Motorcycle travel book for Riders.
19 June 2009
Adventure motorcyclist, Tim Fransen, has published a new book to help raise money for Riders for Health. On Boxing Day 2005, Riders supporter Tim Fransen rode from Essex to the Gambia to raise money to support our work in Africa. As well as writing a book about his own adventure, Tim has now published a book called 'An Anthology of Early British Motorcycle Travel Literature,' with all proceeds going to support Riders for Health.
'In 2005/06 I rode from Essex to the Gambia to raise money and awareness for two notable charities Riders and SOS Children,' says Tim. 'In the run up to this adventure I hooked up with illustrator Ralph Steadman and produced a unique fundraising poster. This poster sold like hot cakes! On my return I began researching accounts of motorcycle travel. With help from Bernd Tesch, an aficionado of motorcycle travel books and the International Journal of Motorcycle Studies (IJMS) I unearthed an array of amazing stories.
'I thought it would be great to republish some forgotten pioneering accounts for a new audience while continuing the social enterprise of the original Essex-Dakar project. With help from Steven Alford and Suzanne Ferriss at the IJMS the book 'An Anthology Of Early British Motorcycle Travel Literature' developed.'
This new volume contains three fascinating examples of trailblazing motorcycle travel writing - Captain W. H. L. Watson's Adventures of a Despatch Rider (1915), Lady Warren's Through Algeria & Tunisia on a Motor-bicycle (1922) and C. K. Shepherd's Across America by Motor-Cycle (1922).
The book includes engaging tales of spectacular breakdowns and cultural misunderstandings, humorous exploits and human connections. They teach us that when we travel on two wheels, journeys are transformed into adventures.
This exciting new collection of stories is available via http://www.essex-dakar.org/. Tim adds, 'I hope the book provides literary pleasure and inspiration for pending motorcycle travellers and raises a load of funds and awareness for the wonderful Riders for Health ... In the meantime I'll be pondering my next adventure on this amazing planet!'
Riders fundraising and communications manager, Rachel Harrington, said: 'We are very grateful to Tim for all his commitment to Riders and our work. Riders history, and our work, means that we always have a big interest in people using motorcycles in interesting places around the world so we looking forward to reading Tim's new collection.'