Team Ethanol to the Rescue!

Blog by Brian:

The Twike team from Switzerland arrived in Mackay QLD last night. Twike is driving their Greenfleet vehicle from Brisbane to Darwin.

For Twike, it was an uneventful trip until about 35 km south of Sarina, when the “egg on wheels” had a malfunction with their auxiliary engine, which started misfiring and belching clouds of smoke.

After a frantic SOS call to Team Ethanol’s Chief Engineer and resident mechanical magician, Syd Norman, rode to the rescue.

The rest of Team Ethanol was gathered at Syd and Janet’s property for a barbecue to welcome the Swiss team. Some time later the Twike arrived to a standing ovation, despite being ignominiously towed in behind Syd’s Echo…score one for conventional technology!

The problem was soon diagnosed as a microscopic piece of foreign matter lodged under the needle and seat in the engine. Funny how one grain of sand can bring technology to its knees.

Damien Hooper from local ABC Radio was on the spot to conduct an interview with both teams, affectionately known as ‘Ethos’ and the ‘Twikers’. Nice to see the local media showing an interest. The interview aired at 7.15am this morning (9 October).

Later, everybody enjoyed a magnificent gourmet barbecue, washed down with a few convivial alcoholic libations…not ethanol, we need that for Darwin!

Today the Twikers head up the coast to Townsville, so if you see them on the road give them a rousing Mackay honk and wish them luck…they might need it!

(photo is of Team Ethanol's Syd Normal with Twike's Ralph Schnyder fixing the Twike with Twike member Stephen Meister looking on.)

More photos are available through the 'daily photos' weblink on www.teamethanol.com.au