Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5
Things have become complicated recently and that’s saying something considering what we’ve been through up until now. We needed to set out early to avoid Mrs. Sheaver and her goons. Before we did, we snuck over to Roscoe’s place. His apartment number was on his house key so it wasn’t hard to find. Upon stepping inside, we were greeted by the site of several hunting rifles resting by the couch.
“That checks out,” Van said.
I went to check Roscoe’s room while Drake went into the kitchen.
“He's got some leftover pizza. Wait, no never mind, it's gone bad.”
Over Roscoe's bed hung a painting of Donald Trump. This wasn't surprising. I went to his closet, opened it, and found several sleeping bags and camping packs there. I came back into the living room with them.
“Hey, I think we can use these,” I said, tossing one to Drake and another to Van.
The former caught it and the other fumbled, dropping it. He squatted to pick it up.
“Gus?”
“Yeah?”
“Have you seen the kitchen? Roscoe had a ton of bottled water for some reason.”
“Oh yeah, I think he mentioned one time that he heard water from the sink makes you gay. I can't lie. He was weird.”
“Yeah, so you want to grab some cases?”
“I can carry a few. Just keep an eye out for trouble.”
I stacked some and lifted them. We also found some metal thermos cups that Van held onto.
“I don't see anyone,” he said after stepping outside.
We followed him out, making our way to the Hummer. Drake had his gun in hand and was behind us constantly looking over his shoulder. We got to the Hummer and unlocked it. That's when a bullet whizzed past my temple and hit one of the tail lights.
“So you were holding out on us,” Mrs. Sheaver screamed from her kitchen window.
“Fuck, get inside now,” Drake yelled.
Yanking the doors open, we threw our stuff in before jumping inside ourselves. In the rearview, we could see the rest of our neighbors armed with bats and pipes chasing after us.
“Start the fucking car,” I urged, and then another hole formed in the back windshield.
Drake cranked the ignition and backed up. Then we were out of there like cows escaping a slaughterhouse. We didn't even slow down when we came to the gate. Drake crashed right through it as the screams of Mrs. Sheaver and the others became faint cries.
“Okay, so we're on track for the most part,” I said. “Do you think the convenience store is too close now? I don't want them coming after us.”
“Guys?” We heard Van interject.
We glanced in the rearview again to see several cars gaining on us. The one at the front was a van being driven by Mrs. Sheaver.
“Oh my God,” Drake said. “Gus, lock and load.”
“Already on it. Be mindful of the tires.”
I loaded a rifle and got ready. The sound of metal on metal echoed throughout the car as we were being fired at. Drake tried taking several turns to lose them, but they stayed on our tail. I took a deep breath, then aimed out of one of the windows and shot at one car's tires. I made my mark, resulting in it swerving and crashing into another vehicle.
Both spun out of control until it was only Mrs. Sheaver left.
“Hold still,” she yelled over the rushing wind. “My eyes aren't what they used to be.”
Unfortunately for her, there was a pothole in the road. It damaged her front tire, causing her to swerve and plow straight into a tree at full speed. We stopped just in time to see it come crashing down, breaking through her windshield.
“God damn,” Drake said.
“I mean, she might still be alright,” I commented.
The tree had gone through some wires. One of them fell on a branch, setting it ablaze.
“Well, at least it was quick.”
“Oh Christ, I'm burning,” Mrs. Sheaver shrieked.
We sat there in silence listening before her cries died down.
“Drake, what time is it?” I asked.
“About twelve till six.”
Today was going to be a long day. We got back on track with our plan and proceeded to the convenience store. We got out and surveyed the damage.
“This thing's tough,” I said.
“Does anyone want to talk about how messed up that all was?” Van asked.
“Yeah, it was pretty fucked,” Drake replied, “but what's done is done. Let's grab what we can and get out of here.”
We tried the door, finding it was unlocked. Inside, a far-from-pretty sight was waiting for us. Blood stains covered the wall behind the counter. Out of morbid curiosity, I peeked over it, seeing only a hand and a shoe with the foot still attached. A shudder ran through me.
“Hey, Gus, what do you see back there?” Van asked.
“You don’t want to know.”
We started surveying what would be best to bring with us.
“I think we should focus on protein,” I said.
“Like trail mix?” Drake replied. “It’s got fruit too.”
“I hate trail mix, too many raisins,” Van complained.
“What about these?” I asked, cocking a thumb to some protein bars.
Something else caught my eye.
“Hang on,” I said, bending over and picking something up. “We can’t be caught dead without this.”
I held up a pack of toilet paper.
“Good thinking,” Drake said, “Van, grab some, will you?”
Van stared down at it with a grimace.
“I bet it feels like sandpaper,” he grumbled but began gathering as many as he could anyway.
While he did, we filled our three bags with what we could. Then we took everything back to the Hummer and got back on the road.
“Hey, Drake?” I said as he was closing the trunk.
“What?”
“I’ve been thinking. If this works and we make it out of here, we’re not exactly going to be well off afterward. Do you think maybe we should see if a store happens to have some loose change lying around if you catch my drift?”
I gestured to the convenience store. About six minutes later, we were driving down the road.
“So there was about six hundred bucks in the register which makes two hundred for each of us,” I said, “and there’s more in the safe if we can get it open.
The safe was in the back next to Van.
“I can’t believe you guys stole this from the store.”
“It’s not like anyone’s using it,” Drake said. “Besides, the guy who ran the place was stingy as hell. One time, he tried to charge me double on something. I had to argue with him about it for two minutes straight so we aren’t beating ourselves up about this.”
“How do you think we should get it open?” I asked.
“I don’t know. We’ll figure something out.”.
We guessed that there were blockades set up at every exit out of town. We also assumed that there would be more people active where we tried to get out last time. Instead of going there, we went to the woods on the opposite side of town.
“Remember, there’s no turning back after this,” Drake said, “so only take the necessities. I still want to see about opening the safe, though.”
While he was talking, I was glancing among the trees. One of them seemed odd to me and swayed strangely in the wind. Then I realized with a chill that it was moving.
“Lanker,” I choked out.
Drake and Van turned in time to see it sprinting out of the woods. In a flash, it was to us. We got out of the way as it swiped at us with one of its clawed hands. Its nails dug into the Hummer’s back door, yanking it out. I was thinking maybe if we kept still and tried to keep from shitting ourselves, it would go away.
Drake, thankfully seemed to be on the same wavelength as me. Van, however, was not. He screamed, darting away. The lanker pursued him, giving us time to arm ourselves. As Van was circling back around, we raised our weapons, squeezing the triggers. As soon as it was focused on us, we knew to split up to divert its attention.
Drake managed to get some shots into it before he had to retreat. While the lanker went after him, I aimed at its legs. This appeared effective as it let out a cry of pain that sounded like when a microphone is held up to a speaker. The good news was it was no longer after Drake. The bad news was I was now its target.
“Drake, shoot it in the back of its knees,” I yelled, sprinting as fast as I could.
I slid under the Hummer and came out the other side. In spur-of-the-moment planning on my part, I opened the back door and slammed it shut. This succeeded in fooling the lanker as I snuck behind it, getting its weak spot point blank. Unfortunately, I misjudged the distance. The next thing I knew, it was swinging at me with an object in hand.
I managed to raise my gun to block it and if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t be writing this. Wood splintered as it was broken in half. I observed the world doing several cartwheels as I was rolling along the ground before coming to a stop at the base of a tree.
“Gus,” Drake yelled.
The pain was so immense I couldn’t even get a breath out. The Lanker was about to rip into me until Drake distracted it.
“Guys,” Van cried out in alarm.
I tilted my head up, seeing a metric shit load of zombies racing towards us.
“Welp, we're fucked,” I thought.
In an unexpected turn of events, though, the lanker was now shrieking at them. It went after them, grabbing two by their heads, crushing them like watermelons under a hydraulic press. I took the opportunity to examine where I'd been struck. Touching my abdomen yielded pain. Thankfully, nothing seemed to be broken, just some bruising I would need to deal with later.
Guess I got lucky in that I was knocked away instead of grabbed. If the lanker was smarter, this would be a different story. The other zombies were crawling all over it, gnawing as they did. A crawler saw me in a vulnerable state and tried capitalizing on the opportunity. It pounced and my butt clenched. Then a bullet went through its head. Drake rushed over, helping me up.
“Thanks again, man.”
“No problem.”
“Let's run into the woods while they're occupied,” Van said.
“But our stuff is over there,” I told him. “We won't last long without it.”
We both looked at Drake.
“Let's see how this plays out a little longer,” he said.
For a while, it seemed that the lanker would be the victor. Then its knees buckled as they were chewed through. We watched on, mouths agape. In a move of desperation, it picked the safe back up, swinging it wildly. The zombies previously all over the lanker were now a red paste and it was crawling feebly on the ground.
“I got this,” Drake said.
He went over to it and shot at its legs, blowing them off. It tried swiping at him, but he'd already backed away. It attempted to stand on its stumps. When it lifted its head, Drake jammed the barrel of his gun down its throat, pulling the trigger. With a last twitch, it was no longer a threat.
“Are you sure it's dead?” Van asked.
“I blew out the back of its head. Of course, it's dead,” Drake replied, then threw a rock at the lanker to be sure.
“Yep, as a doornail.”
Drake came over and helped me up.
“Are you alright?” he asked.
“I'll live.”
“Good, let's get our things.”
Van was already doing that.
“My God is this heavy,” he grunted as he pulled it onto his back.
“Get used to it,” Drake told him.
I glanced around in case we'd have to deal with any more unexpected threats and that's when I noticed the dented-to-shit safe lying on its side with the door open. It didn't take long to count the money inside. There was a little over eight thousand in cash that we divided among the three of us. Thus, our hike began at last. We walked for eight hours, encountering zombies along the way.
Most of the time it was simple to pick them off. The biggest problem came when some tried attacking us from above. I am so glad me and Drake's reflexes are on point. Something unusual we stumbled upon is that whatever has been zombifying people has spread to animals. Long story short, there was a zombie grizzly bear ripping into another bear and its cubs. We thought we would have to deal with this monstrosity.
Luckily, it didn't appear to find us appetizing. That said, it was emitting a deep growl after it noticed us so we got the message to steer clear of it. Eventually, Van told us his feet were aching and suggested we should rest.
“I guess we can stop for a bit,” I said. “Right, Drake?”
“Sure, I was getting hungry anyway.”
We sat down, setting up our packs to rest against. Me and Drake took out some trail mix while Van unwrapped a protein bar.
“Hey,” he said to us, “I got some of these if you want to add them to your water.”
He held up some flavoring packets.
“Hell yeah,” Drake replied, “Toss them here.”
“Actually, I was thinking I could take care of it for you while you guys set up camp since it's going to be dark in a couple of hours.”
“Good point. Gus, help me gather some firewood.”
We did so and threw them into a pile. Van came back up to us with our thermos cups.
“Drake, yours is blue raspberry and Gus, yours is green apple.”
We thanked him and enjoyed the rest of our meal. Halfway through my drink, I was feeling lightheaded.
“Hey, Drake, do I look alright?” I turned to him and noticed he too was in the same condition as me.
“I don't…” he replied with his voice trailing off.
We passed out. When we awoke it was dark and Drake was cussing up a storm.
“What happened?” I asked, shaking off my fatigue.
“That son of a bitch robbed us,” Drake replied. “Look.”
He showed me our wallets which were stripped of cash.
“And he left this.”
I was handed a crumpled piece of paper with this message crudely written on it.
“Sorry to do this. Years working for the mayor have taught me people can be bribed so that's what I'm doing. You won't find me again, but I wish you the best of luck.”
I clenched my fist around it.
“He robbed us.”
“Yeah, I just said that.”
“Well, what do we do now?”
“Get moving, I guess. Can't believe this. How do we get our shit stolen twice in two days?”
We wondered how Van would survive on his own. Then again, he did have a snack for avoiding trouble as he was able to before we bumped into him. After walking for some time, we saw an orange light in the distance.
“I think that's a campfire,” I exclaimed. “Do you think it might be Van?”
“If it is, I'm going to have some words for him,” Drake replied, patting his holstered handgun.
We stepped into the clearing to find a bunch of people standing around a bonfire. They were wearing hooded white robes and turned when they heard us.
“Oh shit, it's the fucking Klan. Drake, get behind me,” I urged, stepping in front of me.
One of them stepped forward, revealing the face of a grinning man.
“Worry not, friends. You have no reason to fear us.”
He explained that his name was Jeff and he founded their group, cult really, of survivors and they called themselves The Uplagued. Every one of them smiled from ear to ear and asked us if we wanted to stay.
“No disrespect, we'd love to, but we need to keep moving,” Drake told them.
“That's a shame,” Jeff responded. “We were about to pass around the calumet.”
For those who don't know, that's another word for the peace pipe used by the natives. Drake and I exchanged a look. Ten minutes later, we were sitting in a smoke circle. When Drake's turn came, he took a rip from it worthy of a dragon about to breathe fire. I got in a good one when my turn came.
Now, I'm high as the moon typing this on my phone. After what we've been through today, it's nice to have something to take the edge off. I'm not sure what we're going to do about our financial situation if we make it out. Hopefully, we come up with something. For now, the munchies are calling my name.

