Adventure riding books and documentaries

[Wolf]

Alice's post in the Last Hurrah thread got me thinking on books, DVDs etc on adventure riding.

First one I read was Ted Simon's Jupiter's Travels - not long after it was published. Very inspirational to a budding adventure rider.

Now I'm building a small library of books and DVDs.

I've got both Ted Simon's earlier books: Jupiter's Travels, which I'm currently reading again, and The Journey Home, which I have yet to read, and I've got the series and book of The Long Way 'Round (I've yet to read the book).

Still to get are:
The DVD and book of The Last Hurrah (which I plan to get at the screening in Hamilton later this month), Ted Simon's multimedia CD and forthcoming book of his recent travels and Lois Pryce's soon-to-be-released book, Lois on The Loose (riding from Alaska to the Southern-most tip of South America on an XT225 - the same make and model bike as I own).

On a related note (not "Adventure Riding" per se, but certainly a bloody great adventure) I have the movie of The World's Fastest Indian and I plan to get the book as well. I would also love to get Donaldson's original Offerings To The God Of Speed documentary on DVD.

What Adventure Riding books and/or documentaries do others on here have/want/recommend?

[Ghost Lemur]

Mondo Enduro has to be on every must-have list.

[Garry.W]

Mondo Enduro has to be on every must-have list.

Agreed Ghost, an excellent read.

If you're after an inspirational read I'd recommend Dave Barr's "Riding the Edge" if you can find a copy, sadly I lent mine to a friend about 10 years ago and never got it back but I digress.

Dave recounts his trip around the world (on a 1972 Harley Davidson no less) despite the loss of both legs from an antitank mine explosion in Angola in 1981. He covered about 80,000 MILES and it took him around 3 1/2 years. I think it made him the first person with a major disability to cross the Sahara Desert, go around Australia and negotiate the Andes during avalanche season. You just end up gobsmacked at the accomplishments of this determined man as he takes you on some of his most exciting adventures. It's certainly not a "how to" book, it's more about who he met and what he got up to.

Cheers,
Garry

[Motu]

I'll have to be in first with a plug for ''Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance'',the most famous motorcycling book ever - DON'T read it,burn it instead.Stupid friggen book.

[Wolf]

Just looked up Mondo Enduro and downloaded a clip from the Discovery Channel series - both the DVD and book have gone on my "must own" list.

Dave Barr's books look bloody great, too. Definitely got to get them as well.

[far queue]

I'll have to be in first with a plug for ''Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance'',the most famous motorcycling book ever - DON'T read it,burn it instead.Stupid friggen book.I'm with you there. After hearing about it all the time, I struggled through about a third of it a few years ago then took it back to the library. Inane drival.

[NiggleC]

A few that i know of:
Adventure Motorcycling Handbook by Chris Scott
(lots of info re setup and experiences of foreign travel on motorcycles by many contributors. May be available in your local library as it is in CHCh)

10 Years on 2 wheels by Helge Pederson
(not so much a travelogue but many photographs and experiences. my copy cost $100 about 5 years ago but never regretted spending the money)

GSing around the World by Dr Gregory Frazier
CH library has copies - a bit disappointing - Chris Scott's book much better.

Dreams Die Hard by Ed Culberson
1st person to take a motorcycle thru the Darrien Gap North to South. Helge Pedersen was the second but went South to North. Will be difficult to get these days.

[far queue]

Welcome aboard NiggleC, you've been lurking on here for a bit by the look of it, so I guess you know what you're letting yourself in for :dodge:

I'll have to go and get the "Adventure Motorcycling Handbook" from the library.

[The Big J]

Just looked up Mondo Enduro and downloaded a clip from the Discovery Channel series - both the DVD and book have gone on my "must own" list.


Can you post a link to the download?

[Wolf]

Can you post a link to the download?
http://www.aimimage.com/shop.php?section=1

The "Mondo Enduro" and "Terra Circa" clips both look good.

