Well, we are somewhere over the Atlantic now, trapped in the middle seat and heading home. I’ve now had a little time to reflect on the route for next year’s Great Race from New York to Paris and the road that we’ve traveled so far.

We have a terrific route in place from New York, across Canada, through China, and in Europe. As you may know, we will be back on the road in a few weeks to connect China to Berlin. One thing is certain; you will be blown away by that drive into Paris; what a way to Finish.

It’s been a few days since my last post and the snowstorm west of Salzburg, so I try to bring you up to speed with a few highlights as we drove into Paris.

Salzburg to Zurich; As I said in my previous post, it snowed in September. That made the day very interesting. I know we traveled some great roads and crossed two mountain passes. At least, I think they were and I would know for sure, if we could have seen passed the hood of the car.

Zurich to Lausanne; Wow, what a great driving day. The snow was gone and summer back came back with a vengeance. Lausanne was beautiful and we traveled over two of the most spectacular roads you will ever drive; just think James Bond, switchbacks and alpine meadows.

Lausanne to Troyes (pronounced “Twa”) Our introduction to France was a drive through the French countryside on more great country roads, which travel through scenic farmland and forests before entering the city. Troyes is known for its unique houses and a picturesque town square, which is a short walk from our hotel and well worth the effort.

I would advise you to spend your last night before the short drive to Paris by sitting in the square and enjoying the atmosphere over some good food, drink and camaraderie. By now, you will have a few stories to share about your experiences over the previous 64 days. Those are stories that will last a lifetime.

The Great Race 2008: New York to Paris will certainly be the adventure of a lifetime. The challenge is in the journey. It is a chance to persevere, to explore, and to experience what very few people ever will. Yes there will be a winner but ultimately, success will be defined by finishing in Paris.

For the participants, The Great Race begins as soon as you cross the George Washington Bridge leaving Manhattan and it will finish as we drive under the Eiffel Tower. At that point, you will have driven nearly around the World.

We have worked diligently on locating and securing quality lodging. You will experience a variety of hotels, all are the very best that we can find in the city and some are world class. Security will be provided each night. Each hotel is situated so that you will have a chance to explore the sites and sounds of each new city.

Will it be easy? I can tell you that it will be a walk in the park compared to the adventurers who participated in 1908. Having driven the route so far, I can tell you that preparation will be the key to success. Fuel is not a problem and water is available for both you and your car. The food varies by the country.

You will need to adapt to the local culture and be mindful of the fact that the experience is part of the adventure and one that I believe will be reward you with a lifetime of memories.

One last note; DON’T FORGET YOUR CAMERA.

On the road,

Wayne

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 12th, 2007 at 1:15 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Well, we are continuing our trip and the light of Paris is in sight. I haven’t posted an update in two days, due to internet challenges on the road. I could access the internet, use my email and my VOIP phone to call anywhere in the world from Western China, but have been challenged over the past two days in Western Europe. We’re back on track today, so I will try to bring you up to date.

When we set out in mid-July on the beginning of this around-the-world trek, I had packed for summer weather. As we continue our search of the very best route for our world participants and one that will do justice to the pioneers that made this journey in 1908, I think we are on the right track.

Although, if those men and their great cars had driven into the summer blizzard we experienced in the Austrian Alps, it would have been a non-event compared to what they went through. For us, it was an adventure and gave me a greater appreciation for the feat that they accomplished so long ago.

Yesterday on our route from Salzburg, Switzerland to Zurich, we drove headlong into summer blizzard that forced even the experience drivers in the Alps to stop. Cars, busses, motorcycles and trucks were all stopped in their tracks by the sudden onset of a winter storm in September. The Austrian police even flagged us down to ensure that our vehicle was equipped with winter tires. I assured him that it was, but he walked to the front of the car anyway to looked at the front tires somewhat blurred by the white out and then waved us on. A few hours and hundreds of curves later, we arrived in the sunshine in beautiful Zurich, Switzerland.