That you might've been missing. I don't care for the The Crew Discord as it seems very toxic (more than Reddit) and there have been posts about the "Mods" behavior that magically get deleted. UbiSoft and IVT should be embarassed to have these "people" representing them, but, whatever.
Here is some information on TCM that you maybe didn't know:

VEHICLE META LIST FOR EACH CATEGORY

Street Tier 1: Audi RS 2 Avant, Audi RS 3 Sportback, Porsche 911 2.7 RS
Street Tier 2: Lamborghini Huracán, Porsche 911 GT (993), Ferrari F40, Porsche Taycan Turbo S
Drift: Ford Mustang Hoonicorn (Difficult to drive),you can also use the Koenigsegg Agera R
Racing: Chevrolet Camaro SS (handling), Lamborghini Murcielago R-GT, and Gordon Murray Automotive T.50S
Dragster: Proto HuP One Burning Wheels Edition
Hypercar: Bugatti Centodieci (easiest to drive), Koenigsegg Agera (fastest, but difficult to drive), Gordon Murray Automotive T.50, and Koenigsegg Jesko (decent overall)
Alpha GP: Ivory-Tower IVT AGP R-07, Red Bull RB14 Disruption Edition, Red Bull RB18
Motocross: Yamaha YZ450F
Rally Raid: BMW Z4 sDrive35is, Hummer H1 Alpha EVO 1
Demolition: Fender Frontiera, Fender Bulk
Rally: Ford Fiesta, Citroën C3 Racing, and Peugeot 205 T16 Evo 2
Monster: Chevrolet Silverado 1500
Powerboat: Vector V40R
Plane: North American P-51 Mustang™️

BEST AFFIXES FOR EACH LEGENDARY PART SET

Nitro Chemist Set - (Multiplies Nitrous duration by 1.5x)

Street Tier 1 / Tier 2 (car): Pure and Extra Pump
Street Tier 1 / Tier 2 (bike): Bended (7x), Pure (4x) and Extra Pump (3x)
Drift: (drift event): Slippery and Hothead
Drift: (drift races): Pure and Extra Pump
Racing (car): Pure and Extra Pump
Racing (events with tire wear): Iron Grip (7x), Pure (4x) and Extra Pump (3x)
Racing (bike): Bended (7x), Pure (4x) and Extra Pump (3x)
Dragster: Pure and Frenetic
Hypercar: Pure and Extra Pump
Alpha GP: Pure and Extra Pump
Alpha GP (events with tire wear) : Iron Grip (7x), Pure (4x) and Extra Pump (3x)
Motocross: Pure and Ventilated
Rally Raid (car): Pure and Extra Pump
Rally Raid (bike/quad): Bended (7x), Pure (4x) and Extra Pump (3x)
Demolition: Pure and Extra Pump
Rally: Pure and Extra Pump
Monster: Pure and Extra Pump
Plane: Pure and Extra Pump & Pure and Gateway (not all events need Gateway)
Powerboat: Pure and Extra Pump

Iron Grip can also affect Hypercars, and not just Alpha GP and Racing. In which case the recommended affixes are: Iron Grip (7x), Pure (4x) and Extra Pump (3x)

Treasure Sniffer Set - (Multiplies Treasure density by 2x

Treasure Hunt and Collector (This set is best suited for planes))

Loot Digger Set - (Multiplies loot earned by 2x)

Goldfinger and Lucky

Scorebreaker Set - (Multiplies points in Feats by 2x)

Skilled (7x), Pure (3x) and Extra Pump (4x)

XP Magnet Set - (Earn 25% more XP)

Legend and Rich

Bucks Magnet Set - (Earn 15% more bucks)

Legend and Rich

Disclaimer: This Scorebreaker set only works with points based Feats such as Slaloms, Bullseyes, Low Altitudes, and Buoy Smashing.

THE EFFECT OF WIDEBODIES AND VANITY TIRES

Tires such as the Golden Stripes and Roffo Red Line improve the offset of the wheels on a car, by moving them outward and improving stability.
If those tires are not available for your car (Example: Forsberg cars), you can use the Union Jack or Patriot Line tires.
Widebody fenders also move the wheels outward, adding stability. This is done by making the track width of the car wider and improving the handling of the car.

Although modern humanity will likely never encounter the trials of strength and stamina faced by the mythical demigod Hercules himself, one competition, originating from the world of Strongman sports, replicates the essence of Herculean challenges. This is none other than the “Hercules Hold.”
The Seeds of Hercules Hold History
The Hercules Hold has its roots in the blood, sweat, and iron of Strongman competitions. To truly understand this event, one must peer back into the annals of history. The sport’s origins are as diverse as its participants, with many cultures having their iterations of athletes displaying their physical prowess, from the ancient Highland Games in Scotland to primitive weightlifting in early civilizations.
The modern iteration of the Hercules Hold is a reinterpretation of these age-old contests. Participants must maintain the hold over two hinged pillars, designed to pull away with increasing force, simulating Hercules’s strain in holding apart two mythological beasts. Over time, it evolved into a fan favorite due to its tremendous display of strength and endurance, concepts central to the spirit of Strongman events.
Understanding the Hercules Hold Mechanics
Today’s Hercules Hold is all about a test of grip strength and mental resolve. Athletes stand between two hinged pillars or handles, held arm’s length away from the body. The handles are then released, and slowly but surely, gravity starts pulling them apart. The objective? Hold on as long as possible, grin, and bear the intense strain.
Just possessing brute strength isn’t enough to triumph in this event. It is a test of mind echoing the ancient hero’s resolve. The load on each handle can be up to 350 pounds, and the strongest can withstand it for around a minute – a ticking clock that is both incredibly swift and agonizingly slow to the contenders.
Training for the Showdown for Hercules Hold
Achieving incredible strength and endurance in Hercules Hold requires focused training, strategic approaches, and persistent dedication. Participants must develop a comprehensive strength-building regimen targeting essential muscle groups and building mental resilience. Here are some essential training components for the Hercules Hold:
Grip strength: Central to Hercules Hold, competitors must develop a strong grip through exercises such as towel pull-ups, dead hangs, and fat-grip implements, in addition to the main gripping exercises mentioned above.
Shoulder stability: Exercises such as overhead presses, face pulls, and rotator cuff variations are crucial for building robust shoulders while maintaining joint health. Strong and stable shoulders serve as the foundation for enduring the forces exerted by the Hercules Hold.
Core training: A strong core allows athletes to maintain their balance and body stability during the event. Exercises like planks, cable rotations, and hanging leg raises are important components of preparing for the Hercules Hold challenge.
Large compound lifts: Total body strength is crucial for strongman events. Including compound lifts such as squats, deadlifts, bench presses, and Olympic lifts in a training program supports overall strength development and contributes to specific performance improvements in Hercules Hold.
Mental preparation: Embracing adversity and building mental toughness is essential for overcoming the physical demands of the Hercules Hold. Visualization, goal setting, and mental techniques like mindfulness can help athletes develop the necessary mental strength to endure the event.
Cardiovascular conditioning: Although Hercules Hold primarily tests musculoskeletal strength, having better cardiovascular fitness allows athletes to recover quicker between attempts and maintain composure during the hold. Incorporating both low-impact steady-state (LISS) and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) helps maximize recovery and performance.
Mobility and flexibility training: Maintaining healthy joints for optimal range of motion is crucial to prevent injuries and ensure peak performance. Including stretching and mobility exercises as part of the training program helps safeguard the competitors from potential setbacks.
Safety should be a top priority during training. Competitors must use proper lifting techniques, mobility drills, and progressive overloading to ease into their training and minimize the risk of injuries. Building strength focuses on incremental improvements, and a cautious approach is vital to achieve lasting strength gains.
The Apotheosis of Holds: World Records
Now, let’s look at the stories of the two record-setting titans: Mark Felix, and Laurence Shahlaei.
mark felix hercules hold
Mark Felix: A Deep Dive into His Legacy, Hercules Hold, and other Achievements
Early Life
Birthplace: Born on April 17, 1966, Mark Felix spent his early years growing up in the lively town of St. George’s, Grenada.
Migration: At the pivotal age of 23, seeking better prospects, he made a big leap and emigrated to Rishton, Lancashire in England.
Initial Expertise: Before strongman contests, Felix was dedicated to bodybuilding. Bodybuilding laid down his base, establishing a solid foundation of strength, discipline, and commitment, all of which were instrumental for his future calling.
Profession: Felix was not always a full-time athlete. He crafted a living working as a plasterer before his athletic career, deploying his superior strength and precision in his craft. This occupation inadvertently developed and fine-tuned his gripping strength and muscular endurance.
Mark’s Strongman Journey
Strongman Entry: Recognizing a latent passion, Felix embraced the challenge of strongman competitions at the arguably late age of 37. His entry into this hefty world was marked by a swift mastery over heavy weights and challenging apparatus.
Professional Turn: Felix transitioned from newbie to professional within just a year of first stepping into the strongman arena. He turned pro following the inauguration of the International Federation of Strength Athletes (IFSA) Strongman Federation in 2004.
From Bodybuilding to Strongman: Shifting his focus from bodybuilding to strongman competitions was a bold move in 2003. Despite beginning his strongman journey later compared to other athletes, Felix quickly established himself as a formidable competitor due to his prior strength training.
Significant Achievements
Mark Felix‘s career showcases an array of significant feats, setting him apart as a master of grip strength and an enduring force in the Strongman world:
His career took flight with a third-place finish in England’s Strongest Man in 2004, catapulting him into the strongman spotlight.
In 2005, he clinched the title at the IFSA British Championships, displaying his handling skills across diverse challenges such as the Deadlift, Farmer’s Walk, and the iconic Atlas Stones.
Felix’s prowess earned him second place in Britain’s Strongest Man in 2006. Proving his unflinching perseverance, he competed in The World’s Strongest Man in the same year, landing a commendable fourth-place position in the finals.
From 2008 to 2020, Felix was a regular feature in Europe’s Strongest Man competitions, where he seized third place not once, but twice, in the years 2010 and 2015.
Personal Records
Mark Felix’s praise isn’t just limited to his competition success; his awe-inspiring personal records are a testament to his relentless pursuit of strength:
Gym Records
Squat: Felix displayed his might with a formidable squat of 350 kg or 770 lb.
Bench Press: His upper body strength is highlighted by a substantial bench press record of 240 kg or 530 lb.
Deadlift (without straps): Felix demonstrated his raw pulling power with a commanding deadlift of 405 kg or 893 lb.
Competition Records
Equipped Deadlift: Demonstrating his mettle in a competitive setting, Felix pulled a herculean-equipped deadlift of 420 kg.
Strongman Competition Feats
Hummer Tire Deadlift (with straps): Felix powered through the Hummer Tire Deadlift raising an astounding 511.5 kg or 1,128 lb at the Arnold Strongman Classic in 2013.
Hercules Hold: Felix broke the world record for Hercules Hold at the 2020 Europe’s Strongest Man competition, holding the position for an impressive 92.37 seconds, cementing his legacy as a grip strength legend.
Silver Dollar Deadlift (without a deadlift suit): Felix demonstrated his consistency and durability by lifting 515 kg or 1,135 lb in the Silver Dollar Deadlift at the UK’s Strongest Man competition in 2021.
Mark Felix’s career trajectory resonates with his innate capability to adapt, learn, and continuously redefine his limitations. His grip strength defies his age and surpasses even those competitors more than a decade younger. This enduring strength and legacy in the strongman world have rightfully earned him the title of “The Miracle Man.” Felix represents more than just a holder of the Hercules Hold record; his name will forever be associated as one of the most accomplished, enduring figures in the Strongman community, resonating with the spirit of the sport.
Laurence Shahlaei
Laurence Shahlaei & Hercules Hold: An Overview of His Life and Achievements
Early Life
Birth and Heritage: Laurence Cristiaan David Shahlaei was born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, on Christmas Day in 1982. Laurence’s heritage is beautifully mixed – his father hails from Kermanshah, Iran, while his mother was born in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.
Education: As a young student, Shahlaei attended Balcarras School. Later, the family moved to the picturesque Stroud, Gloucestershire, where he continued his education.
The Ascent into Strongman: Laurence began strongman training in 2005 and wasted no time in challenging himself. The same year, he entered his first novice competition, finishing in 8th place, signaling the promising potential for his future in the Strongman arena.
Strongman Career
Initial Feats: Within merely two years, the budding strongman entered his first Britain’s Strongest Man (BSM) competition after a triumphant win at the Midlands qualifier.
Evolving Athlete: Despite suffering a bicep injury in 2007 that forced him to withdraw from the competition, Shahlaei proved his resilience. In 2008, he qualified yet again, ultimately finishing an impressive 4th in the final.
World’s Strongest Man: His outstanding performance in 2008 made an impression on the strongman community and earned him a spot in the prestigious World’s Strongest Man (WSM) competition that same year. Although he did not make the final, his tenacity did not falter.
Favorite Events and Achievements: Laurence established a deep connection with specific events, such as the Squat for Reps, Farmer’s Walk, and Super Yoke. Throughout his 15-year career, he participated in 55 international competitions, securing victories in 8 of them. Most notably, he won the title of Europe’s Strongest Man in 2016.
At the 2011 WSM, Shahlaei achieved an impressive 4th place finish and consistently placed within the top 10 multiple times, in 2009, 2014, 2016, and 2017.
Final Showdown: Laurence signaled the end of his competitive career at the 2021 Giants Live Strongman Classic, clinching a respectable 7th place.
Personal Records
Shahlaei’s numerous records in both powerlifting and strongman competitions are a testament to his unwavering dedication and passion for strength-based sports:
Powerlifting Records:
Squat max: An impressive 380 kg (838 lb) at the 2020 Tattooed and Strong event.
Bench press max: He pushed through a 227.5 kg (502 lb) bench press at the 2020 Tattooed and Strong event.
Deadlift max: A massive 385 kg (849 lb) lift in the 2016 Tattooed and Strong competition.
Total: An astounding combined total of 960 kg (2,116 lb).
Strongman Records:
Dinnie Stone carries in farmers’ walk style (with the original stones): A World Record distance of 22 ft 4 in (6.81 m).
Squat: A remarkable 317.5 kg (700 lb) with 12 reps executed during the 2017 WSM.
Log press: An intense 185 kg (408 lb) lift at the 2011 SCL South Africa event.
Axle press: Shahlaei pressed 205 kg (452 lb) at the 2010 Giants Live Turkey competition.
Deadlift: A prodigious 435 kg (959 lb) deadlift during the 2014 Europe’s Strongest Man contest.
Dumbbell press: 100 kg (220 lb) x 4 repetitions at the 2018 Giants Live North American Open.
Car Walk: Shahlaei carried a 450 kg (992 lb) car for 20 meters in 11.05 seconds at the 2016 Europe’s Strongest Man event.
Thor’s Hammer one-arm grip lift: A staggering 113 kg (250 lb) lift at the 2021 Rogue Invitational.
Captains of Crush: Shahlaei has closed the No. 3 gripper, which has a crushing pressure of 127 kg (280 lb).
Laurence Shahlaei’s journey from being a novice in strongman competitions to becoming a celebrated, decorated athlete is a testament to his natural talent, unwavering determination, and tireless hard work. His numerous records and achievements clearly demonstrate his strength and the invaluable contributions he has made to the strongman world.
Trials of Titans: Training and Diet for Hercules Hold
Each record holder’s journey to the zenith of this event involves a meticulously planned training regime, a disciplined diet, and, in some cases, performance enhancers.
Mark Felix Workout & Diet for Hercules Hold Events:
Workout Frequency: As a professional strongman, Felix’s training would typically range from 4-6 days per week depending on where he stands in the competition season. Off-season might involve less frequent but heavier sessions, while pre-competition periods could include more frequent but varied training for conditioning.
Routine: A strongman’s routine involves a mix of compound movements like squats, deadlifts, and presses, each performed for 3-5 sets of 3-8 reps to build maximal strength. Felix might integrate specific strongman events training, like farmer’s walks or atlas stones, into his weekly routine.
Grip Training: Mark’s unparalleled grip strength training likely revolves around heavy carries, holds, and pulling exercises with thick handles to mimic the grip challenges of competition. High-rep sets and timed holds could be frequent in his regimen.
Diet: To fuel such intense workouts, strongmen consume upwards of 5,000-10,000 calories per day, split across multiple meals rich in protein (meats, fish, eggs), complex carbohydrates (rice, potatoes, oats), and healthy fats (nuts, avocado, oils), with vegetables providing necessary vitamins and fiber.
Recovery: Active recovery such as mobility work, light cardio, and stretching, as well as passive recovery methods like massages, ice baths, and sufficient sleep, would be crucial to Felix’s ability to train consistently.
Laurence Shahlaei and his Training Before Hercules Hold Contest:
Training Split: Laurence would have likely adhered to a training split that targeted different muscle groups and strongman events across the week, ensuring ample recovery time for each muscle group.
Cardio and Conditioning: His regimen would include cardio and conditioning work like prowler pushes and sled drags, aimed at maintaining the endurance needed for competition events like the Car Walk.
Volume and Intensity: Training would likely alternate between periods of high volume (more reps, lighter weights) and high intensity (heavier weights, fewer reps) to build both muscle endurance and peak strength.
Dietary Regimen: Shahlaei’s diet would be meticulously designed to support both weight management and muscle gain, with a focus on lean proteins, carbohydrates timed around workouts for energy, and healthy fats for hormonal balance and inflammation control.
Recovery and Physiotherapy: As a strongman and a personal trainer, Shahlaei understands the importance of recovery, likely incorporating active rest days, physiotherapy, and rehabilitation exercises into his routine, especially after sustaining injuries throughout his career.
Steroid Usage of Hercules Record Holders
While there is no publicly available evidence or confession regarding steroid usage by these bodybuilders, many speculate that due to the immense pressure and competitiveness at the professional level, they might have used performance-enhancing drugs to gain an advantage.
Mark Felix Steroid Cycle
According to the opinion of pro bodybuilders and fitness experts, Mark Felix might follow a steroid cycle similar to the following:
Testosterone Cypionate: 500-750 mg per week
Deca Durabolin: 300-500 mg per week
Dianabol: 30-50 mg per day
Human Growth Hormone (HGH): 4-6 IU per day
Anastrozole: 0.5-1 mg every other day
It is essential to remember that these are purely speculative and not confirmed by Mark Felix or any official sources.
Laurence Shahlaei Steroid Cycle
Like many professional athletes at the top echelons of their sport, Shahlaei may face speculation about steroid usage or performance-enhancing drugs to maintain a competitive edge.
According to the opinion of pro bodybuilders and fitness experts, Laurence Shahlaei might follow a steroid cycle similar to the following:
Testosterone Propionate: 400-600 mg per week
Trenbolone Acetate: 300-400 mg per week
Equipoise (Boldenone Undecylenate): 200-400 mg per week
Anadrol: 50-100 mg per day
Arimidex: 0.5-1 mg every other day
Again, it is important to note that these steroid cycles are speculative and not verified by Laurence Shahlaei or any official sources.
Mark Felix: Grip Strength Extraordinaire and Record-Breaking Hercules Holder
Mark Felix etched his name in the annals of strength athletics by delivering an awe-inspiring performance in the Hercules Hold at Giants Live Wembley 2019. The defining moment saw Felix surpass the threshold of human endurance as he shattered the existing world record.
The record-setting event unfolded in Manchester Arena, where Felix, with his exceptional strength and tenacity, took on the challenge of the Hercules Hold. The atmosphere was electric. The crowd was rapt with anticipation, knowing they were witnessing a potential record-setting performance.
Surpassing the one-minute mark, which itself is an extraordinary feat, Felix demonstrated why he is an undisputed titan in this discipline. With Manchester’s support, Felix not only eclipsed the previous world record but raised the benchmark to a staggering new height — achieving 1 minute and 27.52 seconds. This feat was not just a victory of the day, but an embodiment of his longevity and supremacy in the sport.
In this iconic event, age was just a number for Felix. His record-breaking grip is a testament to his prowess and unwavering resolve. An athlete ever-present in the global strongman circuit, Felix illuminated Manchester with a performance that will resonate through the ages, bringing the entire arena to its feet, united in a deafening chorus of admiration and awe.
His record stands as a towering benchmark for aspiring strongmen and is a monumental addition to the annals of strength athletics. The visual encapsulation of Felix’s phenomenal hold, the crowd’s support, and the glorious aftermath can be relived through the following links:
Hercules Hold Champions and Records: The Enduring Strength of Laurence Shahlaei and Mark Felix
Laurence Shahlaei’s ascent in the strongman world from a novice to becoming Europe’s Strongest Man demonstrates his incredible resilience and strength. His ability to overcome injuries and push the boundaries of his personal records, in events like the Car Walk and Thor’s Hammer, leaves an inspiring legacy in strongman history. Mark Felix, with a strongman career that defied age, is particularly renowned for his extraordinary grip strength, exemplified by his world records in Hercules Hold. Starting at 37, Felix’s achievements have proven that age is but a number, and his enduring physical power continues to awe fans and competitors alike.
Both athletes share a commonality in their Herculean strength and perseverance, leaving indelible marks on the sport. The Hercules Hold event, a testament to their gripping capabilities, is a measure of physical endurance and symbolizes the relentless spirit both these men embody. Future generations of strongmen will continue to be inspired by each of them as they retire from the competitive arena, leaving behind a legacy of strength and determination.

