At the end of Long Way Down last summer, Ewan and one of the producers met their wives and kids in Lamu, Kenya. It just so happened that my girlfriend was there for a few days of R&R herself from her summer job in Maasailand and they spent a few hours together everyday on the beach and at the bar. From her report, the guys had so much more fun with the whole idea than ever gets portrayed in the media hype and final footage. They know it's a sell-out way to travel and they just don't care. I say good for them - keep it up. To all the folks (mostly on ADVrider) that ***** about it not being hardcore and Charlie and Ewan being soft and unadventurous - joke's on you! Personally, I only wish I was in such a position to use my celebrity to pull off a vacation like that. Here's to Long Way Up!
Long Way Up....2009
- Thread starter Hltoppr
- Start date
Anyone want to track and then annoy the hell out of Ewan and Charley? We could possibly get a group to ride with them for a while... Its an Idea.
Edit: My wife and I enjoyed LWR and are going Thursday to a local theater to see LWD. We would actually like to meet them... and not annoy the hell out of them.
Edit: My wife and I enjoyed LWR and are going Thursday to a local theater to see LWD. We would actually like to meet them... and not annoy the hell out of them.
2aroundtheworld said:
Whoops, looks like I should read more before I post...
In the final pages of the Long Way Down book it is stated that there may be a follow up programme, entitled "Long Way To Go". In the DVD extras, while preparing the bikes for cargo, Ewan makes mention of a possible trip in South America. On 17 May 2009, Ewan confirmed that Long Way To Go will be happening May or June 2010. (according to wikipedia)
May or June... hmmm, if they start in SA, I'm going to have to go base camp somewhere and meet up with them. Sort of like the guys in Kenya (the florists) did. Costa Rican border is a pretty narrow funnel.:sombrero: 50cents say that they also meet up with Glen Hegstadd (aka Striking Viking) in Mazatlan, if they go that way.
Mighty Dodge Ram
Explorer
Saw part of LWR but can't find a copy for sale. Own LWD...it's OK. I'd like to buy LWR to round out set. For sale ????? :sombrero:
Adventurerider
Adventurer
OK, I know I'm going to catch some crap for saying this, and truthfully I have not seen LWD yet but have the other 2 films. I also have meet Charlie (Great Guy) but not Ewan, but I think it would have been cool to see them or someone do a trip like this with out all the support, have them out truly on there own, not being pampered, help with everything, not having to figure it out for themselves, I.E. boarder crossings, bike failures, watching them fix their issues & problems along the journey, not have the others plan and do everything on the trip, etc.
Not trying to upset anyone, just think that they get a lot of credit for what others have done many times with much less.
just my 2 cents...:victory:
Advrider
Not trying to upset anyone, just think that they get a lot of credit for what others have done many times with much less.
just my 2 cents...:victory:
Advrider
goodtimes
Expedition Poseur
I agree. That was the one thing (all the whining and complaining was the other) that turned me off about the LWR, and has kept me from watching the others.
I'd like to see them (heck...anyone!) do a trip like most of the 'real people'. Pack up a set of Wolfman bags, fill up the tank, and go!
reverend_redbeard
New member
I'm a big fan, and i'm hoping for race to dakar for christmas, I know alot of advrider guys didn't like them, but then again all of the expo portal guys got to see some cool rigs with all the top of the line farkles! the books are definantly better and they shed some more light into how difficult it is even with a support crew. Its important to realize that in order to make a TV show you need a crew, and its a big operation to get 10 people around the world, they do try to keep seperated as much as possible, but in some instances it was too dangerous to be alone and needed escorts from local police and military, also they do lots of humanitraian work along the way, LWD and LWR are the true deffinition of an expedition, so what if they are better equipt then most of us could ever be, if we could we would...
goodtimes
Expedition Poseur
I disagree. There are many travelers out there that *could* be better equipped (extra people, extra vehicles, full load of spare parts, etc), but choose not to. IMO at some point, it begins to detract from the trip. Sure, be prepared . . . but you don't need an entire vehicle dedicated to spare parts.
