Latest News

Driven to Extremes - Planned & Led by Max Adventure

19th Apr 2013

For all of you who keep an eye on Max Adventure's activities, you would be forgiven for thinking we had shut up shop and taken up 'regular' jobs! Fortunately, this wasn't the case as for the past 2 years we have been toiling away in secret, planning what has become the most expensive advertiser-funded programme to date in the UK. Driven to Extremes is an adventure driving series dreamt up by senior executives from JWT, the world's largest advertising agency. Backed by one of their biggest clients, Shell, and filmed by North One Television, Max Adventure were brought in to plan, equip, train, support and lead the 3 challenging expeditions.

Discovery Channel will be airing the 3-part adventure series at 21:00 on the Sunday evenings of the 17th, 24th and 31st March 2013. As part of a global marketing campaign being conducted by Shell to promote their Helix Ultra brand of automotive oils, the programmes are being aired in 75 countries around the world.

Tackling some of the coldest, hottest and toughest roads on the planet, the team are seen driving through the Arctic wastes of Siberia, deserts of Western China and dense jungle of Malaysia. Led by Mac Mackenney from Max Adventure, the 27-strong team featured Hollywood actors Tom Hardy, Henry Cavil and Adrien Brody, as well as professional racing drivers Mika Salo and Neil Hodgson. Full article >

Driven to Extremes - Why Nissan Patrols?

16th Apr 2013

Driven to Extremes – Why Nissan Patrols?

When Max Adventure were contracted to plan and lead the Driven to Extremes series of challenging expeditions, we were given a list of manufacturers from which we could choose our vehicles:
Ferrari (yes really), Hyundai, Audi, Jeep, Nissan or Land Rover

Our original brief was to drive some of the coldest, hottest and highest roads on the planet, with temperatures ranging from -60C to +50C and then up to 5,600 meters (18,372 feet - higher than Everest Base Camp). As it was, we couldn’t get to India to tackle the world’s highest road as Tibet was closed to foreigners, so blocking our way from the deserts of western China. Instead, we headed for the Malaysian Rainforest - either way, our choice of vehicle would still have been the same. Full article >

Driven to Extremes - The Hottest Road

16th Apr 2013

China - The World's Hottest Road

The third and final episode in the Driven to Extremes series saw Henry Cavill (the latest Superman – Man of Steel) and Neil Hodgson (former World Superbike Champion) tackle the hostile Taklamakan Desert in western China. With temperatures soaring above 50°C, having to negotiate some of the largest sand dunes in the world and a 1000 kilometer route, it was a true test of man and machine.

As with the first two expeditions (Coldest in Siberia & Toughest in Malaysia), the entire project was run by Max Adventure under the direction of founder, Mac Mackenney. Max Adventure were responsible for planning, recce’ing, training, equipping, supporting and leading the 9-vehicle, 25-strong team, made up of 13 crew from the UK and 12 locals - guides, cooks and drivers.
Full article >

Driven to Extremes - Mac takes to the stage in Moscow

28th Mar 2013

Moscow – 20th to 22nd March 2013

The Shell ‘Driven to Extremes’ marketing campaign, promoting their range of Helix Ultra automotive oils is a truly global project, with 75 countries around the world airing the 3 adventure programmes on Discovery Channel.

As part of the campaign, Expedition Leader Mac Mackenney, was invited to meet journalists and key clients of Shell’s during a slick presentation in Moscow. Along with Neil Hodgson, former World Superbike Champion, who appeared in the Hottest Road programme, and Aldo Kane, the team’s security and safety expert, the 3 of them flew out to Moscow on Wednesday 20th March. Full article >

Driven to Extremes - The Toughest Road

28th Mar 2013

Discovery Channel – 21:00 hours Sunday 24th March 2013

Malaysia – The World’s Toughest Road

At the height of the monsoon season, with temperatures hitting 40C and humidity off the scale, the Driven to Extremes team, led by Mac Mackenney, embarked on a drive along some of the toughest jungle trails in the world. Their aim was to summit the Ulu Sedili hills in the heart of the Malaysian rainforest. Full article >

Driven to Extremes - The Coldest Road

28th Mar 2013

Driven to Extremes - Tom Hardy and Mac Mackenney

Discovery Channel – 21:00 hours Sunday 17th March 2013

Siberia – The World’s Coldest Road

With temperatures down to -60C, Hollywood actor Tom Hardy and ex Formula 1 racing driver Mika Salo set out on a 1,000 kilometer journey from Yakutsk, the world’s coldest city, to Oymyakon, the world’s coldest inhabited place.

