John O' Groats -> Lands End: The MPUK Way!

[Aardvark]

Ok, I've been thinking of doing this for a while now, and when I was considering just what kind of crazy type would be in on it... well I thought of you guys, what can I say :) The basic gist of it is thus:

Start at John O' Groats at 4pm.
Finish at Lands End before 4pm the following day.

Usage of motorways is strictly forbidden.

Now, I already have Elbonio on board to document this great journey. Who else would be up for doing their bit for a proper 'mission'?

Desirable qualities:


Ability to drive
Car with room for 4 adults
Fully comp insurance covering you on other peoples cars
Iron will


This will be something to tell your grandchildren about! :D

[Elbonio]

Rar. This will be fun.

Everyone bring along the most annoying music you can think of!

[Towneh]

I'm game, though kind of hard now i'm a working lad :|

[Aardvark]

Oh and please note the inherent uber convoy possibilities in this venture :)

[Aardvark]

All applicants to #thetrip please :D

[Elbonio]

and wireless games of trackmarnia at 60MPH between 4 cars


\o/

OR

wireless triviabot cars vs cars

whilst moving!111

[Pumpkin]

wimps.

Do it on bikes :)

[Towneh]

Or just as good. I'll bring my fm transmitter and ipod hax and it should be good as long as you drive closely ;)

[say10]

Is there a weight limit for participants? - you already have Elbonio in there and you have to make like 50 mph average or something :P

+ why wireless? wires makes it more fun :D

[Elbonio]

has he ever *seen* a picture of me?

I weigh EIGHT STONE!


:rolleyes:

[Zenith]

I'm tempted.
I'm VERY tempted. :)
Ability to drive ...Check
Car with room for 4 adults ...Check
Fully comp insurance covering you on other peoples cars ...Check
Iron will ...CheckThe problem is that like Towneh, I'm a working bloke now.
When is this proposed roadtrip?

[andyf]

Ok, I've been thinking of doing this for a while now

What, since you read it in Evo 3 months back?? :)

[Mingtea]

OMG, this would be a laugh.


I vote nibbler goes, so I can sit in his car.

[Cyberdude]

Originally posted by andyf
What, since you read it in Evo 3 months back?? :)

LOL pld


Cd

[alipuk]

/me grabs the PPL

[JeRkY]

sounds fun

can drive
can take 4 adults
have fully comp insurance.
iron will...its not as though its *that* far

[Nikumba]

Indeed sounds good, and have the 4 qualifications :)

Nikumba

[Aardvark]

Originally posted by andyf
What, since you read it in Evo 3 months back?? :)

Of course! Its like a holy pilgrimage. Plus they failed. We're WAY better than that :D

As far as 'erm working peeps here' goes, obviously WHEN we do it will depend on who is free when. ote how I haven't planned a date, and also note that this sort of thing can be pretty much any 3-4 days of the year :)

[Switch`]

im interested. but i cant drive, well yet anyway... test around xmas :/ tho if it was done early next year i will probably be up for it.

Bad Music and Large number of men, could be fun :D

[Switch`]

ooops, Double Post :/

[Aardvark]

Ok things to remember here. This isn't really something for people that don't drive. Being as everyone in the car driving really really does help. Also, novice drivers really shouldn't be partaking in this. Experience of fairly long distance driving, and driving on unfamiliar roads, is kind of vital.

[Mouse_On_Mars]

Gah, I can't take 4 and my insurance doesn't cover me for other cars. :(

Passengers complain about the noise anyway. :p:

[lyn]

I cover all 4 items, althou 2 smallest people for the back of the car will be needed.

[Aardvark]

Remember you'll be in a car for 24 hours. Small cars are not good for this.

[JeRkY]

clearly need some identifiable decals or bumper stickers for the participants

[Ryvita]

Sounds like an awful lot of fun... Andy, your car or mine? :)

One thing worth remembering is that this is a game which would take at least three actual days, more preferably a week:

One day to travel down to Lands end, maybe more depending on where you're coming from.
One day to rest up.
24 hours of driving.
At least one day of recovery/celebration.
At least one day to come home.

