AULRO Book Club: 'On the Road'

**VladTepes** · 11th October 2006, 01:26 PM

I thought I'd start a thread specifically for Road Trip Books.

I really enjoyed a book called "Around Australia the Hard Way in 1929". It's about 2 blokes who travelled this country in the years of the great Depression. They had little money, not even a watch or compass, though they were sponsored by Harley Davidson (to the tune of a free jumper each!) The bike they had purchased themselves, and it was old at the time.

It's a real adventure and a fascinating story - it's more about this great land and its numerous characters than it is about a motorbike.

Here's a link to where you can get it, though I;m sure it's available more generally.

http://www.whitehorsepress.com/produ...oducts_id=4712

Another great read is:

"The Motorcycle Diaries: A journey around South America" by Ernesto Guevara de la Serna (later to be known as Che Guevara).

It tells of a young man and his friends adventureous trip around a continent. Coming from a privileged middle class background this trip opened ZErnesto's eyes to the world around him and the plight of the generally poor and exploited South American people. It shaped the man he was to become, a leader of the Cuban Revolution. This journey, however, is full of adventures and larrickanism, poignant moments and moments of ridiculous absurdity.

It's a great read and you certainly don't need to share his later political ideology to enjoy this great yarn.

A full review and details of the book are here:

http://www.curledup.com/cycledia.htm

- Vlad

**numpty** · 1st November 2006, 07:57 PM

Just got hold of a copy (1968 edition) of the Leyland Brothers book about their East/West crossing of Australia in 1966. They used a SWB Series 2A (I think) and a LWB Series1 Stn Wgn.

They claimed to be the first to make a vehicular crossing of the Simpson Desert on this trip, but this had been achieved by Reg Sprigg and family a few years previously in an early Nissan Patrol.

Wife is reading it at the moment, but should be an interesting read, as they were quite adventurous for their time, despite any other misgivings people have about them.

**abaddonxi** · 1st November 2006, 10:21 PM

Jerome K. Jerome's Three men in a boat (to say nothing of the dog). 1899

Full text here

Well worth it.

Cheers
Simon.

**JDNSW** · 2nd November 2006, 06:01 AM

Originally Posted by numpty

Just got hold of a copy (1968 edition) of the Leyland Brothers book about their East/West crossing of Australia in 1966. They used a SWB Series 2A (I think) and a LWB Series1 Stn Wgn.

They claimed to be the first to make a vehicular crossing of the Simpson Desert on this trip, but this had been achieved by Reg Sprigg and family a few years previously in an early Nissan Patrol.

Wife is reading it at the moment, but should be an interesting read, as they were quite adventurous for their time, despite any other misgivings people have about them.

I make a cameo appearance in this book, together with my twin brother - see if you can spot it!
John

**Michael2** · 2nd November 2006, 01:48 PM

Another good read is "First Overland" about a group of Oxford & Cambridge boys who managed to get sponsored a couple of Series 1's circa 1950 and drove from London to Singapore (and back). Though the book only covers the trip across. In Burma there were no roads through the jungle, in Syria they came across a lone archelologist excavating Cyrus' summer palace.

**numpty** · 2nd November 2006, 06:20 PM

Originally Posted by Michael2

Another good read is "First Overland" about a group of Oxford & Cambridge boys who managed to get sponsored a couple of Series 1's circa 1950 and drove from London to Singapore (and back). Though the book only covers the trip across. In Burma there were no roads through the jungle, in Syria they came across a lone archelologist excavating Cyrus' summer palace.

That's a great read. Am trying to get a copy of it, there seems to be a few around. Amazing where they went and with so little trouble.

**Bushie** · 2nd November 2006, 07:29 PM

Read "the story of Tom Kruse - Mailman of the Birdsville track" a while ago not a bad read, about to start on a book I borrowed from Numpty "Crossing the Dead Heart - Cecil T Madigan" of course then theres Len Beadells books (which every self respecting Landie owner should have read).

Martyn

**Michael2** · 2nd November 2006, 08:26 PM

I lost my copy of "First Overland" by lending it to a mate 15 years ago. I bought another copy on ebay this year. When I looked there were a few copies going for very reasonable (cheap) prices.

I even found Toyota & Nissan drivers at work reading it!

**JDNSW** · 29th November 2006, 08:37 PM

Cape Cold to Cape Hot, Richard Pape.

From North Cape (Norway) to the Cape of Good hope in 1955 in an Austin A90

Overlanding with Annabel - Stuart Gore.

Driving all over the Western and Central parts of Australia in the early fifties on a shoestring in a 1929 Chrysler.

John

**wovenrovings** · 30th November 2006, 08:33 AM

A good read it the story of Francis Birtles trip from London to Australia in 1927 by car. Can't remember the name of the book right now but his route was the one followed by the fella's in Landrovers in 1955.

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