Full article >

A Personal View on Driving Records

25th Feb 2013

On a miserably wet and cold evening on the 11th February 2013, a tiny Fiat Panda, crewed by 2 weary adventurers, drove through the gates of Marble Arch in London to claim their place in the record books. Just 10 days and 13 hours earlier, Philip Young and Paul Brace had set out from Cape Town in South Africa in an attempt to beat the Max Adventure team's time for driving between these two famous cities.

Mac, Steve and Chris, as well as all of the Max Adventure team involved in our 2010 record drive, would like to pass on their huge and hearty congratulations to Philip and Paul on their plucky adventure. Their gutsy effort has now placed them as the latest team to set a new fastest time, the first dating back to 1939 when Humphrey Symons and Bertie Browning drove their Wolseley 18/85 into Cape Town in a respectable time of 31 days.

We can't take away Philip and Paul's incredible achievement, especially that there were just 2 of them driving an 875cc Fiat Panda, however, they played by slightly different rules to the Max Adventure team, which gave them a huge advantage over us:
Full article >

More news...

2nd Feb 2013 Max Adventure Supports RGS at Adventure Travel Show Mac Mackenney of Max Adventure supported the Royal Geographical Society with their exhibtion stand at the Telegraph Adventure Travel Show.	2nd Feb 2013 Attempt Underway on Max Adventure London to Cape Town Record A British team is making an attempt on the driving record set by the team from Max Adventure in 2010
10th Dec 2012 Mac chairs session at RGS Explore event On the 16th & 17th November Mac chaired the sessions on Vehicle Expeditions and Route Planning at the Royal Geographical Society's Explore weekend.	18th Jun 2012 Expedition Personnel Register Underway With a range of projects in the pipeline, Max Adventure is compiling a Skills & Experience Register for potential team members.
22nd Mar 2012 Still Here! Although the website has been a bit quiet, we at Max Adventure have been very busy supporting filming projects.	3rd Feb 2012 Mac Mackenney awarded 'Overlander of the Year' Mac Mackenney of Max Adventure has been awarded 'Overlander of the Year 2011' by the Expedition Portal Website.
11th Jul 2011 Arctic Talk to School Children Mac gives a talk to kids at a Hertfordshire school	4th Jul 2011 Mac's latest article in Land Rover Monthly Mac's latest article about the London to Cape Town record in the August edition of Land Rover Monthly magazine is in the shops now.
2nd Jul 2011 Presentation to Land Rover Club Mac was invited to Aylesbury Land Rover club to talk about the team's London to Cape Town record.	1st Jul 2011 Max Adventure fund raising reaches £31,206! The London to Cape Town record fund raising has closed at £7,020.
1st Jul 2011 Max Adventure front cover of latest Paramo catalogue Chris Rawlings and Steve Mackenney are front cover of the latest Paramo clothing catalogue.	1st Jun 2011 Mac's latest article in Land Rover Monthly Mac's latest article about the London to Cape Town record in the July edition of Land Rover Monthly magazine is in the shops now.
12th May 2011 Land Rover Go Beyond Bursary Mac was invited onto the RGS panel to determine who would win the Land Rover 'Go Beyond' Bursary.	18th Nov 2010 1949 Record - Press Cuttings discovered The National Motor Museum Trust at Beaulieu have discovered press cuttings from the 1949 record run.
14th Nov 2010 Max Adventure attend RGS Explore 2010 Max Adventure attended the RGS Explore 2010 to advice delegates on expedition planning and logistics.	31st Oct 2010 London to Cape Town - Reaction to new World Record As the team fly back home from South Africa it seems a good opportunity to sum up reactions to the news.
28th Oct 2010 Max Adventure Break London to Cape Town Record The new record now stands at 11 DAYS 14 HOURS 11 MINUTES.	27th Oct 2010 Into Botswana As I write this, the team are currently steaming south across the vast flat Kazuma Pan in the north-eastern territory of Botswana.
27th Oct 2010 The True Hero While the drivers have had the opportunity to take a break from the driving, with a 4-hour stint of navigating or better still, to stretch their legs out in the back and get some sleep, the true hero of this mammoth adventure drive is the 10 year old Land Rover Discovery.	27th Oct 2010 South Africa - Final Push to the Finish South Africa - the team are in the country and on their way to the finish point, driving their last stint through the night.
