'2 Ride The World'...the whole story

Hi all,

..well with a little time on my hands, as Lisa's been ill so can't travel, I thought I start a thread and try and write up a 'litle ride report'.

We were introduced to this forum only recently when we joined the MOA.

A little background. After a very bad year we knew our lives weren't going where we wanted. The idea had hit home...'what you do defines you! Not what you own'. Yeah, I know a little hippy but we'd had a lot to think about.

Lisa's dad had had a quad' heart bypass, my mum was diagnosed with Cancer and I'd spent the last 2-years learning to walk again after a car driver tried to remove my right foot and lower leg. 18-months with no walking gives a man pause for thought. You start to think about what your life is and where it might go, much like you did when you were 15-16 and your head wasn't full of the clutter and chaos of adult-hood, bills, debts, the right HD TV and the politics at work.

From the sactuary of our warm bed and duve, one Sunday morning we hatched our cunning plan and goals. We'd ride around the world, ride to all 7 continents, ride to the most Northely and Southerly points on each continent (excluding Antartica) and try and visit the highest and lowest points (altitude) on each continent. It all sounded so easy as we pushed our heads back into the pillows

Anywho...It had been a long time coming. For years we’d laughed off our throwaway comments of chucking everything in and riding off into the wild blue yonder to explore exotic lands. But how could we do that? How could I just walk away from a telecom company I’d built from scratch? How could Lisa throw away the great sacrifices she had made to earn a computing degree as a mature student and say goodbye to her new career as an IT analyst?

We were just starting to earn good cash, but were plagued by the nagging sense that there was more to life. Every so often, after a bad day at work, we would open a bottle of wine (or 3)and explore this travel fantasy. We’d allow ourselves to consider the idea. Hell, why not? We’re capable, self reliant, determined. Surely we could… Then the real world would flood in: what about work, the mortgage, pensions, career paths, insurance, blah, blah, bloody blah. More important, how could we afford it?

Over the years, the topic raised its head with noteworthy frequency. Finally it became clear that this was more than just an idea. We gave ourselves a month, 30 days, to seriously think about it before making a final decision. D-day arrived on a cold, wet Monday morning, midsummer in the UK. After a few deep breaths, we agreed. We’d sell everything and make our dream a reality. There is a side note to that. Lisa cheats..yep. We'd aggreed to both give our yes/no answers at the same time to make sure one wasn't infulencing the other. "OK, so after 3, ready"? "one, two, three...YES"!!! I yell, grinning, hands in ther air like I'm doing the mexican wave. Lisa's silent, not a murmur, her expressionless face quashing my schoolboy excitement. Oh ****??? It took her all of 30 seconds (which is a bloody long time) to finally crack a monster grin, say 'yes' and start making fun of me. Yeah, yeah, apparently my face was priceless.

...and so after selling everything, and yes we mean everything, we named my R1100GS Tinkerbelle (it's a Julia Roberts thing) and Lisa's F650 GS..Tarzan (it's apparently a good looking, naked, muscled man thing) addorned them with lots of adventurest style goodies and set off in early 2003, a full year before Ewan & Charley left for their first ride...'long way round'.

Well, here we are 5-years later (currently in Mexico), still on the road and on the same journey...broke, slightly mad and grinning like we've been dipped in chocolate and thrown to the lesbians, just itching to get back into the USA and head North up to Alaska.

Let the photos begin...


I'd been riding my 1100 since new in 99' and we'd bought a F650GS for Lisa for the trip in 2002 ready to modify. They look so new and clean.

The 1100GS pre-mods


With some research done,we started modifying the bikes. Lisa's stock 650 begins its transformation with the Touratech big tanks newly installed.


The bike work was fun but was only part of the process. it took us two years to organise and pack up our lives before the off. Belongings had to be sold and what didn't go had to stored or given to charity. Not fun:



Niether of us had ever ridden off-road and so we booked ourselves up for the BMW off-raod training school in 2002, where our love affair with dirt began.







The big day had come and at last we were off, waiving good-bye to family and friends, for what we thought was going to be two years. Wales, Ireland and Scotland came and went and soon we were heading for Norway, land of the Vikings. Nordkapp was our first big goal. You can't ride further North in the World! Nordkapp is only 1,100 miles from the North Pole. We were in for a cold time.



