Long Way Down

[Spud Raver]

Starts tonight.....BBC2 9pm

Top Gear on at 8pm too.

Half bottle of voddy and chinky menu prepared. ;)

[Biscuit]

What was the Guzzi that Ewan McGregor was riding, it looked @@@@in lovely!

[Biscuit]

hmm, so it was a 1100 Griso hey?

http://www.maxmoto.co.uk/images/moto%20guzzi%20griso%20black.jpg

[samieb]

The Griso, drinks as much oil as it burns petrol with the right wrist. 1 of the guys on the trip to WDW had 1 and he had to top up the oil everyday...

[Rob998]

Was there a 9**/ 748 SPS there too? Ah, whatever, looks like a good sunday night for the next few weeks! Top Gear & Ewan & Charley, good stuff!

[samieb]

Think Colin McRae had a 916SPS in his tribute program aswell...

[eonan]

Was there a 9**/ 748 SPS there too?

Think it's the 748, bought for him by George Lucas...which he then passed on to Charlie?

B@stards.

[Scottch]

748 SP/S's were yellow ;)

It had 916 on the side of it

[eonan]

748 SP/S's were yellow ;)

It had 916 on the side of it

Ahhh sorry :o...didn't see the program...just know that Lucas bought him a 748 which he passed on to Charlie.

Still b@stards though :p

[alane]

At which point does an adventure become a trip?

From the amount of backup they have it seems more like a foregone conclusion that barring serious medical emergencies they will be reaching their destination so where does the spirit come into it?


I expect a flaming from some one or other but don't take it the wrong way...full marks for unicef, charities involved et cetera, but the cynic in me is a little ...hmmm...cynical.

[Steve748]

If you watch Long Way Round (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Long-Way-Round-Ewan-McGregor-Special-Edition_W0QQitemZ230186065995QQihZ013QQcategoryZ2288QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) you will get an idea of how it all started. Two guys who love riding bikes:) IIRC there is an MV and a 916 in their lock up in this one!

[Spud Raver]

I'll be honest......I didnt quite enjoy last nights show. I sort of agree with Alane......I switched off after half an hour. Also, Im not interested in them banging on about that they are going to miss their wives and kids every 30 secs.

[foxy]

I think Alane is right too - there isn't the same sense of "adventure" and this time and it is more of a trip - understandably so as it is the second one. They also have insight, hindsight and a pretty good idea of what is going to give them problems (hence a "fixer" for every country to do all the icky stuff)

Still watched all of it though and will continue to do so - well at least up until Mrs Mac appears for her stint anyway. Can't believe she is going to be toddling along on this one with Ewan n Charley and spoiling the fun :eek:

[ProjectImola004]

I love the constant banter between what are best friends, it's very entertaining. The wife thing is a bit irritating but it won't stop me watching it, afteral, their wives met them in the States in the Long Way Round (albeit near the end).
If you read the book 'The Long Way Round' you will read that they had just as much back up during the last trip, it's just being shown more on screen compared to that time.
I love the lockup, a right boys playpen huh.
I take it samieb doesn't like Guzzis then?

[ProjectImola004]

I loved Top Gear too, nutty race between the Typhoon and Bugatti. What awsome power the Typhoon has (I wouldn't agree that it is the most up-to-date fighter flying today - its 10 years out of date already! but it makes good viewing all the same)

[Biscuit]

The yellow 748 that was the gift from George Lucas then passed to Charlie made a brief appearance in LWD.

The wife bit got a bit tedious but looking forward to next installment.

I think im prolly on my own here but Top Gear was a waste of an hour last night, watched it for first time in yonks. Is Hammond slowly becoming James May with the hair cut :confused:

[BDG]

At which point does an adventure become a trip?

From the amount of backup they have it seems more like a foregone conclusion that barring serious medical emergencies they will be reaching their destination so where does the spirit come into it?


