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Wacky racers head for Mongolia
6:05am Saturday 19th July 2008
More intrepid adventurers from Oxfordshire are geared up to set off today on a 10,000-mile charity challenge - at the wheels of old bangers.
Father and son Steve and Will Merrow-Smith, from Oxford, are hoping a 16-year-old Seat Marbella, bought on the Internet for £150, will carry them all the way to Mongolia.
And computer software developer Joe Steinhardt, from North Leigh, near Witney, will be joining three friends in a 1977 Hillman Avenger, while Team Swifty, from Bicester - Tom Chettle, 20, and Jeff Pepper, 21 - are driving a £500 Suzuki Swift.
The Merrow-Smiths will be armed with just a couple of old maps, a compass and a tool box to help them navigate through eight countries spanning two continents.
Will, of Rymers Lane, Cowley, said they were amazed to have been picked for the Mongol Rally, which saw more than 6,000 applications for just 300 places.
The event involves driving old bangers from London to Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia. Each team must raise at least £500 for Mercy Corps, a charity providing aid to people living in poverty and areas of conflict.
Will, 28, who works in the subscriptions department of Oxford University Press, said they hoped to reach Mongolia in about three weeks.
He said: "We have been quite apprehensive.
"We have had to make quite a lot of preparations, getting jabs and getting the car ready.
"Now we're in the final stretch, I can't wait."
He added: "The biggest problem will be the roads. Mongolia is a country the size of Europe but it only has 50 miles of paved roads.
"It is no surprise that only 60 per cent of cars finish the rally.
"There is no route, no support crew, no map - it should be fun. But we're determined to finish it, even if it means we ditch the car and hitch."
The rules say that participants must not use a car which cost them more than £500 or has an engine bigger than one litre.
Will's dad Steve, 53, a handyman and gardener from Hertford Street, East Oxford, said: "We bought the car off eBay for £150 six months ago. It has cart springs at the back, which although rugged make for a bouncy ride."
To sponsor the pair, who have called themselves Les Mongauloises, go online at www.justgiving.com/ lesmongauloises.
Mr Steinhardt, 26, of East End, North Leigh, is tackling the journey with team-mates Graeme Wicks, 26, Sam Vaughan, 20, and Harvey Manns, 20, all from Kettering. He said: "None of us are skilled mechanics, we've just got lots of information on our iPods and help along the way.
"We're told that in many of the countries we cross there are many people who depend on their cars for survival and are prepared to weld any bits together just to make them go again."
To sponsor them, see www.willwemakeit.com/ cartrekvoyagers Bicester's Team Swifty have so far raised £1,200 for charity. To sponsor them, see www.team-swifty.com Oxfordshire's other entrants are students James Anderson, 21, and Alex Hill, 20, in a Fiat Panda with an artificial turf roof.
Your Say YourOxford
martin, Cumnor says...
11:33am Sat 19 Jul 08
hang on, the smoke or smog londont=town! says...
12:33pm Sat 19 Jul 08
martin wrote:remember the smog the smoke then we should have been taxed? after the horse?comes to mind !greener than ever still an issue?tax tax !raising money for good people!with a few little cars!martin ur a joker?
Great isn't it? Another story the OM ran tells of misguided greenies letting down the tyres of some 4 x 4 cars in East Oxford because the environmental damage they do. Here we have a collection of old cars doing a totally un-necessary massively long journey involving a HUGE carbon footprint but hang on - it's OK cos of charity. If you feel that moved by the charity just give the money anyway without this charade!
Mr Ison, England says...
12:47pm Sat 19 Jul 08
Martin, Cumnor says...
2:00pm Sat 19 Jul 08
hang on wrote:My point is that why is it OK to criticise people for owning a 4 X 4 car or large engined vehicle but not Ok to ask about the environment with regard to this trip to Mongolia which will raise sod all in reality.
martin wrote: Great isn't it? Another story the OM ran tells of misguided greenies letting down the tyres of some 4 x 4 cars in East Oxford because the environmental damage they do. Here we have a collection of old cars doing a totally un-necessary massively long journey involving a HUGE carbon footprint but hang on - it's OK cos of charity. If you feel that moved by the charity just give the money anyway without this charade!remember the smog the smoke then we should have been taxed? after the horse?comes to mind !greener than ever still an issue?tax tax !raising money for good people!with a few little cars!martin ur a joker?