It is a very, very long way, particularly if you want to also miss motorways.



To inject a little novelty (since every man and his dog does lands end to JoGs) you could change it to doing the four points non-stop.

Furthest west is Lands End
Furthest south is The Lizard
Furthest east is Lowestoft
Furthest north is actually the B855 north of Brough...

Autoroute makes this about 2013 miles. For true comedy value, find a car hire company with no excess mileage policy. This might be a sensible idea anyway, since 2000 miles in my car (at <25mpg) would break me.

Ryvita

[Ryvita]

OK, another idea:

Four cars, in square formation on the M25, four drivers keeping tight formation, 12 wireless laptop equiped gamers.

Either go for duration (battery life would be an issue) or just attempt to do one complete lap of the M25 without loosing wireless connection. :)

Beware though, this way lies the madness that is extreme ironing: next we'll have LAN parties happening half way up cliffs and at the tops of mountains.

Ryv

[Elbonio]

did someone say.. .EXTREME IRONING!!!!111 <cue: rock music>

[JeRkY]

Originally posted by Ryvita
. For true comedy value, find a car hire company with no excess mileage policy. This might be a sensible idea anyway, since 2000 miles in my car (at <25mpg) would break me.



and for that little bit extra, make sure every body rents the same model/colour

[Ryvita]

With my sensible adult head on, I'd point out that hire companies will take a dim view of using their cars in this kind of manner. They will claim it is point-to-point rallying or other such shenannigans.

With my hyperactive kid head on, I wonder if there's any way of doing temporary resprays? Four day-glo orange cars with M on one, P on the next, U, K. driving in convoy down the motorway full of rabid gaming joy.

Gentlemen and Ladies, I give you MobiLAN™

Ryv

Edit: Correction, it would appear that MobiLAN™ is already a trademark of the good people at Mobile Area Networks, Inc. Florida (http://www.mobilan.com/mobilanr.htm).

Further Edit: Oh dear, even worse. mobilan.co.uk (http://www.mobilan.co.uk/) So much for the originality then...

[Elbonio]

Originally posted by Ryvita
I wonder if there's any way of doing temporary resprays?



dont spray it, wrap it.

They wrap your car with adverts and you get paid for it.

http://www.autoboards.co.uk/

we could get them to wrap the cars for a fee, earning money as we went to help pay for the petrol

[Optimus]

id be the perfect candidate, as I know the roads from Birmingham down to Newquay sorta ok (especially as I recently drove from Newquay to Street along the recently flooded coastal roads specifically to avoid the M5)...

unfortunately, only third part fire and theft, and no money to pay for my share of the fuel... ahh well, maybe some other time...

[Aardvark]

Right, further thoughts:

I want to do this in 24 hours. Ryvitas 4 point fun while interesting, may cause death in 24 hours :)

Also we'd be starting at JoG, simply because when we finish, we'd be at Lands End which is WAY closer to civilisation. Theres 300 odd miles of Scotland if we do it the other way round...

If we can do hire cars, so much the better. Very much the preferred option, although of course the unlimited mileage thing is unlikely to be found.

Yes 3 or 4 days at least. I want to start at 4pm if possible, Le Mans and all that!

This shall be done. Oh yes. It SHALL be done :D

[Aardvark]

Originally posted by Optimus
id be the perfect candidate, as I know the roads from Birmingham down to Newquay sorta ok (especially as I recently drove from Newquay to Street along the recently flooded coastal roads specifically to avoid the M5)...

unfortunately, only third part fire and theft, and no money to pay for my share of the fuel... ahh well, maybe some other time...

So the perfect candidate is someone who knows one third of the trip 'sorta ok' with only third party insurance, and no money?

What the hell is up with YOUR dictionary? :D

[Optimus]

Originally posted by Aardvark
So the perfect candidate is someone who knows one third of the trip 'sorta ok' with only third party insurance, and no money?

What the hell is up with YOUR dictionary? :D shh

and given that we'd be taking the driving in shifts, I would be ideal for navigating down Cornwall, simply because the root would be fresh in my mind (trust me... Ordinance Survey maps of that area are the wrong side of... wrong)...

as for the money, you can all sub me so I can bump my insurance up to Fully Comp right? :D

[Elbonio]

People can be insured for the duration of the trip if necessary

[Zero5]

I like to force my way in on thses kinds of trips, so here I am. I have a nice big estate aswell.

