We just wrapped up our interviews and we think they went pretty well. Were happy to have all the coverage right before we leave for the rally as it's making the whole event more and more exciting. Posted below are our NBC interviews and a link to our Lawrence Channel 6 news interview. Check them all out and marvel at our on screen presence or at least watch them for the lovely NBC news woman Sloane Heller who handled all the questions about our up coming quest.
Lawrence Channel 6 News - Team Flatlanders Interview
We are now down to our last week in the states, and we couldn’t be more excited! This week has been full of wonderful surprises. The first was that we made the front page of the local newspaper, and that set off a series of great events. Our phones started ringing off the hook, and we’ve been rounding up some new sponsors. One that is still in the air is a company trying to send us titanium alloy tire rims that are lightweight and ultra-durable. So much so that people have been known to drive for 50 miles on a blown tire and still been able to reuse the tire. One sponsor we have lined up, however, is Papa Kenos Pizza here in Lawrence, and they’ve agreed to hang a banner in their store so that people can track our journey while they eat, as well as online at the website. More on how they’re willing to help us out later.
What also came along with our news article were television stations wanting to cover our crazy adventures. We had a spot on the local Channel 6 news yesterday, and they’ve been plugging our final charity fundraiser. After that we got a call from NBC Action News in Kansas City who wanted to set up an interview with us as well for their early morning program. We decided to go to sleep at 6 PM, wake up at midnight to catch the crowd at the Jazz Haus to promote the show, then were off to KC by 3 AM. For some reason they wanted us to do live interviews, so we were given four small segments, and perhaps to their chagrin, Andrew mentioned our risk of contracting worms, but quelled any fears by mentioning that we also have the medicine for it. The interview was a whole lot of fun, and Andrew and I got some great pics of us sitting behind their news desk. We made it back to Lawrence and were finally ready to sleep, but after about 10 minutes of sleep, we got a call from KCTV 5 who wanted to come to the house to interview us for their station. I can’t necessarily say we recall exactly how the interview went, but we believe it was successful, and look forward to the evening news tomorrow to find out.
The publicity has definitely made us even more excited than we already were, and we can’t wait to get out on the road. From now until Sunday, people can expect to see us in full costume hitting the local bars and music venues promoting our show. We’ve been hanging flyers all over town, and giving handbills to all the new faces we’ve been meeting this week. We would like to thank absolutely everybody for the support that they’ve show so far, and we look forward to the continuing support.
In other news, we may have a hookup with the campaign manager for Mongolia’s president, so we cross your fingers for us.
And finally, here are all the details for our final benefit show:
SUNDAY JUNE 14TH THE GRANADA PRICE: $8 DOORS: 7 PM
8:00-9:00 Wise Acres
9:20-10:20 Catalina
10:45-12:00 Brody Buster Band
12:20-1:30 Tommy Ferrari and the Future Motor Machines
PAPA KENO’S HAS AGREED TO PROVIDE FREE PIZZA TO OUR EVENT AT THE GRANADA. FOUR TERRIFIC BANDS AND FREE PIZZA FOR $8, YOU WON’T FIND A BETTER DEAL OR A BETTER TIME ANYWHERE.
We've done a lot so far to get the word out on our adventure, but before we go and conquer the mongol rally our sights we're set on the conquering the local media and now have. Check out our NBC News interview tomorrow morning at 6am and then take some time to read our articles in the Lawrence Journal and the University Daily Kansan. Use the image links below to access the articles online.
It’s been awhile since we last updated, and it seems like a whirlwind of events have transpired. I (Mike) have returned from the land down under and landed myself back down in the lovely plains of Kansas. Andrew and I have been running around getting our final preparations in order, and our time in the US is dwindling fast. My presence on the team is as a replacement for Grant Slater, the man who originally turned us onto the rally in general. Since that time, Grant Wille has also decided that he won’t be making the trip with us. After a brief period of questioning whether or not to proceed with the rally, Andrew and I have decided to go at it alone. I mean, you’d have to be crazy not to take this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity <cough cough> Grant…
Well, logistics change a little bit, but we are under the firm belief that we can handle whatever this crazy world can throw at us. I doubt there are any two people as determined as we are to make it all the way to Ulaan Baatar, even if we have to cross Mongolia on the backs of horses. We’re anxious for our adventure to start, and we thank everyone who has contributed to our cause thus far.