...more to come
Cheers
Simon T

...land of the vikings

Ridng the West coast of Norway North was cold, wet, and incredible. Small ferry crossings punctuated the day as we crossed the fjords. it was like riding through a giant set form Lord of The Rings.

Looking North to the Arctic circle.



We'd made to the Circle on Lisa's 41st birthday.



The long road to Hammerfest (the most northelry town in the world) & Nordkapp saw off the bikes and hudling around Tinkerbells cylinders every 30 minutes to stay warm.



We fijnally made it to Nordkapp on mid-summer eve. The view alone over the Arctic Ocan was worth it in itself.



these were taken around 1:00am



Our aim from here was to ride east towards teh Russian border, where we'd sort out the various documents for entry with the bikes. We'd collected our hard faught for Russian Visa's in Ireland a few weeks earlier.

In the summer that far North the day never ends and in a tent with no curtains to close our sleep paterns were screwed. taking mid-night rides to past teh time became the norm'



We headed for Murmansk, the home of the Russian Naval fleet, via the most North Westrly border in Russia. Our learning curve was about to get steeper as the roads became dust and dirt.



Russia was, and is a law unto itself and unlike anywhere else we'd been. Communication was the first challenge. We'd watched 'The Hunt For Red October' 23 times in preperation but to no avail Even the written word was a mission to get our heads around, niethr of could read Cyrillic.

><IMG src="http://www.2ridetheworld.com/gsclub_images/london_bikers/mig.jpg"></P>
<P>So, we're on a logging route.  No towns, city or air museums for that matter...just a mig stuck in the ground.  Bizzare!  Below is a perspective shot.</P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.2ridetheworld.com/gsclub_images/london_bikers/mig_bike.jpg"></P>
<P>Out of Russia we rode through the Baltic countries, Easterna and mainland Europe.  We were desperate to get to Africa.  The ride over the mountains into Spain was breathtaking.</P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.2ridetheworld.com/gsclub_images/london_bikers/spain_mountains.jpg"></P>
<P>I'll post some photos of Africa soon.</P>
<P>Cheers</P>
<P>Simon T</P>

Hi Statdawg,

Thank you for the kind words. The WaterAid project has had more impact than we could have imagined. We ran out of water in Mali, had a tough time and then things became serious. Now I do believe in serendipidy...fate. When we finally found a village with a well, enscribed by finger into the then drying mud mortar around the top was this..."this well was installed by wateraid in 1992".

For sure what goes around comes around. The other charities are closer to home as they directly helped our own families prior to our departure.

My neck accident and surgery was over 2-years ago now and although I have a few probs' in the extreme cold, in general it's not too bad. Lisa's been having some issues over the last 9-months but thankfully she seems to be on the mend as well. Right now we're preparing for some slideshow presentations starting with Santa Rosa BMW on the May 9th.
.....................................................................


The ramblings continue...

<P>Here's something we've learned...we'd rather breakdown in Africa or South America than Europe any day.

9 times out of 10 you'll find someone, somewhere who'll help fix broken bits.  In Africa in particular there's a different mind set.  Things just have to work and if they dont you fix them untill they do.  The ingenuity is remarkable.  As opposed to "no sir, we dont have that part in stock but if you like to leave a huge deposit or pay in full we see if we can be bothered to order it and we'll all hope it arrives at some point in the future".</P>
<P>Here's a few images from Morocco and the Northern Sahara, we spent weeks here practising sand riding before the desert crossing.  Also broke my drive shaft and needed to wait another 5 weeks for the new one.  What an incredible place.  If you get teh chance go, it's all closer than you'd think.</P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.2ridetheworld.com/gsclub_images/london_bikers/merzuga_fort1.jpg"></P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.2ridetheworld.com/gsclub_images/london_bikers/landsacpe_1.jpg"></P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.2ridetheworld.com/gsclub_images/london_bikers/big_dunes.jpg"></P>
<P>Cheers</P>
<P>Simon T</P>

...into the Sahara

These were from our first day in the Sahara.  It took us 4-days to run the shortest route down the West coast.  We learnt very quickly how valuable our practise in Morocco had been.
<P></P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.2ridetheworld.com/gsclub_images/london_bikers/sahara_1.jpg"></P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.2ridetheworld.com/gsclub_images/london_bikers/sahara_2.jpg"></P>
<P>We thougth we'd done so well on the first day, after another 3 we were exhausted.</P>

...with the exhausting riding of the Sahara proper behind us, we'd reached Mautitanias capitol Nouakchott, on New Years eve 2003/2004.  I remember a stange mix of exhuastion and exctement taking over as we lay outside the tent that first night. We did our best to keep tired, red soar eyes open, before conceding defeat and sleeping on the beach on the outskirts of the city.

