ARR RAW round-table discussions with motorcycle adventure travellers - featuring Grant Johnson, Sam Manicom, Shirley Hardy-Rix, Brian Rix, Michelle Lamphere and Jim Martin.
RAW LISTENER QUESTIONS: Have a question for the RAW panel? Send it to us here.
Moral Dilemmas
In Chris Scott’s book Adventure Motorcycling Handbook, Lois Price wrote an article about solo women riders. She talks about how outside of the western world, it’s still a “man’s world” where “men do the drinking, smoking and driving” “and women look after the home and have babies. Which brings about the thought process that if a culture systemically mistreats any group of our population, aggregated by colour, gender, race or the like, should we be visiting at all? By visiting these countries do we help change the culture in positive ways? Or does it entrench the thought process or infuriate those draconian beliefs that someone is less valuable than men?
Image: Sam Manicom - Indian women street workers
In Need of a Motorcycle Vacation - Do You Go?
All over the world, people have been hoarding cash amid the pandemic and now that the weather is getting warmer in most countries, media is reporting that people are itching to get out and travel again and spend some of that money. People are getting vaccinated and there is a glimmering hope that we will once again be able to travel in the very near future.
Some people are hoping to check off some things on their “bucket list” or plan something off the charts for their next adventure. A lot of people love to travel, and they haven’t been able to get out for over a year and may feel that they are missing out - so is now the time to start planning?
Let’s face it, if you’re travelling by yourself or with a riding partner you’re pretty much on your own. You can camp, cook outdoors and maintain social distancing when buying fuel or supplies. A road trip seems to be a pretty low-risk alternative to air travel, especially if you avoid crowds, restaurants and hotels.
And of course, it’s a well known fact that riding a motorcycle is also good for your mental health, and after a year like we’ve just had your brain needs a break - even if it’s just for a weekend.
Which brings us around to a question from a regular listener, John Clare:
With the Coved-19 pandemic and so many countries closing borders or restricting travel and requiring [a]2 week quarantine, it is time to dust off those crystal-balls and give us your opinions (I know you have them) of what you think we can anticipate in future weeks, months and years concerning overland travel. This is the year that my son and I had planned to ride up to the top of Alaska and then down to the bottom of South America. We have been planning and talking about this for 4 years and he finally retired and the time has come. We are/were planning on heading out the first week of July. And since this entire trip is all Sam's fault since he talked me into learning to ride (originally I was trying to talk my son into getting a side car) a few years back, I hope to get some great info on the subject. Thank you for your consideration of this topic. I can't thank you all enough for the hours and hours of laughs, stories and great info on your travels. You have opened me up to something I never even thought I would be doing at 67 years old.