Most liked posts in thread: Project Arctic MINI - UK to Arctic Circle to raise money for Leukemia Research

Awesome adventure!

 

First massive thanks to Nathan for the donation to Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research. This is a charity very close to my heart as my sister had Leukaemia when she was 8 and a friend, in the MINI community, is battling with it at the moment.

This epic trip is to raise money and awareness of the charity but will also be a huge test of ourselves and the MINI that will be taking us there. The distance is the equivalent of driving London to New York and over half way back, in temperatures I'm told (by people in the know) that could drop below -40oC :eek6:

The MINI is my 2005 Cooper S and is currently setup for the track as I run it in the UK 'Time Attack' series at circuits across the UK. Once the last event has been completed (October 10th) the MINI will undergo the transformation it needs to cope with it's Arctic adventure.

I'll be keeping this thread updated with the latest news on this adventure, we are hoping to attend a few MINI shows to further the awareness of our trip and the charity.

Thanks again from across the pond

Btw we spell Leukaemia differently here - just to confuse things

 

Instead of raising the suspension, why don't they just drive a stock R56? :devil:

 

Hi all! My names Vikki and I have just joined your site. I am David's girlfriend who will be accompanying him on this epic trip of a lifetime! I would just like to say thank you so much for sponsoring us It's not long really now to the trip and I can't wait. I am full of excitement, fear and unknown! I think its going to be amazing though!

 

This sounds like a fantastic adventure to me too!

Nathan, in the mod list in your post, why do you have summer tires listed?

Also, I would think some 17" wheels with tall aspect ratio/narrow winter tires would be more effective than 15" - more room for snow to clear under the car and less able to pack it into the wheels.

The best way to find out is to ask the Norwegians tho - they'll know what to run!

 

Hi guys, sorry for the delay in replying.. The reason we had summer tyres listed as we will need tyres for the dry roads and a separate set of studded tyres for the ice roads we are told to expect.

We've got some exciting news about the trip which will be coming next week. The route has now been finalized - from our original goal of 5,000 miles somehow we've managed to add another thousand.


1 England to Spannan, Germany 600 (9 hours 43 mins)

2 Spannan, Germany to Jonkoping, Sweden 446 (7 hours 01 mins)

3 Jonkoping, Sweden to Sundsvall, Sweden 433 (7 hours 29 mins)

4 Sundsvall, Sweden to Lulea, Sweden 327 (6 hours 47 mins)

5 CROSS ARCTIC CIRCLE – ENTER 24HR DARKNESS
Lulea, Sweden to Rovaniemi, Finland 156 (3 hours 26 mins)

6 Rovaniemi, Finland to Inarintie, Finland 203 (4 hours 31 mins)

7 Inarintie, Finland to Sor-Varanger, Norway 124 (2 hours 52 mins)
8 Trip to Øvre Pasvik National Park &
Storskog Russian Border 100 (5 hours)

9 Sor-Varanger, Norway to Gamvik, Norway 217 (5 hours)

10 Gamvik, Norway to Nordkapp, Norway 238 (5 hours 25 mins)

FURTHEST POINT NORTH DRIVABLE
IN MAINLAND EUROPE
11 Nordkapp, Norway

12 Nordkapp, Norway to Alta, Norway 115 (2 hours 41 mins)

13 Alta, Norway

14 Alta, Norway to Tromsø, Norway 192 (5 hours 30 mins)

15 Tromsø, Norway to Harstad, Norway 187 (4 hours 21 mins)

16 Lofoten Islands - Ã…, Norway 184 (4 hours 41 mins)

17 Ã…, Norway to Harstad, Norway 184 (4 hours 41 mins)

18 Harstad, Norway to Bodo, Norway 199 (5 hours 23 mins)

19 Bodo, Norway to Mosjøen, Norway 200 (4 hours 53 mins)

20 Mosjøen, Norway to Grong, Norway 121 (3 hours)

21 Grong, Norway to Trondheim, Norway 124 (3 hours 04 mins)

22 Trondheim, Norway to Molde, Norway 138 (3 hours 58 mins)

23 Molde, Norway to Geiranger, Norway 067 (2 hours 28 mins)

24 Geiranger, Norway to Lærdal, Norway 160 (4 hours 9 mins)

25 Lærdal, Norway to Oslo, Norway 180 (4 hours 22 mins)

26 Oslo, Norway to Malmo, Sweden 351 (6 hours 16 mins)

27 Malmo, Sweden to Bremen, Germany 387 (5 hours 55 mins)

28 Bremen Germany to UK 481 (8 hours 5 mins)

 

Looks to me like you have realistic legs (distance & time wise) set up to allow for the unexpected and still be safe. Best of luck and have fun.

Jim

 

Will you have a website set up where we can follow you along your route?

In-car video? Real time?

"Chat"?

Good luck, and know that the worldwide MINI community will be watching you and pulling for you!

 

All that might be asking too much of you all, but it woud be cool.

Jim

 

3G coverage is actually pretty good in the countries we are visiting so lots of blogs with video along the way

Sorry I've not been updating this, too much going on here :crazy:

This weekend we are going to the Grand National new MINI Show in Liverpool to promote the event, video and photos from that soon

 

Hi again everyone - big apologies for the lack of updates, as you may of seen on other forums the project MINI was in a major crash during a Time Attack event.. I still don't know if it's 'totaled' or not.



As for the Arctic trip we'll now be taking an ALL4 MINI Countryman which I'll be collecting on Thursday

 

Sorry about your crash, but the Countryman might be a better choice. Best of luck.

Jim

 

Here he is

 

Now you are ready for that trip.

Jim

 

excellent bounce back. i still want to see the previous car back in TA in 2011. what is it's condition?

 

We are off on Saturday! Can't wait!