Latest News

Total Off Road magazine article publised

The infamous badger trip is featured in the "Campfire Tales" section of Total Off Road magazine. Click the image to see the full size article (opens in a new window)

6th July

The infamous badger trip gets some well deserved press coverage. Click the image to see the full size article (opens in a new window)

15th March

We've just hit our £3000 target for donations to Cancer Research UK. A 'big up' from the whole team for everyone who helped us achieve this. THANK YOU!!!

10th March 6.41pm - text message

'We've made it! Shattered but happy. Badgermobile in one piece. Just had big fry up to celebrate. Beer in hand. WE MADE IT!!!!'

Apparently the car was the second most expensive in the auction. Result!

5th March 3.43pm - text message

'We are out of the desert. Took a day longer than expected. Bad news - caravan did not make it. Long story. Worse news Shogun is dying, will try to fix it. Benja'

28th February 11pm - phone call from the edge of the Sahara Desert

Finally some news from Africa. As snow falls in London, the badgers are baking in 35C heat on the northern edge of the Sahara. An endless series of mechanical failures has seen progress fall behind schedule by two days. The road now takes them south into the Sahara Desert and out of radio contact.

Problems with the engine (and the fact the caravan is still attached) mean that their fuel economy is less than five miles to the gallon, and as a result they've had to stash 200 litres of petrol in the back for the desert. This would be ok but "four of the jerry cans are leaking, and we've had to stop smoking". They're also about to enter a minefield.

Despite this, Ben was upbeat. "We're not concerned. We bought 2 litres of hard liquor and 138 cans of lager." Just the thing for rehydrating in the fierce heat...

Next update is not expected until this Saturday at the earliest. Rumours from Banjul that work has commenced to construct an enormous wooden spoon are currently unconfirmed. However the comment from Ben "We could miss our flight" may fuel speculation.

22nd February 5pm - text from Gibraltar

We've found another gearbox on Gib. The only one in the area. £180. Picking it up tomorrow, then heading over to Africa after. Things looking up touch wood! Ben

21st February - email from Madrid

Everyone,

The latest is its 10am in Madrid, we're off to find a mechanic, and the chaps from Mitsubishi Putney tell us its the layshaft bearings. What happens next we don't know. We're not helped by the fact that only Tash speaks Spanish! We've also heard that some other teams are already in Morroco...we might be a bit behind..... 

We also lost the caravan skylight yesterday at about 60 mph, and although we found it we had to leave the caravan outside and it rained last night - doh!

We'll get on it now and try and get back you you guys at HQ later to give you an update. Wish us luck!

Benja (and Denis)

19th February - update by text from Andorra

'We got the last hotel room in Andorra, a four star job - very flash. Boarding today, powder - nice. Expect proper email update tomorrow. Dr Otter x

17th February - Alleged Badger Cruelty

Dear Team Badger Racing

Let me first introduce myself. My name is Rodger and I am the Assistant to the Southern England Senior Badger Cruelty Prevention Officer from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Badgers. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Badgers has worked tirelessly since it inceptions (about 20mins ago) to safeguard the lives of badgers. We've all read Wind in the Willows and therefore can't tolerate any cruelty being inflicted on our beloved Mr Badger.

We have been following Team Badger Racing and have become gravely concerned about the badger photographed on the dashboard of the Badgermobile in the "Latest News" section of your website. We can just about tolerate the badger in questions being forced, no doubt against his will, to wear a lurid pink waistcoat and hideous gold spandex leggings however we are very worried about the conditions he is going to be forced to survive in throughout the long trip to Africa. We also believe that Benja "Doctor Otter" Hedley and Denis "Monkey Lover" Meehan are utterly incompetent guardians of the badger.

I am writing to you because we must insist that you free the badger into his natural environment and do not degrade him any further.

You must respond to this email within 3 days otherwise the world renowned and fearless Badger Freedom Fighters will mount a rescue mission which could result in the destruction of the Badgermobile and the imprisonment of all those who have abused the badger.

Hugs and Kisses
Roger
Assistant to the Southern England Senior Badger Cruelty Prevention Officer

17th February - Day One

Early reports suggest TBR is in France, and likely to be terrifying the locals. Speculation, but pretty confident speculation. First discovery is that they can’t actually leave the car unattended due to a complete lack of security. And they have A LOT of pot noodles which I know are coveted in mainland Europe. They are, however, well on their way. Latest text message reads:

"We've just done a 'hot' lap of Le Mans with the world’s first racing caravan. A couple of seconds outside the lap record, but I think the tyre choice was suspect."

Apparently it took them approximately 10 minutes.

The aim of the day is Toulouse, and a possible ski in Andorra tomorrow. Confidence levels in making it up the mountain with the Sett are high. I’m not convinced….

