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Mud and Knobblies - Around the world on CCM SR40s
Hi All,
After speaking to many of you at the mendips meeting last weekend I realised I have never posted a formal intro to mine and Fantastic Mrs Fox's (aka Liz) forthcoming adventures on here, any way so here goes: Over the last year we have been seeking advice and finding out all we can to help us get around the world by motorcycle and now we're 6 and a half months away from our expected departure date of the 1st April 2013. Our route takes us away from Bristol heading south east towards the Balkans where the adventure really begins taking in Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia, then Turkey. After Turkey we go into the Former soviet countries starting in Georgia we head north going into Russia for the first time lapping the following the Caspian coast we explore the wilderness of the Kazakh Steppe heading for Uzbekistan and the Pamirs Highway (if the the problems in the Khorog highlands finish). Then we head north to Almaty going back in to Russia before getting deliberately lost (well kind of) in Mongolia. When we head up back into russia we'll attempt the BAM road before getting to Vladivostok. In late August Liz's Brother is getting married in New York If we're all going to plan we'll attend that wedding before the bike arrive in Canada, where we should be granted Work and Travel Visas and we intend to get employment in a ski resort over the winter before heading south to Argentina, from there who knows... Our chosen steeds are CCM SR40 motorcycles, we chose them after ignoring a lot of advice from people on here on the basis of seat height as Liz is only 5'3" with little legs, but also they look pretty awesome too. We've had masses of help from Gabriel at Zen Overland in getting them ready for travel. Anyway we'd really like you to follow our adventures by visiting our website, www.mudandknobblies.co.uk, following us on Facebook or either me or Liz on twitter. |
Just followed you on Facebook, so thought I'd say hi here (and bump this).
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Good luck and happy trails!
I like your choice of motorbike and am keeping fingers crossed for both of you. Keep us updated, Fantastic Mister Fox. :thumbup1: |
It's been a little while since we posted an update so here one is:
October Update Liz's skills are improving all the time so that's looking good and we're slowing plodding on with sorting stuff out although we'll really hit it hard when we start applying for visas in the new year. |
I written a new blog about our preparations for our trip in November and December
November and December 2012 I hope you find it good reading |
That's it the date is set we're leaving on the 21st April 2013 from the Ace Cafe (Adventure and Overland Day).
If you want to come and chat to us and see us off then you can do so at one of two events. On Friday 19th April 2013 we're having a beer or 17 at the Kings Arms in Brislington. This event is open to friends, family and followers. Bristol Departure Party | Facebook Alternatively please come and see us off at the ace on Adventure Day. Mud and Knobblies Depart From the Ace Cafe on Adventure and Overland Day | Facebook |
Oh man... I just followed your link. I'm really digging the site.
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Thanks for the positive words mate.
I've tried to make it easy to navigate. |
Well done Mr Fox,
I wish u guys good luck and happy exploring. I will be in kasakh, Uz and Turkm in July. |
We're aimin to enter kazahstan in early July at Astrakhan Border then heading through Uzk towards the Pamirs, It would be good to meet up on the road if it's conveinient.
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Here's a little update about what's been going on in the world of adventuring on CCM SR40s. This one includes Paperwork headaches, Bike upgrades and my attempt at Ralling.
January, February and March 2013 |
We would like to thank all our friends and supporters for all the help they have given us over the last few months.
Last night Liz was taken to Hospital with a dislocated knee. She had a MRI scan today and It looks as though they are going to have to rebuild the Joint so for now we're not going anywhere. We still intend to travel this later year, but when Liz is fully recovered. We will hatch a new plan to take Roxy and Lola overland to as many places as possible. I know we aren't traveling now but the muscle weakness caused by Liz being a carrier of Duchene Muscular Dystrophy is one of the symptoms that has lead to this unfortunate incident. This is why we will continue to support all the work that the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign. Matthew Fox is fundraising for Muscular Dystrophy Campaign |
Matt
What bad luck. Best wishes to Liz for a speedy recovery Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD |
It's just a blip....
See it as a blessing that it happened now and not in Turkey or Mongolia etc. You will be better prepared when you finally leave. Enjoy our English summer... It maybe the last one you see in a while. Make the most of our beautiful country.. bier |
Slightly better news today, The specialist thinks that Liz should be ok with a much more minor operation than we first thought.
She should be out of hospital soon and then we'll look to get her some Physiotherapy. New departure date penciled in for September, aiming to start our Journey in Canada. In the mean time we'll need to find new Jobs as unfortunately our old ones are no longer open to us. |
Glad to hear its not that bad!
