Team #AskForMonument @ Pavestone Rally 2023
After a Covid-enforced postponement last time around, the Pavestone Rally returns for “another exhilarating four-day journey through Europe”.
The concept is, in essence, a simple one: Ideally, we buy a road-legal car for under £500 (the cheaper the car, the more the fun(!)) and hit Europe’s greatest roads and cities for four days en route to Monte Carlo via Ghent, Strasbourg, Innsbruck and Milan. All in fancy dress to match the theme of our car, we will complete challenges along the way, have loads of laughs and a whole lotta fun – and all in aid of charity.
Every pound raised will help four well-deserving charities: Variety, Crash, British Heart Foundation and The Rainy Day Trust. The 2023 Rally will be the third event, and hundreds of thousands of pounds have been raised so far…
Paul and JC are Team #AskForMonument.....
"Our first and only previous venture on the Pavestone rally was in 2017, we had BlueDog as our vehicle a 53plate Rover. We made it back in one piece... clutch failed going up an Italian mountain, brakes overheated on the way down but BlueDog celebrated its 200k-mile birthday during the rally and delivered us back home after a few thousand miles"
BlueDog has moved on to pastures new and we have a different vehicle for 2023. The "buy a car for under£500" was really hard to achieve this time around with pricing of second hand cars going through the roof (thanks ULEZ); so we purchased a car with no roof... Blade.... a 2007 BMW.
Blade has had a well needed wash, has a broken fuel gauge but looks pretty good for a 15year old.
Blade and the #AskForMonument team is looking for sponsors (brands) to be added to the bodywork. We will add them in white (out of black) and will add them free of charge for a donation of £200+
We are also looking for sponsorship from family and friends - all to help these 4 excellent charities, Crash, Variety, British Heart Foundation & Rainy Day Trust.
If you can - please tick the GiftAid box.
There is a Pavestone Rally 2023 Facebook page which can be followed but we will also aim to update this page daily so we can keep you updated on our progress through the journey around Europe.
Watch the Pavestone Rally Video
Event Update
July 2023 - Blade is found, purchased and washed. We didn't get anywhere near the under£500 mark but we think she may last the distance across Europe. Boot space is very limited so JC is not allowed to bring golf clubs; only a padel bat..... Paul has promised an extra £10 for every time JC plays padel en route
September 5th - Blade is nearly rally-ready. Quick check up on the tyres at KwikFit.... final badges applied.... double check of passports and suncream and we depart tomorrow. Just a quick note to thank all our sponsors so far.
Number 13. #AskForMonument. BMW Z4.
Sept 6th am.
We successfully made it to Dover to join a great number of other Rally participants for the sea crossing to Calais. Fancy dress code for the day was "Where's Wally ?".
Sept 6th pm
Drive from Calais to Ghent. Ghent is pretty!
Sept 7th am
The official start of the 2023 Pavestone Rally. 9am meet at Marlux - sister company of Pavestone just outside Ghent. Paul found his namesake's vehicle.
With all the rally in one place and in "Freestyle" fancy dress it looked like it could be a scene from a End of Days movie with ordinary super heroes ready to take on the world. As it was it was just a 6hr trip to Strasbourg via Liege and Luxembourg. Lots of rally challenges to be completed along the way.
Sept 7th pm
Day 1 complete. Finished in Strasbourg. Up untll C19 the cathedral was the highest building in Europe.
Sept 8th - Day 2. Strasbourg to Innsbruck. A lunchtime stop for GoKarting and a task of Caraoke - not sure I think we're alone now by Tiffany has had a german rendition in a soft top.... Blade had an ugent oil issue but a quick 1l of 15w40 and we were back in business.
Sept 9th - Day3 - Innsbruck to Milan via Stelvio Pass. The rally was starting to take its toll on some of the cars... Blade made it up and down the Stelvio pass - 40 corners up and similar amount on the way down - Paul taking ALL the driving responsibility for this. A very long day in the car but made it to the shores of lake Como on the way to Milan for a well earned - but not the best - pizza.
Sept 10th - Day 4 - Milan to Monte Carlo. Last day. The sun is out; the sky is blue... etc! More cars with issues but everyone in high spirits at the McDonalds check in. A relatively short drive of about 3 hours to Monaco with a very fishy couple of challenges along the way. The reward - apart from raising a boat load of money for 4 charities was a lap of the F1 circuit at Monte Carlo and a photo opportunity in Casino Square.