16th February - Badger Departure Day

Well, things are feeling a bit quiet around Team Badger Racing HQ today, and all that’s left to remind us of the whirlwind that was Badger Departure Day (plus a couple of hours), is a roll of fur that never quite fulfilled its intended function as badgerskin for the badgermobile, and a rather nasty smell of diesel (hang on, wasn't it a petrol engine?...). But we should probably be grateful for it… The quiet, that is, not the smell. For one thing, it means the team managers get a say for once (yippee!), which let’s face it is a rare occurrence. And for another, it means that Team Badger Racing actually managed to leave Balham last night.

Naturally, it wouldn’t have been fun if there hadn't been drama…:

1) The discovery that the gearbox wasn’t actually attached to the car in any particular way. Interesting. I think they fixed that one.

2) An interesting tussle with some piece of equipment which – apparently – was a caravan stabiliser, but which no one had any experience of fitting, and which naturally the boys had chosen not to install ahead of time… A good deal of cussing, an abortive attempt to join in and help on the grounds that Ikea instructions are easy enough if you’ve got the time on my part, a lot of builders bums, and an interesting botch job later, and – miraculously – the caravan was up and running (I think – but don’t ask me. It looked sort of tidy anyway). Only twenty minutes past the intended departure time.

3) Benja decided to jump on the electrics. Not sure why, sure he meant well. So while the rest of us offered helpful if spurious advice from the sidelines, resident ‘lecky Denis leapt to the rescue. By the time they left, all but one indicator was working. Not bad for half an hour playing with colourful threads.

So they left in a blaze of glory and very bright spotlights, a mere hour and twenty minutes late. While we managers retired to the nearest civilised restaurant (now they’ve gone, we’re actually allowed to drink normal drinks and not just cider), TBR was hooning its way down to Portsmouth for 10.30pm ferry check in. Bottle of wine later, and the call we got was the one we were dreading – "We’re in Haslemere".

They were lying, but they were in the wrong ferry terminal.

9th February 2005 - the caravan

7 days to go. Getting a little nervous now. Not least because we have just collected our caravan (which from now on will be refered to as the Badgers' Set) from a Mr Albert Kirby. A great bloke - if you ever meet him in a pub, then buy him a pint. Or maybe two.

Anyway, after a 3 hour round trip on the south circular, Den managed to get the Set back to Balham. And what a Set it is.

Completely foldable, it has a double bed and a single bed. Den has decided that he has the double bed because he's 6 foot 5 and can't lie straight in the single. I would have been happier if he'd been honest about it and said "I'm 6 inches taller, 5 stone heavier than you, and will fight you to the death for the big bed"

Big thanks to Steve Ballantine from Strange Rovers, who brought over some bread trays to make sandladders out of - cheers for that Steve - and you can see his most excellent cow-pattern car in the photos...

So 7 days to go and what do we need to do?

• Change the oil and filter
• Change the fan belt
• Fix the brakes
• Change all the cooling fluids
• Change all 5 tyres + two on the Set.
• Buy spare parts
• Get a ferry
• Pack

Feeling slightly worried....and as group 2 leader Oren (I think that's how you spell it!) from the party said. "4x4's always breakdown, and you'd have to be an idiot to try and take a caravan across the sahara...."

5th February 2005 (the day after the party)

Its been a good week. Massive thanks to everyone who came to support us for the party - all the photos are on the web and you can see the link by clicking on the "PARTY" page. The best news is that we have raised an extra £500+ for Cancer Research.

So how was the party? Well messy I guess....and I hope as many you as possible got a chance to sign the car.....and that you had a great night. I think the Lavender Sweep party lasted till about 3am....

Also a massive thanks to CCA for providing us with the sponsorship for 5 new tyres (thank god!), and Maddox Consulting for their extremely gererous donation too!

And the best news of the week? WE HAVE GOT A CARAVAN! WE ARE GOING TO TOW A CARAVAN ACROSS THE SAHARA! Bring it on.....details to follow!

31st January 2005 - Injection day.

We were supposed to have 4 different injections each.

Denis had 5, the extra one being for Rabies as the nurse thought he was looking a bit "unusual".He tried to argue that he always looks like that, but she wasn't having a bit of it.

Probably would have been quicker and cheaper just to take him to the vet in the first place.

5 days till the party and counting....

25th January 2005

We have a time and a date for the party!

7.30pm on Saturday the 5th February 2005 at Beaufort House.

Click HERE for a map.

The venue has only been open since new year so you won't find it on any web searches, but its on the corner of Beaufort Street and the Kings Road. Driver Denis "Gringo" Meehan will be spinning the tunes and there's a late licence so no early finishes for anyone.

More details on the PARTY page....

23rd January 2005

Snakebite and black is not my friend.

After a small session with the Bec Old Boys rugby team after beating Haslemere on Saturday we had to be up at 8am to drive 160 miles. First to Kent to pick up 4 spare wheels from Warren, then to Surrey to pick up a roofrack from Richard in Surrey. Great idea.

