Birt & Ernie
Welcome to Hot Rock's truck gallery. We travel in Ernie, a Merc 1620.
Ernie replaced the much-loved Birt (Big Red Truck), a Scania 112 which shepherded hot rockers round the world many times. Birt was quite possibly the most travelled truck in history, having taken over 500 climbers across 6 continents, 90 countries, 500+ crags... Ernie has a hell of a lot to live up to! The expedition aims to spend a maximum of 1 day in 3 travelling, at least 1 in 3 climbing, with the rest being spent sightseeing, chilling out with local folk or doing whatever other activities are available. |
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The pictures in this gallery are of Ernie's northbound hot rock trip, and the first part of the southbound. I'll add to the gallery over time. (If you'd like to see Birt instead, and explore Hot Rock's trucking history, then click here.)
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Ernie was a Kumuka truck, (and white) before we rescued her. Hell, she didn't even have a bar! |
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Before starting the first northbound trip, Roger Simon & Andy had to transit Ernie from Cuzco to Ushuaia. 14 days straight of 10+ hours driving, they made it.
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Pillar box red. Now that's a proper colour. Thanks to all the hard working hot rockers who made it happen.
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One of the top days of this or any trip - crossing the epic salt flats between Chile & Bolivia. At least there's not too much traffic...
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Landscape photography rule 1: a good truck always improves a sunset |
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Driving for hot rock requires a mix of skills. Not least, navigating salt lakes |
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A classic bush camp at a random boulder field
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Parked up at more cool boulder fields - this time at 4300m near the Chilean border
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Maybe this was deliberate... digging trucks out out is good training, so they say...
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More funky bush camps
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A tradition on all hot rock's trucks past and present, the "no hands rest" is the truck bar.
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The start of the Southbound trip... and some decorating
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As high as it looks... this bush camp is at about 5000m on the Argentina-Chile border
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