Been following your story/website since we met at the HU Meeting in Ripley in 2012 (I had pink hair at the time I think;). Tried to contact you via your website, but that didn't seem to work so I gave up in the end. If it makes you feel any better we didn't set off this March as planned either. Had a few troubles completely deminishing our already rather small travel funds, so we have postponed till March 2014 now. At least this way we have more time to prepare (which is coming along rather slowly due to work being rather stressful :(). But I'm exited like a kid before Christmas anyways :D. Oh and we have a website now as well: followingtarmac. Really hope to bump into you guys somewhere on the globe :mchappy: Wish you all the best and good luck! |
thanks for the message, I hope your trip gets off the ground, It's better to wait to do things right.
Are you guys likely to be at HUBB in May/June as we're here for the summer and as long as new jobs allow we're now planning to be there, be good to catch up. That's intresting, I'll have to look at the contact us links on the website to see if they work then. Your website looks good I'll book mark it when i get home. Good luck with your adventures. Matt |
Hm, doubt we gonna come to Horizons this year, although we really want to... after all we're supposed to keep saving :( maybe we'll pop in on one of the international ones somewhere and tell our story so far ;)
If you're ever in London, give us a shout! bier |
If Liz is up for it, we're aiming to be in London on the 21st (next weekend) for the Ace Cafe, Adventure and Overland day.
It was supposed to be our offical departure point but obviously that's no happening. Thanks |
I'll be at the Ace on my MT350 on the 21st
Hope to see you there Ian (Thumper on MTRC) Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD |
Gotta work on 21st but hoping to pop by in any case ;) Would be awesome! Sees ya there!
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We've got a new blog up on the site just briefly explaining what has happened to Liz's Knee and how our plans have changed:
The Importance of Plan B also tonight between 10pm and midnight we'll be talking about all of this on the overland show on BIKERfm - UK's Internet Radio Station for Bikers, It's more than just music |
Greatto see and speak to so many of you at Hubb UK last weekend, and those that we met and have plans that may coincide with our our own we look forward to sharing travel stories and a Beer or two on the road.
There is a new blog on the site please take a look around. A New Plan Begins |
Well we've made it we've finally left the country and our bikes have made it too.
Welcome to Canada Hopefully see some of you on the road. |
Well done Matt
Good luck with the adventure... Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD |
Been pretty chilled out here in Canada for the last few Months got a new blog up not much motorcycling in this one though.
Not Quite the Winter Weather We Were Expecting Anyways we hope to catch some of you guys this year at Either HU Canada West or HU California, and if technology allows via a live link to HUBB UK. |
Hello from Canada, The spring thaw is well underway in whistler, Snowboarding at 26 degrees is awesome. Well in 15 days we start riding north to Alaska/ NWT/ Who Knows so we thought we put up a blog about the final few months of the Whistler Winter.
Massive Dumps and Bears Also on our website you can now subscribe to get our blog updates delivered straight into your inbox (we won't spam you we'll just send an email when we update the website). All you need to do is register using the box in right hand menu bar. Happy Trails Guys, keep riding what ever makes you smile. |
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I know we have been slack at the whole updating the blog thing, so we're a littl behind. Liz had a whoopsie a couple of weeks ago and unfortnately thats kept her of the bike for a few weeks. In the mean time however we are getting some articles up on our website, and here's one about what we were up to in June.
Northern BC, Yukon and Alaska June '14 Happy riding and keep the sunshine on your helmet:scooter: |
Read bits and pieces of your last Blog post ... hope things are improving. bier
What a surprise, eh! Mosquitos in Alaska! Who Knew? :rofl: You were so lucky to get hold of tires! ... just really need to learn how to change them yourselves. ADV 101, no? Fork Seal If you know diameter of your forks then chances are good you can find replacement fork seals. I always carry a set with me, small and cheap. In the meantime ... wrap a rag round fork tube just below fork seal. Zip tie in place. This will soak up oil, prevent it from getting onto rotor/brake pads/tire. :nono: Change rag daily, and refill fork oil daily. (nearly any light oil (5 to 10W) can work in a pinch. As long as fork tube is even half full of oil ... things will function close to normal. beer Have you tried cleaning out crud from in and around the fork seal? (35mm film trick) Or rotating fork TUBE within the fork body? Both could SOLVE THE PROBLEM 100%. Putting in a new seal will prove fruitless if you don't find what caused the seal to leak in the first place. If it's a nick in the fork tube, then it needs to be smoothed down with Steel wool (or similar) ... if not, it will CUT new seal again. Good luck, happy travels. :scooter::scooter::scooter: |
Thanks for the advice, i have changed tyres i just hate doing it, especially heideneaus they have super tough side walls, got a new tyre to put on the rear after HU cali this weekend so more practice to be had there.
Yeah I really know nothing about fork seals, the seal is now sorted so we're all good. Anyhow I'd hate to know everything because life would be pretty boring as never have problems to overcome. |
Well I changed the tyre last week as detail above, I didn't even break a tyre lever or nuffink.
and also here's the next bit of our blog for you to read and realise we still have no clue what we're doing. BC, the Last Days |
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