Personally I couldn't give a toss about vehicle polution but it's not good to bash people for owning a certain type of car and then condone a needless trip half way around the world for a charity?
I suggest you try and understand the argument and learn to type properly too. Prat!
Alan Page, Guildford says...
10:29am Sun 20 Jul 08
Martin wrote:Dear oh dear.
hang on wrote:My point is that why is it OK to criticise people for owning a 4 X 4 car or large engined vehicle but not Ok to ask about the environment with regard to this trip to Mongolia which will raise sod all in reality. Personally I couldn't give a toss about vehicle polution but it's not good to bash people for owning a certain type of car and then condone a needless trip half way around the world for a charity? I suggest you try and understand the argument and learn to type properly too. Prat!martin wrote: Great isn't it? Another story the OM ran tells of misguided greenies letting down the tyres of some 4 x 4 cars in East Oxford because the environmental damage they do. Here we have a collection of old cars doing a totally un-necessary massively long journey involving a HUGE carbon footprint but hang on - it's OK cos of charity. If you feel that moved by the charity just give the money anyway without this charade!remember the smog the smoke then we should have been taxed? after the horse?comes to mind !greener than ever still an issue?tax tax !raising money for good people!with a few little cars!martin ur a joker?
Looks like somebody needs to sell his Subaru and buy a Skoda.
"Oh I think 4 wheel drive is so important when I'm going down to Sainsbury's."
I would imagine the trip involves some pretty tough terrain. It's hardly going down the chippy is it? It is actually being used for the proper reasons not simply because it looks impressive to the neighbours parked in one's garage.
Martin, Cumnor says...
11:21am Sun 20 Jul 08
Alan Page wrote:Ok then what's your point here? If you don't to drive over rough terain then you don't need a 4 X 4? Ok, well as the legal speed limit in the UK is 70mph, we don't need any cars then that can do 100mph or 150mph which if you check is pretty much most cars mate! People should be free to choose what ever mode of transport suits them and the environmental taxation should be based on usage rather than ownership. Once again I'll try and make the point so that it might land in your rather thick skull - usage is the key. An economical one litre super mini driven for 30,000 miles pa will have a larger carbon footprint than the luxury 4 litre car (or a 4 x 4) that is used for say only 5,000 miles pa. Just by owning an economical car, does not mean your carbon footprint is less. Of course a large car driven for 30,000 miles pa will be more polluting and a fuel tax reflects that. I am heartily sick of being lectured by stupid greenies that bash people for daring to own a 4 x 4 but happily fly off to their Tuscan villa 4 times a year.
Martin wrote:Dear oh dear. Looks like somebody needs to sell his Subaru and buy a Skoda. "Oh I think 4 wheel drive is so important when I'm going down to Sainsbury's." I would imagine the trip involves some pretty tough terrain. It's hardly going down the chippy is it? It is actually being used for the proper reasons not simply because it looks impressive to the neighbours parked in one's garage.hang on wrote:My point is that why is it OK to criticise people for owning a 4 X 4 car or large engined vehicle but not Ok to ask about the environment with regard to this trip to Mongolia which will raise sod all in reality. Personally I couldn't give a toss about vehicle polution but it's not good to bash people for owning a certain type of car and then condone a needless trip half way around the world for a charity? I suggest you try and understand the argument and learn to type properly too. Prat!martin wrote: Great isn't it? Another story the OM ran tells of misguided greenies letting down the tyres of some 4 x 4 cars in East Oxford because the environmental damage they do. Here we have a collection of old cars doing a totally un-necessary massively long journey involving a HUGE carbon footprint but hang on - it's OK cos of charity. If you feel that moved by the charity just give the money anyway without this charade!remember the smog the smoke then we should have been taxed? after the horse?comes to mind !greener than ever still an issue?tax tax !raising money for good people!with a few little cars!martin ur a joker?
