the Ferret
Road warrior
Thread starter
And by that, I don't mean who rides an ADV style bike, I mean someone who is willing to take off on a motorcycle putting themselves in strange and maybe compromising situations?
I am reading a book I got for Christmas, "No Thru Road" by Clement Salvadori. Amazing stuff. (I also have read "10 Years on a Motorcycle" by Helge Pederson.) I'll admit, I have been a long time Rider Magazine subscriber, over 30 years, for which Salvadori is a staff travel writer. Salvadori has never been my favorite writer, I much prefer Peter Egan ( Cycle World) with whom I can relate, who has tried to cross the U.S. on a Norton .. If you consider that an adventure lol... I would. (I have all 3 of his books)
However the IDEA of Adventure touring intrigues me very much. Imagine riding on 6 continents, thru areas where roads are sometimes optional, where gas can be iffy. Where medical help could be hundreds of miles away. Where you are not familiar with the language, where food could be decidedly unappetizing, far from friends, family, even communication at times. Where border crossings can sometimes come with detention and interrogation, where you must rely on your own mechanical skills to keep you rolling.
My biggest motorcycle adventure was going to Europe, with Edelweiss motorcycle tour company, with prearranged hotels and meals, guides and a chase vehicle, where everyone at least would attempt to communicate in English....and I put that off for 5 years after I had saved the money because I was afraid I wouldn't be able to find food I would like...and I still suffered a lot of stress on the trip ( just ask my wife) Thank goodness she was with me, as she is pretty much unflappable in the face of adversity.
I've travelled all over the United States and some parts of Canada by motorcycle, but I am never far from people that speak my language, food I will eat, or gas stations, or motels, or hospitals or AAA if I need them, or rental cars, or an airport as a last resort. Even then sometimes on the road I feel the stress of not being " at home".
I could never be an Adventure motorcyclist. Too much uncertainty for me. I do however have the utmost admiration and respect for those that could or do. The more I read Salvadori's book the more respect I have for him as a motorcyclist.
So what do you think? Have you done it? Do you think you could do it? Would you like to do it?
I am reading a book I got for Christmas, "No Thru Road" by Clement Salvadori. Amazing stuff. (I also have read "10 Years on a Motorcycle" by Helge Pederson.) I'll admit, I have been a long time Rider Magazine subscriber, over 30 years, for which Salvadori is a staff travel writer. Salvadori has never been my favorite writer, I much prefer Peter Egan ( Cycle World) with whom I can relate, who has tried to cross the U.S. on a Norton .. If you consider that an adventure lol... I would. (I have all 3 of his books)
However the IDEA of Adventure touring intrigues me very much. Imagine riding on 6 continents, thru areas where roads are sometimes optional, where gas can be iffy. Where medical help could be hundreds of miles away. Where you are not familiar with the language, where food could be decidedly unappetizing, far from friends, family, even communication at times. Where border crossings can sometimes come with detention and interrogation, where you must rely on your own mechanical skills to keep you rolling.
My biggest motorcycle adventure was going to Europe, with Edelweiss motorcycle tour company, with prearranged hotels and meals, guides and a chase vehicle, where everyone at least would attempt to communicate in English....and I put that off for 5 years after I had saved the money because I was afraid I wouldn't be able to find food I would like...and I still suffered a lot of stress on the trip ( just ask my wife) Thank goodness she was with me, as she is pretty much unflappable in the face of adversity.
I've travelled all over the United States and some parts of Canada by motorcycle, but I am never far from people that speak my language, food I will eat, or gas stations, or motels, or hospitals or AAA if I need them, or rental cars, or an airport as a last resort. Even then sometimes on the road I feel the stress of not being " at home".
I could never be an Adventure motorcyclist. Too much uncertainty for me. I do however have the utmost admiration and respect for those that could or do. The more I read Salvadori's book the more respect I have for him as a motorcyclist.
So what do you think? Have you done it? Do you think you could do it? Would you like to do it?
I had a young fellow from the Czech Republic help me lay our porcelain kitchen tile. My Czech was nonexistent, his English was not much better and we got along famously. Communications can be the least of your worries. 