Enjoy

[Ghost Lemur]

http://www.aimimage.com/shop.php?section=1

The "Mondo Enduro" and "Terra Circa" clips both look good.

Enjoy

Yeah Terra Circa is the sequel.

[Wolf]

Yeah Terra Circa is the sequel.
I thought as much - the clips were short and it was hard to get a good idea of who was in them but it seemed like the same guys. Thanks for confirming.

I was planning on getting them both anyway.

[The Big J]

Obviously not all good stories get published. Hopefully not too off topic.

Most travellers accounts amount to blogs but those who put in the effort really create a great story.
I am enjoying :
http://www.davesgreatescape.net (http://www.davesgreatescape.net)
http://simongandolfi.blogspot.com/
http://www.2ridetheworld.com/route.html
http://www.loisontheloose.com/index.html
The latter is having a book published shortly about the Americas tour



My website is in progress:
http://www.locokiwi.com
great trip yet to come

thanks for the post to Mondo Enduro. I should have bought the dvd but too late now as I'm off shortly. Anyone in Wgtn I can borrow from?

[Wolf]

On amazon.co.uk they have an excerpt from the book (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/product-description/1904466281/ref=dp_proddesc_0/203-5288255-1415164?ie=UTF8&n=266239&s=books) - I already love the book and want to read more - too bad I don't own it yet.

The customer reviews were quite good, too - and highly disparaging of Mssrs McGregor and Boorman.

[Wolf]

http://www.loisontheloose.com/index.html
The latter is having a book published shortly about the Americas tour
I know, I await it eagerly - she used a great bike for her journey (not that I'm biased :whistle: )

She's currently riding a TTR250 through Africa. I sent her a "Bon Voyage" email before she left England and she actually took time out of her busy pre-trip schedule to personally reply to me and all the other well-wishers.

All the best with your own endeavours, Big J.

[Alice]

I also enjoyed reading the book Joe and Gareth Morgan wrote about their trip along the old silk road.Some awesome experiences, called "Silk Riders".There is a web site www.worldbybike.com that was interesting to follow at the time.Must be such a buzz to see your bikes all packed up in crates ready to head off on an adventure.

On a differant note, Valintino Rossi is driving in the NZ leg of the world rally which I guess a lot of you are aware of.Its a shame Sebastian Loeb is not driving due to a broken arm from a mountain bike crash.Would have been good to see 2 people from the top of there fields racing against each other.

Some people have a great lifestyle!

[Ghost Lemur]

My website is in progress:
http://www.locokiwi.com
great trip yet to come


You lucky lucky bastard. I'm so jealous. Site has been bookmarked, looking forward to you updates.

Did I mention how jealous I am?

Always wanted to do the big Central/South American adventure ride then arrive in Brazil in time for Carnival. Not sure when it is next, but from people who have been all say the same thing go to Brasilia for carnival not Rio. More fun, less touristy, less chance of getting mugged/stabbed.

All the best for your trip. When do you leave? (may want to start up a new thread if one doesn't already exist, to discuss your trip without dragging this thread further off topic).

[mattsdakar]

If you have seen these movies you will know Austin Vince, one of the main men on these trips. Austin was best mates with my London flatmate and use to spend alot of time at our flat and played in our social rugby team on occasion. Great guy, really off the wall, he teaches at a local school in Mill Hill London. At the time we all motorcycle couriered in London. I had a roadbike but the other guys had DR350's and Austin would often lead the lads on offroad trips in the Welsh Highlands etc. Austin had an old Bedford van and trailer and the boys use to go on annual offroading rides for a week to places like France and Andorra. Regretably I never went as only had a roadbike but Austin always planned the trips meticulously with route maps and driving rosters etc. Austin made a DVD of their last trip to the continent which is excellent and one I hold very dear as my flatmate who I had been thru High school with in CHCH was killed shortly after the trip in a bike vs truck accident while couriering in London.
Austin posted me a copy of the DVD with extra footage added of my friend which was great.
On a brighter note his trips were fantastic and he always had a good yarn to tell about his biking experiences.

