, the Automatic gearbox overheated. I'm not sure how terminal it is, but there sure they can reach Naples, although they will have to take it easy and by-pass some of the harder mountain passes which must be a shame for the guys. The car is still creating a stir. Photos will surface hopefully :)

FedEx worked

The guys recieved the stickers just in time, two hrs later than FedEx said. So just had a text from Rob. They are now in Calais, ready for Scruitneering and Registration and the car is aparently stickered up.

More news as I recieve it. The rally starts properly on Friday morning at 8am (Midnight PST)

The car rocks!!!!

Rob and Iain have done a fantastic job on painting the car!!! Last night I seperated out all the full size drgs I have at home into seperate A4 sheets for them to print and stick together and then had to email them all! Must have been 30-40 of them!!!

Anyway it worked and Rob and Iain have created a fantastic masterpiece. It looks so good. Rob will be getting some more images tomorrow before he leaves.

Hopefully if FedEx do there job, they will get the stickers on Thursday morning. Two other teams (Team 0077 and Team PistonBroke) will be ready in Calais to help the guys add the stickers......just got to hope they arrive in time!

Other news. Iain's brother in law Allan Cooke has agreed to take my place which makes the trip much more ahieveable and reduces the costs. Allan is 26 and lives in essex. He's a teacher/ actor whilst also finding time to study for for his masters

I'm sure you'll agree Rob and Iain have done a fantastic job.

message from Andy

Unfortunately, my wife, was taken ill on Monday so I've had to pull out of the Staples2Naples Rally, for which I was due to leave for the UK on Tuesday.

The other two guys will be continueing and if FedEx does its best, will hopefully get all the artwork and stickers to create the original car livery complete with all the sponsor logos which I had to get cut.

I will be speaking to the charities tomorrow to arange refunds for any online donations if desired.Really sorry about all this espically after so many people so generously donated.

I'll get Rob and Iain to send me some text updates during the rally so I can keep you up to date with their progress.

getting near

Firstly, thanks go to jeremy sherwood who won the Dynatwist Induction Kit which was kindly donated by Badger 5. Thanks go to Bill at Badger 5 for the donation. Its much appreciated.

Were just a couple of days away now. I leave for the UK on Tuesday evening. In the meantime, I have to find time to watch a Clint Eastwood film for a (rubbish) theme day where we will be tested....and theres us thinking this was a Rally. Car has now been moved to Iain's in preperation for my arrival and I've already packed paintbrushes :)

We also had an article on our team on one of the largest Car websites in Europe. Pistonheads.com Thanks to Manek and 'Ted' for the extra exposure.

So, thats pretty much it for now. The following updates will be from my mobile phone, so excuse any txt speak! Pictures will appear as shown in the note above.

Wish us luck....we are going to need it.

Stickers

I collected the stickers today for the car and they look great, so a special thanks to Peter at N-Montion Auto in Vancouver. Also thanks to the sponsors who have supplied their own stickers. My bank Manager also thanks you for that :)

getting closer...

So a few things have made the rally harder.

i) I've done my foot in. I initally thought I'd broken my ankle, but thankfully I haven't. I think I've pulled ligaments. Doesn't hurt much now luckily although still swollen and bruised. I have a habit of injuring my foot! Hopefully by the time of the rally it should be fully recovered.

ii) Fuel Blockades in the UK and rest of Europe could make things harder for us. Maybe we should have got a Metro instead of a Gas-Guzzler :) Its all filled up, so we should be able to get to Dover! Just hope the French don't blockade Calais :)

iii) Hotels. The organisers managed to get discounted rates. However, the cost seems to have been customer service (or rather the lack of). The Hotel we were suppose to be staying at in Sarnen, now appears...not to be there. Finally three months after sending the confirmations off, we now have confirmations.

So, all good fun. In other news .....

Childrens Wish Foundation recieved their 30 games from EA Canada and EA Blackbox (downtown Studio) this morning. These will be used as prizes in the raffle at their 'Wishmaker' Parade which takes place in Vancouver in October.

Two auctions are currently running. Firstly a Dynatwist Induction Kit for a 1.8 VT Leon or Ibiza is up for grabs here courtsey of Bill at Badger5. Second auction is a Ten-Tenths Motorsports Forum, complete with a couple of goodies. This auction can be viewed here.

I will be collecting the stickers tomorrow, while Rob is now starting some of the painting of the car prior to my arrival back in the UK next week. We have also recieved the plots of the Flintstone characters to trace onto the car ( a teaser of Barney on the left). I think they will come out very well :)

Probably one more update here, before I fly to the UK and this blog becomes more of a live update diary.

Two weeks to go

Just under two weeks to go now until we start the Rally. Rob and Iain back in the UK have the car sorted and all ready to go, while I've just finished the artwork for the livery and some props we have to wear (don't ask!) for a challenge on Day 3.

We have two auctions coming up shortly. We will be auctioning off the Badget5 supplied Dyantwist in a couple of days, while Ten-Tenths have also come on board and offering us a supsription with goodies, which will also go on Ebay.

Finally, Edd China (Channel 4's Wheeler Dealers) and his Cummfy Banana company have also come on board as partners donating to the BHF.