And thats where my daughter found me! It comes to its conclusion.. He has his own YouTube channel where he posts videos on motorbikes. Hope Charley is doing OK. Id love to see Tiffany Coates standing in for him rather than his engagements having to be cancelled. Im amazed when Charley Boorman walks to the door of his west London home. I remember being petrified. However, Alice struggles running the vet clinic in his absence, and a traumatic, close encounter with a In Uganda, they met former child soldiers of the Lord's Resistance Army and saw the work being done to rehabilitate them. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Riding electric, it's just a mindset and you know from driving an electric car in LA, then you know what it is. Every 20 minutes, you were just about to crash. The second installment in the series, 'Long Way Down' was shot in the year 2007. In 2008, he did a show called 'By Any Means' where he traveled from County Wicklow, his hometown in Ireland, to Sydney, Australia using only appropriate public transport and flying whenever necessary. For me, off-road riding is one of the purest forms of riding and I particularly like sand. I mean, one time it was so cold outside that the batteries would just turn off and they wouldnt charge. You can watch a snippet of my interview with Charley below, and you can read it in full in issue 59 ofAdventure Bike Rider magazine, out now and available to buy from our online store with free UK shipping. I consent to allow Adventure Bike Rider to collect my contact information (required), I would like to receive competitions, exclusive offers and other promotional emails from Adventure Bike Rider, I understand that I can unsubscribe at any time. In the DVD extras, while preparing the bikes for cargo, Ewan McGregor refers to a possible future trip in South America, perhaps called Long Way Up. It's such fun to ride and they are so fast. Forbes.com has reached out to Harley-Davidson for comment on the news. I think people are very dismissive. Take a LiveWire around your city and youll just have such a laugh. However, American producer David Alexanian and cameraman Jimmy Simak were unable to obtain the necessary entry visas and were forced to fly from Tunisia to Egypt. I have a crash there. We looked to the back of their car and there was this young guy smiling at us with a gun in his hand and he was pointing it at us. When he came to rest, as he casually puts it, my leg was all flippy-floppy, bending in the wrong places and He has a deep passion for and vast knowledge about JDM cars. New book 'Atlas of Extinct Countries' explores the places that fell off the map. Ive ridden quite a few and a friend came along on the recent (Compass Expeditions) Tassie tour on a Zero (electric motorcycle). CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA - AUGUST 04: Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman mark the finish line of The [+] Long Way Down at the Lagoon Beach Hotel on August 4, 2007 in Cape Town, South Africa. But when you and your best friend are the two most recognisable faces in adventure biking, people start to ask questions when you havent been seen together in a while. EW: It'd been over 12 years since we did The Long Way Down, our trip down through the African continent back in 2007. But once they start to put real mileage between themselves and Ushuaia, a relatively predictable rhythm sets in that propels the journey forward with fewer headaches and anxieties. So I thought Im British and I would be promoting my Britishness. The journey ended at Cape Agulhas, the southernmost point of the continent, from where they were accompanied to Cape Town by a phalanx of bikers, similar to their arrival in New York on the Long Way Round. Great story. It really is close now. This path of chargers on the route still exists, and its our Long Way Up legacy. A division of A07 Online Media, LLC. JAG: The crazy part was it wasnt only the bikes, you guys had the Rivian pickups too. They took the Channel Tunnel to France and rode south to Italy. In the opener, he sees icebergs; tries screeching; visits the graves of Titanic victims; and encounters a tidal bore. WebCharley Boorman's South African Adventure: With Charley Boorman. They went from there to Tanzania and then into Malawi, where they were joined by Ewan McGregor's wife Eve. I have earphones in them and I can listen to podcasts and books. On a daily basis, just plugging the bike in at the end of the day was a highlight in itself. In his spare time, he enjoys traveling, reading fiction books, watching movies, and spending time with his pet cats and dogs. Having ridden with Ewan McGregor all the way round the world, and on an extraordinary trip through Africa, he is now taking on Canada, South Africa and the USA. They last about four days each and we will do them over long weekends. I understand why they ride bikes: One, because they love it and two because it gives them anonymity. The thing I remember most was flying through the air and seeing the pavement and wall and thinking, 'This is going to hurt'. Previous iterations of the episodic documentary series were Long Way Round, an eastward journey from London to New York City in 2004, and Long Way Down, a southward odyssey from John o Groats in Scotland to Cape Town in South Africa, in 2007. It was assumed this would become a regular occurrence while travelling through Africa. He was last seen starring as Obi Wan Kenobi in Disney+ original series Obi Wan Kenobi in 2022. I consent to allow Adventure Bike Rider to collect my contact information (required), Charley Boorman confirms the Long Way Up will take place within months. Having explored much of Europe and most recently Thailand on two wheels, hes now got his sights set on exploring more of the world by motorcycle. I write about motorcycles, ebikes, cars, trucks and mobility tech. The riding I like most is a mountainous bit of tarmac through the forest. He did lose a lot of work: a planned TV show about a bike trip through the perilous Darien Gap in Central America that had taken a year to plan, and commercial tours with bike fans in Australia and Africa, a lucrative offshoot of his celebrity. The wheels were spinning forward, but we were shooting backwards towards a cliff. They put in these charges all the way down our route with our partners at Enel. Olivia matches lonely elderly people with tenants who provide company or help, and suddenly found herself also dealing with a husband who couldnt manage the lavatory alone. Long Way Back is an account of Boormans recovery, and also the story of his life, touching on his dyslexia (he takes great pride in having a literary agent), the death of his older sister Telsche from ovarian cancer at the age of 38 in 1997, and his own loss of a testicle to cancer in 2010. 