I am very much speaking for myself. It's just a throw-away thought I had.

When I started over-landing about twenty years ago, there were not many others around. Sure, people have been doing this for a millennia, but It felt a lot more unique, and I liked that. I loved that if I chose to ride the road less travelled, it would be a challenge because there wasn't another traveller ten minutes behind me that could help me out.

I loved it when I rolled into a fuel station and I would have people asking me questions and offering to buy me a drink etc. Egocentric ?? Probably... That rarely happens now.

I liked it when I wasn't just one of million doing the same journey. On the same kind of bike etc.

I want to feel like I'm exploring new places or being, dare I say it, "Adventurous" It doesn't feel much of an adventure to me if it's too easy. Or I'm surrounded by a safety net of people.

I suppose you can compare it to Climbing to Everest base camp. I bet it felt like much more of a special achievement when there wasn't 10,000 people in-front and behind you doing exactly the same thing.

With all this Covid disruption, It has kept people home. Too worried to travel. It's harder. Maybe I'm just saying I like less people

When there wasn't a million other overlanders on the same road, when you happened to see another one, you would both stop and say hello. "Where've you been and where are you going?" Make a new friend. It's a great feeling. Now there are so many of us around that you're lucky to get a nod.

Don't get me wrong. I enjoy the other side of it too. Sometimes I just like to book a hotel, turn on the sat nav and ride somewhere for a relaxing break.

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Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.