It’s the kind of question that comes up from time to time: “who’s the strongest man in history?” A bit like: “who’s the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time?” and just as difficult to answer. The problem, of course, is that weighing up great champions of different eras is fraught with danger and coming up with an objective means of comparing their achievements is not at all straightforward.
Or is it? Surely the man who has lifted the heaviest weights across a selection of the most commonly contested tests of strength should be relatively easy to identify? Afraid not. The problem with that approach is that events constantly change and maximal weight alone is an insufficient test of who is or isn’t the strongest. That is precisely the reason strongman as a sport exists, with all its wonderful diversity of disciplines involving explosive strength, endurance and speed. Otherwise, the powerlifting world champion would simply be declared the strongest and that would be the end of the debate.
There are always people who will maintain that athletes of earlier eras would beat today’s best if they were given the same opportunities to train and compete. This supposition is based on a belief that they are intrinsically superior in some aspect and if transplanted into the modern era would still rise to the top. There is logic to this idea; after all, why should the current era lay claim to all the world’s most genetically gifted strongmen?
It is safe to state that no one in history has ever lifted a heavier log than Iron Biby and his 230kg world record. It is called a world record for a reason – it exceeds all preceding lifts. Whether someone at some point in history had the potential to lift more is pure speculation. Judging who is the strongest of all time must be based on known facts. On 7th September 2024, Biby will be heading to the Utilita Arena, Birmingham to try and beat his record. Click here to get your tickets on the event you do not want to miss!
But what of competitive dominance? An athlete can only beat their contemporaries, and some eras are undeniably more competitive than others. Is Mariusz Pudzianowski the strongest Man of all time because he won the most World’s Strongest Man titles? Is it harder to win WSM today than it was in the early 2000’s? Would Bill Kazmaier have won more titles if he had not been frozen out? It seems clear that this is only one aspect of deciding who is the greatest. Weightlifting and strongman have the advantage of being based on objective data and if these credentials are lacking, no number of winner’s trophies can remedy the fact.
Then, of course, the various forms of strength must be considered: static strength, explosive strength, strength endurance and dynamic strength, as well as durability, which is crucial in such a physically demanding sport. Each are as important as the others in most strongman contests, though often static strength is given greater emphasis. Finally, the prowess of individuals in certain disciplines must be taken into account: who has the greatest overhead strength, back strength or grip power?
The truth is that all these factors are pivotal in deciding who is the strongest ever, and any decision will always involve a certain amount of subjectivity. The list offered below is merely a suggestion, and while many may disagree with aspects of it, there are plenty who may concur with the athlete deemed to be the strongest of all time.
Louis Cyr
Many believe the French-Canadian Louis Cyr to be the strongest man to have ever lived. His career, that spanned the late 19th and early 20th centuries, is now the stuff of legend with many books written and films made about his remarkable life. Born in 1863, he spent his youth working on a lumberyard and on his family’s farm. His unnatural strength had become apparent and he started his strongman career at the age of 17, besting Michaud of Quebec, who was recognised as Canada’s Strongest Man, by lifting a 220kg (480lb) granite boulder.
Throughout his career as a touring strongman, he amassed some staggering feats of strength including lifting 243kg (535lb) with one finger. He famously backlifted 18 men weighing a combined 1,967kg (4,337lb) or two tons. He achieved a 124kg (273lb) overhead press with his famous Cyr Dumbbell; an event that is now prominent in modern strongman competitions. He is also attributed with a one-handed dumbbell lift of 238kg (525lb), made all the more impressive due to its 1.5-inch handle. Ben Weider called him the “strongest man ever.”
Louis worked as a police officer throughout his career and was famed for his horse resisting. In 1891, in front of 10,000 he resisted the pull of four draught horses, with grooms cracking their whips to encourage the animals to pull harder. Styled as a modern Samson, with long hair to match, he died in 1912, undefeated. There is a park in Montreal named after him alongside a statue of him in the Place des Hommes-Forts.
Paul Anderson
No debate of who is the strongest man to have ever lived would be complete without the mention of the lifter the Russians called “a wonder of nature.” Born in Tocca, Georgia, in 1932, the American first made his mark in strength spheres as a 20-year-old, breaking squat records that had stood for thirty years. He had begun lifting to gain strength as a football player, using weights of concrete poured into wooden forms.
By 1956 Paul had become world and Olympic champion in weightlifting, establishing new world records in the Olympic weightlifting disciplines. He became an iconic figure in the cold war era after travelling to the Soviet Union and exceeding their best lifter by over 30kg in the press. He won his Olympic gold suffering from an ear infection and high fever and would have won further medals had he not turned to professional lifting and thus disqualified himself from the strictly amateur contest.
Anderson was a true pioneer of strength sports and achieved some truly remarkable lifting bests, including official weightlifting results of 185kg (408.5lb) in the clean and press, and 199.5kg (440lb) in the clean and jerk. The squat was arguably his most impressive lift with an authenticated 420kg (930lb) lift in 1965. He unofficially achieved a 285kg (628lb) bench press and a 372kg (820lb) deadlift. His most spectacular and controversial feat of strength was the 2,840kg (6,270lb) back lift he was reputed to have performed in 1957. Dubbed “the greatest weight ever lifted by a human being,” the achievement was listed in the Guinness Book of Records until 1985.
Lasha Talakhadze
Traditionally, the winner of the super-heavyweight class at the Olympic weightlifting contest has been referred to as the Strongest Man in the World and there is one individual who is arguably the sport’s most dominant athlete and undeniably the man who has lifted more weight from the floor to overhead than anyone in history.
The two-time Olympic champion from Georgia holds the all-time world records across all weight categories in the snatch, clean and jerk and total. He is a seven-time World and European Champion and has been unbeatable since he took his first world title in 2015. He has utterly dominated the super-heavyweight division, establishing 26 senior world records.
At the 2020 Olympics he set the current world records of 225kg (496lb) in the snatch, 267kg (589lb) in the clean and jerk and a 492kg (1,085lb) total. Over his career so far, he has added 9kg to Bulgaria’s Antonio Krastev’s snatch record that had stood since 1987 and exceeded Leonid Taranenko of the Soviet Union’s 266kg clean and jerk that had stood as the heaviest ever lift since 1988.
Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson
Known as “The Mountain,” after his role on the TV series Game of Thrones, Hafþór Björnsson would be many people’s pick for the strongest man in history and he is not short of credentials to back up that claim. Björnsson was the 2018 World’s Strongest Man winner and has stood on the podium at World’s a total of eight times – a number only bettered by Žydrūnas Savickas. He is a five-time Europe’s Strongest Man and three-time Arnold Classic champion. He is the only man to have ever won World’s, Europe’s and the Arnold’s in a single year.
His competitive record includes a plethora of other victories, including ten Iceland’s Strongest Man titles and numerous Giants Live wins. He is, without question, one of the most prolific winners Strongman has ever witnessed. At a truly imposing height of 6-foot, 9-inches and a bodyweight usually well in excess of 200kg (440lb), the Icelander has one of the most impressive physiques in the history of strength sports.
His lifting achievements are no less formidable than his winning record. Despite having pulled an astonishing 501kg (1,105lb) in the deadlift, Björnsson’s greatest and most iconic feat of strength is arguably the 650kg (1,430lb) ship’s mast he carried for five steps, surpassing the legendary feat of Orm Storolfsson who had managed three steps over 1,000 years before. It is perhaps as a stone lifter though, that Björnsson is most renowned. His 17.54 second world record with Giants Live’s 120-200kg set of Atlas Stones has never even been approached.
Mariusz Pudzianowski
Nicknamed “The Dominator,” this mighty Pole stands alone as the only man to have won World’s Strongest Man five times. Few athletes have shaken up the sport as Mariusz did, exploding onto the scene in 2000 and blowing away the opposition with his unbeatable blend of athleticism, strength, explosiveness, and endurance, not to mention his ripped physique!
In an era when moving and more speed and endurance-based events were in the ascendancy “Pudzian” seemed impervious to pain or fatigue. He swept to an unprecedented five world titles between 2002 and 2008, picking up runner-up spots in 2006 and 2009. If that were not enough, he won Europe’s Strongest Man a record six times and picked up seven Polish titles as well as a multitude of international wins that rank him as one of the sport’s most frequent winners.
When it comes to laying claim to being the strongest man in history, Pudzianowski may not be able to boast the kind of maximal lifts that some have achieved, but his strength endurance and all-round athleticism are unparalleled. Many of his performances in events such as Conan’s Wheel, Power Stairs, Farmer’s Walk and Shield Carry remain unbeaten and in an era where athletes’ bodyweights are ever-increasing, it is possible Pudzianowski’s like may not be seen again.
Brian Shaw
Brian Shaw is one of the world’s most successful strongmen and regarded by many as the strongest men to have ever lived. At a colossal 6’ 8” (2.03m), and 193kg (425lb), he is one of the sport’s true giants. Excelling in basketball as a high-school and college athlete, his true passion was for weight training, and he was able to exploit his tremendous natural strength to great success in a career that is notable for its longevity as well as its achievement.
Brian is one of a quartet of men that have taken the World’s Strongest Man title on four occasions. He is also a three-time winner of the Arnold Classic, a contest that is held in the highest esteem among strength aficionados. Further contest victories have fallen to the Colorado Colussus in abundance; few athletes can compare to his winning record. Taking his first world title in 2011, there were no “easy” victories for Shaw, who battled it out at World’s each year with Lithuania’s Žydrūnas Savickas, beating him into 2nd three times.
Shaw’s top end strength is as impressive as it gets, looking across the full array of strongman events. He has held world records in multiple variations of stone lifting and deadlifting, including Elephant bar and Hummer tyre, and has always featured at the top of the pile in any static lifting discipline, be it for maximum weight or repetitions. However, maximal strength is not his only area of prowess and he has dominated the world’s best for a generation in Atlas Stones, Fingal’s Fingers and vehicle pulling, both on foot and arm-over-arm.
Eddie Hall
For a professional strongman, winning the sports’ greatest accolade – World’s Strongest Man – should surely be the defining moment of their career. Defeating Hafþór Björnsson and four-time WSM winner Brian Shaw was undoubtedly a truly historic feat, but for Britain’s Eddie Hall, aka The Beast, he is better known for a single feat of strength he performed in Leeds in 2016.
At the 2016 World Deadlift Championships – event one of Europe’s Strongest Man – in front of a crowd of 10,000, Hall sent shockwaves through the strength community by deadlifting 500kg (1102lb), or half a tonne. In one evening, he added a mind-blowing 37kg (81.5lb) to a record that had crept up kilo by kilo for decades. No other strongman has come within 50lb of this record in competition since.
Regardless of who has or will exceed this incredible feat of strength, Eddie Hall will always be remembered as the first man to break the magical half tonne barrier. The lift was the strength sports’ equivalent to the 4-minute mile. Such achievements shift peoples’ views of what is possible and set a new standard for up-and-coming athletes to strive for. Many strength sports fans would argue that Eddie Hall’s half tonne deadlift is the greatest strength feat ever performed.
Magnús Ver Magnússon
As the great Jón Páll Sigmarsson retired, another Icelander, in the form of Magnús Ver Magnússon, stepped up to dominate the sport, emulating Sigmarsson’s four titles. In fact, Magnússon claimed the World’s Strongest Man title on his very first attempt, defeating Denmark’s Henning Thorson in 1991. He is also one of only two men to have won three World’s Strongest Man titles in a row: taking victories in ‘94, ’95 and ‘96.
Magnús is another of those athletes for which winning seems to have been a habit, and in addition to his WSM victories, he was a seven-time Iceland’s Strongest Man winner, two-time Europe’s Strongest Man and World Muscle Power champion. These are just a selection of the strongman titles “Maggie” amassed over his career, but he was also a twice senior European champion in powerlifting, claiming victory in 1991 – the same year he first won World’s Strongest Man.
By no means the largest of the strongmen of his era, Magnússon was a true all-rounder who showed great dynamic strength and ability, but also a level of static power that belied his size. Having been defeated by Magnús in the squat lift at the 1995 World’s with an incredible 437.5kg (965lb), his great adversary, Gerrit Badenhorst of South Africa, commented that his squat was the greatest he’d ever seen from someone of that bodyweight. Little wonder then, that he is widely considered to be one of the strongest men of all time.
Bill Kazmaier
The American powerlifter, William “Bill” Kazmaier was the first real star to emerge in strongman and his menacing and imposing physical presence left an indelible mark on the sport. From 1980-1982 he was untouchable, winning World’s Strongest Man three times consecutively. In his prime he stated that he was “the strongest man who ever lived” and his dominance over his competitors in that era certainly leant considerable credence to that claim.
As a powerlifter, “Kaz” is regarded as one of the all-time greats and a true pioneer of the sport. He was the first man to raw bench press 300kg (661lb) in competition and in 1981 set a total record of 1100kg, a figure that would remain unsurpassed for more than a decade. He was twice an IPF world champion and a multiple world record holder across all three lifts. Much of this was performed whilst also contesting and winning World’s Strongest Man.
Such was Kazmier’s dominance at World’s Strongest Man, it led organisers, who were looking for a more global appeal, to leave him out of the contest for several years. He would not return to the competition until 1988, where he began a brief but heated rivalry with Jón Páll Sigmarsson. It is reasonable to assume that Kaz could well have won a fourth or fifth title – he won the 1982 World’s by 13 points – if he’d ben given the opportunity. In his curtailed strongman career, he established world records in the deadlift and Log Lift, among others. No other strongman since has ever achieved such supremacy in two separate sports – a fact that confirms, for many, Kazmaier’s position at the top of strongman’s pantheon of greats.
Žydrūnas Savickas
If there is one man who ticks all the boxes to be heralded as the strongest man to walk the planet, it’s none other than “Big Z.” With over 80 international contest wins, he is by far the sport’s most prolific winner. He has won World’s Strongest Man four times, taken the Arnold Classic title eight times, won two IFSA World Championships, three Europe’s Strongest Man titles, as well as seventeen Lithuanian titles. He won Fortissimus in 2009 and has broken over seventy world records in the span of his astonishing career.
Like Kazmaier, Žydrūnas was formerly a powerlifter and had picked up four European IPF silver medals before turning to strongman. His static strength was there for all to see, but his unrivalled overhead power was not revealed until he began pressing logs and axles in strongman. Winning six World Log lift titles, he raised the world record from 188kg, which was the first record he set in 2004, to 228kg in 2015, eclipsing the 500lb barrier in the process. He has established world records in squat events, Axle Press, Super Yoke and deadlift variations.
Savickas stands alone in the sport because of the sheer unrivalled quantity of his competitive victories, combined with the unparalleled breadth of the world records he established over his 25-year career. Had he not missed the opportunity to contest World’s Strongest Man from 2005 – 2008, it is probable he would have at least equalled Pudzianowski’s five titles. He had already finished 2nd on three occasions prior to the IFSA split and won their World Championship twice in the four years he was unable to attend World’s. Winning his first World’s Strongest Man title on his return to the fold in 2009, he assumed, in the eyes of the most knowledgeable fans, his rightful position at the very zenith of the sport. To many, he still occupies that position as the strongest man of all time.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4
We're still working on how to get out of town. I mean, we're not dead which I guess is a step in the right direction. We got the Hummer working again, and you'll all love this. We thought it shut off due to the wreck. Come to find out, Roscoe had forgotten to refuel it. We only realized this when by some miracle Drake got the engine to turn and observed this on the fuel gauge.
“Typical of that moron to forget something like this,” Van said.
“The dude just died. I know you and him hated each other, but don't be a fucking dick, alright?” I replied.
Van relented and kept his comments to himself.
“Okay, we know it works. Now, all we need is fuel,” Drake said.
Rummaging through the back, I produced a container of gas.
“It seems safe right now so I’ll go out and refill it,” I said.
“You might want to reload first,” Drake advised.
I heeded this, exchanging the clip of my pistol before hopping outside. We’d gotten lucky throughout the night, having avoided any encounters. Although, there were some close calls. Another one of those crawling ones wandered by. It got too close to Drake and he stabbed it in the eye.
The most significant one was the one I encountered. We were doing rotating shifts and it was my turn to keep watch. Everything was fine until I spotted a figure off in the distance. This thing was tall. We’re talking a height that puts even Robert Wadlow to shame. Remember, the moonlight was my only source of visibility.
I’m watching this monstrosity jittering about. It wasn’t walking so much as striding. I thought about waking up Drake and Van so we could blast it away. Then I thought better and figured I should take a closer look with the binoculars. Good thing I did. Otherwise, we’d be zombie food.
What made me reconsider was what it did. Up close, it had several other distinct features. It was entirely bald and had no eyes or a nose. I don’t mean they were gouged out. There was only lumpy skin where they should have been. Its head was constantly shifting directions, presumably listening for any potential prey.
It stopped and I realized it had stepped into a boulder about as big as the Hummer. I thought it was going to bypass it, What happened instead that almost made me piss myself was as follows. It picked it up in both hands and crushed it. Let me repeat that.
It crushed a boulder the size of a fucking Hummer like it was a clump of powdered parmesan. Somehow, I didn't think our weapons were going to cut it. Even if they did, the noises would surely attract other zombies. All I could do was keep quiet in hopes it wouldn't wander to us. Then something happened that made my nuts retract.
Behind me, Van sharply inhaled and I realized he was going to snore. I'm not proud of what I did next. Acting on reflex, I punched him in the throat. He awoke, staring at me with a mixture of anger and confusion. Whatever he was going to say died in his throat.
I already knew it was behind me before I turned around, having felt its hot breath on my neck through the broken window. Its breath was foul like a decomposing body in a sewer and it was making my eyes water. I would have rather been smelling week-old roadkill left a week in the humid heat. Fighting the body's natural impulses is the hardest thing a person can do. Right then, mine was wanting to make me puke.
The zombie partially stuck its head in, growling as it did. Neither of us even did so much as breathe too fast. The seconds it remained in place were going by like hours. Finally, it decided it was wasting its time and went away. We still weren't going to make a sound until we were sure that thing was at least several miles away. On top of all this, we have no means of escape without getting shot so yeah, things are kinda shitty.
By then, the sun was peeking over the trees. We got Drake up and told him about what happened.
“God damn,” he had said, “good thing none of us had any beans last night.”
As I was standing out there, filling the tank, I started wondering what other shit we'd have to deal with. The regular zombies were already bad enough. Then we ran into the crawlers and now we have to contend with those tall ones. I'm calling them lankers. Once I was through, I got into the passenger side.
“Alright, now let's see if they did anything,” Drake said, turning the ignition.
The Hummer roared to life, making us all ecstatic.
“Now we're getting somewhere, but how exactly are we getting out of here in this oversized thing?” Van asked.
The area where we'd ended up was a bad spot for any normal car, let alone a Hummer.
After glancing around, Drake replied, “Very carefully”.
He was to pull some maneuver where the tires on my side were hugging the base of the cliff. Meanwhile, Drake's side was snapping through branches. Eventually, we found a way back up to the road.
“Alright, we're back in business,” I said, then looking at our desolate town added, “For the most part.”
Our first course of action was heading back to the hotel. This shifted when we came to hordes of zombies shambling in front of it.
“They're here now too?” Drake said.
“Probably migrating,” I replied.
That raised the question, what would happen to the zombies if they ran out of food? Do they actually need to eat or are their cravings more akin to an addiction? Whatever the case, it was bad news for us.
“Where are we supposed to go now?” Van asked.
“They had to come from somewhere which means wherever they left should be safe,” Drake responded.
“Alright and how exactly do we go about figuring out where that is?”
“We go the opposite way they are.”
“Hang on,” I said, mentally tracing the distance, “won’t that take us back to the apartments?”
Sure enough, it did. We parked at the convenience store down the road.
“Gus, what do you see over there?” Drake asked.
“There’s a handful of zombies,” I replied with the binoculars to my eyes.
“What kind?”
“Just the regulars, do you want to try and snipe at them?”
“Sounds good. I’ll handle it and you two take care of the stragglers.”
We got in position with two sniper rifles. Drake climbed onto the Hummer roof while I was going to be covering him on the ground. Meanwhile, Van would be warning us if anything came from behind.
“Why don’t I get a gun?” he asked.
“You panic too much,” Drake told him. “Ready, Gus?”
I cocked my weapon.
“Go for it,” I said.
Things occurred uneventfully under the given circumstances. Drake sniped at the zombies that were further away and I got the ones attempting to climb over the fence. Once that was over, we drove up to the gate. Drake used Roscoe’s keycard, causing it to beep and then open.
“Figures it’s working now,” Drake said.
Driving through, we could see corpses covering the sidewalk and grass that had been mostly eaten away. From what I glanced at, I saw several heads, feet, hands, and what may have been someone’s genitals.
“I didn’t think this place could get any shittier, but here we are,” I said, trying to lighten the mood.
“Do we really have to stay here?” Van asked.
“For now. So do you want to crash in our apartment or are you heading back to your place?”
Van looked at a man by a fire hydrant with his intestines hanging out.
“I'll stick with you guys if it's all the same to you.”
Once parked, we went to the trunk to gather the groceries. While our backs were turned, we heard the sound of several guns being clicked.
“Turn around slowly.”
We did so to see an old lady with a revolver and a cane. Her face was covered in dirt. With her were some people, also armed. We squinted.
“Mrs. Sheaver?” Drake said in a perplexed tone.
She wasn't known for having a nice demeanor. If anyone got on her bad side whether by making too much noise or just looking at her funny, she would pelt them with rotten fruit. Nobody knows where she gets it.
“Damn right, we couldn't help but notice you and your friends have some food and weapons. You wouldn't mind sharing with us. Would you?”
“I mean, maybe we could negotiate-”
She pressed the barrel of her gun to his chest.
“On second thought, we're feeling generous.”
So we've managed to survive countless horrors for the better part of a week only to be robbed blind. Mrs. Sheaver had people search through the Hummer to take whatever they deemed valuable.
“Welp, this sucks,” I said.
“Quiet,” she snapped, “Now, tell us what you saw out there.”
“Why should we?”
She poked me with the gun.
“Oh, right.”
We relayed to her what we'd encountered and how we were effectively being trapped in town.
“Damhad theregovernment bastards,” she said. “The IRS will have my savings when they pry it from my cold dead hands.”
She then asked the others if they got everything to which they replied yes.
“Thanks for the shit, suckers.”
Mrs. Sheaver laughed while shuffling away.
“How the hell did she end up being the one in charge?” I wondered aloud.
That's a weird phenomenon where in a survival situation the worst qualified somehow become the leaders just because they happen to be more assertive.
“I don't know,” Drake said. “Let's check if we have anything left.”
Then we gathered up everything, bringing it inside and laying it on our table. Luckily, Mrs. Sheaver forgot to have people check us so we still had our handguns. As for everything else, that would remain to be seen.
“Okay, we have the two axes, the pistols, two boxes of Jiffy cornbread mix, four bags of dried mix beans, a box of sweet tea, and I found this bag of Spicy Chili Doritos under one of the seats,” I said, taking stock of everything. “What do we have here already?”
“I know we still have like half a pack of bottled water and some gas station food from the other day,” Drake replied.
“The stuff here should last us at least a few days.”
“I mean, we could try going back over to Walmart.”
I thought about Drake's suggestion. It wasn't a bad idea. The issue was we had no way of knowing if the zombies had left that area or more had gone there. Furthermore, what if stronger ones were now there?
“What about the convenience store we were just at?” Van said.
“Oh yeah,” I replied. “It didn't look like it had been broken into so there's bound to be some good stuff in there. Why hasn't anyone else gone over there then?”
“Because they're shortsighted,” Drake told me. “I say we get started on boiling some beans and try to work out a plan.”
“To escape?” Van responded to him. “You saw what happened to Roscoe. They're not letting anyone out.”
“Then why not just bomb the town or something and be done with it?”
Our town was isolated. Therefore, it wouldn't be too much of a stretch for them to have the ability to do something like that and sweep it under the rug.
“I don't know,” Van said. “Maybe it's too costly or something. Explosives aren't exactly cheap. Whatever the case, it doesn't change the fact we're stuck here.”
“You know you are way too defeatist,” Drake replied.
Van responded with a shrug.
“Hang on,” I said. “I think I have an idea.”
“Shoot,” Drake replied.
“We cut through the woods.”
“Gus, I'm not sure if you're aware, but we already tried that.”
“Not on foot.”
I explained that I planned for us to walk straight through instead of taking the dirt road again. It's unlikely the government people would be there since there are only a few roads leading into town.
“So to sum up everything, we gather what we can and walk until we come across a main road,” I finished.
“Great plan, there's only one problem,” Van said.
“What?”
“There’s a bunch of zombies outside that want to eat us alive and you're talking a minimum of two days straight out there.”
“We didn’t see any in the woods,” Drake pointed out. “I think if we keep moving we should get through it okay. I mean, you can stay here if you want. Me and Gus aren’t going to make you come with us.”
Van considered this and said, “I’ll have to sleep on it.”
That sounded like a good idea seeing as how we were going to wind down anyway. Right now, the sun is setting. I don’t see any zombies outside right now, but when I open the back door, I can hear their cries of hunger being carried by the wind. I wonder if any other neighborhoods have managed to hold down the fort? If they have then maybe that’s where they’re heading.
Drake is setting up my laptop with an HDMI cable to our living room TV. I have a lot of movies downloaded so that’ll be good to keep our minds off things until tomorrow. Wish us luck. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some stove popcorn to make.
https://www.reddit.com/nosleep/comments/1dblrwf/out_of_the_apartment_part_6/ (We may be short on cash, but at least we're safe. I think)