[firestorm]

Now i would be up for this. But a nova making the distance and back again. I don't think so. It is very possible to do it in a day. My dad did London to North scotland some where. In 10 hours. Turned around drove back took just over 9 to get back. He then fly off on holiday to the states. Of couse its about 6-7 hours from london to John O' groats using a motorway. :) have fun etc. But i am sure i could either make it in a nova or kill the nova either way would be fun :D

[JeRkY]

New idea, 4 people per team, put £100 per person in, and buy the best car you can get to do the challange in, gotta be cheaper than renting, and you can relax with out the worry of a driver scratching your precious metal while you catch 40 winks in the back.

[Zakalwe]

Right, because EVERY £400 car will be capable of driving from Land's End to John o Groats no problem.

Did you swallow an entire plateful of stupid?

[firestorm]

my nova cost me 300 quid. I am sure it could make it

[JeRkY]

/me regurgitates stupid all over zak....

No of course every £400 car will not make it, part of the challange is choosing one that will

[Zakalwe]

I wonder how much it would cost to black-cab it? :)

[gurubob]

Hey hey, new to the thread. Sounds like a cool idea! I haven't been to JoG or Lands End but I want to before April next year (when I get turfed outta the UK).

I have a Mazda 626 estate, room enough for 4, plus belongings/food/etc etc ... not so sure about 24 hours of solid driving though and getting time off work might be a problem ... well, not really but I am working! :)

www.bobandlinda.com if anyone cares ... I'll keep an eye on this thread :D

[Elbonio]

Yeah dont worry we're taking the driving in shifts :)

which is why we're asking for people who can drive and not dead leg non-drivers :D

[Aardvark]

Also people that don't mind other people driving their cars. Thats kind of a vital thing.

[Zero5]

Originally posted by Aardvark
Also people that don't mind other people driving their cars. Thats kind of a vital thing.

I mind but its the insurence I'm concerned about I'm not sure I have one that covers different drivers.

[Nikumba]

From teh AA

From: John O'Groats,Highld
To: Land's End,Cnwll

Total Distance: 895.2 miles
Total Time: 20 hr 43 min

Nikumba

[Aardvark]

Originally posted by Zero5
I mind but its the insurence I'm concerned about I'm not sure I have one that covers different drivers.

Hence the requirement for the drivers to have fully comp insurance that covers them on other peoples cars.

[RTO]

OMG yes!

I'd just like to chuck my 2p in...

We could do it as a chartiy fundraiser, work on a donation/sponsorship from a hire car firm, other companies etc, and collect sponors... Then generate some hype about it (to please donors/etc) and donate all proceeds to charity.



But I'm in whatever...

[gemz]

A load of cars going from one end of the country to the other.. whilst LANing, taking turns driving, all in 24 hours.. you do realise this will make National news right?

[Guigsy]

i'm up for this. but i dont have insurance to drive other peoples cars :(... but i do have uber laptop wireless hax :)

[ant]

yes, but not in my car in its current state of tune read 210 miles out of 50 liters :), would be a good drive tho but dont want to rack up the miles on the 200, might take the polo 450+ miles to 35 liters is more like it. but its boring and slow

[ShadowMan]

Just to throw a spanner in the works peeps. You do realise that most DoC cover on your policy will only cover you for TPFT on another persons car if you are driving with their permission. This means any crashes whilst you are asleep in the back and someone is driving your car under their policy will not pay out for repairs to your motor.

Best bet with insurance is to add other drivers to the policy of the vehicle being driven as named drivers with Fully Comp cover.

Sounds like a good plan otherwise.

[Noodleman]

Count me in

Im already doing something like this soon with my car, why not do two :p:

[Aardvark]

Originally posted by ShadowMan
Just to throw a spanner in the works peeps. You do realise that most DoC cover on your policy will only cover you for TPFT on another persons car if you are driving with their permission. This means any crashes whilst you are asleep in the back and someone is driving your car under their policy will not pay out for repairs to your motor.

