Synopsis of RTW 2006
I realise that this blog is:
1. Back to front (start / finish)
2. Long and drawn out
So, here is a synopsis of the trip.
On a whim, I decided to ride a motorbike around the world - did not own a bike, did not poses a bike licence and only ever pooed in the woods once.
This blog starts in November 2005 - I was well on the way to arranging all that was necessary to leave home (the UK) on April 01, 2006 and ride east until I arrived home again.
Harwich to Holland, across Europe to the Croatian coast line. Down the coast to Albania, Greece and onto Turkey. I had been working in Turkey prior to leaving and spent a week with my old boss.
Through Turkey and a ferry across the Black Sea to Russia - mad Russia! In Kazakhstan I met 'The Italians' and rode with them for a month until we split - them to China and me North back into Russia.
Tree Planting in Russia and met 'The Russians'. An accident left me on my own again - riding across Mongolia chasing 'The English'. I finally caught the English and spent a long time in UB waiting for John to get a visa so we could travel together back into Russia. North East to the end of Russia - Magadan - along the famous Road of Bones. The flight to Alaska was cancelled, so we flew south to Seoul and East to Los Angeles where we lived in a car.
America was uneventful - San Francisco, Portland, Vancouver, Anchorage, the Rockies and then New York. Ate mainly at MacDonald's - until NY where we had the best home cooked food. A flight to Portugal to kill time whilst the bikes flew to Heathrow. A few days around the UK catching up with new friends, friends and work colleagues. Brief stop at etribes and my last MacDonald's before I made it home on September 16, 2006.
Stats
25316 miles
1900 litres of fuel (£1100)
167 days
5000 photos
3 tyres (plus 2 that I finished with)
Total cost - around £10-£12k (£4.5k on plane tickets for me and the bike)
How many times we were ask:
how much $ [the bike] - 472
How many liters of fuel in the tank
where did you jump from? - 1
Punctures - 0 (zero)
Falls/offs/drop the bike - more than 20, less than 50!
hangovers - 1
Traffic fines - 2
Greased the palm of corrupt officials - 1
FAQ
The Long Way Round inspired me.
No, no satellite phone.
Yes, bloody heavy - at maximum it weighed 340kg.
42 litres - enough for almost 500 miles.
Not really, just a front fork sealed that I repaired in the US.
No John is not my father or brother…..we just kinda look alike.
No, first time I had been 'travelling' - John had cycled around the world the year before plus other long distance cycling.
31 and John is 43 (as of end 2006).
No, nothing planed…..not unless you have a suggestion and need a travelling companion!!?!??!
Yes, I ride it regularlly
Now, I am doing normal stuff back home – like this, this and this.
- Posted by mark stowe on 29/10/2007.
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Calendar
One of my pictures has been chosen to feature in the 2008 Horizons Unlimited Calendar.
You can purchase a copy of the calendar from here.
'John's bike on the raod to Jaktusk' June 26, 2006. Exact location here.
- Posted by mark stowe on 22/10/2007.
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More Jealousy
I spotted a overland bike at work last week....within a few minutes i had spotted a helmet on a desk and got chatting to Dan.
He is leaving the uk in September 2007 to ride his Africa Twin to Cape Town!!
http://brighton2capetown.googlepages.com/
- Posted by mark stowe on 21/08/2007.
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Is this fate?
Today, i finally signed an employment contract with Ford Motor Company - almost 14 months after leaving, i have a permanent job back with them.
So....i get home a catch up with email and find that Ewan and Charley have just started a new journey - here
They left Scotland on Saturday (May 12) - here
Is this fate? Can my bank account take another trip. Will my new boss find it funny when i tell him i want to leave? Can mother take another summer of worry?
Advice?
- Posted by mark stowe on 15/05/2007.
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From Russia (with Love?)
The Very nice lady that planted a tree for me in her slowly growing forest wrote to me today....
I sent here some pictures of my visit to here 'hotel'....she sent me a letter back with some photographs.......any idea what she has written?
- Posted by mark stowe on 20/01/2007.
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Videos added
I have added some videos here.- Posted by mark stowe on 02/01/2007.
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RTW Talk
I was asked if i could 'do a talk' to my niece and nephew's school......
Attached (here) is a copy of the presentation - i also showed a few pics and a couple of videos. You can make up your owns words to the slides.....i have no notes to accompany them.
I think it went down well....in that they did not fall asleep and they asked lots of questions and came up with lots of answers to my questions.
My favourite answers were:
Me : What do you think i may have had in my panniers?
5 year old : Sandwiches?
6 year old : Grapes?
I am available to do more talks......rates are negotiable!!!
September 16
OK....last 'day by day' post......
Rode across town to where it all started.....the One Stop Training Shop to meet Mark and Phil. I partially hold these two responsible for the last six months as they taught me how to ride!!!
Thanks gents!!!
- Posted by mark stowe on 19/09/2006.
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September 15
Yes...i know i have finished my trip....but some people might be interested....well, i know my Mum will be, so that is one person at least!!!
Rode to Harwich (to meet the person who i hoped would 'run up to me, jump on me and kiss me passionatley (like in the movie Love Actually)'. As i parked up - outside the cafe where i had left the UK months earlier - i was so excited about seeing this sight and thinking 'last time i saw that i was on it'.
However...i was way more excited about seeing Helen. Champagne and sushi for lunch.......now i felt like i was home!!!!
- Posted by mark stowe on 18/09/2006.
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East Anglian Daily Times
Read all 'bout it..... (see the 'attachment' link below) or:
A LONE motorcycle rider came home yesterday after spending six months travelling the world.
Mark Stowe set out on the open road on April 1 with only his BMW motorbike for company, but ended up making countless friends on his epic journey through 22 different countries.
Mr Stowe, from Stanway, began his adventure in Holland, before travelling through Europe, Russia, across Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Siberia and onwards to Alaska, Canada and finally America, clocking up a total of 25,000 miles.
The former engineer was inspired to take up the unusual voyage after watching Long Way Round, a documentary of film star Ewan McGregor and a friend travelling from London to New York on motorbikes.
Mr Stowe had never even ridden a motorbike before but was so keen to achieve the ambition that he enrolled straight on to a crash-course in riding and never looked back.
Mr Stowe said: “I've learnt that whenever you are having a low, you have to tell yourself a high will be coming along soon.
“You have to expect things to go wrong because they inevitably will at some point.”
One friend he is certain to keep in touch with is fellow Englishman John Yates, whom he met in Mongolia - they are currently planning another trip together for sometime next year.
“It was a lot easier to meet people than I had thought. You have to make friends or you would end up going mad with no one to talk to.”
Mr Croft [Eh...Mr Croft? - ed]was sponsored by the Sudbury-based Internet company e-tribes. He is hoping to work as an engineer again before setting off on further travels, but he said he might need to buy a new bike when he does.
“I wasn't the most experienced of riders when I started my journey - and let's just say the bike is not quite in the same condition now as when I set out,” said Mr Stowe.
