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3 Feb 2011
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Does a big recession promote overlanding?
On the one hand people have more time so could spark some RTW trips, on the other hand people have less disposable money.... Could go either way.
One thing that was very noticeable with rock climbing in the UK during the 90's was that it got very popular, mainly due to the rise in indoor facilities. This was great at first (what, there are women at the crag now?!?) but had a big downside in terms of no longer being able to escape from all the people everywhere.
Will more overlanders mean that we stop being such a point of interest for the remote villages we ride into and become just another brand of tourist? Call me an ego-maniac but one thing I enjoy about going off adventuring is it transforms me from a small cog in a large machine to something a bit out-of-the-ordinary.....
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3 Feb 2011
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doesn't mean they're all off on a RTW, they may have joined for the company  
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3 Feb 2011
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I couldn't agree more, that overlanding is one of the best means to get off the beat track, but as you say, what happens when that track becomes beat itself.
I think that the likes of Mcgregor and their series probably turned for some the overlanding thing a bit more realistic. And the fact that we are here helping others do the same sure takes the mystery away from it. But after all the planet is a remarkable place and I think big enough (even if it is over populated) for all of us to have our very own adventure.
On that note I am a big proponent of ecologically minded travel. You may say it doesn't really fit with the overlanding thing, but in fact it is much more economical than taking a plane... but that's another topic 
Perhaps the new noobs (I know it's a tautology) can teach us a thing or two about travelling in our footsteps, time will tell. 
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3 Feb 2011
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Quote:
Originally Posted by henryuk
Will more overlanders mean that we stop being such a point of interest for the remote villages we ride into and become just another brand of tourist? Call me an ego-maniac but one thing I enjoy about going off adventuring is it transforms me from a small cog in a large machine to something a bit out-of-the-ordinary.....
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That's how I felt when I first started "overlanding". You stood out when you rolled into a village covered in dirt and had to buy petrol in glass jugs from the village shop. These days too many bandwagon jumpers have diluted the experience. Who do these Johnny-come-lateleys like Ted Simon think they are, grrrr. (Mind you, my definition of "these days" is anyone who's started since about 1975.) 
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3 Feb 2011
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It's quite possible that some of the new members have more travel-experience then most members on this forum.
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3 Feb 2011
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What amuses me, is that anyone can register on the HUBB, and many members have quite openly posted where on their bike they hide money! What will be the next post, 'show us your garage contents' complete with postcode? 
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3 Feb 2011
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Noobs, firsts and well just read the damn post.
Well yes there's that, the money thing, but wait till they tell you where they hide their spare key, then things well start to get interesting 
Apart from the same old same old China, Tibet, Burma questions that get posted every second day, it's good to have the noobs joining because it helps remind me of what it used to feel like when I was planning the very first trip. To be honest I think it's like heroin, after the first fix, you keep coming back for more keep looking for that feeling, the feeling you had the first time... anyone get what I'm on about or have I taken too many drugs?
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3 Feb 2011
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TurboCharger
... anyone get what I'm on about or have I taken too many drugs? |
I get you! You develop a tolerance quickly too, so you need to get a bigger and bigger hit. The first trip that blew your mind starts to feel a bit mundane so you have to plan something bigger, better, riskier to get the same rush.
Apparently it's a chemical imbalance in the brain that makes people prone to this sort of total addiction whilst 'most people' would rather have two weeks in the Costa del Sol. Maybe we could get Zammo to do a rendition of 'just say no' at Ripley.........
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3 Feb 2011
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Pushing the envelop
Quote:
Originally Posted by henryuk
I get you! You develop a tolerance quickly too, so you need to get a bigger and bigger hit. The first trip that blew your mind starts to feel a bit mundane so you have to plan something bigger, better, riskier to get the same rush.
Apparently it's a chemical imbalance in the brain that makes people prone to this sort of total addiction whilst 'most people' would rather have two weeks in the Costa del Sol. Maybe we could get Zammo to do a rendition of 'just say no' at Ripley.........
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Right on, that's the s*&t.
It makes us (well me at least) want to go out and take more risks. And I don't just mean with just the technical riding but also going places that haven't been ridden before. Or riding in hostile places that to better judgement should be off limits.
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3 Feb 2011
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Quote:
Originally Posted by henryuk
Apparently it's a chemical imbalance in the brain that makes people prone to this sort of total addiction
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Noooooo.... Isn't it the imbalance on your bike? That makes it so adictive? Only having 2 wheels and all that. 
.....With that, I'm shortly off for 3 or 4 weeks on the Costa del Sol........
(yes - honestly) 
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4 Feb 2011
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Quote:
Originally Posted by palace15
What amuses me, is that anyone can register on the HUBB, and many members have quite openly posted where on their bike they hide money! What will be the next post, 'show us your garage contents' complete with postcode? |
I don't think anyone would want to steal your Enfield Dave......
yeah, Grant is slipping letting the likes of you n me on here.......
How ya been ? got over Thailand yet or hankering for more?
M
PS The reason the HUBB is showing such a boost is the other main site for us here in USA ( ADV) has gone all weird and they keep changing the rules..... just a thought.
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4 Feb 2011
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Marty hi, I am afraid down here they steal anything and everything, the other day my parents front gate 'went' missing, local radio announced 2 'cat' converters were cut from cars in a local carpark, they'd even steal the wheels off a miscarriage!
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Last edited by palace15; 5 Feb 2011 at 00:16.
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5 Feb 2011
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"Noob" [and it's implied connotations] is one of those words that make me cringe .
Thankfully it is not used much on this website .
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5 Feb 2011
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Quote:
Originally Posted by henryuk
Does a big recession promote overlanding?.....
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Perhaps - I'm on the brink of being made redundant.... The long overland biking trip idea seems to get closer every day.....
Winter also has an impact on the number of people online & the vision of being somewhere beyond the UK is very appealing 
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Striving to live the ordinary life in a non ordinary way
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7 Feb 2011
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pheonix
Perhaps - I'm on the brink of being made redundant.... The long overland biking trip idea seems to get closer every day.....
Winter also has an impact on the number of people online & the vision of being somewhere beyond the UK is very appealing |
I also think that overlanding has a lot to do with people wanting to get away from the rat-race or daily grind of work and not having enough annual leave to do so. I think also that as the population ages and people are more likely to have families later in life that there is an increasing need for a sabbatical year (sometimes more sometimes less). Some sort of selfish ego centrical (call it a gnawing rat in your belly if you will) need to do something for oneself. Scratching the surface more and it may uncover an discontentment in current work-life balance or just personal life & leisure activities.
I might be tempted to make a poll out of this and see what ist the age bracket(s) is of people leaving for their first overlanding trip. 
 Re ADV rider, I personally think there are too many topics and too many people, IMHO it suffers from its own popularity. But this isn't a thread about ADV.
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