Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman · 2004 · road
The 2004 book and television journey of actors Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman, who rode two BMW motorcycles the long way round the world, east from London to New York. Their route ran through Europe, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Mongolia, then up the Road of Bones across Siberia to Magadan, before a flight to Alaska and the long ride down through Canada to Manhattan. Nineteen thousand miles, twelve countries, swollen rivers, broken frames and the kindness of strangers.
- 1London
Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman set off east from London, chasing a daydream of riding all the way round the world to New York.
- 2Dover
The start of the round-the-world ride: out of London to the coast, then the Channel crossing that puts the bikes on the Continent for the long haul east.
- 3Calais
Ashore in France, pointed east across Europe toward Prague, Ukraine and the vast stretch of Asia beyond.
- 4Prague
Across Europe to Prague and the bone-decked chapel at Sedlec, then on through Slovakia.
- 5Kyiv
Into Ukraine and Kyiv, where they sit with children still living under the long shadow of Chernobyl.
- 6Almaty
Through Russia and down onto the Kazakh steppe, camping rough, to Almaty beneath the mountains.
- 7Ulaanbaatar
Mongolia's trackless country nearly breaks them and the bikes, before Ulaanbaatar and a meeting with the traveller Ted Simon.
- 8Yakutsk
North into Siberia to Yakutsk, gateway to the Road of Bones laid down by Stalin's prisoners.
- 9Magadan
The Road of Bones to Magadan, fording collapsed rivers, beneath the Mask of Sorrow on the Pacific shore.
- 10Anchorage
With no bridge to ride across, they fly the bikes over to Anchorage and the home stretch through Alaska.
- 11Mount Rushmore
Down through the Yukon and Canada into the United States, pausing among the carved presidents of Mount Rushmore.
- 12New York
And on into New York, a hundred and fifteen days and nearly nineteen thousand miles from home.