Chris BeazerEwan McGregor rides for Charity once More
October 9th 2007 18:15
In 2004, Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman set out on their first charity ride, Long Way Around. It covered 20,000 miles and 13 countries. This year, in May, Ewan and Charley set off once more, this time on Long Way Down. Long Way Down was a 15,000 mile trip from John O’Groats to Cape Town. Ewan and Charley will have covered two continents - eighteen countries - in eighty-five days when their trip has finished. The pair spent three months planning their journey, deciding which countries they would visit and preparing their bikes, BMW Adventure bikes - the R1200 GS Adventure - for the ride. Ewan and Charley both felt it was important to include the lesser traveled parts of Africa on this trip.
Africa is a hostile environment so the risks are a lot higher than those that were taken in the filming of Long Way Round. In order to make this trip a bit easier on them, Ewan and Charley underwent “hostile environment” training. They also took some Objective Travel Safety lessons from Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton. Long Way Down also carries the support of cameraman, Jim Foster. He has spent the majority of the six months prior to this journey working in Iraq and Afghanistan. Jim Foster is also an off-road rider. His experience could come in useful. Also different from their previous trip, Ewan and Charley are taking medical support with them this time. They will take a paramedic equipped with the proper medical bags.
Ewan and Charley started set out on this trip on May 12, 2007. They traveled through Europe and then Africa. Their journey took them through countries like Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Namibia. They ended in Cape Town, South Africa on August 4, 2007. For this trip, as with their previous trip, they had company. Executive Producers/Directors Russ Malkin and David Alexanian rode along. Long Way Down is a charity ride to raise money for three charities; Children’s Hospice Association of Scotland (CHAS), UNICEF and Riders for Health. These charities all distribute much needed medical supplies and food to the remote parts of Africa by motorcycle.
For their journey, Ewan and Charley were followed by a documentary camera crew. They braved sandstorms and floods; gorillas in Rwanda; mosquitoes, a baby rhinoceros called Lola and everything in-between. What will they do now that the journey is over? Oddly enough, both plan to take their families on Safari back to Africa.
Long Way Down will air on BBC Two this autumn and the DVD is due out in December.
Ewan and Charley started set out on this trip on May 12, 2007. They traveled through Europe and then Africa. Their journey took them through countries like Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Namibia. They ended in Cape Town, South Africa on August 4, 2007. For this trip, as with their previous trip, they had company. Executive Producers/Directors Russ Malkin and David Alexanian rode along. Long Way Down is a charity ride to raise money for three charities; Children’s Hospice Association of Scotland (CHAS), UNICEF and Riders for Health. These charities all distribute much needed medical supplies and food to the remote parts of Africa by motorcycle.
For their journey, Ewan and Charley were followed by a documentary camera crew. They braved sandstorms and floods; gorillas in Rwanda; mosquitoes, a baby rhinoceros called Lola and everything in-between. What will they do now that the journey is over? Oddly enough, both plan to take their families on Safari back to Africa.
Long Way Down will air on BBC Two this autumn and the DVD is due out in December.
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Comment by Natalie 2
My Life My Muse
Beta Girl Blog
Thanks for reminding me about this great show!