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Pentagon window tint will save fuel

25th May 2010

IMG_9941

The Max Adventure team currently hold 3 long-distance driving records and in addition to these have driven hundreds of thousands of miles overseas, so they are pretty clear as to what vehicle modifications are necessary and what are just nice to have. Extra spot lights and all-terrain tyres seem obvious choices when planning to drive the full length of Africa non-stop, but others that are must-haves on their list include cruise control and tinted windows.

With a crew of 3 working around the clock, reduced glare through the panoramic windows fitted to Land Rover Discoverys is a must. Trying to sleep in the back while the bright sun shines through the glass is just plain uncomfortable, so heavily tinted windows need to be fitted. If the passenger doesn’t sleep properly, he’s in no fit state to drive and this then becomes a safety issue. At night, the glare of headlights through the rear and sides of the vehicles is greatly reduced as well.

Not only do tinted windows reduce the amount of light entering the cabin, but they reduce the amount of heat as well. With temperatures possibly reaching 40C on their Cape Town run, the team will have to either use their air conditioning or open the windows to keep cool, both will seriously affect their fuel consumption – by as much as 10%. By having tinted windows though, it allows them to stay cooler for longer and so ultimately saving fuel. This results in a greater range or even carrying less fuel in the first place, which means more nimble driving. Full article >


African referendum forces an early start

19th May 2010

Original Discoverys were to be sponsored by Land Rover

Planning the London to Cape Town record attempt is not just a case of getting into a car and setting off. In addition to the team and vehicle preparations, there is the route planning and departure date to consider. All previous attempts at the record have either been in December of January when the African rainy season has passed and the mud roads were at their driest.

Starting on the 6th January as per the current record holder Eric Jackson, had been the team’s original plan, but when their vehicle sponsor said they couldn’t help them with left-hand drive 4x4’s following a reconnaissance trip which uncovered right hand drives were banned, the team had to re-think and re-plan.

As an all British team embarking on a project to help British service personnel wounded in the current conflicts, it didn’t sit too well when talking to foreign car manufacturers and asking them for their support. Maybe Mac’s heart wasn’t in it, but after months of trying, he had not been able to secure interest from any other 4x4 manufacturers, so decided to go it alone.

A very tidy left-hand drive Discovery 2 was soon discovered on Autotrader and snapped up, not without a hefty cost though, fetching almost twice what a right-hand drive version would normally cost. Having been owned by a former RAF Pilot and current Captain for Virgin Atlantic, there was a good omen about the vehicle and Mac set about searching for the second. Full article >


Mac interviewed at BBC Radio Oxford

14th Apr 2010

Mac with Jo from Radio Oxford

Following Mac and Chris' interview with Jo Thoenes at BBC Radio Oxford about the team's forthcoming London to Cape Town record attempt, Mac was invited back for a personal chat about his life of adventure.

Mac was asked to pick 10 songs that had strong connections with major events in his life, dating from his school days, right up to the present day. From the 10, five were picked to appear in the show.

Jo was brought up in Africa and her father, a former employee of Land Rover still lives in Kenya. Jan Thoenes is a keen motoring adventurer in his own right and has been extremely helpful with the team's planning through the east African leg of their 10,000 mile dash to Cape Town. Full article >


Max Adventure to scale the Alps

4th Apr 2010

Margherita Hut

Following their acclaimed work for organising the logsitics for the largest ever medical research expedition at high altitdue on Everest in 2007, Max Adventure have been contracted to provide logistical support for the Xtreme Alps medical research expedition this coming August.

Perched nearly 15,000’ up in the Italian Alps precariously sits the Margherita Hut from which 40 medical scientists will study the effects of hypoxia – low oxygen levels.

The Xtreme Everest expedition of 2007, which was documented by the BBC Horizon team set out to explore what happens to the human body at high altitude. Why is it that some people don’t seem to be affected by the lack of oxygen high on the mountain, why others suffer terribly, even leading to heart attacks and strokes? It’s not down to age, lifestyle or fitness, it’s all genetics and isolating the gene that is responsible was the primary aim of the expedition. Full article >


Glue, Putty and Sticky-Back Plastic!

