British Trans-America Expedition

[David Harris]

I couldn't find a post on this in the forum, so thought I'd forward it on. British Trans America Expedition. The first unbroken traverse of the Americas. A real old-school expedition. Range Rover's christening under fire. Camel Trophy has nothing on this . . .

Though it does sound familiar at times . . .

"To keep us alive, supplies were brought in by boat, helicopter, parachute, pack ponies and porters. In all, over 10 tons of rations, 15,000 gallons of petrol, 2,400 cans of beer, and 80,000 cigarettes, plus sacks of horse fodder, boxes of dynamite and mail were delivered by these means."

http://www.difflock.com/diffmag/issue5/darien.shtml

Enjoy,

David

 

[Antichrist]

Yeah, pretty cool story. Not truely the first vehicular crossing (though they didn't ship around like previous expeditions), but still very impressive.
I have a couple copies of "The 100 Days of Darien" I suppose I should sell one.

 

[David Harris]

(though they didn't ship around like previous expeditions) . . .

That's the key. They went straight through the worst of it.

 

[LaOutbackTrail]

Its only a proper trip, to cross a dangerous/difficult area, when beers are airlifted in, aye Oryx?

 

[David Harris]

Its only a proper trip, to cross a dangerous/difficult area, when beers are airlifted in, aye Oryx?

Like I said, old school. . . Hand me another, would you . . . :ylsmoke:

P.S. Which would you rather go to, a Toyota party, or a Land Rover party?

 

[Nigel Caffiene]

Beer, cigarettes, and dynamite... overland expeditions just are not what they use to be! A very interesting topic, thanks for sharing!

 

[Beowulf]

This was a great read in the latest edition of the overland journal. The 80,000 cigarettes is what shocked me the most. They were only gone 99 days. That's 808 cigarettes per day?

 

[cruiseroutfit]

This was a great read in the latest edition of the overland journal. The 80,000 cigarettes is what shocked me the most. They were only gone 99 days. That's 808 cigarettes per day?

Smokes spend better than cash in many environments.

 

[AmericaOverland]

This was a great read in the latest edition of the overland journal. The 80,000 cigarettes is what shocked me the most. They were only gone 99 days. That's 808 cigarettes per day?

They probably would not have survived... Depending on where the tobacco is grown, they probably would have developed radiation sickness from polonium-210 and lead-210, highly radioactive stuff found in the soil.

Check it out, folks. The stuff is radioactive!

http://www.epa.gov/radiation/sources/tobacco.html

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How does radioactive material get into a cigarette?

The tobacco leaves used in making cigarettes contain radioactive material, particularly lead-210 and polonium-210. The radionuclide content of tobacco leaves depends heavily on soil conditions and fertilizer use.

Soils that contain elevated radium lead to high radon gas emanations rising into the growing tobacco crop. Radon rapidly decays into a series of solid, highly radioactive metals (radon decay products). These metals cling to dust particles which in turn are collected by the sticky tobacco leaves. The sticky compound that seeps from the trichomes is not water soluble, so the particles do not wash off in the rain. There they stay, through curing process, cutting, and manufacture into cigarettes.Lead-210 and Polonium-210 can be absorbed into tobacco leaves directly from the soil. But more importantly, fine, sticky hairs (called trichomes) on both sides of tobacco leaves grab airborne radioactive particles.

For example, phosphate fertilizers, favored by the tobacco industry, contain radium and its decay products (including lead-210 and polonium-210). When phosphate fertilizer is spread on tobacco fields year after year, the concentration of lead-210 and polonium-210 in the soil rises.
----------------------------

I did not know this until CNN finally broke the story as part of an investigation into coverups by the industry.

 

[AFSOC]

Smokes spend better than cash in many environments.

Sounds like Kurt has done a stretch up state.

 

[Beowulf]

Bringing back the dead. Anyone found any videos of this trip?