<P>We'd wanted to head South East.  We waited at Lac Rose on the outskirts of Dakar in Senegal for the final leg of the 2004 Dakar Rally to see friends finish and then pushed on.  </P>
<P>Our learning curve was about to get steep...again.  En route to Mali's capital, Bamako we chosen an 'off the beaten track' route, run out of water, halucinated and faced our first tough water crossing.  If the bikes didn't make it there was no 'recovery option', the trip was over and 3-years of planning was sunk...literally.  We'd imagned once or twice how we'd deal with this kind of obstacle.  We'd wanted to be relaxed, cool, even blase.  That didn't happen and I was more like the little scared boy who didn't want to go to 'big school' on the very first day! :
<P>I wish we'd taken more photos or video but at the time we were dealing with managing our panic attacks.</P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.2ridetheworld.com/gsclub_images/london_bikers/mali_river1.jpg"></P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.2ridetheworld.com/gsclub_images/london_bikers/mali_river2.jpg"></P>
<P>Bloody hell those photos bring back some vivid emotions!</P>
Cheers
Simon T

...mali & things get tough

In some countries much of the infrastructure is so weak that gravel, dirt, sand and mud trails literally are the only routes joining locations/villages/towns. 

That said Lisa and I love to get to unusual places and really thrill at getting well off the beaten track.  That often means takeing routes that are unknown or simply known to be tough and so western tourist/travellers don't go.</P>
<P>The reward for 4-days of gruelling travel in Mali was arriving at a small hut village, not on any map, finding the chief to ask for his permission and protection to stay the night and realizing via communication with the villagers that they'd never seen a white person!!!  We've all seen National Geographic and the discovery channel and been taken to the most remote corners of the world, I didn't realize that there were still places, so remote that a white person was unknown, an oddity.  Something to be stared at, poked at, giggled at and studied.  </P>
<P>...travel truly is a privelidge!</P>
<P>Without 'back-up' teams and researchers etc, there are times when you find natureal abstacles but you can always find away, up, over or around It's part of the challenge and the reward.</P>
<P>Beofore the Amazon leg our worst day of riding was 13-hours for a gain of 20 miles.</P>
<P>Here's a few photos from the easier stuff in Mali, again it's 'off-raod'</P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.2ridetheworld.com/gsclub_images/london_bikers/mali_rock_track_2.jpg"></P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.2ridetheworld.com/gsclub_images/london_bikers/mali_washout_climb.jpg"></P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.2ridetheworld.com/gsclub_images/london_bikers/senegal_group_lisa.jpg"></P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.2ridetheworld.com/gsclub_images/london_bikers/gambia_dust_road.jpg">
Funny...I just remembered,  a fraction of a second after Lisa took that photos of me riding up the incline out of the river bed, I had my first accident.  the pannier hit the mud bank (seen just beneath the left pannier) and spat the bike over.  I dislocated my shoulder and broke two ribs.  you think about daft things when you're hurt.  I remeber that all I could think about wondering what to do about my shoulder, was Mel Gibson in the 'Lethal Weapon' films.  trust me it hurt more than it does in the films </P>
<P>I'll post some photos soon.</P>
<P>Cheers
Simon T

...it's all worth while

After long tiring dusty days, these kind of Sunsets seem to make it all worth while!
<P>Here's a couple of 'Bush Camping Photos'.</P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.2ridetheworld.com/gsclub_images/london_bikers/africa_camp_sunset_1.jpg"></P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.2ridetheworld.com/gsclub_images/london_bikers/africa_camp_sunset_3.jpg"></P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.2ridetheworld.com/gsclub_images/london_bikers/africa_camp_sunset_2.jpg"></P>
Cheers
Simon T

