ViaMichelin GPS tracking sytems to keep the snails on track

ViaMichelin UK Ltd is supporting the tour by generously donating a ViaMichelin x960 GPS navigation system to each of the cars. Many thanks to Stuart Derricott of ViaMichelin for arranging this for us.

The daily route way points have been programmed into each of the ViaMichelin devices and will help the cars to stay on track and give us a better chance of actually reaching Monaco !

The Michelin man is also coming along to see us off from the Compleat Angler, Marlow on the morning of the 23rd.

Fund raising update - 4 days to go

With four days to go, we are getting very close to our £75,000 target for the Air Ambulance.

Our stand at the Marlow Regatta and a collection raised £280 on the Saturday, and on Sunday, at the end of the concert and festival dragon boat day, we collected a further £308. Many thanks to all who contributed.


So, if you haven't signed up on our justgiving web pages please please make a donation here now!

More sponsored moustache growing progress

The Mangy Moose (Ian Brown) thought it would be nice to give Boîte de Peu (Richard) some company in looking like a dodgy second hand car salesman so the race is on for the best looking tache by the end of the tour.

Ian says "So far I have sponsorship of two weeks pocket money from my daughter Kezia. In trying to make the growth look more substantial I have cut my hair as short as I dare, but all that has happened is that my wife Lucy thinks that I look like something out of the Village People and has refused to kiss me until it either dies or falls off. Any other sponsorship directed at the Mangy Moose (or should that be Mangy Tache) would be gratefully received."

Its Monte Carlo Or Bust - Press articles

Its Monte Carlo Or Bust (from Bucks Free Press)

Business in Berkshire Article

The Tache so Far (or a tache too far!)

The sponsored 118 moustache growing is nearing the end of week 1 and the sprouting continues.

With two weeks to go before the end of the tour, the full 118er should be in full flourish! (Well as full flourish as he can muster with he weak growth hormones!) Richard would be pleased to receive any helpful suggestions. He intends to ignore Nigel's advice: "cover your face with salt and hover over a bowl full of water. The hairs will be so desperate for a drink they will stretch out for the water". Thanks Nigel!

A bit of competition from Ian Brown too...maybe a little contest at the end of the trip?

Town Mayor, Sir Steve Redgrave, and the Michelin Man

Preparations for the start on the 23rd continue with only 4 days to go. Sponsorship from ViaMichelin means that the Michelin man will be coming to the start! Marlow's Mayor, Mr. Richard Scott has also promised to come down to see us off as has Sir Steve Redgrave.

Rosbifs row for the Air Ambulance

A team of 2CV pilots and supporters of the Air Ambulance took to the water to enter in the Marlow Town Regatta Dragon Boat competition.

The imaginatively named "Fit, Active, Rowers, Toiling for the Air Ambulance" (or F.A.R.T. for the A.A. for short) were one of 39 Dragon boat teams competing on the day.

The "FARTftAA" won their first 3 races with some very impressive times. Unfortunately however, the team seems to have peeked too early and were eventually beaten by a more seasoned dragon boat. Even with a respectable 15th place overall some of the pilots felt they had done better and a stewards enquiry is in progress !

Collecting buckets for the Air Ambulance were rattled all day with many generous donations received. Also a big thank you to Marlow Town Regatta for letting us collect money as people left after the pop concert and also http://www.marlowrt.co.uk/ for the collecting tins on the bars.

6 Snails at Marlow Town Regatta

A Stand with 6 of the snails were fund raising at Marlow Town Regatta in Higginson Park, Marlow on Saturday 16th June. The 2CV sun roofs stayed firmly closed during several deluges of rain, however that didn't dampen the events spirit. Money was collect at the stand with custom badges being sold and may other goodies. Sir Steve Redgrave signed two of the 118118 shirts and has said that he will join us at 8am for the send off on the 23rd June from the Complete Angler

Richard Lambert's Sponsored 118118 Moustache

Richard Lambert has been offered £200 as a donation if he grows a 118118 moustache by his return from Monte.

Richard has accepted this challenge, which really will be a challenge as his usual shave involves a rub with a rough towel!

If anyone else thinks that this challenge should be properly rewarded (as he will have to start now and look like a vagrant for the next two weeks prior to departure and still carry on business) then they are welcome to add to the donations for Richard and Robert or for the whole tour. Just add a suitable note to your donation so that we know why you've sponsored!

Press Release - Rosbifs and Snails. An Epic Tour by 2CV from Marlow to Monte Carlo

Rosbifs and Snails
An Epic Tour by 2CV from Marlow to Monte Carlo

Eighteen local car enthusiasts are busy polishing their French accents – and their windscreens – as they prepare to take part in a special charity event at the end of June.