Hmm, I'm not quite following that. If I'm asleep in the back of my car, I can still have given them permission. I'm just not awake at the time.

EDIT: ah yes, your point was that it was only TPFT. Would depend on the cost of additional drivers/value of car in that case. Or if you trust people enough to not crash :D

[andyf]

I'm gonna have to exclude myself from this activity due to the fact driving this distance in my car will cost me (and I worked this out carefully) £625million.

[Zero5]

Originally posted by andyf
I'm gonna have to exclude myself from this activity due to the fact driving this distance in my car will cost me (and I worked this out carefully) £625million.



:confused: How come?

[ant]

and it would cost me even more the way my car runs atm i am currently getting all of 15 mpg

[Aardvark]

I vote we do this on the 30th/31st of December, starting at JoG, in a hire car. That way we get to be in the west country just in time for Stafflan, how convenient! :)

[andyf]

Originally posted by Zakalwe
I wonder how much it would cost to black-cab it? :)

£450 reading to blackpool ...

[andyf]

Originally posted by ant
and it would cost me even more the way my car runs atm i am currently getting all of 15 mpg

Wow you are still in double figures? I should really get my fuelling sorted :p: :rolleyes:

[Elbonio]

whatever happened to this idea?


I want to do it.

[andyf]

I can do it after October - how's that? :p

[Elbonio]

yeah we were just saying on IRC around october onwards

[WhiteKnight]

Just to add my 2p.

I would sugest looking at hireing some MPVs. This would avoid any issues with damaging any one persons car, and any damages can be shared evenly between the passengers or the whole team.

Tell the hire firm what we want to do.
Allow them all the pimping they want.
Contact the various news outlets for national coverage.
Do it in aid of some charity of some description (maybe cancer research as a lot of MPUK currently donate CPU cycles to UD)
Also get some MPUK branding on the cars using temporary stickers (possibly supplied by Boffbowsh`s work)


Several things we would NEED to do tho.

1) have decent external omni-directional antenna on the "accesspoint car".
2) fit the cars out with AC inverters so that the laptops dont "run dry"
3) record stats like "how many games played", "how many packets sent".. stuff like that for the news...
4) get LOTS of video
5) maybe get CB radios or just use mobile phones.... (possibly get orange / o2 / tmobile etc to sponser it too ??)
6) erm.. thats it for now....



Maybe i`m over thinking this, but it could be an amazing publicity stunt.

Btw: i`m up for this. I`m 26, have lots of noclaims, and fully comp insurance. And i`ve got a lot of long distance driving experience. (the first weekend after passing my test I did over 600 miles :D)

[Elbonio]

"Multiplay UK - Great Lans, on a bus"

[m00]

PMR446 radios for teh cheap win :D

[Boffykins]

Why bother with radios? IRC!

[m00]

KISS, imo :p:

[WhiteKnight]

Problem with IRC is the wireless needs to work for it to work.

You need the radios to shout "OI!, Car 2, slow down a bit we are getting packet loss !!"

[Murray-Mint]

If only it could wait until next January or later, then I'd be able to hire a car (21). If there's space for someone who likes driving, has a laptop and most importantly, Tom Tom Navigator, count me in!

[Noodleman]

im up for it, but let me bring the FTO and the carputer :D

[Er00]

Damn, i wish I could drive, but I'd be up for passenger-ing :p

[coldie]

okie my 2p's worth.....

Journie done in 24hrs...

Wireless gaming

BUT!!!

Turn the gaming into a non-stop marathon(gamers dont stop gaming for the entire trip)!

Get big ford Galaxy's - Plenty of room for 3 people (drivers) - And one gamer per car...

THUS!!!! - You can raise sponsorship for the driving and the nonestop wireless gaming hax! - Plus TV peeps always like a twist in it.

Yeh!

coldie,

[SilentMike]

Instead of using radios you should use VOIP.

