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Africa Adventure 2010

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Welcome to the Bike's & Bio's Page of the GlobeRiders Africa Adventure 2010 Live!Journal!

 


This is the "up close" and personal Chapter of the Africa Adventure 2010 Live!Journal.  I've asked each of our riders to share a little about themselves, and also provide a couple of favorite photos to go along with their Bios. You may not be with them in the flesh, but at least you can learn a bit more about them virtually.

 

This is going to be a facinating adventure. Not only do our participants get to experience the wonders of Southern Africa on their own bike's but Helge and Sterling will be making a DVD Documentary of this marvelous ride - smile, you're on camera!

It's my privilege to introduce the members of the GlobeRiders Africa Adventure 2010.

 

 

Best Regards,

 

 

 

 

Dan Townsley - Partner/Guide

 


 

Bikes & Bio's

 


 


Diana Mayer - Ontario, CANADA

2008 BMW F650GS



I'm currently a realtor in Canada's capital...Ottawa, Ontario...but live outside of the city in the rural Ottawa Valley (born and raised)...in an 1880's century home...with wonky walls, floors...and ghosts galore. All friendly, of course!

 

I started biking in 2000...and learned how to ride on a 1450cc DynaWide Glide, HD. Two days after bringing my new Harley home from the dealership (and nervous as heck to get on it), I set out to ride down to Louisiana and back again…but couldn’t quite stop there and ended up in California…and then zipped right back across to Key West.

 

A trip that was only supposed to be a few weeks…ended up being two amazing months of life changing events and memories. Ten years later, and with many cross-country trips under my seat, I now also ride a 2008 F650GS that was purchased specifically for this trip.

 

I love riding in the Mohave Desert – or anywhere else, for that matter. I can’t wait to ride the Sani Pass in Lesotho - 3rd highest in the WORLD!!! My first Globeriders Adventure – this is the start of something beautiful!!!


Someday I'd like to pull a ‘Forest Gump’…and just keep riding!

 

 

 



 


Lynne Clark - Oregon, USA

2008 BMW R1200GS



I rode a motorcycle for the first time in my life in 2006, and it was love at first try. My first bike was a 250 cc Ninja. I rode it about 5000 miles in two months, then sold it and got my DL650 V-Strom. Now that's my commuter bike, and I bought my first BMW last summer, an R1200GS. I had the opportunity to drop it for the first time on a logging road in the wilds of the Washington State Cascade mountains, and found that it's one tough bike, no harm done to it, tho the windshield had to be reconstructed. Also found I can pick it up by myself.

 

I am already enjoying this adventure, getting to know my bike better and getting it ready for the trip.

 

 

 

 

 




Jeff & Debbie Hower - Missouri, USA

2007 BMW R1200GS Adventure

 


I have been riding for about 40 years, the last 30 I’ve dragged Debbie, my wife, over hill and dale and she never complains so she’s a keeper.  Since getting the 2007 GSA she’s a little troubled that all our vacations will now be on the bike but I’ll try and throw in a few luxury vacations in, to keep in good graces.

Debbie & I both retired near the end of 2007, Debbie after 30 years as a respiratory therapist and me 32 years as an engineer for a chemical manufacturer.  We’re both enjoying our retirement with Debbie volunteering at the local VA, working in the spring at the local green house and working hard keeping up the house and yard.  I keep busy with my honey do list which includes finishing the wood work in the house and some outside consulting.

We have a 13+ year old yellow lab named Molly and Debbie has two sons and 3 grand children that can wear her out.

We thoroughly enjoy these “off the beaten path” types of trips and getting to interact with various lifestyles and cultures, and hope to continue to do so for as long as possible.

 

 

 





Rodger Waterman & Emily McGay - New Mexico, USA

1992 BMW R100GSPD

 


We are taking this trip to Southern Africa to celebrate our 9th wedding anniversary! It’s a 3rd marriage for both of us, and it seems to be the charm! We love to travel, particularly by motorcycle, and our trips have taken us to over 70 countries. Roger did the Silk Road trip in 2005 with Helge, and Emily rode along for 3 weeks of that trip-- it was a trip of a lifetime! We will be riding the same 1992 R100GSPD that we took on the Silk Road.

 

Roger is co-owner of a commercial real estate company, TRK Management, which is a family business that has operated in Los Alamos since the early 50’s. A graduate of Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, Roger is very active in our community, serving on Boards of the local YMCA, the hospital, the nursing home, and the Chamber of Commerce, with stints as President of some of them. He served from 1982-1988 as a County Councilor for Los Alamos County. He is a 2003 graduate of Leadership Los Alamos, and a 2006 graduate of Leadership New Mexico.

