5 Year Trip in a Grenadier Across the World towing a Patriot X3 Which We Live In.

[TheDocAUS]

I have put off watching this video, as I am more sensitive to accidents after my mishap.

Sorry to see the damage done, but very happy to see no apparent personal injuries.

Plenty of owners from Australia on the forum, that may be able to help you source a new Patriot trailer or locate one closer to you (thru Patriot). Ask and help will be forth coming. In remote Australia you always help where you can, and it look like the same rule applies here.

One question did the REDARC Lithium batteries catch fire once the trailer was alight?

 

[Commodore]

@Matt P. Unexpected and unwanted but it's another landing you've walked away from and your crew are safe
You have a career of managing risk and contingency planning so you'll be ok.

You're not poor but you are severely disrupted. I would be happy to contribute to a GoFundMe style campaign if you guys can accept a hit to your humility and allow this forum to help get you underway. Slap a forum sticker on your vehicle and call it sponsorship if that helps. It's definitely not charity and not without obligation. Your adventures are authentic and we need to see more. We have needs too Matt

If there is someone back home holding SAR for you perhaps they could set something up while you triage what's in front of you.

I'm in as well.

 

[TheDocAUS]

Spare water suggestion
One suggestion buy a 1 litre Lifesaver bottle, when you refit. One set of filters can do 6,000 litres of water, if you arm can still work the pump!

I carry a Lifesaver bottle, so if I lose my water supply, I can rely on the Lifesaver bottle to supply me with clean water – even if the water source is muddy. There are 1 litre and 20 litre versions, but a 1 litre can supply enough water in the short term. It has two built in filters and a manual pump. A lot easier and lighter than carrying extra water bottles - a big ask for 4 people.

A more expensive option would be the Guzzle (which uses filters and UV light).

If you also carry some meal replacements you can mix them with the water as an emergency food supply. Meal replacements shakes and Lifesaver bottle I carry in the car. If I get stranded Outback by flooding I can go survive for another 7-10 days even if I lose my main food supply, fridge, cooktop, etc.

 

[rovie]

Spare water suggestion
One suggestion buy a 1 litre Lifesaver bottle, when you refit.

I carry a Lifesaver bottle, so if I lose my water supply, I can rely on the Lifesaver bottle to supply me with clean water – even if the water source is muddy. There are 1 litre and 20 litre versions, but a 1 litre can supply enough water in the short term. It has two built in filters and a manual pump. A lot easier and lighter than carrying extra water bottles - a big ask for 4 people.

A more expensive option would be the Guzzle (which uses filters and UV light).

If you also carry some meal replacements you can mix them with the water as an emergency food supply. Meal replacements shakes and Lifesaver bottle I carry in the car. If I get stranded Outback by flooding I can go survive for another 7-10 days even if I lose my main food supply, fridge, cooktop, etc.

We are currently in the process of installing a comparable system from a German manufacturer in our 4x4 van. Also with filters and UV technology. Not just for emergencies. You never know what will come out of the tap in some countries.

 

[TheDocAUS]

We are currently in the process of installing a comparable system from a German manufacturer in our 4x4 camper. Also with filters and UV technology. Not just for emergencies. You never know what will come out of the tap in some countries.

When the offroad van comes I will be moving across to the Guzzle. Easier to fill my van tanks from most water sources (except salt water).

 

[Matt P]

We have a Guzzle 2.0 with us for all water sources so it’s all good. We also have enough food to keep us going for at least a week worse case. There’s no way we’d do what we do, with young kids, without thinking about these things. We also have a few lifestraw bottles as a backup to the backup.

The water challenge was more of what actually happened. It’s also nice to be able to store that amount of water rather than trying to find or be near water sources all the time, especially in deserts.

 

[TheDocAUS]

When Is saw just that one water bottle for 4, I thought oops! Great to hear you have the Guzzle.

One advantage of the Guzzle over the Lifesaver is it can fill up water tanks.

 

[Max]

We have a Guzzle 2.0 with us for all water sources so it’s all good. We also have enough food to keep us going for at least a week worse case. There’s no way we’d do what we do, with young kids, without thinking about these things. We also have a few lifestraw bottles as a backup to the backup.

The water challenge was more of what actually happened. It’s also nice to be able to store that amount of water rather than trying to find or be near water sources all the time, especially in deserts.

Here I am just about to tell these guys wrong thread fellas, we are still grieving, the fire is still smouldering and then bang your'e here...the water has helped and I am pleased that you are that positive person and your children are blessed by you both...now off to the capital Bishkek find some nice accommodation sort out the pros and cons, find some work, the whole Fam will love it while you wait for things to arrive....all the very best with whatever comes your way and what is your way of income generally...we can put out some feelers

 

[Tom D]

It seems like trailer travel suited you well, I have just bought a trailer for trips with my family, my kids are much bigger and there are 3 of them, no way we can do any serious travel in just the Grenadier. I hope you can source a trailer from somewhere. Maybe fly the family somewhere with a port whilst you drive there then collect a new trailer?
I’m sure you have been going over all the options.. I just hope that this isn’t the end of the story.

