Charley Boorman, Actor and Adventure Rider
Photo Long Way Up
Charley Boorman has criss-crossed the globe on two wheels with pal Ewan McGregor, but of all the trails he’s travelled it’s the Road of Bones that sticks with him.
“You experience the world differently when you’re on a motorbike. ”
“Riding the Road of Bones was everything Ewan and I were hoping for, and much, much more. It was tough, it was remote, it was terrifying and it was absolutely brilliant. We were just two friends on BMW GS 1150 adventure bikes with nothing to lose – or so we thought. We packed way too much in our panniers and as the road conditions got worse we decided we needed to get rid of some weight. That’s when we realised we had two tyre pumps, two tool kits and far too many clothes. It’s amazing how little you actually need. Over the years, you work out what gadgets and gear work best for you. I love a Quad Lock and I’m a fan of Sat Navs. It’s always that last ten minutes before you reach a destination that it really comes into its own.
The Road of Bones was built on permafrost by prisoners from the Russian Gulag camps, and for every kilometre that was built, at least five of the prisoners who died while constructing it were buried in it. I had this profound feeling of sadness and respect for the people who had suffered such an awful fate. The permanent daylight added a sense of strangeness as well. We had to force ourselves to stop because you lost all sense of time, but despite being exhausted I found it difficult to sleep in my tent.
Crossing rivers was super tricky because most of the bridges had collapsed. If it had been raining, we'd often have to wait for hours for the water level to go down. Sometimes, we’d set up camp for the night. On one occasion, as we sat contemplating how we might get across, a six-wheel drive KamAZ truck braved the river from the other side but the current was too strong. The driver threw it into reverse, skidding backwards towards the safety of the bank. He was lucky not to have been washed away and you could see it on his face that he’d almost f****d up. But he had to deliver some goods, so taking risks like that happens every day.
When you’re out in the middle of nowhere, every decision you make is critical and despite packing far too much stuff, Ewan and I ran low on food. If something had gone really wrong, there was no air ambulance and no hospital, we were totally responsible for ourselves. It's rare to experience that these days. There was so much nothing, the thought of reaching Magadan Oblast, which is the furthest place you can go in Russia on a road, was tantalising. So many people said it would be impossible for us to do. Miraculously, we proved them wrong.
Until you travel with somebody, you don't really know whether or not you'll get on. I think I’m a pretty good road trip buddy, but it’s not a failure if you decide to go your own way half way through a trip because you don’t feel aligned. It’s better to separate and have different adventures. My worst habit? I fiddle far too much, so I should stop doing that
You experience the world differently when you’re on a motorbike. You’re more connected to your environment and don't have the distractions of a radio or packet of crisps on the passenger seat; you put your helmet on and you ride. The thing I've learned most about riding long distances on a motorcycle is that it gives your mind time to wander.
My sister, Telsche, died of ovarian cancer 37 years ago. I had a newborn child, I was busy, and life just carried on, but when we did Long Way Round [Charley and Ewan’s round the world journey that included the Road of Bones] I had time to think about her. On the road for days on end, I’d often have a little cry in my helmet. I talked to Ewan about her too, and to this day, whenever he sees a rainbow, he says ‘look, Telsche’s here.’
You can find adventure everywhere. A lot of people make plans and then keep pushing the date back. My advice to people is just buy a non-refundable ticket and go. Ewan and I rode the Road of Bones 20 years ago, I was 37 at the time, but it was an extraordinary experience that will live with me forever.”
Words Charlotte Vowden Instagram