...Nigeria's having problems

By the 11th March we'd ridden, skidded, slipped, crashed and survived North West Africa...just!
<P>A delay in Spain has cost us dear and we were a month later than planned, making a crossing East to West, Sudan via Chad a risky proposition.  What wasn't helping was a renewal of fighting at the border, so much so that the respective countries had closed it.  shi.t!</P>
<P>We had no choice now other than to attempt the West coast.  At the Nigerian border we were stopped in our tracks. Panicked people were now fleeing East.  The run up to the general Elections had the country in more turmoil than usual.  300+ people being killed at the border was more than enough to turn us around.  Amazingly we've seen no news commnetary on this anywhere!</P>
<P>After a few days of researching it was now becoming clear that our only option was to book a ship and sail down to Cape Town or Jo' burg.  We hated the idea. The whole point was we wanted to Ride there.</P>
<P>Miracles do happen..and often in bars when your drunk stupid and the ugly girls and looking pretty! </P>
<P>We'd met Barry a South African, who was in a worse state than we were.  A deal was struck!  he owned a small 'non-cargo bearing' plane and he'd fly us past Nigeria.  We'd pay for the fuel.  We'd land in Soa Tome off the East Coast of Africa 'cause there's cheap jet fuel, fill up and the job would be a good'n!</P>
<P>We eventually landed on the Namibian border, before making our way South again to Cape Town.</P>
<P>The plane was cramped, just check out the photos.</P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.2ridetheworld.com/gsclub_images/london_bikers/ghana_plane_1.jpg"></P>
<P>An excert from our diary:</P>
<P><FONT size=1><EM>The first job of the day was removing all the aircraft seats, the lot had to be stripped. With the seats out, anything else that could be removed, was; small tables, even partitioned walls all had to come out. WeÔÇÖd measured the height and width of the plane but being inside again doubts began to set in. </EM></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=1><EM>Its going to be tight. By midmorning the plane was stripped bareIt was now make or break time as we rolled the R1100GS up to the bottom of the makeshift wooden ramp wed built, which was now propped up against the door to the plane. After a couple of almighty efforts to shove the red lump up the steep ramp it was obvious we were going to need more hands. The airfield fire crew were only too keen to lend a hand. So with Barry and Toll inside the plane and Stefan, Dieter, myself and the entire fire crew outside, we physically manhandled the GS up and into the plane.</EM> </FONT></P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.2ridetheworld.com/gsclub_images/london_bikers/ghana_plane_2.jpg"></P>
<P>It was a tight fit </P>
Cheers
Simon T

...South Africa at last

By the time we'd reached Cape Town we were paying the price.  We'd both lost just under 2-stone (25 pounds) of body weight.  Now we could think about looking after the bikes making the repairs we needed and prepare for the next leg...South Africa to Uganda (South to North) and back!
<P></P>
<P>...there was of course the opportunity to 'just ride and explore'.  No bags, no panniers and no weight. South Africa, what an amazing country.</P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.2ridetheworld.com/gsclub_images/london_bikers/cape_town.jpg"></P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.2ridetheworld.com/gsclub_images/london_bikers/abbg_ride_de_hell.jpg"></P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.2ridetheworld.com/gsclub_images/london_bikers/abbg_ride_de_hell2.jpg"></P>
<P>I'll try and find some of the 'bike repair' photos.</P>
Cheers
Simon T

You two either owe me for tea bags at South Sound, or I'll accept a small article on www.unchainedworld.com for one or more of your fav unchaineds.

3 cups is still on for October, but gets sillier by the week.

I hope you are both keeping well and that on the next lap of the globe, you'll drop in, where-ever we may find ourselves.

Can't see Seattle/USA beyond 2010.

Wow. I'll say it again louder WOW.
Thank you so much for taking the time to post your ride report here. As an armchair rider (due to recovery from shoulder surgery) I was delighted to see your report and pictures.

Wishing a speedy recovery and the continuation of your journey.

ahhh tea!

'ello lamble

hey congratulations, I've just clicked onto 'Unchained' and it's looks great. A lot of work that most wont appreciate.

So, quick, whilst I've a little time (now only a few days) how do I log onto your site and what kind of article do you want, or for that matter what country???

