Which Trails/Journeys/Trials would you like to see INEOS attempt with the Grenadier ??

[OkGo]

There is Epic and then there is this kind of epic

 

[TheDocAUS]

Well, that filled my morning looking through all those links.
What an amazing life you have lived. I'm guessing you must do lectures or presentations on all your travels. To say it would be amazing to be sat next to you in a pub listening to your travels over a drink is an understatement. The only problem with that scenario is that the pub landlord would want to close up at some point.

I am glad you enjoyed it. My story telling is on the blog.

Plus the blog reminds me of good memories, even now because travel is limited as I fix up all the injuries. Or find out what will be permanent. Even after 2.5 years the injuries are causing me problems.

For many years, starting at University, I worked insane hours. Then I started taking wildlife images and ultimately left full time work. Then I was consulting and traveling - a really nice combination! I worked to pay for the trips. You do not need to spend big dollars, as one ongoing project is bark and flower imagery from local botanic gardens (and any I find on my travels). Other images come from my garden and even out on the footpath. We just need to open our eyes to what is right in front of us.

The visits to the amazing Australian Wildlife Sanctuaries (21 so far) are summerised here. These places are very special like the Kimberly, plus you see some very rare animals like the bridled nail tail wallaby.

More images here.

Plus a image of a waratah, from Mt Annan Botanic Gardens. The floral emblem of my State New South Wales.

 

[TheDocAUS]

Anyone planning a really remote trip - watch this first (really really good advice):

View: https://youtu.be/gXG_DHhjFcE

Before I went very remote, I did a 2.5 day 4x4 course. Then I started with simpler remote trips, with towns within a couple of hundred kilometers. Then planning the really remote trip, one tag along tour across the Simpson Desert, the spares, the food, ability to filter dirty water, PLB, recovery gear, plenty of fuel, maps and making sensible decisions and not endanger yourself or the car. Plus a SPOT tracker which leaves a bread crumb trail, as I travel alone. Tell people your time frames when going remote.

 

[Logsplitter]

Very good advice. The hardest part about doing a really big trip, adventure , job move etc is deciding to do it. A few years ago myself and my wife packed our jobs in, rented the house out and went off to Africa for a two year volunteer project, followed by a further six months of traveling , this led to a complete career change and other opportunities we couldn’t of dreamt of. One of the best moves we ever made, but actually packing it all in back home and deciding to go was the hardest part. On the opposite side of the equation to this is having too much confidence in your own and your vehicles abilities, as a member of the forum who is now not a member found out, which can lead to big and potentially very serious problems. In that particular case all ended well, but it could have been catastrophic

 

[TheDocAUS]

Very good advice. The hardest part about doing a really big trip, adventure , job move etc is deciding to do it. A few years ago myself and my wife packed our jobs in, rented the house out and went off to Africa for a two year volunteer project, followed by a further six months of traveling , this led to a complete career change and other opportunities we couldn’t of dreamt of. One of the best moves we ever made, but actually packing it all in back home and deciding to go was the hardest part. On the opposite side of the equation to this is having too much confidence in your own and your vehicles abilities, as a member of the forum who is now not a member found out, which can lead to big and potentially very serious problems. In that particular case all ended well, but it could have been catastrophic

Yes, some of the issues are not the car, but the person driving it. Trying to do things beyond their ability. They often blame the car and are blind to their shortcomings.

Plenty of 4x4 clubs have tag along tours to build confidence. I built up to the really remote trips.

 

[globalgregors]

Yes, some of the issues are not the car, but the person driving it. Trying to do things beyond their ability. They often blame the car and are blind to their shortcomings.

Plenty of 4x4 clubs have tag along tours to build confidence. I built up to the really remote trips.

Much depends on the nature of the expedition, it’s possible that driving ability is ultimately eclipsed by other essential forms of judgement/situational awareness.

Moving through population centres or insecure regions or operating in remote locations all bring different risks, build different muscles.

