Daily Report May 8th and 7th, 2006

After leaving Prince George, we arrived at Vancouver during the night in pouring rain.  At a highway exit some place or other we met our supplier, who had driven up to meet us because time had got so short.

We were supposed to fill 1500 liters of biodiesel out of barrels into our tanks, extra tanks and reserve cans, and by the time the work was done most of us were drenched to the skin. Not particularly practical when you can’t change your clothes, and the accommodation in the vehicles makes it virtually impossible to get dry.

On top of this, thanks to a hitch in communications, our supplier had only brought 1000 liters. The next problem awaited us at the US border. Here we came up against a very aggressive border controller who refused to let us into the country because Canadian customs had not completed an “import” formality for the vehicles when crossing the Canadian border from Alaska.

The situation was difficult enough, but the treatment we received from the border controller put a real strain on our nerves. The problem was solved within one and a half hours after a complete import and export formality had been completed on the Canadian side. We could now embark on our journey through the USA.

Near Sacramento, the mass air flow meter in Alpha 2 decided to give up the ghost, and Alpha 1 was losing coolant. This meant that Alpha 2 was down to a top speed of 70-80 km/h and Alpha 1 had to fill up with 2 liters of water every 200 kilometers. There were no signs of any leak. By now all the satellite links between Europe and the USA were blazing. Lots of things had to be replanned, postponed or reorganized. Andreas Dolz and Jürgen Malieska from the International University of Applied Sciences in Bad Honnef · Bonn were working almost round the clock. Highly frustrating for all concerned.

Our spirits were restored by the fueling stop event organized by Eric Dow in Los Angeles: 

On Sunday night at 23.30 hours we were greeted by perfect organization. A number of technicians were lined up to get the vehicles into proper order, food and drink for the crew had been organized, a biodiesel truck was there to tank up the vehicles, reporters interviewed the drivers, spectators cheered us on and gave us encouragement.

By the time the stop was over, Alpha 2 was restored to normal, all of us were refreshed and felt like new. The unfortunate part was that the repairs had put us more than ever behind schedule, and no solution could be found for the coolant losses in Alpha 1.

At all events we were now in much better spirits than we had been when we arrived for our first “clean-up stop” in Nogalis on the Mexican border. Christine from the Holiday Inn here had got five rooms ready for us, together with a masseuse, a buffet and lunch packets. It was wonderful to be able to take a shower after so many hours – and to eat at a table.

When we set off at last for the Mexican border at 12.00 hours on May 8th, none of us thought that the hardest trial of all still lay ahead:

The US authorities at this station had never seen a carnet de passage before, with the result that we were pushed around from a to b for a whole hour before anyone reached out for the rubber stamp. This can perhaps be registered as one of those silly things that do happen occasionally. But boiling point was reached when the Mexican authorities got caught up in their own red tape and refused to let us through. The Mexican border officers earnestly informed us that two of the vehicles could not enter the country. These would have to remain in the USA. The rev counter of MJ’s psychological motor recorded an abrupt leap of at least 4000 rpm. Alarmed into action, the Mexican border guards called on their supervisor. He, too, evidently felt unable to cope with the situation and referred to his superiors in Mexico City. Shortly before my personal rev counter approached the red, the perfect solution occurred to me. I called Andreas at home office and connected him with the supervisor. The discussion in Spanish went on for 15 minutes before Andreas succeeded in getting round the bordermen. I’ve no idea what he told them, but it worked. At last they started to draw up the forms, though very slowly. And they said they would not hesitate to put me under arrest if I continued to kick up any more fuss. Following the urgent advice of my dear Andreas, I refrained from any further “Hessian folk dances” and waited more or less patiently for matters to take their course.
Although all our papers were internationally valid and completely in order, this totally unnecessary procedure went on for four (!) hours – we were already nine hours behind schedule – and our nerves were jangling. The worst of our series of misfortunes to date seemed to have been reached.

What we didn’t know yet was that a lot of other people had intervened in the meantime. And from the moment when the crossed the border, the Mexicans showed us all their cordiality, friendliness and warmth. It was unbelievable!!!  It started with a fleet of police and company vehicles headed by Professor Dr. Wicker from the university of Hermosillo, which came to meet us at the second toll checkpoint waving German flags, and escorted us to the Volkswagen dealer in the city, where a cordial welcome awaited us. We were loaded with congratulations, thanks and gifts. After the brief stop, the cars escorted us to well beyond the city limits.

We were now on our own again and about 75 km from Novojoa when we were met by yet another fleet of police and company vehicles. Like a special task force, the policemen engaged in daring maneuvers to block crossings and navigate us through traffic light jams, they guided us with flashing lights and howling sirens across red lights and against the traffic flow through one-way streets. Our destination was yet another Volkswagen dealer. Here again they gave us a more than hearty welcome, handed over gifts, and thanked us for coming. We were already overwhelmed!

Just think of the mood we had been in. Thrown completely on our own resources, struggling against the clock and with all kinds of problems, we were now given a grateful reception and a full police operation as escort.

Dear Readers, try to imagine yourselves in our situation:    And then, … then something happened which went emotionally far beyond anything most of us in the team had ever experienced:

We were driving with a private escort towards Navojoa when just before the town limits a motorbike formation of the police took over as escort. We drove into the town with blue lamps and sirens. Shortly before we reached the Main Road, the whole fire brigade fleet was awaiting us, with all its fire engines. Try to imagine this convoy:

Four police motorbikes, four police cars and three fire engines with all the lights and sirens at their command – and in the midst of it all three VW Touaregs with nine bewildered drivers and a cameraman who didn’t know what to photograph first.

I don’t think Angela Merkel will ever get an escort like that. But this was not the end. We turned off into another street lined with cars, and could scarcely believe our eyes when we reached our destination, the local VW dealer, at exactly 22.30 hours.

There were hundreds of people standing here, swinging at least as many German flags, waving to us and clapping, and giving us a welcome we had never experienced before in our lives. When we drove up to the reserved parking spaces a large brass band started up and a group of dancers performed Mexican folk dances.

We were encircled by all the people and, to the accompaniment of dazzling flashlights, applause, a moderator at the microphone and cries of enthusiasm, we were led to the stage which had been prepared for us. A moderator welcomed us through enormous loudspeakers, and we were simply stunned.

They presented us with gifts, the town’s memorial tablet, and dedications, and speeches were made. They asked us for autographs and photos and celebrated us like heroes, although it was the local people who really deserved all the honors.

Like some others in the team, I was often close to tears, and my voice failed more than once when I was asked to say a few words to all these wonderful people. It was certainly an experience which none of us will ever forget, and we would have loved to stay longer.

This night in the north of Mexico and the words of encouragement we received made an enormous impression on us. We extend our sincere thanks to the people who organized this welcome so excellently and lovingly, and to our wonderful national coordinator in Mexico, Eva Hasenbalg from the International University of Applied Sciences in Bad Honnef · Bonn!

In Los Angeles

 In Navojoa