They plan to travel in a convoy of Citroen 2CV’s from Marlow to Monte Carlo in the hope of raising thousands of pounds to help fund a replacement helicopter for the Thames Valley & Chiltern Air Ambulance Trust.

Ross Brawn, ex Technical Director of Ferrari will wave a Union Jack flag to send the “Rosbifs & Snails” Tour on their way from the Compleat Angler Hotel in Marlow at 9am on Saturday 23rd June.

Once on the continent, the fleet of 2CV’s will make stately progress through France, following the famous Route de Soleil, arriving in Monte Carlo six days later. A support vehicle will accompany the drivers should there be any mechanical problems en route and two motorbike escorts will lead the way.

Each car is aiming to achieve at least £5000 sponsorship to complete the journey. All the drivers taking part have had to buy their own vehicles at a cost of no more than £777 each and will cover all their own expenses along the way.

Stevie Horton, Head of Fund Raising for the Thames Valley & Chiltern Air Ambulance Trust is delighted to be receiving such great support. 

“We rely on the generosity of local people to keep running”, she said. “We have been saving lives in the area for many years now and whilst our teams of paramedics are funded by the NHS, all other costs are covered by the Trust.

“The current yellow Bolkow helicopter leased by the Trust has done great service in recent years, but it can only transport one patient to hospital. Our aim is to improve funding to a level where we can cover the lease of the next generation helicopter which will be able to carry two patients plus two paramedics and a pilot.” 

118 118 is the main sponsor of the event and all of the cars will be painted white and carry their distinctive logo. The company has made a substantial donation to the tour and it is hoped other companies and individuals will follow suit.

For more information about making a donation to the drivers or becoming a sponsor of the trip, visit www.rosbifsandsnails.com, or contact richardl@rosbifsandsnails.com. Private and corporate donations are being sought and the cars offer a great advertising opportunity.

The Thames Valley & Chiltern Air Ambulance Trust

The Trust is a charity funded by the people of the Thames Valley and covers Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and north Hampshire. The Air Ambulance started operating in June 1999 and is based at RAF Benson, near Wallingford, Oxfordshire. Our current Bolkow 105 DBS has done great service in recent years, but we are hoping to upgrade to a Europcopter EC135 in the near future. This will have the facility to uplift two stretchered patients in addition to the crew of two paramedics and a pilot.

Full information from www.airambulancetvac.org

Windsor photos and more breakdowns

All 7 2CVs, the support vehicle and a motorcycle outrider arrived outside Windsor Castle, parking behind the statue of Queen Victoria, for a photo shoot today.

The photographer arranged with the police to let us stay for 15 minutes whilst the tourists looked on in an interested but somewhat bemused state. Lots of pictures and a press interview later and we drove off to the park by the river. (Well nearly all of us did - the "Marlow Donkey" needed a bump start outside the Castle which was the first sign of things to come).

We all parked up near the river under the railway arches and took lots more pictures. The plan was then to head off to Windsor Great Park, but this is where we ran into real trouble. The "Marlow Donkey" had decided that it was definitely not going to start again, even after trying to bump start it half way back to central Windsor! So the "Support Team" was summoned and a shiny new "A" frame towing bar fitted to the front of the tired 2CV to take her home.

Everything under control again we headed out of the car park when the "Mangy Moose" decided to come out in sympathy and stalled. Again she stubbornly wouldn't start until connected to jump leads from the Support Vehicle.

We made it to a roundabout on the Windsor by-pass when the "Mangy Moose" battery decided it had had enough and was going no further. This was a pity as the day before it had been driving round farmers fields at great speed, becoming airborne at one point, and delighting pilots and children at a party at Hickenham Farm.

So now we had two dead cars and one towing vehicle. After cooling down (the coil had over-heated), we managed to revive "Marlow Donkey" just enough to get it on its way and so attached the A-frame to the "Mangy Moose" for its recovery home.

An interesting morning and we haven't been past Windsor yet. It looks like the support teams will be quite busy on the trip !

Photos available here

The Mangy Moose Climbing Frame

The Mangy Moose (driven by Andy and Ian) made an appearance at Andy's 40th (and his son Theo's 4th) birthday party earlier today. The children had a great time climbing all over her and were given rides round Hicknaham farm, where the event took place. Drives round the fields and farmyard proved the value of great 2CV suspension as did cramming 17, 18 or was it even 19 children into the car!

Wonkey Donkey

Richard Lambert writes: -

How to change a wheel on a Wonkey Donkey!

The first reported puncture of the Tour was easily rectified with a little strong arm!

Arriving at the prestigious Evolution offices in High Wycombe the Marlow Donkey let out a huge sigh and collapsed on her hind quarters.

Flat tyre, no problem, get the jack out and hey presto the sill started to bend. Put the jack away boys! Now lets all heave! Old wheel off, new one on...who needs a trolley jack...throw it away Tony...change the Support Car toolkit - travel light!