How To Get Up Close And Personal With Ewan McGregor

This entry is part 15 of 320 in the series Adventure Rider Issue #1

How to get up close and personal with Ewan McGregor

There is nothing quite like the euphoria of riding when everything in the universe is in perfect alignment. Heading towards Tibooburra from Wanaaring through the shrub-covered sandhills, the track stretching endlessly and the sun at my back, was bliss. I knew then that I was born to ride adventure. The euphoria was replaced by panic shortly after, but more on that later.

Heading towards Tibooburra and straight into the setting sun. Note the teeth gritted in determination.

Go girl

The idea of this column is to give a female perspective on adventure riding.

Before you go getting all excited thinking this will feature a lithe young woman in a bikini draped over a muscle bound desert bike, I have to tell you that’s not what this is about. I hope to give encouragement to new riders, and to remind experienced riders of where they started out.

I’ve only been adventure riding for the past year or so and have some 30,000km under my belt. Being a mother of three, wife, and working more or less full time presents some challenges to my riding. Finding time to spend with the kids and meeting work obligations balanced with my eagerness to be out riding is a constant juggling act. The fact I’m a mum has made me a cautious rider, but it doesn’t diminish my enjoyment. I ride to my abilities. As a wife, I’m very fortunate to have a husband who shares my passion for adventure riding. Any adventure is much better shared, and not only do I have a riding companion, but the two of us having a common interest is pretty special. Particularly when our children are becoming independent and we start going through a new phase of our lives.

“I’ll just see if Ewan McGregor has mobile reception.”

Adventure riding wasn’t so much a conscious decision for me as one that just happened because the bike I owned was capable of handling a bit of dirt riding. Soon after getting my licence I got a BMW G650GS, mainly because I’d always liked BMWs (and somewhere at the back of my mind there was probably the thought of bumping into Ewan McGregor on a dusty track somewhere). As a family we spent a lot of time and miles exploring Australia by four-wheel drive. One year we spent so much time camping that, even when we were at home, the kids preferred to sleep outside in their swags. Now they’re starting to leave home, my husband and I have found riding to be a great new way for us to spend time together and a different way to explore.

Shop talk

Surprisingly (or perhaps not, because of the nature of adventure riders), I haven’t come across any patronising males – or females for that matter. Perhaps it’s just the people I’ve had the opportunity to ride with, or maybe this is a generalisation about adventure riders, but they’ve all been supportive and willing to offer advice to improve my riding, make the ride more comfortable/ergonomic, or point out more great places to ride. Even the mechanics at my local bike shop – who delight in telling me I’ll have to stay home and do housework any time my bike has to stay in the shop over the weekend – offer advice to improve my skill and enjoyment.

It’s hard to say just what it is that I love about adventure riding. For me, probably like many others, there are multiple factors: the affinity with the countryside, the incredible feeling of freedom, spending time with my husband, meeting and riding with great people, that incredible feeling of elation at the end of a tricky section or long day and the possibility of bumping into Ewan McGregor on some dusty track just to name a few things. Adventure riding gives me a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. It’s stimulating, exciting, and very addictive.

Back on track

And so it was I went from euphoria to panic as I lay on that same red sandy track I introduced this column with, in pain and unable to breathe. As a mother, I was terrified by the thought of not seeing my kids and that my husband, who was up in front, had no idea what had just happened. Fast forward a few months, the bike was written off and I had the opportunity to get a new bike that would specifically suit me for adventure riding. But that’s a whole other story.

For the whole other story of how Karen came off her bike on that red sandy track, see ‘Cameron Corner Caper’.

A few truths I have learned so far:

• The likelihood of meeting Ewan McGregor on an adventure ride is fairly slim, so the fact the application of sunscreen attracts dirt through every air vent in my helmet and gives me the look of someone who has spent the day ploughing a burnt paddock doesn’t really matter. Apply sunscreen liberally and leave the makeup at home.
• No-one notices helmet hair when they’re too busy looking at how dirty your face is.
• Whenever I leave my teenage kids at home while I’m away for a ride, I make sure I lock up the alcohol and firearms. I’ve found it never hurts to make a polite call to the police through the night and lodge a noise complaint against the home address so they’ll check up on the kids.
• Mechanical knowledge is not a prerequisite for riding. Having said that, making an effort to learn some basics will put you a step above car drivers who call roadside assistance for a flat tyre.
• Having a good attitude will turn any situation into an adventure
• Riding beats housework. Always.

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