Irv Gordon’s Summer Vacation
I think only long haul truckers get more annual mileage than Irv, maybe. Irv’s summer vacations are more about attending Concourse shows, club events around the U.S. and Canada and visiting our retailers, than about sitting on the veranda sipping sweet ice tea. Oh yes, almost forgot, he’s heading to Australia (without his trusty red P1800) to be with Volvo’s national club Down Under.
The author of this piece, Gary Sowerby is no stranger to long distance driving himself (https://www.media.volvocars.com/ca/enhanced/en-ca/Media/Preview.aspx?mediaid=39472). A couple of months ago, Gary came to our XC Adventure in Gateway, Colorado. From the way he was talking, it looked like he was wondering how fast he could take one around the globe – again.
Here is Gary’s story about the Canadian Volvo Club’s 31st annual Family Day Picnic. Enjoy.
http://thechronicleherald.ca/WheelsNews/1256557.html
dan
Posted in Irv Gordon, P1800, XC Adventure | 2 Comments »AutoWeek – Ruling the Roost
Colorado is really beautiful. I can see why people move there and stay. We were out in Gateway, which is in the western part of Colorado, and couldn’t have found a better place to play with our XC.
dan
Posted in XC Adventure, XC60, XC70, XC90 | Comments OffXC Adventure – Ride ‘em Hard and Put ‘em away wet
In 1997, for the first XC70 media launch, we took a hand full of cars and media to Alaska. The event drive was up a Forest Service road, across some streams, up over a mountain into an old gold mining town, and then back to the home base hotel. It was fun, and showed how our AWD system worked, but nothing really nasty.
For the second generation XC70 we headed back to AK – in February – and drove from Anchorage to Prudhoe Bay – about 800 miles. During the last 500 miles, there was only one gas station on our route and we had to call the owner to open it up. The snow drifts were 20′ high and it was -70 degrees Fahrenheit – just one hell of an awesome showing of how our AWD worked – that was nasty. The next XC70 media event was down in Baja, where we criss crossed from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific Ocean and back. The roads were more like rock trails, and we drove mostly on Baja 1000 roads. Two cars had mechanical problems. The first was when a Volvo staffer hit a really nice wood fence post, put “small” hole in the radiator and just kept driving. Yep, the engine seized up. And the second was a journalist who punched a hole in an oil pan, through it’s skid plate, with a really nice big rock. So in a sense we had no problems.
So James dreams up this XC Adventure in the spirit of past trips but wanted to give a flavor of on-road and off-road capabilities. Okay, I know, this isn’t Moab driving, no one with good common sense would take our type of cars into that kind of country, but James figured out how to combine what our customers might do.
Years ago, we were trying to figure out what to call the AWD systems being offered. I phoned Ron Sessions, then a writer at Road and Track, now working at GM, and asked how they define AWD systems: “Well the difference between AWD and 2WD is simply the distance you have to walk out.” I got it.
(ok so I’m not Spielberg) Awesome country out there in Gateway, CO.
We wanted to share some of the articles written and a couple of photos I took from James’ event.
Good week to you all.
dan
Here are few pov’s from media:
http://www.iveho.com/2011/06/10/test-drive-2011-volvo-xc70-wagon/
http://www.theprovince.com/cars/Awed+Volvo+Adventure+Race/4951161/story.html
Posted in XC Adventure, XC70 | Comments OffXC Adventure – Race Across the States Results
Now that the Race Across the States has concluded, we can let you in on some of the adventures we had our media friends partake in as they drove from Los Angeles to Gateway, Colorado last week.
On Monday morning, after a product presentation by XC brand manager Joe Haslem, the journalists were greeted by a strapping Swede named Ingvar the Far Traveled. As the host of their adventure, he instructed the teams that they would compete for prizes as they put their fears, powers of observation and stamina to the test in challenges modeled after his own adventurous lifestyle. Each challenge and adventure was worth points towards a grand prize.
The first clue the teams received instructed them to drive to the “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada” sign, where they were met with challenges to choose from. The choices were a low-key activity that involved walking and taking photographs, an activity that involved some heights and physical activity, and an activity that involved extreme heights. The hints remained cryptic until teams arrived at the site of their chosen challenges.
What teams weren’t told is they were either taking a leisurely stroll through the Shark Reef Aquarium in the Mandalay Bay where they were to photograph different shark species, do some rock climbing at the Red Rock Climbing Center, or ride the Big Shot on top of the Stratosphere Tower. Only two teams – Team Ivar and Team Bjor – were brave enough to face the Big Shot and I think James Bell’s face says it all.
After their adventures in Las Vegas, teams were free to continue on the journey to Gateway. But, first, being the dog lovers that we are, we asked them to deliver some dog food we’d provided in the trunks of their XCs to St. George Animal Shelter in St. George, Utah. Team Nasi, who opted to travel to Gateway via Flagstaff, Ariz., made a special stop to deliver their dog food to another kennel along the way.
