Truck versus road roller!

It was a fine day, and the road was at least a road. A wide well graded road, which was a distinct improvement from some of the previous impersonations of a road, which were barely a track, and in some places barely passable.

A Tandem Vibratory Roller something like this but with a rudimentary cab. Photo from the Historical Construction Equipment Association. https://hcea.net/page-1547738/9988807#photoTraffic was beginning to pick up, or otherwise said as, there was more than one vehicle a day, even one an hour, as we travelled further into Kenya. A bright orange slash of gravel through the verdant green of the rain forest on either side. The road was raised on a slight embankment as we approached a slow-moving large road roller. A bus was coming the other way, but there was plenty of room on the wide road and the ruts had been removed with the last grader treatment.

I applied the breaks to slow the truck, intending to allow the bus clear passage before overtaking the road roller.
Nothing happened. We did not slow. The distance to the road roller was shortening quickly.

Wolfgang - An Expedition Member's perspective.

In his own words

As Ivan asked me to contribute an article to the website, I had no idea what to add to Ivan`s thoroughly researched legends. As an alternative I thought about out lining my personal motivation and a subjective retrospective view about our mutual journey.

After finishing school, together with two classmates, we bought an old VW van and travelled to Morocco, I was 19 years old and I had got my driving licence 6 months ago. Everything went right. Only, because of our a bit “vulnerable” vehicle we did not dare leaving the tarmac roads and so we missed the real desert feeling. But the desire to go further into the desert was planted. Then came the years of study, exam, marriage with 9 weeks honeymoon, travelling crisscross in the U.S. by Greyhound ( 99 days for 99 dollars). Then I had to do my military service. Back then in Germany it was 15 months. As a dentist or physician we were supposed to accomplish the service in our profession as dentist or physician. That was not so bad , we could make our first practical experiences in this function without spoiling our future professional reputation. ( I should apologise to some of my “soldier” patients). The military rank was corresponding to a captain and the salary a major`s. I never held a weapon and most of the time I slept at home. On top I got the chance to acquire the driving licence for lorries What would follow? To found a family, establish a practice and work there for the next 35 years...

Europe

The beginning of our Encounter Overland trip in 1979 from London to Johannesburg.

Great Britain

 The truck had been prepared for a year away and given a new coat of paint at Encounter Overland's workshop in Bedfordshire. The the mechanical provisions had been wrapped in waterproof material and packed into military boxes.

A trip to Bedford and the shopping done, and all packed securely into the back of the truck. The trailer prepped and loaded.

EO Scrapbook - Wren Park, a truck prepared and ready, but not ours, just an example to see inside, before the cover is put on.

A final check and all was ready.

The day before departure we drove the truck down to London and stayed the night in the Company's flat, which could have been at 12 Egerton Gardens, just a few minutes walk away from the office, well about 30 mins. I have no recolection of the address, but found it as one of EO's addresses.

Surprise visitor for lunch

March 1979

 It was lunchtime on a nice warm day, with no sign of rain. The rainy season was a while off with less than 5mm predicted for the whole month. After about 30 miles the guide pointed for us to drive into a small area of trees so that we at least had some cover. He knew of course that there was a waterhole hidden on the far edge of the trees. There were a few birds at the waterhole but unfortunately no game. Spur-winged Goose (Plectropterus gambensis) in the photo and egrets off camera.  Definitely none of the 'Big 5'. Still the birds were worth a photo.