Book Reviews
The Rugged Road: The remarkable story of the first women to cross the Sahara by Motorcycle
By
Mar 1, 2003, 10:13

The Rugged Road by Theresa Wallach: The remarkable story of the first women to cross the Sahara on a motorcycle

Whitehorse Press, publisher of books for motorcycle enthusiasts, is distributing this adventurous tale of two women traveling from London to Cape Town, overland by motorcycle and sidecar, pulling a trailer. The trip took place in 1934-35, before there were roads. They had no back-up, and no compass! Theresa Wallach and Florence Blenkiron undertook this incredible journey from oasis to oasis, straight across the Sahara through equatorial Africa, and then south to the Cape. Being undeterred by nomads, sand drifts, heat, rain, rivers, breakdowns, and politics, they rode on. Having to fashion a tow hitch in the middle of the desert or rebuild the engine from scratch didn't stop them either. On their way, they met gorillas, lions, and snakes, saw camels in their natural habitat, stayed in African villages, and met an amazing variety of friendly and helpful people.

This is a remarkable journey not to be missed by any motorcyclist who enjoys adventure travel, or those who dream of it! The book has black and white photos of the trip and maps detailing the route. It a tale of two women who had to overcome all the prejudices and problems of their day as well as the physically demanding task of riding across the Sahara and the length of Africa-7,500 miles.

Theresa Wallach is one of only three women ever to exceed 100mph at Brooklands. She held a degree in engineering from University College London, traveled alone all through the USA by motorcycle before it was fashionable and safe to do so, and started a business importing British motorcycles into the USA. She eventually 'retired' to Phoenix, Arizona, where she opened a school to teach motorcyclists how to ride properly and safely, and wrote a well-known book on motorcycle riding entitled, Easy Motorcycle Riding. Theresa Wallach died on her 90th birthday in 1999.

Hardbound, 6-1/4 x 9-1/2 inches, 152 pages, b/w illus. Price of the book is $24.95 plus shipping. VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, checks, or money orders accepted.


To place an order with Whitehorse Press, or to obtain a free Whitehorse Press Motorcycling Catalogue containing more than 1,500 motorcycling books, videos, maps, T-shirts, tools, and accessories, contact:

Whitehorse Press,
P.O. Box 60,
North Conway,
NH
03860-0060.

Telephone toll-free 800-531-1133 in the United States or Canada, or 603-356-6556
Internationally: fax 603-356-6590
e-mail: Orders@WhitehorsePress.com, or visit their web site at www.WhitehorsePress.com.

© Copyright 2003 Biketrade