I expect a flaming from some one or other but don't take it the wrong way...full marks for unicef, charities involved et cetera, but the cynic in me is a little ...hmmm...cynical.

I'm inclined to agree with you Alan, and thats not just because i'm so incredibly jealous, not only of what they're doing but also the fact somebody won't pay me a couple of hundred thousand quid for such a job.

I'm selling off road bike trips to Namibia with full back up and everything laid on so don't want to be hypocritical either. Its a huge marketing and promo exercise, I wonder how much the BBC, Nissan, Belstaff etc paid to be part of it, and there's already a third trip thru the America's in the pipeline.

This sort of stuff like "The Long Way Everywhere" can only help raise the whole profile of this sort of travel which is ultimately good for me.

BUT i still think an unsupported trip is less sanitsed and more adventurous, but this only suits a small majority as well.

[Biscuit]

Jupiter's Travels by Ted Simon was the trip that first inspires Ewan Mcgregor to do the trip, he spent somat like 4 years going round the world on his own.

Anybody read it? might order it but got books piling up to read and no time of late.

I notice they've re-issued Jupiter's Travels with the caption "the book that inspired Long Way Round"

[samieb]

I take it samieb doesn't like Guzzis then?[/QUOTE]

Well after watching the whole experience of a Guzzi rider at WDW, I can't say I'm honestly that keen on Guzzi's, but then I'm Ducati mad and wouldn't own anything else. However each and everyone to their own devices....

No offence intended Mike :0)

[PaulV]

I enjoyed Long Way Round but I have to say it all looks much and much the same, no surprise there then I guess.

I think Charlie might blow up over Mrs Ewan and all the other McG's jumping on the band wagon. That could well be the highlight of the series. I have already got the book so looking forward to reading that for a bit of a more in depth view on things.

Stevie, dead right about Topgear, was the weakest show for a long time on sunday!:(

[alane]

By stark contrast to the long way round/down there was a "banged up abroad" hour on last night.
That was one guy (a succesful Judo club owner, Glen Hegstaad I think) who one day was deciding on planning his upcoming judo event and the realisation came to him that every day was the same predictable sequence of events. He had an epiphany wherby he saw himself travelling solo on a bike down to tip of south america and back again (to his home in Palm Springs).
Saw the first few moments and expected the usual "I was a fool to believe I could smuggle drugs under my wig" type comments before I would channel hop to Mark Lamar lambasting some rising/decrepid singing star.
Not to be.
The biker was kidnapped by ELN rebels north east/west(?) of Bogotar and held captive for a couple of months before being released on health grounds.
During captivity he was marched to his own grave, guns cocked behind him and shots fired into the air - no wonder he pee'd his pants.
Claiming prostate cancer, refusing food and physically harming himself led to his deterioration in health which subsequently secured his release.
Losing 50 pounds in five weeks was not his preferred dietary method.

After his release he astounded his FBI debriefers of his intention to continue his trip south whereupon he did carry on and then returned home.

Since then he has travelled through 57 countries on his bike, solo.....on an adventure.

The whole kidnapping thing kind of substantiates the need for "fixers", but to be honest, would a fixer have resolved Glens problem and avoided the captivity? (I don't think so).

[239desmo]

would a fixer have resolved Glens problem and avoided the captivity? (I don't think so).

Have a family member who is just back from a long spell in S. America including Columbia and Bogota.
He went on an "organised" trip to the local cocaine factory and taking photos etc without any problem.
His "payment" for the guided tour goes to the guerillas that guarantees your safe passage. Payup and no problems,don't pay and don't expect to be home for Xmas!

[ProjectImola004]

I take it samieb doesn't like Guzzis then?

Well after watching the whole experience of a Guzzi rider at WDW, I can't say I'm honestly that keen on Guzzi's, but then I'm Ducati mad and wouldn't own anything else. However each and everyone to their own devices....

