Ep. 409: The First Woman to Ride Around the World on a Motorcycle Revisited - Elspeth Beard
Adventure Sports Podcast
Curt Linville
4.6 • 580 Ratings
🗓️ 16 August 2018
⏱️ 59 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In 1982, at the age of just twenty-three and halfway through her architecture studies, Elspeth Beard left her family and friends in London and set off on a 35,000-mile solo adventure around the world on her 1974 BMW R60/6.
Reeling from a recent breakup and with only limited savings from her pub job, a tent, a few clothes and some tools, all packed on the back of her bike, she was determined to prove herself. She had ridden bikes since her teens and was well traveled. But nothing could prepare her for what lay ahead.
When she returned to London nearly two and a half years later she was stones lighter and decades wiser. She'd ridden through unforgiving landscapes and countries ravaged by war, witnessed civil uprisings that forced her to fake documents, and fended off sexual attacks, biker gangs and corrupt police convinced she was trafficking drugs. She'd survived life-threatening illnesses, personal loss and brutal accidents that had left permanent scars and a black hole in her memory. And she'd fallen in love with two very different men. In an age before email, the internet, mobile phones, sat-navs and, in some parts of the world, readily available and reliable maps, Elspeth achieved something that would still seem remarkable today.
Told with honesty and wit, this is the extraordinary and moving story of a unique and life-changing adventure.
Her website: www.elspethbeard.com
The Book: www.bookdepository.com/Lone-Rider-Elspeth-Beard/9781782438045


Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | I was riding along and this dog kind of ran out from behind a truck and I hit the dog head on |
| 0:05.8 | and it was a big dog. And this Thai family came out and they were, you know, and they helped me |
| 0:11.0 | and they helped me pull my bike out of the ditch. And I ended up staying with them and we ate |
| 0:17.1 | together and I slept with the family on the floor of this room. And then on the last day, I went into the kitchen just to say goodbye to the mother. |
| 0:27.6 | And I actually saw the dog that I run over. |
| 0:32.6 | It was basically, it was half eaten. |
| 0:35.6 | It was basically, it was half eaten. |
| 0:38.8 | It was basically it was half eaten. |
| 0:41.7 | You're listening to the Adventure Sports |
| 0:43.6 | podcast brought to you by 180 |
| 0:45.5 | Tech. We talk with adventurers |
| 0:47.2 | from around the globe to bring you the inspiration |
| 0:49.3 | and motivation you need to get started |
| 0:51.3 | in the outdoors or to keep you moving |
| 0:53.1 | if you're already there. |
| 0:55.6 | So, before we get started today, I wanted to reintroduce myself. |
| 1:00.4 | My name is Mason Gravely, and my wife and I, her name is Emily. |
| 1:05.1 | We're going to be helping Kurt and Travis out with some production, with some hosting, |
| 1:09.2 | with some editing of the show. |
| 1:10.9 | So we wanted to just make sure you get more familiar with their voices. |
| 1:15.0 | And we also wanted to make some announcements. |
| 1:18.5 | As all of you know, nothing in life is free, including this podcast. |
... |
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