reads90 Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 Good chap. I don't want to put you under any pressure, but could you post the full trip report including photos by 10pm Sunday ? I'd like to get an early night and be up ready to leave early Monday morning Bill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill van snorkle Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 Lots of interesting stuff on googlesome links to 4x4 reading related to the Darien I spent a couple of fruitless hours last night trying to find any accounts that focussed on the ''nuts and bolts'' of the first Trans Darien vehicle crossing in 1959, but a brief letter from Terence John Whitfield, the expedition engineer, to the Panamanian LandRover Club was a bit light on specifics. Does anyone know if Mr Whitfield is still living and if either he or his partner in crime, the late Richard Bevis ever wrote a book on the adventure ? One unfortunate finding that did come from my research was that the so called leader of the 1972 RangeRover expedition, Major Blashford Snell claimed that he was the first to succesfully complete a vehicular crossing of the Gap. Apparently Mr Whitfield has a letter fom Blashford Snell asking his advice on various matters prior to the 1972 fiasco.Is this B S bloke an egotistical ,self promoting,lying pratt or what ? It seems to me that both he and the Rover Company received accolades and fame totally out of proportion to their acheivements. With the amount of Corporate, financial and military support they received during the crossing, most of us here could have got 2 Morris Marinas across with less problems. Rant over, I guess. Bill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tacr2man Posted February 17, 2008 Share Posted February 17, 2008 The Darien crossing Expedition, claim made by Blashford Snell was that it was the first to travel from top to bottom of the americas by land I belive? The Darien part was what siezed on by the media due to the extreme toughness of this particular part, and being the ''gap'' in the Pan Am highway It was very challenging, and due to some of the choices made, became more so, i.e. initial use of powered ''wheelbarrows'' by scouting party, fitting of oversize tyres ( a late decison) that led to blowing out diffs, which made them late, leading to the ''rescue'' purchase of the landrover to take over with the scouting party . Its unlikey to ever happen again as the area is now I believe listed as a world heritage site, or some such designation, which prevents building the missing bit of the highway, or indeed general public access that might be damaging. even if the current drug and insurgent problems were fixed. Something of similar difficulty today would probably be circumanvigating the M25 without being held up by a jam or road works etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fozsug Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 Fantastic reading guys! Gotta say though Darian really is a bit much, I take it back, if I wanna spend 95 days getting tortured 'agriculturally' I'll get myself a shetland pony and a hand plough. PMSL :hysterical: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tacr2man Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 Holy thread resurrection Batman !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
q-rover Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 What about Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Russia, Baltics, Poland and back to blighty. Plenty places to get lost, and be on your own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fozsug Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 Holy thread resurrection Batman !! Yea i know...sorry , was reading TJ's profile on his Algerian trip he's on at the moment and he mentioned the Darien Gap , i hadn't heard of it so googled and it came up with this thread....very enjoyable read though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill van snorkle Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 Being the modest kind of guy that I am, I have kept this under my hat for a couple of years, and would probably have taken my secret to the grave, but due to the resurrection of this thread I may as well reveal to you all that in November 2009 I single handedly conquered the Darien Gap in Wild Fing my portal axled super low geared monster series 2 swb.I completed the crossing in a record 11 days and from a degree of difficulty veiwpoint i wondered what all the fuss was about. I did the whole crossing without needing to select 4wd, just rear wheel drive with difflock. The river crossings were fun without a pontoon but I trained well prior to the expedition on how to hold my breath underwater for up to half an hour.I had scuba tanks but that was to supply the mighty 2 1/4 litre engine sufficient air to complete the 100 metre crossings The Banditos did try to give me some grief but were quickly dispatched and succummed to lead poisoning after a couple of bursts from my M60 machine gun. Once I had successfully completed 'The Gap' as us Vets affectionately call it, I was having a celebratory swim in a billabong, when a giant Anaconda grabbed me and dragged me to the bank of the pond and began to swallow me whole, legs first. I struggled mightily to reach for my Bear Grylls survival knife on my belt but to no avail as my waist was already is that terrible serpents throat and the rest of me was going down fast.30 seconds later the lights went out as the creature sucked my head into its gullet.I really thought I was a gonna when suddeny I heard a muffled voice.''Wake up, Wake up darling, it's morning and time to go to work" Bill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 nice on Bill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 Anyone for a forum weekend away?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill van snorkle Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 Resurrecting this thread to inquire if any forumers are still planning an assault on 'The Gap'? There are some fairly hardcore 4wd clubs in South America. It probably wouldn't be too difficult to persuade a few of those members to join in a combined expedition, and to add some additional protection against Bandito's. I have always had a relatively shallow bucket, but ever since I was a young lad, driving the Darien Gap has always been top of the bucket list of things to do before I die. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 Would love to, but my lottery numbers seem to be faulty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigelw Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 Would love to, but my lottery numbers seem to be faulty Swap you for mine but they could be worse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill van snorkle Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 Would love to, but my lottery numbers seem to be faulty Well, just take them in and get them fixed ! Or you could become a drug dealer, and the wholesale supplier could finance a fact finding tour of headquarters for you. you could do the Gap on the way there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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