Mongolian Rally Adventure
Two alumni complete 10,000-mile trek and relate it to experience at MMA.
In early summer 2018, John Parrinello ’15 and Tanner Pidgeon ’15 embarked on the adventure of a lifetime: a 10,000-mile trek across the steppe of Europe and Asia in a three-wheeled 1984 Reliant Rialto.
Their trip, hosted by a UK-based group called The Adventurists, is an annual event called the Mongol Rally and is unlike any organized adventure on the planet. Every year, teams set off across Europe and arrive, weeks later, in Ulan Ude, Russia.
There is no road support along the way and the route is undetermined by the organizers. Each team is in charge of planning, provisioning and problem-solving their way across the continent, and the rally’s only rule is that participating vehicles are limited in engine size to 1.2 liter or less.
After securing their car in Dover, England, Parinello and Pidgeon made their way to the Czech Republic and set off, fueled by the support of their friends and sponsors. Over the course of the next few months, the two traversed some of the world’s most remote regions, overcame mechanical issues, befriended strangers in unlikely places, and endured almost every imaginable roadside challenge. By the time they made it across the finish line, the Rialto was on its last leg.
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In February, Parrinello and Pidgeon returned to Maine Maritime Academy for a slideshow presentation about their trip during Commandant’s time. During their talk, “Deckies Take a Drive,” they regaled young cadets with stories from the rally and drew parallels between lessons they learned on the road and during their time at MMA.
Persistence, patience, and resilience, all foundational to a cadet’s success in the Regiment of Midshipmen, turned out to be just as valuable on land as at sea. While they joked about lacking the mechanical skills that some of their peers at MMA possess, Parrinello and Pidgeon credited their education with preparing them for the challenges of improvising solutions to unexpected problems and working as a team during stressful times. Even tight sleeping quarters and the logistical snafus associated with international travel were no match for their training and experience.
With humor and insight, Parrinello and Pidgeon’s presentation reminded students of the value of their experience at MMA and the diversity of opportunities that await them once they leave college. After the slideshow they opened up the conversation for questions but there was one that couldn’t be answered: Who is next?
Photos: Courtesy of John Parrinello ’15 and Tanner Pidgeon ’15
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My son Daniel Mahoney has lived in Mongolia for over 20 years after graduating from Washington U.. Law school in DC and with his classmate, a Mr. Urgal, as partner set up a law firm in Ulaanbaatar. The firm is now known as Mahoney & Laotta (Google listed) Mt Urgal is now a Minister in the Mongolian government. I spent 10 weeks in country with Dan and enjoyed the rugged countryside. Friendly people make the trip. I also have a daughter who is an Attorney in Chicago plus my youngest a Surgical Nurse Both girls are U of Missouri grads.… Read more »
I truly commend John and Tanner on their trek across 10,000 miles of the Mongol Rally. That is quite an accomplishment especially having survived it in a Reliant Rialto, that only has an 850cc engine! I have been involved in British cars since I was 12 and even organized a Sports Car Club at MMA in the very early 70s. (I was ’72E) Now have two Morgans, one of which is a 1936 3-wheeler. The Rialto is possibly a little more stable on turns, with its single front drive wheel, but still has got to have been challenging on the… Read more »
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