Richard

I have been employed as a Local Government Officer within the Building Services Section of the Architect's Department at Great Yarmouth Borough Council for nearly16 years.

My experience with riding off road motorcycles started from the age of 15. At the age of 16 I purchased my first on road motorcycle, a B.S.A. Bantam.  In the years that followed I owned various popular models of B.S.A.and Triumph motorcycles, including a Triumph Bonneville, one of the fastest and most revered motorcycles of the day.

After a break during my early 20s, it became necessary to make more use of 4 wheels to accommodate my young family.  In 1982 I purchased a new GPZ 750 Kawasaki, one of the latest sports motorcycles from the "land of the rising sun".

My present motorcycles range from sports to touring machines, including my latest addition, a new Honda Transalp, the motorcycle which I purchased specially for the Expedition. 

Previous Travels

In 1997 I purchased a BMW 100RT motorcycle, specifically chosen for its simplicity, to undertake a trip to Russia and back.  With two BMW touring motorcycles fully laden with tents, water, fuel and tool kits, both myself and a motorcycling friend travelled through Holland, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia to reach our final destination: St. Petersburg in the U.S.S.R.  It was quite an exciting and eventful trip, and many problems were encountered at the borders of the ex-Soviet States.  Bad road conditions and the threat of attack from some shady characters who roamed the Ex-Eastern Block roads, difficulties with obtaining fuel and in some cases basic food supplies, all made the trip a very memorable adventure.

Taking a break at the roadside in the U.S.S.R.

Mike

Before retiring for the second time, I was employed by the East of England Local Government Conference, a regional body of local government based at Flempton, Bury St. Edmonds.  I am now a free lance consultant and trainer working with local government authorities.  My first twenty-five year career was in the Royal Air Force.

I have held a motorcycle licence since my early twenties, and first thought of crossing the Sahara by motorcycle in 1980 whilst working in Northern Nigeria.  By chance I mentioned the idea to one of Richard's work colleagues and by December of last year Richard and I started talking and roughing out some basic ideas for the expedition.

My interests include flying, as a member of the Touchdown Aero Centre at Old Buckenham Airfield, and gliding with the Norfolk Gliding Club at Tibbenham Airfield.  I also enjoy reading and playing the keyboard (very badly). 

I have also purchased a new Honda Transalp for the expedition and am now learning to ride it.  Although I have held a licence all my adult life, I had not until recently been on a motorcycle since I was twenty-two.  In the last few months I have been having lessons with Top Notch, a motorcycle training school in Norwich.

Mike with PA 28 Cherokee at Buckenham Airfield, Norfolk.

Unfortunately it belongs to the club, Touchdown Aero Centre.

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