Story & Photos by Louise Orlando and Andrew Barbour

[Louise Orlando and Andrew Barbour, Cape Charles, VA, took their 1960 Series II from London to Capetown 16 years ago. This is the final chapter in their remarkable trip –ed.]

When the Ugandan border guard stamped our passports to make our escape from Zaire complete, we kissed the ground - literally. Freed from the mud, bugs, and cloying jungle of the Ituri rainforest, our spirits took wing again. Ahead lay the fabled Mountains of the Moon and Uganda, once described by Winston Churchill as the “Pearl of Africa.”
After a month in Zaire, we were physically and mentally exhausted. We decided to recharge our batteries at Lake Mburo, one of Uganda’s lesser-known national parks. It consists of classic African grassland, dotted with thorn trees and thickets of scrub. At its center lies Lake Mburo itself, home to crocodiles, a large hippo population, and myriad birds. (…)

What, where, and when was your first Land Rover experience?
That is a tough one. The hoop set on my dad’s 109 was my first jungle gym. Throughout my childhood my parents exclusively drove Land Rovers so I have no conscious beginning to my Land Rover interest. Actually, my mom had a Triumph for a few summers, but at least we kept it British. One of my earliest Land Rover memories was watching my older brother help my dad restore his Series IIA 109. I was too young to really help. I was so excited when my dad let me use the pneumatic rivet gun. That was my job; if there was riveting to be done, I was the man.
Where did you grow up and what brought you to Vermont?
I grew up in Westford, Vermont, here at Rovers North! My parents built the Rovers North facility in our back yard. My childhood was spent tunneling in the piles of boxes in the warehouse. (…)

Story & Photo by Jim Edson
[Jim Edson, Irving, TX, entered the Land Rover world with a rare ’95 Discovery manual transmission. Once hooked, he upgraded to a 2004 G4 Discovery. He’s a past president of the Texas Rovers and now serves as the webmaster of their site, www.texasrovers.org. Here’s his story on the 2008 South Central Texas Rally –ed.]
Five years ago, the late Ross Mabey and fellow Texas Rovers Club members (texasrovers.org) started an annual event for Rover enthusiasts in the Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas area. Each year, it’s been hosted at Barnwell Mountain, located in northeastern Texas (Four Wheeler Magazine listed it as one of the 101 places to wheel before you die). Each year, it has grown; this year, with over 150 participants and great sponsors, Texas Rovers rented the entire park for the nearly 100 Land Rovers. The vehicles ranged from a 1962 Series II to a 2008 Range Rover Sport – but the majority of trucks were Discoverys. (…)

Parents of Land Rover, Tata Motors, will appreciate the unique appearance of Land Rover models. They clearly resonate with the American and international public. The qualities that we love as Land Rover enthusiasts clearly captivate those who rouse popular passions. Movie directors, advertising art directors, and consumers agree if there’s a Land Rover present, you should pay attention. That assures us as a lot of Sightings – in fact, lots and lots of Sightings.

Once again there are superb entries that warrant emptying more of the crockery cupboards at Rovers North. As always, it’s helpful for rookies to review the rules for Sightings - and useful as a reminder for the grizzled Sighting veterans as well.
Rule # 1 - All Sightings receive recognition and our appreciation, but not necessarily a mug. We reward only those Sightings that capture the unique qualities of Land Rovers and their owners, and display them in a distinctive way. (…)

Story and Photos by Eric Evans
[Eric Evans and his wife, Tessa, and their ’97 Defender 90 SW, live in Naples, FL. The owner of a commercial landscape company, Eric entertained RN News readers when he bought his ex-MOD 109” from Rovers North and drove it to Florida. We’ve read of his explorations of Big Bend, TX, and his 45-day trip to Alaska, too. Here’s his account of a fall ’07 trip to Iceland –ed.]
In describing “The Happiest Places on Earth,” Eric Weiner noted that “Iceland is cold and dark for much of the year. It is isolated and, for goodness sakes, has the word ‘ice’ in its name. Not much happy about that yet these descendants of the Vikings are, statistically, among the planet’s happiest people.” What a challenge – we had to find out why for ourselves.
The internet provided a lot of information about touring Iceland by Land Rover but I also received significant help from Bruce Elfstrom at Overland Experts. (…)