Give us some parematers...(sure that's spelt wrong but I'm on my third Mojito)

SIBUD...Hi,

what happened to the shoulder? Shark attack? Climbing accident? Trapese incident?

Cheers
Simon T

...bike overhaul

<P>With the help of our good friend Alf we set about overhauling the bikes at his dads garage (at his home).  The engines had faired well but both the bikes needed some TLC and the subframe of the 1100 needed some reinforceing.</P>
<P>...and so the surgery began.</P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.2ridetheworld.com/gsclub_images/london_bikers/1100gs_overhaul_1.jpg"></P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.2ridetheworld.com/gsclub_images/london_bikers/f650gs_overhaul_1.jpg"></P>
<P> </P>
<P>Lisa's 650 looks more like R3d2 from Sar Wars than a bike.</P>

...orgasm's and wildlife

We'd spent our time in South Africa well.  We'd made friends that we knew would stay friends for life, got the bikes back into shape and had even managed to put on the pounds of weight we'd lost comming down the East coast.
<P></P>
<P>With bags once again packed and the bikes loaded up we headed North East and up the 'Garden Route' towards Jo'burg and made a bee line for Botswana.  </P>
<P>...every now and again you see somthing very ordinary, that demands a second, third and maybe even a fourth look.  This is especially true of adverts in foreign countries.  This was an advert for a breakfast which , was placed on every table in the cafe...</P>
<P> <IMG src="http://www.2ridetheworld.com/gsclub_images/london_bikers/get_revenge.jpg"></P>
<P>:w00t::w00t::w00t::w00t:</P>
<P>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------</P>
<P>Now bearing in mind that us Brit's are easily impresed by wildlife...the Americans have the 'Bold Eagle', the Auzzie's have the kangaroo, the welsh have their dragon, even the Peruvians have a bloody lama.  What do we have?  sheep and a few million wet pigeons!!!</P>
<P>Now as motorcyclist we are not allowed into national parks in Africa, with the exception of Uganda and they couldn't really care if you get eaten by the wildlife or not.</P>
<P>So, all the animals we photographed are wild.  Some shot around our camp, other whilst we walked. At the time we were using a regular 'point and shoot camera', no flashy lenses, so we're as close tothe animals as you think we are.</P>
<P>I don't have the elequance to articulate the emotions of being this close to such amazing wildlife...incredible!  </P>
<P>tell me what you think...please!</P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.2ridetheworld.com/gsclub_images/london_bikers/elephant_1.jpg"></P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.2ridetheworld.com/gsclub_images/london_bikers/giraffe_kiss.jpg"></P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.2ridetheworld.com/gsclub_images/london_bikers/lion_cub_drinking.jpg"></P>

...living with the Massai

<P>We were now riding through what looked like the set from 'thorn Birds'.  A barren, vast dry savannah that made up so much of tanzania.  We wer using the Great North Road and riding North East for the coastal city of Dar Es Salem, where we pit stop and visit Zanzibar, the Spice Island.</P>
<P>We were lucky enough to make good friends and spent some time amongst the Massai.  We'd watch the TV countless times over the years when programmes would come on concerning Africa and been enthralled as the Massai were filmed.  Proud, suspicious and amazing to look at.  These guys were the real deal the last of the true warrior tribes. Being around them, knowing first names, drinking, eating and laughing with them was just sureal.</P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.2ridetheworld.com/gsclub_images/london_bikers/massai_women.jpg"></P>
<P>this young lady was looking for a husband.</P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.2ridetheworld.com/gsclub_images/london_bikers/tanzania_montage.jpg"></P>
<P>As thrilling as the Massai were, in equall porportion we were moved and touched by how unrelentingly hard life is here.  We never got used to seeing the kids with nothing and no hope of anything getting better.  We were struck by the courage and dignity of the Tanzanians.</P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.2ridetheworld.com/gsclub_images/london_bikers/tanzania_boy.jpg"></P>
<P> </P>
<P>..more to come soon.</P>
<P> </P>
Cheers
Simon T

Statdawg said:

Simon and Lisa since you were both doing well career wise what was the main spark that lead you to risk everything and begin your journey ?

There were a few HU Community RTW riders felt they were at a Plateau in their 30s and pictured that they may be doing the same thing for the rest of their lives. Was this similar in your lives ? Did some voice tell you that there was a different world to see than running a 50 hour a week job ?