22nd Mar 2010

Chris McKenzie

The Max Adventure team spent a day with the British Army's top vehicle mechanics who taught them how to keep their Land Rovers on the road during the London to Cape Town record attempt. With time of the essence, space at a premium and with no back-up, the team need to be able to deal with any mechanical problem they may encounter during the 10,000 mile run. Carrying unlimited spares is unrealistic, so the solution is to use improvised repair techniques.

The British Army call this particular type of repair technique 'Battle Damage Repair' or BDR. In the civilian world it's known as 'Bush Mechnics', making do with whatever you have at hand to keep the vehicles moving. In a military situation this could mean the difference between life and death and although the team's journey to Cape Town won't necessarily be that critical, it could mean the difference between success and failure.

The day was arranged by the Senior BDR Instructor, Staff Sergeant Chris McKenzie, along with four of his fellow instructors and representatives from 3M and Loctite who produce products that can fix a range of problems. Many of you will have heard of such tricks as using tights to replace a broken fanbelt, or crack an egg into the radiator to seal a hole, but in reality this won't really happen. Bumping along a dirt road for hundreds of miles would shatter any eggs carried, so expeditions tend not to take them and any woman on the team is unlikely to have packed her best hosiery! If it's an all-male expedition........well, say no more! Full article >


Transport Boss honours next expedition with his Patronage

10th Mar 2010

Peter Hendy

Transport for London's most senior executive has kindly agreed to honour the next Max Adventure led expedition with his Patronage.

Transport for London Commissioner, Peter Hendy CBE, who was awarded his honour for keeping transport in London running during the 7/7 bombings of 2005, has kindly agreed to be the Patron for the 'Bus to Bollywood' expedition of 2011. The expedition's aim is to support children's charities in Mumbai by driving a double-decker bus 8,000 miles overland packed with charitable aid. On arrival in the city, the bus itself will be donated to one of the charities that uses buses as mobile schools around the slums.

Peter was a big supporter of the original 'Bus to Beijing' project that was subsequently cancelled by the newly appointed London Mayor, Boris Johnson. When the 12 chosen bus drivers were told the project was 'off', rather than sit around and feel sorry for themselves, they went on to complete the 3 Peaks Challenge and raise a staggering £22,000 for Help for Heroes in just 3 weeks. Full article >


Mac's latest article in Land Rover Monthly now!

9th Mar 2010

LRM April 10 - 01

Steve Burgess had been working on the plans for his Cape to Cape Expedition for five years when he handed Dan Evans his vehicle requirements.

The brief was simple…
“Build the most capable vehicle that has ever been produced in Land Rover’s 60 year history!”

Dan owns the company Protection & Performance and as one of the leading producers of roll cages for competition and expedition vehicles, even this job would challenge all of his technical skills. Full article >


More news...


Pentagon Window Tinting 02

9th Mar 2010
Pentagon Glass sponsor London to Cape Town

Pentagon Glass, the UK's leading specialists in car window tinting, have kindly offered to sponsor the London to Cape Town record attempt.
REME BDR 03

9th Mar 2010
British Army offer training to Max Adventure team

The REME Battle Damage Repair team have offered to train Max Adventure in the skills of 'Bush Mechanics'.
The scene of a car crash on the A6 involving Sir Ranulph Fiennes, who was

6th Mar 2010
Both Max Adventure Patrons injured on same day

Max Adventure Patrons Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Sir Stirling Moss both injured within just hours of each other.
Prepare 2 Go

28th Feb 2010
Prepare 2 Go take up the challenge

Fellow expedition logistics company Prepare 2 Go take up the challenge of the London to Cape Town record attempt
Team Photo 03 - Cropped No Text copy - 1500

21st Feb 2010
Bus to Bollywood

London bus drivers from the cancelled Bus to Beijing project will be driving overland to Mumbai in support of children's charities.
LRW - Feb Front Cover

6th Feb 2010
Land Rover World Article

The Moss Marathon gets 3 pages in Land Rover World magazine
Adventure Travel Live Photo

