2019-07-01_RiDE

TakingthesouthernSilk

Roadroute willseeyouride

throughTibet— stunning

GlobeBusters guide

JULY 2019 | 21

WhoisGlobeBusters?KevinandJuliaSandersaredoubleGuinnessWorldRecordholders,

forthefastestcircumnavigationoftheworldbymotorcycleandthefastestnavigationofthe

TransAmericas.Setupin 2004 , their overland motorcycle expedition company http://www.

globebusters.comspecialises in taking riders on amazing journeys to unusual destinations.

WETOTALLYGETthemindsetoflittleor

noplanning— justloadupthebikeandsee

whatyoucanfind.Butif youwantyour

ridetobememorable,fortheright

reasons,youneedtodoyourhomework.

Dirtv tarmacThefirstthingtothinkabout

isthekindofridingyouwanttodo:are

youa dirtjunkieandwanttherouteless

travelled,ordoyouwantbendafterbend

ofsmoothmountainTarmac?Wethinka

mixtureofbothisthekeybutthatdoesn’t

havetomeantight,rockyendurotrails.

Someofthebestadventureridingcanbe

foundbyusingunpavedpublicroads—

somecountrieshaveroadsthatjustdon’t

makesenseto tarmac.

BudgetIf youdon’thavemuch,you’llneed

tolookatsomewherethat’scheapto

stayorsuitableforcampinganddoesn’t

meanextracoststogetthere.Don’t

overlooktheUK— theScottishHighlands

offergreattraffic-freeroads.Butif you

wanttoheadoverseas,bearinmindyour

pounddoesn’tbuythesameeverywhere.

Duetotheexchangerate,theUSis

relativelyexpensivenowbutEastern

EuropeandMoroccoare stillgoodvalue.

ClimateSomedestinationsjustaren’t

viableatcertaintimesofyear:Januaryto

MarchisrainyseasoninmuchofSouth

Americaandit’softenbiblical,withflash

floodsandlandslides.Mountainous

regions,eveninwarmerclimateslike

Morocco,canbecomeextremelycold

andexpectsnowfallinwinter.Don’tmake

themistakeofheadingtotherightplace

atthewrongtime.Usea websitelike

http://www.worldclimate.comto getanidea

ofwhattoexpect.

TimeThebiggestdecisionmakerbyfar

thoughistime.If youonlyhavetwo

weeks,youneedtolookclosetohomeor

fly-hireoptions.If timereallyisn’tan

issue,it canbecomemoreabouta route

than a destination. Here are some ideas

to get you started:

Twoweeks

Closetohome,Spainprovidesheavenly

riding;loseyourselfinthePyreneesor

explorethesuperbroadsofAndalusia.

Whetheryou’reafterdirttrailsorsilky

tarmac,Spainisourfirmfavourite.

If youwantmoreofa cultureshockbut

stillridetoyourdestination,youcan

makeMoroccoinaroundthreetofour

days’rideorIstanbulinsix.You’llfeel

likehomeisa millionmilesaway!

Furtherafield,moreandmore

companiesofferfly-and-ridepackages

thesedays.If you’reafterwilderness

anddirtroads,tryPatagoniaorflyto

SouthAfricaandridenorthtoNamibia.

If tarmacisyourthing,Colombia’s

mountainroutesaresomeofthe

twistiestaround.Alternatively,headto

Thailandandthe‘Roadof 1864 Bends’.

Acoupleofmonths

FreightyourbikeouttoAfrica.Six

weekscantakeyoufromNairobito

CapeTown;usingasmuchdirtand

tarmacasyoufancy.

HeadovertoSouthAmerica —

Montevideoisa greatfreight point —

andyoucanridefromtheAtlantic to

thePacific(andbackagain)taking in the

AndesandAltiplanoinsixweeks; again

combiningdirt andpavedroads or just

stickingtotarmacthewholeway.

If youdon’twanttospendmoney on

freightingyourownbike,then ride

acrossTurkeyandintoCentral Asia

andtheland-locked‘stans.

Longhaul

SetyoursightsonthePan-American

Highwayandexploreheading south

fromColombiatoPatagonia, taking

threemonthstosavourtheexperience.

HowabouttheSilkRoad?Take the

northernroutethroughChina for an

all-tarmacride,orthesouthern route

throughTajikistanonthePamir Highway

andintoTibet.Allowthreemonths.

Orwhynottakea ‘gapyear’and

combineseveralcontinents?

Next month Planning your route.

Expert advice from global adventurers Kevin and Julia Sanders

Where to go?

Not sure which way to head

on your big trip? Kevin and

Julia have some great ideas...