Denis was driving and not too hungover. Benja appeared a few hours from death by hangover. And forgot to check the sizes of the wheels we had bought. And forgot to bring Richard's address. Idiot....

Wheels are too big and having to go straight back on eBay. Roofrack is great, but took 2 hours to find as Benja only had Richard's work number. And he wasn't at work on a Sunday.

However we eventually made it home, and put in a reasonable performance on the car. Spotlights are wired up, roofrack is fitted and there's a full length white "badger-style" racing stripe down the middle of the car. Photos to come.

Anybody want to buy 4 shogun wheels?

9th January 2005

So my co-driver has just disappeared off skiing. He's still a little confused why its going to take us 3 weeks to get to Wales and why he needs his passport.

We still can't decide whether to take a caravan to make it a little more tricky. Don't think anyones ever tired it before. So we thought we should ask you guys? What do you reckon? Vote on the main page!

3rd January 2005

Time for some training. A few pints later, it seems like a good idea to take a caravan with us across the desert. Why? Because no-one has before and we hate caravans.

Then again we might have been training a little too hard - see pictures.....

1st January 2005

We have now set up a page you can sponsor us at. Its available at http://www.justgiving.com/badgerracing

All donations will go to Cancer Research UK and anything you can give would be hugely appreciated!

For more details see the Can I Help page....

27th December 2004

Car is running like a dream. 500km covered and not a single breakdown.

It also starts better now - this is easily explained by the addition of a skull gearknob, and pictures of badgers on the side......

22nd December 2004

The sparky has had a look and told us the alternator's knackered. A new one is more than the entire amount we're supposed to spend on the car. This is getting expensive....

On the bright side he reckon's he's fixed the headlights. Progress at last!

12th December 2004

Auto Electrician called. Can't make it for at least a week. DOH. The car is supposed to be going back to Suffolk for a paint job and a poartial rebuild over Christmas.

Looking on the bright-side, in its current condition it would probably make a good anchor.

6th December 2004

Almost binned repair day again. Car has flat tyre and won't even jump start. Battery totally flat. Not looking promising. We're supposed to be improving it, not making it worse....Might need a professional on this, rather than two monkeys and a spanner.

Can't change the tyre because we have an air-bag jack and you need the engine running. Not promising at all.....

29th November 2004

Full day planned to repair now no-running car. Co-driver too hungover. Postponed

21st November 2004

Car won't start. New battery needed. Headlights don't appear to work at the same time as the engine. Could make things tricky.

8th November 2004

True to his word our seller has put the car through an MOT and its passed. Denis has caught the train up to Kings Lynn and driven it back all the way to South London. 5th gear a bit whiney he says, but on the whole it looks as if this car may make it!

Insurance man has got back to me. The best quote we have had is £460 for 3rd party, fire and theft! Thats the value of the car.....! Grin and bear it badgers, grin and bear it!

1st November 2004

The seller of our car has just phoned up to say that the MOT has become "lost". Hmmm this is sounding like a stitch up. Could be another eBay horor story here. He's going to put it through again, and we'll split the cost (assuming it makes it).

28th October 2004

After 6 months of trying and failing  to find a left-hand drive car on eBay for less than £100, we have decided to buy a 1984 Mitsubishi Montero Soft-top for slightly more. (It all goes to charity in the end!) An MOT till April sounds reasonable, and its used as "a daily run-around". Hmmmmm.

Interior looks like a bomb hit it, and the soft-top looks pretty knackered. It has got nice shiny bull-bar though. And its a 4x4. Engine looks like a non-runner though.

9th October 2004

Bad-news. New co-driver claims not to remember previous night, and is hence absolved from all Banjul-bound trips. However slurred answerphone message to his girlfriend at 2am claiming "I'm off to Wales" proves to be decisive. Its enough evidence to trap him.

Might have to own up to fact that Banjul is not in Wales to this co-driver.

8th October 2004

Success! A second badger has been sourced. After 8 pints of snakebite in the pub, Denis has agreed to join the mission. The only thing he insists on is a gearknob shaped like a skull with red flashing eyes. Seems reasonable enough.

30th August 2004

Things are looking bleak.

Team Badger Racing has no car, no co-driver, no visas and absolutely nothing organised. Emails are flying round about some teams building custom sump guards and which tires are best in the sand.

15th August 2004

One of the original badgers (Robert Fanshawe) has had to pull out due to what he claims are work commitments.

It's suspect that the real reason is he has figured out that Banjul is not in fact in Wales as he might have been led to believe....

6th June 2004

We're in - Julian Nowill has confirmed that Team Badger Racing is in the 2005 Plymouth-Dakar Challenge!

10th April 2004

Application form is in. Can only wait now.