Another Mad Dog -No Relation

The Mad Dogs and Englishmen Citroen 2CV rally car.

Well it seems that we are not the only Mad Dog rally team on the planet. I came across this crew of certifiable lunatics while roaming around the web just recently. Actually I'm unbelievably impressed. While my own rally driving effforts are quite superficially macho with lots of revs, opposite lock and power slides, its all done with a car in top condition, driving through civilised countries and (more recently) with a service crew to look after us when things go south. Furthermore the whole event, including return to the UK, is over in 7 days and almost everynight is spent in a comfortable bed (OK, OK, we spent most of one night on the side of a mountain when we crashed last year but you know what I mean).

On the other hand these guys spend 4-5 weeks driving 10,000 miles in (by the definition of the rally organisers) a crap car from London to Mongolia and endure all sorts of hardships including bandits, corrupt officials and marauding yaks, not to mention every kind of road surface possible. One of the aims seems to be to collect bizarre stories to tell in the pub afterwards although apparently the primary purpose is to raise money to buy cows. The whole thing sounds unbelievably difficult, dangerous, hilarious and very worthy: I raise my glass to you all with the utmost respect and admiration. Oh and do check out the Mongol Rally website: it makes a very good read.

Oh, and needless to say a couple of total maniacs did the 2005 event in a Mini...!