Team MTA is in AM New York! (sorta)

A big thanks to another New York team entering the rally - Windmill Giants. There was an article about them and the Rally in today's AM New York and they gave us a nod. We were lucky enough to meet them at a gathering of the New York teams a few weeks ago. Here is the article...

NYers set to drive 10,000 miles (to Mongolia)
By Justin Rocket Silverman, amNewYork Staff Writer
jsilverman@am-ny.com
June 29, 2007

The stereotypical American needs a four-wheel drive SUV to make it from a house in the suburbs to the local shopping mall.
For two New Yorkers planning a 10,000-mile drive from England to Mongolia this summer, a tiny 1.3 liter Eastern European car called a Škoda Felicia will do the job.
It will have to, as the rules of the Mongol Rally, an annual charity ride expected to draw 200 teams this year, prohibit any larger or more powerful car.
"You'd be surprised how many people would like to get into a … little car and drive 10,000 miles to Mongolia," says David Toal, one half of team Windmill Giants. "At least 1,000 miles of that is over unpaved roads. We have to raise the car, and I'm planning to get the best shock absorbers money can buy."
Along with wife Illiana Ivanova, Toal will depart for London on July 19. He has three weeks off his job in hotel management to finish the trip.
The goal, in addition to breaking free of the sanitized, routine existence of daily life, is to raise money for charity, including Mercy Corps, which help rural communities in Mongolia.
To this end, the Windmill Giants are seeking sponsorship from local businesses to share in some unconventional publicity.
"We have to raise at least $2,000. But being the overachieving New Yorkers that we are, we are trying to blow that figure out of the water," says Toal.
A few other New York-based teams, including the MTA, Mongolian Transportation Authority, are also competing.
Last year's local entry to the Mongol Rally, team New Yorkistan, never made it to the finish line. They were waylaid by "intestinal problems" and had to return home early.
But the money for charity had already been raised, and there was no arguing with rally organizers, who clearly explain on their Web site (mongolrally.com) that, "You are entirely responsible for yourself. When you sign up you will have to sign our disclaimers and terms of entry so you can't sue us when you die."

Copyright 2007 Newsday Inc.

This weekend!

*****The date for this event has been changed to Friday, July 6!!!*****

The unofficial kick off of benefits, parties, jovialities, and other events to support the MTA- all the while helping one forget about the pains of the previous week- is this weekend! Saturday starting around 9pm ish at the Glen Oaks bar on 30th ave and 37th street in Astoria. Live music, drinks, good times. Join us for a fun night of low key fun at a neighborhood place where everyone knows your name even if you dont want them to. Cheers!!

latest addition

She's arrived! Our very own little girlie. Today we purchased our very own VW Polo! Site unseen and on good faith. We are very happy to have this 17 year old, 99,000 mile addition to the Mongolian Transportaion Authority! Picture to come soon.

*EDIT*

Here she be.... aint she a beaut?

Night at the Races Benefit! July 8

Please join Team MTA and smattering of friends for a Night at the Races at the Irish Rover on July 8. Bid on some horses, win some prizes and raise some money for our charities! This is a night not to be missed. And so much easier to get to than Belmont Park! For more info email us at teammta@gmail.com. See you there!

It starts...

Much to the dismay of his teammates... Sean's banjo has officially arrived! He wasnt kidding. With a little under a month to go he is practicing non stop making sure to have those finger pickin sounds down to an ear grinding science before heading out of Hyde Park and into the great blue yonder!!

The Official "Breakdown" Pool is Out!

After listening to the considerable flack we have received over the past month over how far we will actually make it before our valiant rust bucket has its first breakdown, we've decided you should put your money where your mouth is! For a mere $20 you can purchase your very own "city" in our breakdown pool. There are 25 available - first come first serve. When Team MTA has its very first (of what I'm sure will be many) stops at the side of the road - we will send a message to this blog and whichever city we are closest to is the winner! The Team has decided that flat tires and running out of gas do not qualify as a "breakdown" but anything else goes. Winner gets 50%, charities get 50%. (If you want the "Before the Start of the Rally" box, I suggest you hurry as there seems to be a rush on that one!)

You can participate by stopping by one of these fine establishments:

Irish Rover...37-18 28th Ave., Astoria, NY
The Quays... 46-02 30th Ave., Astoria, NY
Glen Oaks Bar...36-16 30th Ave., Astoria, NY

New Forms of Torture

As if trying to drive from London to Mongolia in an underpowered vehicle wouldn't be a difficult enough task, one teammate has decided to fulfill his long time dream of learning to play the banjo. Said banjo was purchased today. Team members Nick and Amy are desperately seeking donations of earplugs so that they might have a slim chance of surviving this journey. (Friends who hold Sean dear to their hearts may want to consider making this donation if they would like to prevent his untimely death at the hands of the people he is electing to drive insane.)

Paperwork

Our visa applications are in!

As you can see from this lovely photograph, our cartographer (Nick) has everything under control. I'm sure that he will locate the safest route for us to make this journey and that it will be pothole free.

In the meantime we are racing to get our Visa applications completed and processed. We still have no car, but have decided not to worry about that until July.

There will be a benefit/send off party on (I shudder to think) Friday the 13th at The Quays in Astoria. Stay tuned to the site for more details!

http://www.thequaysnewyork.com/

Hello Friends and Family!

Many of you have heard me wax poetic about a little adventure called the Mongol Rally for the past year. After failing miserably in getting one of the 200 coveted spots, we managed to bag a spot on the wait list. On May 30th, the fateful day arrived. Enough people dropped out of this foolhardy adventure for us to be able to go! With 2 months less to plan than all the other participants, Team MTA - Mongolian Transportation Authority, is attempting to travel 10,000 miles in a much too wimpy car from Hyde Park in London (start date July 21) to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia .

Why would anyone in their right mind do such a thing? In addition to the sheer adventure of it all, the Mongol Rally raises a load of money for some very deserving charities. This is a far cry from my usual charity event, AIDS Walk New York, which is literally a walk in the park in comparison. Our team consists of three members, none of which know how to repair a car, speak any languages but English or hold an international driver's license (yet).

The Team is raising money for Mercy Corps Mongolia and Send a Cow. For information on the charities please see the Charities link on the sidebar. I hope that you will take a look and find it worthy of a contribution to one of our charities. Every little bit helps! If you would like to go directly to the donation pages, they are as follows:

http://www.firstgiving.com/teammta-mercycorp
http://www.justgiving.com/teammta-sendacow

Money donated at these sites goes directly to the charities and the charities alone. We are covering our expenses such as gas, spare tires, ferry tickets, etc... with our own funds and with sponsorships. That being said, if you would like to contribute to the expense fund, please let me know. We are also in the midst of compiling a list of other items we need to outfit the car (which we don't have!) for such a long journey, so donations of any of those items would help as well. Check the website in a few days! Supporters will be receiving postcards from somewhere along the way!

Thanks a bunch!
Amy