1 bestselling author is back! And so we found each other again and decided to do this trip.. The two pals are back for their third globe-spanning motorcycle adventureand we sat down with them to talk about it. His German mother, Christel, died a few years ago. The television series began broadcast on BBC Two on 28 October 2007,[3] with clips also shown online. The simple act of watching Ewan and Charley put a map on a wall and trace the route was enough to give this viewer some serious travel Stendhal syndrome I needed to order an actual map (and did). Its to do with the freedom you have.. And if the photos trickling out of the southern reaches are accurate, theyre not sparing the whip, either. Horror crash: Charley is back on his bike after a horror smash last year Wed 19 Jul 2017 at 01:41 TV presenter and adventurer Charley Boorman, who motorbiked Having ridden with Ewan McGregor all the way round the world, and on an extraordinary trip through Africa, he is now taking on Canada, South Africa and the USA. If I'm at work or I'm sitting there between takes, or I am sitting in my trailer or whatever, I find myself daydreaming about a ribbon of road coming at me from somewhere. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. wBW providessubjective opinionsand information on hard-to-find and unique motorcycling products. From abseiling down Cape Town's iconic Table Mountain, to learning how to rodeo in Canada, prepare for a non Salta in northwest Argentina to take the Tren a las Nubes (Train to the Clouds) one of the highest in the world at almost 14,000 feet. But the LiveWire wasn't even being sold yet, so we were so lucky that they built us these two beautiful bikes. Please send Charley your best wishes via Twitter. He underwent gruesome treatment in Portugal and then in London, and doctors feared he might lose the leg. When I broke my legs badly I sat there for a little while and thought what if Id just left the hotel a little later But the reality is that its happened and there is nothing you can do. Boorman was involved in a serious accident whilst test riding a motorbike with journalists in Portugal in 2016. I was just coming back from the bathroom and he was sitting in my chair chatting up my wife. (Charley crashed on a Triumph launch in Spain a couple of years ago.). British adventurer Charley Boorman treks across Canada and discovers what makes the country amazing. Charley Boorman's South African Adventure (TV Series 2013-2013) The Movie Database (TMDB) Join Adventurer Charley Boorman as he sets off once more on an epic motorbike adventure, this time making his way through the stunning, rugged and often unknown South Africa. It was exactly what the doctor ordered.. ", "Being in trouble with the wife [he has been married to Olivia for 27 years, with whom he has two daughters] is always scary. Im lucky enough to have a few. That makes it very complicated and I dont understand how people are so tribal about it. Portions of Boormans recovery from the horrific accident are shown in the first episode of Long Way Down. These snippets show how dedicated Boorman was to getting back on the bike and how important it was for him to do this third trip. What we hadn't realized is how much the weather actually affects these electric vehicles. I don't want to give anything away, but one of the funniest moments of the trip as a viewer was that time in Ecuador when you basically couldn't leave a restaurant because of how many people wanted to see you. Re-watching By Any Means for the 20th time at the moment. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much appreciated. Rivian also installed charging stations along the more desolate parts of the route. He was appointed as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2013 for his outstanding contributions to the world of dramatics and his charity work. Web Charley Boorman Africa Touring Hear it from Charley During August to October Im leading a whole bunch of bikers on an incredible trip from Cape Town to Victoria Falls and How did you persevere and decide, I'm going to do this? Full Name Charley Boorman Occupation Actor and Television Personality Nationality British Birthplace Wimbledon, London, UK Birth Date Aug 23, 1966 Age 56 Years, 5 Months Co-creator of Documentary Series 'Long Way Round' with Ewan McGregor Charley Boorman | Biography Child Actor in Film 'Deliverance' Published: Monday, 8th May 2017 at 10:40 am, Long Way Round's Charley Boorman: Even if I lost my leg, I would never give up motorcycling. With Ewan McGregor, Charley Boorman, David Alexanian, Russ Malkin. wBW providessubjective opinionsand information on hard-to-find and unique motorcycling products. I think its too difficult and expensive to get your licence now. That meant electric bikes (Harley-Davidson supplied prototypes) that could withstand myriad environments snow, ice, altitude, wind, rain and very few charging stations. (The places these two bunk overnight, at least in the first three episodes, are hardly five-star. Also, insurance is very expensive and bike theft is a big issue. I thought Id broken my hip just for the sake of going down the shops! However, the pair undertook the journey on fully electric motorcycles, something which had never been done before. Because of congestion and