[The Big J]

Always wanted to do the big Central/South American adventure ride then arrive in Brazil in time for Carnival. Not sure when it is next, but from people who have been all say the same thing go to Brasilia for carnival not Rio. More fun, less touristy, less chance of getting mugged/stabbed.

All the best for your trip. When do you leave? (may want to start up a new thread if one doesn't already exist, to discuss your trip without dragging this thread further off topic).

Thanks for the good wishes.
I've been to Brazil for carnival. Definitely great. I dodged Rio. Up the coast is where it's at, not Brasilia. And you need more than 2 weeks...
Leaving January.
I'll start a thread once I have a few more journal posts and more stuff up on the site. Inevitably things will go wrong so I may as well make them entertaining for people back home. Am doing a South Island route for practice in December so will have more to talk about once I've quit work.

[PLUG]

Austin posted me a copy of the DVD with extra footage added of my friend which was great.
On a brighter note his trips were fantastic and he always had a good yarn to tell about his biking experiences.

... dvd nite your place ... i'll bring the beer ...

[far queue]

... i'll bring the beer ...Coooool :drinkup: I'm in :yes:

[mattsdakar]

Good excuse to catch up and tell tales...DVD is only 15-20mins long but is good value and gives a bit of insight into the planning etc.
If you are keen seen me a private message, the wife is away next week so any night would suit as will be minding the sleeping rug rats
Rgds

[BMT]

I'm with you there. After hearing about it all the time, I struggled through about a third of it a few years ago then took it back to the library. Inane drival.

I was disappointed also by all the hype I had heard around this motorcycle "classic" (Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance). Its alright, but it turns out that the book is not about motorcycling per se, rather uses a motorcycling journey as a framework to explain the physcological problems of the author. If you are ready for it on this angle its a good read. The Motorcycle Diaries (book & movie) is similar in that it uses a motorcycle journey of South America to illustrate how rather well-to-do individual experienced the lives of the poor and in so doing he became Che Guevara, militant.

As suggested above, the Morgan's & Co (World by Bike) - web site, DVD & book - are good travel diaries of long adventure rides. As is the much thrashed in the media, but still of some reading merit, Long Way Round (book & DVD) - Charley & Ewan. Again, both these get into aspects of rider relationships on tour as well as the cultural experiences & riding.

[madmal64]

One of the best places for info I have found is http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ Grant & Susan have run this awesome site for a while now.
Stories, set ups contact, you name it its fairly much all there.

[Motu]

Well well well,three holes in the ground.....I'm gunna have to eat my hat.Photo's have surfaced of the original ''Zen'' trip....

http://ww2.usca.edu/ResearchProjects/ProfessorGurr/gallery/Pictures-Robert-Pirsigs-original-1968-trip?page=1

[greenman]

'The Perfect Vehicle' by Melissa Holbrook Pierson is a good read.

[Wolf]

One of the best places for info I have found is http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ Grant & Susan have run this awesome site for a while now.
Stories, set ups contact, you name it its fairly much all there.
It's a great site and has its own forum on which I post occasionally. www.advrider.com is also good.

Kinda hard to put either in my library, though. Sometimes it's nice to curl up in bed with a book or throw a DVD in the player.

[merv]

I'll have to be in first with a plug for ''Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance'',the most famous motorcycling book ever - DON'T read it,burn it instead.Stupid friggen book.

Des from last Hurrah travelled the "Zen" roads this year of course. Read about it on their website here http://www.thelasthurrah.co.nz/

[Wolf]

Saw the Silk Riders book with bonus DVD in at Whitcoulls today - definitely on my must own list.

