RE: Worst Touring Bike? Devla Murphy

The Devla Murphy story makes most of our touring tales seem tame.  I read
her book about the bike tour a few years back so forgive any errors.  IIRC
the time frame was late 40s or early 50s, just after WWII.  She made her own
panniers.  The route went from England (her home) across Europe, thru
Afganistan (the Kyber Pass) and other exciting areas and finally into India.
She selected the route based on a world atlas.  =


Later she went on to do other epic treks.  One was an Adean trek on llamas
with her niece.  This gal had a serious case of travel fever.  =


dougP

-----Original Message-----
From: touring-bounces+dougpnirv=3Dcox.net-Wizm5X4GRk5g9hUCZPvPmw@public.gmane.org
[mailto:touring-bounces+dougpnirv=3Dcox.net-Wizm5X4GRk5g9hUCZPvPmw@public.gmane.org] On Behalf Of Scott
Loveless
Sent: Sunday, February 20, 2011 12:54 PM
To: Touring
Subject: Re: Worst Touring Bike?

On Sun, Feb 20, 2011 at 3:46 PM, PATRICK MOORE <[email protected]> wrote:
> Devla Murphy toured the world in the 1960s on the British equivalent
> of a 3rd world roadster -- 'nuff said. (Actually, a Bicycling
> Quarterly article a few quarters ago featured the tail of an American
> woman who toured India with an Indian roadster hacked with a 3 speed
> derailleur -- interesting account).

I read that article.  Her bike was actually outfitted with a 5-speed
freewheel and derailer.  The reason it's referred to as a 3-speed was
because the quality of the Indian derailer was so poor that it would
only reliably shift across 3 cogs.  She could select which 3 cogs by
adjusting the high and low limit screws.

-- =

Scott Loveless
http://www.twosixteen.com/fivetoedsloth/
=A0 =A0 __o
=A0 _'\<,_
=A0(*)/=A0 (*)
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