over-population, scooters and motorbikes should be a big part of the solution but we just need to get people to be more aware and positive towards bikes. So we had to bring them inside, where it wasn't actually that much warmer, so we also had to put blankets on top of the bikes to warm them up and get them charging again. Nite!. Charley Boorman: When I did have the accident, you know, I remember waking up in the morning and I was in Portuguese hospital. Im too stupid to be anything other than open about my life. Learn more about us. [5] In March 2017, during a Reddit AMA, Ewan said there were "no plans at the moment" to do a third installment of the series. Essentially the bottom of my leg was hanging off, only held on by the calf muscle. After a period reliant on a wheelchair, Boorman is back riding, but now walks with a limp as his left leg is 1 cm shorter than his right after operations to repair the breaks. We turned the corner on this hairpin and just hit black ice. That was a one-off, because of Star Wars. Did you encounter any technical issues? Can you do this, that and the other?" The shock absorbers bore the brunt, with both McGregor's and von Planta's bikes suffering broken springs. Argentinian news outlets report McGregor arrived in the country (apparently to considerable fanfare) in late August. He grew up on an estate in the Wicklow mountains his dad had bought on a whim, and also on film sets, making his debut in his fathers brutal 1972 thriller Deliverance, aged six. The scenery is breathtaking, and while the relationship between McGregor and Boorman is the predominant one, seeing how this group navigates the trip, together and separately, is also powerful stuff. Harley just nailed it. Upon arrival in Tunisia, the team bribed the local authorities with a few bottles of vodka to aid their passage into the country. You might think the gods are trying to tell the Boormans something about hazardous pursuits, but when we meet, Charleys leg is nearly healed (he invites me to feel a screw that has worked loose beneath the skin) and hes planning to resume his bike safaris in Africa in August, go on a speaking tour to promote the book, then try to put the Darien Gap TV project back together. The trip, well-planned as it was, does not get off to an easy start, owing to unseasonably cold weather (it was the worst winter in since 1994 this time last year), as well as the trial of using vehicles that had yet to be tested in such conditions. In a video interview with CNN Travel, McGregor explained, We drifted apart somewhat. Von Planta says he was riding too closely and fell while avoiding a collision; he was shaken but uninjured. And our bikes were being charged directly by the sun., In the end, after three months on the road, both men were ready to end the trip, though Boorman says, You always talk about the possibility of another one, so youve got that in your head, so its not so bad that this ones finished., Theres an arc, these trips that weve done, says McGregor. Its also a handy guide to the world of motorcycling, where everyone knows everyone, and they all obsess about cylinders and paint jobs and regard broken bones as part of the ride. We've sort of lost touch with each other a little bit. The start was nearly delayed after Boorman, frustrated by an official at Gatwick Airport, made an off-the-cuff comment regarding bombs and was detained for questioning. In Long Way Down, they share their 15,000-mile ", "The latest accident in Portugal was pretty scary. LONG WAY ROUND -- Pictured: (l-r) Charley Boorman, Ewan McGregor -- Photo by: Sven [+] Arnstein/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank. Three bikes were used in Long Way Down with Ewan, Charley and cameraman Claudio Von Plata each riding one, Long Way Up took about 100 days to complete as they rode from Ushuaia to Los Angeles, The crew traveled from their base in Shepherd's Bush, London to John o'Groats at the northern tip of Scotland to begin their journey. They let us in and let us plug in our bikes as they showed us around and explained how everything worked. His motorcycle was substantially damaged, and the footage of the rest of the journey to Cape Agulhas appears only to include support vehicle and helmet cam footage, suggesting that Von Planta's motorcycle was no longer used. After many years as a BMW ambassador, I was approached about five years ago by Triumph Motorcycles. Well also do one on Scramblers in Morocco on light gravel and tar. So, being a glass-half-full kind of person, he used the enforced year of recuperation to write a book. Revealed: First photos and premiere date of Long Way Up. The new bikes featured a 2-cylinder boxer engine, a six-speed gearbox, and generated 109 horsepower with 89 pound-feet of torque. I was on a bed pan for god knows how long and I just wanted to go to a regular toilet. He then broke his hip riding a Vespa whilst still in recovery. Overview: For his first big project as state vet, Danny oversees the relocation of an animal. Both McGregor and Boorman had visited such centres in Africa previously. Actors, best friends, and lifelong motorbike enthusiasts Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman are perhaps best known in the automotive community for their 'Long Way' series all 3 of which you can watch on Apple TV+ of long-distance motorbike trips across various continents. And then theres the charging. I just love seeing Mother Nature like this, watching the land change as we go by. We were lucky because we were right at the crest of that adventure travel wave. I remember having the door open and contemplating whether I'd have to jump. You could just keep riding your bike not knowing where you're going on forever and If it wasn't for the people that you love at home, that would be an interesting way of life. Its been more than a decade since Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman rode triumphantly into Cape Town at the end of a journey that saw them travel the length of Africa on their BMW R 1200 GS Adventure motorcycles.