Alan Page, Guildford says...
12:57pm Sun 20 Jul 08
Martin wrote:Dear oh dear, he really does need to trade in that Subaru.
Alan Page wrote:Ok then what's your point here? If you don't to drive over rough terain then you don't need a 4 X 4? Ok, well as the legal speed limit in the UK is 70mph, we don't need any cars then that can do 100mph or 150mph which if you check is pretty much most cars mate! People should be free to choose what ever mode of transport suits them and the environmental taxation should be based on usage rather than ownership. Once again I'll try and make the point so that it might land in your rather thick skull - usage is the key. An economical one litre super mini driven for 30,000 miles pa will have a larger carbon footprint than the luxury 4 litre car (or a 4 x 4) that is used for say only 5,000 miles pa. Just by owning an economical car, does not mean your carbon footprint is less. Of course a large car driven for 30,000 miles pa will be more polluting and a fuel tax reflects that. I am heartily sick of being lectured by stupid greenies that bash people for daring to own a 4 x 4 but happily fly off to their Tuscan villa 4 times a year.Martin wrote:Dear oh dear. Looks like somebody needs to sell his Subaru and buy a Skoda. "Oh I think 4 wheel drive is so important when I'm going down to Sainsbury's." I would imagine the trip involves some pretty tough terrain. It's hardly going down the chippy is it? It is actually being used for the proper reasons not simply because it looks impressive to the neighbours parked in one's garage.hang on wrote:My point is that why is it OK to criticise people for owning a 4 X 4 car or large engined vehicle but not Ok to ask about the environment with regard to this trip to Mongolia which will raise sod all in reality. Personally I couldn't give a toss about vehicle polution but it's not good to bash people for owning a certain type of car and then condone a needless trip half way around the world for a charity? I suggest you try and understand the argument and learn to type properly too. Prat!martin wrote: Great isn't it? Another story the OM ran tells of misguided greenies letting down the tyres of some 4 x 4 cars in East Oxford because the environmental damage they do. Here we have a collection of old cars doing a totally un-necessary massively long journey involving a HUGE carbon footprint but hang on - it's OK cos of charity. If you feel that moved by the charity just give the money anyway without this charade!remember the smog the smoke then we should have been taxed? after the horse?comes to mind !greener than ever still an issue?tax tax !raising money for good people!with a few little cars!martin ur a joker?
Don't have a Tuscan villa myself. Neither do I subscribe to the "carbon footprint" malarky really.
Do find it rather amusing however that four wheel drive Honda Jeeps are used as status symbols though. They do look SO impressive in Supermarket car parks.
"Oh why should I buy an ordinary car that more than meets my needs when I can show what a vacuously affluent airhead I am?"
It is rather like building a deluxe three bedroomed house to use as a dog kennel.
Bourgeois materialism eh? Pointless extravagence.
The money could be better spent acquiring cultural literacy, but "life's too short for crap like that" ho ho.
Joe Steinhardt, Ulaan Bator says...
11:47am Fri 15 Aug 08
martin wrote:Martin,
Great isn't it? Another story the OM ran tells of misguided greenies letting down the tyres of some 4 x 4 cars in East Oxford because the environmental damage they do. Here we have a collection of old cars doing a totally un-necessary massively long journey involving a HUGE carbon footprint but hang on - it's OK cos of charity. If you feel that moved by the charity just give the money anyway without this charade!
I'm Joe Steinhardt, one of the people doing this "totally unnecessary journey". In fact I've just finished it and am now in Ulaan Bator, the capital of Mongolia.
You said this trip will "raise sod all in reality". Do you actually know enough about the rally to make a comment like that? My team has raised well over 2000 pounds, and with over 300 teams taking part this year, we will raise over half a million pounds all together. Is that sod all? I think you should do your research before you criticize what we're doing. I would gladly welcome your thoughts on this.
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Steve and Will Merrow-Smith are heading off in a Seat Marbella
observer, Oxford says...
6:11am Sat 19 Jul 08