Her trip started in the us after she had shipped her bike over from the uk. In the early 1980s she became the first british woman to ride a motorcycle around the world. Today, she still drives a motorcycle and lives on her passion for architecture. Capture you inner adventurer on this pamir highway tour with biking legend elspeth beard.
Jul 06, 2017 elspeth beard s story of her around the world motorcycle tour is well written. This was a time when women riders were extremely rare, the internet didnt exist, and the world was a much larger place. Elspeth beard is the lady stud of my motorcycle dreams, and if kate moennig plays her in the film, the fantasy will be complete. Her honesty adds to sharing the total experience with her. Thirtyfive years ago, elspeth beard came down with a serious case. Elspeth beard may 8, 2012 anyone whos had the pleasure of visiting elspeth beards victorian water tower will leave with no doubt in their mind that she.
A brutally honest story of the indomitable human spirit, failure, then unheralded triumph. She runs her own architecture company, specialising in creating and remodelling interesting and unusual buildings. Brickbuilt and ft high, it was erected in 1898 to supply water to the surrounding houses in munstead and neighbouring villages and was in use for approximately 70 years. In 1982 at age 22 elspeth set off on a solo motorbike trip around the world. Elspeth beard, who today is a renowned and prizewinning architect, explored the world on two wheels for three years at the beginning of the eighties. The pamir highway is home to the worlds most thrilling road trips. As a female motorbiker in the 1980s, elspeth beard felt like nobody. Elspeth beard spent 3 years on the road, traveled 77,250 kilometers on a single bike and lost 44 pounds despite being only 24 years of age. This elspeth beard itinerary starts and ends in dushanbe and takes in the darvaz region before heading on to the pamir highway.
In the mideighties elspeth beard became the first british woman to ride a motorcycle around the world. At the age of 23, beard, a londoner, decided to ride around the world. She outfitted her 1974 bmw r606 with soft panniers, a tank bag, and an extra bag lashed to the pillion seat, then shipped her motorcycle to new york city. The first british woman to motorcycle around the world first edition by elspeth beard isbn. Elspeth beard is a motorcyclist and awardwinning architect.
Beard now owns an architectural firm based in a converted stable in godalming. Her adventurespanning the course of two years and crossing over four continentstook her. At the age of twentythree, elspeth beard became the first woman to motorcycle around the world. Travelling the world, by elspeth beard interviews youtube. In the early 1980s she completed a solo motorcycle trip around the world. As a touring biker i found it very interesting and inspiring, it is well written and at the end of the book i almost felt that i knew the writer. Jan 26, 2019 elspeth beard is author of lone rider. The air cargo for the motorcycle cost 175 pounds at. The living accommodation on the top floor has been designed to sit within the original tank room. The third in our series is adventurer and awardwinning architect elspeth beard. Elspeth beard is an architect and motorcyclist, who is noted for being one of the first english women to ride a motorcycle around the world. Youll follow the magnificent wakhan corridor, ride across the lunarlike murghab plateau, cross into kyrgyzstan then pass through the northern tajik city of khujand on your way back to dushanbe. Half a dozen questions with elspeth beard, world traveler.
Austin, texas october 25th, 2018 in 1982, 23yearold elspeth beard left her family and friends in london and set off on a 35,000mile solo motorcycle journey around the world. Elspeth beard s recounting of her journey is much more than a travel book. Not just for motorcycle enthusiasts, lone rider is a story of one womans challenge to ride around the world on a motorcycle. Sep 24, 2017 elspeth is a friend of mine and she has just produced her first book, 35 years after becoming the first british woman to motorcycle around the world. Elspeth beard bares all about her remarkable round the world ride.
Meet the fearless woman who made history riding round the world. As the first british woman to travel the world by motorcycle, elspeth talks us through the highs and lows of the biggest trip of her life. Elspeth beard in 1982 at age 22 elspeth set off on a solo. Elspeth beard lone rider book launch at vines of guildford. After having read the book a month ago,i want to read it again. Beard now owns an architectural firm based in a converted stable. In 2014 elspeth was contacted by an agent in hollywood, who had found the article on the internet and expressed an interest in buying the rights to her story, with a view to making a film about it. I worried that i was too excited for this book to come out and that id set my expectations too high, but i was not to be disappointed. In 1982 elspeth beard, then 23, put her architecture degree on hold and defied her familys wishes when she left her home in london to travel around the world with her bmw motorbike. The usa is an amazing country to tour by motorcycle, and was in the 1980s its not something new but you would never know it by reading beards book. May 30, 2017 in 1982 at age 22 elspeth set off on a solo motorbike trip around the world. You dont need to be motivated by a grand agenda id been biking for years. There was no one to look to for inspiration or guidance, because, unlike now, there werent thousands. Thats when her luck started to run out elspeth beard and her 74 bmw r 606 that she rode around the world over the course of three years.
Had first heard of elspeth beard doing book signings and talks across the country for this book release. I worked for months in a pub saving the money to buy my bmw 600. In the early 1980s she completed a solo motorcycle trip around the world and became the first british woman to achieve this. Austin, texas october 25th, 2018 in 1982, 23yearold elspeth beard left. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected. Elspeth beard one of the early globetrotters motorcyclist.
