Best. Jimny. Ever.

posted by Gareth

Danny has this joke where he says that 60% of my snap decisions result in awesomeness. I wanted to prove that this Jimny was in the 60%. Danny all along said it was definitely in the 40%

Today was the day of reckoning. If I got this vehicle the 200 miles to UB then I would be redeemed for buying this vehicle. I even saw over 40 vehicles broken down and trashed so far in Mongolia and my super machina was still going!

I woke up early and was ridiculously excited about being so close to the end. I was also very nervous about it all going wrong. The front shock was still gone of course and I had to worry that the brakes would seize on me again, or more shocks would break or the front or rear axl may snap. Not much to worry about then.

I was buoyed by the fact the road was tarmac - but I could easily hit a big pothole and end the journey prematurely. It was annoying that I couldn't go over 40mph too, if I did the car would rock from side to side violently and dangerously. I was being overtaken by huge trucks and tiny slow cars. Still, I kept on moving forward, moving east and with each slow mile I grew more and more excited. Every so often the tarmac would disappear where road works begin and I would have to drive off road which was nerve racking being so close to the end and the Jimny being so weak.

I finally got to the outskirts of UB and the traffic was ridiculous and a little dangerous but I DID IT!!!!! YES I DID!! This crazy little car and me made it all the way! The 1300 miles across Mongolia were the most difficult ride of the whole trip. So demanding and annoying and difficult. Those breakdowns were painful. But now everything is OK. All is well. That car is amazing and I actually love it. I mean really love it! Sure there were suspension problems but the engine never stopped. I think the problems were mostly due to the previous owner tinkering with the underside. The Suzuki Jimny is now officially the world's greatest car. I'm not even sure why other cars even get made. I'm super elated to get this trip done through so many low points!

Thanks to everyone who emailed. Including the strangers I never met sending me great words of help and encouragement to keep me going through the tough times.

Thanks to everyone who sponsored me too. Its still not too late to sponsor! Just 3 quid would make me super happy. Don't be shy. Its all goes straight to the charity - I funded the entire trip myself.

Maybe next year I'll drive a Jimny from London to Cape Town! Watch this space.

Bye.

Ulan bataar here I come

posted by Gareth

Following the vodka, shooting, biking shenanigans, I got directions and headed back on myself. The road was terrible and eventually the bouncy Jimny (still front drivers side shock missing) bounced so much the spring came out. The front slammed down onto the wheel. I still hadn't got back as far as my wrong turn from yesterday and this happens. Could it get any worse? I had no choice but to drive on with the car rubbing the wheel. I could fix it but I needed a second jack. Or a decent jack to lift the body enough to put the spring in.

I drove on for a while and found another super helpful and friendly father and son team at the side of the road. They gave me a jack and helped me get the spring in. Job done. Paid with coke and a smile and some chocolate. I got correct directions and saw the turning I'd missed last night. Stupid turning!! Did not look like a real turning. Grrrr.

Anyway, I made the turn and got to what appeared to be the main track. I stopped to ask a passing car directions. He did not stop. I decided to carry on anyway. The jimny failed me. Again. I punched the steering wheel. Aaaaarrrrggghhh. This means the brake fluid is leaking, I guess. I waited for a car to pass but he couldn't help. I tried the car again and it worked! Worried but happy I drove on, happy to be going the right way for a change.

On the drive to the next town the other front shock broke from the mount. Yippee. The car handled bouncily til I found a welder and got it fixed. I was going to get him to replace the other front shock holder but when I checked my spare shock it was the wrong kind. Great. The product inside did not match the box. So with one shock still missing I bounced on to the next town only 300 miles from Ulan Bataar!! Oh my god I was excited now. I refused to get the car shock fixed with excitement to get more miles done. The road was now even proper tarmac.

Turns out I should've got the car fixed, for on a real road it turns out the Jimny sways dangerously and violently from side to side when going above 40mph on a flat road. I had no idea as I've always been on uneven, sandy, rocky, gravel roads for days. This is more annoying than I thought. Still Slow and steady wins the race. I am the tortoise.