30th Jan 2010
Max Adventure attend Adventure Travel Show

Max Adventure assist the Royal Geographical Society at the Adventure Travel Show in London
Steve Mackenney

21st Jan 2010
Mac's brother Steve joins team

Mac's brother Steve replaces Andy Grieve on the London to Cape Town record attempt.
LRM - Jan Front Cover

6th Dec 2009
Mac's LRM Article - 'A Date with History'

Part 3 of Mac's article about the first amphibious crossing of the Bering Strait
BBC Radio London - 1500

18th Nov 2009
BBC Radio London - Live Interview

Mac Mackenney and Jack Burnford visited BBC Radio London studios for a live interview
LRM - Dec Front Cover

6th Nov 2009
Mac's LRM Article - 'The Bering Waits'

Part 2 of Mac's article about the first amphibious crossing of the Bering Strait.
Sir Stirling Moss meets the Max Adventure team

17th Oct 2009
Sir Stirling Moss congratulates team

Sir Stirling Moss invited the Max Adventure team to join him at his hotel in southern Portugal to chat about their recent drive around Europe which recreated his run of 1952.
photo(2)

16th Oct 2009
They've made it!

The Max Adventure team have finally reached the finish point after recreating the drive that their patron Stirling Moss undertook back in 1952.
Crossing the Julier Pass in the Swiss Alps

14th Oct 2009
Forgetting Austria

The Max Adventure team were doing so well, but now it has gone wrong.
Challenge sticker

12th Oct 2009
They’re off !!

The team busied themselves repacking the vehicles, giving them a final check over, sequencing the maps and starting the filming.
On the ferry to Holland

11th Oct 2009
Arrival in Oslo

The weather was clear as Mac and Jim awoke, parked on the edge of an automated fuel station in northern Denmark.
Waiting to board Stenaline ferry at Harwich

10th Oct 2009
Oslo to Lisbon Expedition Begins

The Max Adventure team’s practice drive around Europe as part of their training for the London to Cape Town record attempt is finally on its way
Stenaline Denmark to Oslo ferry

10th Oct 2009
Passage to Holland

Mac and Jim arrive is Oslo and begin preparations for the "Moss Marathon" trip to Lisbon.
LRM - Nov Front Cover

6th Oct 2009
Mac's LRM Article - 'Dream Boats'

Mac's article about the first ever amphibious crossing of the Bering Strait.
BBC Radio Oxford

29th Sep 2009
BBC Radio Oxford - Live Interview

Mac Mackenney and Chris Rawlings visited BBC Radio Oxford for a live interview
DSCF2350 - 1500

23rd Sep 2009
'Surviving Adventure' with Prometheus Medical

The Max Adventure team undertook a highly realistic 'Surviving Adventure' course kindly sponsored by Prometheus Medical.
15 Countries 004

21st Sep 2009
1952 Operation Europe Video

Film of Stirling Moss' 1952 challenge to visit 15 countries in less than 5 days.
Mac in Jordan 02

27th Aug 2009
Mac to chair 'Vehicle Expeditions' at RGS Explore 2009

Mac, will chair the Vehicle Expeditions workshop at the Royal Geographical Society's 'Explore 2009'.
Help for Heroes 01

11th Aug 2009
Help Us To Help Our Wounded - DONATE NOW!

Max Adventure's London to Cape Town record attempt is in support of Help for Heroes. DONATE NOW and support our troops.
Jeremy Clarkson 04

10th Aug 2009
Jeremy Clarkson supports record attempt

Jeremy Clarkson has thrown his weight behind Max Adventure's London to Cape Town record attempt in support of Help for Heroes.
15 Countries 001 - 1000

28th Jul 2009
Max Adventure to recreate Stirling Moss' record drive of 1952

The Max Adventure team are to recreate a historic drive by Stirling Moss as part of their ‘warm-up’ training to the London to Cape Town run.
Eric Jackson

10th Jul 2009
Eric Jackson - the Fastest Man to Cape Town

The 'London to Cape Town' team meet Eric Jackson, the current record holder.
Stirling Moss 03a

20th Jun 2009
Sir Stirling Moss honours Max Adventure with his Patronage

Sir Stirling Moss OBE has kindly agreed to honour the Max Adventure team with his patronage for the London to Cape Town record attempt.
max_sledge_002 copy

15th Jun 2009
Sir Ranulph Fiennes - book him HERE

Max Adventure have become official agents of Ranulph Fiennes. To hear one of Ran's inspiring talks, book here NOW
City Hall - Cape Town

1st May 2009
Where Exactly is the Finish Point?

