Product Description

London to Cape Town overland by Panther and sidecar, pulling a trailer. No roads, no backup -- just straight across the Sahara through equatorial Africa, and South to the Cape -- in 1935, without even a compass! This is quite simply the most incredible Panther journey ever! Undeterred by nomads, sand drifts, heat, rain, rivers, breakdowns and politics, Theresa Wallach and Florence Blenkiron completed a journey that might well defeat a modern bike. From oasis to oasis arguing with the French Foreign Legion for permission to continue, and winning; fashioning a tow hitch for the trailer when it broke in the desert; rebuilding the entire engine from scratch in Agadez; meeting gorillas, lions and snakes on the road, staying in African villages and meeting an amazing variety of friendly and helpful people. Not to mention having an accident in Tanganyika (Tanzania) with the only car seen on the road for days!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #25701 in Books
• Published on: 2007-08-31
• Format: Illustrated
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 150 pages

Review
Of the many moto-adventures I have enjoyed, none stands out like Theresa Wallach's super excellent The Rugged Road --Miles Davis in Walnecks's June 2006

The courage and confidence of these most unusual women make this story well worth reading --WOW - Women on Wheels

Reading the book first and then watching the film lends a novel dynamic to the total experience. This is pure English eccentricity allied to serious resolve. --Street Biker

About the Author
Theresa Wallack was, until her death in 1998, a well known motorcycle rider and trainer in the USA. She wrote one of the best early works on motorcycle riding with the emphasis on safety, 'Easy Motorcycle Riding'. Less well known is the fact that she was one of only three women to lap Brooklands at over 100 mph. She held a degree in engineering from University College, London and worked as a despatch rider and engineer during the war years. She moved to the USA in 1947 where, after some further travels, she started her own company importing bikes into the US.Later she opened her motorcycle riding school teaching a generation of motorcyclists how to ride safely and with skill. Theresa was also a founding member of the still flourishing , Womens International Motorcycle Association where she was Vice President and later International Vice Captain of WIM from 1947 to 1977. Barry M Jones is the author of the definitive book on Panther and P&M motorcycles - The Panther Story - published by Panther Publishing Ltd. He is also the librarian to the Panther Owners Club and has a keen interest in industrial archaeology. Barry researched and wrote the biographies of Theresa Wallach and Florence Blenkiron and also edited the typescript.

Customer Reviews

A SPLENDID TALE OF OLD STYLE ADVENTURE
Well after searching for adventure motorcycle books , i came across this one. A fantastic tale of an epic journey from London to Cape Town by two extraordinary ladies on a Panther motorcycle with sidecar & trailer ! At a time when women sat at home & knew their place ,it makes this story all the more amazing, their journey across the sahara sums this tale up . When modern travellers are worried if they get no mobile phone signal these two women showed just what real adventure travel was.Highly recommended , a damn good stiff upper lip , lets make a carburettor needle out of an old stick type of boys (womens ?)own yarn.

rapid reading
For anybody interested in motorbike travel you should find this a detailed and heroic travel book, although I suspect the author has barely
scratched the surface of what these young women went through, it out lines a different age and culture , barley recognisable from todays comfort zone of getting around, and at a time when "Ladies" just did,not do this sort of caper .They take a New Panther motorcycle and side car plus a trailor ,and with out any real idea of what lays ahead, and against the advice of just about everybody set off, from London to the Cape. Its a good read ,I would think if you were not all that keen on bikes you would still enjoy this book, and I would recommend it .

Unbeatable adventure
Forget Ewan & Charlie with their support crews researchers and the rest.What these girls did unsupported was incredible. If you like true adventure, even if you don't like bikes, buy.