25th Oct 2010 Adventurers Required Max Adventure has a variety of projects in the pipeline for which we would like to have a pool of pre-approved personnel available.	25th Oct 2010 Planning The End Game How to deal with the final section has been an issue since before the team departed.
25th Oct 2010 More Video Clips Added Some simple video clips of the driving in Ethiopia and Kenya added.	25th Oct 2010 Changeover at UK Ops Changeover at UK Ops.
25th Oct 2010 Another Border, Another Delay The team arrived at the border with Zambia to discover it was closed.	24th Oct 2010 Tracking Accuracy Suddenly the Yellowbrick has become a bit less accurate.... Why?
24th Oct 2010 Local Deviations Based on local information the team have changed their entry point to Tanzania.	24th Oct 2010 Bordering On A Crisis. Q: When is a border open? A: When we says it is.
24th Oct 2010 Updating The Picture Galleries The galleries for Africa have now been split by country.	23rd Oct 2010 Technical Corner - The Vehicle. For all the Land Rover anoraks out there (you know who you are), something about the vehicle and why we chose it.
23rd Oct 2010 The Great Moyale Manhunt After the delays with the entry into Ethiopia, the pressure was on to get back on schedule	22nd Oct 2010 Red Tape and Fax Machines Mention has been made in some of the blogs of some concern and pre-emptive actions for the Ethiopian border crossing. here is why.
22nd Oct 2010 Question Corner - How Do We Eat? Food plays a vital part in the whole project. And for it, we have a cunning plan.	22nd Oct 2010 Time To Get Viral The word from Jon Fuller, the Max Adventure website designer, is that the number of people visiting the site has been increasing steadily. This is good but we can do better.
21st Oct 2010 Africa Calling The team have made it into Continent Number Three! Official Entry Time: 13:15hrs BST	21st Oct 2010 3D Mapping and Tracking Track the team's route on Google Earth in glorious 3D.
20th Oct 2010 Some Clearer Images Now Available We have been sent a series of improved images from the offices of the Jaguar land Rover dealership in Jeddah.	20th Oct 2010 Optical Illusions in Mapping The team have been making excellent progress. The mapping system used however can be a bit milsleading.
20th Oct 2010 Ferry Good News hrs BST. The team are now on the ferry out of Jeddah and bound for Sudan.	20th Oct 2010 Medical Notes - The Mental Battle So, the novelty is starting to wear off and a repetitive routine is starting to set-in. What kind of effects could we expect to emerge after the first few days of the challenge?
19th Oct 2010 Major Hurdle Crossed - Team are In Saudi Arabia There are a few 'crux' points on the team's chosen route to Cape Towm. The first of these is entry in Saudi Arabia. Getting the correct permission and paperwork to transit the country by vehicle would fill a website on its own	19th Oct 2010 Question Corner - How Do We Drink? Keeping our fluid levels up is extremely important on any endurance event. Even though we are not being that physically active, our mental stamina is being pushed to the limit.
18th Oct 2010 Dear Diary During their record attempt the team will be completing diaries to a format provided by an MOD psychologist.	18th Oct 2010 Leaving Europe, Entering Asia Monday 18th October - Turkey Europe has been done. Not wishing to underplay the importance of such a diverse and vibrant continent, but it was always felt that the expedition would come alive when the team entered Asia.
17th Oct 2010 Route Plan 1.0 Released For those interest in more detail of the intended route we have released a series of annotated maps.	16th Oct 2010 Setting Off The team sets out at 21:18hrs BST on Saturday 16th October 2010
15th Oct 2010 Photo Call Team Photocall with Patron and Supported Charity	1st Oct 2010 Team given green light to go! The Max Adventure team have finally been granted all of the visas required to attempt the London to Cape Town record.
24th Sep 2010 REME mechanics prepare vehicle Instructors from the British Army's School of Mechanical Engineering prepare Land Rover	14th Sep 2010 Trevor Baylis supports record attempt Damaged soldiers deserve help, and I know from experience what a difference it can make just knowing help is at hand.
13th Sep 2010 Record Breaker lends support ?Not much time for a good kip or a beer, but you will be Heroes when you achieve it." Richard Noble OBE	2nd Sep 2010 Xtreme Alps medical research Max Adventure team provide logistics support for another Xtreme expedition
11th Aug 2010 ATS fit Pirelli Tyres Tyres are probably the most important items on the vehicle.	7th Jun 2010 Record attempt Discovery comes Alive! The London to Cape Town record attempt Discovery gets the full performance treatment at Alive Tuning.