I’m delighted to see the word ‘journeys’ here because tracing the Silk Route, or driving the Pan-American, I reckon these are more about cultural encounter where those other muscles are at least as important as the driving itself.

The Grenadier is excellent for these, and it’d be great to see Ineos supporting some long range stunts.

That said, plenty of adventures to be had much closer to home!

 

[Matt P]

I think it was the Uptons/C6 Jeep… late 80’s. They went back and did it again on a bike in the 90’s, which is what @Baron von Teuchter might be thinking of.

I recall an expedition member was shot and killed on their earlier first attempt.

Edit: Here go, although the article overlooks I think two earlier crossings. Model T Ford (Brazil, 1930’s) and Land Rover (Brit/Australian, 1960’s).

The Life and Adventures of the Late Iconic Overlander Loren Upton

Loren Upton has died at age 87. The adventurer is remembered as the first to cross the Darién Gap by land and for driving around the world the long way.

gearjunkie.com

Thanks for sharing this

 

[Matt P]

I’ve just come across a ton of tracks to be done in Mongolia. They’re extremely remote and not ideal for a solo vehicle with two young kids in tow but definitely something to throw in the mix for the future! We’ll have to assemble an international team who are up for these adventures and then go and do them.

 

[Tenac]

I think it would be great to see the Grenny do the Arizona Peace Trail, heck I'd even join them if they allowed it. https://www.arizonapeacetrail.org/

 

[Logsplitter]

Keep me informed

 

[globalgregors]

Been thinking about some ideas more along the ‘trails’ front… Transcaucasus was a favourite location for us - here are some ideas for those based in the EU or UK. These are all pretty mindblowing and fairly straightforward to get to.

Georgia

• Tusheti National Park/Abano Pass - basically the road between Pshaveli and Omalo (see vid ~7:50)
• Sgobuldi or maybe Mestia to Ushguli - UNESCO-protected villages and a great museum in Svaneti
• Truso Valley/Mt Kazbek starting from Kvemo - really can’t recommend these landscapes highly enough

Azerbaijan

• Khinalug Ridge, through Xinaliq (might be spelling that wrong) etc in Quba

Georgian Caucasus are maybe more scenic, but if one has made it to Georgia one would be mad to not roll on to check out Baku and the Azeri Caucasus, where there are countless tracks and serious isolation.

Surely a great option for an Ineos event.

 

[TheDocAUS]

View: https://youtube.com/shorts/MZbQ38g521o?feature=shared

4wd 24/7 just did the OTT. Trying their hardest to destroy their cars.

View: https://youtu.be/gvWTfWXPIAc

 

[Tazzieman]

4wd 24/7 just did the OTT. Trying their hardest to destroy their cars.

View: https://youtu.be/gvWTfWXPIAc

It's all fun and games until someone loses a bollock. Or worse.

 

[TheDocAUS]

Many more watch, then actually do gunshot.

There is a real risk of car damage and injury to a driver at gunshot. It is not a game, no matter how good you are.

4WD 24/7 are after the headline like: Cape York Carnage.

 

[Tazzieman]

Many more watch, then actually do gunshot.

There is a real risk of car damage and injury to a driver at gunshot. It is not a game, no matter show good you are.

4WD 24/7 are after the headline like: Cape York Carnage.

Their demographic is the age group whete people " die doing what they loved" " life of the party" types.
As Harry Butler would say, the "sure footed drongo" .

 

[owl (Owl Outdoor)]

Did you film it? Would be cool to see. Or pictures?

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqIG9FkHJE4

 

[255/85]

Much depends on the nature of the expedition, it’s possible that driving ability is ultimately eclipsed by other essential forms of judgement/situational awareness.

Moving through population centres or insecure regions or operating in remote locations all bring different risks, build different muscles.

I’m delighted to see the word ‘journeys’ here because tracing the Silk Route, or driving the Pan-American, I reckon these are more about cultural encounter where those other muscles are at least as important as the driving itself.

The Grenadier is excellent for these, and it’d be great to see Ineos supporting some long range stunts.