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3
Things have finally calmed down here to something in the vicinity of peace. I'll try not to complain too much since this is probably as good as it's going to get with Van and Roscoe living under the same roof. Speaking of whom, I'll be sharing their sequence of events in case there may be anything to glean from them. I'll relay Roscoe's perspective since I heard it firsthand. This was the morning of my terrifying escape at Walmart and Drake having to fight for survival in the gym.
Roscoe was already down in the dumps since the court ruling last month. His “no good two-timing bitch of an ex-wife” as he so eloquently put it was able to convince the judge overseeing their custody case that a small apartment stocked with booze and guns wasn't a safe place for two toddlers. Although it's not my place, I can't say I object to that ruling. To vent his frustrations, he and his buddies planned a weekend hunting trip. So they set off to set up camp about four hours from town.
For the most part, the trip was an enjoyable experience, just shooting, joking, and drinking among friends. That said, Roscoe witnessed some things I think should be mentioned. The first is that some animals were acting out of sorts. There was a river by the campsite that many of them were drinking from. I know that animals get thirsty too.
What Roscoe and the others found strange was that many of them were drinking from it simultaneously. Both predator and prey alike were standing side by side, lapping up water, but this went beyond thirst and into addiction. They were consuming such an enormous quantity that many of them threw up and collapsed. Many of them also appeared starved like they hadn't eaten in days. While none of them were scared by this, it did rub many of them the wrong way.
A deer approached their camp. Given that they are normally fickle creatures, this was odd. Yes, there are exceptions to this, and some are somewhat trusting of humans. That’s one reason a deer may not flee. The other is if there’s something wrong with it, brain disease, in this case.
Someone in the group pointed this out. Roscoe being Roscoe, though, said “I can still put it on my wall”. Then he put a bullet in it point blank. Not very sporting if you ask me. Then again, I suppose he needs a win every once in a while. Anyway, his friends weren't exactly happy about him firing off his rifle without warning in their vicinity. They proceeded to chastise him, throwing empty beer cans as they did.
The mood went from peculiar to unnerving at what occurred next. One person in the group was the first to notice it. The animals had stopped drinking and were now staring at them. Even from that distance, everyone could tell there was something in their eyes that didn't sit right with any of them. It was a sharpened hunger combined with a distinct awareness.
Nobody had seen anything like it and many thought they would be attacked. Roscoe also mentions he remembers the animals being thin like the water was the only thing they were consuming. Neither humans nor animals would break eye contact. Even armed, Roscoe and his friends were severely outnumbered. Luckily for them, things didn't escalate to that point.
The animals went back to what they were doing. Everyone in Roscoe's group decided to cut the hunting trip short. There was still the deer he'd shot. Nobody trusted the meat from it. Roscoe wanted to get something to take home so he cut its head off to mount.
Then everyone went home. By the time Roscoe got back to our neighborhood, the sun was rising and he wanted to get the deer's head inside before anyone spotted him. I should mention at this point that deer hunting is only permissible during the winter months in our state. If reported, a violator will suffer a fine and possibly have their hunting license as well as their gun taken. In a stroke of bad luck, Van happened to come outside in that instant.
He caught Roscoe carrying the deer's head and said he was going to report him which led to their altercation. Moving onto Van, he had a conversation with Drake who in turn told me about it. Van's job at the town hall mainly revolves around answering calls, shredding documents, sorting through files, and receiving all the complaints Schneider got on his computer. That sounds miserable as hell. Our jobs at Goodwill may not be the most lucrative, but at least we aren't working for a scumfuck like him.
I'm not trying to hold that against Van. I understand people need to earn a living. For his sequence of events, things were relatively normal except that they were having him shred way more documents than normal. Drake asked him if he noticed anything odd on them. He said he has to get rid of so many that there isn't time to read even a single paper.
He did overhear something peculiar on the day prior to his time off. He was getting back from a restroom break and walking past Schneider's office. He stopped when he heard yelling coming from it. Curious, he figured a little eavesdropping couldn't hurt. Of the bits and pieces he picked up on, he gathered that someone was trying to put pressure on Schneider over a deal.
With whom, we don't know. While it can't be confirmed that's related to what's happening now, the timing does raise a red flag. Van said that when Schneider left for the day, he looked rattled. From there, nothing else noteworthy happens until his fight with Roscoe. That brings us to today.
While Hummers are loud and obnoxious, they are also roomy and we took advantage of that, packing up the rest of the groceries. Then we were off. I helped by directing Roscoe to the road we were going to use. When we reached it, we realized the Hummer may be a bit too big to drive through it.
“Fuck it,” Roscoe said, flooring the gas.
At first, it seemed as if the Hummer was stuck. He kept at it and soon we heard branches begin cracking. Pushing our way through, we were on our way out.
“By the way, what’s the plan once we’re done with this?” he asked.
“I got cousin Me and Gus can crash with,” Drake said. “What about you?”
“I have an uncle out of state who’s a pretty cool guy. I’ll have to give him a call.”
I turned to Van.
“What about you?”
“Me? I’ve got savings so I’ll be fine for a while. I’ll probably stay at another motel or a rented room until I can get back on my feet.”
“Of course, you’d be the only one of us who can save money working for shit Schneider.”
Van once again gave Roscoe that customer service smile.
“I get paid well because I’m good at what I do, unlike some people.”
Seeing Roscoe’s glare in the rearview, Drake and I intervened.
“Guys, we can please not do this shit right now?” Drake asked. “Once we’re in the clear, have it, but until then let’s try to get along.”
Roscoe and Van simmered down, only giving each other the occasional dirty look. We continued in silence and were relieved when we finally reached the path's exit.
“Thank Christ,” Roscoe said. “That fucking scraping was driving me up the wall,”
All of us were glad town was behind us or so we thought. I still had the binoculars and once again, I glanced through them. What I saw, nearly made my heart stop.
“Hit the brakes,” I abruptly screamed.
Roscoe slammed them out of reflex giving us all whiplash.
“The hell’s the matter with you, Gus?” he asked sharply.
Instead of answering, I handed him the binoculars. Upon raising them to his eyes, his face turned pale. It was the same when they were handed to Drake and Van. Someone set up a blockade at the town limit. If that wasn’t bad enough, it was being guarded by people in swat armor and cops, several of whom we recognized.
We also saw a handful wearing hazmat suits. However, the most disturbing thing is it turned out we weren’t the only ones with our particular plan of escape. This was evidenced by the corpses getting bagged away with bullet wounds in their foreheads as well as all the abandoned vehicles.
“They’re keeping people here,” I said.
Yeah, that was a no-shit statement. I just needed to get it off my chest.
“Those government mother fuckers,” Roscoe spat, “but why are the police working with them?”
Answering that was a whole other topic. We needed to focus on the one at hand.
“Maybe we can cut through the forest on foot?” Van suggested.
“That would take hours,” Drake told him. “They got snipers over there which means they’re probably checking the woods. Not to mention, we don’t know how many zombies we might run into.”
“You know what? I say we get the guns in the back and blast our way through these sons a bitches,” Roscoe said.
“Roscoe, I hate to be the one to break it to you, but they have basically a small army and, there’s fours of only three who know how to use guns, “ I pointed out.
Roscoe was about to object when a sniper bullet went through the windshield, piercing through his eye and seat and into the back seat directly above Van’s shoulder. He slumped over lifeless, falling on the steering wheel and making his horn go off. We freaked the fuck out and crouched right before being met with a barrage.
“We have to get out of here,” Van shouted over the sound of shattering glass.
“You think we don’t fucking know that?” Drake snapped.
If they hit one of the tries, it was game over for us. Roscoe’s foot was still on the brakes. Drake shifted the Hummer in reverse and then put Roscoe; 's foot on the gas. Luckily for us, the path was straight so backing out of it was relatively simple, provided us not getting shot at. When it was safe, we all straightened out.
Drake opened the driver’s door and pushed Roscoe out. Then he got in the seat. We didn’t have time to catch our breath since who should be waiting for us other than a hoard of zombies? In hindsight, maybe all the noise we made snapping branches wasn’t t our stealthiest option. Although in fairness to us, we thought we wouldn't have to worry about that.
Like ants to sugar water, they were on us, breaking through holes in the windshield.
“Gus, Van, guns,” Drake screamed, trying to drive with them clinging to the hood.
Scrambling, we grabbed some pistols from that back. I undid the safety on one and tossed it to Drake. He caught it and when a zombie broke through, he pulled the trigger. It rolled off and we ran over it, hearing a popping sound as we did. On his side, Van was screaming and panic-firing
“Don’t waste ammo. It only takes one shot to the head to kill them.” I yelled.
I was covering both my window as well as the back windshield.
“I can't see anything like this,” Drake exclaimed.
A zombie managed to poke its head into the passenger side. Without looking, he put a round in it. We eventually managed to take them all out in time to realize we were heading for the edge of a cliff. Drake tried in vain to stop. The Hummer hit a curve and flipped on its side, rolling downward all the way.
It stopped, now a wreck with smoke coming out of its hood. Then the engine went dead.
“Is everyone still in one piece?” I asked.
I felt something trickle down my face. When I went to wipe it away, there was blood on my palm.
“No, but I'll live,” Drake replied.
“I think I fractured something,” Van said, in pain.
Roscoe's camping supplies included a first aid kit. We used it to mend our injuries as best we could.
“Okay, now where exactly are we?” Drake asked.
Where we'd ended up was another part of the woods that stretched on for miles.
“I don't know,” I said. “Do you think we can climb back up?”
“Not in our condition and besides, it's too flat.”
“What should we do then?”
Drake glanced at the Hummer and then back to us.
“I think our best bet is to see if we can get this thing working again.”
Yeah, so things didn't turn out the way we hoped. I'm afraid we've been at this for hours with no luck. My phone battery is almost out and I know it's only a matter of time until the zombies find us. We still have plenty of firepower so the three of us can at least make a heroic final stand, well me and Drake anyway. If I don't update again know that I want my last words to be fuck this shit. Fuck it hard.
https://www.reddit.com/nosleep/comments/1daup2j/out_of_the_apartment_part_5/ (Guess we're still kicking)