By the way, gas and ATM’s are plentiful.

The lights of Paris are on the horizon an as we make the turn towards the west and continue to follow the spirit of those that made a trip similar to this nearly a hundred years ago.

On the Road,

Wayne

This entry was posted on Friday, September 7th, 2007 at 6:51 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

As we reach Europe on day 58, of the 65-day Great Race, Paris is in sight for our world cars, but first some of the most historic and scenic cities in the old world are calling.

By the time we reach Berlin next year, the world teams will be tired and ready to finish so we shortened the European route a little, limiting the driving opportunities to some of the very best roads in Europe.

Over the next few days, we will report to you on what we’ve discovered as the final week of the greatest race of the new century unfolds.

Upon leaving Berlin, we turned south–a direction we have not seen much of, since leaving New York. After a day of driving along the back roads and through the small towns of Germany, we crossed into the Czech Republic and finished the day in Prague.

Often called “the golden city”, Prague is incredibly beautiful, located on the River Vitava in the heart of the Czech Republic.

I encourage you to walk around and take in the sights of one of the world’s most beautiful and unique cities. Those are not my words, but the words of world travelers that consistently put Prague at the top of the must see destinations of the world.

The route from Prague to Salzburg got even better, with more spectacular scenery. The castles get bigger, lunch in town was out of a storybook and to finish the day in Salzburg was not a bad day’s work.

We had dinner in a dining room that has been serving customers for 1,200 years, just steps away from where the sound of music was filmed.

It snowed last night, just a few hundred meters above Salzburg. My luggage and jacket are still somewhere in Russia trying to catch up with me. Fortunately, that is one problem you won’t have to worry about–we’re taking care of your luggage, from New York to Paris!

Well, back to work. We are on the road in to the Alps tomorrow, in search of more of what will ultimately be what you will experience as you go around the world with us in 2008, THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED!

On the road,

Wayne

BTW, I will report on Berlin on our next trip. Our schedule is very tight as we’ve got to finish Europe then return to Urumqi for the drive through Kazakhstan and Russia.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 5th, 2007 at 9:19 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

After Twelve days in China and I am please to report that we have a great route in place. Tomorrow, we leave for Berlin and continue on to Paris. We will then return to Urumqi in a few weeks to complete the finale stage of the 2008 world route, from Urumqi to Berlin, via Kazakhstan, Russia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland

Day 12: We left Turfan and continued across the Gobi Desert headed for the city of Urumqi, the capital of China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. The route started with winding roads through the vineyards south of Turfan, across the barren desert and finally climbing into the Tien Shan (Heavenly) Mountains. We finished the day descending Tien Shan and arriving at our great 5 star Hotel, here in Urumqi.

I thought I would finish up this post with a summary of what to expect in our drive across China. First of all, the roads are much like any country around the world. There are the hi-tech expressways that reach nearly across this vast land, there are National Roads, one of which is 312, China’s “Route 66″, which we followed for most of the way. National Road 312 is China’s longest road.

Then there are the Provincial and county roads, which we spend a fair amount of time on, enjoying a first-hand look at this amazing country and its people.

Driving across this country you will experience a variety of conditions, but none that are not easily negotiated. If you wanted to, you could drive from all the way, Shanghai to Urumqi on the Expressway.

In deference to the traditional Great Race formula of fun and challenging roads, spectacular scenery, interesting stops, accurate course Instructions and great camaraderie, we will drive “the road less traveled across China. In total, we have chosen to drive a more interesting route which uses, all the roads described above, and a few that are not!

In The Great Race, you will have the opportunity to be a tourist in a most unique and wonderful way. We have identified a number of great things to do, not the least of which is meet the people of China. For example, there are many opportunities to pull over and walk through a country market, and take many photos of the amazing country.