Now, in all fairness, you are absolutely right that it takes far more equipment to make a movie out of a trip than it does to write a trip report with a few photos, or even write a series of articles for a magazine -- or even write a whole book (IE: Loise on the Loose). They were also out there for a different reason than most of us travel -- they were there to make money [while going on a cool trip]. The majority of the rest of us go out there simply to go on a cool trip. Certainly different considerations to be made.
But I still didn't like all the complaining . . . :snorkel:
805gregg
Adventurer
Two guy's a camera man, a fixer, a mechanic, a medical guy and who knows who else, plus an unlimited budget. Not much of an adventure ride with all the support. More of a highly organized, money making scheme. There are countless moto adventureers that do the same route with no back up, true adventure riders. I have a friend that rode his 1150GS from Ventura county to the tip of SA alone, now that is a real adventure.
Ruffin' It
Explorer
Big, fat let down ...
I've heard a lot of people poo-poo these trips - LAME. Lame and sad.
So, they aren't doing it the way you (the general "you", not you specifically) think they should. There is more than one way to do this sort of thing. So they thought, being newbies, they should over prep. If they hadn't, the same people would be mocking them for not going prepared. Everyone either starts off grossly under prepared and a danger to themselves and others, or hanging on the coat tails of others - they chose the latter, which is the smarter of the two options. So they decided that being famous actors with millions of dollars might mean they should take extra care while driving through areas of questionable security; wouldn't you?
They still got out there and did it which is far more than what most people complaining about the trips they have done.
I'd rather not see the overlanding community stoop to such a level mentality as to discount the way some overlanders choose to do things because that isn't the way the "cool kids" are doing it. That sort of judgmental stuff is, in my opinion, the worst thing that can happen to the community, period. We all do this for our own reasons and in our own way but should be connected by a spirit of inclusion, not exclusion. Saying someone's trip is less legitimate because they aren't hardcore enough is counter - and destructive - to the culture. If the LWD/LWA/etc journeys are frauds because they over-prepared, I'd hate to think of what the little jaunts most of us take most of the time are considered or how much of a nancy-boy I must be for having a SPOT when I am rarely more than 50 miles from a paved road.
Once Overlanding becomes a competitive pursuit where machismo rather than experience is paramount, I'm out. I have zero interest in hanging out with people who mock others for not being hardcore enough. If there is anything more worthless to do, I can't think of what it is.
Personally, I like that they did it and have more respect for them for it. Calling it a scheme is just ... ehh - lame. It is so opposed to how I see overlanding that things like this make me re-evaluate my opinions of the whole thing. I'd expect it from some balls-to-the-wall rock crawling club, but here? Really? What a let down.
BTW, for those that really think they are so much tougher, watch The Race to Dakar and honestly ask yourself if you would have kept riding for hours upon hours in the condition Charlie was in after his crash. I've skied for miles on a black diamond slope in Colorado with a loaded backpack on badly broken ankle with no help and I don't think I could have done what he did. Maybe I'm just a sissy like them, though.
I've heard a lot of people poo-poo these trips - LAME. Lame and sad.
So, they aren't doing it the way you (the general "you", not you specifically) think they should. There is more than one way to do this sort of thing. So they thought, being newbies, they should over prep. If they hadn't, the same people would be mocking them for not going prepared. Everyone either starts off grossly under prepared and a danger to themselves and others, or hanging on the coat tails of others - they chose the latter, which is the smarter of the two options. So they decided that being famous actors with millions of dollars might mean they should take extra care while driving through areas of questionable security; wouldn't you?
They still got out there and did it which is far more than what most people complaining about the trips they have done.
I'd rather not see the overlanding community stoop to such a level mentality as to discount the way some overlanders choose to do things because that isn't the way the "cool kids" are doing it. That sort of judgmental stuff is, in my opinion, the worst thing that can happen to the community, period. We all do this for our own reasons and in our own way but should be connected by a spirit of inclusion, not exclusion. Saying someone's trip is less legitimate because they aren't hardcore enough is counter - and destructive - to the culture. If the LWD/LWA/etc journeys are frauds because they over-prepared, I'd hate to think of what the little jaunts most of us take most of the time are considered or how much of a nancy-boy I must be for having a SPOT when I am rarely more than 50 miles from a paved road.
