when in roam...

Roaming Update

Brian — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 15:36:46 +0000

“So… Brian”, you say, “I thought you said you were going to be updating this blog more frequently… what gives?!?”

Yes, I know! But take a look at my first two bullet points in my New Years Revolutions post:

Baltic Rally 2012!
Update this blog… update platform, new design, new features

Not only are we planning another rally, but most of the changes require a lot of prep/planning before you ever see them. So, yeah, I’m looking at new themes and doing some design, and prepping my for a lot of software upgrading. Mostly I’ve been doing a lot of security maintenance - you would be surprised how many times a day my scanners catch and block hackers trying to brute force attack my server with lame scripts, but such are the responsibilities of choosing to host everything myself.

Hoping to have some visible change coming soon.

In the meantime, we’ve sorted out some of the vehicle registration bureaucracy to buy our car in Germany for this summer’s Baltic Rally, and I’m happy to report that buying, registering, and insuring vehicles in Deutschland seems like it’s going to be a *lot* easier than it was in the UK. We’re looking for 20 year old cars around €1000. A lot of VW Golfs, Audi 80s, and even the odd Trabant or two shows up… although I’m not so keen on driving a car made of cotton & paper. What do you think, what late 80’s German auto should we pick up for the Baltic Rally?

New Years Revolutions

Brian — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 07:39:07 +0000

I'm not a big fan of New Year's Resolutions, but I must admit to a feeling of renewed ambition... or perhaps obligation. Maybe every body else making resolutions emanates a general feeling of optimism, or there is something about the arbitrary calendar demarcation that provides a psychological boost. Whatever the motivation, I am compelled to [...]

Old Trips and New Trips

Brian — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 18:26:14 +0000

Kim and I are rapidly (maybe rabidly) packing to depart on a two week camping trip through the Great White North (Canada 'eh!). Today we're on our way to Spokane (aka Spokanistan), wine tasting and Coeur D'Alene tomorrow, and then north up to Calgary, Banff, Lake Louise and westward until we get to Whistler. Our [...]

Four Days in Reykjavik

Brian — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 07:45:52 +0000

We tried not to let the jet lag get to us. Flying to Reykjavik is just as far as flying to New York we told ourselves... ok maybe just little bit longer. Except New York is not on GMT! It didn't help that, after arriving at our hotel at 7:30am in the pitch black of night, [...]

Runtur

Brian — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 07:16:40 +0000

I edge my way closer to the bar at the incredibly crowded b5 Lounge, too hesitantly for the Icelander next to me. I'd been told Reykjavikers are known for their directness, so I try not to be too surprised when he motions towards the bar and pushes me right to the front of the "line". [...]

Land of Fire and Ice

Brian — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 09:46:43 +0000

Having just jaunted off across Europe and Asia this summer, we almost feel guilty taking another trip so soon... almost being the key word. After all, the Mongol Rally is not exactly a vacation as much as it's a test of endurance and cunning. And with IcelandAir offering such smoking deals on direct flights from Seattle, [...]

Back In Seattle

Brian — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 09:34:54 +0000

originally posted at rally.roamgreen.org Our Mongol Rally ended just over two weeks ago as we pulled into Ulaan Baatar and donated our two tiny Fiat Puntos to The Adventurists For Development. It's taken a while for all of us to get home, to get over our jet lag, and get back into the swing of [...]

Back in UB

Brian — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 09:33:16 +0000

originally posted at rally.roamgreen.org [xmlgm {http://rally.roamgreen.org/wp-content/content/maps/bhmongolia.kmz} ] I feel like I should post a ton of photos from the last few days, but it's 3am and there are a couple thousand to go through and edit... at this point it's looking like you all get more photos when I get home, sleep and recover from jet lag. [...]

Have Mercy

Brian — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 09:32:11 +0000

originally posted at rally.roamgreen.org With just a few hours sleep, we were up and back on the road at 5am this morning to make up for time lost breaking down before Dundgobi. Jean, Amy and Yasmin were off in the Land Cruiser with Tom, Kim and I following in the Russian jeep. Zaya said [...]

Gobi Breakdown

Brian — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 09:30:36 +0000

originally posted at rally.roamgreen.org It's 8:30 at night, the sun has already gone down, and I'm chasing a Russian jeep through the Gobi desert with rally fog lights and high beams lighting a path over rocks and sand berms just begging to take me out for good. I find myself asking again, as I did [...]