Morning all!

Last nigth it came 10 cm snow here.

Morning all
996 mbar with high wind 40f

BUT no rain

Afternoon all...........
Blustry here in the Midlands, heavy rain in bursts most peculiar weather, feels cold around the trussets and kyber but temp hovering around 4c, no sign of the fluffy stuff not even a frost!.

Stay warm............

Old Sage

Good morning Edwardians. I like my weather forecast this morning, "Rain or snow likely". How's that for accuracy? 3C here.

Can you drive from Cape Town to New York? Well, yes, if you really want to - and provided you have enough money and equipment. An English farmer is about to show us how...

Yorkshireman Steve Burgess, 50, and partners Nicky Spinks and Simon Dedman will be involved in what they hope will be the first crossing of the Bering Strait between Russia and Canada by a land vehicle – others have tried, but failed, and not only because this happens to be 80km of salt water.

The ocean crossing will be but a tiny, tiny section of what will be a 50 000km journey from England to South America across four continents and more than 20 countries

Makes a 4x4 jaunt to the Kalahari seem a bit of a doddle, what! Some of the world's biggest automakers have tried it, as have famous millionaire explorers. This attempt will be backed by Cooper Tyre & Rubber Europe.

They are on the road since January 29, going by ferry across to continental Europe then steadily head north and east through the winter chill of bare fields, mountains and the vast steppes of Russia to the Chukotka peninsula at the easternmost point of Russia.

There the Landy will be fitted with floats and an engine-driven propeller assembly and driven into the sea for the 80km crossing to Alaska. It's already been tested on an English lake and on a crossing of the Irish Sea.

The Cape to Cape expedition will take in every imaginable landscape from the frozen wastes of Siberia to the tropical rain forests of South America

Snow tracks will be fitted in place of wheels to cross the frozen Siberian tundra.

Ford and explorer Richard Creasey tried to cross the Bering Strait in 1993 but their vehicles sank. An effort by Fiat also foundered in 1996. The challenge also defeated Sir Ranulph Fiennes and British explorers Steve Brooks and Graham Stratford whose attempt was aborted in 2001 when their Snowbird 5 vehicle was damaged during an attempt to cross when the strait was frozen.

Once safely on Alaskan soil, Burgess and Spinks will replace the floats with standard wheels and Cooper Discoverer STT tyres and drive through Canada, North and South America, arriving at Cape Horn towards the end of 2008. They've spent seven years planning the trip.

"The main problems were finding sponsors and dealing with Russian bureaucracy," Burgess said. "We're doing something that's never been done so you can't just get a form and fill it out.

'Hard-core traction'

"I needed permission from the army and the police to travel in the Far East. Most significantly, I needed permission to leave Russia in an amphibious vehicle – we're just going to drive off a beach!

"We chose the Cooper Discoverer STT tyres because we knew we needed a tyre with hard-core traction, durability and reliability in almost any condition.

"Most of them will be over challenging terrain but we're confident."

Oh yeah, how get to New York from Cape Town? Just drive up Africa, cross the Suez canal by bridge and then also head north and east. Don't forget your floats and propeller...

Go to the Cape to Cape Expedition site for mo...t this amazing adventure.


Best of luck