Dropping 'E'
 

Jeff
Did you forget an 'e' in your URL?
Regards, Stephan

It's a brain thing
 

Hi there, I heard on the radio the other week that they did a study on people who like to travel and those who prefer to stay at home. What they discovered is those who travel have a slightly different molecule in their brains from the norm, K5 against K3 I think they said:confused1: , anyway it would appear if you got it you travel, if you aint you don't. I believe it's also genetic. I know people who have never left my county, or only rarely, and cannot see the fascination of far away places, they holiday on the coast within 50 miles from their home:( , that's about an hours ride away.

Me, I'm coming up 60, recently widowed and quit work (electronics management) this January to concentrate on my AWT (RWT in American English). I'm selling my home and think that 3 or 4 years on the road meeting ordinary people before I start riding a rocking chair is the way to go.:wheelchair:

Read Ted Simons book, Jupiters Travels, for an in depth look at the thoughts fears and motivations experienced on a long m/c trip. A bit scary for a neophyte like me, but like I said it's more about the inside of my head than the outside world.

I'm also artistic by nature and the urge to 'do something' has prompted me in both this and other fields. (Including radical job changes)

My web page is in the process of being changed from art to motorcycles, I like painting fairies, a good excuse to include naked women,(at least that part of my brain appears to be ok) I think that the human form is the most difficult and rewarding subject to paint.

Good luck and maybe we'll meet on the road someday.

Motorcycle Trip Around the World -RWT-

Well, who'd have thought I'd be looking at pictures of Fairies this morning, thanks Stagbeetle, they're wonderful. Do you paint from memory (too much acid in the 60's) or life models (you lucky bugger) ? I'll look forward to reading about your travels.

Good luck.

old age and spelling
 

Stephan
yes i did forget to put an e in!! silly old sod!!.either that or i have got some saharan sand in the keyboard..thanks

jeff

Gonewandering

Top shelf old boy, what???
 

So many years since a young nubile wench stood still long enough for me to catch the details that memory is not enough :eek3:

On the other hand, it's also 20 years since I sat in a life class. (As an artist, not a model):cool4:

So I use a montage of photos of arms, legs, torsos and heads, joining them together on the canvas, changing shadows, highlights and blending the whole lot with my knowledge of anatomy. (Needs updating though, any volenteers?)

I have never been much of a landscape painter, but on this trip will be taking a small watercolour pallet and sketch book to relax and record the landscapes I pass through.

Which prompts me to ask, any other overlanders out there painting their trip, if so tell us about it, you may have started something here Hanna, I hope so:thumbup1:

My old brother in law used to draw comic books (Sandman, Batman) and he'd use porn mags for the models.

Take a couple mechanic classes and do your trip on a Goldie! If I had the money, I'd be doing my trip on a Vincent.

Let me know if you come through California. I'll buy you a beer!

--Dave

Ah memories
 

I spent 7 years as an agricultural mechanic and previously did all my own repairs, so no worries there. However I would probably have chosen a Greaves perhaps, or better still how about a Heinkel bubble car:cool4:. The Goldie never could keep oil inside the crankcase, I was always shouded in smoke every time I pulled up after doing a ton down the Western Avenue to the Ace Cafe, no as my own bearings get more worn out I need something a bit more reliable thanks.

Hey Stagbeetle, as an ex-ag mechanic, I think you're stuck with a Guzzi, BMW, or a Ural. Can you get any more agricultural than a Guzzi?

The Heinkel would be nice. I've got an NSU Sport Prinz that I'm going to have to sell to help finance Round 2 next year.

I should answer the original question for Guesswho. I'm 37. I spent a lot of years in IT doing nothing (a lot like the movie "Office Space" if you've seen it). I also play(ed) in punk rock bands for 15 years. I was walking home from a show and got mugged. 4 days in ICU (heavy duty health care) with 4 hematomas (3 minor, 1 major) that left me with epilepsy.

I always wanted to travel and realized that life is shorter than I thought (and I already knew it was going by fast). I worked at a monkey lab for a 18 months, along with being a programmer, paid off my student loans and saved up money.

Right now I'm running a movie theatre while saving up for Round 2. I don't want to work with computers ever again. If I could, I would've done this all at once.

The only change I would've made is, I would've bought a Vincent Comet instead of my Ducati single. I got ripped off a wee bit and spent almost as much on the Ducati as a Vincent would've cost.

If you're thinking of taking long rides, do it! It's a lot of fun and a learning experience.

--Dave

Is it K5 or boredness?
 