Why a motorcycle and not a 4X4 over-lander ? Really both of you were on the road long before the Long Way Around so what inspired you to do this on a motorcycle ?

There are a few IT people that are RTW's tourers but they seem to work and do sections of the world on holiday. Was this concept foreign to you or were you driven to just do the RTW all at once ? To be more focused on the journey than having a security cushion perhaps.

Are you from a motorcycle family ? Are there others before you that were adventurer's, explorers, travelers or are you the first in your family to venture forth ?

Click to expand...

Hi Statdawg,

Wow, how do I begin to answer without writting a book?

mid'life crisis...no, well not the type you mean . Lisa and I have now been together 16-years, yep, she got me young. Niether of us do things by halfs and we'd taken motorcycle journies as vacations since 1997, soon realizing that the amount of kit we'd pack up and carry wasn't that different from the amount of kit we'd need for a much longer trip.

Bad days at work would came and go...and come and we'd down a few bottles of wine and begin to fantasize. I had a good job in marketing and Lisa had just returned to University as a mature student, when things went sour....read on.....

In the same year Lisa's dad had a quad' heart Bypass, my Mum was diagnosed with Cancer and I suffered a very bad motorbike accident which took off my right foot and ankle..bar a few tendons. Life turned to crap

We lost everything...cars, money, security, clothes, even furniture and the credit cards were maxed out whilst I pursued the car driver who'd hit me via the courts. The only things we refused to let go were the house and our two bikes. I was on my back for 18-months and it took two years to learn to walk again properly after 5 major surgeries.

...yeah, yeah all very sad...but, neither of us was happy. we were working ourselves to death, had a great income and no quality of life. The recovery time gave us time time to think, and yes all the old cliches are true. 'You only pass this way once, make the most of it'. 'Life's too short'! and my favourite...'it's better to regret the things you do, than the things you wished you'd one, when the opportunities have passed'!

the scariest part of the whole trip, was the deciding of it!

Why a motorcycle? We're bikers, for us there was simply no other alternative. For us the trip isn't about the kudos or even just seeing the countries, its about the riding. If your going to sacrifice, jobs, security, family and friends and everything else that comes with this gig, then you may as well do it on your 'own terms' and do it all the way.

To be able to look back at the end and know that you've ridden to and through the countries, their cultures indelibly making you. That you'd smelled and worn their dirt and grit with every passing mile, unable to do up the protection of those convenient windows. Now that's something you can look back and be proud of! It's the challenge and the reward.

Being on a bike and not cacooned in the protective sanctuary of a 4X4 forces you get much closer to countries and more importantly their people, and face many situations that you'd otherwise retreat from, due to nothing more than our own individual insecurities.

You have to communicate, to befriend and learn. Our journey has been all the better because we chose to do it on motorycles. 16-year angry russian soldier kids, scary looking Tourag nomads, Peruvian militia and Colombian drug lords all have one thing in common. They want to sit on the bikes, they want to rev' the engines, they want to imagine themselves heading off into the sunset on these massive metal machines. We're all the same. Motorcycles are the ultimate 'barrier breakers'!! Check out the image below which I put together in a matter of minutes, we have so many with people and the bikes.



We planned initially to be away for two years. Since then we've simply fallen in love with not knowing where we'll be each evening. Now we're attempting Guiness World records and giving presentations, all of which wasn't part of the original plan. we've learnt to adapt the journey has taken on a life of it's own.

Familes??? Lisa comes from a motorcycle family. her dad rode one and both her sister did, in fact Caroline Lisa's middle sister rides a 1600 Harley but is about to buy a Yamaha 660 XT for a ride to Timbuktu with her new man Nick Sanders (biking legend...see more on him here www.nicksanders.com)

My dad did ride for a short time, although I was told i couldn't get a bike. I've now only been riding for 11-years.

See, I still ended up writing a book That was fun to write.

Thanks for asking
Simon T

I have been following your trip on HU as well, and am amazed at what the both of you have accomplished!!
Finally a chance to say what a great job you guys have done!!

thanks for the kind words

...out of interset which HU articles/threads re our trip have you been following?Love to know

Cheers
Simon