Heading north again
Jack Burnford | 18th Oct 2009
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.
Why are we back there? Because we drove for a couple of days to get to Faro to meet up with Sir Stirling Moss, our patron, the guy who's set the standard in 1952 in a Humber Super Snipe.
Was it worth it - absolutely. I'm ashamed to admit, but I had to ask him to sign my Camelbak!
We were recreating his trip to use as a test run for our world record attempt - a chance to test our driver rotation, sleeping in the back of a van, eating food cooked on an engine etc.
It's been a great trip - we all feel a real sense of achievement but more than that an absolute respect for what Sir Moss achieved in far harder circumstances. He was telling us yesterday that they had different drivers for different road situations in his vehicle. A guy who was used for the long straights - good long range concentration to put good consistent miles on the clock. Sir Stirling was deployed when the roads got more interesting, through towns, up mountains etc - the racing driver, someone to keep the average speed as high as possible in the corners and keep the Super Snipe on the road. Super cool.
It was an amazing to meet him, a true gent and finding myself sitting down having a cup of tea with a racing legend made the trip to Faro even more than worth it.
We were also told that all of our updates were going straight onto his website and a cut of the film Will and I will be making of the trip might find it's way onto his site - great publicity for us and hopefully a kick start to getting some donations coming in, but more than that, an amazing endorsement of what we're undertaking.
275 miles to go now to Santander airport and the flight home, then it’s back on the trail of potential sponsors.
HOMEPAGE :: Oslo To Lisbon
Other blogs by Jack Burnford
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Jack BurnfordLuckily I'm not there to fix engines!
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18th Oct 2009 Jack BurnfordHeading 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.
13th Oct 2009 Jack Burnford14 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!
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Other Oslo To Lisbon Blogs
20th Oct 2009 Jim AllenGoing home courtesy of P&O
On the P&O ferry on the way home – Bilbao to Portsmouth.
19th Oct 2009 Mac MackenneyThe final leg of the 'Moss Marathon' is underway.
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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 MackenneyAm I dead?!
I come to. As I prise my weary eyes open I can see nothing, hear nothing and feel nothing.
17th Oct 2009 Jim AllenA true honour
With sore heads we set off to meet our Patron, Sir Stirling Moss.
16th Oct 2009 Jim AllenWe've Arrived
The guys woke me up just before the border to say that we had made it in time.