25th May 2010 Pentagon window tint will save fuel The Max Adventure Land Rover Discovery was booked into Pentagon Glass for complete window tinting.	19th May 2010 African referendum forces an early start Planning the London to Cape Town record attempt is not just a case of getting into a car and setting off.
14th Apr 2010 Mac interviewed at BBC Radio Oxford Mac was invited to BBC Radio Oxford to be interviewed for a new series 'Time of my Life'.	4th Apr 2010 Max Adventure to scale the Alps Max Adventure have been awarded the contract to provide Logistical Support for the Xtreme Alps medical research expedition.
22nd Mar 2010 Glue, Putty and Sticky-Back Plastic! The Max Adventure team spend the day with the British Army being taught how to keep their Land Rovers on the road with tape, glue and putty!	10th Mar 2010 Transport Boss honours next expedition with his Patronage Transport for London Commissioner, Peter Hendy CBE, honours the 'Bus to Bollywood' team with his Patronage.
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.	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'.
9th Mar 2010 Mac's latest article in Land Rover Monthly now! Mac's latest article, detailing the Cape to Cape expedition is in April's edition of LRM - on sale now.	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.
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	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.
6th Feb 2010 Land Rover World Article The Moss Marathon gets 3 pages in Land Rover World magazine	30th Jan 2010 Max Adventure attend Adventure Travel Show Max Adventure assist the Royal Geographical Society at the Adventure Travel Show in London
21st Jan 2010 Steve Mackenney joins team Steve Mackenney replaces Andy Grieve on the London to Cape Town record attempt.	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
18th Nov 2009 BBC Radio London - Live Interview Mac Mackenney and Jack Burnford visited BBC Radio London studios for a live interview	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.
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.	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.
14th Oct 2009 Forgetting Austria The Max Adventure team were doing so well, but now it has gone wrong.	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.
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.	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
10th Oct 2009 Passage to Holland Mac and Jim arrive is Oslo and begin preparations for the "Moss Marathon" trip to Lisbon.	6th Oct 2009 Mac's LRM Article - 'Dream Boats' Mac's article about the first ever amphibious crossing of the Bering Strait.
29th Sep 2009 BBC Radio Oxford - Live Interview Mac Mackenney and Chris Rawlings visited BBC Radio Oxford for a live interview	23rd Sep 2009 'Surviving Adventure' with Prometheus Medical The Max Adventure team undertook a highly realistic 'Surviving Adventure' course kindly sponsored by Prometheus Medical.
21st Sep 2009 1952 Operation Europe Video Film of Stirling Moss' 1952 challenge to visit 15 countries in less than 5 days.	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'.
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.	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.
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.	10th Jul 2009 Eric Jackson - the Fastest Man to Cape Town The 'London to Cape Town' team meet Eric Jackson, the current record holder.
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.	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
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.	4th Jan 2009 Saudi Arabia - STOP! No Entry. After 4,000 miles of near continuous driving, Mac and Jim aren't allowed any further.
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.	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.
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.	24th May 2008 No 'Summer Holiday' for Bus Drivers London 2012's 'Bus to Beijing' project cancelled by new Mayor of London.
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	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
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.	11th Dec 2007 Royal Institution Christmas Lecture - 2007 Mac Mackenney volunteered to be 'Grilled and Chilled' - all in the name of science.
25th Oct 2007 Overcoming disabilities to climb Kilimanjaro Max Adventure ran a selection weekend to choose a team of disabled climbers destined for Kilimanjaro.	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.

