"To see the earth as it truly is, small and blue and beautiful in that eternal silence where it floats, is to see ourselves as riders on the earth together, brothers on that bright loveliness in the eternal cold." - Archibald MacLeish (1892 - 1982)
"I like to believe that people in the long run are going to do more to promote peace than our governments. Indeed, I think that people want peace so much that one of these days governments had better get out of the way and let them have it." - Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890 - 1969)
Welcome to the Bikes and Bios Chapter of the Silk Road 2007 Live!Journal. Here, you can meet the intrepid riders on this year's 13,000 kilometer moto-adventure from Istanbul, Turkey, to Xian, China, the ancient start of the Silk Road, and City of the Terra Cotta Warriors.
As webmaster and archivist, I asked each participant to tell us a little about themselves, and to also submit a few of their favorite pictures with their biography. In order to preserve their story, only minor edits for punctuation and formatting were made. As is true in every Chapter of the Live!Journal, the stories are their own. Unless otherwise noted, all images on this page were submitted by the respective autobiographers, and are used with their permission. Images may have been formatted to fit the page.
It gives me great pleasure to introduce the riders and participants of the GlobeRiders Silk Road Adventure 2007!
Best Regards, Your WebMeister,
Mike M. Paull - Seattle, Washington, USA
Lat/Lon: N47 42.983 W122 22.397
Participant:
Black, Henry
From:
California, USA
Motorcycle:
2006 BMW R1200GS
GlobeRiders Tours:
Silk Road Adventure 2007
About Henry . . .
My name is Henry Black, a retired C.P.A. living, about 20 minutes north of San Francisco, in Larkspur, California.
In addition to being retired, I suffer from MBS (multiple bike syndrome) as I have three of them. The only one that is remotely suitable for any sort of dirt riding is my Touratech bike (poorly disguised as a BMW R 1200 GS). I have been riding since 1964 and have managed to ride in 25 countries on organized tours and three more countries on disorganized (solo) tours.
I am looking forward to this tour not only to travel with new people; but also to sightsee in storied parts of the world that I have as yet to visit.
I should be easy for the rest of the group to pick out in a crowd as what's left of the hair on my head looks like a Q-tip- FLAMING WHITE. Well, I am 66!
I live with my wife and one of our two daughters- no grandkids.
I am going to get a small foretaste of our trip when I ride to Mexico (Copper Canyon Rim, Baja, etc.) in February.
While I don't normally anticipate upcoming events, this trip has me excited.
My name is Mark Boyadjian and I live in Northern California with my wife Julie and our two boys David and Michael.
I too grew up with a little mini bike and spent a considerable amount of energy avoiding citations. Although I haven't spent as much time riding as some of the other GlobeRiders, I appreciate the different challenges and excitement that both on and off-road riding offer.
However, if I had to pick just one, I would probably head off-road. During the summer, I participated in an off-road adventure camp, RawHyde Adventures, geared toward the GS/Adventure crowd and I had an absolute blast. I learned first hand that these bikes can do practically anything off-road that you ask of them, except maybe fly.
I am very much looking forward to this trip not only because of the historical significance of the passage but also because of the experience I will gain from the challenge of riding fully loaded on less than perfectly groomed roads.
Currently, I have a 2005 BMW GS and a Honda CRF 450 that I enjoy very much too.
Finally, I have to say that my wife Julie has been extremely supportive and that I consider myself very fortunate to be able to participate on this adventure.
I started contemplating this adventure ride about the same time my fiance and I were planning our wedding.
Fast forward 2 years and my wife and I are expecting in March, and I am humbled to say my wife has not only given her blessing, but has been incredibly supportive.
This adventure ride is one of my life's dreams, but I am struggling to find the courage to leave my new family to travel 1/3 of the way around the planet on a motorcycle.
As I write this, it sure doesn't seem like a reasonable thing to do. The words of Alberto Granado rang true for me. In an interview on Motorcycle Diaries he said to go on such an adventure you must be a bad husband, a bad father, a bad son. My hope is to return and somehow try to deserve what I've been given and be the best father and husband I can be.
So who am I? By day I am an engineer for Cisco Systems, and live in Raleigh, NC with my wife Soledad and a silly Border Collie/Springer mix named Tyson. Since I was a boy I've always been fascinated by mechanical things, especially anything with 2 wheels. My brother and I rode our dirt bike all over the Minnesota countryside.
Today I enjoy riding, restoring and collecting antique motorcycles. American brands that are rarely spoken of or seen on the road. Excelsior, Henderson, Ace, and Indian. I also have a BMW R1150GS Adventure and have toured many parts of the country with friends.
I consider myself very fortunate to have this opportunity and am very much looking forward to meeting everyone in Istanbul and discovering the Silk Road together.
I was born in the UK, raised in Edmonton, Alberta (Canada) and moved to Vancouver BC in my early twenties.
I’ve been involved with an international commercial diving company for all of my adult life.
My first bike at age 14 was a 1968 Yamaha 180cc for $600.00 purchased from the Sears Catalog. Rode that bike 'till the paint fell off. I had several other bikes during those “early” years, and in 1975 purchased my first BMW (an R90S) while attending the University of Alberta. I still have the R90S today, along with 7 other bikes.