No offence intended Mike :0)[/QUOTE]

...NO OFFENCE INTENTED MIKE.... WHAT ABOUT US OTHER GUZZI OWNERS THEN.... :mad: :mad: :mad: :eek:


....just kidding, they're tractors - brilliant ones I'll grant! :p :D

[samieb]

Well after watching the whole experience of a Guzzi rider at WDW, I can't say I'm honestly that keen on Guzzi's, but then I'm Ducati mad and wouldn't own anything else. However each and everyone to their own devices....

No offence intended Mike :0)

...NO OFFENCE INTENTED MIKE.... WHAT ABOUT US OTHER GUZZI OWNERS THEN.... :mad: :mad: :mad: :eek:


....just kidding, they're tractors - brilliant ones I'll grant! :p :D[/QUOTE]

......NONE taken.....

[ProjectImola004]

just to show how not offended I am, here's a nutty Guzzi (tractor) rider. His only burns petrol though! :)

[Biscuit]

just to show how not offended I am, here's a nutty Guzzi (tractor) rider. His only burns petrol though! :)

Project Ed later that day....

http://us.movies1.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/twentieth_century_fox/me__myself___irene/jim_carrey/irene5.jpg

[ProjectImola004]

Project Ed later that day....

http://us.movies1.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/twentieth_century_fox/me__myself___irene/jim_carrey/irene5.jpg

PMSL!!!! :D :D

[Steve748]

It was the first instalment giving an idea of all the prep that goes into the trip so I am thinking it will improve and get going in later episodes. They are actors, have to earn a living and it's an excellent way of getting money for doing something you enjoy and raising awareness of life in another continent and their problems along the way.

[Steve748]

Kenya/Uganda/Rwanda/Tanzania
Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman get up close to Africa's wildlife as they spot zebras in Kenya and view Rwanda's mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. Emotions are running high as they pay a visit to a Unicef site for former child soldiers in northern Uganda, and one of the duo looks forward to getting out of Tanzania, as it means he'll be reunited with a loved one

Today on BBC 2 from 21:00 to 22:00

[Spud Raver]

I didnt even watch it last night......I hope Charlie and Ewan get malaria and die! :comp2:

[PaulV]

I didnt even watch it last night......I hope Charlie and Ewan get malaria and die! :comp2:

Bit harsh mate:eek: :eek: :eek:

Bad weekend working in the cold and rain was it???????

[MarkyMark76]

The following makes an interesting read (and not wholey unrelated!).

Can't remember where i robbed this from - http://www.wilddog.za.net/images/angolatrip_mj.pdf

Edit - Link came from the DSC site.

[Spud Raver]

Bit harsh mate:eek: :eek: :eek:

Bad weekend working in the cold and rain was it???????

Yep! @@@@ing freezing! Both days :(

[col748]

I like LWD but McG seems to moan alot.

[ProjectImola004]

Yep! @@@@ing freezing! Both days :(

...still can't get my head round you working, let alone working at a weekend..... :eek: ;) :p

[alane]

The following makes an interesting read (and not wholey unrelated!).

Can't remember where i robbed this from - http://www.wilddog.za.net/images/angolatrip_mj.pdf

Edit - Link came from the DSC site.
Saw the link to the thread on advrider and I've just spent the last 10~15 minutes chilling out and watching all the screen show from the main entry screen.
It takes a short while to load but it's some pretty damned good photography - obviously of adventure type bikes in mad sitations (a few gratuitous girley pics in there but still work safe).
www.advrider.com

[foxy]

halfway through it today at coffee time and its a good read! Thnx :)

[Steve748]

a very scary ride through very unforgiving terrain:eek: Girlie photos are similiar to what you see in National Geographic:)

[Biscuit]

Saw the link to the thread on advrider and I've just spent the last 10~15 minutes chilling out and watching all the screen show from the main entry screen.
It takes a short while to load but it's some pretty damned good photography - obviously of adventure type bikes in mad sitations (a few gratuitous girley pics in there but still work safe).
www.advrider.com

some cool pics on there! quite like the BMW cafe racer