Why?

My friend and I are doing this challenge for a serious and worthy cause. We have experienced the great work MacMillan do first hand and would like to support them in continuing to do so. We will be aiming to raise as much money as we possibly can for Macmillan Nurses. So please give and feel free to donate more than once, we will not hold that against you.

What

Staples2Naples is the original & leading European banger rally first run in 2003. It lasts 4 days & covers approximately 1500 miles, the only restrictions being that the car is worth no more than £250 and not newer than 1998. Staples is short for Staples Corner, the junction at the bottom of the M1. Like all great rallies though, this one does not start there but instead starts in Calais. The Paris Dakar after all does not start in Paris or finish in Dakar.

To make this more of a challenge we will be driving there and back in 6 days, doubling the distance travelled.

When & How?

As mentioned the rally starts in Calais & finishes in Naples in southern Italy, which is a beautiful historic city with high occurrence of road deaths, muggings and shootings. So all in all a perfect place for us to end up with our bangers.

To get to Naples we will go through a minimum of 3 countries – France, Switzerland and Italy, though if we like we can deviate from the route. We will spend a whole day driving through Switzerland and its passes – this year taking in La Tremola which is the old St Gotthard pass, a small twisting cobblestone road, ideal for beaten up old cars. Then we will go into Italy (Stelvio pass optional) and spend 2 days experiencing some of the worst driving in Europe and trying to remember that flashing your lights in Italy means get out of the way. Though in Italy it is less flashing and more strobing furiously.

All this will be while completing various absurd challenges and massive water pistol battles.......this should be fun. This all takes place 24-27 August 2012 with an extra 2 days to return.