I have traveled a lot for pleasure and business, motorcycle travel has of course been some of my favorite times. I’ve ridden through Europe several times, New Zealand, Mexico, South America the Maritimes, coast to coast several times across Canada and the USA as well as the GlobeRiders World Tour 2006.
Reading 10 years on 2 wheels led me to meet Helge and Mike. I felt privileged and honored to have ridden with them both on the GlobeRiders WT06 and look forward to riding with them again on the upcoming Silk Road 2007.
I was born in London England and live in village called Blackheath, in the southeast of London, very near Greenwich of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) fame.
I work in Information Technology and currently manage an IT Development department. I say currently because I’m leaving my job to undertake this trip. It is not an understatement to say that I am excited at the prospect!
I discovered motorcycles when I was 30 and have been riding 6 years. I’ve had my BMW R1200GS for a year and ride all year round, rain or shine. This year I’ve ridden to southern Spain, the Arctic Circle, Norway and Sweden. Over the last 12 months, I think I’ve bolted on every conceivable extra that Touratech makes for the R12GS – we’ll see if they fall off en route!
I will be completing a full round-the -world trip starting in London, working my way to Istanbul via Morocco. When my bike arrives back in Seattle, I plan to go up to Alaska, down the Rockies and then across to Montreal, from where I and the bike will be flying back to London. 6 months, 2 wheels, 1 world - should be a blast!
During the trip I will be collecting money for a cancer charity called Myeloma UK. The charity as been very supportive of my family over the last few years and this trip has given me an opportunity to return the favour. If you can, please donate here: http://www.justgiving.com/rupertsworld
Now retired which gives me time to do things I should have done before.
Motorcycling is relatively new to me. First trip was a week spent on a 500cc rented Enfield in Uttaranchal (India) in 2003 with spectacular scenery and some time spent running after tigers, only seeing fresh left overs (see picture).
Then bought my current motorcycle, a BMW 1200 GS in 2004 and apart from the occasional trips to such places as Scotland and Brittanny, made a one month 10,000km trip with my friend Spoerry (who is a participant to this trip) from Geneva to east Turkey via Hungary,Romania Bulgaria, the whole Black Sea coast etc., and back. It was very easy going and went very smoothly.
In 2005 I shipped by ferry the same bike to New York, this time with one of my sons on the back, and drove across to Long Beach via Montreal, Calgary, Lake Powell, LA etc.,
which was also about 10,000km and one month. It was late in the season and terribly cold and windy with some snow but thoroughly enjoyable, plus, we had fishing gear with us and caught lots of fish. The bike was returned from Long Beach to Zeebrugge (Belgium) by ferry boat.
From a biking point of view, it was uneventful, except that we had a collision with a Black bear at 90kh, which meant some trucking to Thunder Bay for provisional repairs
and then driving 800 kilometers with bent forks and no front suspension to Winnipeg where the local BMW dealer did a great job fixing up the bike getting parts overnight from all over the country.
In 2006 got more "intellectual" i.e. concerts, operas and these sorts of things with my wife.
Following Helge's recommendation I went to the BMW enduro training center in Hechlingen (Germany) to take a two-day course (excellent course) and had a beautiful ride to and from Hechlingen via Black Forest, Bavaria, Austria and the Swiss Alps. On the way I also spent one afternoon at the Touratech headquarters, where they installed a Garmin 276C which works to full satisfaction so far. They were very helpful, had a good look at the bike which appeared fine to them for the Silk Road trip.
Currently I live in Geneva. Hobbies include sailing (last month was on a sailing trip from Massawa to the Dahlak Islands in Eritrea), some vintage car rallying with a famous copilot (my wife). Thanks to her, and to my surprise, this year we won the Rallye du Maroc -San Remo Classic Combi.
Otherwise, powder skiing is one of my favorite pastimes (had great skiing in Turkey near Trabzon last winter) but overall getting more and more prudent (if not scared) about everything and trying to be more intellectual but it is hard.
Finally although I will travel under a Swiss passport and Swiss plates I am of French origin and good food is terribly important for my morale.
Our driver, showing all that we saw of the tigers....
Day 1, leaving Mercer Street in New York City, USA.
Being trucked in Canada after the collision with a black bear.
Day 60, at the end of the USA trip, in Santa Monica, California.
Participant:
Hansen, Roger
From:
New Jersey, USA
Motorcycle:
2006 BMW R1200GS
GlobeRiders Tours:
Silk Road Adventure 2007
About Roger . . .
Hi,
I was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey and still live near there part time. I now spend most of my time between Jupiter, Florida, Steamboat Springs, Colorado and traveling. I have been running my family's business since the early 70's and I am now trying to retire. To get an idea of the business you can look at the website: www.olehansen.com.
I started riding motorcycles in my early 20's, riding enduros for about 8 years. I then took about 20 years off from riding until one of my friends got me on his Harley. I ended up buying a few Harleys and taking a lot of tours around the USA. The best tour was traveling with my oldest daughter for a month across the US. She rode a Heritage Softail and I rode an Ultra Classic.
