Richie

Although I have always lived in and around Ipswich I have worked all over the country, as well as Germany, mainly as an HGV and off-road driving instructor.

I met Andy and James through the Territorial Army where I have served for over 20 years and currently serve as the Squadron Sergeant Major.  I originally joined as an Infanteer but was later re-rolled into the Royal Logistic Corps where I gained all my driving qualifications as a driver, instructor and examiner.  I have trained at some of the best and most testing cross-country sites in the UK and Germany.  We have all seen active service in the gulf and have driven in some very extreme, hostile and dangerous conditions, so Mongolia should be a doddle!

Andy and I have been great mates for a number of years and are always thinking up some  hair brained scheme to either get the adrenaline going or to make money (This time next year we will be millionaires!), so when he mentioned about driving to Mongolia for charity there was no hesitation from me.  We cannot even do this in the conventional way though as we have chosen a completely different and opposite route to anyone else who has completed this rally.

Andy and I met Richy whilst diving with the dive club that we belong to, Galaxsea Divers.  Richy, who also has a military background, did not need a great deal of encouragement to join us (Probably because he is as mad as the rest of us!)

All four of us get on very well and have vital and varying skills to bring to the table.  We meet each week to plan and discuss what needs to be done next.  None of us believe in doing things half arsed and therefore we are giving ourselves until 2009 before completing the rally.  By giving ourselves this amount of time we can contribute the maximum to the charity as well as have a bloody good time in the process.

Me playing with the Shogun (click on pics to see bigger image)

Things I Like:

My Motorbike                            Scuba diving

                                        Bed

   Food

                        Beer                              Driving

                                                      My fast car

                    Golf