Bio:

Jean is a software program manager by trade who will do anything on a whim. She insists that her quick pace of decision making is due to a keen sense of finding a great opportunity rather than low pain threshold or careless lack of fearing for the unknown.

Her past, great experiences include: changing careers (deliberated for: 1 day), moving 3000 miles from NJ to Seattle (deliberated for: 3 days before buying a ticket), running the Chicago marathon for charity (deliberated for: 0 minutes + 6 long and painful hours that probably would have faired better with training), joining the Mongol Rally, and…have a great idea?

She enjoys her time by travelling somewhere new and visiting with local people. She’s loved everything from telling scary bug stories in the Comarca de Kuna Yala in Panama and dicing onions with no cutting board alongside the native Quechua of Peru to perfecting the fine art of haggling in Beijing (and winning!) and many more.

She also manages to take on as many volunteer projects as possible – from working for CARE in Ayacucho, helping green up the workplace, working as a Washington State CASA, reviewing grant applications, organizing a food drive, transporting cancer patients, candy striping, and…need a spare hand?

With any time left over, she loves to laze around with the people (and dog!) she cares about most, enjoy long, languid dinners and laugh as much as possible…which is, apparently, a lot!

Read Jean's Posts:

“Welcome to Tblisi! Now please enjoy a flat tire…” and other stories

Even though I may be overlapping some of Brain’s post, I thought I’d put in a few words about the last few weeks…

Family:

Meeting Tom’s uncle and Brain’s cousins was one of the highlights of Europe. In Koln, Germany, we were treated to a truly Indian/German fusion meal…pork and cabbage but with an Indian twist. Deeelicious. Yes, it came with a spicy sauce on the side. We were also able to do some much needed rearranging of our stuff as everything seemed to be everywhere but nowhere when we were looking for it. And Tom got in some much needed QT with family.

In Budapest, Hungary, we were treated to not only dinner, but also to a lovely walking tour of Budapest (so beautiful), a night out  on the town and our first flat tire upon leaving their house (oopsie!). We had a great time enjoying time for one day on the slow having coffee, conversation and quite a few laughs with the girls. New facebook friends!

Klenova, Czech Republic:

This party was crazy. We met up with our two F5 guests and caravaned in to a steam of people walking from the campground to the castle for the party. We turned up the Motley Crue on the radio and if we didnt pull away when we did a slew of people in costumes including Borat would have walked up to the car window to greet us hello. This was green thong Borat, btw. (Yikes!)

We were amazed that the Adventurists actually got the permit for this party. Last year, someone ran off with the head of one of the 14th century statues. Luckily, it was returned and the party resumed…complete with gin, roasted pig, watermelon, hookah and live music. All the teams were so excited to meet each other and the stories were insane (like the guy who was wearing a very nice sundress that Jennie would have loved telling the bit about how last year on the rally he sunk his car into a river, got arrested and thrown in jail for 8 hours).  Needless to say, we woke up feeling some pain and needing to erase the green graffitti written on our windows.

Bulgaria:

Our first grease. We didnt pay the vignette, so we “paid our fine on the spot”. Who knew there would be cops on every corner in Bulgaria! Not even out of the EU!

Turkey:

Ahh Turkey. I think I imagined a country full of Tolga’s and while everyone is quite gregarious, friendly and willing to take the time to engage in conversation, there is only one Tolga

There are, however, quite a few of Tolga’s peeps. Tamer and Tanol, college friends of Tolga’s, were originally going to have lunch with the team. We received a delightful mail with lines that said ”if you eat two profiterols, do not drink water in between” and “screaming is allowed while eating” while recommending places to eat and including text in Turkish to show restaurant hosts to ensure the proper treatment. After running into trouble, we called for help from the three T’s and we quickly got calls, emails, texts, favors to Moscow, and lunch.  I hope they visit Seattle soon so we can take them out and return the favor!

Our split off from Kim and Amy was really hard. They are now on the Aegean Coast enjoying some sun. I hope you are having a great time, girls!

Everything after Turkey:

Georgia: Beautiful countryside… two lane roads with 4 lanes of cars. Sorry, no lanes, I meant lines of cars. 2 lines passing into oncoming traffic at the same time! These people drive crazy! Goats, cows, ducks, people, cars, all in the road crossing whenever they g’damn well felt like it. Not to mention the craters for potholes. I fell asleep on our push to Tblisi and awoke to a massive earthquake in the car and yelled a groggy “oh god, something broken!” to Tom. I snuck some pics of the cops who had fun watching Tom and Brain switch out the flat at 2am and flirting with the other teams we found and caravaned with (one ambulance team named Magic Mongolian Mystery Tour and Just A Steppe Away). Georgia is like the greatsest ghetto car video game ever. Luckily no smashy smashy.