We have very nearly reached our goal for Mercy Corps, but the fundraising isn’t quite over yet. We are still hoping to get the main chunk of our car purchased for the rally, and we have one more fundraiser planned so far before we leave. We would appreciate all the support we can get. Once we arrive in Ulaan Baatar, the car will be sold to someone in need, and the money will go back to Mercy Corps. Our fundraiser is going to be another concert, but this time the Granada Theater here in Lawrence has been kind enough to allow us use of their premises. The event will take place on June 14th, so in addition to it being our final fundraiser, it will also be our send-off party, as we depart for Europe on June 16th. Thus far the Brody Buster Band and Tommy Ferrari and the Future Motor Machines has committed to play for us, and there are more bands in the works (check out our sponsors page).
We’ve opened up a twitter account for Team Flatlanders, but people have been struggling to locate it. We’re working on that problem right now, and we’ll let you know. Also look for an article coming out in the Journal World in early June. And remember, come on down to the Granada on June 14th and jiggle your asses in our honor. Nothing says, “We support you” better than a little ass jigglin’.
We have a chance of rain for Thursday, BUT, it'll take a lot more than a little drizzle to spoil our adventures. We have a plan! If there is rain on Thursday, the show will go on (inside the barn). So don't go changing your plans for Stop Day Eve yet.
Also: Andrew and I have decided to strongly suggest a $15 donation after 8pm, since those showing up later will have missed many of the bands (We're actually reasonable people, despite the whole driving across Eurasia thing). Can't wait to see everyone out there. This is going to be the biggest thing since God made the Earth. (By the way, I heard Jesus might make a guest appearance, so everyone better behave).
Come bring your camping
gear and PBRs and get ready to shake your booty to the best blue-grass,
indie, blues,
and rock that Lawrence has to offer*.
Music from 2 in the afternoon
'til the wee hours of the night. All proceeds help support Mercy Corps
Mongolia
and Team
Flatlanders
of
the Mongol
Rally 2009 (check out the charities
page).
May 7th 09' (Stop Day Eve) - Gates open at 9am
1040 E 750th Rd. Lawrence, KS -
Only 15 minutes outside of town (directions below).
This is a non-profit, charity event. Suggested donation of $20. BYOB.**
Set list:
Check out whos playing on the Sponsors
page.
9:00am- 2:00pm Put up your tents and drink
your beer
2:00pm-2:50pm Catalina
3:10pm - 4:00pm The Koskies
4:15pm - 5:00pm Max Paley & Friends
5:15pm - 6:00pm Sunflower Colonels
6:20pm - 7:15pm Ample Branches
7:35pm - 8:20pm The Wise Acres
8:40pm - 9:25pm AntennasUp
9:45pm - 10:40pm Brody Buster Band
11:00pm - 12:20am The Calamity Cubes
12:40am - 2:00am Deadman Flats
This is a CHARITY event and if you're feeling especially charitable,
feel free to charity-it-up on the charity page to charity-ify your
wallet into
Mercy Corps Mongolia. Please contact Grant Wille (785-550-3168) for
any Questions, Comments or Concerns.
*Team Flatlanders is not responsible for any ridiculously subjective
statements made by Grant Wille, although these bands WILL rock your
socks off.
**BYOB strictly enforced. You can't have any of my booze.
Thanks to all who made it out for the last two charity keggers! We all had a blast and raised a bundle of cash for Mercy Core. It’s always good to drink in the name of humanity. As for progress on the rally, we are just about to mail off our passports, cross our fingers and hope that they don’t find out about our criminal records.
In bigger news, the third man Grant Slater in Russia got accepted into Columbia University’s journalism masters program, however, this means he will no longer be joining us for the rally. With a stroke of luck and little time to realize it, our old roommate Michael Gaus, who is currently in Australia, changed his flights and will be coming home to join us for the Mongol Rally in place of Grant. It’s almost like fate as Grant, Michael and I have participated in barrage of insane adventures. This will hopefully be one to add to the list.
