Adventure riding books and documentaries

[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 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 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 )

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.