Diary & Travel Report by Simon Milward
Rotax donates new engine
August 3rd 2002
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Rotax gave Simon Milward a new engine for his round the world charity motorcycle ride. He fitted it at Starved Rock Harley Davidson in Illinois in July. The original covered 85,000 miles many of which were very hard and included several drownings on the road of bones in Siberia. Milward said, “I am extremely grateful to Rotax. The bottom line is that we are using motorcycles to improve the lives of fellow humans and Rotax’s support, like one or two other manufacturers, makes it all possible.” |
[Rotax, of Austria, makes motorcycle engines used by Aprilia, ATK, BMW, CCM plus others and a whole range of engines for aircraft snowmobiles and other recreational vehicles.]
Dear Everyone
This is another hastily-snatched moment to update you on the one and only Millennium Ride. I’m emailing from Gina’s BMW in Iowa City Iowa, where last night the Mill Restaurant hosted a presentation. I’m heading West in the US for the last time (I feel a bit sad about that) on my way to the Sturgis Black Hills Rally. This is the 100,000 strong biker party in the State of South Dakota.
Pepper Massey-Swan (a great friend thank you Pepper) got me a venue for my presentations at the Chamber of Commerce. Here are the details in case you are going, or if you have friends going please tell them to catch my shows at:
BIKE
Rotax have been wonderful by donating a new engine and I am so grateful to them. It feels great. The kind folks at Starved Rock HD in Ottawa Illinois gave me the run of their workshop for the best part of a week where I found that my frame was quite bent. The right side of the frame was sat nearly an inch lower than the left, noticed only when we came to fit a new swinging arm shaft. This could only have happened in the Australian Outback when I landed upside down on that side at about 60mph. The handling was not affected dare I say even improved?! Anyway a crow bar and blow-torch eventually got it sitting much straighter. Harley kindly will send my old engine back to England for me.
SPONSORS
We have raised about $92,000 now. Airheads of Ontario Canada donated $1,200 at the BMW MOA Rally which was just brilliant. Other new corporate sponsors include Airheads North America, Dukane and Eastern Chapters of ABATE of Illinois, Chicago Region BMW Owners Association, HD Indianapolis Southside, Verhulst Touring Goodies, Gina’s BMW and the Warehouse Church. The latter as the first Church sponsor means a lot to me, a place where rock and roll meets Jesus Christ. It was great to go more into the spiritual side of my ride at the Sunday morning service when I made my presentation. Passing through Wisconsin the day before yesterday S&S Cycle the performance masters for Harleys promised a $1,500 check to be presented the Sturgis press conference. KK Motorcycle Supply in Dayton Ohio gave me 6 sets of front and rear brake pads, perhaps enough to get me home!
Some manufacturers are being extremely supportive of this quest whilst others are noticeably absent from the supporter list. Harley Davidson in particular stands out, since including the dealers they’ve donated over $6,000 (excluding $3000 from HOG Chapters) plus a great deal of practical support. Yamaha saved us $6,000 on the price of 12 motorcycles for Flores of course and Honda UK donated my forks way back when.
ABATE of Indiana have been looking after me well and giving me the run of their well-equipped office, and their annual Boogie was a party like no other.
ROUTE
From the BMW MOA Rally in Trenton Ontario I rode back and spent the last few weeks making presentations in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Wisconsin. The beauty of Southern Indiana and Western Wisconsin contrasts with the flat prairies offering up this year’s harvest of corn. So much corn!
QUESTIONS
1. Do you know anyone in the US be willing to do something with all the T shirts I have collected? I’m thinking of having a quilt made, personalizing it with something from the Millennium Ride, and auctioning it. There are lots of Ts!
2. Do you ride a Yamaha and have any connections with any sort of Yamaha oriented rider club in the US? I would like to ask for your assistance with something, please email me, I promise not to get you into trouble and it won’t be much effort.
USA
Lastly, the US leg of my world tour is coming to a close. I have been reflecting on a few things. You know, it is the people that make a country and it has been an honor for me to be among Americans. I admire their great spirit and sense of freedom. I feel close to Americans, indeed would have been one myself had my grandparents not sold the IXL dude ranch in Wyoming in the 1920s and moved to the UK. (Grandmother’s ballet performances were first priority!) In 1984 I hitch-hiked around the US and throughout the 90’s attended many motorcyclists rights conventions. I feel that I have a strong bond with Americans.
When the USA talks about defending freedom they do practice what they preach. For me, no group in the US illustrates defense of freedom any more than the motorcyclists’ rights movement. Take the motorcycle helmet law. In every other developed country of the world the do-gooders believe only they have the right to legislate on this question. Freedom is virtually unheard of in any sense of the word and the riders organizations feel it is hopeless or do not want to try and kick it out. Talk about freedom and people look at you strangely. Not here. US riders draw the line at government interference in matters of choice in personal safety.
Wherever your sympathies might lie on this, the helmet law is central to the issue of freedom and I’m very glad to say that freedom is alive and well. It is not so much a credit to the USA (since most of the world has democracies) but to the American people and their vanguard the motorcyclists.
See you in Sturgis!
Simon
PS: here is the latest from Wili in Flores.
Dear Simon,
I just arrived today from Flores to train the rest of health workers and to socialize the program to the community leaders. Health workers are very happy because motorcycles managed by HfA are of great help for them. They extended their thanks and gratitute to you and all the benefactors.
Community leaders also expressed their willingness to participate in the monitoring and evaluation. Detailed report of activities will be sent sepately.
Warmest regards from Frans, Yos, Eman and me.
Take care and God bless, Wili
PPS: Email me with your comments on this video idea, please keep them short and to the point, I can’t promise an individual reply.
Documentary Video Blurb
From the safety of your sofa travel along with Simon and myself while we risk life and limb riding our motorcycles through the 2 most dangerous continents in the world. See and hear, 1st hand, recounting of the days adventures. Ride with us as we travel through tropical rain forests, traverse the Amazon River or as we try to navigate our route across the Patagonia Mountain range we may even come face to face with guerrillas (the fighting kind). Watch and enjoy as we encounter some of the most beautiful and dangerous wild life known to man. Join us as we sit and enjoy meals with some tribal natives (hopefully not cannibals).
With my unique camera set-up mounted on the motorcycle you will feel as if you are the riding with us. This will be a unique, one-of-a-kind video experience that you won¹t want to miss. If you enjoyed Simon¹s recounting of his trip to date this unique video will be even more entertaining as you watch the days unravel from sunrise to every nut wrenching moment.
However, in order for this to happen we need to come up with additional money to keep the cameraman out with Simon, so we are looking for either a sponsor to fund the whole expense or thru pre-sales of the video. Myself Irwin, the cameraman and film maker, am donating my time, work and equipment to make this truly extraordinary video but we need help to keep him on the road with Simon, that is why we are asking for your help now.
Simon Milward,
on the road
A solo fundraising round the world ride on a handmade motorcycle. Help us help motorcycles and motorcyclists improve the health of fellow human beings.
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