Hey y'all, I'm 20F and looking to purchase my first car soon, I don't know too much about cars but I'm really wanting to get into them more and would like a car that is a good start for both! I'm going used and looking to ideally stay below 10k but can go to 15k if it's something that is "perfect", plan on putting 800 to 1.2k down, and wanting to keep my payments and insurance around or below 300 a month. I know that insurance is kinda touch and go so I don't expect y'all to be able to help much with that but I'm hoping that since I've completed Drivers Ed, am over 18, and qualify for the good student discounts (if whatever company I choose, does them), also my credit score is just below 700. I apologize if I have too much or too little info, I'm not really sure what y'all might want as info.
For what I'm looking for beyond that, for one I'd love to have leather seats/semi updated bluetooth interface, my reasoning (although I can budge if I have too) is leather seats are much easier to clean and since I have pets and often have horse things (saddles, oil, grain, hay etc.) in my car, leather is a lot easier for me to maintain than cloth. And the bluetooth, well that's self explanatory, I'd like to be able to have directions, music, etc from my phone on my car since I'll be driving a LOT and in need of directions as well. I will unfortunately have to take this car from DC to Phoenix in a few months (for a permanent move) and obviously the car needs to be able to make this. That being said I DO need something that is more of a hatchback or SUV, or maybe a sedan that's on the bigger side
And I know this part is a little bit of a stretch but my DREAM car is a Hummer H3, year doesn't really matter although I like the '09s and '07s, and I'm a little worried that I'll never get the chance to own one since they're getting up there in age and aren't produced anymore. I also know that their gas mileage is pretty bad, but beyond the long drive from DC to AZ, my drives to work (which is really the only place I go) or the store are less than 15 miles. I also love a Subaru WRX (although I'd like to own an auto not manual as a first car), Foresters, Outbacks, and Alfa Romeo Stelvio, but those are all just because I like their look and vibe, not because I think they'd be a good fit/affordable. I've been looking over a few (both Hummers and not) on Carfax but honestly I don't know what to look for beyond basic maintenance, mileage, mpg, accidents, and photos.
I know I likely won't get something that is what I want and more so what I can afford/find, but I'd just like to hear some ideas! So in short I want a used car, under 100k, leather seats, decent enough bluetooth, sunroof, anywhere from 10-15k with 800-1.2k down, and something I can learn about cars with and maybe mod in the future? I know it's a stretch but if anything comes to mind that would be great!