[magicfairy]

Just finished Charley Boorman's "Road to Dakar"
Suprisingly (I wasn't expecting a lot) I really enjoyed it, couldn't put it down. I have a whole new respect for anyone that completes the Paris Dakar, and the effort Charley put in beforehand.

[Wolf]

Just finished Charley Boorman's "Road to Dakar"
Suprisingly (I wasn't expecting a lot) I really enjoyed it, couldn't put it down. I have a whole new respect for anyone that completes the Paris Dakar, and the effort Charley put in beforehand.
I want to get that book as well as I've been interested in the Dakar Rally for years and it would be nice to read about what it is actually like and what the competitors go through to complete it, how they prepare beforehand etc.

[Wolf]

Well, as of last night my budding library includes both the book (autographed by Des Molloy) and DVD of "The Last Hurrah - Beijing to Arnhem 2005".

Watched the DVD twice already - once at the screening and again a couple of hours later at home with strayjuliet.

Definitely a "must own".

If you can't draw inspiration from the fact that a couple of old geezers rode their 1960's motorbikes through some of the roughest terrain on Earth then you're immune to any form of inspiration.

[magicfairy]

Now half way through watching the "Road to Dakar" DVD. I would recommend reading the book first, and then getting the DVD, which has been really good so far.

[Ghost Lemur]

http://www.matthewpower.net/kashmirfinal.pdf

I thought I was jealous of BigDave's job. This guy has him bet.

Matt Power is a freelance Journo who gets paid to go on adventure rides. Have only read this article so far, but have started his "Dirtbiking South Africa's Wild Coast" article now.

What a gig. Definitely sounds like a plan, go to India, buy an Indian Enfield, ride to a spot 800 ft higher than Mt Everests base camp, then ride all the way back again. Why? Why not.

The article got me thinking about something else too. We all know about those who take their bikes around the world. But how much cooler would it be to buy a local and ride that (Enfield in India, Chinese dualsport (or whatever is most common) in China. It'd have the added benefit of being assured that parts and local knowledge were available. Obviously it wouldn't matter in some parts of the world (US, Europe), but in places like India it'd be grand.

[Dutchee]

Just finished Charley Boorman's "Road to Dakar"
Suprisingly (I wasn't expecting a lot) I really enjoyed it, couldn't put it down. I have a whole new respect for anyone that completes the Paris Dakar, and the effort Charley put in beforehand.
Lol, that sounds like me. I bought the bike the day before the ISDE, finished it on day 3 (had to be at checks a couple of hours early to get a semi-decent staging area & get things ready for when the riders came in). Only bought the book as it was the last copy at Whitcoulls in Taupo.
Husband started reading it last night & probably finish it tonight or tomorrow.
Magicfairy - is the dvd worthwhile getting, too? How long is it? I might wait a while as with LWR I bought the 2 disc dvd, then about 8 months later had to buy the 3 disc. Whatever anyone says about LWR, it did open some eyes and get some addicted to a new way of riding.
www.whitehorsepress.com has some interesting looking books (need to wait till after xmas before I think about a bulk purchase).

[Wolf]

The article got me thinking about something else too. We all know about those who take their bikes around the world. But how much cooler would it be to buy a local and ride that (Enfield in India, Chinese dualsport (or whatever is most common) in China. It'd have the added benefit of being assured that parts and local knowledge were available. Obviously it wouldn't matter in some parts of the world (US, Europe), but in places like India it'd be grand.
There was mention on Horizon's Unlimited of a bloke who buys a cheap local bike (no more than US$500) and rides it until it falls to bits or he leaves the country whereupon he sells it for what he can get and gets a new one in the next country - no overseas freighting costs, the "local knowledge and parts you mentioned and it's cheap.

[magicfairy]

Husband started reading it last night & probably finish it tonight or tomorrow.
Magicfairy - is the dvd worthwhile getting, too? How long is it? I might wait a while as with LWR I bought the 2 disc dvd, then about 8 months later had to buy the 3 disc.