Another huge future event is our upcoming sponsorship festival that we have planned for May 8th. Bluegrass, Blues, Folk and who knows what else. Camping, beer, hotdogs, music, bonfire and good times are right around the corner for all who want to get down on Stop Day Eve. We’ll get the word out real soon and let you all know what to expect.
Talk about a whirl-wind. It's tornado season here in Kansas, and although we haven't had a twister in Lawrence yet, both Andrew and I feel like our lives have been picked up, spun around, and dropped up-side-down into a muddy wheat field. It's the end of the semester at KU and we're busy writing papers, researching and getting our lives ready for graduation.
Good news though: We've only got a few more hundred dollars to raise for the Mercy Corps Mongolia, thanks to some blow-out keggers and a few hundred generous drunks. However, we're still on the hunt for sponsorship funding and cash to buy the car. Here's some fund-raising ideas we've been throwing back and forth: Outdoor concert at the park down by the river, Mongol party at Henry's, a picnic/blue-rock shooting event out in the boonies, and, of course, more keggers.
On another note (also good), Andrew bought a welder the other day to practice on the spot repairs, and he hasn't killed himself yet! Yay! Now if only we can figure out how to send a fifty-pound welder to Scotland and attach it to the fifty-pound car...
Team Flatlanders Video
I just ran across this quote while reading Lehtonen's "Language as Human Being In the World":
THE CROWNING GLORY EVEREST IS CLIMBED
TREMENDOUS NEWS FOR THE QUEEN
HILLARY DOES IT!
Glorious Coronation Day news! Everest - Everest the unconquerable - has been conquered. And conquered by men of British blood. The news came late last night. Edmund Hillary and the Sherpa guide, Tensing Norgay, of Colonel John Hunt's expedition, had climbed the summit of Earth's highest peak, 29,002 feet high. New Zealand's deputy Prernier announced it at a Coronation Day ceremony at Wellington - and within seconds it flashed around the world. Queen Elizabeth the Second, resting on the eve of her crowning, was immediately told that this brightest jewel of courage and endurance had been added to the Crown of British endeavour. It is understood that a message of royal congratulation is being sent to the climbers . . .
I wonder if the Queen knows about the Mongol Rally 2009. I bet she'd love to hear all about our stories when we're done. If only I knew anyone with connections to the Royal Family (hint hint).
Our good friend Taylor Schaack in the University of Kansas's Film Department has been working incredibly hard on a short film about Team Flatlanders. We'll post the video soon so you can hear out of our own mouths just how wonderful this project is. Keep visiting the website for more updates.
It’s the New Year and Team Flatlander’s is trying to get its
gears in motion, to little avail. Naturally, instead of preparing for the
trip, we’ve been wasting time on the Infernal-net. Who wants to be
prepared anyways? I did run across an interesting MSNBC poll this morning
though:
It seems that most people think pretty highly of idiots like us, which
is a nice ego boost this early in the morning. However, I quickly realized
that the only people interested enough in the Mongol Rally to take part
in the poll would be the racers themselves (the 67% that are jerking-off
their egos), their friends (the 24% that think their racer friends are
crazy and avoiding the “real-world”), and the racers’ families
(the 9.3% that are seriously worried about their children). This is depressing… Maybe
I should avoid the web and start learning how to change a tire.
Welcome to Team Flatlanders! We're just getting started with our adventures
in the Mongol Rally. If we succeed, nobody knows, but you can at least
get to know us before our fate is decided.
This page here is our Home
page. We will be frequently updating it with new news to let you know
how
we're doing.
Visit our The Flatlanders page
to learn more about who makes up the team making the
multi
country rally. Maybe you'll find us compelling characters and want to
help our cause. You can read about our cause on the Charities page.
While you're at it, you should also consider becoming a Sponsor,
which will help us reach our goals
of surviving the race and providing the oportuninty for you to make
some new customers or frends. It's practically win win.
If you're unsure why you happened upon this site altogether, you can
and should visit our Mongol
Rally and The Route pages
which will provide some insight on the adventure we're about to embark
upon.
If all else fails and you're just here for some sweet online pictures,
check out our Team Flatlanders team logo.
It's a jpeg!