Hey everyone! For the first time in a long while, I finally had the time to prepare the Weekly Information Thread in advance in order to upload it quicker. We're 3 weeks into the Horizon Retrowave update, and more rewards are waiting to be unlocked. Let's get to it!
Stay safe and have a great week ahead!
A Super Wheelspin is available for completing the Super7 this week.

Forzathon Shop

Note that the current Forzathon Shop will change on June 13th, 2024 @ 14:30 (UTC).

650FP Car: 2020 Lotus Evija
550FP Car: 1997 Lotus Elise GT1
75FP Clothing: Farid Rueda's Lion Tank Top
75FP Clothing: Grit Reapers Cap
75FP Car Horn: Cassette
60FP Wheelspin
150FP Super Wheelspin

Festival Playlist Rewards

Winter - 20/72 Points: 1980 Lotus Esprit Turbo (Exclusive Car)
Winter - 40/72 Points: 2005 Honda NSX-R GT (Hard To Find Car)
Series - 80/288 Points: 2022 Hyundai N Vision 74 (Exclusive Car)
Series - 160/288 Points: 1982 DeLorean DMC-12 (Hard To Find Car)

Hot Wheels Events - 7 Points

Exclusive to Hot Wheels Owners; the respective Academy Rank must be unlocked. Not required for Season Rewards, Series Completion, or the Min, Meet Max Achievement.

Speed Trap: "Forest Edge" 338.0 km/h 2 points
Criteria: Car Type - Retro Supercars (A-800)
Reward: Super Wheelspin
Championship: "Holden Oldies" 5 points
Criteria: Car Type - Retro Supercars (A-800)
Reward: 1977 Holden Torana A9X

Rally Adventure Events - 7 Points

Exclusive to Rally Adventure Owners; required for you to be Horizon Badlands Champion. Not required for Season Rewards, Series Completion, or the Min, Meet Max Achievement.

Drift Zone: "Canyon Sweep" 110,000 2 points
Criteria: Car Type - Rally Monsters (S1-900)
Reward: Super Wheelspin
Championship: "Apex Evolution" 5 points
Criteria: Car Type - Rally Monsters (S1-900)
Reward: 1985 Ford RS200 Evolution

Forzathon Weekly Challenge - 5 Points

Earn 80FP for completing the weekly challenge, double if you own La Casa Solariega. Must be done in sequence to count.

Own and drive the 1994 Ferrari F355 Berlinetta.
Reach a speed of at least 290 km/h with the 1994 Ferrari F355 Berlinetta.
Win a Road Race with the 1994 Ferrari F355 Berlinetta.
Take photo of the 1994 Ferrari F355 Berlinetta.

Forzathon Daily Challenges - 1 Point Each, 7 Points Total

Each challenge is open for 7 Days from 14:30 UTC of the start day. Earn 10FP per Challenge, double if you own La Casa Solariega.

Drive any car from the 1980's
Win any Midnight Battle
Get 3 Drift Skills in the 2002 Mazda RX-7 Spirit R Type-A
Paint the body of your car
Send a Gift Drop to another player
Take a photo of your car at night
Win a Cross Country Race in any Hummer

Seasonal Events - 38 Points Total

The reward listed for Seasonal Championship events requires you to place 1st against at or above the Highly Skilled Drivatar difficulty setting; the Trial requires Unbeatable difficulty and is accessible after entering the Hall of Fame.

The Trial: "Back to the 90's" 10 Points
Criteria: Decade & Manufacturer - 1990s BMW (B-700)
Reward: 1981 BMW M1
Event Lab: "Aztec my chances" 3 Points
Criteria: Car Type - Retro Sports Cars (A-800)
Reward: 1993 Porsche 968 Turbo S
Event Lab: "Le Capitaine" 3 Points
Criteria: Car Type - Retro Rally (B-700)
Reward: 1997 Lamborghini Diablo SV
Showcase Remix: "Off the Rails" 5 Points
Reward: Car Horn - Foghorns
Seasonal Playground Games: "King it On" 3 Points
Criteria: Car Type - Rally Monsters (S1-900)
Reward: Car Horn - Synth Toms
Trail Blazer: "City Escape" 40 s 2 Points
Criteria: Decade - 1980s (A-800)
Reward: Super Wheelspin
Speed Zone: "Ladera" 136.8 km/h 2 Points
Criteria: Decade - 1980s (A-800)
Reward: Super Wheelspin
Championship: "DTM Ready" 5 Points
Criteria: Car Type - Retro Saloons (B-700)
Reward: 1990 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II
Championship: "2000 and Late" 5 Points
Criteria: Car Type - Classic Sports Cars (C-600)
Reward: 1971 Nissan Skyline 2000GT-R

Challenges - 4 Points Total

Photo Challenge #3000 2 Points
Criteria: Photograph the 1997 Mitsubishi GTO at the Gran Telescopio.
Reward: Car Horn - Plasma
The Eliminator Battle Royale 2 Points
Criteria: Finish 30th or better
Reward: Car Horn - Raptor Rawr

Monthly Events - 4 Points per Season (16 Points per Series)

Monthly Rivals Playa Azul Circuit 1 point per Season
Criteria: Post a clean lap to complete
Monthly Rivals Las Laderas 1 point per Season
Criteria: Post a clean lap to complete
Monthly Rivals EV Descansar Dorado Sprint 1 point per Season
Criteria: Post a clean lap to complete
Monthly Rivals EV Los Jardines Circuit 1 point per Season
Criteria: Post a clean lap to complete

Get soaked in the Horizon Retrowave!
FH5 Release Notes: May 21st, 2024
Experience Track Toys in Forza Motorsport Update 8
Forza Motorsport Hotfix 8.1 Release Notes – May 16, 2024

