Note: this website is very old. The bulletins contained here were originally posted to the internet in 1999. This website itself was constructed in 2000. Back then the internet was accessed via a dial-up modem. Connection speed was low. Bandwidth and web space were expensive. Hence the graphics on this website are generally small. This should not detract from enjoying The 2CV Alaska Challenge, which was a record-breaking venture in more ways than one.

  

The 2CV Alaska Challenge

en français

"The play was a great success, but the audience was a disaster." - Oscar Wilde

This site contains all the bulletins, both from the 2CV Alaska Challenge and the dress rehearsal in the Outer Hebrides. If you want to go directly to the bulletins click on the links below. Alternatively, you can read the Introduction and follow the links afterwards.

[ Alaska Challenge Bulletins ]   [ Media Coverage ]

Information Page    Ten Tall Tales About 2CV's    Story of the Alaska Challenge car

The Yukon Queen, Rob Godfrey's book about The 2CV Alaska Challenge and its aftermath, is now on sale as either an e-book or a paperback. For details see here. There are no other books in existence which are about the Citroen 2CV and this sort of adventure journey.

INTRODUCTION:

In July 1999 the good ship Christiane sailed from Rotterdam, Holland, bound for the east coast USA. On board this creaking cargo ship was Rob Godfrey and two Citroen 2CV motor cars. The Christiane was supposed to take 10 days to cross the Atlantic, but a series of misadventures resulted in a 4 week voyage. Rob Godfrey spent those 4 weeks in the company of 25 Croatian sailors and a mad Captain. Rob Godfrey says that he will now be in therapy for the rest of his life.

This voyage was the first leg of a journey to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, on the shores of the Arctic Ocean, a journey that took Rob Godfrey and Jose Oostveen 8000 road miles across North America. During this epic journey they suffered, amongst other things, mechanical breakdown, brake failure and physical injury.

In Fairbanks, Alaska, Jose left Rob and flew back to Europe. Undeterred, Rob found himself a vulcanised companion in the form of Jamie the Love Doll, and thereby became not only the first man ever to drive a Citroen 2CV all the way up the Dalton Highway to the Arctic Ocean, but also the first man ever to cross the arctic circle with a fully inflated sex doll.

Throughout the 9 week journey from Europe to arctic Alaska, Rob sent regular bulletins to The 2CV Alaska Challenge web site, giving a total of 24 bulletins. These bulletins were written 'on the hoof', often late at night in hotels and restaurants, and they are a faithful record of what those mad 9 weeks were like...

Information Page
(Including route map)

Media Coverage

Ten Tall Tales About 2CV's

Story of the Alaska car

The 2CV Alaska Challenge

Bulletin No.01: Rotterdam, Wednesday 30th June 1999.

Bulletin No.2: TO SAIL THE SEVEN SEAS. Wednesday 7th July 1999.

Bulletin No.3: THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA. MV Christiane, Atlantic Ocean, Friday 9th July 1999.

Bulletin No.4: NEW YORK, NEW YORK... (well, almost!). MV Christiane, Atlantic Ocean, Friday 16th July 1999.

Bulletin No.5: LIFE ON THE OCEAN WAVE. Atlantic Ocean, July 1999.

Bulletin No.6: OH HELL! Albany, New York State, Wednesday 21st July 1999.

Bulletin No.7: YOU CAN'T GET THERE FROM HERE. Savannah, Georgia, Wednesday 28th July 1999.

Bulletin No.8: IT IS BETTER TO TRAVEL HOPEFULLY... Saturday 31st July 1999.

Bulletin No.9: SLOW IDLING. Toronto, Canada. Wednesday 4th August 1999.

Bulletin No.10: I DON'T THINK WE'RE IN KANSAS ANYMORE, TOTO... Quebec City, Canada. Sunday 8th August 1999.

Bulletin No.11: I JUST LOVE BEING UP TO MY ARMPITS IN GREASE AND OIL... Terrace Bay, Ontario (250 Km east of Thunder Bay). Tuesday 10th August 1999.

Bulletin No.12: AU REVIOR LITTLE DUCK. Winnipeg, Manitoba. Saturday 14th August 1999.

Bulletin No.13: IT AIN'T ME BABE... Calgary, Alberta. Tuesday 17th August 1999.

Bulletin No.14: A CLOSE SHAVE. Salmon Arm, British Columbia. Thursday 19th August 1999.

Bulletin No.15: HAMSTRUNG. Williams Lake, British Columbia. Friday 20th August 1999.

Bulletin No.16: THE ROAD TO ALASKA. Fort Nelson, British Columbia. Sunday 22nd August 1999.

Bulletin No.17: WILD THING. Watson Lake, Yukon. Monday 23rd August 1999.

Bulletin No.18: THE YUKON. Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. Tuesday 24th August 1999.

Bulletin No.19: INTO ALASKA... Delta Junction, Alaska. Wednesday 25th August 1999.

Bulletin No.20: A PARTING OF THE WAYS... Fairbanks, Alaska. Friday 27th August 1999.

Bulletin No.21: UP INTO THE ARCTIC (WITH AN INFLATABLE SEX DOLL). Coldfoot, Alaska. Saturday 28th August 1999.

Bulletin No.22: WANDRIN' STAR. Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. Sunday 29th August 1999.

Bulletin No.23: TO SUM IT ALL UP.

Bulletin No.24: I'D LIKE TO THANK MY MOTHER, MY AGENT, MY ANALYST... Prince Rupert, British Columbia. Tuesday 7th September 1999.

 

The Outer Hebrides
(Dress rehearsal)

#1: Tarbert, Isle of Harris, Saturday 13th March 1999

#2: Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, Monday 15th March 1999

#3: Fort Augustus, Loch Ness, Tuesday 16th March 1999

Outer Hebrides dress rehearsal page



Rob Godfrey was born in the Old Kent Road, London, on 21st March, 1964. He describes himself as an adventurer, poet, novelist, soldier of fortune, philosopher and egomaniac.

Jose Oostveen was born in Utrecht, Holland, on 18th March, 1964. She describes herself as normal.

"Whenever I'm caught between two evils, I take the one I've never tried before." - Mae West

 

[ Alaska Challenge Book ]   [ Alaska Challenge Bulletins ]   [ Media Coverage ]


These Bulletins originally appeared on The 2CV Alaska Challenge web site and remain the copyright of Rob Godfrey.


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