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

[Matt P]

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

Cheers Max! You have to be a positive person if you're going to do a trip like this!

 

[Matt P]

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.

Our first thought, after the total disbelief at what was happening, was at least we're all ok. Thanks for your kinds words of 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! Will do soon.

 

[Matt P]

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!

It's like anything I guess. It's a real challenge at the start, but over time, as you do it more and more, you learn what works and what doesn't. Zero in on what works and things get easier as time goes on.

We don't use screens which doesn't help things from our end, but we believe in the long run this will pay off and we're starting to see that now. We listen to a LOT of stories. The kids also have a good library of books back there. Regular breaks and a run around works wonders too. They also always have a ton of questions about everything that is going on around us and so you'd be surprised how time flies sometimes! Sometimes it obviously doesn't go well and we have to adjust our plan but that's all part of a journey like this. We try and maintain a healthy balance the best we can. We don't want the kids cooped up in a vehicle all the time or longer than we need to. The whole idea is for them to be out in nature as much as possible. That's where they're happiest and at the same time, where it's easiest from our perspective.

 

[CRH]

It's like anything I guess. It's a real challenge at the start, but over time, as you do it more and more, you learn what works and what doesn't. Zero in on what works and things get easier as time goes on.

We don't use screens which doesn't help things from our end, but we believe in the long run this will pay off and we're starting to see that now. We listen to a LOT of stories. The kids also have a good library of books back there. Regular breaks and a run around works wonders too. They also always have a ton of questions about everything that is going on around us and so you'd be surprised how time flies sometimes! Sometimes it obviously doesn't go well and we have to adjust our plan but that's all part of a journey like this. We try and maintain a healthy balance the best we can. We don't want the kids cooped up in a vehicle all the time or longer than we need to. The whole idea is for them to be out in nature as much as possible. That's where they're happiest and at the same time, where it's easiest from our perspective.

Nice to hear you don't use screens, the beauty of being on the type of roads you are is that you can just stop and let the children run free to burn off their energy, you can't just stop on a motorway to let kids run around. It's the parts of the films that I like to see, the pair of you working on something and the kids half way up a mountain, reminds me of my childhood rather than what a lot of kids have nowadays. Best way, as far as I'm concerned, to bring them up. All these screens are not good for any of us!
They are very lucky to have the pair of you for parents and I'm sure that one day they will thank you for it. It's one of those adventures where you know if they were older they would remember it better and possibly get more out of it, but as youngsters it will have a long lasting impression.

Probably both turn into a pair of hippies as they get older

 

[Zimm]

Finally sat down to watch it. I was wondering why you were there so long. I see you're in china now, so the trip is still moving.

I have an EE with a forensic background. I wish I could have him inspect that. I'd love to know the cause.

It all definitely adds a dimension to the story line. I can't wit to see how you'all move on from here.

 

[Clark Kent]

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.

A long working life in military aviation on the engineering side. Some in uniform but mostly industry. It's a community of brothers from other mothers, even the ones you haven't met. Sisters too of course but that doesn't rhyme

I get a sense there are quite a few in the forum standing by to help you guys get on your way. It's a tough setback but hopefully you can continue the journey when you're ready.

'Do not fear failure but be terrified of regret'. Deshauna Barber.

 

[TheDocAUS]

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!

Did the REDARC Lithium batteries catch fire, once the trailer was ablaze?

 

[86Scotty]

Did the REDARC Lithium batteries catch fire, once the trailer was ablaze?

Read above a few posts. ^^^^

They did not.

 

[HereinDaRockies]

How many cracked windshields have you experienced @Matt P ?

 

[Tr182md]

Matt,

Catching up on your trip I was sad to see what happened and relieved to find out that you guys are OK. I look forward to hearing what the problem was and how you will proceed. The members here will do what we can. Are you on the Patriot forum? I wonder if they can help at all. The company might be able to do something to get you setup again. That is a long shot but worth a shot.

I lost my home in a fire in 2017 and we were left with only the clothes on our back as our city lost over 8000 homes. Losing your possessions is difficult but we were grateful as you are that we all made it out safe and now years later we have rebuilt our lives but the experience is traumatic and I hope you are able to take some time to heal.

 

[bigleonski]

Finally watched the latest last night. Gutted.

This must have happened a couple of months ago though @Matt P ??

