Landy Rally 2009 tracking

A company called 3ARC in Hertfordshire ( www.3ARC.com) have kindly lent me a tracker system for Landy Rally Euro 4x4 Charity Drive 2009. Already fitted to my Rangie, it’s in place so everyone (sponsors, media, friends and family) can follow our progress through the Alps and Pyrenees.

Click on to www.3arc.com/venture.aspx anytime as it updates constantly showing the last 20 positions. Bird’s Eye is my favourite image although 3D can be pretty manic too.

Best time to advise folk to give it a try? Anytime, but the afternoon of Sunday 20th September will be special as we’ll be in The Alps tackling the Stelvo Pass in Italy (voted “Best driving Road in the World” on TV’s Top Gear programme) with its 60 hairpin bends at 2,758 m. … it will be awesome!

Encompassing 11 countries in just 9 days, our 3,000 mile route is as follows:-

Day 1 (Sat 19th Sept 2009) – The official start is at 09:00 hrs adjacent to Le Sybilien Restaurant, 9 Digue Gaston Berthe, Calais, France. Then on the road via a parade though Calais town centre – complete with police escort of course! – Brussels (Belgium), Elsloo (Holland), Aachen (Germany), Eupen (Belgium), Luxembourg City, Nancy (France), Strasborg (France), Offenburg (Germany).

Europa Camping, Waldstrasse 32, 77731 Willstätt, Sand, nr. Offenburg, Germany

Day 2 (Sun 20th Sept 2009) – Offenburg (Germany), Lake Constance (Germany), Bregenz (Austria), Valduz (Liechtenstein), Landquart (Switzerland), Sluderno (Italy), Stelvio Pass (Italy), Valdidentro (Italy).

Camping La Pineta, Via le Runi 16-Isolaccia, Valdidentro, 23030 Sondrio, Lombardia, Italy. Pre-arranged evening meal.

Day 3 (Mon 21st Sept 2009) – Valdidentro (Italy), Bormio (Italy), Gavia Pass (Italy), Sondrio (Italy), Lake Lugano (Switzerland), Lake Lucarno(Switzerland), Pontetto-Roldo (Italy), Martigny (Switzerland), Col du Grd. St. Bernard(Switzerland), Aosta (Italy).

Camping ViIlle d’Aoste, Via G.S. Bernardo, 67-11100 Aosta, Italy. Traditionally a party here every year.

Day 4 (Tues 22nd Sept 2009) – Aosta (Italy), Col du Pit. St Bernard (Italy), La Thuile (France), Tignes (France), Val d'Isère (France). Pre-arranged lunchtime barbeque & afternoon off-road session & evening meal + Landy Rally Quiz!

Camping Les Richardes, Le Laisinant, 73 150 Val d'Isère, France

Day 5 (Wed 23rd Sept 2009) – Val d'Isère (France), Lanslebourg Mont-Cenis (France), Cesana Torinese (Italy), Montgenèvre (France), Briançon (France), Gap (France), Verclause (France), Orange (France), Narbonne (France), Arques (France).

Camping Le Village du Lac, 11190 Arques, Aude, Languedoc, France.

Day 6 (Thurs 24th Sept 2009) – Arques (France), Quillan (France), Usson-les-Bains (France), Ascou (France), Ax-les-Thermes (France), L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre (France), Soldeu (Andorra), Ordino (Andorra), the “smuggler’s route” over the mountains Andorra-Spain, Llavorsí (Spain).

Camping Riberies, Ctra. Vall D'aran , 5525595 Llavorsí (Lleida), Catalonia, Spain

Day 7 (Fri 25th Sept 2009) – Tremp (Spain), Graus (Spain), Barbastro (Spain), Barbués (Spain), Gurrea de Gállego (Spain), Ejea de los Caballeros (Spain).

Camping Bolaso, Ctra. Gallur - Sangüesa Km. 46 1, 50600 Ejea de los Caballeros, Aragón, Spain

Day 8 (Sat 26th Sept 2009) – Olite (Spain), Pau (France), Auch (France), Cancon (France).

Camping Municipal, Jeanmetge, Rue du lac, 47290 Cancon, France

Day 9 (Sun 27th Sept 2009) – Limoges (France), Tours, (France), Le Mans (France), Rouen (France), Calais (France). Prize-giving dinner in evening at Café de Paris, 72 Rue Royale, 62100 Calais, France. http://www.cafedeparis-calais.com

Can’t wait!

Pass it on …

Have a great trip. Your trtacking system should be spot on and return or record positions every few hundred meters. We used one of ours to track rusty rhinos in the sahara earlier in the year and were extremely happy with the performance - I guess they were too because they are using one of ours again later in the year.

Have a great trip!

Ryder

Have a gud un

Sounds like a really good trip! Hope you'll enjoy it

Thanks folks. This year's event was truly memorable. Put it this way ... whatever could have gone wrong did go wrong, but as always we muddled through to make it one of the best Landy Rally's to date. Stunning scenery, fantastic weather and great camaraderie … you can’t fail to enjoy it. That’s what travelling is all about.

Now back, although the Rangie (complete with tracker) is still in Nimes near Perpignan, Mediterranean coast south of France. My poor ol' used and abused RR Classic gave up the ghost on the long run down to Andorra. Electronics we think but until I can assess it properly, who knows? RR due to return to Calais "in the next two weeks" the breakdown company informed me. Don't hurry on my account lads!!!

As for the tracker itself, although I haven't seen it yet myself apparently Day No.2 in the 'history files' of the 3ARC Limited - Technology that you can trust website shows us tackling Stelvio Pass. Images pretty impressive by all accounts.

Welcome back Tom, sorry to hear about the RR, probably all that wine in the ECU.