I am actually enjoying Race to Dakar DVD more than Long Way Round. Nearly finished it. Gives a great insight to all parts of the Dakar, from Riders, so support crew etc. Charley whines a bit too much though. But to see how tough it is - I don't know how they do it. If you like LWR you will like Race to Dakar. I coudn't find it in the shops to got it online via Realgroovy.co.nz.

[Wolf]

But how much cooler would it be to buy a local and ride that (Enfield in India, Chinese dualsport (or whatever is most common) in China. It'd have the added benefit of being assured that parts and local knowledge were available. Obviously it wouldn't matter in some parts of the world (US, Europe), but in places like India it'd be grand.
Another thought on this:
You'd be hard pressed to find a place where you couldn't find a motorbike. When McGregor and Boorman's cameraman had probs with his bike they had no problem finding a locally made bike which suited the area better than the Beemers. You'd get to try bikes that are not available here or are rare here, some places you might only be able to find old machines that have been kicking around for years.

Doubt I could do it - I'd want to freight them all home because they'd all have sentimental value to me. It'd end up costing at least as much as it would to freight my own bike around the world.

[Ghost Lemur]

Some others I've added to my list...

One Man Caravan (http://www.amazon.com/dp/1884313051?tag=horizonsunlimite&camp=15041&creative=373501&link_code=as3). Think it's an adventure riding around the world now? Robert Fulton did it in 1932 on a Douglas Twin.

Chasing Che (http://www.amazon.com/dp/0375702652?tag=horizonsunlimite&creative=373489&camp=211189&link_code=as3&creativeASIN=0375702652). Journalist Patrick Symmes retraces Che Guevera's journey of descovery, on his Bemmer GS.

Blood, Sweat & Gears: Ramblings on Motorcycling and Medicine (http://www.amazon.com/dp/1884313035?tag=horizonsunlimite&creative=373489&camp=211189&link_code=as3&creativeASIN=1884313035). By Dr Flash Gordon (real name), it's supposed to be a great combination of wit and information.

[Dutchee]

I am actually enjoying Race to Dakar DVD more than Long Way Round. Nearly finished it. Gives a great insight to all parts of the Dakar, from Riders, so support crew etc. Charley whines a bit too much though. But to see how tough it is - I don't know how they do it. If you like LWR you will like Race to Dakar. I coudn't find it in the shops to got it online via Realgroovy.co.nz.

Have bought it online from Aus for $24.95 (plus another dvd & packaging) - should still be cheaper than from RG (saw it there for $44.95). No idea how long it'll take as the stupid season is nearly here.

[The Big J]

Hi there
Does anyone in Dunedin or Christchurch or Wellington have a Mondo Enduro dvd I could borrow for the night? Procrastinated too much to order off internet.
pm or txt me on 0275453515
cheers
Josh

[xwhatsit]

I happened to quite enjoy Zen and Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, despite your frustration with it ^_^...

Then again I did start reading it before I'd started biking myself. I got hold of it in an effort to improve my English (older books like this tend to have more complex grammar and vocabulary), but I enjoyed the book itself too. It's fascinating, so long as you don't read it expecting to learn much about motorcycle maintenance, or motorcycling. It's sort of an early pop-philosophy book; one of the best introductions to philosophy you can read. Of course, if that doesn't float your boat, then you would be well advised to burn it. Motorcyclists tend to be people of immediate gratification, rather than cognitive pleasures... there's something to be said for both.

Anyway, back on topic...

[Motu]

The Zen book was written at the height of the Hippy era...''Pop Philosophy''...is that what we were into? I thought we just did everything old people didn't like.But there was a certain type of hippy who rode motorcycles,the ''freedom'' thing y'know - the Hippy Bikers.I was one of those,and Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance was a real disapointment.

[Wolf]

Rented "The Motorcycle Diaries" on DVD - will watch it tonight or tomorrow. I figure it should be interesting to watch and I've heard it was very well done for a dramatisation.