show all news >

Latest blogs

1st Jul 2011 Mac Mackenney
An apology to Tony in Nairobi.

I've finally completed the last article about our record-breaking drive from London to Cape Town.

24th Jun 2011 Mac Mackenney
Mac and his Big Banger!

A weekend off-road motorcycling in Devon makes the pages of Trail magazine.

9th Nov 2010 Mac Mackenney
Piecing Together History

I'm keen to hear from anyone who knows about the previous London to Cape Town driving records.

8th Nov 2010 Mac Mackenney
Gossip on the internet!

I've had great fun reading all the gossip on the internet - apparently the vehicle fell apart and we 'dicked' around too much at the borders - really?!

5th Nov 2010 Mac Mackenney
Heading Home

The joy of vehicles compared to airliners - discuss.

3rd Nov 2010 Mac Mackenney
The Art of Travel

Some art I can get, others just don't do it for me, but the one piece that I really liked was a solid stone 'map' of Africa with a chess board built into it.

2nd Nov 2010 Mac Mackenney
Unaccustomed as I am to Public Speaking....

2 messages

It's almost midnight and Chris and I have just come back from the McCarthy Land Rover dealership on the outskirts of Cape Town

1st Nov 2010 Mac Mackenney
It could have easily gone so wrong...

Now that the hectic planning for this trip is over, with time to relax and reflect on what we've achieved.

Atmosphere-MaxAdventure-OverlandWorldRecord-28102010-MW007

30th Oct 2010 Mac Mackenney
Mac's Blog - Cape Town Part 2

2 messages

The reception when we arrived was amazing and we didn't stop for the whole day, being ushered from one interview and reception to another.

28th Oct 2010 Mac Mackenney
Mac's Blog - Arrival in Cape Town

I can't believe that we are actually here, it still hasn't sunk in yet. Looking at a map of Africa makes it even more unbelievable.

28th Oct 2010 Chris Rawlings
Welcome to Cape Town

In the nav seat for the final countdown, through the mountains bordering the famous city with the sun in our faces.

28th Oct 2010 Chris Rawlings
The Final Frontier

29 messages

Sorry, I am a bit delirious at the moment. I woke from a deep, sweaty sleep. Wanting to put my head back down and drift off again.

28th Oct 2010 Steve Mackenney
The Lorry

7 messages

As we drove down the road at 0200hrs me and Chris were quite happily going along when "QUICK BRAKE!" was screamed.

27th Oct 2010 Chris Rawlings
Chris' Blog Botswana

16 messages

A quick kip and back to driving at 3am. I was on autopilot for the first 10 mins, not able to shake off the sleep for a long while.

Tunduma Border between Tanzania and Zambia closed - 3 in back of Landy for night

26th Oct 2010 Mac Mackenney
Mac's blog - Zambian Border

10 messages

The youths following us closed in tighter as we marched passed everyone and towards a darkened door that seemed to lead down into a cellar.

Programming Garmin Satnav for Zambia leg

26th Oct 2010 Chris Rawlings
Chris' Blog Zambia

4 messages

The friendly smiles meant no harm, they were just curious to see our magnificent Landy parked up at their border.

Metema - vehicle check whilst waiting for Customs clearance

26th Oct 2010 Steve Mackenney
Pants, dumplings and spotted dick

7 messages

The trip so far from London to Cape Town well all I can say is boy it's a long way and if you ever decide to do the journey I suggest you take more than 1 pair of pants.

26th Oct 2010 Chris Rawlings
Chris' Blog Tanzania

6 messages

It was pouring with rain, the type that gets you wet quickly. The temperature had dropped and we were tired. Now the misery of a closed border in our faces.

The East African Highway - Kenya - at night in the rain. Not as it appears in the brochures.

26th Oct 2010 Chris Rawlings
East African Highway - Moyale to Nairobi

3 messages

It wasn't long before the excitement began, Adam the front seated guard shouted to stop. Both Guards jumped out, cocking their weapons as they went.

25th Oct 2010 Chris Rawlings
Chris' Kenyan Border Blog

3 messages

The Ethiopian and Kenyan boarders were tackled with military precision.

25th Oct 2010 Steve Mackenney
today i have learnt to do puntuation...

5 messages

tommorrow i will learn speling

25th Oct 2010 Mac Mackenney
Frustration

2 messages

After dropping off our two Police guards yesterday morning in Isiolo, we made great progress driving to Nairobi.

25th Oct 2010 Mac Mackenney
Darkest Africa

11 messages

Yesterday was filled with a variety of emotion - worry, elation and then frustration, all in just a few hours.

24th Oct 2010 Steve Mackenney
The Smell of Africa

14 messages

Been a bit busy driving and looking after the other two but got moaned at, as I always do.

23rd Oct 2010 Chris Rawlings
High Lights and Highlands

8 messages

Finally through the Ethiopian customs and much relieved

Mac on 22nd - someone has stolen his hair while he was on a sleeping shift.

23rd Oct 2010 Mac Mackenney
Road Sense

20 messages

We're currently racing down a narrow and twisty road, packed with people, cars, trucks, goats and cows!

Countering the bio-hazard.
A pair of dangly, fragrant union-jack dice. They will have their work cut out after a few days of living in the vehicle.

22nd Oct 2010 Mac Mackenney
Africa Hits Back

9 messages

Fun, games and rule changes getting into Ethiopia

22nd Oct 2010 Chris Rawlings
Gallabat - Early O'Clock.

