Today was a highly productive day — one of those preparation milestones that really makes everything feel real. We finally have all our rally gear together, which meant we could fully load the Discovery for a complete test run.

As expected, everything didn’t fit perfectly on the first try. So, a few items needed to be rearranged, adjusted, and optimized. After a bit of fine‑tuning, everything found its place — and in the end, the setup works beautifully.

Load Planning & Securing the Gear

One remaining task is finding the right mounting solution for the cooler box, so it won’t turn into a projectile when driving through the Sahara. Pooh is already working on that — and fortunately, we have a trained freight forwarding specialist on board. Even though she no longer works directly in the field, load planning, cargo securing, and packing organization are very much her domain. Viator wisely refrains from interfering. 😉

Roof Rack Finalized

At the same time, Viator completed the remaining installations on the roof rack:

• one spare tire mounted on the roof
• one spare tire in the standard Discovery position under the vehicle

Let’s hope we won’t need either of them — but it’s reassuring to have two.

In addition, we now have:

• two diesel jerry cans securely mounted
• one additional water canister on the roof

Everything is firmly fixed and ready for rough terrain.

Starlink & Technical Supplies

We also finalized a fixed mounting for our Starlink system. The holder, cabling, and connection were tested successfully — which means our connectivity setup is now ready to go.

Meanwhile, in the lower rear area behind the back seats, we’ve stored all essential technical supplies:

• coolant
• engine oil
• brake fluid
• fuses
• a complete set of filters
• spare windshield wiper blades (which we’ll probably never need in the desert — but better safe than sorry)

We also packed an electric air compressor, which we’ll need to deflate the tires for sand driving and reinflate them later. Naturally, we tested it right away and topped up a bit of air.

Quality Control by Merlin 🐾

All of this work was closely supervised by our cat Merlin, who is — according to their own assessment — a certified automotive inspection cat. Merlin is always present when we work on the car and performed a thorough final inspection. Verdict: approved.

Prepared for a Good Cause – The Auction in Gambia

We also completed another important task today: the auction sign for our Land Rover Discovery.

The sign is finished, laminated, and ready to go. Once we arrive in Gambia, we’ll only need to add the final mileage before handing the vehicle over for auction.

At the end of the rally, all participating vehicles are auctioned in Gambia for a good cause. The proceeds go to the Dresden‑Banjul‑Organisation (DBO), a long‑standing NGO that supports sustainable projects in The Gambia.

The DBO focuses on:

• educational projects and schools
• medical support and healthcare initiatives
• social and community development
• long‑term, transparent aid that helps people help themselves

What makes this rally special is that the journey doesn’t end at the finish line. The vehicles continue to create value long after we’ve handed over the keys. Knowing that our Discovery will directly contribute to meaningful projects on the ground gives this adventure a much deeper purpose.

If you’re interested in learning more about where the auction proceeds go and how they are used, you can find more information here.

From Snow to a bit warmer weather

The weather finally turned a corner on Friday. Temperatures climbed above freezing, the snow began to melt, and working on the car became a lot more comfortable.
We’ll show you both: a photo from earlier this week with the Discovery still covered in snow — and one from today, snow‑free and fully loaded.

With this, we’re right on schedule. Only a few smaller tasks remain, which is reassuring since we’ll be traveling for work next week and won’t have much time for further preparations.