 

[TheDocAUS]

Read above a few posts. ^^^^

They did not.

Thanks I missed it.

Great news, that was a real stress test for the batteries.

 

[Clark Kent]

Leah mentioned a petrol leak in the video. @Matt P said earlier in this thread that he chose a petrol (gasoline) Grenadier over a diesel Grenadier based on legitimate concerns about the availability and quality of diesel resupply in the areas they planned to travel. The bitter irony is there is a good probability that diesel wouldn't have ignited in the same circumstances. Diesel in liquid form is hard to ignite. Petrol flash point is around -45C (-49F) and diesel is typically 52C to 96C (125F to 205F). Petrol is volatile and diesel is combustible which makes diesel safer for storage and transport.
But that's of no consequence to Matt because his choice of engine and fuel was necessarily based on logistics. He really had no choice without accepting a risk of no fuel or dirty fuel. It's still a kick in the nuts though.

 

[LeeroyJ]

Leah mentioned a petrol leak in the video. @Matt P said earlier in this thread that he chose a petrol (gasoline) Grenadier over a diesel Grenadier based on legitimate concerns about the availability and quality of diesel resupply in the areas they planned to travel. The bitter irony is there is a good probability that diesel wouldn't have ignited in the same circumstances. Diesel in liquid form is hard to ignite. Petrol flash point is around -45C (-49F) and diesel is typically 52C to 96C (125F to 205F). Petrol is volatile and diesel is combustible which makes diesel safer for storage and transport.
But that's of no consequence to Matt because his choice of engine and fuel was necessarily based on logistics. He really had no choice without accepting a risk of no fuel or dirty fuel. It's still a kick in the nuts though.

She was cooking at the time, which led me to think the leak was from the cooking fuel, but you could be right. If there was petrol stored in the trailer, then its lucky there wasn't an explosion.

 

[Clark Kent]

She was cooking at the time, which led me to think the leak was from the cooking fuel, but you could be right. If there was petrol stored in the trailer, then its lucky there wasn't an explosion.

Actually, I'll rewind a bit. I played that clip back and Leah talks about water gushing down, so it was something in liquid form, then she smelled fuel. Leah didn't say petrol, that's my memory and an association error. Matt carries fuel jerrys on the roof rack but I don't know what's on top of the trailer. Leah said they don't carry water on there.

Hi @Matt P Your hands are currently full but when you're ready if you have established the sequence of events leading up to the fire there's likely some good safety lessons learned if you feel like doing so.

 

[Tazzieman]

Some stoves run on petrol/white spirit. I've got one. I have a bottle of fuel (special fuel bottle) in the cargo area of the Grendier.
Old Coleman lanterns/stoves - because in the US/UK military petrol was always available.
Ther are very efficient at all temperatures and altitudes.
If the seal on the bottle/stove was damaged or the lid was crossthreaded , fuel could leak out.
But until Matt lets us know what was in/on the trailer , we are just speculating.

 

[ziploc_adv]

The fuel was in a bladder on top of the trailer. In earlier parts of the episode, you can see one or two bladders shifting around on top of the vehicle. After they leave the village, there is a bladder visible on top of the trailer. It must have punctured in transit on the trailer, fuel leaked down, and was ignited by the stove. Tragic.

 

[Clark Kent]

The fuel was in a bladder on top of the trailer. In earlier parts of the episode, you can see one or two bladders shifting around on top of the vehicle. After they leave the village, there is a bladder visible on top of the trailer. It must have punctured in transit on the trailer, fuel leaked down, and was ignited by the stove. Tragic.

Good pickup.

So until Matt can confirm, the working hypothesis is that fuel = petrol/gasoline for the Grenadier.

To be clear: I'm not being critical. I've spent a lot of years keeping aircraft, crew and pax safe by learning from 'swiss cheese' events so the opportunities to apply the lessons and break the chain aren't missed. Knowing that Matt and his family are safe I'm professionally curious about what occurred on the equipment side. All in good time though.

 

[Baron von Teuchter]

I just found this thread yesterday and watched all your videos in a row last night, excellent “content”, this is what YouTube is for.

So sorry to hear about your recent troubles of course, can only echo what everyone else has said about your positive outlook and that as long as you and family are safe then everything else is secondary. Best of luck getting going again