She runs her own architectural practice, specialising in creating and remodelling interesting and unusual buildings. The first british woman to motorcycle around the world. Elspeth beard does not just surprise motorcylists with her book lone rider. To learn more about elspeth beards journey, pick up a copy of her book lone rider the first woman to motorcycle around the world, avaliable on her website, waterstones and amazon. Elspeth is a friend of mine and she has just produced her first book, 35 years after becoming the first british woman to motorcycle around the world. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The air cargo for the motorcycle cost 175 pounds at the time and my own flight 99 pounds, she remembers. This glorious route takes you over the highest pass of the former soviet union, past one of the largest meteorlakes in the world and through some of the most aweinspiring mountains on. Munstead water tower stands on top of a hill four miles south west of guildford.
Motorcycle the pamir highway with elspeth beard silk road. Elspeth beards recounting of her journey is much more than a travel book. Elspeth beard, the first female motorcycle globetrotter. From the outback of australia to the mountains of nepal, elspeth has travelled through some fascinating places. The first british woman to motorcycle around the world di elspeth beard fresh off the press released on 7th july 2017, this book tells the story of a journey around the world which occurred 35 years ago and was achieved by a young british woman. Elspeth beard has been registered as an architect with the arb architects registration board since 1989 and is also a member of the riba royal institute of british architects. Join facebook to connect with elspeth beard and others you may know. The usa is an amazing country to tour by motorcycle, and was in the 1980s its not something new but you would never know it by reading beard s book. Shes a lifelong motorcycle globerider, and awardwinning architect in britain, where she specializes in creating unusual buildings and reinventing old ones like churches and water towers. Jul 11, 2017 bmw dealer vines of guildford will be hosting the book launch for lone rider, the book written by the first british woman to ride around the world, elspeth beard.
In 1982, at the age of only 23, elspeth left her family and friends in london and set off on a 35,000mile solo adventure around the world on her 1974 bmw r606. She rode her 1975 bmw r 606 flattwin into canada before heading south to mexico where she sent the bike to new zealand and later australia. Elspeth beard one of the early globetrotters i have been described as being one of a select band of bold women to ride a motorcycle around the world, and became the first englishwoman to do so. In those early pages, she also talked more about her failed relationship than anything good she might have been experiencing as a motorcycle rider, and i thought, if the entire book is this. Why every woman should read lone rider by elspeth beard. In this book she details not only the places and events, but also her emotional state at various times during her tour. The surrey architect who became the first british woman to ride a motorcycle around the world. Elspeth beard has ridden motorbikes for over 40 years now and says she always will.
Elspeth beard, female riders, round the world, women adv riders. It was an unusual thing to do but the whole adventure bike scene didnt exist at all. Elspeth beard is one of a select band of bold women to ride a motorcycle around the world, and she was the first englishwoman to do so. When i got back in 1984, nobody wanted to hear about it.
It was a journey that would take her over 55,000 kilometres. Elspeth article about elspeth by the free dictionary. Elspeth beards water tower home uk in 1982, twentyfour year old elspeth beard decided to set out on a round the world trip on her motorcycle. All the options available to any young, bright lady in london. Elspeth beard lone rider round the world motorcyclist. The incredible story of elspeth beards round the world biker.
Elspeth beards story of her around the world motorcycle tour is well written. Elspeth beard first british woman to motorcycle around the. Here we find a ballsy, lucky, determined woman who sets out to prove herself right and everyone she knows wrong. In 1982, elspeth embarked on a twoyear solo journey that would take her around the world on her beloved motorbike the first british woman to do so. To read more about elspeths travels, check out her website and her book lone rider that chronicles her amazing journey. In 1982, at the age of just twentythree and halfway through her architecture studies, elspeth beard left her family and friends in london and set off on a 35,000mile solo adventure around the world on her 1974 bmw r606. Mar 05, 2018 to read more about elspeths travels, check out her website and her book lone rider that chronicles her amazing journey. Elspeth beard tells her exciting and moving story with the skill of an experienced novelist. Meet the fearless woman who made history riding round the. Sep 02, 2016 elspeth beards water tower home uk in 1982, twentyfour year old elspeth beard decided to set out on a round the world trip on her motorcycle.
Ill be away on a bike trip and sadly wont get to see her. Bmw dealer vines of guildford will be hosting the book launch for lone rider, the book written by the first british woman to ride around the world, elspeth beard. Motorcycle the pamir highway with elspeth beard silk. Meet author elspeth beard on the final leg of her u. So, ladies, if you are tempted by a motorcycle tour, do not hesitate to contact us. In 1982, at the age of only 23, elspeth left her family and friends in london and set off on a 35,000mile solo. I left in october 1982, in the days before satnav, internet, email and mobile phones. I felt like elspeth beard was sharing not only her travel stories but also her genuine. Later on, she redesigned munstead tower in godalming, winning the 1994 royal institute of british architects award for south east england.
Adventures like elspeth beards are often seen as the preserve of the guys. In 2008 freelance journalist paul blezard was commissioned by andy dukes to write a short article about my round the world trip for bmw international which was. She lives in a converted water tower in the southeast of england and still enjoys riding her collection of motorcycles, which includes her trusty bmw r 606. Jun 18, 2018 elspeth beard tells her exciting and moving story with the skill of an experienced novelist. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. Read more in the early 1980s, eb was the first british woman to circumnavigate the world by motorcycle and she has been round it several times since. If you love real adventure storys, this book is for you. A book detailing elspeths epic journey, lone rider, will be released in july 2017. Bobs bmw is thrilled to be included in elspeth beards east coast book tour presenting, lone rider, the first british woman to motorcycle around the world.
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