[Transalper]

good luck with that, the motorcycle bit only lasts 8 or 9 minutes (maybe a little more, but u get the idea) and it's all english subtitles. At least that's how it was on the big screen. However if you're not actually looking for a motorcycle movie, it's quite interesting.

[Shiner]

I'll have to be in first with a plug for ''Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance'',the most famous motorcycling book ever - DON'T read it,burn it instead.Stupid friggen book.

Sorry to disagree with you Motu, but I enjoyed Zen emensly. A multi layered philosophical novel where a man confronts his sanity and analyses logic systems. He seeks to find Quality through motorcycle maintainence and finds madness instead. I admitt not an easy read, but with persistence I found it to be thought provoking and reflective.:) :crazy: :wacko:

[warewolf]

"Peking to Paris" while not entirely about bikes (there's just one) is a good DVD and somewhat similar to "The Last Hurrah". Mick Matheson, a long-time Aussie bike journo, rode the bike. The story follows a re-enactment of the 1907 Peking to Paris endurance trial, the first major endurance event for automobiles. They used original vehicles...

[warewolf]

'The Perfect Vehicle' by Melissa Holbrook Pierson is a good read.Initially I thought this book was fantastic, primarily because she manages to get into words thoughts & feelings about motorcycling that I couldn't express. For that reason alone it is worth a read. Negatives are that she is a bit too introspective and like Charley, whines too much.

[pevs]

Rented "The Motorcycle Diaries" on DVD - will watch it tonight or tomorrow. I figure it should be interesting to watch and I've heard it was very well done for a dramatisation.
Did ya like "The Motorcycle Diaries"?
Kinda interesting seeing where Che came from.
As Transalper mentioned tho.. not much about the bike.. but maybe a guide on how not to treat them!
Now.. back to my Long Way Round marathon..

[Wolf]

Quite enjoyed it. After a few minutes I forgot I was reading the English at the bottom of the screen, I was so caught up in the tale.

Definitely got to ride South America one of these years - the scenery looks wonderful.

Definitely a how-not-to-treat-a-bike tale or two in there.

[The Big J]

I thought Motorcycle Diaries was good at pulling the best flavours out of the cities and countries visited, pretty authentic feel of the towns.

"Chasing Che" by a British journalist retracing the trip gives a good insight into his life and some background outside the legend. There is a link to the ISIN on page 2. Also some interesting food for thought about why his guerilla revolution failed and left him surrounded in Bolivia. Bolivians and Argentinians hate each other and the local populace wasn't literate enough to have any idea of communist revolutions elsewhere and was unwilling to listen to a doctor from Cordoba. Book available at Wellington Public Library

[cooneyr]

Big BUMP

While I havent read a lot of motorcycling books and have only watched long way round and race to dakar I think I can highly recomend Lois on the Loose. I've been off work for 4 weeks now and moping around home for the past 3 but about two weeks ago wifey bought a copy for me and I've really enjoyed reading it. It is a very entertaining and inspiring book (I want to do a tour some day).

Cost $28 at our local book store.

Of to check out Lois's web site.

Cheers R

[Wolf]

Big BUMP

While I havent read a lot of motorcycling books and have only watched long way round and race to dakar I think I can highly recomend Lois on the Loose. I've been off work for 4 weeks now and moping around home for the past 3 but about two weeks ago wifey bought a copy for me and I've really enjoyed reading it. It is a very entertaining and inspiring book (I want to do a tour some day).

Cost $28 at our local book store.

Of to check out Lois's web site.

Cheers R
How'd your wife locate it so quickly? It was supposed to be released here in NZ ages back but Whitcoulls kept telling me it hadn't come into the country yet.

I ordered it ages back and it finally arrived yesterday - after I'd run out of spending cash.

[cooneyr]

How'd your wife locate it so quickly? It was supposed to be released here in NZ ages back but Whitcoulls kept telling me it hadn't come into the country yet.

