Originally posted on October 19,2008
(Google cached version for proof)

A Fiestavus | The big proposition
This year's announcement that Ford would be bringing the Fiesta to the US market has sparked my interest for yet another epic adventure.

Seriously, who better to deliver the new Fiesta to the United States than the foremost American experts on Fiestavus adventuring, the Bad Colonies Motoring Cooperative. I am sure you can envision it, the team reunited, following the path of their former adventure across Europe and Asia. Instead of stopping in Mongolia, we would just keep on cruising to Detroit, hand delivering a battle tested Fiesta to the public. In the process, stirring up a storm of viral marketing to launch the world's greatest wee vehicle.

And so started my Fiesta Movement.

I kept a watchful eye on Ford in the years following the rally, holding out hope that the Fiesta would eventually paddle across the pond. In the fall of 2008, news finally came that the Fiesta would be available in the US. My rally teammate, Dominic, and I quickly set out scheming a way for us to be involved. Then we promptly procrastinated for a few months.

In February, we finally started to build out the website and put a plan in motion. Our idea was fairly simple. We would drive a Fiesta from Germany to Detroit via Shanghai and Panama. The twist was that we would allow the internet to decide our path and what we did along the way. You know, use that social media to our advantage.

I started to build the website and secure the social media outlets. We decided to go with the name Fiestavus due to the history and the universal availability. In a month's time, I would deeply regret this decision as I continually had to dispel assumptions around the origin.

At some point, I was researching the car when I stumbled across a press release for the Fiesta Movement. We had already started work on a video to support our proposition to Ford. The basic format of this video was used but was tweaked a bit to meet the requirements of the contest. There was a lot of discussion about whether we should just keep firing for the around the world trip or if we should angle for an entry in the Movement.

I don’t think Ford ever really noticed or took our desire to circumnavigate the globe seriously. In fact, during my first interview they stated, “we see that you would like to take the car around the world, unfortunately the insurance will not cover any trips out of the US.” I am still not sure how to interpret this.

I was a fairly unique candidate in that I did not have a massive social media presence and I am not an auto aficionado. However, I was probably the only entry that had any connection with the Fiesta prior to the Movement. When the call finally came, I was relieved and excited to be part of another chapter in the Fiesta story.

The prized position on my office wall for the past 3 years has been the front Euro plate of the original Fiestavus. It stood proudly amongst a bevy of books and expired electronics, still covered in the scale of bugs and dirt from the roads of Kazakhstan. The first thing I did when the new Fiestavus arrived in Vermont was bolt the plate to the front. Whether this car liked it or not, she was taking on the personality of a true road warrior. Inside I placed the dash emblem from the original Fiestavus (as pictured at the start of the post).

The final Mongol Rally touch was to place an eagle feather above the driver sun visor. Before the rally, a good friend of mine gave me the feather and said it would protect me in rough times. I thought that was a bit hokey and of course it was. However, during those down days after Patrick was shipped out, I would look up at a photo of my family and the feather and know that I HAD to make it home. The feather is the one thing that you never saw pictured and I never mentioned, but every time I glanced up and saw it, the memories returned.

I am of the belief that you get back from life what you put in. I went full in, stacking 13,000 miles in the first 6 weeks. We just kept driving and adventuring closing the long trip out at 39,535 miles. I could recapped the whole thing, but then that is really what this website is for.

The past 7 months have been a whirlwind of travel and unique opportunities. I have met people and experienced things that would never have happened without the Movement. Somehow along the way I got hit by lightning, drove on a NASCAR track, and ended up with another little one due in the spring.

When it all came to a close, I was a bit bummed. Right up until the final moments, I held out hope that I would drive away in the Fiestavus or continue on with the MVMNT in some form or fashion. Ford really kicked down for a worthy celebration to conclude our involvement in the MVMNT. However the entire time I felt conflicted, I never got into this for extravagance or fame.

For me, it was always a connection with the car that drove my interest. Not everyone forms that bond, for most it is simply a means to get from point a to point b, but for some of us it goes for beyond that. What should have been a joyous occasion in LA, was slightly marred by a seemingly illogical saddness over handing in our car.

What started out as a grand plan to continue my adventuring became a door into a new adventure. I am so proud to have been involved in this chapter of automotive history and thank Ford for all the opportunities and support.

Just like the orphanage in Mongolia, a bunch of cars at the end of their journey.
So ends part 2 of the Fiestavus story, an unexpected chapter but hopefully not the end of the tale. For now the name will be put away in a safe spot where I will not have to answer any questions as to its meaning.

The next blog will be my final post of the Fiestamovement and probably the most important, "Will I Buy It? A no holds barred look at the Fiesta and the competition by a retired agent."