Services and Programs
Special Projects > 2010
Odyssey’s special projects are missions of a different nature, not just an effort to beat the clock and end up in the record books, but projects with diverse and unique objectives.
Red Cloud Rides Again
30-year Anniversary Celebration of Odyssey 77 — Guinness World Record for fastest circumnavigation of the world by car (November 2010)
At 2:11 p.m. on November 19, 2010, Garry Sowerby and Ken Langley rolled up to the CN Tower in Toronto in Red Cloud, the 1980 Volvo 245 DL In which, thirty years earlier, to the exact date and time, the two men had done the same thing, that time setting a new world record for around-the-world driving.
The original mission set into motion a life and career for Sowerby that he could not possibly have imagined.
We celebrated the anniversary by going around the world in 24 hours in Toronto, visiting locations in the city that represented the 21 countries that Sowerby and Langley drove through on that first trek, ending at the CN Tower like they did 30 years ago!
- Around the world in 24 hours — Toronto Star
- A thirty-year take on Odyssey 77 — Montreal Gazette
- Red Cloud rides 'around the world' again, thirty years later — Vancouver Sun
- Halifax Herald (log-in required)
Chevrolet City Challenge (October 2010)
We hit the streets of Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver with three teams of social media and journalists over 2 weeks in three funky-decaled Chevrolet Cruze vehicles. Members of Team Global, Team Style and Team Safety changed daily and competed against each other in an urban relay event. Armed only with a new 2011 Chevrolet Cruze, their smartphone, Twitter (#CruzeCity) and this site (http://chevroletcitychallenge.ca/), competitors had to rely on their team members’ strengths and experiences, their social networks and their creativity to complete challenges to help maximize the team’s points.
CR-Zummer in the City
Hot Town, Zummer in the City – Toronto. Where 5 media teams competed to see who could find the Coolest. The Hottest. On the streets and sidewalks that were hotter than a matchhead…
Hottest Fashionista? Coolest Restroom? Coolest Urban Oasis? Hottest Street Food Item?
It’s all here: cr-zummerinthecity.com (site retired)
Continuing our lifestyle media series with GM Canada: Buicks in British Columbia (July 2010)
A relaxed event that hosted two groups of social media journalists and online influencers started at Quail's Gate Estate Winery, overnighting at the Burrowing Owl Estate Winery and Guesthouse. Besides tooling around the Okanagan in a fleet of beautiful 2011 Buick Regals, journalists had the chance to experience the warm waters of Osoyoos Lake on personal watercraft, luscious spa treatments at the Sonora Desert Spa at Spirit Ridge, walking amongst rattlesnakes at the spectacular Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre, and even some daring rock-climbing at Skaha Bluffs with knowledgeable guide Russ Turner of Skaha Rock Adventures.
Vancouver, 2010
Join us on Facebook at OlympicFuelCell to see what we have been up to in Vancouver since 1 October 2009 while managing a a fleet of 8 zero-emissions, petroleum-free Chevy Fuel Cell Equinox vehicles. These unique vehicles are part of GM Canada's efforts to help VANOC achieve its goal to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games with the smallest carbon footprint in history.
David Hasselhoff, aka The Hoff, and Director Kelly Sandefur
Some activities the Fuel Cell Equinoxes have been up to:
- Torchbearers #1 and #2 (Olympians Catriona Le May Doan and Alexandre Despatie) arrived at the start of Torch Relay from the airport in Victoria in a Fuel Cell Vehicle.
- David Hasselhoff, aka The Hoff, and Director Kelly Sandefur, of the production 'Dancing Ninja' were zipped around town in a Chevy Fuel Cell Equinox.
- John Furlong, CEO of VANOC, has been a repeat driver and passenger.
- Ashley MacIsaac, Cape Breton fiddler, and Dave MacEachern (Olympic Gold Medalist) rode to the opening celebrations of Atlantic Canada House in a Chevy Fuel Cell Equinox.
- We've delivered Santa and Mrs. Claus to Richmond Centre where cheering children and the paparazzi were waiting for them.
- We delivered 3 carloads of food to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank from UBC just before Christmas.
- Eight soloists in town, including Canadian sopranos Measha Brueggergosman and Tracy Dahl, to perform the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra’s Cultural Olympiad production of the Symphony of a Thousand: Mahler’s Symphony No. 8, have been getting to rehearsals and about town in Chevy Equinox Fuel Cell vehicles
These vehicles have been busy and all without emitting any greenhouse gases or burning any fossil fuels!!
Olympian Alexandre Despatie with Lisa Calvi of Odyssey International Limited
Olympian Catriona Le May Doan