 

Emily is the owner of McGay Consulting, LLC and provides management consulting services to non-profit organizations. A graduate of Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, Virginia, she, too, has been a leader in the community for many years, with 10 years as the CEO of the Family YMCA, serving on Boards and forming coalitions. She has been a Kiwanian for 21 years, serving in many positions of leadership and is currently 2nd Vice Chair. Emily is a 2009 graduate of Leadership New Mexico.

 

Together we have 4 children, 2 sons and 2 daughters, and eight grandchildren! We recently learned we will be great-grandparents in September. Just one more reason to celebrate by taking this trip!

 

How did we get to be so blessed as to be able to go to South Africa to visit six countries with the best motorcycle tour company in the country? My father was the 15th of 16 children. He passed away seven years ago at age 81. My parent were world-class travelers in the “tourers” style. Trips to China in the late 70’s, up the Amazon, around Antarctica, five trips to India, the first West-to-East tour through the Northwest Passage, etc. My dad was also fascinated by kids and toys. We had “tote-goats” on the mountain trails in northern New Mexico before we were teenagers. I had a Cushman Eagle and then a Silver Eagle in the early 60’s. As a bribe to entice me to return to Los Alamos and help with the family business, dad helped me buy an R75/7 in the mid 70’s. Later I purchased a used 1988 K100RT and the rest is history. . .

 

A friend, Gordon Spingler, and I decided to go from Los Alamos, NM to the tip of South America in 1996. We got as far as Santiago over an 8 week span, but couldn’t make the rest of the trip work and went home. On that trip, Emily joined us from Panama City to Quito, Equador. Then my friend, Mike Benziger, rode with me from Quito to Arequipa, Peru where he left after we visited Machu Pichu.

 

Four years later I found Pancho Villa Moto Tours and headed back to Santiago on my new, used 1992 R100GSPD to complete the journey; Gordon and several other biker friends from Los Alamos were able to make this trip, too. Mike was able to join me from Santiago to Tierra del Fuego. Both Emily and Mike were able to share my 2005 Silk Road Adventure, which added to the pleasure of the trip in many ways.

 

And, we always make new friends. On the Tierra del Fuego trip I met Art Bone from Atlanta, and we’ve shared some great times in the Isle of Man and San Miguel de Allende in Mexico where Art now lives with his wife Carol. They took my R100GSPD on a tour of Turkey the same year Helge was scouting the Silk Road trip. Small world!

 

 

 





Dan Marks - Washington, USA

2010 BMW F800GS



After 50 years at it, I’m now mostly retired from an occupation that kept me internalizing and mostly on my butt, viz., designing and implementing computer systems for the communications and aerospace industries. Perhaps that is why my avocations always seemed to involve motion: riding, walking, driving, sliding, sailing, flying and watching the world from those moving platforms and why my wife Peggy and I have always enjoyed traveling. Next May we plan to be in Mexico, where we spent our honeymoon 40 years ago.

 

I started riding motorcycles in my late teens, through my twenties, but then had a 30 year hiatus, starting again in my sixties with a now somewhat beat up 2001 Harley Davidson Heritage Softail Classic. Even though it’s not the best bike for the thousands of miles of gravel and dirt roads we traversed, I rode it with 2 friends from Los Angeles to Tierra del Fuego in 2002 and then up to Alaska’s North Slope in 2004.

 

Now I’ve added a BMW F800GS to the stable and outfitted it for this African adventure. As for flying, I’ve been doing it for 25 years and currently own a Cessna T210 with partners. For the most part, I volunteer and fly for charitable organizations such as Angel Flight West and Challenge Air, thus the photo below.

 

 

 





Randy McClanahan - Texas, USA

2008 BMW R1200GS Adventure



I live in Houston, Texas (generally in the cool months) and Santa Fe, N.M. (generally in the hot months). When I'm not riding, I am a lawyer. I usually represent small businesses and entrepreneurs against larger companies in business litigation. I like to call them "David v. Goliath" cases.

 

I am one of the newest rider in the group, having started riding in 2006. I started with a Harley. I still keep my 2007 Road King Screamin' Eagle in Houston, where it has about 40,000 miles, including paved trips to Tail of the Dragon, Daytona, the Rockies, the Ozarks, the Smokies, etc. I quickly fell in love with offroad adventure riding, however, and will be riding my 2008 BMW 1200 GS Adventure on this trip. She is pushing 25,000 miles and lives in Santa Fe, along with her little brothers, a 2009 BMW G450X and a 2002 KTM LC4 640 "Sixdays."