This fall I rode with a group called American Flyers and found that riding a BMW was a lot of fun and that I could use it to ride the forest roads in Colorado. I then started looking at what bike to get and came across the website for GlobeRiders. I love to travel and signed up for the wait list for the World Tour.
I am buying a R1200GS and will get it in January. I hope to break it in in Florida this winter and then ship it to California and ride it up to Seattle to ship to Turkey.
I have been married to Edwina for 36 years and have two daughters, Erika 32 and Jennifer 35. We also have an 8 year old granddaughter, Mia and a 6 month old grandson, Jaden. I love to ski, hike, play golf, shoot birds, and ride motorcycles.
The best trip I have taken in the last few years was a trek in Bhutan with my daughters. As soon as I get the BMW I will send a picture. As you can see, I also like to challenge myself with a mountain bike.
My name is Bill Jenkins. I am 46 years old and have lived in Ft. Smith, Arkansas for the past 14 years. I have been married to my wife Therese for the past 18 years. We have two wonderful children, a girl and a boy ages 14 and 11 respectively. Prior to returning to Ft. Smith, my wife and I lived in Anchorage, Alaska, where I worked for BP Exploration as a Petroleum Engineer on the North Slope. In 1992 we returned to Ft. Smith where I began work in my father’s business. In 1998 I purchased the company from my father and have enjoyed working for myself while carrying on the family business.
The only hobby that keeps me sane is riding motorcycles. I started riding when I was 12 on a Honda 50 Mini-Trail. Over the years I have gradually worked my way up to larger displacement bikes. I currently have three Beemer’s which include an 02’ RT1150, 05’ K1200S and a 06’ R1200GS Adventure. I enjoy the RT for the long highway routes cross-country and the K1200S for riding the “Pig Trails” in hillbilly land. However, I must say the new 1200GS Adventure is a gorilla on steroids that is unbelievably nimble and comfortable. I might just have to sell the other two, NOT!
I was born in Cleveland, Ohio at a young age with a mustache, much to my mother’s surprise!
During my youth, travel was limited to the 48 contiguous states, with an occasional jump up into Canada. Who can forget the family vacation in the summer of 1963 with my two brothers, my mother and father and grand parents in one car traveling from Ohio to California, way before the era of the large SUV! Ah, the luggage flying off the roof while traveling down the highway (my father was no Boy Scout), my Grandfather’s blood curdling screams when getting his hands caught in those new fangled power windows on the car. Then there was the visit to Wall Drug, the Grand Canyon, Old Faithful, and the Rodeo in Wyoming. Those were the good old days when one could still travel down the full length of Route 66.
After earning a degree in Engineering I realized that it was time to venture West where I found myself building high-rise buildings in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Los Angeles, California.
Then one day my life changed dramatically – I married an “Alien”, at least that is what the U.S. Immigrations Department tells me and you can’t argue with them, trust me! My wife Kristina is from New Zealand. When one decides to spend the rest of your life with an “Alien” your whole world changes and becomes much richer. Daily, ordinary things become different, all of a sudden you need to learn a new language – “The Queen’s English” or at least nod your head as if you understand. Actually I have in-laws that I still can’t understand and we are talking the same language – I think!
Anyway, once I met the Kiwi, the international traveling began and I was hooked. It was off to New Zealand to get married, traveled a year traversing the United States in a motor home with motorcycle in tow, settled in Colorado for a few years, lived in London for six months, moved to Connecticut for a summer, more travel to New Zealand and Australia and now we have settled down in Seattle, Washington for the past 6 years with our Golden Retriever, Cosmo.
This journey we are about to embark on is quite special for me; I will turn fifty on this quest somewhere in Turkey. I am looking forward to discovering/exploring unfamiliar cultures and people, while at the same time challenging myself by traveling on a motorcycle weighing over 600 pounds with all the gear on questionable roads. My motorcycle license plate reads “Vareki”, which in the Roma language of Gypsies means “wherever” and that is where she will take me on this adventure.
Packing will certainly be a challenge for this trip, however, I think Hans Mueller summed it up pretty well when he participated in the last Silk Road Tour:
Above all for this trip and for any trip, short or long, I must pack the right ATTITUDE:
The mental preparation is of the utmost importance.
Should I forget something, so be it. I need to adjust to the situation.
Should my bike fail I have to fix it.
Should I fall and get hurt, I need to heal and get over it.
Should anything happen on the way I need to carry a good ATTITUDE.
This is something that MUST be packed, must be in everybody’s luggage. The right attitude makes all the difference in the world. Panic is OK, but get over it and unpack the right attitude.
Get along with the folks you ride with. Look at the people you will meet and even if they are so different, give them respect and unpack some of your correct attitude.
Some call it respect for others but I call it more than that. My mind set must be set so that I look at others with an open mind and give them lee-way, give them room for their idiosyncrasies. It’s my ATTITUDE that will make all the difference for a good trip and I must not forget to pack that.
My name is Iason (Jason) Loumidis and I live in Athens, Greece. I am 33 years old. I am single, but I recently moved into a new house with my girlfriend Sofia, and my two German shepherds, Aiko and Luna.
