Adventure lovers, enthusiasts of the wild, car lovers and just anybody who likes the adrenalin rush is in for a wild ride with Discovery Channel’s Car Vs Wild .
The show features hosts ex-British Special Forces solider Gary Humphrey and American car fanatic Bill Wu with their 12-year old red off-road utility vehicle Ruby as they test each other’s limits driving to locations no car has gone to.
“The first year changed me, gave me a taste of the outdoors,” says Bill over telephone. “It showed me that I don’t need home comforts. It made me long to explore. Though the first season was fun, the second was even more so.”
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“I love to travel pitting myself against the wild with Bill,” adds Gary. “For me it’s the chance of a lifetime to do things like crossing a volcanic belt, to places no one’s been before. I think it’s a great way to earn a living.”
Gary, Bill and Ruby traverse the harsh landscapes of Mexico, making their way across Veracruz’s volcanic belt and craters and the dense bushes of Orizaba, driving through deep lagoons, descending canyons, using vines and trees as swings to push Ruby through forests, or climbing the 14,000-feet high volcanic Pico De Orizaba mountain.
“The key is to prepare, you never want to go somewhere without research. Knowledge and experience are more important than skills and tools. Calm and out-of-the-box thinking can help you and with experience you learn to uncover the methods to find something,” explains Bill.
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Bill and Gary were allowed to plan four tasks each, with a task per week to organize. While Bill represents the “car” side of the show, Gary represents the “wild” side.
“There weren’t just care related challenges, but challenges where you have to face your fears. This means going to holes full of bats or sleeping with poisonous snakes and bugs. This year the wild side is more extreme,” says Bill.
“And this is a basic 12-year old jeep with a four-cycle engine and very few modifications which include a lifted suspension and a snorkel for air intake. But the show was competitive. I have been nearly everywhere, this was not a walk in the park. But we are professionals so we can take risks,” adds Gary.
Watch Car Vs. Wild every night at 10 p.m. on Discovery Channel.