Food and fuel were questions that we can say are no longer a concern. There is fuel everywhere. Breakfast will be provided each day at the Hotel, and dinner is available in the Hotel each night, or we will guide you to places outside the hotel and after few days you will get a hang of it.

Lunch is more of a challenge. For the adventurous, there are loads of opportunities provided to experience the local food. Every day, we ate in a variety of restaurants along the route. If you stick with food that is hot and cooked to order, and has not been sitting around you will be fine. Avoid uncooked items, fruits and vegetable. You can drink the tea and eat the rice. And bottled water is everywhere including at every gas station. Most hotels have bottled water in the room. If not, you can buy it in the lobby for about 30 cents a bottle, or less.

Bottom line, you are in for a treat as you travel around the world on The Great Race. So far, we have been on the road from New York, across the beautiful and wild country of Canada, and as I write this from Urumqi, China we are about half way to the finish line in Paris.

Words for the day; Ya Qian (yah cheean) “tooth pick”, you will need it!

Xie Xie (sheyea sheyea) “Thank you”
”
On the road,

Wayne

This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 4th, 2007 at 9:37 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Last night we spent we were in “small” town of Hami, (population 300,000) Hami is the home of the sweet Hami melon and was first established in the 18th Century as the “mighty guard of the Tien Shan” mountains nearby. Our hotel last night was the 4-star Jageda, which was very nice.

We started the day following secondary roads through vineyards west of town. It appears that the donkey and cart is still one of the main forms of transportation through western China because we encountered many of them on the road. It feels like time stood still.

I am amazed that we continue to find roads that don’t exist; at least according to my very detailed map they don’t. In fact, today we had lunch in a city with a population of 20,000, and it’s not on the map! The owner of the restaurant assured us that we were in a town that does exist and agreed that while it was not on the map, we could get lunch there. Not to worry, the course instructions we will provide, will get you to lunch in town of Shan Daoling.

After lunch, we followed the missing road out of town and joined National Road ‘312″ which has been called China’s “Route 66″.

The “low point” of the day occurred this afternoon when we reached an altitude of minus 57.5 meters, (159 feet below sea level). Near this location is the second lowest place on Earth after the Dead Sea, (417.27 meters or 1,369 feet below sea level). By the way, Death Valley is 282 feet below sea level.

Gasoline is still abundant with fuel stops always nearby. Best of all, out here in the west, the fuel is cheaper at around $2.50 US, per gallon.

The weather is warm and dry about 90 degrees today. Traffic is light and easy to manage even in the cities. You get use to the unique driving style and the uncanny way that everyone seems to understand the system here in China. You will be a student in the driver’s seat when you begin in the East and by the time you reach Turfan you will have graduated.

It’s a good thing because tomorrow we finish in the western city of Urumqi, (Wulumuqi) with a city with a population of 3.2 million people. It should be fun!

That will mark the end of the end of Stage 2 of The Great Race 2008: New York to Paris and Great Race China.

Then its on to Berlin, Germany for the drive on to Paris, to end this course run of The Great Race 2008: New York to Paris and Great Race Europe.

On the Road,

Wayne

This entry was posted on Monday, September 3rd, 2007 at 9:55 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Day 10 - Dunhuang to Hami

Our hotel last night in Dunhuang, was located at the foot of mountain sized sand dunes. After dinner, we visited the dunes and road a camel. You will be thankful for your racecar after that!

A four-star hotel, miles from the beaten path is a thing of beauty after a day on the road and an hour on a camel, (it was one of those “tourist” things you should probably do. When in western China!. )

Today, we traveled from Dunhuang to Hami, another oasis along the Silk Road. Hami is known for its melons and fruits. You will see the ever-present venders along the road and the unique way in which drivers just stop right in the traffic lane and negotiate for melons. Trucks fly by, honking their horns, a polite and commonly accepted way to alert you to their presence.

