Pyrenees Mountains Expedition 2009

Hi All,

Well after a couple of years of badgering and generaly being obnoxious, something apparently I am very good at by the way, I have finally managed to agree my long planned for and long awaited trip from Atlantic to Mediterranean sea.

Not being the richest man alive but the instegator of the whole expedition I am supplying the 2 vehicles we plan to use. Soooo, I will be using my Range Rover P38 and I am looking for a Disco for the second vehicle.

I can already hear the screams of protest and all 90 or 110 owners will be saying they are the best expedition choices but I have to disagree.

First off my P38 is in the garage as I write having the air suspension changed to coil springs and a complete gearbox rebuild is also under way. It has a new clutch and brand new shocks so should present few problems off road. Also we are planning to go in June 2009 with several offroad days in quarry's, dirt tracks and green lanes to train the crew and test out winches, etc.

I am fitting diff guards and sump guards to both vehicles and the Disco will have a bumper winch fitted the P38 will have a portable winch (ie to tow bar or tow point on detatchable leads)

I am not the slightest bit worried about the P38, I have taken her to Wales, Scotland and pretty much every muddy hole in Surrey and she has yet to let me down in a pinch. (gearbox asside as that fault came with the car)

The Disco on the other hand I expect a few probs.

Anyone out there taken a Disco on a serious expedition like this? 2 days journey to the start point, 10 days bouncing over the mountains and camping where we fall? Rocks, pits, snow and lots of bumps, anyone done that? Any advice?

I would idealy like to spend the full 10 days on the mountains without dropping down for supplies so all rations and all fuel will be in or on the vehicles. (food inside as there be bears up there!) ok they are small, almost cute but the big cats are not so small and also not so friendly, they are cute though, from a distance.

I'd appreciate some pointers from more experienced crews.

Disco's will be fine They share the same chassis as a RR any way. Just make sure you've cured all the rust before you go.

i doubt you will be able to carry all your fuel for 10days with out resupply unless you are rock crawling all the way. expect your MPG to drop considerably when fully loaded/equiped and drop further when in low gears and using higher revs. what kind of capacity were you thinking of taking? where would you store it? and how far is your planned route?

G

Having been snowshoeing and trekking in the pyrenees. You will be hard pushed to avoid civilisation for 10 days. it is a fairly highly populated area, with villages, towns, ski resorts and mountain refuges (basic YHA type affairs) dotted all over the place.

Spent some time there on my way to Morocco and back, nice drives and fuel stations everywhere, all of them Repsol lol.
Some great campsites, some of them huge areas with club houses and cafes, paid about 2-4 euros per night, some said if you eat in their cafe you can camp for free.

Spent a fair bit of time crossing back and forth meself. It ain't that remote! There is a fair population up there, fair bit of regulation too so you might be hard pressed to get anywhere seriously remote in a motor.

Depends on the season too. Feels a lot more remote in Winter!

Thanks for your input,

I have heard mixed reports on the likelyhood of meeting the locals and general consensus seems to be to take as many isolated and overgrown old mountain tracks as possible and camp in campsites if you want to.

I will be fitting both vehicles with expedition roof racks and winches just in case so I should be able to store plenty of fuel. That said aparently we can obtain fuel at several key points anyway so will probably only store 2 days worth on the cars in case we can manage to avoid civilisation after all.

We are planning to go early June 2009, not too early so still a bit cold up there but late enough that the worst of the snow will be gone in most parts and the ski resorts will be closed (we hope) As I am the only one currently with serious off road experience I can't push the guys too hard.

I'm looking for some off road tracks and quarry's to take the crew in Surrey, Kent. Anyone know anywhere worth taking a look at. I'd like to ease the guys into it so a few realy good green lanes would be an advantage.

Fuel is no problem, and camping is no problem, its only the Pyrenees not the Atlas Range.

busaboy said:

Fuel is no problem, and camping is no problem, its only the Pyrenees not the Atlas Range.

