Des and Penelope

I was looking through OBA 84 and saw the review of Des Molloy’s book “No-One Said It Would Be Easy”. I remember reading a serialised version of this in Sloper, the Panther Owners Club monthly newsletter, way back in the 1970s. I have met this remarkable Kiwi a number of times. To call him “indefatigable” is an understatement. I have never met, or even heard of, anyone born with such a spirit of adventure. Don’t forget “The Last Hurrah”, the account of Des, his son Steve, and fellow Kiwi Dick, journeying from Beijing to The Netherlands in 2005, on Penelope (his beloved Panther) and a Norton single. No backup, just three blokes on two old bangers through some pretty inhospitable territory. Des launched the book at our recent annual Panther Prowl back in October, based in Orangeville, not far from Oran Park. Of course, Penelope was there to see it happen. Des and his lovely wife Steph had just ridden up from South Australia. I claim to have bought the first two copies of the book on the planet. Des’ daily account of his

round Oz trip on Penelope, beginning in mid-2018, appeared in our Panther Register Facebook site. Des’ business card lists him as a “raconteur”. He certainly has a wonderful way of using the English language. A truly remarkable man.

David Lewis

Via email