Yesterday, (21 Oct 1998) I wrote:
Subj: Triumph attempts Birmingham (UK) to Cape town Rally!!!
Date: 21/10/98
To: triumphs@autox.team.net
CC: Thomas.Schmid@softlab.de
Fellow Listers Worldwide:
You may be aware, or not, that last year the Triumph Sports Six Club's late
model Spitfire register Secretary & generally famous Triumph enthusiast and
adventurer:
John Thomason successfully drove his 1963 Vitesse 6 Saloon/Sedan from Peking
to Paris on all of 1596cc, not only did he make it, but he did rather well, I
think he came in about 18th, which was a very creditable result considering
his lack of prior experience and the opposition, things like the Willy's Jeep
(spelling?)....
Anyhow, Off he goes again!!!
Is there no stopping this man and his amazing Triumph Vitesse ?
It seems not!!!
For this time, he is driving from our National Exhibition Centre in
Birmingham, England, via Canary Wharf in London's rejuvinated Docklands...to
Cape Town on the Southern Tip of South Africa !!!
He is not doing this trip alone...BTW, oh no, his co-driver is none other than
John Kipping, yes, that is JK of JK Triumph Spares in Coventry...
the gentleman but for whom, many, many Triumphs would have long since ceased
to function!!!
To the best of my knowledge, they are departing Canary Wharf, (the big white
office building), in London's docklands on the morning of 28th October 1998,
and are due to arrive at a large International Hotel at Cape Town in South
Africa on 1st December 1998.
You may follow this epic adventure, and the two John's progress at the
following URL...(I have been advised, so it had better be correct):
<http://www.he-ro.co.uk/lchome.htm>
This info has been passed on to me by Thomas Schmid (lister) of 1st spitfire
Club Deutschlands, who says:
"Could you please post this information to the list ? (My english is not that
good)"
"Good luck to John Kipping and John Thomason in their Triumph Vitesse !!!"
Thanks Thomas
BTW your English is a darn sight better than my German!!!
Leon F Guyot
also wishing our adventurous friends who have entered the ONLY Triumph in the
rally, all the best of British Luck, and any other kind on offer!!!
Leon
*****************>>>>>>MORE INFORMATION<<<<<<<******************
Today, (Thursday 22 October 1998) I spoke with Fiona Kipping, (John's wife)
and she informed me that they actually depart from the Birmingham
International Motor Show at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham,
England at 1400 hours
(local time) Tomorrow, Friday 23 October 1998, and leave Canary Wharf, London
Docklands at 0800 hours (local time) on Saturday 24 October...
Their First night stop is at Liege in SE Belgium on Sat 24 Oct 98.
They go via Spa, in Belgium and the Nurburgring in Germany to their second
night stop at Kitzbuhel in Austria, thence over the Grossglockner Pass and the
Slovenian Alps to their third night stop at Zagreb, then to an as yet
unspecified 4th overnight stop "Somewhere in Hungary/Romania", then on to
Borovets in Bulgaria for the fifth night, next day they cross the South
Carpathian mountains to Istanbul in Turkey, where they take their 6th night
stop...
thereafter, the route looks like this:
7th night at Nevsehir, then via Cappadocia to the
8th night at Antakya, then via Krak des Chevaliers to
9th night at Damascus, then
10th night at Amman, past the Dead Sea to
11th night at Petra, then
12th night at Aqaba, then
13th night at Sharm-el-sheikh, then
14th night at Za'farana, then
15th night at Hurghada...then due to war etc, the entire rally is being
airfreighted
to Entebbe/Kampala where they spend their 16th night, before proceeding
to Eldoret and the 17th night, then
18th night is at Nairobi...
At this point there is an optional trek for the 4x4 adventure drive vehicles
via
the Ngorongoro Crater (19th night), and Arusha (20th night)...I am advised by
Fiona that the Triumph will be joining in with the 4 x 4's for this!!!!!
They are also due to visit Kilimanjaro and the Usambara Mountains.
They spend night 21 at Dar-es-Salaam and
Night 22 at Morogoro, before
Night 23 at Mbeya, before visiting Lake Malawi and
Night 24 at Mzuzu
Night 25 is at Lilongwe, with
Night 26 at Lusaka, then
Night 27 at Victoria Falls in Zimbabawe
After visiting the Chobe National Park, they progress to
Night 28 at Maun
Then they continue to Namutoni (Night 29) and the Etosha National Park
Thence to Windhoek for Night 30
After that to Swakopmund: Night 31 and then
Sesriem: Night 32 and via the Sossusvlei Dunes to
Keetmanshoop: Night 33 via the Fish River Canyon to
Augrabies Falls: Night 34 to
Lambert's Bay: Night 35 then either via Cederberge to Ceres
or directly to Cape Town, and the Cape of Good Hope....
by 2nd December 1998.
That is all I have so far...
(Route is subject to amendment)
Best check out that web-site at <http://www.he-ro.co.uk/lchome.htm>
Regards
Leon F Guyot
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