I ordered it ages back and it finally arrived yesterday - after I'd run out of spending cash.

My wife just happened to be walking past Picadilly Books in avonhead mall and noticed it. We didnt know anything about it and wernt looking for it - random discovery.

I think picadilly are on the web if anybody else wants a copy.

Cheers R

[Wolf]

Finally got my copy of "Lois on the Loose" and I'm thoroughly loving it. She writes so well. I find it a lot easier to read than Ted Simon's "Jupiter's Travels".

Quite an adventure - what with insane Alaskan shop owners, rabid Canadian Mounties, Southern Californians and other strange species!

[cooneyr]

Finally got my copy of "Lois on the Loose" and I'm thoroughly loving it. She writes so well. I find it a lot easier to read than Ted Simon's "Jupiter's Travels".

Quite an adventure - what with insane Alaskan shop owners, rabid Canadian Mounties, Southern Californians and other strange species!

I've not read a lot of travel books but I really like the way she writes. I really like the way she describes the events, people and vistas. I also like her attitude to all events.

Cheers R

[Wolf]

I also have got the book and DVD of the Silk Riders. Haven't read the book yet but watched the DVD - bloody excellent.

One of the things I note as a recurring theme throughout the travel books, DVDs and listening to the riders:

People are pretty much OK the World over. Lois was told lots of horror stories about being mugged, raped and murdered "South of The Border" and was told that a woman should not travel alone, yet she survived and was helped along the way by lovely people. When Des Molloy and Dick Huurdeman were travelling through the various -stans and being helped out by total strangers, Dick made the comment "Not bad for the Axis of Evil". Ted Simon was helped out of difficulty in the most supposedly inhospitable places on the Globe.

Popular belief (read "Media-driven propaganda") has the rest of the World populated by "Them" - the baddies - opposed to "Us", who can do no wrong. According to Lois, her own home (England) is listed as a hotbed of rapes, muggings and lethal rail accidents on the US State Dept's web site.

So many people don't venture out their gates because of the horror stories told of "foreign parts" - by people who have never been there and are rehashing and exaggerating tales told by others based on prejudice and misinformation.

[cooneyr]

......One of the things I note as a recurring theme throughout the travel books, DVDs and listening to the riders:

People are pretty much OK the World over. Lois was told lots of horror stories about being mugged, raped and murdered "South of The Border" and was told that a woman should not travel alone, yet she survived and was helped along the way by lovely people. When Des Molloy and Dick Huurdeman were travelling through the various -stans and being helped out by total strangers, Dick made the comment "Not bad for the Axis of Evil". Ted Simon was helped out of difficulty in the most supposedly inhospitable places on the Globe.

Popular belief (read "Media-driven propaganda") has the rest of the World populated by "Them" - the baddies - opposed to "Us", who can do no wrong. According to Lois, her own home (England) is listed as a hotbed of rapes, muggings and lethal rail accidents on the US State Dept's web site.

So many people don't venture out their gates because of the horror stories told of "foreign parts" - by people who have never been there and are rehashing and exaggerating tales told by others based on prejudice and misinformation.

I agree completely with this but would add that it seems to me that the travelers attitude plays a big part. People who tell of horror border crossings, inhospitable locals and general misery seem to be the ones that "expect". They expect the roads to have good surfacing, expect the other road users to behave sensibly, expect a Hilton at each stop, and expect the officials to behave like westerns.

The whole point of a cross continental/RTW trip to me is a challange to see if you can cope with the "happenings" around you while at the same time enjoying it and in our case coping with a motorcycle as the mode of transport.

Cheers R

[vifferman]

I was a bit disappointed with The Silk Riders. Especially after following the adventures of Glen Heggstad (http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41699) which made Borman and his mate look like real softies. And Glen's earlier 'adventure' (being held hostage by terrorist rebels in South America) recounted in Two Wheels Though Terror (http://web.mac.com/strikingviking/iWeb/Site/HOME/84007EA9-F46D-42A2-BE5B-EAD64AA75574.html) is also pretty amazing stuff.