It’s the kind of question that comes up from time to time: “who’s the strongest man in history?” A bit like: “who’s the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time?” and just as difficult to answer. The problem, of course, is that weighing up great champions of different eras is fraught with danger and coming up with an objective means of comparing their achievements is not at all straightforward.
Or is it? Surely the man who has lifted the heaviest weights across a selection of the most commonly contested tests of strength should be relatively easy to identify? Afraid not. The problem with that approach is that events constantly change and maximal weight alone is an insufficient test of who is or isn’t the strongest. That is precisely the reason strongman as a sport exists, with all its wonderful diversity of disciplines involving explosive strength, endurance and speed. Otherwise, the powerlifting world champion would simply be declared the strongest and that would be the end of the debate.
There are always people who will maintain that athletes of earlier eras would beat today’s best if they were given the same opportunities to train and compete. This supposition is based on a belief that they are intrinsically superior in some aspect and if transplanted into the modern era would still rise to the top. There is logic to this idea; after all, why should the current era lay claim to all the world’s most genetically gifted strongmen?
It is safe to state that no one in history has ever lifted a heavier log than Iron Biby and his 230kg world record. It is called a world record for a reason – it exceeds all preceding lifts. Whether someone at some point in history had the potential to lift more is pure speculation. Judging who is the strongest of all time must be based on known facts. On 7th September 2024, Biby will be heading to the Utilita Arena, Birmingham to try and beat his record. Click here to get your tickets on the event you do not want to miss!
But what of competitive dominance? An athlete can only beat their contemporaries, and some eras are undeniably more competitive than others. Is Mariusz Pudzianowski the strongest Man of all time because he won the most World’s Strongest Man titles? Is it harder to win WSM today than it was in the early 2000’s? Would Bill Kazmaier have won more titles if he had not been frozen out? It seems clear that this is only one aspect of deciding who is the greatest. Weightlifting and strongman have the advantage of being based on objective data and if these credentials are lacking, no number of winner’s trophies can remedy the fact.
Then, of course, the various forms of strength must be considered: static strength, explosive strength, strength endurance and dynamic strength, as well as durability, which is crucial in such a physically demanding sport. Each are as important as the others in most strongman contests, though often static strength is given greater emphasis. Finally, the prowess of individuals in certain disciplines must be taken into account: who has the greatest overhead strength, back strength or grip power?
The truth is that all these factors are pivotal in deciding who is the strongest ever, and any decision will always involve a certain amount of subjectivity. The list offered below is merely a suggestion, and while many may disagree with aspects of it, there are plenty who may concur with the athlete deemed to be the strongest of all time.
Louis Cyr
Many believe the French-Canadian Louis Cyr to be the strongest man to have ever lived. His career, that spanned the late 19th and early 20th centuries, is now the stuff of legend with many books written and films made about his remarkable life. Born in 1863, he spent his youth working on a lumberyard and on his family’s farm. His unnatural strength had become apparent and he started his strongman career at the age of 17, besting Michaud of Quebec, who was recognised as Canada’s Strongest Man, by lifting a 220kg (480lb) granite boulder.
Throughout his career as a touring strongman, he amassed some staggering feats of strength including lifting 243kg (535lb) with one finger. He famously backlifted 18 men weighing a combined 1,967kg (4,337lb) or two tons. He achieved a 124kg (273lb) overhead press with his famous Cyr Dumbbell; an event that is now prominent in modern strongman competitions. He is also attributed with a one-handed dumbbell lift of 238kg (525lb), made all the more impressive due to its 1.5-inch handle. Ben Weider called him the “strongest man ever.”
Louis worked as a police officer throughout his career and was famed for his horse resisting. In 1891, in front of 10,000 he resisted the pull of four draught horses, with grooms cracking their whips to encourage the animals to pull harder. Styled as a modern Samson, with long hair to match, he died in 1912, undefeated. There is a park in Montreal named after him alongside a statue of him in the Place des Hommes-Forts.
Paul Anderson
No debate of who is the strongest man to have ever lived would be complete without the mention of the lifter the Russians called “a wonder of nature.” Born in Tocca, Georgia, in 1932, the American first made his mark in strength spheres as a 20-year-old, breaking squat records that had stood for thirty years. He had begun lifting to gain strength as a football player, using weights of concrete poured into wooden forms.
By 1956 Paul had become world and Olympic champion in weightlifting, establishing new world records in the Olympic weightlifting disciplines. He became an iconic figure in the cold war era after travelling to the Soviet Union and exceeding their best lifter by over 30kg in the press. He won his Olympic gold suffering from an ear infection and high fever and would have won further medals had he not turned to professional lifting and thus disqualified himself from the strictly amateur contest.
Anderson was a true pioneer of strength sports and achieved some truly remarkable lifting bests, including official weightlifting results of 185kg (408.5lb) in the clean and press, and 199.5kg (440lb) in the clean and jerk. The squat was arguably his most impressive lift with an authenticated 420kg (930lb) lift in 1965. He unofficially achieved a 285kg (628lb) bench press and a 372kg (820lb) deadlift. His most spectacular and controversial feat of strength was the 2,840kg (6,270lb) back lift he was reputed to have performed in 1957. Dubbed “the greatest weight ever lifted by a human being,” the achievement was listed in the Guinness Book of Records until 1985.
Lasha Talakhadze
Traditionally, the winner of the super-heavyweight class at the Olympic weightlifting contest has been referred to as the Strongest Man in the World and there is one individual who is arguably the sport’s most dominant athlete and undeniably the man who has lifted more weight from the floor to overhead than anyone in history.
The two-time Olympic champion from Georgia holds the all-time world records across all weight categories in the snatch, clean and jerk and total. He is a seven-time World and European Champion and has been unbeatable since he took his first world title in 2015. He has utterly dominated the super-heavyweight division, establishing 26 senior world records.
At the 2020 Olympics he set the current world records of 225kg (496lb) in the snatch, 267kg (589lb) in the clean and jerk and a 492kg (1,085lb) total. Over his career so far, he has added 9kg to Bulgaria’s Antonio Krastev’s snatch record that had stood since 1987 and exceeded Leonid Taranenko of the Soviet Union’s 266kg clean and jerk that had stood as the heaviest ever lift since 1988.
Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson
Known as “The Mountain,” after his role on the TV series Game of Thrones, Hafþór Björnsson would be many people’s pick for the strongest man in history and he is not short of credentials to back up that claim. Björnsson was the 2018 World’s Strongest Man winner and has stood on the podium at World’s a total of eight times – a number only bettered by Žydrūnas Savickas. He is a five-time Europe’s Strongest Man and three-time Arnold Classic champion. He is the only man to have ever won World’s, Europe’s and the Arnold’s in a single year.
His competitive record includes a plethora of other victories, including ten Iceland’s Strongest Man titles and numerous Giants Live wins. He is, without question, one of the most prolific winners Strongman has ever witnessed. At a truly imposing height of 6-foot, 9-inches and a bodyweight usually well in excess of 200kg (440lb), the Icelander has one of the most impressive physiques in the history of strength sports.
His lifting achievements are no less formidable than his winning record. Despite having pulled an astonishing 501kg (1,105lb) in the deadlift, Björnsson’s greatest and most iconic feat of strength is arguably the 650kg (1,430lb) ship’s mast he carried for five steps, surpassing the legendary feat of Orm Storolfsson who had managed three steps over 1,000 years before. It is perhaps as a stone lifter though, that Björnsson is most renowned. His 17.54 second world record with Giants Live’s 120-200kg set of Atlas Stones has never even been approached.
Mariusz Pudzianowski
Nicknamed “The Dominator,” this mighty Pole stands alone as the only man to have won World’s Strongest Man five times. Few athletes have shaken up the sport as Mariusz did, exploding onto the scene in 2000 and blowing away the opposition with his unbeatable blend of athleticism, strength, explosiveness, and endurance, not to mention his ripped physique!
In an era when moving and more speed and endurance-based events were in the ascendancy “Pudzian” seemed impervious to pain or fatigue. He swept to an unprecedented five world titles between 2002 and 2008, picking up runner-up spots in 2006 and 2009. If that were not enough, he won Europe’s Strongest Man a record six times and picked up seven Polish titles as well as a multitude of international wins that rank him as one of the sport’s most frequent winners.
When it comes to laying claim to being the strongest man in history, Pudzianowski may not be able to boast the kind of maximal lifts that some have achieved, but his strength endurance and all-round athleticism are unparalleled. Many of his performances in events such as Conan’s Wheel, Power Stairs, Farmer’s Walk and Shield Carry remain unbeaten and in an era where athletes’ bodyweights are ever-increasing, it is possible Pudzianowski’s like may not be seen again.
Brian Shaw
Brian Shaw is one of the world’s most successful strongmen and regarded by many as the strongest men to have ever lived. At a colossal 6’ 8” (2.03m), and 193kg (425lb), he is one of the sport’s true giants. Excelling in basketball as a high-school and college athlete, his true passion was for weight training, and he was able to exploit his tremendous natural strength to great success in a career that is notable for its longevity as well as its achievement.
Brian is one of a quartet of men that have taken the World’s Strongest Man title on four occasions. He is also a three-time winner of the Arnold Classic, a contest that is held in the highest esteem among strength aficionados. Further contest victories have fallen to the Colorado Colussus in abundance; few athletes can compare to his winning record. Taking his first world title in 2011, there were no “easy” victories for Shaw, who battled it out at World’s each year with Lithuania’s Žydrūnas Savickas, beating him into 2nd three times.
Shaw’s top end strength is as impressive as it gets, looking across the full array of strongman events. He has held world records in multiple variations of stone lifting and deadlifting, including Elephant bar and Hummer tyre, and has always featured at the top of the pile in any static lifting discipline, be it for maximum weight or repetitions. However, maximal strength is not his only area of prowess and he has dominated the world’s best for a generation in Atlas Stones, Fingal’s Fingers and vehicle pulling, both on foot and arm-over-arm.
Eddie Hall
For a professional strongman, winning the sports’ greatest accolade – World’s Strongest Man – should surely be the defining moment of their career. Defeating Hafþór Björnsson and four-time WSM winner Brian Shaw was undoubtedly a truly historic feat, but for Britain’s Eddie Hall, aka The Beast, he is better known for a single feat of strength he performed in Leeds in 2016.
At the 2016 World Deadlift Championships – event one of Europe’s Strongest Man – in front of a crowd of 10,000, Hall sent shockwaves through the strength community by deadlifting 500kg (1102lb), or half a tonne. In one evening, he added a mind-blowing 37kg (81.5lb) to a record that had crept up kilo by kilo for decades. No other strongman has come within 50lb of this record in competition since.
Regardless of who has or will exceed this incredible feat of strength, Eddie Hall will always be remembered as the first man to break the magical half tonne barrier. The lift was the strength sports’ equivalent to the 4-minute mile. Such achievements shift peoples’ views of what is possible and set a new standard for up-and-coming athletes to strive for. Many strength sports fans would argue that Eddie Hall’s half tonne deadlift is the greatest strength feat ever performed.
Magnús Ver Magnússon
As the great Jón Páll Sigmarsson retired, another Icelander, in the form of Magnús Ver Magnússon, stepped up to dominate the sport, emulating Sigmarsson’s four titles. In fact, Magnússon claimed the World’s Strongest Man title on his very first attempt, defeating Denmark’s Henning Thorson in 1991. He is also one of only two men to have won three World’s Strongest Man titles in a row: taking victories in ‘94, ’95 and ‘96.
Magnús is another of those athletes for which winning seems to have been a habit, and in addition to his WSM victories, he was a seven-time Iceland’s Strongest Man winner, two-time Europe’s Strongest Man and World Muscle Power champion. These are just a selection of the strongman titles “Maggie” amassed over his career, but he was also a twice senior European champion in powerlifting, claiming victory in 1991 – the same year he first won World’s Strongest Man.
By no means the largest of the strongmen of his era, Magnússon was a true all-rounder who showed great dynamic strength and ability, but also a level of static power that belied his size. Having been defeated by Magnús in the squat lift at the 1995 World’s with an incredible 437.5kg (965lb), his great adversary, Gerrit Badenhorst of South Africa, commented that his squat was the greatest he’d ever seen from someone of that bodyweight. Little wonder then, that he is widely considered to be one of the strongest men of all time.
Bill Kazmaier
The American powerlifter, William “Bill” Kazmaier was the first real star to emerge in strongman and his menacing and imposing physical presence left an indelible mark on the sport. From 1980-1982 he was untouchable, winning World’s Strongest Man three times consecutively. In his prime he stated that he was “the strongest man who ever lived” and his dominance over his competitors in that era certainly leant considerable credence to that claim.
As a powerlifter, “Kaz” is regarded as one of the all-time greats and a true pioneer of the sport. He was the first man to raw bench press 300kg (661lb) in competition and in 1981 set a total record of 1100kg, a figure that would remain unsurpassed for more than a decade. He was twice an IPF world champion and a multiple world record holder across all three lifts. Much of this was performed whilst also contesting and winning World’s Strongest Man.
Such was Kazmier’s dominance at World’s Strongest Man, it led organisers, who were looking for a more global appeal, to leave him out of the contest for several years. He would not return to the competition until 1988, where he began a brief but heated rivalry with Jón Páll Sigmarsson. It is reasonable to assume that Kaz could well have won a fourth or fifth title – he won the 1982 World’s by 13 points – if he’d ben given the opportunity. In his curtailed strongman career, he established world records in the deadlift and Log Lift, among others. No other strongman since has ever achieved such supremacy in two separate sports – a fact that confirms, for many, Kazmaier’s position at the top of strongman’s pantheon of greats.
Žydrūnas Savickas
If there is one man who ticks all the boxes to be heralded as the strongest man to walk the planet, it’s none other than “Big Z.” With over 80 international contest wins, he is by far the sport’s most prolific winner. He has won World’s Strongest Man four times, taken the Arnold Classic title eight times, won two IFSA World Championships, three Europe’s Strongest Man titles, as well as seventeen Lithuanian titles. He won Fortissimus in 2009 and has broken over seventy world records in the span of his astonishing career.
Like Kazmaier, Žydrūnas was formerly a powerlifter and had picked up four European IPF silver medals before turning to strongman. His static strength was there for all to see, but his unrivalled overhead power was not revealed until he began pressing logs and axles in strongman. Winning six World Log lift titles, he raised the world record from 188kg, which was the first record he set in 2004, to 228kg in 2015, eclipsing the 500lb barrier in the process. He has established world records in squat events, Axle Press, Super Yoke and deadlift variations.
Savickas stands alone in the sport because of the sheer unrivalled quantity of his competitive victories, combined with the unparalleled breadth of the world records he established over his 25-year career. Had he not missed the opportunity to contest World’s Strongest Man from 2005 – 2008, it is probable he would have at least equalled Pudzianowski’s five titles. He had already finished 2nd on three occasions prior to the IFSA split and won their World Championship twice in the four years he was unable to attend World’s. Winning his first World’s Strongest Man title on his return to the fold in 2009, he assumed, in the eyes of the most knowledgeable fans, his rightful position at the very zenith of the sport. To many, he still occupies that position as the strongest man of all time.

