ELSPETH BEARD
PIONEERING AROUND THE WORLD ADVENTURER
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To say that Elspeth Beard is a hero of ours at VC is an understatement.
Elspeth Beard is one of a small select band of bold women to ride a motorcycle around the world being the first Englishwoman to do this solo. On top of this she achieved this feat thirty years ago, in the days before sat-nav, internet, email and mobile phones challenging the status quo even when the odds (and certain motorcycle publications) were against her.
At just 24 years old, after working job in a local pub to save up, in 1980 Elspeth bought her 1974 BMW R60 with 45,000 miles on the clock & set out on a life changing journey spanning 3 years & 54,000km. We were lucky enough to spend the day riding & talking with Elspeth recently ahead of the launch of her new book "Lone Rider" which tells the story of her adventure around the world.
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When you meet people you admire you hope to god that they don't disappoint you from the image you've built up of them in your head over years of reading about them. I can safely say that for all of us that meeting & hanging out with Elspeth lived up to everything we expected and more. To have met someone who did something so pioneering at a time when it was almost unthinkable to do this alone (whether you were a man or a woman ) in countries that even until today are difficult & dangerous to navigate has been an absolute inspiration to us & changed the way we've been thinking about alot of things lately. Hopefully it will for you too.
VC
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