Mac Mackenney and Jim Allen carry out a reconnaissance to find the finish point for the London to Cape Town record attempt.
Saudi Recce 04

4th Jan 2009
Saudi Arabia - STOP! No Entry.

After 4,000 miles of near continuous driving, Mac and Jim aren't allowed any further.
Saudi Recce 01

31st Dec 2008
4,000 miles in 5 1/2 days!

Mac Mackenney and Jim Allen depart on a 4,000 mile dash across Europe and the Middle East to Jeddah.
Go Beyond 04

26th Nov 2008
Mac stands in for Land Rover MD

Mac Mackenney stood in for Land Rover's Managing Director, to decide who should win the Land Rover Go Beyond Bursary.
bus_stretched2

21st Jun 2008
Bus Drivers Battle 85mph winds to Help Heroes

Bus drivers complete the 3 Peaks challange of Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon to raise money for heroes.
Bus to Beijing 01

24th May 2008
No 'Summer Holiday' for Bus Drivers

London 2012's 'Bus to Beijing' project cancelled by new Mayor of London.
Selection Weekend 05

7th Apr 2008
12 Go Through to the Training Stage

12 London Bus Drivers have made it through the 3rd stage of selections to represent London on the 10,000 mile historic drive to Beijing
Selection Weekend 03

4th Apr 2008
Bus Drivers put through SAS style Selections

30 London Bus Drivers are battling it out to become one of just 8 to drive 10,000 miles to Beijing
ADL Bus 01

3rd Jan 2008
Max Adventure to take Bus Drivers on 'Summer Holiday'

London 2012 have contracted Max Adventure to drive a double-decker bus to Beijing in time for the closing ceremony of the 2008 Games.
Christmas Lecture 02

11th Dec 2007
Royal Institution Christmas Lecture - 2007

Mac Mackenney volunteered to be 'Grilled and Chilled' - all in the name of science.
Kilimanjaro 03

25th Oct 2007
Overcoming disabilities to climb Kilimanjaro

Max Adventure ran a selection weekend to choose a team of disabled climbers destined for Kilimanjaro.
Jeff and Paul lead the way

1st Sep 2007
10,000 feet, 80 miles, 2 pedals!

The Max Adventure team take time out from expedition planning to attempt the South Downs Way - by Land Rover mountain bike.

Blogs

Latest blogs

Musbury School

5th May 2010    Mac Mackenney
Inspirational Talk to Kids

Mac visited a Devon primary school to talk about his adventures
'Sergeant Major' Steve Holland

26th Apr 2010    Mac Mackenney
...as long as he’s not too scary!”

'Sergeant Major' Steve Holland to join Bus to Bollywood team on one condition!
Left hand drive Discovery 2 Td5

8th Apr 2010    Mac Mackenney
The Elusive Left Hand Drive

Expedition progress is going well, but what we don’t yet have is the elusive second left hand drive Land Rover!
Helping a Ukranian at Calais Port

6th Apr 2010    Mac Mackenney
Land Rover World offer to Help

I had an email from the Editor of Land Rover World magazine today with an offer to help us .
Services 05

1st Apr 2010    Steve Mackenney
Faults worth knowing about

After our day with the Army I found out what were the most likley faults on the Discovery Td5.
Chris' New Land Rover

28th Mar 2010    Chris Rawlings
BDR on my new Land Rover..maybe!