A few words regarding my recent past.... After I finished high school in Greece, I studied for 4 years at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, USA. I graduated in May, 1996 with a degree in business administration. Next, I spent 2 years in Greece serving my time in the Greek Navy. Once I was released I immediately returned to the United States (New York) and I stayed for 3 years working for my family company, Loumidis, Food, Inc., which imports and distributes food & drink products from Greece to the US & Canada.
When I finally returned to Greece in 2001, I got a bit separated from my family business and I decided to start a new company with my brother in the field of automatic vending. Currently, I allocate time in both ventures, mainly living in Athens and often traveling to the United States.
Having secured back-up from both my father and my brother (thank you guys!) I decided it was the best time for me to take a break and be part of this adventure group.
Both my brother, Kimon, and I have always been into motorcycles, since we were young. I have had numerous bikes (Yamaha FZR250, Honda CBR600F, Suzuki GSXR750, Honda CBR900RR, Ducati 996SP, KTM LC4 640 Supermoto, Honda CR250). Apart from extensive street riding experience I have also had adequate off-road experience riding a CR250 for several years. Finally, I have had some Supermotard experience riding a KTM LC4 supermoto in local kart tracks.
Currently, I own a Ducati 996 that I use for track days and a Ducati Multistrada 1000DS for all-purpose use. I will be riding the Silk Road Tour aboard a BMW 1200GS Adventure.
For the past 6-7 years I have been riding with my biker friends in southern and central Europe, either simply touring around, or visiting MotoGP races (Imola, Muggelo, Brno, and Catalunya). Apart from motorcycling, I enjoy football (…I mean soccer <g>) and I hope that at least 11 of my fellow riders will be willing to form a team and challenge the local Asian soccer clubs throughout our adventure! In addition, I enjoy riding my mountain bike, running and snowboarding.
Participating in the Silk Road Tour will definitely be my biggest challenge and I am looking forward to meet and interact with the rest of the group, as well as visit outstanding destinations.
See you all in Istanbul on May 1st.… and sharing this wonderful experience! See “y'al” in Istanbul.
Kimon and I at the entrance to the legendary Imola race track in Italy.
Sofia, Aiko, Luna and myself at "Zagorohoria" in Epirus, Nothern Greece.
Hoping to stay in front . . . .
Linda and I enjoying Europe.
Namibian Desert - want to appear friendly to those who try to pass.
Linda and I on the Baltic Sea in Poland.
>
Participant:
Mathews, Mike
From:
South Carolina, USA
Motorcycle:
2002 Triumph Tiger
GlobeRiders Tours:
Silk Road Adventure 2007
Africa Adventure 2003
World Tour 2002
About Mike . . .
Dear Silk Road Live!Journal,
My name is Mike Mathews; 53 years I have spent gathering knowledge in this life. I live in Simpsonville, South Carolina. I am an electrical engineer, specializing in process control systems and instrumentation. I work for an engineering consulting company that allows me the time away for multiple-day motorcycle trips. I think 53 days could be considered multiple!
My boss still hasn’t figured out how I do it.
Motorcycles have been a passion of mine since I was a young boy and could sneak out to ride my friend’s bike in the middle of the night. Over the years more and more bikes seem to make their way into the garage and don’t know how to get them out.
I am not particular to any brand, but love two wheels. I have two vintage Honda motorcycles I race periodically. I really enjoy the competition, but consider myself semi-retired from the racing world. If you are going to Daytona in March, look me up. I will be there racing on the AHRMA Vintage Days.
I also enjoy the outdoors, participating in hiking, camping, backpacking and mountaineering.
I am a repeat GlobeRiders customer. I have traveled with Helge in South America, Asia, Europe and Africa riding my 1990 Honda Transalp.
The Transalp has been from South Carolina to Fairbanks, Alaska and back. It has also seen the landscape of Iceland. It has been a great motorcycle for all of my adventures. I am sad that American Honda does not bring it back into the US after discontinuing it in the Americas in 1990. It is, to this day, a very popular motorcycle in Europe.
I will be participating in the Silk Road Adventure, along with my girlfriend, Linda Sikorowski. Linda and I share many common interests including travel, motorcycles and the outdoors. We will be riding a Triumph Tiger for our “Two-Wheels-Two-Up” adventure.
Linda and I have traveled the last 3 summers in Europe on my BMW K1100RS so she is a seasoned motorcycle veteran. She is a great traveling companion, a friendly spirit, and will offer lots of laughter. I am very pleased that she will be joining me for the trip.
I look forward to meeting you all and sharing this wonderful experience. See “yal” in Istanbul.
My name is Dan Moore, and I live in Cleveland, Ohio with my wife, Marge and my Turkish Anatolian sheep dog, Dali. We will get chased by some of her cousins the first week of our trip! I have two children and four grandchildren. Marge is gracefully tolerating this trip, which she calls the Silk Road Sabbatical, and she plans to join us in Uzbekistan with one of her friends.
