Daily report March 8, 2007
As expected, most of us had a headache, a dizzy spell and a sick feeling today. After a more or less restless night, many of us were absolutely shattered although we spent the night at a place almost similar to a *****hotel (at least in comparison to my last expeditions).
Let’s describe the situation: Our base camp is an old police station in an altitude of 4500m. After the station was on fire years ago, it has been rebuilt in 2007. We are, so to say, the first visitors. The rebuilding has not been finished yet but at least, we are all sheltered from wind and weather. We live in narrow conditions (15 people together in 30m²) but it is much better than camping. Water is only distributed in rations.
Today, it was important to check the performance of all team members in order to get them in the right groups for the following days. That is why we went on a 4-hour-hike in the morning and a 1.5-hour-hike in the afternoon. The first chosen route led from 4500 up to 5000m in a distance of 10km. The second one had a distance of approximately 4km. The team consciously reached its performance limits. After returning to the station, Hubertus, Hans, Joachim und I analyzed the latest route findings and grouped the participants for tomorrow.
Despite best preparation of everyone, big performance differences are noticeable which force us to postpone our expedition plans by one day. Thus, we start our record ride on Saturday at 4 a.m.
However, not only the team had to stand a hard testing today but also the Jeep® Wrangler vehicles. Both cars had to prove their capability of driving over boulders, rocks and sand.
In addition, we tested the tipping limits (sloping rides until just before the drop) in an altitude of around 5000m, the differential locks, the shocks and steering stabilizers, the different reduction possibilities and so on. The results look quite impressive. I cannot remember to have driven an off-road vehicle before, that makes such extreme rides that easy. The effect of the stabilizers is incredible; also the power of the engine is very good (it is fantastic how the car copes with steep passages during the idle running). The wheel track is fabulous and thus the tipping limits and so on. I really have no complaints.
Today, we provided the 8x8 Argos® with equipment and will use them as our transport and rescue vehicles. We will test them tomorrow as well and then we will climb up to 5950m.
Close to the place where the record track begins, we will set up magazines and park the Argo® vehicles there, for their use on Saturday morning. At the same time, the film- and photo teams took beautiful shoots and extraordinary pictures.
While sitting and writing here, I am getting a message from Argentina:
Apparently, there is another competitor, a Mitsubishi sponsored team, which is also trying to break the record. At the moment, the team is supposed to have reached an altitude of 6025m. I am not sure yet what to think about it, but obviously we started a big wave with the Jeep® Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 2007. I will try to check the truth of this information.
Along with Jeep®, my team and I should actually start to be pleased débuting all other brands, even though that is not my style. However, when so many people make the effort to break our record, we will give them an answer with our performance and with the performance of our cars.