Part 1 Part 2
I can't believe we’re in this situation. Not the zombies, I’ve already come to terms with that. Of all the people we could have ended up with it had to be…I’m getting ahead of myself. This morning Drake and Me were discussing possible escape routes. Aside from the obvious human flesh cravers, the main obstacle will be getting around abandoned vehicles.
The idea we came up with was going to the roof of the tallest building in town. It would give us the best vantage point to see if any clear roads were leading out. This did pose a risk as it meant going closer to the zombies. It’s not as if that’s a hazard that can be avoided outright. We prepared first with some stretching followed by breakfast.
We didn’t want anything too heavy since we’d be moving around a lot. We each had several bowls of instant fruit oats with some bananas, bagels, and coffee. For our venture, we were bringing some protein bars I snagged at Walmart and some water.
“Alright, how long do you want to spend on this?” I asked as we stood up from the table.
I collected the styrofoam bowls and plasticware as Drake replied.
“We can’t use our GPS so we’ll have to write down street names.”
“Do you think the town hall might have some maps?”
“Oh yeah, good idea. We’ll have to keep an eye out for that.”
For self-defense, we had our nail guns as well as axes. The kitchen has some knife sharpeners that we tried on the heads and we also made slings for them. Both of these seemed to have worked pretty well. As I’ve mentioned, close melee is something we want to avoid. If we have to engage, though, we want to end it quickly. Drake waited by the entrance as I was brushing my teeth upstairs in our room.
I think it makes more sense to do this after eating. Drake believes that as long as you brush twice a day, it doesn’t matter. I came back down to see him on his phone. Noises from the game Tetris came from it.
“Ready?” he asked.
“Yeah and I got the binoculars,” I replied, holding them up as they hung around my neck.
“Cool, let’s go.”
We moved the chairs we’d set up in front of the doors and unlocked them, then stepped outside.
“Are we taking your truck or do you think that might attract too much attention?”
“It should be safe for a certain distance. We can walk the rest of the way.”
There’s something especially unnerving about driving through a town that’s devoid of people. To think, all this went down only a few days ago. I guess it goes to show that things can go to Hell fast. We went about three-fourths of the way and then Drake pulled his car to a stop.
“Remember, we parked at the barber shop.”
“Noted, are you leaving the keys?”
“No, are you crazy? My truck might get stolen.”
“What about the starting problem?”
“Don’t worry. I took a look at that the other day. It should be good.”
We got out, being mindful of how hard we closed the doors. We stayed low as we were making our way to the town hall. It was going smoothly, only having the occasional close calls. Two zombies spotted us. We used our nail guns to make short work of them before they could alert any others.
Reaching the town hall, we became apprehensive due to the entrance being ajar.
“We might have company here. Stay sharp,” Drake said.
I glanced around and my eye fell on the water fountain.
“Hang on.”
I went over to it, reached into the water, and grabbed a handful of rocks.
“What are you those for?”
“Distractions.”
We went up the steps and then peered inside. Once confirming it was safe, we proceeded, locking the door behind us in case any surprises wandered in. Since our steps echoed, we were making sure to move carefully. Every so often I would peek through the binoculars to get a better view of what was ahead.
“Hang on,” I whispered.
“What?” Drake replied as we both halted.
Scanning the floor ahead, I could see the reflection of several zombies along the marble flooring.
“Get your weapons ready. We got a lot to clear out,” I informed him.
We each took cover behind the wall on opposite sides. I checked one of the rocks and sent it skittering across the floor. The moaning and growling of the living dead soon followed. The first of them shambled around the corner. Drake fired his nail gun, hitting it in the head.
As soon as it collapsed, more were coming into view. I took out the next one, then Drake the one after. This repeated and for a while, we were making quick work.
“How many of them are there?” I asked as one was running at me. “They just keep coming.”
I fired, getting it in the throat.
“Just keep it up. It's not like we'll be out of ammo anytime soon.”
One zombie that was just an upper torso had been clawing its way toward Drake. Being occupied with the others he hadn't noticed it.
“Hey, the floor,” yelled.
He gasped when it was almost to him and shot it in the eye. It reached out to him and then fell still.
“Thanks.”
“Don't mention it. Well, I guess that takes care of…”
“Gus, is something wrong?”
“Is it just me or did I just hear something drip?”
We glanced at the floor behind us and saw a red split. We glanced up in time to see a zombie that was clinging to the ceiling, dropping down to try and pounce on us. We moved out of the way in time, screaming as we did. This thing was new. It scurried on all fours, snarling at us.
We aimed and pulled our triggers only for nothing to happen.
“They're jammed,” I said.
“No shit.”
We backed away slowly as it eyed us with a deep famine. Maybe it was the fear messing with my head, but I could have also sworn I could see the faintest hint of intelligence in its yellowed eyes.
“Guess we'll have to do this the old-fashioned way,” Drake said and put a hand on his ax handle.
I did the same. The crawling zombie let out a screech and lunged at us. Yanking out my ax, I swung, smashing the zombie across the face with the flat side and partially gashing its face with the edge.
It was back almost as soon as it hit the wall. Assuming Drake was easier prey, it went after him.
Unlike me, he had more time to get in position. Unfortunately, he misjudged the arc range of his swing. Instead of getting the zombie's head, he got it in the chest.
“Gus, help,” he yelled, holding it back as it clawed at him while it was balancing on the ax blade.
Drake tripped backward over a corpse and fell to the floor. All he could do was keep a leg up to keep from getting torn into. Heart pounding, I rushed over to him, and with one swipe, buried my ax in the zombie's temple. It swayed to the side and Drake shoved it away, immediately scooting back as soon as he did.
I was going to check on him until I noticed the fucking thing was still moving. Raising my weapon, I brought it down like splitting firewood. At the moment of its cranium crunching and bits of its brain getting stuck to my ax head, it stopped moving. I glanced at it, then the bits of gray matter, and found my breakfast making an unexpected upward exit.
“You good?” Drake asked, patting me on the back.
“Yeah, I just need a minute,” I replied between deep breaths.
My legs were wobbling so I was steadying myself against the wall.
“It's a lot worse when it's up close.”
“I know the feeling.”
The hall leading to the Mayor’s office was caked in dried blood. Under the light, there were scratch marks as if people had been dragged away. Disturbing though that was, what unnerved us more was the state of our elected, a term I use loosely, leader's workspace. Pushing the door open, we were greeted by a spotless office. Given what we dealt with earlier, this didn't sit right with either of us.
Not to mention, all the rooms we passed were in complete disarray.
“I’m guessing Schneider got out of dodge when things went south,” I said.
Mayor Bill Schneider wasn't known for what he did so much as what he didn't do. Ask anyone living among one of the many pothole-filled streets what they think about him. You will be hard-pressed to get a flattering response.
“Of course that good-for-nothing shit sucker abandoned this town,” Drake grumbled. “Whatever, let's just find that map and then get to the roof.”
We got one from the desk along with a pen and then took the stairs going up.
“Sart looking and let me know if you see anywhere viable. I'll make sure to mark it here,” Drake said.
Raising the binoculars to my eyes I began searching.
“Cars are blocking most of the roads,” I said. “The police station is empty, though.”
“No surprise there.”
When we first moved into town, we dealt with a break-in. We tried calling 911
However, after ten minutes of having our stuff ransacked, we decided to handle things the baseball bat way. The cops then arrived promptly to take our statements two hours later.
“Hang on, that might work,” I said, hopefully.
“What might?”
I informed Drake that there was a dirt road behind one of the neighborhoods stretching outside of town. He marked the route leading to it on the map.
“Alright, I say we head back and pack. That way we can…” he said, trailing off.
“What?”
“Do you hear that?”
I listened closely, only detecting the noises of roaming zombies. Then there was another sound, a rumbling that was familiar to us. Looking through the binoculars again, I saw Roscoe. He was in his white Hummer speeding through town. Behind him were some of his buddies in their own vehicles except for the last one.
“Drake, you might want to see that hat this.”
His jaw dropped upon using the binoculars.
“They stole my fucking truck,” he roared.
Roscoe and his group drove by a building across from the town hall. Drake began foaming at the mouth, mentioning all the unspeakable things he would do to them.
“Hey, relax, man,” I said. “Let's talk with them. I'm sure we can smooth things…”
The person driving his truck made too sharp of a turn, going over a curb, and crashing into a tree.
“Out,” I finished.
Stumbling out, the driver had a bottle of beer in one hand and a beer in the other. Drake's screaming caused birds to take flight. My heart sank because this was the equivalent of ringing a dinner bell. Roscoe and his friends, on the other hand, were ecstatic and not subtle about expressing it either.
“It’s hunting time, boys,” Roscoe hollered.
They cheered and began firing at the zombies as they came.
“Maybe we should wait a bit,” I said.
We left the roof and decided to check the other rooms more thoroughly until the gunfire died down. Most of them didn’t have much use. The last one, on the other hand, contained something unexpected.
“This one’s locked,” I said, jiggling the handle. “Here, maybe we can wedge-”
Yelling, Drake smashed the window of it with his ax, then reached inside and unlocked it.
“Or that works too, I guess.”
Stepping over broken glass, the office we entered was stacked with paperwork.
“I feel sorry for the poor bastard who had to work in here,” I said.
“Gus, is that you?” we heard someone ask.
Peeking out from behind the desk was the familiar and disheveled face of Van. From his odor, he was overdue for a shower.
“What are you doing here?” Drake asked.
He explained that back in our neighborhood, he’d managed to get away. Without a car, the only place he could get to safely was the town hall.
“I’ve been sneaking into the kitchen and then back here for days. I don't know how I've managed to avoid them for so long.”
“Do you know anything about why this is happening?” I inquired.
“Sorry, I'm as clueless as anyone else. Not to be too forward, but do you have anywhere safe I can stay?”
By the time all three of us were outside, Roscoe and his ilk were guzzling down beer. Several of them were dancing on Drake's truck. His grip on his ax handle tightened. I put an arm out in front of him and then spoke up.
“Excuse me.”
They all turned
“Oh shit,” Roscoe exclaimed, “I thought you guys were dead.”
He noticed Van and frowned.
“Surprised to still see you kicking, pussy.”
Van smiled in return.
“And I see that being a drunk fuck is still all you're good at.”
Sensing an altercation brewing, I intervened.
“Roscoe, listen, you do know the truck your friend was driving belonged to Drake, right?”
He blinked a few times, then glanced at it still smoking in front of the tree and back at Drake.
“Oh shit, my bad man. We saw it parked at the barber shop and my buddy, Clint, knows how to hotwire that model so we thought we'd take it for a spin.”
“Well, I'm short one truck thanks to that,” Drake replied, irritably.
“Don't sweat it, man. We can get you another one. Isn't that right, fellas?”
They answered yes in a rousing cheer.
“Want some beer?” Roscoe asked.
“Not right now,” I said.
I was going to explain me and Drake's escape plan when all hell broke loose. From the roof of the building close to us jumped about a dozen of the crawling zombies. It all happened so fast there was no time to warn anyone. The next thing we knew there was panicked shrieking and firing. Our encounter with the one earlier made us better prepared for it and we began hacking away.
Even then, we survived by the skin of our teeth. Now it was Me, Drake, Van, and Roscoe staring down the brutalized remains of his friends.
“So we've been staying at a hotel,” I said, averting my gaze from the aftermath of the carnage. “Mind driving us there?”
Roscoe, still in shock, nodded. Then we got in his Hummer and rode in silence. That brings me to now. Trying to keep the peace between Roscoe and Van has been nothing short of migraine-inducing. Oh well, hopefully, we'll be out of town tomorrow so we won't have to deal with this anymore. Until then, I hope we can keep from losing our heads.
https://www.reddit.com/nosleep/comments/1da25dz/out_of_the_apartment_part_4/ (Not the ideal situation, I can tell you that)

Assuming a person already has a diagnosis and cpap. Are buddy statements enough to establish a nexus. I know everyone's case is different so I'll give my situation as an example. 2001-5 usmc service connected for ptsd rhinitis and tinnitus. No complaints in service. Diagnosed in 2007 or 2008 ish for sleep apnea (private ent doc) when I finally got a decent job with insurance. Always had complaints from roommates and and guys in the field while sleeping in combat and training/ squadbay type sleeping arrangements. Will have 2 buddy statements. 1 was a roommate and the other was my team leader in iraq and we slept in our hummer for about 3 weeks straight... that was fun ... anyway. I talked with both of them and they were willing to write buddy statements. And also my wife . We didn't get married until after I got out but we were together some before I got out. So any insight would be appreciated.

Someone on GTPlanet compiled this list. All credit to them.
(Names, model trims and year models may not be entirely accurate.). 78 cars so far. Total car list is supposed to be ~100.
Abarth:

Abarth 500 esseesse ’08

Alfa Romeo:

Alfa Romeo 4C Launch Edition '13
Alfa Romeo 4C Spider '13
Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione ’08
Alfa Romeo 8C Spider ’10
Alfa Romeo MiTo 1.4 T Sport ’09

Alpine:

Alpine A110 1600S ’72
Alpine A110 Legendé ’18

Apollo:

Apollo Intensa Emozione ’18

Aston Martin:

Aston Martin DB11 ’16
Aston Martin Vantage ’18

Audi:

Audi Q7 V12 TDI ’09
Audi R8 Coupe V10 plus ’16
Audi R8 Spyder V10 RWS ’18 (Silver Sharps Edition & Gold Edition)
Audi TT RS ’18

BMW:

BMW i8 Roadster ’18
BMW M4 Competition ’21

Bugatti:

Bugatti Chiron ’16
Bugatti Chiron Sport 110 Ans Bugatti ’19
Bugatti Veyron 16.4 ’13
Bugatti Veyron Super Sport ’11

Chevrolet:

Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE Package ’18 (Gold Edition)
Chevrolet Corvette (C1) ’58
Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 (C7) ’19

Citroen:

Citroen 2CV ’70

Dodge:

Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye ’18
Dodge Viper GTS ’13

Fantasy vehicles:

Sientero Reinita

Ferrari:

Ferrari 308 GTS ’82
Ferrari 430 Scuderia Spider 16M ’09
Ferrari 812 Superfast ’19
Ferrari California ’08
Ferrari Enzo Ferrari ’02
Ferrari F40 ’92
Ferrari FXX K EVO ’18
Ferrari Portofino ’18

Ford:

Ford F-150 Raptor ’17
Ford GT ’06 (Pre-Order Bonus)
Ford GT ’17
Ford GT40 Mark II Le Mans ’66
Ford Mustang GT ’18
Ford Mustang GT 2+2 Fastback ’68
Ford Shelby GT500 ’10

Jaguar:

Jaguar E-type Coupe ’61
Jaguar F-type SVR ’20 (Silver Sharps Edition & Gold Edition)

Koenigsegg:

Koenigsegg Agera RS ’17
Koenigsegg Regera ’16

Lamborghini:

Lamborghini Aventador LP 770-4 SVJ ’18
Lamborghini Centenario LP 770-4 ’16
Lamborghini Diablo Super Veloce ’97
Lamborghini Huracan LP 640-4 Performante ’18
Lamborghini Miura P400 Bertone Prototype ’67
Lamborghini Urus ’18

Lancia:

Lancia Delta HF Integrale Evoluzione ’91
Lancia Stratos ’73

Land Rover:

Land Rover Range Rover Sport SVR ’18 (Silver Streets Edition & Gold Edition)

Lotus:

Lotus Evora GT430 Sport ’17
Lotus Exige Cup 380 ’17

Maserati:

Maserati MC20 ’20 (Gold Edition)

McLaren:

McLaren 720S Coupe ’18

Mercedes-AMG:

Mercedes-AMG GT R ’17

Mercedes-Benz:

Mercedes-Benz G 65 AMG Final Edition ’18
Mercedes-Benz SL 65 AMG Black Series (R230) ’09
Mercedes-Benz SLK 55 AMG ’10
Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG ’10 (Silver Streets Edition & Gold Edition)

Nissan:

Nissan Fairlady Z (Z34) ’08
Nissan GT-R Black Edition ’12

Porsche:

Porsche 911 R (991) ’16
Porsche 911 SC (901) ’78
Porsche 918 Spyder ’13
Porsche Cayenne Turbo ’18
Porsche Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo ’20

Shelby:

Shelby Cobra 427 ’66
Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe ’64

Toyota:

Toyota GR Supra RZ ’19 (possible, likely)

Volkswagen:

Volkswagen Beetle 1303 S '73
Volkswagen Class 5/1600 Baja Bug ’69

W Motors:

W Motors Fenyr SuperSport ’18

Manufacturers represented:

Abarth (ITA)
Alfa Romeo (ITA)
Alpine (FRA)
Apollo (GER)
Aston Martin (GBR)
Audi (GER)
BMW (GER)
Bugatti (FRA)
Chevrolet (USA)
Citroen (FRA)
Dodge (USA)
Fantasy vehicles
Ferrari (ITA)
Ford (USA)
Jaguar (GBR)
Koenigsegg (SWE)
Lamborghini (ITA)
Lancia (ITA)
Land Rover (GBR)
Lotus (GBR)
McLaren (GBR)
Mercedes-AMG (GER)
Mercedes-Benz (GER)
Nissan (JPN)
Porsche (GER)
Shelby (USA)
Toyota (JPN)
Volkswagen (GER)
W Motors (UAE)

Bentley, Caterham and Hummer rumored for inclusion.

Do they still have Press Your Luck, hummer off roadin, slam a winner and speed demon? I know they did remove price is right shell game and some racing games due to them making room for shuffle boards and arenas for the remodels.
Are there any new games they have gotten during the remodel (besides NBA and Godzilla) I do know orange got willy wonka during their remodel process and friendswood got monopoly roll n go and fast and furious during their remodel as well)
I also might check out Kokomo joes while in the area, is Kokomo joes like a Chuck E. Cheese Or is it like a main event/D&B.

We need proper underground cars in future content updates/ the battle pass. The BMW touring is a great addition and the ford Mustang dark horse is too, but they're not underground in my opinion.
They're nothing like the cars you'd get back in the days of NFS underground 1 & 2 or most wanted, where you begin in a 1.0 litre Peugeot/Ford/Nissan/Opel/Vauxhall, and build up from there.
It would be great to see a 2003 Peugeot 106 added to the game as a level 1 battle pass car that's stock, rather than getting a 2024 Ford Mustang, we already have like 4 of them in the game. At least make it the last reward to get.
Or even if they add dlc featuring old cars from older games, like 1990's era, 2000's era cars that we had to grind old NFS's with. Theme them as a shitbocks dlc or something, it's a necessity for this game at this stage. One they can steal from me right now is the underground 2 SUVs pack, featuring the hummer H2, Cadillac Escalade, and that Lincon sub.
It's a fact that when you drive a slow car fast, you have more fun than you would in a fast car.

3guys 1 hummer

3Guys1Hammer