Darien Gap

[Tazzieman]

I have been fascinated by this epic for 50 years.
A couple of books written about it.
Massive over the top British Army expedition.
Anyway, they had a coffee maker

 

[AWo]

The best book about that is "Where the Trails run out" from Blashford-Snell, the team leader of that.

There is also an official video on Youtube:

View: https://youtu.be/c1pNuHcgTiU


AWo

 

[ECrider]

I have been fascinated by this epic for 50 years.
A couple of books written about it.
Massive over the top British Army expedition.
Anyway, they had a coffee maker
View attachment 7907306

That reminds me of a time when a client was trying to sell some large 'orange peel' type electro-hyd grabs - similar to the type used on scrap metal etc. There was a packing list for the 20' container of spares - about 95 separate items, made fairly interesting reading. Especially number 94 and 95 which read 1x copy of Razzle & an electric kettle, respectively!!

 

[ECrider]

The best book about that is "Where the Trails run out" from Blashford-Snell, the team leader of that.

There is also an official video on Youtube:

View: https://youtu.be/c1pNuHcgTiU


AWo

very good book

 

[CRH]

That reminds me of a time when a client was trying to sell some large 'orange peel' type electro-hyd grabs - similar to the type used on scrap metal etc. There was a packing list for the 20' container of spares - about 95 separate items, made fairly interesting reading. Especially number 94 and 95 which read 1x copy of Razzle & an electric kettle, respectively!!

Razzle could be indispensable in very remote areas, not so sure about the rest of the junk. If you are stuck in such inhospitable places what would you rather have, 1 last sip of tea or a glance at a beautiful woman

 

[AWo]

The Rover workers preparing the Range Rovers for the so called Trans-Americas-Expedition (Darien Gap) put a convincingly real rubber snake under one spare wheel. They were sure, at one point the guys will need the spare wheel. That was a success, as in the middle of the jungle they got the spare wheel out and got really scared, when they saw the snake.

Is that British humor? I thought that is more subtil.

AWo

 

[ECrider]

The Rover workers preparing the Range Rovers for the so called Trans-Americas-Expedition (Darien Gap) put a convincingly real rubber snake under one spare wheel. They were sure, at one point the guys will need the spare wheel. That was a success, as in the middle of the jungle they got the spare wheel out and got really scared, when they saw the snake.

Is that British humor? I thought that is more subtil.

AWo

British humour covers a wide spectrum with no limits, similar to all other humours I presume.

Dinner for One?

 

[AWo]

Another widely unknown fact is, that the expedition purchased a used Land Rover Series 2a in Panama. It was used to scout. So the setup was a scouting Series 2a in front, then a guy walking the path, then the two Range Rovers.

The Series 2a was really battered, when they arrived in Colombia, brakes weren't working anymore. It was stopped by driving against anything suitable. But, it didn't need any spare part (ok, to pass the MOT a few things would have helped). The Range Rovers had to be supplied with spare parts as some differentials gave up, when they decided to use mud tires. After loosing a few differentials, they changed back to the standard tire. It showed that the differentials couldn't cope with that high and long lasting stress put on them by the increased force of the resistance of the mud tires. It was better to have the wheels spinning.

AWo

 

[Logsplitter]

On the subject of rubber snakes. We were informed by a group of South Africans, that if you put a convincingly real rubber snake near your tent then the baboons will leave it alone. So we put a rubber snake outside and set up a trail cam and went out for the afternoon. This was in Savuti, Botswana. When we came back from our drive the Baboons were inside our tent and had opened everything up. We sounded the horn and drove towards them at speed and they scarpered. They had crapped everywhere in the tent and scattered our belongings around. Needless to say I stood guard with a catapult whilst my wife cleaned up the mess. She thought I was being dutiful but In reality I would have thrown up had I gone inside the tent. The trail cam showed a big male baboon turning up, sitting nonchalantly outside the tent and throwing the rubber snakes away before undoing the zip. I need to find a picture from the trail cam of that big old baboon. The bastard

 

[AWo]

Next time put a convincingly real rubber baboon next to the tent and fix it to the ground.

AWo

 

[Tazzieman]

All of Blasher's books are ripping yarns.
His last one summarises his trips
"From Utmost East to Utmost West: My Life of Exploration and Adventure"

 

[NQ94]

Another widely unknown fact is, that the expedition purchased a used Land Rover Series 2a in Panama. It was used to scout. So the setup was a scouting Series 2a in front, then a guy walking the path, then the two Range Rovers.

The Series 2a was really battered, when they arrived in Colombia, brakes weren't working anymore. It was stopped by driving against anything suitable. But, it didn't need any spare part (ok, to pass the MOT a few things would have helped). The Range Rovers had to be supplied with spare parts as some differentials gave up, when they decided to use mud tires. After loosing a few differentials, they changed back to the standard tire. It showed that the differentials couldn't cope with that high and long lasting stress put on them by the increased force of the resistance of the mud tires. It was better to have the wheels spinning.

AWo
Rover when developing the Range Rover believed they could save costs and use two smaller diffs and axles from the parts bin in the Range Rover because the unsprung axle mass was less for better handling and the V8 torque, vehicle weight was shared between two drive axles for daily use with the benifit of all weather traction instead of one axle driving in the conventional selectable 4x4 systems of the time.

 

[CRH]

The Rover workers preparing the Range Rovers for the so called Trans-Americas-Expedition (Darien Gap) put a convincingly real rubber snake under one spare wheel. They were sure, at one point the guys will need the spare wheel. That was a success, as in the middle of the jungle they got the spare wheel out and got really scared, when they saw the snake.

Is that British humor? I thought that is more subtil.

AWo

British humour can be a bit sick at times, (not the kids version of sick), and the Brummie's at the factories in the Midlands had a reputation for 'playing ' with the vehicles they produced. Obviously all done in a good natured manner.