After quite a long ride from Prague via Bratislava (which seems to be a really nice but also impressively expensive city) we decided to stay the night in a small pension in Hungary. We arrived late but could enter easily. After about 7 hours of incredible deep sleep our alarm woke us at 6 am to push us back on the road. We will try to have a fast breakfast in Zagreb and will head to the Croatian coast afterwards…
After visiting friends in Leipzig and sleeping a night in Prague, we were heading to the start line in a “Junk Town” close to Prague, where the official part of the rally took place. Even the British ambassador of Turkmenistan came along with a speech about dos and don’ts.
2/3 of the team are flying across the good German Autobahn to pick up the third dude and party one last time for farewell. 🙂
(And again <<they see me rollin’…>> )
Die letzten Vorbereitungen laufen auf Hochtouren.
Nicht nur werden alle Apps und Routen aktualisiert und die Playlist überarbeitet… auch der GPS Tracker wird noch einmal auf Herz und Nieren getestet. 🙂
-Tobi
The car is ready, our sponsor’s clothes almost arrived (Hint: Never ever order at Engelbert Strauss. The clothes are very expensive and we had to cancel our order after three weeks and still didn’t receive already payed articles – and it won’t happen before the rally), the farewell parties are happening and packing lists have been checked off.
Soon we will stuff and promote or social media channels.
A few impressions of the sponsor shirts. 🙂
P.S.: Werbeartikel Spieß designed our polo shirt. They on the other hand are very recommendable.
-Tobi
What a wonderful farewell! At mixed 25°C the Teilzeitabenteurer where seen off by ca. 30 (former) colleagues, friends, sponsors, roommates and partners. We celebrated almost 14 hours and discussed ideas and rules for the Mongol Rally 2019.
It is nice to see how many people care and want to be part of our journey passively.
Some impressions…
-Tobi
After three sweat-inducing weeks the time has come. The Polo (aka “Fox”) spreads its wings. After exchanging/ installing /rebuilding the undercarriage, spring extension, second battery, new alternator, undercoating, new exhauster, boost and second towing eye, flexible LED headlights back and front, eight times USB, four times cigar lighter, 100 fuses (15-100A), drain holes, additional ventilation, oil filter, clutch, fan belt, spark plugs, distributor and cap, air filter etc. the car can run again. No! It can fly. Like an air-cushion vehicle it floats over corrugations and potholes.
The first test ride in the beautiful Treis-Karden, headquarters of our sponsor Heinz Schnorpfeil Bau GmbH, lead us according to google to an “unnamed road” over hill and dale. We tested the climbing skills of the fox. We also inaugurated the new clutch with reek and fume, brought the floor panel to its purpose and used the headlights for the first time.
(Polo 86C2f – our “Fox” – ready for action)
Last week of work, the last Amazon deliveries, packing, first time camping… The nerves are raw (mine at least), but the anticipation helps to forget the few hours of sleep.
Who wants to make sure that we are going indeed, is cordially invited to join our “farewell roadshow”.
(Thursday, the 18 July 2019, at 6 pm the farewell continues at the City Beach Neustadt.)
– Tobi
Thanks to the support by Heinz Schnorpfeil Bau GmbH we not only have a hydraulic lift and a roof over our heads to work on our car – no! The respective expertise came along with it. The garage guys perform miracles with the little car and have already exchanged the alternator and a second battery alongside other refurbishments. The old undercarriage is gone and the new one is lying on the table next to it (delivery problems with my order). The additional LED headlights are wired, switches on the dashboard, the wiring is ready, including many possibilities to draw off power like four times USB in the front, two times on the back seat and two times in the trunk. To join in cigar lighter, one on the back seat and two in the trunk, obviously monitored and secured. Along with a little bit of additional cooling for the alternator and “apropos of nothing” a full service, including oil change, exchange of ignition plug, ignition coil, distributor and exhauster. The clutch was exchanged as well next to the gear oil, air filter and oil filter.
…was there something else? 
(The Polo in its original shape)
(Clutch exchange)
(The old clutch was a bit down… You were right, Mesi.)
(Transmission)
(Working on the alternator)
(Looks better)
(Integrates into the constructor’s overall concept…)
(Sascha – Thank you for your patience!!!)
(New undercarriage! <3 )
(Old undercarriage 🙂 )
(The crew after 11 hours work – thank you!!!)
Thanks to another nice sponsoring from by IT world we will be able to broadcast our location live. Neoception GmbH not only sponsors the hardware but also has the expertise to bring it to life. This also started with delivery problems (my order) but proceeded with great strides. The data is sending live via the satellite link. It remains exciting in the background.
(Transmitting!!!)
(Thanks to home office we are able to test it outside the office.)
Thanks to all the sponsors!
That is amazing and we are very excited! 🙂
But this is no calling to stop. You can continue to donate and collect karma points. Cool Earth still needs a little bit of devotion.
– Tobi
Final sprint! Everything is arranged, friends are taking care of our polo, colleagues are brazing GPS trackers, our visas are (hopefully) getting approved right now, every insurance has been charged and the paperwork finally comes to end…
Since the team is spread out in the whole country and we like to celebrate, we are going to throw 2 farewell parties!
Saturday, 13/07/2019, we would like to say goodbye to our supporters, friends, (former) colleagues, enviers and probably the surrounding neighbourhood. There will be snacks and drinks – and the group cash box is waiting 😉
Come around and give us some good reasons to miss you. The whole team will be attending!
Make a request for the right address… 😉
After we made the 511 km long route in a fully packed polo, we will have another reason to celebrate. We would like to celebrate our farewell party with you and our friend and sponsor Isy Going at the Neustädter City Beach (Schloßstraße, 31535 Neustadt am Rübenberge) with “sand, beach chairs and cool drinks under palm trees“. 🙂 Isy himself will take care of our well-being.
See you soon!
After we unsuccesfully drove to the Iranian consulate general in Frankfurt to collect our visas – it was the 56. anniversary of the revolution against the Shah – our next visit one day later went quickly and successful. Everything was very nice and professional.
Afterwards we sent our passports to Berlin to resolve every formality for the last part of our journey – the Russian Federation.
Thanks to the nice support of a further sponsor, the polo currently enjoys a refurbishment. A motivated team of automotive mechanics, electricians and mechatronics engineers are taking care of our little one.
(new generator and second battery)
A nice colleague is working meticulously on an idea how to let you always know where we are and how warm/cold/high/humid it is.
The data will be transmitted via a satellite link (Iridium) and hopefully saved and nicely depicted.
(GPS tracker and sensors after delivery)
(first hardware test)
(first data)
Thanks a million!