APPENDICES
APPENDIX 1: The Vehicle
APPENDIX 2: Paperwork & Legal
APPENDIX 3: Equipment
APPENDIX 4: Route, Maps, & Stats.
APPENDIX 5: Mountain Driving, Solo Driving, & Serpentine Sections
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APPENDIX 1: The Vehicle
I deliberated long and hard about which vehicle to take. One thing I have studied equally long and hard over the whole of my adult life is overland expeditions. Since 1959 when I first got enthused about Land Rovers I have amassed a wealth of information (and driving hours) about and in these vehicles' getting to know well their capabilities. However my journey wouldn't include very much off-road work. The criteria governing the acquisition of a vehicle were many. Not being a hostage to my own predilection for one of Solihull's finest I considered a number of vehicles. These included the new Ford Maverick, a Nissan Terrano lwb, a Volvo XC, and a Mazda Tribute, as well as a Defender.
May main concerns and therefore the criteria were first, strength. It would be advantageous to have a vehicle with a chassis. In addition to strength a chassis tends to remove some of the vibration and noise on 4x4s. Servicing and repairs would be a factor too. Universality with known vehicles helps a lot in out-of-the-way palces. The Arctic tundra of Porsanger is no place for a new model. Ground clearance and 4x4 capability: although I was not planning to travel off-road, I may well be (and in the event was) on field, meadow, and gravel tracks, as well as extreme gradients, locally in excess of 1in2. Thus four wheels driving the ship plus ground clearance is critical here and with icy roads, muddy tracks, and winter conditions, low ratio gears and diff lock in addition to high ratio would be an advantage.
Load carrying capacity (weight and volume) is a major consideration. I was planning to carry up to 300kg; in the final phase of the journey it amounted to between 220kg and 250kg plus my 100kg weight, plus 17 gallons of fuel. I needed space but was prepared to 'minimise' on some items. Economy: I needed a vehicle with 'long legs' ie would go long distances between re-fuels. This was a necessity despite the plan to carry jerricans.
Other criteria were also important. I had to fit in the vehicle, with elbow-room in the cab. My 'eye-line' had to be well below the rear-view mirror. I'm 6'5" so headroom is critical; not putting it too finely, I had to be comfortable. Capacity for lamp-guards, roof-rack, bull bar for spotlights - all had to come into the equation.
I read every book, expedition account, and document that I could lay my hands on concerned with overlanding. I went up to the Royal Geographical Society and ferreted through their library for an afternoon mulling over books on Scandinavia, overlanding, and solo work.
The choice was between buying a new Defender or a derelict vehicle and building it to my spec.. Time wasn't on my side and I plumped for the Defender - a one week old model (yes I kid you not): a 90 Td5 County Station Wagon; the Terrano came second by a whisker. [[ Make no bones about it, Terranos were stunningly good vehicles and if they still made them I'd still be driving one.]] As it is I still drive a Defender, identical to though younger than, Winston.
Winston officially 'named' and christened on April 2nd, in a ceremony, by the secretarial staff at my then place of work, was EN51 ZGD registered on 29th January 2002: a remarkable beast; for all you afficionados it did not leak through the roof! This is most important and only if you've ever been a Land Rover owner will you appreciate this!! It was running on LR Boost alloys 235/85 R16 General Grabber TRs - excellent in every way; Epsom Green (what else?). The lump : a 2,497 cc turbo-charged and intercooled diesel peaking at 1,950 rpm. Maximum power at 4,200 rpm is 122 bhp, with torque at 1,950 rpm 221 lbs/ft. Brakes servo assisted front and rear. Heavy duty suspension was fitted. But then you knew all this anyway.
Winston had a few luxuries: electric windows, alarm, and mobiliser, HRW/RWW, radio (yes to a Land Rover owner that is a luxury) and - new to the '02 model - no bulkhead just internal crash bars behind the front seats angled down to the floor and chassis; this makes access easier. I had lamp guards fitted and a very loud Italian lorry horn.
I decided against a roof rack - not needed for one person in a 90; if you as one person can't get everything in a 90 for your exped you're doing something wrong! Pack less! Pack it better. Thought also about spots, but it would be virtually 24 hr daylight for the duration so, no. Internal aluminium brackets were fashioned to hold a couple of jerricans once I'd hit my Norway base in Kinsarvik.
