One good read while on a motorcycle tour is Ted Simon’s “Jupiter’s Travels”.

Starting in 1974, Ted rode 65,000 miles during four years on his 500cc Tiger Hundred Triumph motorcycle. He went through many many adventures as you will read in his lovely book but the one that struck me happened in, what we “civilized” people consider as pretty uncivilized countries. Ted met the most fantastic people. I am convinced that even twenty years later it remains the same (see the lastest long ride adventure of Boorman and McGregor).

While I hated the “Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance” pseudo biker way of thinking mixed with crazy people’s philosophy, I actually like what Ted developed, as his philosophy, over his journey. It is real, based on a real period of his life, and has definitely had some impact on him. I would love to meet that guy one day.

Here are some quotes from his book I would like to share:
•Does it rain because you carry your umbrella, or because you don’t? It’s a personal matter depending on how you remember it.
•There is nothing left for me to do but gather up my souvenirs and fly back to Nairobi. I wonder, would it have been like that if I had arrived on my motorcycle? I am sure it wouldn’t.
•Instant information is instant obsolete. Only the most banal ideas can successfully cross great distances et the speed of light. And anything that travels very far very fast is scarcely worth transporting, especially the tourist (TT’s note: that is why when you travel on your motorcycle alone or in a group you aren’t seen as a turist but more as a person trying tgo learn and blend in, in most regions).

There are many more interesting ideas and thoughts in Ted’s book but I suggest you discover them on your own.