I wasn't sure what to expect of the day really, or what the Army would think of us and our expedition.
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

28th Mar 2010    Steve Mackenney
TV Chef keen to help

I had a chat with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall on Wednesday and he said he's keen to help.
Outdoor Show at the NEC - 26 Mar 2010

26th Mar 2010    Mac Mackenney
New sponsors at the Outdoor Show?

The 'Sergeant Major' and I attended the Outdoor Show looking for new sponsors.
Loctite Demo 02

25th Mar 2010    Steve Mackenney
Good to be on the team

I really enjoyed the day with the Army Vehicle Mechanics and learned loads of useful things that we will probably need on the trip to Cape Town.
Loctite Demo 01

23rd Mar 2010    Mac Mackenney
How Strong?!

Loctite Glue - I have never seen glue as strong as this before, it was absolutely amazing.
Team Mechanic Jim Allen

22nd Mar 2010    Jim Allen
The tricks, the tools and a very can do practical approach.

We started the day with tea and cakes, so I knew we were onto a winner!
3M Demo

22nd Mar 2010    Jack Burnford
Luckily I'm not there to fix engines!

Turning up late in an un-ironed shirt to meet the guys at REME for the BDR course probably didn't get me off to the best start!
Aftermath: Emergency workers examine the wreck of the car

8th Mar 2010    Mac Mackenney
Max Adventure Patrons hurt

Both Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Sir Stirling Moss injured on the same day
BBC Radio Oxford

26th Feb 2010    Mac Mackenney
Time of My Life

1 message

Picking 8 songs that have real meaning in my life is harder than I thought!
P&O Pride of Bilbao

20th Oct 2009    Jim Allen
Going home courtesy of P&O

On the P&O ferry on the way home – Bilbao to Portsmouth.
Return ferry

19th Oct 2009    Mac Mackenney
The final leg of the 'Moss Marathon' is underway.

2 messages

At precisely 12:30 the P&O ferry 'Pride of Bilbao' smoothly steamed out of Bilbao port on its way to Portsmouth
photo2

18th Oct 2009    Mac Mackenney
Am I dead?!

I come to. As I prise my weary eyes open I can see nothing, hear nothing and feel nothing.
photo

18th Oct 2009    Jack Burnford
Heading north again

We've just crossed the border from Portugal to Spain heading north. It's the same border we were at a couple of days ago, the finish line.
Team Patron - Sir Stirling Moss OBE

17th Oct 2009    Jim Allen
A true honour

With sore heads we set off to meet our Patron, Sir Stirling Moss.
Jim - a happy man at the finish

16th Oct 2009    Jim Allen
We've Arrived

The guys woke me up just before the border to say that we had made it in time.
Will wired on Red Bull and Coffee!

15th Oct 2009    Jim Allen
Sweeping roads and big boats.

Will really loved the drive south to the French coast, with its beautiful Italian sweeping roads that we had to ourselves and ideal for his powerful motorbike.
Navigation

15th Oct 2009    Andy Grieves
Chemical warfare!

2 messages

Apart from the almost continuous noxious gas emanating from Chris' anus, things are going OK in the car
Lichtenstein

14th Oct 2009    Jim Allen
Where the flippen eck is Lichtenstein?!

We eventually found Lichtenstein on a bridge! There was no border post and barely even a ‘Welcome to Lichtenstein’ sign.
Andy Grieves trying to get some kip

14th Oct 2009    Andy Grieves
Andy's first blog

2 messages

Merely ten days after my 31st birthday, I had touched down in Oslo, Norway.
Mac chuffed to have made it to the top of the pass

14th Oct 2009    Mac Mackenney
What a pratt!

1 message

Had I had more time to plan I would have remembered that Austria was to be visited after Liechtenstein.
Chris at the wheel

14th Oct 2009    Chris Rawlings
Boy's Own adventures

The hairpin bends tightened and I remembered boyhood films of our man Stirling rallying up and down roads just like this.
Jim\'s Defender at speed on a German Autobahn

13th Oct 2009    Jim Allen
No tea...No trip...I'm going home!

Disaster. After a good sleep, I awoke to find that the other guys had destroyed my kettle.
Chris Rawlings sorts out the maps

13th Oct 2009    Chris Rawlings
Navigation nightmares!

