The Great Rupununi Road Race

After spending a week with Dianne Mc Turk and her famous Giant Otters I was ready to head back to Lethem via Karanambo landrover???

Land Rover 195?? Model held together with wire, bubble gum, and STP (spit, tape, and a prayer.

Driver:

“C” An aspiring driver for the international Moto Cross-Mud & demolition Derby circuit.

But lacking sponsorship from Monroe shocks, Bounce & break springs and axels and Goodyear tires, he decided to become a driver for Karanambo instead.

The plan was to get an early start incase the road was muddy which it usually is this time of the year and since the condition of the Rover is always in doubt better to get an early start. Standard procedure seems to be never do the day prior what you can put off till departure time. Tightening lug nuts on bald tires which didn’t take long since none had the required 5 nuts anyway. Overhauling the carburetor, making sure there were at least 2 working spark plugs, and general wiring together of any hanging and loose pieces not lost on the last trip.

Two hours after departure time we are finally loaded and ready to hit the road. Hit the road in
the high spots is more to the point. We leave the ranch in a cloud of dust and the roar of the
exhaust which comes through the floor under my feet. Guess they forgot to patch the hole in
the floor board. Trip will normally take 3 hours at a reasonable speed and no problems.

“C” informs me that we will make it in 2 hours.!!!!!

We follow the trail back toward the main road for a while, then it’s off across the savannah.
The infamous short cut. Dodging termite mounds almost as large as the Rover, jumping a ditch
or two, and then see if we are able to run down a few cows that seem to be headed in the same
direction we are along their own trail. So we pass them and follow the trail for a while. Now I
have observed on more than one occasion out crops of rocks which look to have rather sharp
and jagged edges, but since they are in the trail you hit them at full speed, try out those bald
tires. To say nothing of the steering column, I thought at first that the mad maneuvers “C” was
giving the steering wheel were to miss the rocks and bumps, no so there was at least 90 degree
play in the wheel, so there was no way to even come close to trying to miss. Hits were accomplished
with no problem though.

Back on what appears to be a vehicle trail, with the mud holes. Never drive around what you
can bust through throwing water and mud through where the windshield should have been but
is no longer. I decided that this maneuver was not only to wet me down but also the radiator,
which needed to be filled and cooled off. Since the radiator cap was no where in sight water that
wasn’t added in this manor was done from 5 one gallon jugs carried in the back.

1 hour into this race we arrive at the crossing which at the best of times in the dry season has
water to be forded. Now common sense tells you that if you have had rain the last few days the
creek will probably be up enough to prevent fording. But apparently “C” decided that this would
be a good place to wade waist deep to confirm the fact that it was indeed impassable, as well as
spending 45min in the sun (no shade around) cleaning and re-adjusting the spark plugs.

Now we turn around and go back the way we came for at least 45min, before taking another
turn. By this time my built in GPS has totally blown a fuse. Our trail if seen from the air would
resemble a cork screw. I learned this is an old Indian trick, when it looks like rain; drive in big
circles to confuse the rain clouds as well as any passengers.

3 bicycles, 1 ox cart, and 3 little ole ladies totally terrified later, we finally gain the main road.
At last we may make Lethem before dark. Wrong, half way up a hill the Rover just dies. 30 min
spent re-wiring God knows what. It’s amazing that they carry all the wire needed for this job
and seem to know where everything goes or at least give the impression they do.

By the time we arrive in Lethem, some 4 hours after our departure I feel like I have been in
the co-pilot seat for a mad man.
2 cold beers later I opt to walk the 2 miles home.

Shefishs