'For every problem there exists a simple and elegant solution .... which is absolutely wrong'. .... J Wagoner
I blame Ted Simon, who back in the 70's, rode his Triumph around the world and wrote about his exploits in his book 'Jupiter's Travels'. I was a teenager at the time, full of piss and vinegar, discovering the general wonders of life and the more specific marvels of girls. I'd already established a love of motorbikes and at the age of 17, given the money and a passport, I would have gladly packed my acne cream and followed Ted Simon's example. Sadly for me, ... the closest I got to mirroring his exploits was buying a Readers Digest World Atlas and continuing my daily commute to college on a Suzuki AP50. Not quite as far, not quite as exciting, .... but the plans for a 'Great Adventure' were begining to form.
Fast Forward some 30 years, and putting my university degree to good use, I was a Despatch Rider in London and working my way towards the 'Million Mile Club'. I was single, too old and broke to race bikes anymore and stuck in a rut so deep that it would take more than your average mid-life crisis to extract me. Perhaps it was karma, .... or maybe the guy in the Ford Focus really was registered blind, but shortly after he had parked his car on my Suzuki Bandit at around the national speed limit, I had my 'Epiphany' moment. I spent several days standing at my computer whilst the embarrassing, yet confidence boosting swelling, subsided. With discomfort keeping me from my more usual Internet interests, I discovered 'Google Earth'. It took me about 4 hours to scroll around the world from London to London, ... simply following roads that seemed to head in an easterly direction. I figured that given a little luck and a lot of blind faith, I could actually ride around the world. I didn't have any money,.... but at the time, my balls were certainly large enough. I just knew that I had to extricate myself from the rut of inactivity, .... and a little adventure was the obvious solution. It would take a lot of planning and a high degree of 'Blagging', but it was more than a possibility. In short, .... I saw it as a series of short journeys carried out day after day until I return to my starting point, not unlike Despatch Riding really. 'How difficult can it be?'.
I blame Ted Simon, who back in the 70's, rode his Triumph around the world and wrote about his exploits in his book 'Jupiter's Travels'. I was a teenager at the time, full of piss and vinegar, discovering the general wonders of life and the more specific marvels of girls. I'd already established a love of motorbikes and at the age of 17, given the money and a passport, I would have gladly packed my acne cream and followed Ted Simon's example. Sadly for me, ... the closest I got to mirroring his exploits was buying a Readers Digest World Atlas and continuing my daily commute to college on a Suzuki AP50. Not quite as far, not quite as exciting, .... but the plans for a 'Great Adventure' were begining to form.
Fast Forward some 30 years, and putting my university degree to good use, I was a Despatch Rider in London and working my way towards the 'Million Mile Club'. I was single, too old and broke to race bikes anymore and stuck in a rut so deep that it would take more than your average mid-life crisis to extract me. Perhaps it was karma, .... or maybe the guy in the Ford Focus really was registered blind, but shortly after he had parked his car on my Suzuki Bandit at around the national speed limit, I had my 'Epiphany' moment. I spent several days standing at my computer whilst the embarrassing, yet confidence boosting swelling, subsided. With discomfort keeping me from my more usual Internet interests, I discovered 'Google Earth'. It took me about 4 hours to scroll around the world from London to London, ... simply following roads that seemed to head in an easterly direction. I figured that given a little luck and a lot of blind faith, I could actually ride around the world. I didn't have any money,.... but at the time, my balls were certainly large enough. I just knew that I had to extricate myself from the rut of inactivity, .... and a little adventure was the obvious solution. It would take a lot of planning and a high degree of 'Blagging', but it was more than a possibility. In short, .... I saw it as a series of short journeys carried out day after day until I return to my starting point, not unlike Despatch Riding really. 'How difficult can it be?'.
(And Yes, ... that is me on my Dad's Triumph Thunderbird, circa 1963 .. I've not really changed much. This picture will take on new meaning once I've arrived in Boonville California, the home of my Brother Alan and his family. Unfortunately you'll have to wait until then to find out exactly why.)
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4 comments:
You're right Geoff, with leathers & less hair, that's exactly how you look on your new Triumph Tiger
We're you ever that young Geoff?
Hey 'Slow88', you were a lot faster back then but you still bleached your hair. (At least you had hair, small mercies)
I work on the Dave Monk programme at BBC Essex. We wondered if you would be available for a telephone interview on Tuesday at 9.10am to talk about your journey?
You can get me on 01245 616045.
Best wishes
Leona Murray-Green
Dave Monk Programme
BBC Essex
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