[MOTORCYCLING & SOCIETY]

THE LONG WAY DOWN
ACTOR EWAN MC GREGOR'S AFRICAN MOTORCYCLE ADVENTURE

On 12 May 2007, actor Ewan McGregor set off on a 15,000 mile motorcycle adventure from Scotland to Cape Town, Africa’s southernmost city. This journey reached its conclusion three months later after an epic trip throughout a continent that still hides natural and cultural wonders as well as realities deserving more attention.

Mc Gregor and his travel companion Charley Boorman set off in May from Scottish John O’Groats on their BMW 1200 GS Adventurer motorcycles.  Since then they have ridden through eighteen countries, including Libya, Ethiopia, Sudan and Rwanda. They have encountered some of the most inhospitable terrain on earth and negotiated blinding sandstorms, searing temperatures, dodgy border crossings and extreme riding conditions. During their trip Ewan and Charley explored parts of Africa that are less travelled including western Ethiopia near the Eritrean border, Gulu in northern Uganda and western Tanzania close to the shores of lake Tanganyika.

During this amazing journey they’ve encountered everything from sandstorms, to floods, mosquitos and rhinoceroses. But despite fatigue and discomforts they all agree that the sense of freedom and exploration has been incredible.

Mc Gregor isn’t new to this kind of endeavours. In 2004 he circumnavigated the globe in "Long Way Round". After that trip he hosted a charity event raising over £200.000. The Long Way Down was inspired by a similar effort to raise awareness for charity organisations CHAS (Children’s Hospice Association of Scotland), UNICEF and Rider’s For Health. And on 8 November 2007 another charity event took place that raised £300.000 that will serve to sponsor more projects in Africa for children affected by HIV, poverty and conflict.

A motorcycle trip of these proportions is bound to deeply affect its participants. The vastness of a continent like Africa – that compels travelers to prolonged off-road  runs – is bound to leave memories of a different kind if experienced by motorcycle. During their journey Mc Gregor and his team were impressed by is how enormous the gap is between the common idea of Africa and what they experienced travelling by motorcyle.

The Long Way Down team is formed by a medic and a film crew of five who shot a documentary of the journey.  Coverage of The Long Way Down journey has been acquired by BBC Two and is currently being broadcast every Sunday night. The television series will air on Fox Reality in the United States in 2008 and worldwide on National Geographic in 2008.

Links:
www.longwaydown.com
www.bbc.co.uk