In the end, after all teams logged many miles, took great photos, and shared some amazing and entertaining stories on their journey from Los Angeles to Gateway Canyons, only one team could come in first place. With 1,650 of 1,800 possible points, the grand prize winners, and ultimate XC Adventurers, were James Bell and Ron Doron of Team Ivar!
Bell said of his win, “To be 100 percent honest, I only wanted to win because Aaron Gold was also on this trip and I am tired of losing such contests to him time after time. But the XC Adventure was so well planned that we had no choice but being ‘in it to win it.’ The sight of Ron at the top of the rock wall has permanently scarred my soul. Thanks Volvo!”
Doron remarked, “What a unique and creative way to reintroduce us to a very capable line of All-Wheel Drive vehicles from Volvo. The Volvo XC Adventure was a rare opportunity to drive 1,000 miles, cover four states, and then push each vehicle to the limit in extreme mud conditions. Volvo has set the bar height for future press events!”
Congratulations on a well-fought victory! And thank you to all of the teams who joined us on this adventure. We had a great time with you and hope you enjoyed the ride.
-Wendi
Posted in Team Bjor, Team Ivar, Team Nasi, XC Adventure | 1 Comment »Team Ludin – Blog Entry #4
I’m writing this at 7:45 pm on Tuesday evening. Right about now, my fellow journalists are probably tucking in to a delicious dinner in Gateway, Colorado. We’re still in Utah with 2+ hours to go, which means we’re about 5 hours behind schedule, and — with all due respect to the folks at Volvo — we couldn’t care less.
Steve and I have spent the whole day captivated by the beauty of this state. Through Zion national park, then Bryce, then winding our way down Utah 12 and back up 24, our eyes have been bombarded by some of the most incredible scenery this country has to offer. And it’s not just the natural beauty that amazed us, but the variety — every twist and turn in the road brought new colors, new shapes, new textures. Steve and I have done more than our fair share of traveling, but neither of us have seen anything quite so amazing. Five hours late? I’m amazed we’re not five *days* late.
We’re far from done with the XC Adventure; Colorado awaits, and I’m sure it will have more than its share of visual delights. For now, though, we’re reluctantly pressing on, building speed as nightfall approaches. Behind us the sun is slowly slipping closer and closer to the mountaintops, bathing the scenery with one last splash of golden light as if it is just as unwilling to leave Utah as we are.
The Volvo XC70 is a lovely way to devour the miles; she cruises as quietly at 100 MPH as other cars do at 60 and her pillow-soft ride is feels like gentle consolation for the beauty we have left behind. Still, I’d rather be two hundred miles and four hours back from where I am right now, loping along, stopping every few seconds to take another half-dozen photos and teasing Steve about taking up more digital storage than the Pentagon. I could repeat this day a hundred times over and never grow tired. Utah, I love you, and I’ll be back.
– Aaron Gold
Team Bjor at Zion, Utah Harley Davidson
Team Ludin – Amazing Photo of Zion
Greetings from Team Ludin, reporting live from Mt. Carmel Junction, Utah! This morning we headed into Zion Park, and the natural beauty struck both of us silent — and if you know me or Steve Siler, you know that’s virtually imfrigginpossible. For the first time, we argued about who was *not* going to drive.
Tragedy struck mid-way through our Zion tour: Steve’s camera battery died. One of the things I have discovered about Steve is that his need to take pictures far exceeds his need to breathe oxygen. (I’m sure Steve has discovered plenty of equally interesting things about me, but I’m the one writing the blog entries, so Ha! Ha! Ha!) Thinking on my feet, swift as lightning, lickety-split, like a bolt from the blue, I handed Steve my camera and saved the day. But now I have to sheepishly explain to everyone that the best shots on my camera (like the one above) were taken by someone else.
Right now we are at the Thunderbird Restaurant (“Home of the Ho-Made Pies!” No, really) for tasty lunch and an outlet for Steve’s camera battery. Next it’s off to Bryce. We don’t know if we have enough time for our five-park plan, but with beauty like there is in Utah, we know we aren’t going to be disappointed.
My job lets me see a lot of the world, but this is one of the most beautiful spots I’ve visited. Thanks again, Volvo, for sending us on this trip.
– Aaron Gold
Posted in Team Ludin, XC Adventure, XC70 | Comments OffTeam Diarf
Team Diarf has been on the road for the Volvo Adventure race across the states.
Zion was one of the highlights of today. The rock formations were stunning!
The most unique stop had to be the ghost town of Grafton – surrounded by natural beauty the remains of civilization stood in stark contrast.
The journey continues!
-David Schmidt
Posted in Team Diarf, XC Adventure | Comments OffTeam Bjor – Delivers food to the animal shelter
Team Bjor delivers Volvo kibble to the St. George, Utah, animal shelter. On to the next challenge!