Once Overlanding becomes a competitive pursuit where machismo rather than experience is paramount, I'm out. I have zero interest in hanging out with people who mock others for not being hardcore enough. If there is anything more worthless to do, I can't think of what it is.
Personally, I like that they did it and have more respect for them for it. Calling it a scheme is just ... ehh - lame. It is so opposed to how I see overlanding that things like this make me re-evaluate my opinions of the whole thing. I'd expect it from some balls-to-the-wall rock crawling club, but here? Really? What a let down.
BTW, for those that really think they are so much tougher, watch The Race to Dakar and honestly ask yourself if you would have kept riding for hours upon hours in the condition Charlie was in after his crash. I've skied for miles on a black diamond slope in Colorado with a loaded backpack on badly broken ankle with no help and I don't think I could have done what he did. Maybe I'm just a sissy like them, though.
Last edited:
Ruffin' It
Explorer
I wouldn't want to break something major in a SMB outside of the States. I think choosing a vehicle with parts supplies around the world made a lot of sense.
jingram
Adventurer
I have to agree with Ruffin' It. If any of us had millions of bucks, wife and kids at home, and our livelihood depended on us making it through unscathed, I think we would all over prepare a bit.
Again, regardless of what our reasons are for getting out there, the whole point IS getting out there. Sure there were moments where Charlie and Ewan would ***** and moan about things, but hell, I ***** and moan about things all the time. One thing to be cheery and grit your teeth in front of the camera for a short bit, but we are talking months on the road here. Eventually the act and bravado drop and you ***** and moan or get pissed off when things go wrong. If some of that is translated into the final product, I think it is actually a bit more realistic portrayal of what actually goes on.
I took LWR and LWD for what they are... entertainment and watching a couple of guys' experiences while travelling by bike over some remote country. They show the prep and the support crew... you know what you are getting into while watching the show, so why piss on the parade.
Did they make money on the deal? Sure! Why not attempt to defray costs and take advantage of your celebrity and share a bit about your experiences and people in different parts of the world.
I will agree the ADV guys are brutal on Charlie and Ewan, but an expedition and overland travel mean vastly different things to different people. They chose to do it THEIR way and that's ok. Who is anybody else to judge! Certainly not the way I travel, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
Again, regardless of what our reasons are for getting out there, the whole point IS getting out there. Sure there were moments where Charlie and Ewan would ***** and moan about things, but hell, I ***** and moan about things all the time. One thing to be cheery and grit your teeth in front of the camera for a short bit, but we are talking months on the road here. Eventually the act and bravado drop and you ***** and moan or get pissed off when things go wrong. If some of that is translated into the final product, I think it is actually a bit more realistic portrayal of what actually goes on.
I took LWR and LWD for what they are... entertainment and watching a couple of guys' experiences while travelling by bike over some remote country. They show the prep and the support crew... you know what you are getting into while watching the show, so why piss on the parade.
Did they make money on the deal? Sure! Why not attempt to defray costs and take advantage of your celebrity and share a bit about your experiences and people in different parts of the world.
I will agree the ADV guys are brutal on Charlie and Ewan, but an expedition and overland travel mean vastly different things to different people. They chose to do it THEIR way and that's ok. Who is anybody else to judge! Certainly not the way I travel, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
Last edited:
mcgovski
Adventurer
I own all three films, and read all the books. I loved 'em all. I can only dream of doing something like that. My hat is off to them. go look on ADVrider, there are some trans Mongolian ride reports and some road of bones report. Charlie and Ewen did a hell of a job!
also Charlie has another book of a trip he did with Russ...its called By any Means. they go from the UK to Australia by any means possible...with the exception of commercial air plane. great trip!
Chris
also Charlie has another book of a trip he did with Russ...its called By any Means. they go from the UK to Australia by any means possible...with the exception of commercial air plane. great trip!
Chris