Azerbaijan:

Mmm, 6 hour border crossing. Line cutting (my NJ elbow came in handy at least once). Some ppl cant speak English and some people plain pretend they cant speak English. Transit visa  – read: need to be out of Azerbaijan in 3 days with the cars though our visas are tourist and good for 30. Shady “fees” at the border, immediately pulled over on the road. More “paying of the ticket on the spot”…halfway to Baku to get ready for 13 hour ferry with no bathroom and more greasing. Not sure I like this place but this hotel we are in is really really really nice. I am in a bathrobe and slippers writing this post. I think we are at least still 5 or so hours from Baku. 

Well, more later. I am nervous about this boat and how much we will have to pay in extra “costs”. Most of all the bathroom situation. Not that I’ve actually had a full meal in days but definitely no food or drink for me tomorrow

“In Bruges”

After an amazing day of cars, ralliers and roads, we have made it to Bruges to give a little update before crashing into bed…

Yesterday, Kim and I flew redeyes into Heathrow and were graciously picked up by car service, courtesy F5, to meet the rest of the team for our little hopefully not too bleary eyed photo op with the F5′ers at the Chertey office (photos to come, but some on flickr).

We picked up some last minute items at our newest sponsor’s shop, Euro Car Parts (spare parts, oil, tools, Thule roof bin, you know, minor things) and spent some time jerry rigging the bin to the rack with first zip ties, then door hinges and U bolts meant for something else inside the car. (Solid job the boys I might add!) By the time we rolled into Goodwood’s camp site, it was approaching midnight.

The party was still going though, complete with grills, beers, music and other tailgaiting activities like sitting down, beer pong and running around naked (the Danish team from Arhus). It was really fun rolling in though with our twin cars and we definitely got some attention with the new wrap.

The next day, we headed over to the race track and after getting shaken down by a few guards in Russian accents and fake mustaches, we parked the cars next to another Washington team, Abandon the Cube, whom we hadn’t seen since the meetup a few months ago.

We spent most of the day catching up with other ralliers and taking it all in. There was quite a bit to see – cars with grills welded to the back, cars with sailboats welded to the top, cars with tv’s fastened to the outside, London cabs, our friends at The Griswolds (green van complete with wood paneling inside and out), our friends at Just A Steppe Away and their blue Suzuki R4, ambulances, firetrucks, cherry pickers, gypsies singing and dancing, and of course, Buddy, star of the Mongol Rally movie and Nat Geo’s Wild Rides: Rickshaw Run. We got a chance to meet Mercy Corp’s events coordinator, Sandra Dow, and fundraising director, John Cunningham. (Thanks for the MC stickers – the cars weren’t complete without them!) Good friends Mary Ann, Matt and Isaac also made the drive down to cheer Baatar Hero on. Whoo hoo!

All too quickly, we took one amazing loop around the racetrack (photos and video to come) before heading off to see the white cliffs of Dover and hopping the ferry to Calais. Now in Bruges, its nearing some ungodly hour and I should really get to bed! 

Though overly tired and not without a bit work left to do on the cars, the team had a fantastic day. Yasmin – we miss you! We wonder where you’re going to fit in the car! We can’t wait to see you in Almaty!

Tomorrow we head to Koln and then Prague for more Mongol Rally maddness. We can’t wait to see more wacky cars and meet some more teams, as well as some F5′ers along for the ride. By the way, it seems that some of the other teams have heard of us – and thanks to you we are the top Mercy Corps fundraiser so far! You guys are Baatar Heroes!!!

Ed Roberts bikes ~300 miles for Mercy Corps/Baatar Hero!

Our friend, colleague and Liverpool football fan, Ed Roberts,  will be participating in TWO insane bike rides this summer for charity: The Tour de Blast and the STP. For both rides, he will be raising money for Mercy Corps, towards the Baatar Hero goal. Thanks, Nedler!!!

Wish him luck tomorrow as he rides 82 miles and climbs 6240 feet of Washington elevation on the Tour de Blast. Wow!

And if you weren’t already impressed, he’s planning on riding the 200 or so miles from Seattle to Portland (hence, STP) in just one day. :O

If you want to support Ed, just wish him luck, give him a hi-five, buy him a congratulatory beer and/or check out his Firstgiving page and donate to the cause. Go Ed!