I have been riding motorcycles since I was age 13, starting with a Whizzer motorbike, and then a collection of British bikes – Matchless Norton, BSA, and a variety of Triumphs. I will be taking my 2000 BMW R1150GS on the tour.
I have done a number of “adventure trips”, including riding to Alaska and over the Brooks Range (picture attached), Baja Mexico and numerous trips in the western United States. Two years ago I took a one week ride through Turkey with Kaz (who I believe will be joining us on the Turkish leg of the trip) – he introduced me to Helge Pedersen’s trips.
When I am not riding motorcycles or sailing, I spend my time trying to think of solutions that involve material science, and running a portfolio of companies that have resulted from these ideas. My business activities have not allowed me to take more than a two-week vacation ever – and this trip will prove that I can do it.
I am looking forward to meeting all of you. Under Helge’s supervision, we are going to have a spectacular time!
Hello everyone. I am Jeff, the new guy with GlobeRiders, so I’m probably as anxious and excited about this upcoming Silk Road Adventure as any of you.
I’m not a rookie at international motorcycle travel, but having the opportunity to ride with so many fellow travelers from all over the world, and to learn under the watchful eyes of Helge and Mike Paull, is truly going to be a wonderful experience.
I am also greatly looking forward to flying my GS to London in April, and riding down to Istanbul to meet everyone for the start of the tour. I lived in Germany from 1998 to 2001, so I’m going to take the opportunity to visit with many old friends along the way.
There is a good deal of information about my background on the Bios page of GlobeRiders, so I will keep this short. Suffice it to say that I have been a traveler since birth. I was born in Germany in 1958 into a career military family. I then followed in my father’s footsteps, joining the military at the age of 17. So basically, I’ve moved to a new country or location about every 3 years for my entire life.
In between all those moves, we’ve had the opportunity to travel and see the world like few others have. Then, when I was about 30, I discovered the joy of traveling by motorcycle and I’ve never looked back. Since retirement, I’ve spent the last few years riding on my own to places that I’ve only dreamed of, and then I found GlobeRiders.
What an incredible way to travel, experience, learn, and begin to understand this world we all share! I look forward to learning from the experiences that each member of this adventure brings with them, and the camaraderie that comes with time together on the road.
Teresa and I currently live in old town Petersburg, Virginia. The children are grown and out of the house, so we are empty-nesters. Teresa owns her own import business and has two retail stores here in Virginia. She will be holding down the fort and continuing the renovation of the 100 year old warehouse we’ve moved into this last summer.
One of these days I hope she will join me for part of a GlobeRiders tour. She is a veteran pillion, having covered much of Europe, lots of North America, and part of Central America riding behind me. I am a very lucky man to have found a woman who loves to travel as much as I do.
See you all in Istanbul.
You may view Jeff's GlobeRiders Biography page by clicking here.
first experience with a motorized two-wheeled vehicle was a Sears and Roebuck mini-bike, equipped with a 3-1/2 horsepower Briggs and Stratton, pull-cord start, single-cylinder engine with a centrifugal clutch. This was back in 8th grade, and getting our knuckles wrapped by the dreaded Sister Dorothea for riding it around the school auditorium early one Sunday did nothing to dissuade me from what has become a life-long passion for motorcycling.
I road enduro back in the mid-seventies, then did some 6-hour endurance races in Open Production Class. I went through the café racer phase, then the sport phase, a sport touring phase, and finally found an obsession I didn't even know I had with the purchase of a 1993 BMW R100GSPD.
Since then, I’ve never wavered, and have sequentially owned a 2000 BMW R1150GS, a 2002 BMW F650GS Dakar, a 2003 and BMW R1150GS Adventure.
An accident in 2004 while touring in Russia resulted in a left-below-the-knee amputation (L BKA), so I decided to switch from two wheels to three. I commissioned a "global touring capable" 2005 BMW R1200GS/EZS Rally "L" sidecar combination from Pete Larsen of Liberty Motors in Seattle, WA, on which I completed the World Tour 2006. While the "UberHack" was being built, I also acquired a Russian-built Ural Gear-Up from Jim Pettiti of Raceway Services in Salem, OR, and that rig has taken me to places I'd be hesitant ride the Beemer into!
I am blessed to have the love and support of an amazing partner, my wife, and love of my life, Aillene, and two amazing children, Matt and Naomi. Although my being away is hard for Aillene, she gives me my freedom, and doesn't begrudge my passion for adventuring. She allows me to ride guilt-free, and enjoys touring with me when her frantic schedule as a nurse allows.
I’ve had the honor of working with Helge and GlobeRiders since 2002. All in all, it has been an amazing experience, and it allows me to fully engage myself in the world of global adventure touring. The planning and preparation is fascinating. I have the joy and pleasure of meeting many amazing client/riders on our adventures, and have made lasting friendships in the course of our tours.
What more could anyone ask from life?
The motorcycle is the perfect vehicle for exploring our world. It allows one to travel far in a fuel-efficient manner. It immerses you in the environment – the sounds, the smells, the very air (and rain!) you travel through. Most importantly, unlike the isolation imposed by a car, truck or bus, a rider is exposed and vulnerable, and thus, approachable. The motorcycle is a catalyst for conversation and friendship.