That said, plenty of adventures to be had much closer to home!

The only instruction I had when I started traveling off the paved roadways was "Go slow in 4 lo". Now I can learn a good bit more about the driving part by watching and listening to the more knowledgeable here - at least enough to avoid some serious rookie mistakes. That is not true with cultural encounters and social interaction.

When far from home the "social obstacles" are thrown up at break neck speeds. It's like driving in an offroad race. You rarely have time to downshift and proceed at a pace you find comfortable. Dealing with those sudden situations in an appropriate manner cannot be taught. Advance knowledge/intel can help but you're going to have to develop skill slowly and a little at a time. Adrenaline - to a point - can introduce a kind of mental tachycardia but it's not sustainable. If a taxing or unpleasant encounter is localized then distance is sometimes your best option. Vehicle travel allows for a kind of security that's not found on foot or when closer to home where you can't simply escape.

Yesterday, in my home town, I was approached in a bit of a secluded location quite hurriedly by someone very down on their luck. I caught them in my peripheral vision when they were still a dozen meters away but I knew the gait and demeanor so I began to prepare. They politely asked about the Grenadier - and seemed pretty familiar with solid axle vehicles of various makes. They admitted to have never seen one and were excited, curious, flattering, thoughtful, and engaging. They made a point to thank me for taking time with them. But, truth be told, I'll never know whether or not their interest was geniune or a ploy or just recon for a future smash-&-grab...until it happens. Had I been far from home I would have likely waived them off with an excuse and driven on.

Yep. Plenty of adventures to be had much closer to home.

 

[255/85]

Oh, jeez, I almost forgot to say what I'd like Ineos to attempt...

How about some team events that are not competitive per se? Maybe that was what camel trophy stuff was but i never really saw any of it.

 

[DaveB]

The only instruction I had when I started traveling off the paved roadways was "Go slow in 4 lo". Now I can learn a good bit more about the driving part by watching and listening to the more knowledgeable here - at least enough to avoid some serious rookie mistakes. That is not true with cultural encounters and social interaction.

When far from home the "social obstacles" are thrown up at break neck speeds. It's like driving in an offroad race. You rarely have time to downshift and proceed at a pace you find comfortable. Dealing with those sudden situations in an appropriate manner cannot be taught. Advance knowledge/intel can help but you're going to have to develop skill slowly and a little at a time. Adrenaline - to a point - can introduce a kind of mental tachycardia but it's not sustainable. If a taxing or unpleasant encounter is localized then distance is sometimes your best option. Vehicle travel allows for a kind of security that's not found on foot or when closer to home where you can't simply escape.

Yesterday, in my home town, I was approached in a bit of a secluded location quite hurriedly by someone very down on their luck. I caught them in my peripheral vision when they were still a dozen meters away but I knew the gait and demeanor so I began to prepare. They politely asked about the Grenadier - and seemed pretty familiar with solid axle vehicles of various makes. They admitted to have never seen one and were excited, curious, flattering, thoughtful, and engaging. They made a point to thank me for taking time with them. But, truth be told, I'll never know whether or not their interest was geniune or a ploy or just recon for a future smash-&-grab...until it happens. Had I been far from home I would have likely waived them off with an excuse and driven on.

Yep. Plenty of adventures to be had much closer to home.

With regards to the "go slow in 4 lo" part remember that you can do up to 80kmh/50mph in 4 low on the Grenadier.
That is both low locked on slippery surfaces and low unlocked on hard surfaces.
Also unlike many 4WDs all 8 gears are available to you.
The chart below shows up to 70 kmh but the Austrian test driver had 80kmh on the speedo in low on a stretch of concrete/tar road.

 

[TheDocAUS]

Part 3 of the 4WD 24/7 Kimberly trip, now on the iconic Gibb River Road. I spent 7 weeks on the Gibb River Road and they have visited some places I missed.

They swim at Bell George which I have swam at around 27:02 - a stunning place.

View: https://youtu.be/FEJKUIPPHoY