 

I learned to ride in the dirt the hard way. My first "tour" was on a KTM 450 EXC in Mammoth Lakes, Ca. No one told me you lean the other way in the dirt! Our two "guides" were both Paris/Dakar finishers, and one was a Baja winner. There were seven participants -- 5 bestfriends from Columbia (they said they were "ranchers") who had ridden together for 35 years, an Austrian who owned every bike KTM made, and me, who was still trying to find the shifter! I ended up with a broken hip, surgery in the Mammoth Lakes 14 bed hospital, and several months on crutches! So, I did the only thing I could -- I signed up for a trip from Anchorage to Prudhoe Bay from my hospital bed! To prepare for that trip, I attended the RawHyde school twice and the BMW GS school in South Carolina. After that, I took a trip from El Paso to Copper Canyon, where I met Jeff and Debbie Hower. Having seen the top of the world (Prudhoe Bay), I next wanted to see the bottom, so I scheduled a trip from Santiago to Ushuaia.

 

I have been a huge fan of Helge's since I first watched the Silk Road Adventure, and I have acquired every DVD he has made (that can be viewed on North American hardware), watching them all several times. I have also tried to read as many books written by world motorcycle adventurers as possible. My "bucket list" dream is to see the world by motorcycle, taking at least one major trip each year for as long as I am able to pull in the clutch. This is my first with Globeriders, and I hope to become a regular on future trips.

 

 

 

 





Tom Petrillo - Michigan, USA

2008 BMW R1200GS Adventure

 


I live in Michigan and at age 47, I am one lucky guy!  I am married to my beautiful and wonderful wife Julie and have three great children, Michael – 19, Kaitlin -16 and Taylor -15.  All pictured below.   I have ridden motorcycles since I was a young boy and began racing motocross shortly thereafter until I was in my late 20’s, now it is adventure riding.

 

I am a fortunate guy who has a great family as well as the freedom to go out and see the world on motorcycles to places many others never get to see.   The adventure travel allows me to enjoy two of my favorite things, motorcycles and fantastic scenery.  I have enjoyed motorcycle adventure trips to Alaska, Death Valley as well as Argentina and Chile to follow the Dakar races this past January. 

 

I am planning two trips for next year, another to a foreign land and one that follows the Trans-American Trail from Tennessee to Oregon next summer, camping the entire way.

 

My bikes I currently ride are my BMW 1200 Adventure, soon to be a 2011 Adventure after this trip, a BMW LT for long road rides as well as a Harley Davidson and Jim Nasi custom chopper for short uncomfortable rides.

 

 

 





John Hall - Massachusetts, USA

2004 BMW R1150GS Adventure

 


My home is Newton, MA where I have operated a construction management firm for 27 years where we focus on sustainability and building performance. I have three children, Anne, Jack and Ellie, all currently in college.

 

I have owned perhaps a dozen motorized two wheelers since I was eleven and will be riding a 2004 BMW R1150 GS Adventurer on what will be my first Globeriders adventure. I also own a '74 BMW 75/6 and a '10 BMW 1200 RT. I enjoy many hobbies and physical activities ... too many in fact to excel at any of them! I love to travel... I love to ride... and am very excited to be joining a great group of people to combine the two in a region of the world which has always fascinated me!  

 

 

 





Vincent Cummings - West Vancouver, CANADA

2010 BMW R1200GS Adventure

 


I was born in the UK and raised in Edmonton Alberta where I started riding at age 14. While living there I completed my university education, fell in love and married my high school sweet heart [well she was at least one of them] I had several different motorcycles while living in Edmonton my last being a 1974 BMW R90s which I still have and holds a special place in my garage along with the 9 others. I moved out to the west coast in my mid twenties with my wife and R90s to start a small diving business. Many years later the 1st wife is gone as well as the second one, thank god the R90s stayed and the business has grown into international business with offices and operations globally that has not only provided the financial rewards but has provided me the great opportunity of travel.

 

Through these years I’ve owned many motorcycles , I have done many many miles throughout North America, ridden across Canada and the US numerous times including Mexico, the Maritimes and Newfoundland. I started traveling outside of North America initially to a bunch of places on the main land of Europe, enjoyed a few trips to the Alps as well as Corsica and New Zealand. I started getting the idea of riding around the world and started thinking how the heck I could do that, well right around that time someone gave me Helge’s book 10 year on 2 wheels which only fueled the desirer to travel around the world on a motorcycle. As soon as I found out that Helge ran motorcycle adventure tours to exotic destinations I signed up for the World Tour. Unfortunately the World Tour was full and I didn’t make the short list, so instead I arranged to ride from Rio Brazil to Ushuaia Tierra del Fuego. Upon returning from this trip I learned that there was now an opening for the World Tour which I quickly signed up for.