It was all very exciting meting up at the airport, being picked up in the two white Land Rovers looking the part. There was a real team identity.
Jim's Defender

13th Oct 2009    Jack Burnford
14 hours on the road

1 message

14 hours on the road:- 4 hours navigating with Jim at the wheel. 2 and a bit hours driving, then 8 hours sleep!
Jim Allen completes final checks

13th Oct 2009    Mac Mackenney
Rain and roadworks

Our drive to Cape Town will be hard though and so if we are to succeed and more importantly keep it safe, we must start to train together.
Leaving Oslo

13th Oct 2009    Will Clough
Push on through 'til dawn

2 messages

As usual, pushed my brinkmanship to the limit and made the flight out to Norway by a very reasonable 1½ minutes to lockdown
Jim showing Norwegian Knut Jorgensen our planned route

12th Oct 2009    Jim Allen
The Start

We were looking through the maps, when a local Norwegian gent came over to see what we were up to.
Stenaline Denmark to Oslo ferry

11th Oct 2009    Mac Mackenney
A cold night

1 message

I didn’t sleep well last night, I couldn’t be bothered to get out of bed and retrieve a second sleeping bag.
Stenaline ferry loading

11th Oct 2009    Jim Allen
Good roads, no traffic and a starry night!

After the road works and bad weather of Germany, Denmark was a dream
Stenaline ferry loading

10th Oct 2009    Mac Mackenney
From Reading to Oslo

The drive to Harwich for the ferry across to Holland was relaxing and uncomplicated.
Jim sporting a pair of Bloc driving glasses

10th Oct 2009    Jim Allen
On the road at last

1 message

Mac and I are positioning the Land Rovers over the next fews days to Oslo
DSCF2408 - 1500

9th Oct 2009    Will Clough
Radio BBC Suffolk - Lesley Dolphin

Yesterday saw the TV Producer......on radio! And most enjoyable it was too.
Stenaline Denmark to Oslo ferry

9th Oct 2009    Mac Mackenney
We'refinally off!

It’s not how I wanted it to be, all rushed, packing in disarray, unsure as to whether I had remembered everything and generally an air of chaos about the whole thing.
DSCF2386 - 1500

8th Oct 2009    Jack Burnford
Hands on medical training

When Andy mentioned going on a medical course I had visions of sitting in a large, 18 century lecture room, overlooking an operating table many floors down like a scene out of Frankenstein.
DSCF2345 - 1500

23rd Sep 2009    Jim Allen
Don't panic Mr. Mannering!

Jim takes cover from an exploding gas bottle!
IMGP0026 - 1500

23rd Sep 2009    Will Clough
Hi, I'm Will.

1 message

Will gets cosy with Hypothermia victim!
Jack Burnford

2nd Sep 2009    Jack Burnford
Welcome aboard Jack

The first I knew of this expedition was when I got a call from Will saying he was going to be driving to South Africa in record time and was I interested?
Andy Grieve 3

3rd Aug 2009    Andy Grieves
Andy hones driving skills in Africa

For the serious adventure overlander, I guess this is the ultimate challenge.
Eric Jackson

13th Jul 2009    Mac Mackenney
Top Bloke

Will and I drove up to meet with Eric Jackson, the current record holder for the London to Cape Town run.
Ford Cortina advert

12th Jul 2009    Will Clough
Eric - you're an inspiration

Mac had found the original record holder – Eric Jackson, and he sounded like a real boys own hero!
Chris Rawlings 3

26th Jun 2009    Chris Rawlings
A huge challenge

This was the first time I met the London to Cape Town team Mac had selected.
Will Clough 02

22nd Jun 2009    Will Clough
Tough, but exciting

"Does that refer to me, or the London to Cape Town record attempt?"
Stirling Moss

20th Jun 2009    Mac Mackenney
What an Honour

I was outside, under the bonnet of one of my Land Rovers when the postman turned up with a smart looking letter. On the back were clearly marked the initials 'SM'.
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