Maybe have a wireless shoutcast server :D

[Nikumba]

See if we can get sponsohip from a mobile network, let them give us gprs access and challenge people online :) are you good enough to beat teh gaming convoy :)

Nikumba

[lyn]

I'm still up for this and being well over 21 can hire a car,van etc with 15years+ of ncd.
I think oct would be the best time for this with less traffic on the roads and i agree with WK's post about doing it for charity. It would get a lot of press coverage i would think.

[coldie]

loool web cam's over gprs :) - Let people keep track of the cars via the web during the trip!

coldie,

[coldie]

How about.......

turn this into a competition...

Requirments of entry.....

Over 21 - Able to hire a big car - e.g Ford galaxy...
3 drivers - To share to load
1 gamer - to game non stop!

Now... to enter... Each car must raise a certain ammount of money into the competition......

Now the prize? - The car with the best score added together from all the games played over wirless hax.... Get to choose which charity all the money raised goes to!

Now to stop people being stupid.... How about having frequent check points! where the driver must switch!

Thoughts?

coldie,

[lyn]

No you don't want a competition
people will then drive stupid to try and win

[coldie]

The competion is NOT to drive there in the fastest time....(I dont want people racing for glory either)

Its down to the gaming being played over the wireless hax.

Thus not encouraging nubs to do stupid things!

coldie,

[RoboStac]

Don't think I'd ever want to spend that long in a car, it'd be awful. Though I suppose its better than my dad, who's cycling it later this year

Be interested in how well the network survives though :)

[Nikumba]

Get some galaxies like people say and then have a network core car somthing estate ish :) In the middle of the convoy :)

Nikumba

[lyn]

The Wizmobile maybe :D

[Aardvark]

If things are going to get that big, I take a step back from the organisation as I could not organise the consumption of alcoholic beverages in their place of manufacture.

However I do like the idea of doing it for charity, there's lots of sponsorable things that would rake cash in. Cars, games, hardware etc. If we did it as part of a national charity event we could even get the video diaries on TV :)

[Baroness]

The Gumball Rally, MPUK stylee :-)

[WhiteKnight]

Indeed.. but without the multimillion pounds worth of cars, and the £10,000 entrance fee

[Baroness]

...........or ANY of the glamour........

[WhiteKnight]

I dunno, i`m sure we could get wizzo glam`d up a bit....

[Zenith]

Originally posted by Baroness
...........or ANY of the glamour........ Don't put yourself down Ness.
There are PLENTY of people who will do that for you. :)

[WroawMinidisk]

Can i come :D


# Ability to drive
check :)
# Car with room for 4 adults
check, small ones ;p
# Fully comp insurance covering you on other peoples cars
?do you need this if your the owner of the car :)
# Iron will
yup :)

i just thinking about where would be the best place to put a huge wifi areal on my mirca k10 ;p

[alipuk]

ok driving lands end to john o'groats (or vice versa) = 600 + miles

Driving east to west coast the USA = 3000 miles now theres a challenge

[RK[CLL]]

now now, lets start slowly

JoG to Lands End first, the MPUK USA tour next year!!

I would also like to do this, but also add a little titbit to it - every stop that is made, post on the forums, with some pics of proof of where u are at the time

will let ppl not taking part in the drivathon know how far u've gotten!!

[Elspuddy]

i'm in for this only if i can go in alipuks car :)

[andyf]

Originally posted by alipuk
Driving east to west coast the USA = 3000 miles now theres a challenge


3000 miles you say ?

Why, that kind of distance reminds me of something (http://www.gumball3000.com)...

[Zenith]

LadyU and I were discussing the logistics of this the other week. Not going to give details away just yet, but I'm looking to sound out some companies about how to take this forward.

No commitment atm... just getting a feel for the reaction.

[WhiteKnight]

Zen, if you mean the Gumball, I was thinking the exact same thing recently... if you are looking into this, Please please please please please (pretty please) consider me for a co-driver :D

Next years GB3k is in Asia, so i think that one is out of the question, but the following year will probably be europe or USA again.

I have the videos for the last few years, very cool.


