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Accidents and Challenges: How did Charley's accident affect this journey?
Accidents are always inevitable during the adventures of Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman.The motorcycle trip, called Long Way Up, sets out from Ushuaia, Argentina, travels through South and Central America, and eventually arrives in Los Angeles, USA.The journey documented how they used Harley-Davidson's electric motorcycle to span 13,000 miles (about 21,000 kilometers), challenging their mental journey with various uncertainties besides riding.
"When planning this trip of thousands of miles, we thought the challenge would come from the difficulties of the journey, but we didn't expect that unexpectedly, accidents are the biggest challenge."
Eight months before the trip, Charley had to temporarily adjust his plan due to a serious motorcycle accident.This mental blow and physical challenge were undoubtedly a huge test for him."I really didn't expect that I would go through such a drastic change, which affected my confidence," he said in a review of the journey.After the accident recovered, Charley and Ewan decided to use a new electric motorcycle to make the trip, but it also means they have to face unexperienced technical challenges.
"Electric motorcycles have limited endurance, which is not only a technical issue, but also a challenge to our mentality."
As the trip unfolds, their pursuit is no longer just about motorcycle driving skills, but also about the sense of responsibility for the impact of the environment.Both Ewan and Charley hope to reduce their carbon footprint, so the two used all-electric Rivian pickups on their support vehicles on this trip.This challenge of alternating new and old makes them deeply aware of the risks posed by technological uncertainty.
Initially, challenges encountered included the weather impact of the snow and the lack of charging facilities.When they faced the harsh winter climate at Tierra del Fuego, the charging problem of motorcycles was even more prominent.The insufficient number of suitable charging facilities has caused a lot of trouble for their journey, and even delayed their trip for three days at one point.
"Sometimes, we have to let go of our desire to ride and accept the challenges of reality."
As the journey deepens, it seems that every section of the road is testing them. From the moisture of the Amazon to the cold of the Andes, the changes in the environment are harvested by unexpected philosophy of life.Looking back on this journey, Charley mentioned that accidents are always unpredictable, and that being flexible and adaptable is a must, no matter where on the road.
More challenging are their vehicle problems, with Ewan's motorcycle malfunctioning several times during the journey.On the way to Bolivia, due to the high altitude and sudden climate, Ewan felt the invasion of alpine disease; but in another charging attempt, he found that the battery system had irreparable errors and was often blocked.At this point, they had to do a hard troop charging and rely on the help of supporting vehicles to keep the marching.
"This is not just a motorcycle adventure, but also a profound self-test."
In the turbulent desert, Charley's Thor spray unfortunately overturned, and his body and mind were challenged again.However, after the pain came to an end, he quickly adjusted his mentality and continued to move forward.Planning and control seem to have lost meaning in this journey, making them pay more attention to every step of the day and think twice about whether they can overcome the difficulties they are about to face.
Ultimately, Ewan and Charley's journey was not just an exciting motorcycle trip, but also a deep thought about life.After all this, they realized the accidental beauty.Is all this telling us that the true meaning of dilemma lies in how to bear them?
