We have a few things to tell about the second Moscow Selection round for "Expedition-Trophy 2008". As you know, the selections appeared to be fruitful — in the end of a very long day, both for participants and the Organizers, 5 teams were formed to take part in the 2008 Race: "Victoria", "8th of March", "Sugupa" and two more teams with no less peculiar names: "Two" and "Three".

However, according to the regulations of Selection rounds, only three teams will enter the Race without participation fee. In order to determine the winners and to test the seriousness of the new-formed teams' intentions, the participants received the task of collecting the points of Cultural Navigation, the fulfillment of which was to be accomplished within a month. The results of the test should reveal the extent to which the participants are prepared to teamwork and trials of winter roads. Thus, three teams-winners of the Selection round will be announced end December.

As for the procedure of the selections — the program turned out to be rather interesting. The participants had to divide into four equal teams to proceed with the task. Two of the teams set off to get the necessary tips on a climbing wall, the other two — to the Serednikovo estate and the Bezdonnoe Lake. There they were to find two vessels frozen into the ice with lock keys. The picture of the lock was searched for on the climbing wall by another team. The team, though, agreed with the trainer for 200 push-ups instead of climbing up the wall — the result is the result. The second team successfully conquered the wall and received... a glass.

Having got all the four parts of the puzzle — a picture of a lock, two keys and a glass — the applicants gathered in a deserted camp, whose architectural features of the camp would impress any one. The participants were to find an envelope with the next task: it was locked in an old soda machine. Having successfully coped with it, the teams got divided again and set off to a deserted Air-to-air defense base, Mendeleev's house, a mystical stone that reconciles enemies, and to the ruins of the old estate.

The participants were to find parts of a car cassette recorder at each point (not at once, though). And having assembled it in a special place they would listen to the Organizers' message. It was the way the participants learned the coordinates of the finishing point of the Selection round — the Gremyachiy waterfall close to Sergiev-Posad — the place where the longed-for rest with BBQ and wine awaited them.

We would like to mention the positive aspects of the second Moscow Selection round: first, the participants, mostly citizens of Moscow, showed lots of punctuality. To be honest, we were rather surprised that at 8:30 am sharp an impressive amount of very different people were briskly stamping their feet in front of the closed doors of an "Expedition" shop. Second, the amount of the participants' private vehicles was large despite the fact that they were generally not prepared for the longest winter race on off-road vehicles. Having seen a column of participants, the Organizers even tried to make sure whether they caught some auto race by chance. And third, the participants went on pleasing the Organizers with inexhaustible optimism. Moreover, it was still inexhaustible even at considerable subzero in complete darkness and close to Sergiev-Posad.

We wish the best of luck to all the participants in completing the team task and we will impatiently wait for the results.