It seems to me that many travelers are or, if they are lucky, were IT-nerds :cool2: (like me).
This raises the question: Do IT-nerds and travelers have the same brain-molecule (was it K5 or K9 :taz: ) or
is a job as IT-nerd so boring :yawn: that you start to dream :boat: about distance travels?

I can't be sure, but for me I think it was the latter... :palm:
Then again, it has been at least 6 years since I touched a computer with an other goal then to Email my friends
which are stuck at home :cool4:

The same question can be asked about sports like rock-climbing, scuba-diving etc...
Percentage-wise mostly IT-guys (and gails) do this kind of scary :scared: stuff (at least scarry in the eyes of
the by-standers)
Why? Bored by IT and dreary novell or NT-server screens that need to be watched for days.... or a K5 (or K9)
brain-defect?

Life is filled with intrueging questions....

Which brings me to the folowing question:
Why is it that motorcycle-travelers aks so many :smartass: and un-usual questions?
Is it becuase of their brain-thing (K5) or is it becuse they spend so much time in the sadle
looking at the road ahead.:mchappy: .... much like the former monitor, looking at the console-screen of a major network....

Questions, questions.....

Maarten:mchappy:
(confused as ever)

@ Stagbeatle, I think having a forum or a website where travelers can put there sketches, paintings and inpressions ect. on would be a really good idea. Don't you think?

@ Dave,I'm sorry to hear about the mugging, did they ever catch the guy?
I use to have a light version of epilepsy as a a kid and young teenager. The doctors tolled me that I think about 5 % of kids or teens with epelepsy grow out of it. I got really lucky and now rarly have any problems with it anymore. But (if you don't mind me asking) how can you drive/ride with such a conditon? Thats where I had the most problems. if these questions are too personal then don't answer. Its no problem :)

Mmaarten, I don't think its only IT neards who need a good adrenalin rush;)
A tip, if your after adrenalin, go sailing on a tall ship, climb into the rigg,get yourself in a storm. It is seriously fun and will have your heart beating a lot faster ;)

Again, thanks to everybody for answering my question so well and honestly :thumbup1:

More art please
 

Hi Hanna,
There is an art section, (left hand margin, bottom) and the pictures are most enjoyable:thumbup1: , but only a couple of contributions so far:( , so I was hoping that anyone else out there with a few sketches or full size paintings would be drawn in and add to the existing file.

As none of my artwork is travel or bike oriented yet, I have not added my work, but plan to in the future.

Some of you guys and galls must surely have decorated your steeds with the odd motif or two, even a name you have given, hmm must dig out that photo of a classic bike where they spelled the name wrong on the tank 'Kowaf******saki' Fancy making an error like that:cool4: Anyway send them in, lets enjoy ourselves:clap:

Chicken or egg?
 

A lot of the IT nerds I know who travel work as contractors rather than being full time, salaried employees. I work in the same way but in a different field, partly because it gives me some flexibility to travel between jobs, but mainly because I am such a nomad by nature that I can't stick at a permanent job for any length of time (I'd be rich if I was better suited to following a career structure, and Mrs MarkE would have left me for someone less boring, so I'd be even richer!!!:oops2: ).

I worked in the IT field (Local Authority data management) and it was undoubtedly boredom to the point of feeling dead inside that made me get my license and go overlanding. Totally cured the problem, but I am back in the UK sat in front of a PC now........ still the bug bites hard and I am planning bigger, harder trip right now to keep me motivated is a definite bonus. In fact sod writing e-mails, the sun is streaming in through the window and I am off to the Peak district!

well what are you waiting for?
 

Sorry about the bum card you got dealt:( , but what are you waiting for? Sell everything, get your arse off of the sofa and ride your dream:scooter:

(I know that it's harder than that, but take a long think (30 secs should do it) and make plans):thumbup1:

One big happy family
 

Hi! we are just one big happy family,helped and inspired by each other, and watched over by Grant and the rest of he's harding working crew, I joined this site 6yrs ago and asked all the normal questions, like ..which bike,and what about this or that?...listened to all the answers,after 5 heart attacks and a quadrupal by-pass.6mths after my operation ,i kitted my bike and locked my front door and rode off,not looking back...Now after 4yrs back in Uk planning to move to Spain.Who are we? we are the people who do NOT just walk the path of 'life' with blinkers on. we ride it , and turn stones over and forage in the bushes ,looking for more in life,''live the dream'',face the challenge,ride into it, even the weeks ride across Europe,is more than a personal acheivment, .Bike riders have a bond, bike travellers seem to have just that 'bit' more,We are all ages,men woman..Doe's that answer your question? by the way I am just a youngster 55yrs old