Incredible
Adventure Stories Everyone's
been talking about those two British actors who had a lunar-mission-sized
support staff as they rode around on a couple of BMWs. Followed by their
trucks. And their mechanics. And their film crews. And
their spare bikes. And their security people. Think that was
something? Yeah, neither did I. If
you want to read some really good stories written by real adventurers,
check these out... |
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Here's an
incredible (and incredibly well-written) adventure story from Simon
Gandolfi about his epic adventure through Central and South
America. At age 73, Mr. Gandolfi bought a 125cc Honda pizza delivery
bike (that's right, a little single-cylinder 125) and rode it by himself
from Veracruz, Mexico, down to the tip of South America and then back up
again! He did this with no support crew, other than the friends he
made along the way. Simon Gandolfi is an accomplished novelist, and
it shows in his blog. The writing is hypnotic.
Trust me, you
need to read this one. Here's
my review of Old Man On A Bike...
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Simon Gandolfi's Old Man On A Bike is a classic in every sense
of the word, and it is one of the world's great motorcycle road trips. The
story line in a nutshell is that Gandolfi (a Brit in his 70s) went to
Mexico, bought a single-cylinder, 125cc Honda delivery bike, and pointed
it south. "South" as in Tierra Del Fuego, the southernmost tip
of South America.
I've read every book of this genre, and none is in the same league as
Gandolfi's. Old Man On A Bike combines first-class writing,
captivating story-telling, the excitement of a long distance motorcycle
trip, ground-level input on how others outside the US-UK alliance view
world events (without Gandolfi injecting his own views), and most
significantly, the realization that we can age without losing our
enthusiasm for life or our sense of adventure. The title's implied
oxymoronism may attract readers, and Gandolfi describes himself as an old
man, but Old Man On A Bike shows that he is not old at all. His
excitement about being alive and out in the world, his curiosity, his
willingness to take on what others might not, and his de facto youth are
invigorating.
Gandolfi writes in the present tense, which takes the reader into every
scene to experience the food, the accommodations, the people, the road,
the weather, the fear, the excitement, and the rest of his wonderful
journey. His positive experiences refute misinformed warnings about
corrupt border guards and officials in a delightful manner, and provide an
overall "feel good" experience. I've written a few books myself,
I've traveled internationally by motorcycle, and (as mentioned above) I've
read all of the motorcycle travel stories. The only one that comes close
to being as good as Gandolfi's is Dave Barr's Riding the Edge (Barr
is a double-amputee who rode a beat-up old Harley around the world), but I
believe Old Man On A Bike is an even better read than Barr's
inspiring story. Trust me on this...Gandolfi's book is more than just a
road trip...it is wonderful story about staying young and living large. |
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Emilio
Scotto rode an 1100cc Honda Gold Wing around the world twice, going
through war zones, deserts, jungles, and a host of other wild
places. His book, The
Longest Ride, is richly illustrated with great photos, and the writing
is superb. |
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Lois
on the Loose is a great site and a great book about a mostly-solo ride through the
Americas on a Yamaha dual sport. Yep, a young lady going around the
world on a 200cc Yamaha. I bought her book and it was great. |
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This is one for
the ages. Dave Barr, Motorcyclist
Extraordinaire...on the Caliente-Bodfish Road (one of the world's most
awesome motorcycle roads), with Lake Isabella in the background.
Dave rode a '72 Harley around the world
from 1990 to 1994 and wrote a fantastic book about it (Riding the Edge). Not satisfied
with that, he then took another jaunt across Siberia, on a Sportster, in
the winter! He wrote a book about that, too (Riding the Ice).
Yeah, I know what you're thinking...other guys have done that. Well,
Mr. Barr made his rides as a double amputee...he lost both legs to a land
mine while serving in the military. His story is truly
inspirational.
Interested in learning more? Check
out Dave Barr's website!
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One tough hombre and one great
writer as well...Glen Heggstad. His Two Wheels Through Terror
is an awesome read. Check out Glen's website at www.StrikingViking.net.
I've heard Glen speak and I've seen his slide show at one of the local
BMW dealers. He's a genuine nice guy, but tough as nails, and his
book is one you can't put down. How many guys do you know who fought
their way out of captivity after being kidnapped by South American
rebels? This is another one you can't miss! |
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I am just finishing Adrian
Scott's story about his ride across Asia, following the Silk Trail, on one
of the best bikes of all time (the Kawasaki KLR 650). The
Road Gets Better From Here is a marvelous story about a great
adventure. Don't let the name of his route (the Silk Trail) fool
you; this ride is anything but silky!
Adrian Scott has written a great
book! I ride a KLR 650 and I felt as if I was traveling with Adrian
as I read The Road
Gets Better from Here. You should read Adrian's book - you
won't be disappointed! |
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Horizons
Unlimited offers a wealth of information for international motorcycle
travelers, including a place to post your own stories. It's a great
site, and it's well worth a visit. |
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Selected Photography Sites |
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The Rokkor
Files is a fantastic site! If you are at all interested in
manual Minolta cameras, this is the site to see! If you are
interested in great photos, this is the site to see! This site, in a
word, is awesome! |
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Ansel
Boyce is one of the most interesting people I know. His fire
photos are exceptional, and they are made all the more so by his
background (Ansel is a retired fire chief). |
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Christian L. Deichert, a U.S. Army officer and good friend, is a fellow
Minolta and medium format enthusiast from Atlanta, Georgia. His
work, featured in the Christian L.
Deichert Photography website, is some of the best I have ever seen. |
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