 

[ECrider]

Just watched the vid - bugger! Thank goodness you and the family are safe, what a shock.
Keeping fingers crossed you are back on your travels asap.

 

[parb]

What a shocker!!
Let me know how I could help out. I for sure want to see you continue your journey

 

[jert]

Matt,
as communicated via youtube already, you are an awesome family doing exactly the right things in showing your kids the beauty of our planet.
Thank you so much for sharing your epic adventures with all of us.
I hope the four of you are all well and you will continue your trip.

Please don’t hesitate to post your gofundme-link here in the Forum.
I‘m sure a lot of fellow Grenadier owners will be more than happy to help getting you guys back on track.
Take care and best wishes to Team Planet Wild Earth

P.S.: Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan are definitely added to the list.

 

[Matt P]

@Matt P. Unexpected and unwanted but it's another landing you've walked away from and your crew are safe
You have a career of managing risk and contingency planning so you'll be ok.

You're not poor but you are severely disrupted. I would be happy to contribute to a GoFundMe style campaign if you guys can accept a hit to your humility and allow this forum to help get you underway. Slap a forum sticker on your vehicle and call it sponsorship if that helps. It's definitely not charity and not without obligation. Your adventures are authentic and we need to see more. We have needs too Matt

If there is someone back home holding SAR for you perhaps they could set something up while you triage what's in front of you.

Do you fly yourself? Sounds very ex military aviation. It's a line I've heard a lot. Like you say, I do have a background in managing these sort of things and there’s always lessons to be learned and a way forward after each event.

"We have needs too Matt " This made me laugh a lot!

In all seriousness, though, what you have written, like so many others, has really made us think. A plan is forming as time goes by.

 

[Matt P]

I'm in and was just talking to wife about the incident.

Thanks so much for your support!

 

[Matt P]

What a shocker!!
Let me know how I could help out. I for sure want to see you continue your journey

Thanks Parb. There's a lot to think about and consider, I'd like to keep going but it's going to be a family decision for obvious reasons. We really need to think about the kids too - they're our priority.

 

[Matt P]

Matt,
as communicated via youtube already, you are an awesome family doing exactly the right things in showing your kids the beauty of our planet.
Thank you so much for sharing your epic adventures with all of us.
I hope the four of you are all well and you will continue your trip.

Please don’t hesitate to post your gofundme-link here in the Forum.
I‘m sure a lot of fellow Grenadier owners will be more than happy to help getting you guys back on track.
Take care and best wishes to Team Planet Wild Earth

P.S.: Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan are definitely added to the list.

Thanks Jert! Thankfully, we're all ok. It could've been a lot worse and so count ourselves quite lucky, believe it or not. We'll circle back soon! Good to hear that Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan are on your list! We should've worked more closely with the tourism boards, you'd be amazed how many people have sent us messages like this with proof of booking trips there off the back of seeing some of our stuff.

 

[Matt P]

I have put off watching this video, as I am more sensitive to accidents after my mishap.

Sorry to see the damage done, but very happy to see no apparent personal injuries.

Plenty of owners from Australia on the forum, that may be able to help you source a new Patriot trailer or locate one closer to you (thru Patriot). Ask and help will be forth coming. In remote Australia you always help where you can, and it look like the same rule applies here.

One question did the REDARC Lithium batteries catch fire once the trailer was alight?

Totally understandable, it's quite a shock and so no need to watch it. I got a little burned but it's mainly trauma with what we witnessed.

Thank you for your kind words and the offer on the Patriot front, we may come back to you on that. As for being remote in Aus, I think that rule applies everywhere, that's how we all survive and thrive!

Your battery question - They did not, we managed to get it out before that happened. I was very aware that if those batteries caught fire, it's not going to be a good situation at all... we do a lot of training, while flying, with that exact situation.

 

[Matt P]

I'm in as well.

Thanks so much! It means a lot! We'll circle back very soon.

 

[CRH]

Thanks Jert! Thankfully, we're all ok. It could've been a lot worse and so count ourselves quite lucky, believe it or not. We'll circle back soon! Good to hear that Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan are on your list! We should've worked more closely with the tourism boards, you'd be amazed how many people have sent us messages like this with proof of booking trips there off the back of seeing some of our stuff.

It does all look pretty amazing yet it's unknown to so many of us.

How do the children cope with long days travelling, when we were kids my mother would definitely have murdered me and my brother by now, most probably after 1 day!

 

[Matt P]

When Is saw just that one water bottle for 4, I thought oops! Great to hear you have the Guzzle.

One advantage of the Guzzle over the Lifesaver is it can fill up water tanks.

We're literally swimming in bottles. It's like one of those ball pits in our car! We have at least 10 bottles, 4 lifestraw bottles, a 20L water container and a whole portable bath if we really needed it plus a load of other containers we could use and so we should be all good on the water front!