Day 9 and we are off on our journey again, it’s really hard to drag ourselves away from here. In fact Molly really does not want to go and refuses to start for about half an hour, but with a bit of coaxing and hitting with a branch she reluctantly starts.
We drive about 100 yards from the lodge, down and up a deep gully I turn the steering wheel sharp left and because all the weight is in the back of the car (Julie’s luggage again) Molly decides to go straight on.
There’s quite a big bang and crunching noises as we have gone straight into a very big rain ditch.
Julie says we can’t get out of the car because of the lions and leopards, but I think the noise has scared anything like that away. It certainly scared us
I get out expecting to see the two front wheels pointing in opposite directions. We have been very lucky everything mechanical is ok its just the front wing which is now badly bent.
We get Molly back to the lodge, bash out the wing, with the aid of my big hammer, ( only tool I really know how to use) and car jack for bending the wing away from the tyre and a very strong park ranger. Front wing modifications complete we set off again. 100 yards from the lodge, same bend we nearly do the same thing again, now that would have been seriously embarrassing, we make it round the corner and set of for the rest of the day’s drive.
Our bad day does not end there. We come across two not so friendly policemen who decide we are speeding. I ask for proof and he points to a 60km speed sign hidden behind a bush and the radar gun 50 yards past it. He also adjusts the holster of his gun. He now has my full attention and I am 100% certain he is correct. After a lot of chat and pleading we get down to the nitty gritty, paying the fine. The fine can either be at the police station or a spot fine. The kind policeman advises me a spot fine would be better for both of us. We part with 200 rand ( about £15) he seems to find a safe place to put it in his trousers and we drive off. He promises to send the receipt on in a few days. He must having an amazing physic powers as we didn’t tell him where we live :) He catches other competitors that day, all have a similar story.
The route is around the edge of Blyde River Canyon, one of the biggest canyons on earth. The viewing point we stop at is know as Gods Window, and thats a very good description of the view.
The day ends at a marvellous old hotel called Agatha Coach House, its so quaint and olde worlde that not a lot works, but the bed is comfortable and the views over 1000’s of hectares of forest is spectacular.
We lose another car today. The old Mk2 Jaguar, The Dowager, has a terminal engine problem and retires hurt, what a shame. Lets hope Greg and Jen can get a hire car sorted and catch us up.
The oldest car in the event a 1925 Crossley is still going along very well. It's had a few overheating problems but is now in fine fettle and keeps a steady 60MPH.
Being able to drive the Crossley these distances on these roads is a great achievement for car and crew. You try it with only front drum brakes and a hand brake for the rear. Great effort by Andrew and Gina, mind you a Crossley was the first car ever to cross from one side of Africa to the other.
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