81,000 Miles on a set of Cooper Tires
Cooper Tires has been at the heart of an exciting adventure after an intrepid couple chose the manufacturer’s leading 4x4 products for their journey across the globe.
Aldo Giaquinto, from Italy, and his wife Vera Kozlovskaia, from Moldova, left Europe on a round-the-world trip in 2016, attempting to realise “a childhood dream”. Aldo is a chef, having previously run a traditional Fish and Chip shop in England, while Vera used to work in IT. Both passionate mechanics and photographers, they also share a love for travel.
After careful research, the couple decided to fit a set of Discoverer STT Pro tires to their converted Toyota Land Cruiser Prado called ‘Toto’, which is kitted out with a bed, mini kitchen, hot and cold shower, and even a foldable oven.
Over the past three years, Aldo and Vera have travelled across five continents and through 49 countries, covering more than 130,000km on the same set of tires – sustaining only two minor punctures along the way.
Standout sections of their journey so far include tackling the Trans-Siberian Highway in Russia, the Tanami Desert, Gibb River Road and Fraser Island in Australia, the Carretera Austral and Ruta 40 in Patagonia, the ‘Death Road’ in Bolivia, the Atacama Desert in Chile and the Trans-Amazonian Highway in Brazil.
The intrepid travelers and the Discoverer STT Pro tires have been put to the test in a wide range of conditions and terrains, including sand, mud, snow, gravel and water. Meanwhile, temperatures have ranged from -20°C in Siberia to 48°C in Australia – a difference of almost 70°C.
Currently in the United States, and now running the Discoverer AT34S all-season, all-terrain tire, the couple will soon arrive in the northern state of Alaska. Over the next few months, they plan to move on to Canada and cross the country from West to East via the Great Lakes, before re-entering the US and driving down the East Coast to Florida.
The next leg of their journey will start after reaching Florida, where the couple’s car will be shipped to South Africa. They will then head back to Europe by passing through the Middle East and Turkey. If all goes to plan, Aldo and Vera will finish their incredible trip in Italy in 2021.
Aldo Giaquinto said, “Many people tend to underestimate the importance of a good set of tires. Before buying our STT Pro tires we did our research, and we were glad we bought them, but we had no idea that they would take us this far and that they would last that long.”
Vera Kozlovskaia said, “We’ve been through gravel, sand, snow, rocks, crossing many rivers… These tires really took us to some remote places. We cannot recommend Cooper Tires enough. For us, they are simply the best. They literally took us all around the world.”
Follow their journey here:
Instagram: @alvetoexpedition
Youtube: @alvetoexpedition
Facebook: @alvetoexpedition