The tarmac excitment was short lived anyhoo. It leads you into a false sense of security. You bomb along happily and a load of pot holes appear, smiling at you, ready to break your car and your spirits. I plod along steadily with 40mph top speed until dark. Set up camp and sleep. 200 mile goal achieved for the day. Now only 200 miles from Ulan Bataar.......

A gun, vodka and motorcycle

posted by Gareth

Up early this morning as usual. Camp packed up and on the road by 6.30. On the road to where I wasn't sure. I was pointed in various directions But after 10 miles of lostness bit the bullet and decided to go back on myself and try and find the 'main road'. During this time the car stopped. Still. It would not go forward nor back. I decided to head butt the steering wheel and punch it. An hour had passed already and I had effectively gone nowhere. I had a mission to complete 200 miles minimum today and I was not even going the right way. The sun was already quite intense and I was stuck. There was no-one to be seen for miles around. I really was in the middle of nowhere. Not even on the main road so that cars would pass. Another low point. A brand new problem with the car. I started wondering how much food and water I had thinking I could be here for days. I saw something in the distance and decided to walk there. During this walk I was realising the remoteness and the heat from the sun. (At night is very cold). After walking for 20 minutes I saw something in the distance behind me. A glint of sunshine caught my eye. A motorbike moving from far away towards my car. I turned and started running towards the car waving, I couldn't tell if the biker had seen me. He did. And drove up to me and took me back to the car.

I had a theory that the brake fluid was all out. But the genius of this particular vehicle means I can't open the hood on my own (don't ask). I figured I'd had no back brakes for a couple thousand miles and was probably losing fluid. I'm no mechanic but I figured this would lock the brakes and this is why the car won't move. I explained this in perfect Mongolian to my new biker friend. 'I need brake fluid' I said. He helped me open the hood and check it out. I was right! And secretly smug. Though I worried that if I did put brake fluid in it would not fix the problem.

Anyway, the legend of a man offered me a ride on his bike the 50 miles back to the main town. Awesome. I jumped on worrying that if brake fluid was not the problem I will a) look stupid and b) be stuck. After only 5 minutes riding a car passed. Stopped. I asked for brake fluid and he had some. Unbelievable. Happy (and nervous). I put the fluid in, pumped the brakes and checked for leaks. All seemed fine. I checked underneath, happy to get more sand in my hair, down my back and in my pants for the fifth day running.

I tested the car and guess what. No. Guess!

It worked! I am clearly a qualified mechanic. Rock n roll. Lets get those 200 miles done.

I found a bottle of Chinggis Gold Vodka for my hero with the brake fluid and thanked him to be on my way. He immediately opened the vodka. He insisted I get cups. He poured the vodka for me and the biker and another dude who was in his car. (There were also 2 girls but they got none. Who am I to disrespect the cuture). He poured the vodka. All of it. The whole bottle. It was 8am. AM like in the morning. Ah well. Mustn't be rude and not drink I suppose. We both had to drive but hey, there's no cars around. Ever.

We drank and chatted and even swapped phone numbers. We swapped food and chatted more. It was actually awesome and great fun. It really cheered me up after all the nonsense of getting lost and breaking down. During our enlightened conversation in mixed languages and hand gestures he made the gesture for a rifle. What? A rifle. Interesting. He drew a crosshair on the dust in the car. Ahhha. A rifle. Riiiiiight. Ok. Why? He demonstrated shooting animals. And I said I understood. Biker dude disappears and comes back moments later with a rifle! OK. Good. What now? He gestured it to me asking if I could shoot. It just so happens I am indeed an awesome shot so I took the rifle and looked supremely confident. Everyone laughed and we took photos and so on. Then he took the empty vodka cups and ran off into the distance. He came back and suggested I shoot the cups. He passed me a bullet and I loaded it into the rifle and cocked it to ooohhhs and aaahhhhs. I took aim and shot the cup through the middle. Twice. They went beserk. To show off some more I suggested he throw a bottle of water in the air and I would shoot it. He was amazed! He threw, I shot, water poured out. I was the hero. Very funny and lots of laughs.

He wanted a go of the Jimny so I let him drive round. He gave me a go of his motorbike. All in all an hour well spent. Even if I did have 200 miles to drive.