 

The World Tour was my first Globeriders adventure and the first time I really got to know the “man” the “myth” the “legend” Helge Pedersen. The World Tour was an amazing adventure which improved my adventure touring skills, gave me many great wonderful experiences and unforgettable memories; adventure touring was now in my blood. From the world tour I then rode the GR Silk Road tour, which was another amazing adventure. I then signed up for the Africa tour had my bike shipped to Africa but unfortunately last minute demands made it that I had to pull out from the tour. The following year I rode the Indochina tour that was again an outstanding trip. In 2009 I got the in creditable honor to be part of Helge’s scouting trip [Jan2010] for his upcoming Alaska to Tierra Del Fuego tour. This was simply an outstanding amazing adventure that lasted 3 months from LA to Tierra Del Fuego, so amazing that it was hard to except that it had to eventually end.

 

I’ve learned many things from my past tours that have helped me enjoy each one more and more, Of course there are the basics of what to bring and how to pack, little tricks here and there that make it easier and more enjoyable. But more so to me the greatest rewards and to more fully experience the adventure is when I can be supremely in the present moment. It is a challenge for us not to bring our cultures with us, in being “North American” while in another country. It is a challenge to be totally open to what is, to be free from comparisons and judgments but to except exactly what is the way it is. It can be a challenge to simply mentally leave home at home. One of the ways that has help me is, remember to be present, avoid reading, watching or even talking about the news and events back home, to limit as much as possible communicating with those back home and really stop the compulsive use of cell phones, emails and texts. I’ve also learned that all journeys have to end for a new one to begin, so here I am today full of excitement and trepidation at the beginning of a new journey to Africa.

 

 

 




David Marsing - Washington, USA

2009 BMW F800GS

 


I live on Bainbridge Island, Washington with my wife Vicky, son Elliot and daughter Hannah. I'm a retired executive of Intel Corp. and an avid boater. I recently got back into adventure riding and participated in a number of events with RawHyde Off-road Adventures. This summer I did the Continental Divide trail tour on my BMW 650 X Country. I enjoy exploring the back roads of the Olympic and Cascade mountains and I'm looking forward to the trip in Africa on my F800GS.

 

 

 





Greg Blakey - Washington, USA

2009 BMW F800GS

 


This is the first lengthy trip I have ever attempted on a bike. I have hiked in the mountains, taken sea kayaking trips of over a week and have been at sea in Alaska for extended periods of time. But the closest I have come to GS riding is watching Ewan McGregor and of course Helge in videos on the small screen. Truthfully, this F800GS is the first motorcycle I have owned since college. Four kids, every summer for the past twenty eight years in Alaska and other time gobbling activities has hindered my riding time. This is a trip that I am very much looking forward to!

 

After attending the Rawhyde course north of L.A. I gained some amount of confidence in riding a bigger bike in the dirt. In fact, it was an amazing class for me as it seemed much of what I learned was counterintuitive. If I could have quit in the afternoon of the first day without a symphony of catcalls and “boos” I would have. Everything actually did click on the second morning and I began to have a lot of fun and felt very much in control.

 

My son-in-law is a professional photographer and he has set me up with a digital camera and of course “professional” tips. He has had photos in Oustside, Time and Nature Conservancy magazines. In the January issue of National Geographic he is suppose to have a bunch of images in an article on the Pebble Mine project in Southwest Alaska. He is also the father of my grandson Finn who took seven steps in a row the other day. Pretty cool huh?

 

Fully utilizing these future incredible pictures, David Marsing and I are doing a joint blog for those that profess to care. Look for it at “africaonags” which I originally thought had something to do with riding old horses. Geez, I hope somebody reads it!

 

 

 

 





Ben Jack - Washington, USA

2009 BMW R1200GS Adventure

 


I started riding when I was 18 years-old on a 1977 Honda 550 Four SS. Two bikes, 13 years and 300,000 miles later, I've just slightly upgraded to a 2009 BMW R1200 GSA, which I love. Though I've ridden overseas before, this is the first time I've ever sent my bike to meet me. My bike is my preferred means of transportation throughout the year, so this separation has been tough!

 

I love the outdoors and am what some might consider an adrenaline junkie. In 2003, I was on the Discovery Channel's "Deadliest Catch" as a Red King crab fisherman. I summited Mt. Rainier last year, and love skydiving. I also enjoy photography and am excited to get some great shots in Africa. Not to let the fun of my personal interests outdo my professional life, I am a paramedic with King County Medic One and have 10 years of EMT experience. I love my job, which I moved to Seattle from Napa, CA, specifically for.

