South Africans are world-renowned for their love of extreme endurance sporting activities and their ability to organise world-class events. Some of these events are recognised as the oldest, largest and toughest in the world. Held in locations that range from rugged coastlines, lush green valleys, berg, bush and dessert, they offer some of the most scenic countryside to be found worldwide. Each year, thousands of competitors pit themselves against the elements and test their mettle to take part in many of South Africa`s hardest physical challenges. From the cold of the highest mountains to the unforgiving heat of the desert, by foot, water or bike seemingly ordinary people take on these endurance sporting events. Whether seeking to prove themselves as athletes, or attempting to escape the humdrum, one thing they all have in common is an unbreakable drive to test the very limits of their endurance. South Africa`s Toughest and Most Scenic Endurance Sporting Events, profiles 40 of the country`s toughest, unique, iconic and most scenic trail runs, marathons, swimming, off-shore and trans ocean sailing, canoeing, surf skiing, cycling, mountain biking, off-road motorcycling, off-shore ridged hull and multi-sports events. Breath-taking photographs and detailed information about each event will thrill endurance athletes, extreme sports addicts, and outdoor adventurers of all types and disciplines.

Mine-protected and mine-resistant, ambush-protected (MRAP) vehicles are today standard in the US, most major western armed forces and many other armies as a result of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The South African Army was already routinely using mine-protected armoured personnel carriers and patrol vehicles forty years ago even if they looked primitive and ungainly. A few years later, the South African Army had reached the stage where it could deploy entire combat groups into battle zones equipped with only mine-protected vehicles, including their ambulances and supply trucks. By then the mine-protected vehicles had also become effective for use in combat, rather than just protected transport, the Casspir being the chief example. More to the point, they saved countless soldiers and policemen from death or serious injury, and the basic concepts now live on in the various MRAP types in service today. The valuable lessons learned by the South Africans with their early designs of these combat-proven vehicles has led the country to become one of the global leaders in the design of MRAPs which are locally manufactured and exported around the world. Surviving the Ride is a fascinating pictorial account featuring more than 120 of these unique South African-developed vehicles, spanning a forty-year period, with over 280 photographs, many of which are previously unpublished.