Once again, it looks like we have another amazing group of riders on this year’s tour. I look forward to an new and rewarding adventure. I can’t wait to get underway!
Best Regards and Safe Journeys, Wherever They May Take You!
"The world is a book and those that do not travel, read only a page." - St. Augustine
"... not all who wander are lost." - J. R. R. Tolkien
You may view Mike's GlobeRiders Biography page by clicking here.
Somewhere in the Alps with my lovely bride, Aillene.
Near the border of Iran, on tour in Eastern Turkey.
Jochen (on the left) and Herbert (on the right) at Nirvana for all GS riders, Touratech, AG in Niedereschach , Germany, after having the rig serviced and outfitted after the World Tour 2006.
Participant:
Pawluk, Peter
From:
Alberta, CANADA
Motorcycle:
2003 BMW R1150GS Adventure
GlobeRiders Tours:
Silk Road Adventure 2007
About Peter . . .
I am 48 years old and have been married to Sue for almost 18 years. We have 2 daughters: Katie, who is 13 and Abbe who is 9. These important ladies have been incredibly understanding and supportive in my decision to be away from them for 2 months this year.
We live in southern Alberta, Canada, at the interface between the prairies and the Rocky Mountains. This has to be one of the best places to live (at least in Canada) for year-round motorcycling. I can get out any month of the year just to keep the batteries charged.
When asked "what I do", the answer is father, traveller, motorcycle enthusiast and veterinarian.
Unfortunately it took me a few years to put it in this order.
I will be riding a 2003 R1150 GS Adventure with a few km and a couple of scars, but she's served me well so far. We've seen a lot of Canada and Montana together.
The opportunity to see central Asia fulfills a longtime dream. After following the Live!Journal for the 2005 Silk Road Adventure, I realized that it was possible to combine two passions into reality.
I want to thank my family and GlobeRiders for the opportunity to experience and learn something new, and look forward to meeting everyone..
My name is Helge Pedersen and I am the Founder of GlobeRiders, LLC.
I started out in life many moons ago in a little town in Southern Norway called Kristiansand. Today I call Seattle home and I settled here mainly because of my wonderful wife Karen Ofsthus. This is her home turf where she grew up and where her family lives and with her work at Woodland Park Zoo Seattle has become our base.
We are both very fortunate to be able to live out our passions, Karen with her work as an educator at the Zoo and I as a motorcycle world adventure traveler.
I love to ride my bike to foreign countries, meet people and learn about their cultures. The Silk Road Adventure is an incredible experience in this regard; the diversity of both landscapes and cultures makes this one of the best tours one can take by motorcycle.
With the creation of the Live!Journal we are happy to be able to share this journey with you. Thanks to the hard work from Mike Paull, Jeff Munn and the rest of the group that contribute
their stories to the journal. I am sure it will be a diverse and colorful journal.
Let’s Ride!
Helge Pedersen
"Experience is not what happens to you. It is what you do with what happens to you." - Aldous Huxley
You may view Helge's GlobeRiders Biographies page by clicking here.
A visit to Inner Mongolia in the summer of 2006 with my new BMW R1200GS Adventure, named "Taiga".
For me, traveling is all about meeting new people. This girl, I met in Siberia near Ulan Ude.
Dear Mr. BMW, after riding this bike for several weeks, I want one! After all, you named her HP2, Helge Pedersen Bike #2, could it be more clear?
Just wondering . . . .
With daughter Morgan, not far from Dali, China..
With the Sultans and local students at a rural school outside Midelt, Morocco.
Participant:
Shepherd, Jack
From:
Maine, USA
Motorcycle:
2003 BMW R1150GS Adventure
GlobeRiders Tours:
Silk Road Adventure 2007
About Jack . . .
For a change, I have been given the writing assignment rather than being the one issuing the charge. In fact the assignment comes in two forms, one from Mike Paull to produce a biography for the GlobeRiders Live!Journal, a running record of the ride from Istanbul, Turkey to Xian, China. The other, equally important comes from many of my former students and fellow members of staff at the Casablanca American School (CAS) in Casablanca, MOROCCO from which I departed in June 2006 after a total of eighteen years there as a teacher and administrator.
Back in 1987, as my wife and I prepared to depart for Casablanca with our two children, my R100RS found its way into the hands of a new owner. I had no idea that motorcycle riding, which had become such an important part of my life, would fade into the background in the life of the Shepherd family. Nonetheless, Morocco turned out to be a wonderful place to have a safe adventure. During our years there participating in the development of a fine school, we took the opportunity to see much of that fascinating country, traveled across North Africa, and often up into Europe. However, most of those journeys were in a 4WD of some sort.
Five years ago, nearing fifty, I succumbed to the call and bought an 1150GS that lived at our place on the coast of Maine and therefore, only got ridden in the summer. Having returned to riding, it didn’t take long before it was clear that I needed to do so year 'round and so three years ago I bought a BMW 1150 GS Adventure in Casablanca. It was invigorating to use it to escape the big city and wander the backroads of Morocco and occasionally venture to Spain, although many of the folks associated with the Casablanca American School wondered about the Rukka-clad rider who served as the Director. The majority of the five hundred students just thought it was cool.
