Fritz and Lang plan to spend today on car maintenance. They’ll tighten bolts, grease everything, replace a wheel bearing and change the oil. Today is a welcome rest day and then on to Turkmenistan. The rally officials have warned the group to prepare for this border crossing to take 5-6 hours. There are 15 days left and mileage-wise Samarkand is about the half way point. (more...)
Day 22 Friday 1st Oct – Samarkand (Uzbekhstan) REST DAY!
On October - 1 - 20102 COMMENTS
Day 6 Wed 15th Sept – Ulaan Baatar to Kharakorin (Mongolia) – 360 km
On September - 15 - 20102 COMMENTS
Got a surprise call from Fritz this morning! They’ve made it through day 6 of the Peking to Paris Rally unscathed and are getting ready for bed. Tonight “bed” is one of four cots arranged around the inside perimeter of a Yurt. In fact, they’re staying in a little yurt village. Here’s a satellite image of where they are. Fritz and Lang's Model A is represented by the lower red car. The little round buildings are the yurts. Their roommates for tonight... (more...)
Day 5 Tue 14th Sept – Rest day in Ulaan Baatar (Mongolia)
On September - 14 - 20102 COMMENTS
I got a call from Fritz this morning. It was after 10pm (his time) and he and Lang had just gotten back from having dinner at a Mongolian Grill. Interestingly enough Mongolian grills in Mongolia are pretty much like the Mongolian Grill in West Des Moines where they prepare and cook the food at your table as a dinner show. He enjoyed a plate full and a beer before heading back to his room. This meal was way more exciting than his lunch of PB&J on whole wheat crackers, 2 boxes of... (more...)
Read all about it in The Des Moines Register
On August - 30 - 2010Comments Off
Thanks to Tom Perry and the Des Moines Register for the wonderful article about Fritz and Lang’s Peking to Paris adventure in Sunday’s paper. Following is a little teaser for the article. Fritz James and Lang Wightman have been warned about this road trip. Rabid dogs are a possibility in Mongolia. Poisonous snakes and spiders might await. Much of the terrain will be cruel and hostile. Mindful of lurking dangers, James and Wightman plan to leave Des Moines on Friday for China to compete... (more...)
History of the Peking to Paris Motor Challenge
On August - 18 - 20104 COMMENTS
Peking to Paris 1907 (www.pekingparis.com) The original Peking-Paris rally was in 1907. There were just a few cars and fewer roads. The story goes that crews used silver bars for currency. They would shave off sections of bars to pay for food, gas and repairs! The 60’s Jack Lemon – Tony Curtis movie “The Great Race” was as loosely based on this event. The rally was not run again until 1997. The 1997 event was so successful that the organizers ran it again in 2007 to celebrate... (more...)