[Wolf]

I agree completely with this but would add that it seems to me that the travelers attitude plays a big part. People who tell of horror border crossings, inhospitable locals and general misery seem to be the ones that "expect". They expect the roads to have good surfacing, expect the other road users to behave sensibly, expect a Hilton at each stop, and expect the officials to behave like westerns.
I fully agree that the attitude of the traveller is an enormous part of the equation - not only in the expectations as above, but in the way they react when those expectations are not met.

Any of these buggers regurgitating an exaggerated tale of horror about the "dastardly locals" in foreign parts ever stop to think the person originally telling the tale omitted to tell why the locals were so antipathic? Like the bugger was a mouthy little shit that deserved to have half of an otherwise sleepy little village run him out of town?

Sure, there are bad buggers around in all countries, but they're outnumbered by the good-uns and I've just finished reading the bit where Lois encounters a couple of fake cops trying to shake her down for US$50 - she got out of it unscathed through keeping her head and being prepared. I was practically cheering when I read that.

Need to walk a line between being a babe in the woods and being ultraparanoid - and leave expectations of 5-star billeting, super-highways and western-style border guards behind...

along with the "Prima Donna" attitude...

[The Big J]

Well I'm in Colombia now... and it's not bad at all - nicest people I've met, anywhere in fact.

A lot of people's awkwardness comes down to cultural/linguistic misunderstandings. I have a reasonably high tolerance for discomfort but usually people are so hospitable I end up with a bed.


to excuse my thread highjack I'm going to plug a website (not a book but sorry) www.simongandolfi.blogspot.com
Self described fat old toad on a bike. The guy's 74 and returning from Ushuia soon on a Honda 125. Pushing a lot of boundaries about who can do this travelling.

[Wolf]

Colombia? Dear gods, how are you surviving? Drug lords, murders, muggings ... run for your life! LOL.

Great to hear from you, Big J, glad things are going well on your trip.

Heh, that old geezer sounds hard case. Probably will be the age I do my tour, by the time the kids are old enough to join me...

[The Big J]

I was a bit disappointed with The Silk Riders. Especially after following the adventures of Glen Heggstad (http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41699) which made Borman and his mate look like real softies. And Glen's earlier 'adventure' (being held hostage by terrorist rebels in South America) recounted in Two Wheels Though Terror (http://web.mac.com/strikingviking/iWeb/Site/HOME/84007EA9-F46D-42A2-BE5B-EAD64AA75574.html) is also pretty amazing stuff.

I have read Two Wheels Through Terror recently and have to say the guy sounds like he gets in trouble an awful lot. I can´t really comment on his kidnapping experiences but I find his descriptions and attitude to the countries he travels through wind me up a lot. He seems to make huge dramas out of some fairly minor inconveniences and seems to put himself in dangerous situations weatherwise/nightfall wise for the sake of plugging into an internet cafe. He calls himself the most prepared man in the world but didn´t think to pack a sleeping bag or tent for if you get stranded in the middle of nowhere. A lot of his ´dramas´ IMO could be solved by looking for refuge or help with locals or being a little creative.

He paints South America as a land of bandits, inhospitality and he´s the man to do it. In fact hordes of BMWs roll down to Ushuia all the time. I have found it to be incredibly hospitable and have been surprised how easy this continent has been. Admittedly I have Bolivia yet to come (and the salt plains :scooter: )

Sorry to be a hater, to Glenn´s credit he rode some epic rides, and survived a traumatic situation I don´t know I would be the equal of. He´s also then gone on to ride around the world. Maybe his attitude has evolved. Maybe it has stayed the same and his hard-headedness has got him a completely different experience to myself. I have enjoyed the odd write-up on the internet by him, just this book grates with me.

Anyway, just wanted to comment, you´re obviously able to disagree.