The mountains of Abah , really where impressive ,I had a job to do but it was a privilege to drive this terrain and to see first hand the original mud dwelling in this area ,the only people I met where at the fuel stations ! And i could not believe a young attendant playing a White Sports Coat and a Pink Carnation some 900 miles from Dammam on his tape deck , I was that pleased to hear this Song it took me straight back to the Tramways club in Walsall , I asked him to sell it me !! And I played it for the return journey!!! I came in from a road near to Wuday’ah , this was where that sand bank whent on for miles and miles, then over the mountains through a boarder controle near Sadah down to Jizan and up to Abah , looking at the map Now ? It was the longest way to do this trip ,but I did not have any map or phone and although I had driven this road from Jeddah to Khamis , it was a diferent route from the east side, thanks Johnny for your comments ).Ron
Well it’s good to see old mates from the S Jones reunion , I was greeted by Jerry and Jona meeting the drivers of yesterday , and listening the stories of Trans Arabia , I went on the BSA the weather was mild just right for the bike, had the crack with all the lads it was brilliant , a fella came up to me in the Bar and I instantly said hello Michael it was none other than Michael Jones , the last time I saw him was at the North Creek Jeddah in 1978, he is the son of Edward Jones of S Jones Aldridge ltd he was great , talking to Gypsy Dave he told me the story of his truck 114 Mac that careered down the mounting side on the road to Khamis with a .95 ton load , he re lived this tale telling me that his foot brake was ■■■■■■■ ■■ With the temp in Saudi the brakes must be in good order to cope ,with a normal load in the mountains, but with heavy a load such as this ,the brakes will over heat and once this heat builds up the brakes will malfunction and over run the engine brake His Yank passenger shouted put the dead man on ? He said its ON !!! with all the brakes smoking he was out of control and fighting to save his life and the Yanks . With the load pushing him in the back ,and the buttons jumping out on the dash .this happens when the air is down!!!The revs where already over the max of 2100rpm ,With the valves braking up and imbedded into the Pistons it must been the ultermate engine brake !!! destroying the engine !! This may have slowed this mammoth load down , But he skilfully steered into the mountain side and with the grace of God he eventually pulled up , this must have been a whitest knuckle drive ever by the one and only Gypsy Dave, he said it should have had two Macs one in front an one at the back on this mountain rd , having driven this rd myself , I could not imagine how anyone could be expected to take on such a drive with over the limit load , a suicidal drive , these roads where really frightening , Ron
(The reunion ) Talking to Derek Farington he said , in the early days that all Trans Arabia trucks where used to transport a compleat Chicken farm , to a half built house this side of Riyhad, must have been a big farm ? Any how on the way back driving on egg shells !! he was over taken by Yoyo in a little village called Ar Ruwaidhaha , now Yoyo apparently aways must get back first ? And would get past every body to use the shower '!! I can understand this as the hot water soon ran out !! IT was always cold for JD & myself , but when speeding through and overtaking in the village he was seen by the Police ? They could not catch him but pulled up Derek instead , he had a Bolikin in Arabic , ( the cops where spitting Feathers ) Har Har , DF was the last one back and it was he who had a cold shower Ron
Dads army reunion , it was brilliant I only wish all the lads could be there but we can only talk of yesterday and remember the times we had in the land of sunshine and sand, I must congratulate the girls for putting on a very tasty buffet ,with refreshments , the photo shoot will go down in the History of TRANS ARABIA on this thread ,A big thank you to Michael Jones for being a good sport and thanks to Jona for the Photos , I went prepared with a pannier full of hats and gave the bowler to Michael , Ron
By the looks of things it would have been a great day Ron !!! I often scratch my head wondering why there are no other ex SARAMAT lads on here does that mean I,m the last man standing ■■? at least your mob keep in touch …however I,ll just share all your memories and stick in one of mine now and again !!!
Mah salahm
Thanks Backsplice for your comments I thought that you be on,that’s why I took the Ozzy hat with the corks on , we could talk about Trucks !! But they carnt talk back , it’s all about blokes that drove them and listening to there tails every man Jack had stories to tell of that hole where we lived in called Jeddah, it really was some place to survive in the late 70s ! and they all should complemented for there efforts under extreme conditions ,I have just had a whiff of some food Gizachuck is preparing it was a Turnip ? I went straight back to when I was a kid !! We used to pinch a turnip of the greengrocer stall on the way to school and rub it along the wall this would take off the outer skin !! That was my breakfast in the war years , so Jeddah was A peace of cake !!! Har Har Ron
ronhawk:
Jona’s pride , LATEST report on the ERF rebuild ( WOW ) the paint job looks FANTASTIC ,well done Jona
Here you go Ron, click on pic for full view, nice paint job, Jona, is that sign written?
Yes Ron it is sign written and the belt is hand done too. Steve Evans form Shenstone done it.
Is that the same Steve who has the Seddon in Craddock Brothers livery? Top job that is Jona, will be nice to see it next to Jerry’s motor when finished,
with all the brakes smoking he was out of control and fighting to save his life and the Yanks . With the load pushing him in the back ,and the buttons jumping out on the dash .this happens when the air is down!!!The revs where already over the max of 2100rpm ,With the valves braking up and imbedded into the Pistons it must been the ultermate engine brake !!! destroying the engine !! This may have slowed this mammoth load down , But he skilfully steered into the mountain side and with the grace of God he eventually pulled up , this must have been a whitest knuckle drive ever by the one and only Gypsy Dave, he said it should have had two Macs one in front an one at the back on this mountain rd , having driven this rd myself , I could not imagine how anyone could be expected to take on such a drive with over the limit load , a suicidal drive , these roads where really frightening , 
Ron