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which is also not much of a problem

Ooops, i meant the Andes lol

that dont bode too well fur an expedition if yu dont know the diff between the Andes and the Pyranees

Tis easy...Andes is at the end of your arms and the Pyrenees is halfway up yur legs

i think it was aimed at my express to the atlas range not being exactly remote.

G

for the record I was not the one who confused mountain ranges so I am pretty sure I know where I is going!

Ok update time at last, apologies to all.

Been away camping and the rover was in the garage so been neglecting my topic, very bad I know so I will give the wife the whip tonight I guess.

Anyways, update.

Well I finally have my P38 back, coil springs in place and very different ride. Now I think I should have had the 4 inch lift version as she does bottom out easier when offroading but early days, still getting used to her again. I know there is a keen debate out there about coils verses air so I may as well add my 2 bits.

The Good Points.
Ride is definately more bouncy but firmer at the same time, is a bit of a shock first few times you hit a serious pothole or big bump but she snaps right back with little effort. Ride height is always the same which is great and she looks meaner but I can't really work out why but she does. On the road holding bit yep she is firmer, quicker and more responsive. She breaks better and recovers faster when you discover that bend is a bit sharper than you thought and the antilock breaks don't seem to be as naff. Maybe it's only my Landy but she always seemed to engage them as soon as she hit any gravel, sand or a big bump and whey hey!! 75% of your breaking gone! And for some bizarre reason she uses less fuel??

The bad points, well the ride height is always the same which is a prob when you have a roof rack and you enter certain low level car parks. She does wallow a bit in certain bends and she doesn't eat speed bumps like she used too.

All in all I am happy with the conversion but can't help thinking that maybe I should just buy a 110 defender and play with that. I have kept all the bits and will be taking her off roading a bit more extensively as soon as I secure the Disco I have been after to complete the vehicle set I originally intended so maybe I will switch it back or upgrade the springs to a 4" lift, or 2" lift, undecided at the mo.

On the expedition front things are moving along slowly but surely. Once we have the second vehicle a series of off road green lane trips is planned, possibly weekend stop overs eventually with some of the intended kit we will use on the trip but we will see. I'll ease the lads in gently and nothing will happen until at least one vehicle is fully fitted with a winch and we have appropriate straps, cables, etc.

I intend to have both vehicles before the London to Brighton Land Rover run this year so maybe I will see a few of you there. I was planning on buying a fair bit of the kit then anyways and no doubt pick up a bit of expertise along the way.

Further update,

The Range Rover is now not going to be used on the trip as it's a crap car and far too unreliable. Bloody thing is still in the garage so I will be buyiing a second Disco for the expedition.

I have done a fair bit of research into routes but info is sketchy at best and apparently just because the Spanish or French maps say the road is there don't count on it!

The one Disco I have I have been pulling apart and yep she has some rust but is pretty clean otherwise. She needs new shocks and springs but I was planning on upgrading the whole system on whatever one I bought anyway so not a major problem. Oh new wheel bearings, new bushes throughout the suspension and dampening system and the breaks are crap. Just as well I paid a mere pittance for her

Anyways, will have both cars by Brighton run and will have started kitting them out. After much deliberation and scourig of the web have noted that snorkels will probably be a good idea!

Slippy1701 said:

I have done a fair bit of research into routes but info is sketchy at best and apparently just because the Spanish or French maps say the road is there don't count on it!

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Keep us updated on this as I have a trip to the pyrenees planned for Oct 2009, as well.

why not get in touch with local 4x4 clubs in the area of where you plan to go, should save you gettin arrested and perhaps losing your vehicles for trespassing on local farm land when you mistake it for the wilderness..
those french farmers dunt take no whimperin as excuses for runnin over their tatties.
be carefull when wild camping also , its illegal im most if not all of europe so make sure you are well out of sight when you do camp.
you will be glad of campsites from time to time though , even just for a hot shower and a cold beer.