Story & Photo By Calef Letorney
The plan was to drive my Ex- MOD 300 TDI 110 from Salt Lake City, Utah to Vermont in three days, by myself, fully loaded and pulling a heavy trailer, in the middle of a July heat wave. To succeed I needed to drive at least 15 hours a day. Like many early Defenders, mine lacks air conditioning, so I knew the trip was going to be physically exhausting for both me and my Rover. The goal of three days travel time would only be possible if I had no mechanical issues; the stage was set for what would become an epic journey.
I left Salt Lake City plagued by uncertainty, feeling like I was limping home to fix my mechanical issues. Limping BEFORE the 3000 mile drive, not good. (…)

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip arrived in Virgina for the 400th anniversary of the Jamestown colony and the 133rd running of the Kentucky Derby. Before they left Great Britain I requested that they include a 2007 Defender in the royal baggage.
Their last trip was in 1991; within two years, we had the Defender 110 NAS. Just in case history should repeat itself, put your order in now.
Consider grant theft auto. Think about illegal importation. Find a good lawyer now. Whatever it takes, this car is worth the risk. My shameless display of illegal behavior was matched only by the mewling and whining I undertook in a failed effort to get Rovers North to send me to England to test drive the latest Defender. Neither groveling nor begging moved the cold hearts of Westford. That’s forced me to drool over my laptop’s keyboard as I’ve gathered information on this latest incarnation of the iconic vehicle. (…)

Dear Rovers North,
Thanks for reprinting the Land Rover Enthusiast article a couple of years ago [Summer 2005 article by Kevin Girling -ed] about Land Rover Centurion Adventures in South Africa. I was finally able to go this past week for a 7 day Ivory Route trip. It was absolutely fabulous and well done. Our guide, Gerard van Megaarden, was very professional and knowledgeable. I wrote a journal of the trip and took hundreds of pictures to remember it by. The Defender 110’s with the Tdi motor worked so well in the challenging off road environment. If anyone wants information, please have them contact me.
Paul Kiszely
Via Email
[You can contact Paul through pzkisz [at] hotmail.com. We’d love to share your experience with our readers, too –ed]
Dear Rovers North,
I have to say that Rovers North News keeps getting better. Erika, my daughter, and I thoroughly enjoy it! Erika is quite a Rover enthusiast and hopes to drive one of them to school when she gets her license. (…)

By Jeffrey B. Aronson
A considerable part of the appeal of Land Rovers is your involvement in their lives. Given a dash of aptitude and some extra fortitude, you can maintain, refurbish and even enhance your Land Rover. You’re limited only by your imagination and your finances.
For inspiration, enthusiasts turn to magazines, Rovers North Parts Guides, and fellow enthusiasts, and if you’re lucky, Land Rover specialty shops. When I need additional fodder for daydreams, I can drive to East Coast Rover in Warren, ME. If I had a Defender and wanted to imagine it to be all that it could be, ECR would be my destination.
Mike Smith founded his restoration, repair and customization business over a decade ago and it services a nationwide clientele. Over the past few years, they’ve become the center for FC 101’s, Defender 90’s and 110’s. There’s never fewer than a dozen Defenders undergoing restoration or reconfiguring. (…)

Story and Photos by Rik Olsen

[Rik Olsen, Hastings, MN, owns a 1960 Series II 88” and a 1996 Discovery Series II SE 7. With his young son, Dane, he spent July 14, 2006, in the mud in Backus, MN. Here’s his story –ed]
To my 4 year old son, Dane, it was a “Just Boys” trip. Not that we were excluding anyone, it’s just that no girls signed up. The Minnesota Land Rovers club trip coincided with Bastille Day, and so the French national holiday became the name of our event, too.
The group had historically been trail riding in the Foothills State Forest Area, but has swung to the east side of northern Minnesota recently. There is an OHV (offhighway vehicle) recreation site in Gilbert, Minnesota that is always open where as the Foothills has erratic trail closures that could really ruin a trip. We were able to coordinate two trucks from our group of about 70 members. (…)