Baltic ice road challenge
 

What started as a chilhood dream is slowly turning into reality, To Drive across the Baltic Sea!! With a little work we have found our route but all pending on the weather, Leaving Sometime in December 2008 We plan to drive across four ice roads linking islands off Estonia, Our Vehicle is a Discovery 300 TDi,1994,
I'm sure we will have loads of pit falls but a load of fun on the way, anyone wishing to join us then you are very welcome:funmeteryes::D

Hi lidel,

Don't want to distress you but sometime winters in Estonia are not enough cold for opening ice roads between islands.

In example last winter (2006/2007) only 2 ice roads were open: from mainland to Saaremaa and Vormsi. Other roads to Hiiumaa and Kihnu were closed. Year before was better (after many years) and we could take even the road to Kihnu with bikes. There have been years ice roads were not open at all. So it all depends on weather conditions.

Usually the coldest winter month in February and warmest is December. So I woulds suggest to leave this trip in January or February, not December. Anyway this year no ice roads are open yet, we haven't have any cold yet :)

--
Janc

Janc, Thanks very much for the information this is the sort of stuff we are looking for, Its seems very difficult to pin down anyone who can give us any details on the ice roads!!! ie weight limits ect?? We will be leaving late January 2009 to give us half a chance but we are travelling open minded so if the weather is agaist us there is always other years
Once again thanks
Adi / Dinah; ps Any other information would be wonderfull:thumbup1:

There is a TV programme running in the UK at present which is about the ice roads in Canada - travelling on about 2 feet (600mm) of ice, but obviously this is somewhat variable, 5-6 wheel trucks are carrying loads of up to 17 tons.

The road itself has a "highway authority" responsible for maintaining the running surface and assessing the strength etc and then advising the truckers about what is a safe load - maybe it is the same in the Baltic?

About ice road limitations:
Ice road - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The links in there go to the same TV programme that has been showing in the UK recently - it has been relatively interesting, without too much high drama but with plenty of factual content.

A question for Janc
Could you please give us an update on the weather situation up your way?? I know 2009 is a fair way off but we keep hearing reports that the weather is really mild up in Estonia and no ice roads have formed so far in 2008, Many thanks
Adi

No snow, no ice... It's been so unusually warm winter so far here, but indeed scientist say our lattitude is among those that are affected the most by the global warming effects in the winter time.

As Margus already said, we have very poor snow conditions this year. It has been officially announced no main ice roads will be open at all.
You can check weather forecast of Estonia from here: EMHI

Ok thanks for that, Then can you try harder for 2009:thumbup1: We will continue with the plans and see what happens, we plan to leave February 2009 and which ever way we cross we plan to have a ball!!:thumbup1:
Cheers
Adi

Hoof sponsoring, Baltic ice road challenge,
 

The Baltic ice road challenge is being launched at the 24 hr Le Mans on the 15th/ 16th June, come and see us on the Beasejour camp; sponsored by Hoof !!!
The planning for the trip is going well and Margo the discovery is well on her way with preperation,

Most of the boys toys bought from ebay saved a fortune untill we drove 1500 miles collecting everything!!! ok back to ebay:scooter::funmeteryes:

I guess it does not pay to buy parts from ebay then? I had thought of doing the same myself, but would have to travel from Morocco to the UK to collect them.:confused1:

E bay has been great fun and to be honest i have bought top gear, but have only bought things like Safari snorkel, wheels, diesel cab heaters, sump gaurds, ect, major stuff we have bought new!!

But as i said great fun and you meet some lovely people!!:D

I'll be at Le Mans, for my annual pilgrimage, we'll have to meet up if we can.

And I've got to ask, who, or what, are Hoof (apart from the obvious answer)?

Hi hoof is a brand new company making shirts, well any clothing really but mainly shirts for us larger guys, any size they limit every design to 25 or make one offs, They are making our Baltic ice road ream shirts with all the logos ect, Watch out for the name Hoof they really have tapped into a graet market,
have a look on hoof4u.com
anyway we are down on the Beasejour campsite if you pm us we can give you are numbers, plus we have a hotel and bar here in france and overlanders are very well looked after!! drink is on the bar !!!:thumbup1:

hoof4u.com sorry forgot the www bit,

I have a friend who lives in Normandy, might see if I can make Le Mans this year. I haven't been since 2003.

We are lucky in Morocco as there are a huge number of 4X4's, and a lot of scrapyards selling off parts, which is were I have found most of mine. If you are looking for a bargin, you should come here :cool4:

Well if you come to Le Mans come and have a drink at our camp, you can't miss us, Baltic ice road challenge on the Beausejour campsite, the only camp that will be covered in ice in June, or call into our hotel, in Pre en Pail, The hotel de Bretagne, all overlanders are made very welcome,:scooter:

I googled for your hotel and realised I've been in it (well the bar anyway) a good few times. I used to go to Dreux for the annual Mini Owners Meeting there and Pre en Pail (or Ready in a Bucket as we called it) was the halfway stop, so we'd pull up and have a beer before the next leg.

How long have you owned it?

Hi
Dinah has owned it now for just over four years, before that the bar was tiny but now has a bar full of overlanders tales and pictures, including a world map watching where everyone is!!
When was the last time you called in??:thumbup1:

Hmmm, now that would be errr 5 years ago - damn.

Anyway have friends in Laval which isn't that far away so I may well pop over and see...

That would be cool, and we are always up your way, we have friends in Callac, I'm away in India the last three weeks in May, Picking up a Mahindra jeep!!!!!!! When everyone has stopped laughing:thumbup1: we have a house and work out their so we needed something!!!!!!:Beach::palm::stormy:

I take it you go every year? Is the Beausejour campsite the best one to stay at? Most appreciated:cool4:

Beasejour is a fair way out from the track and this is the first year we are camping!! the best person to speak to is Brian at 1st tickets on 01767 680119 or Motor Sport Events from 1st-tickets.co.uk But you will have to be quick as most sites are fully booked,
all the best and see you thier!!!

Well the Baltic ice road challenge just gets Bigger Baltic ice road challenge if anyone wants to join in then check it out, you can here all about it every Thursday night on Colin Young BBC Radio Shropshire, and brill music,

I can't speak french so i'll let the funky music do the talking

Baltic ice road challenge:clap::scooter:

Well the disco is coming on
http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/m...e/DSCN0931.jpg

Bigger - heavier? and the ice was very thin last winter.

Did find out an interesting and slightly odd icey thing though, you can in theory drive all the way from Lahti in Finland to St Petersburg across a chain of canal connected lakes. Although, you might have to drive off the ice and round the locks of course.

You can also use Cannal of Saima from Iisalmi to St P it'll be more reliable.

Ok cheers will check it out!!:thumbup1: