The Rugged Road
by Theresa Wallach; biographies by Barry M Jones
The Rugged Road contains Theresa Wallach’s posthumous account of her and Florence Blenkiron’s London to Cape Town adventure, crossing the Sahara desert unaided, by Panther motorcycle, sidecar and tented-trailer in 1934-36. Both girls were keen motorcycle racers; in 1933 Florence (a secretary) became the first woman to break the coveted 100mph record (Theresa, an engineer, was the third in 1939). The girls first met in 1933 and became firm friends. When Florence was determined to see friends and relatives in South Africa, Theresa suggested they went together… by motorcycle.
The Motorcycle manufacturers’ Trades Union had strict rules about their members sponsoring such ventures, but as P&M were already in their bad books for supplying discounted ‘Red Panthers’ to Pride & Clark, they offered the girls a ruggedised 600cc Panther. The French authorities however did everything in their powers to dissuade the girls but eventually relented, and the girls left in December 1934 armed with rudimentary Foreign Legion maps… but no compass. Needless to say they conquered desert and jungle – read the book! – and reached Cape Town in July 1935. Now in ill-health, Theresa briefly remained in Cape Town while Florence returned alone with a new Panther and sidecar reaching Kano in January 1936 (her account is brief) but was strictly refused permission to attempt the Sahara alone, so she and her Panther combination crossed by desert bus.
Florence thereafter lived a quite life. Both girls served in WW.II. Theresa then emigrated to America, exploring the continent by Norton motorcycle before setting up a motorcycle agency and motorcycle riding school.
I had got to know Theresa through earlier researching the Panther story; she died in April 1999 but I succeeded in tracking down her unedited, unpublished account of the crossing (kept verbatim) and wrote the accompanying biographies.
“The Rugged Road” – Theresa Wallach (biographies by Barry M Jones)
“A treasure… overall impression is so good… the visuals are stunning. Barry Jones has written an illuminating introduction and appendices. ‘The Rugged Road’ came pretty damn close to being perfect.” “Classic Bike Guide”
A revised and expanded 75th Anniversary / Second edition is now available
Panther Publishing Ltd. 150pp, 30+ b&w illust (c) 2001, 2nd ed: 2009 150pp
… and all because I had fallen in love with my Panther 120 combination (sssh! – I later rode MotoGuzzis – sssh!)