If you meant the MPUK trip, I`m in anyway :)

[]Xploit[]

I'd be up for this, only thing is my insurance doesnt cover me on other peoples cars - anyone know an insurance company offering this as standard or summat? :p mind u, i got a P reg 306 1.9 turbo diesel, would be willing to clock a few miles up on that to take part :p

The JoG to Lands End one this is ;)

[Aardvark]

Think every company does it once you're over 25. Not sure on that though.

[]Xploit[]

I'm 24, 25 on July 3rd :p any ideas anyone? :p

[andyf]

Solar powered torch ..

oh right you meant ideas about this trip? Ahh pass ... We're doing a long distance run this Thursday (Essex -> France) so I'll be able to work out just how uneconomical it will be for me :)

[]Xploit[]

could be very economical if u bring back cheap fags / booze and sell it on - however as it is illegal i doubt you'll be doing that ;)

[mr_roll]

I'd be willing to do this if (no-one has mentioned this) if we kept to the speed limits.

And I do about 10p per mile atm, plus my car is using oil at a slow rate, about a litre every 500 miles, I dont have massive driving experience although by october I will and should have all problems sorted out with the oil usage in the engine.

My car if anyone is interested (http://www.fya-lan.co.uk/pics/MyVolvo740/front.jpg)
(its stuck on 192,192 miles so I dont mind putting another 1000 on it. ;)

Maybe get a motoring organisation to follow our convoy too, maybe the AA, be great publicity for them and also get the BBC to follow us, or TOP GEAR!

Ability to drive - check

Car with room for 4 adults - check

Fully comp insurance covering you on other peoples cars - check

Iron will - check

November might be better for me, but I might be able to in October.

[lyn]

The AA is now owned by the french and i doubt they would be interested. They are all about targets these days.

[tiSSue]

Originally posted by mr_roll


My car if anyone is interested (http://www.fya-lan.co.uk/pics/MyVolvo740/front.jpg)


have you got the caravan, roof rack with bikes, 2.4 children, and the lights that cant be turned off :p:

[mr_roll]

Originally posted by tiSSue
have you got the caravan, roof rack with bikes, 2.4 children, and the lights that cant be turned off :p:

lol, no caravan or roof rack, I have no kids, or bikes and the lights can't be turned off, but the bulb is gone in one side light and one running light so they are half off, does that count :P

[mr_roll]

I suggest a few people get these: http://www.b-hague.co.uk/camera_suction_pads_vacuum_mounts.htm

[Exegesis]

at age 17 i drove from North Carolina to Arizona in three days... That's really far, especially to do it solo.
I'd be interested in doing this challenge as well. It would definitely be something to tell the Grand Kids about. As long as it's on a long weekend where i can get away from work to do it.

[mr_roll]

Originally posted by Exegesis
at age 17 i drove from North Carolina to Arizona in three days... That's really far, especially to do it solo.
I'd be interested in doing this challenge as well. It would definitely be something to tell the Grand Kids about. As long as it's on a long weekend where i can get away from work to do it.

You can only come if you woman comes with you :p




(although I wish I could make a demand like that, but I just can't, I'm not in that posituib to do so.:))

[WhiteKnight]

So, has there been any progress on this ?

[andyf]

Originally posted by WhiteKnight
So, has there been any progress on this ?

Yeah, i'm getting my gearbox fixed :D

[Aardvark]

From me? No. From Zenith? Ask him :)

[Zenith]

I've been sitting on my hands about this. I've not forgotten about it though. :)

[Dam0cles]

im up for it.

[LozB]

its feasible i did 2600 miles in 10 days around europe.. even drove the 2nd highest road in Europe. 2300 m the passo de stelvio with 42 hairpins...

[[TRS]MONSTER]

Are there any rules about doing this naked?


:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

[Elbonio]

its a prerequisite isnt it?

[mr_roll]

oh, I have crashed my car since, so I have no way of doing it. But I am looking to get a new car soon

[Elspuddy]

mr roll : we coould GTA 6 Pack ? ;) :P

[mr_roll]

Originally posted by Elspuddy
mr roll : we coould GTA 6 Pack ? ;) :P

Nah, I'll get a better car than that :):P

[NightHawking-]

looks a bit dead, is anything going to happen ?

I might be getting a car soon, so should be able to participate