00:00So this year is Rhino Charge 2025 and I expected it to be pretty interesting, pretty hot being
00:23in Baringo. There's always a risk of bees as we had several years ago when teams got attacked
00:30by bees. So I guess we were kind of prepared for that. It was interesting to see how our
00:41new team was going to perform. We had two new people in it, Shelley from the UK and my
00:49son Alex, both first timers. It's always going to be interesting when you've got new people
00:58because they don't know how the car can work or how to handle the car, what the car can
01:03actually do. So yeah, it was lots of excitement and anxiety I guess.
01:17I like your questions. You asked what my expectations were about the Charge and you never know what
01:25to expect. It's a really good question. My expectations were that we'd be in a spectacular venue. I
01:32love Baringo. What an amazing county. The lake nearby, the wildlife that we saw as well.
01:39But you always know there's a challenge so I always have that trepidation that before the
01:44Rhino Charge, we never quite know what we're going to let ourselves in for, but what a year.
01:48Honestly, I went into the Rhino Charge with very few specific expectations. I knew that it
02:05was going to be a tough offering challenge, obviously for an amazing cause. But beyond
02:10that, I do feel it was a real leap into the unknown.
02:12It was a real leap into the unknown.
02:13It was a real leap into the unknown.
02:14It was a real leap into the unknown.
02:19So yeah.
02:20So yeah.
02:21It was really a good one.
02:22Look at this one.
02:23It was a weird one.
02:24It was a big one.
02:25It was a good one.
02:26No way.
02:27It was a girl.
02:28It was a great girl.
02:29We were hoping to get another three people in a month.
02:32All right.
02:34I don't think so.
02:35If you two asked me what my expectations were of the charge before starting, it would be
02:59full of excitement, trepidation. We know it's going to be a gnarly event in the most beautiful
03:06part of Kenya. But am I ready? Is the team ready? Is the car ready? And will we all perform
03:13really well? Because we want to succeed.
03:29All right, this year's Rhino Charge took place near Lake Beringo. Expectations were really
03:41high again this year. And as usual, the same questions. Will the car make it? Will the
03:47winch be strong enough? Will the team be ready for it? Will our navigation be good? Will we
03:54be going clockwise or counterclockwise? All those questions we always ask ourselves before
04:00the event. Being my seventh charge, I've seen improvement in terms of navigation and car
04:07capabilities over the years. So the main focus was again to finish with limited road usage.
04:15And like Anthony says every year, we're here to charge.
04:21It was incredible. So my expectations were high based on the preparation of the vehicle. Thank you
04:43for that. But as a team having fit and able runners, it's not necessarily me, but I'm all right with
04:50the winch. I knew that we'd be reasonably competitive.
04:53But to achieve the goal.
04:54Watch your door. Watch your door.
05:09Watch your door.
05:15Watch your doors.
05:16Watch your door.
05:18Watch your door.
05:19Watch your door.
05:20Watch your door.
05:21Watch out.
05:22Guys, what am I doing?
05:26Am I getting straight?
05:28Oh
05:58Oh
06:28Oh
06:38Straight or right?
06:40Right
06:48Charge left
06:50Charge left
06:52No right
06:54Charge right
06:58Yeah
07:04We're gonna run
07:06We're gonna move fast
07:08Someone's charging
07:12Someone's charging
07:22Bring him up
07:24Oh
07:28I don't have any radio by the way
07:30Mine's died
07:36Yeah, good idea, much better
07:38Shirley, we're gonna turn and get him to come this way
07:40Finish me
07:52Finish me
07:58Woohoo
08:00You know
08:10But having, you know, some experience in the team
08:12Jonathan having done it for several years
08:14Eric having done it for several years
08:16And now as our navigator
08:18And now as our navigator
08:20And of course James is now the lead runner
08:22And also helps with the navigation
08:24And also helps with the navigation
08:26I guess we had a team that could
08:30Kind of guide the newbies
08:32And get them through
08:34And that's how it was gonna be
08:36I can wait
08:38Hey
08:40Yeah
08:42Whoo
08:44Hey
08:46Hey
08:48Hey
08:50Hey
08:52Hey
08:54Hey
08:56Hey
08:58Hey
09:00Hey
09:02Hey
09:04So when I look back at this year's charge, it was tough, I think it was probably one
09:31of the best chargers that I've enjoyed, you know, really did enjoy it.
09:38I think the team performed well, I think the car performed well, and I think, you know,
09:45when you put those two things together, you know, you potentially have a winning formula.
09:51I truly think we could have had a place on the podium this year, so I guess next year,
09:59you know, we cut those lines and push it a little bit, a little bit more, and we could
10:06end up in the top three for sure.
10:08I think we're definitely a team that can contend.
10:11And as for after the challenge, everything, whether we succeeded or not, we're on our
10:26high, absolutely buzzing, and there's nothing more that you can talk about except from the
10:31time when this went right, the time when we got stuck there, how do we overcome that challenge?
10:35how did the car and the team perform, and then what can we do better for next time?
10:40And you've just got this urge to want to do it again and again and again.
10:44A fun story on the way to Flower Watch when we had seen that another competitor had been
10:50attacked by bees, and collectively the team said, get your suit on and get up there and get
10:57the, get our card stamped, so suited up, on my own, up to the checkpoint, in my bee suit,
11:06jumped out like a spaceman, got the stamp and came back, picked up the team and carried on going.
11:11I think that's kind of a nice story to reminisce on.
11:27So now the general feedback I can give from this charge, well, we finished for the second time
11:36in a row, so I guess we are on the right track.
11:40What needs to be done now, looking ahead, is maybe get better radios to improve our communication,
11:47fix the winch, which is in a real mess right now.
11:50This is in turn will allow us to be a little bit more inclined to tackle difficult terrain.
11:55All in all, as a conclusion, once we sort out all those little things, I do believe we
12:01can reach the podium next year, and I really hope so.
12:12So my feedback after the charge is that it was an experience unlike any other.
12:17It was really hard.
12:19We faced obstacles that I couldn't have imagined, and lots of thorns, so many thorns.
12:25I think we all took a battering from those.
12:28But through all of the sweat and the scratches, it ultimately was really fun.
12:34It's an incredible test, and the fun comes from conquering this, something that's just so immense.
12:39It's competitive, but to achieve the result that we did, the 20th and the 65th and 15th class,
12:52was outstanding, and it's really spread me on for 2026.
12:56So the feedback I can give is just amazing work, amazing fundraising event.
13:03It's incredible.
13:05Very difficult to explain what the Rhino charge is, and if you've actually been.
13:10Makes the average 4x4 call, sort of like a children's play park.
13:14But feedback is, yeah, let's do it next year.
13:16Let's raise more money.
13:18Let's improve our position.
13:19If we could see a top 10, I'd be elated.
13:23And that's the only way I want to celebrate my 10th charge.
13:27Thanks, team.