At the start of school in September 2005, I announced that my wife and I would be departing at the end of the school year. Our children, Jack and Morgan, had both already graduated from CAS. Jack had finished college and entered the world of work, while Morgan was in her last year. The time had come for us to move on. Much occupied our final year—my wife enrolled in a program to complete her B.A., the school needed to be readied for our departure, we needed to take our leave after so many years, but through it all plans to hit the road began to take shape. Ultimately, my decision was that I would take the next year to ride, read, and reflect. Some might call it a “gap” year, a sort of sabbatical; I fully intended to benefit from the time.
Having studied the GlobeRiders web site, the ride that looked most practical, if that is the right word, for me to join was the Silk Road Adventure 2007, and so I signed up. As the year moved ahead and we packed other belongings, a decision about the GS Adventure had to be made. The choice was simple, either sell it or keep it. As the U.S. in its infinite wisdom makes it difficult to import a vehicle, keeping it meant keeping it out there somewhere. After much thought, I decided to ride it from Casablanca to Istanbul and join the GlobeRiders group there.
So, at the end of June 2006, following my last day at the school where I had learned so much and the magnificent wedding in Marrakech of a former student from my earliest years at CAS, I set off on the Adventure. North to the northern tip of the African continent where one enters Spain at Ceuta. Then a ferry took me across the Strait of Gibraltar to the European continent itself. In the hills above Valencia, at Aras de los Almos, I attended a BMW offroad riding school. Following a ten-day recovery period from a broken shoulder, I got back on the GS and crossed the Pyrenees into France where I zigzagged back and forth visiting friends from Casablanca. Then came a blast across Switzerland, the southern tip of Germany, and on to Vienna to see more friends from CAS. Finally back to Bavaria and Winter housing for the Adventure in a barn not far from Munich.
Shortly, after returning to the United States, my daughter and I flew to China for what was ostensibly her graduation present. With Morgan as a passenger, a small group of five, led by two guides, rode rented BMW’s for ten days through the mountains of Sichuan and Yunnan searching for Shangri-La. After a few more days sightseeing in Shanghai and visiting a former student in Ningbo, it was back to Maine and the first Fall with all of its splendor that my wife Tricia and I had experienced in twenty years.
Following the Winter, as Spring begins in March, I’ll fly back to Munich, liberate my Moroccan motorcycle from storage, head over the Alps, down the Adriatic Coast, cross Northern Greece, and finally arrive in Istanbul to meet the rest of the folks making this exciting ride through Central Asia.
Greetings from Linda Sikorowski….so far the only woman on the trip and the only passenger – that either makes me reckless and crazy, or confident and adventuresome – I’ll choose the latter.
I was born on New Year’s Eve in 1949 and spent my formative years growing up in an amusement park (literally) outside of Chicago, Illinois. The unique upbringing, and many other life experiences, has contributed to the importance I place on having fun and staying positive.
I’ve lived and worked in different parts of the U.S. After spending the summer of 1983 in Alaska with its incredible wildlife, I moved to Denver, Colorado to pursue a career in wildlife management. For 20 years, I worked with the Colorado Division of Wildlife, the last 10 years specializing in public involvement and public survey research.
My primary recreation has always been backpacking. I have sought all kinds of adventures that involved moving every day on 2 feet--the longer, the better (250 miles in the Sierras), the higher, the better (Mt. Kilimanjaro), and the more remote, the better (Arctic National Wildlife Refuge).
Thanks to Mike Mathews, my boyfriend, I’ve added the enjoyment of traveling every day on 2 wheels. I don’t have a motorcycle, I don’t drive one, and currently, I don’t have an interest in learning – I just love to ride along!
Since I retired two years ago, I have been living my passion for traveling and feeding my wanderlust with many fabulous trips with Mike and other friends, including Africa, Chile, Poland, Mexico, Costa Rica, Iceland and other European countries. During my more stationary times, you can find me in South Carolina with Mike, in Denver with my long-time friends, or in Florida with my family.
Mike is a great travel companion and a GlobeRiders veteran. We both love meeting new people and experiencing new cultures. The remoteness and intensity of the GlobeRiders’ trips have always intrigued me. Having never traveled in the Middle East and Asia or traveled so far on a motorcycle, this trip is likely to be demanding and exciting for me in new ways. I’m up for the challenge and, as Joe and Hans suggest, I’m packing a good attitude!
Me, with Mike's Triumph Tiger before its departure to Turkey.
In Iceland with Mike.
Who's protecting who?
My Enfield, somewhere in the Himalayas.
Near Artvin, Turkey.
Venice.
In front of the BMW dealer in Istanbul, Turkey.
Participant:
Spoerry, Yves
From:
London, UNITED KINGDOM
Motorcycle:
2004 BMW R1200GS
GlobeRiders Tours:
Silk Road Adventure 2007
About Yves . . .
I have always been a bit of a nomad. Born in France, I left when I was 11 for boarding school in Scotland, then to Germany when I was 18, and then University in Switzerland.