15 messages

Waking up clammy, dry mouthed and unaware of where I was, it took me a few minutes to get my bearings

A man, a filter, a mission. He came from the desert and he means business.

21st Oct 2010 Chris Rawlings
A slow boat to Sudan

7 messages

My chance to sleep in a full length comfortable bed and I'm wide awake listening to Steve tossing and turning in the bunk above.

And modelling this season's 'Intrepid Explorer Range'.

20th Oct 2010 Mac Mackenney
Mac Hits Africa

4 messages

The elation of entering Saudi Arabia soon turned to nervousness about our ferry passage to Sudan

20th Oct 2010 Steve Mackenney
Our Cultural Ambassador Speaks

1 message

Today I ate my first malaria tablet yum yum - apart from the chronic pain in my guts and wanting to throw up

20th Oct 2010 Chris Rawlings
Jeddah nights

We were elated to get into Saudi with relative ease. Mac was so overwhelmed that he even splashed out on a bottle of coke for us each.

19th Oct 2010 Mac Mackenney
Stiff Upper Lip Wobbles

17 messages

Ok, I'll admit it, I did have a little grizzle in the back of the land rover as we drove out of the Halat Ammar border crossing.

You only ever seem to spot these places when you don't need them.

19th Oct 2010 Steve Mackenney
How much fun can you have with cats-eyes?

6 messages

Not a good day. Got a bit dehydrated ....

Chris with one of the many storage boxes. Is it heavy or is he getting tired?

19th Oct 2010 Chris Rawlings
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

6 messages

Another awesome day. I really feel the adventure now as we left Europe behind and into Arabia.

19th Oct 2010 Mac Mackenney
Through Syria and into Jordan

14 messages

Yes, it was only yesterday, but I'm having real trouble remembering what happened and which country I was in!

18th Oct 2010 Chris Rawlings
Moose avoidance manoeuvre?

4 messages

I woke with a start, the car being thrown up and around, the suspension banging and clattering and the driver and nav bickering in the front.

Approaching the Bosphorus - and into Asia!

18th Oct 2010 Chris Rawlings
Tick Europe off the 'To Do' List.

3 messages

Latest news - 09:30 Monday 18 We've entered Turkey and making good speed towards Istanbul and continent number two

18th Oct 2010 Steve Mackenney
Steve's Blog - 17/18 Oct

5 messages

Quite surprised I don't feel more tired, having only had no more than 4 hours kip in the last 24 hours.

Chris Rawlings - Expedition Communications (and a bit of driving)

17th Oct 2010 Chris Rawlings
Chris' first blog

10 messages

Time to reflect as I take to the nav seat for the first time and Dawn is breaking.

Steve Mackenney - Expedition Mechanic and Cultural Ambassador

17th Oct 2010 Steve Mackenney
Steve's first blog

6 messages

Quite nice to have a few people to say goodbye at the start point, however I did feel we hung around too long. Wanted to get going.

The moment of truth.
The team pull away from the RAC Club in Pall Mall.

17th Oct 2010 Mac Mackenney
We seem to have settled down into a routine

7 messages

The whole key to our approach in order to try and beat this record is to just keep moving.

16th Oct 2010 Mac Mackenney
Finally, we're on our way!

2 messages

So, this is it. 15 years thinking about it, 2 years planning it and we are finally on our way!

5th May 2010 Mac Mackenney
Inspirational Talk to Kids

Mac visited a Devon primary school to talk about his adventures

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!

8th Apr 2010 Mac Mackenney
The Elusive Left Hand Drive

1 message

Expedition progress is going well, but what we don't yet have is the elusive second left hand drive Land Rover!

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 .

1st Apr 2010 Steve Mackenney
Faults worth knowing about

1 message

After our day with the Army I found out what were the most likley faults on the Discovery Td5.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

23rd Mar 2010 Mac Mackenney
How Strong?!

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

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!

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

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!

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

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

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

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.

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.

17th Oct 2009 Jim Allen
A true honour

With sore heads we set off to meet our Patron, Sir Stirling Moss.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

Yesterday saw the TV Producer......on radio! And most enjoyable it was too.

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.

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.

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

Jim takes cover from an exploding gas bottle!

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

1 message

Will gets cosy with Hypothermia victim!

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?

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

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

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.

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!

26th Jun 2009 Chris Rawlings
A huge challenge

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

22nd Jun 2009 Will Clough
Tough, but exciting

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

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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