 

Ultimately, I'm just really looking forward to adding the experiences of this GlobeRider's tour to my list of adventures.

 

See you all soon.

 

 

   

 

 




Richard Lamph - Texas, USA

2008 Suzuki DR650SE

 


I’ve lived in Utah, Michigan, and currently reside in Texas, USA. Enjoyed them all.

 

I’m a mechanical engineer and worked in the corporate world for fifteen years (aerospace and automotive industry). While the work was very interesting, challenging, and allowed me to travel the world, I always wanted to have my own company. Fortunately, a good friend called with a great opportunity. So I jumped on it and made a complete career change. We formed our own commercial development/construction company and have been in business for the past seven years. Best move I’ve ever made.

 

Outside of work, I enjoy riding motorcycles, captaining sailboats in the Caribbean and South Pacific islands, playing golf, and traveling the world.

 

I had an off road bike, as a teenager, which I rode for a few years. Then I took a hiatus from riding for about 25 years. Picked up a Harley-Davidson Softail Springer back in 2003 and have subsequently put around 35k miles on it since. While on a trip to the Rocky Mountain/Grand Canyon area last year, I met some guys on KTM dual sport bikes that were riding the Trans America Trail. After talking to them, I immediately booked an on/off road tour to Copper Canyon, Mexico (off road training tour). As a result, I was seriously hooked!!! I’ve had Adventure Riding on the brain ever since!!!

 

Just recently took a trip through South America (Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru) on my Suzuki DR650. The trip was absolutely phenomenal and I will definitely go back there soon.

 

Really looking forward to this trip to Africa and many future travels!!!

 

 

 





Sterling Noren (Filmmaker) - Washington, USA

2009 BMW R800GS

 


I grew up in West Michigan and started riding when my mother bought me a mini-bike for my 8th birthday and I've never looked back. Today, my three biggest passions in life are travel, motorcycling and filmmaking. On a GlobeRiders tour, I get to do all three!

 

I met Helge Pedersen in 1998 at one of his multi-media shows in Seattle. We became friends and decided to work on some projects together. Our first movie was a short film about his "10 Years on 2 Wheels" journey that he wrapped up in 1992. Since then, we've worked on dozens of projects that have taken us around the world many times. It's always such an honor and privilege to travel with Helge and I count him as one of my greatest friends in life.

 

Today, I'm the Director of Noren Films, a company that I founded to make adventure films. Some of my biggest and best projects to date have been with GlobeRiders, including four documentary films and four instructional DVDs.

 

I also recently finished making a very personal motorcycle adventure movie called Beyond the Border (Riding Solo in Mexico).

 

 

 

 




Dan Townsley (Tour Guide) - Washington, USA

2006 BMW R1200HP2 Enduro

 


Looking back over my 61 years I realize how fortunate I am to still be taking on new adventures.

 

Two years ago I started the design and build of my new home in North Central Washington state. It's finished now and when I'm there I love it but I think I will always have the wanderlust. Over the years of travel I like to think I've learned a bit about places and people - and maybe just a little about me.

 

I really enjoy cooking and try to learn something about the food wherever I travel. I like to think I've cooked some good food along the way. The rest of the time, I'm either playing with some technical gadget or planning the next ride.

 

Speaking of rides, I'm currently down to two: I use my 2004 R1150GS Adventure for the long tours but the HP2 is perfect for Africa!

 

 

 

 




Helge Pedersen (Tour Leader) - Washington, USA

2009 BMW R1200GS Adventure



Born and raised in Norway, I got my education as a technical photographer. At 27 I headed out into the world to explore, take pictures, and write stories, all while riding my BMW R80G/S motorcycle.

It was a life-changing journey that set me on a new path.  I knew that after this journey, it would be very difficult to go back to an ordinary job. That was when I started GlobeRiders, LLC, and here we are, ready to do another journey in Southern Africa.

I live in Seattle, USA, with my wife Karen Ofsthus, whom I met on my world tour in 1988.  Karen joined the first Africa Adventure in 2003 and feels very sad that she cannot return this year.

Besides motorcycle adventure travel, I very much love taking pictures wherever I travel.  Lately I have become more interested in video and will explore this further on this journey.  Even though this is my third journey to this region, I am very excited to go back and discover new ways to photograph and document this journey.


Enough said, let’s go for a Ride!

Helge P.

 

 

 

 



 

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