We purchased our melon and continued west. 150 kilometers into the day, we crossed into China’s last Province, Xinjiang Uygur. At the border we are asked for our vehicle’s registration, and our driver Sim had to show his Driver’s License, we were then on our way.

That was the first time in nearly 4,000 km we have been stopped, other than to pay tolls. Xinjiang Uygur Province is China’s largest covering 1.6 million square kilometers and is one sixth of China’s land mass. And only 18 million people live here!

Lunch today was at a truck stop and was an experience. We paid a total of $3.75 for 3 giant bowls of noodles and vegetables. I can’t describe the truck stop–except to say that I think I remember seeing it in a Star Wars movie!

Today’s traffic consisted almost solely of trucks with an occasional car and of course the locals on everything from a typical three wheeler to a horse herding goats.

Western China is on the same time zone as Beijing 4,000 km east, so the sun sets and rises late in the day. The locals go to work at 10:00 AM, eat lunch at 2:00 PM, and usually lasts 2 hours and then, its back to work from 4 to 8. (This makes it easy to get a seat in a restaurant.)

You will not have any problems finding gas. It’s everywhere. The gas is full service and usually the attendants are young people; girls and guys. You pay cash too. They don’t take credit cards. The cost is about $3/US per gallon and you can usually choose 90, 93, 97, or 0 (that’s diesel). Everyone has 90 and 93.

Now the phrase for today; “JIA MAN” (like” ya man,” you know LIKE IN JAIMACA, BUT SAY THE J!. JA MAN)

Definition — “FILL ER UP!”

We are at a great 4-star hotel in the heart of Hami tonight. Good parking, good food, GOOD NIGHT

On the road,

Wayne

This entry was posted on Sunday, September 2nd, 2007 at 9:43 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Jiauguan is sometimes translated as “nice valley,” and really is. Our hotel was the four-star, Chang Cheng Hotel, located very near the rail station and has some very nice rooms . . . and internet! Jiauguan is located on the great “Silk Road, located in a desert valley, forcing caravans to stop there, en route to, or from the east. The westernmost fortress of the Great Wall was built here, as well as the wall’s oldest signal tower.

After leaving Jiayuguan, we are traveled west and climbed to an elevation 1948 meters. We were greeted by a rare summer thunderstorm and the desert was flowing with water, an event I’m sure, that would have given the caravans that traveled this route between 1 AD and the 15th century a reason to smile.

Caravans traveling the Silk Road virtually disappeared as the sea routes from the Far East were established in the 15th century. Today the Caravans consisted mostly of trucks transporting goods all over China; and us today as we head west in search of more great driving roads.

We are now 3100 km west of Shanghai in “Yumen,” which between the 6th and 10 century was the western boundary of China. The roads continue to be great and the traffic has become sparse, compared to eastern China. We continue to explore for the road less traveled route but have had the expressway at our disposal should we need it, as we head deeper into the Gobi desert.

One thing that you cannot imagine is the amount of farmland that you pass through on these first 9 days. Did you know that 70% of the Chinese population is involved in farming? That’s 900 million farmers!

Tonight, we are spending the night in a great hotel at the edge of the sand dunes in the Gobi. The hotel blends into the surrounding desert and is fashioned after a frontier fort. Dunhuang is one of the key oases along the Silk Road.

Before arriving at our fort we visited the Mogao cave or grottos, containing 491 individual caves. The caves are a treasure trove of Buddhist statues and paintings and are really a delight.

Lunch was again great! In fact you will get a chance to enjoy it, if you join us for Great Race China or for New York to Paris next summer.

Gotta go, dinner is on the way. We are going to sit in the bar on the rooftop deck and watch the sun set over the Gobi desert. (jealous?)

On the road,

Wayne

BTW, the phrase of the day; Qing lai yi ping pijiu! (Ching lie ee ping peejeeo) Or, please bring me one bottle of beer!

This entry was posted on Saturday, September 1st, 2007 at 9:48 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.