Finished in 1970, and then went to Tanzania (East Africa) for 2 years as a teacher teaching French, Math and Physics in a local secondary school in the bush near the Zambian border.
Africa was great, and I seriously considered staying, but already had doubts about the white man’s future there, so headed back to Europe, the “long way round”, in a used VW bus right through Africa (you could still do it in 1973!)
Got more serious about motorcycling then, and toured the Med and Eastern Europe, and came off 8 times, destroying 2 bikes but no serious injury. (More careful now, though!)
Got to some more serious work (finance) in Switzerland, then in Germany (packaging) and finally started my own business in London in 1986. It went well, got my 2 kids through school and I enjoyed (most) of it.
Still in London now, live with my partner Bonnie (Irish) with more free time but not always using it effectively, getting a little tired of London when winter sets in....
Recent bike trips include London – Eastern Turkey (Hopa, on the Black sea) – London, a trip in the Indian Himalayas with my friend, Yves Gouzer from Switzerland, on those wonderful 500cc Enfield bikes (hard as hell, no brakes and just a little engine, but what looks!)
I have limited experience in off-road riding and just did an off-road course with BMW in Wales, excellent training. If we are to do a lot of it on the trip, I may do another course in Spain next spring.
I am just 60 and my interests, apart from long distance biking: windsurfing, reading, cinema, skiing, spending time with friends and looking forward to our trip!
Hello all, my name is Robin Van Hecke and reside in Victoria, BC, Canada.
Born in Belgium, and came to Canada with my parents as the eldest of five in 1967.
Been fascinated with motorcycles for as long as I can remember and had my first taste on what we called a “brommer”, a bicycle with a motor that you started by pedaling. I graduated to my first “real” bike, A Honda 90, as soon as I turned 16. Rode a variety of bikes until my late twenties when I took some time off get married and make some money.
I became an ironworker by trade and in 1986 started a company. Was married and have two wonderful girls. My passion is riding and travel. Have traveled Europe and Asia and until this year my riding travels have been limited to Canada ,America and Mexico. I ride 25, to 30,000 kms per year and I’m fortunate to live in great riding country.
The past four winters I have ridden to Mexico, both the Baja and the mainland. I love riding - it’s a meditation of sorts for me. I have also sailed for a few years, still get to the ski slopes once in a while and can regularly be found on the training fields with my Belgian Malinois dog getting ready for competition in Schutzhund a sport where handler and dog compete in three phases: tracking,obedience and protection.
In between all that I also try to make time for my partner Jan who will be offering support and looking after the home fires while I’m gone.
In my too-small garage I currently have a Ducati Paul Smart, a KTM 950SM and my favorite R1200GS.
I am very excited about riding the Silk Road and look forward to meeting and sharing this adventure with all of you.
My wonderful and understanding partner, Jan, and yours truly.
Photo taken just before my BMW R1200GS Adventure was loaded into the container, outbound for shipment from Seattle to Istanbul.
My BMW R1200GS Adventure.
My father and mother.
With my fiance, Mary (to the left), Sarah (to the right), and Rachel (sitting on the bike).
Participant:
Wright, Enda
From:
County Westmeath, IRELAND
Motorcycle:
??? BMW R1200GS Adventure
GlobeRiders Tours:
Silk Road Adventure 2007
About Enda . . .
Dia duit ("Hello" in Irish) -
My name is Enda Wright. I am 35 years old. I come from a small village called Milltownpass in County Westmeath Ireland. I am engaged to Mary. We are going out over ten years now and she has 2 daughters, Sarah and Rachel.
I work for a company called Wright Window Systems. I am a truck driver with this company and have been driving around Ireland and England in the past, but now I only drive the truck around Ireland. The company was a family business set-up by my father (Leo) and mother (Rose), but we sold out a few years ago and I stayed on to drive the truck.
Unusual for an Irish man - I don't drink alcohol.
I am riding bikes since I was 12 years old. I have raced motocross for a number of years and in 1998 moved onto freestyle stuntriding on roadbikes. I do this together with Mary as my passenger. It is more of a hobby for us, as we get to travel a lot around Europe competing in the European and world stuntriding championships. We have finished in the Top 20 in the first few years but struggle to qualify now as the standard is gone very high.
I am a big fan of Irish roadracing and the Isle of Man TT. I am a member of the Fore and Daingean motorcycle clubs, who run and support road races in Ireland. These are races run on public roads that are closed to the public, the same as the Isle of Man TTs You can look at www.realroadracing.com to see more. I will miss this year's TT on this trip, but will be checking the web for the results.
I am really looking forward to this trip. It has been a dream of mine for years to go on a big overland bike trip. I have a number of bikes and will be using a BMW 1200 Adventure for this trip. I will be riding from Ireland to Istanbul to meet the the rest of the team for the start of the trip.
Finally I want to thank Mary Sarah Rachel and my parents for giving me the opportunity to go on this trip and I appreciate their support.
Silk Road Adventure 2007
World Tour 2006
Africa Adventure 2003
GlobeRiders Guide
Iceland Expedition 2001
