Meet Author Elspeth Beard on the Final Leg of Her U.S. Book Tour

Lone Rider – The First British Woman to Motorcycle Around the World

Meet Author Elspeth Beard on the final leg of her U.S. Book Tour

Austin, Texas – October 25th, 2018 – In 1982, 23-year-old Elspeth Beard left her family and friends in London and set off on a 35,000-mile solo motorcycle journey around the world. Her adventure—spanning the course of two years and crossing over four continents—took her through deserts, mountain ranges, and war ravaged countries. Along the way, she faked documents to cross borders, fended off sexual attacks, evaded biker gangs and corrupt law enforcement convinced she was trafficking drugs, survived brutal crashes and life-threatening illnesses, and had fallen in and out of love. By the time she and her 1974 BMW R60/6 motorcycle returned to England two years later, she was 30 pounds lighter and decades wiser. This is the coming-of-age story of a young woman on a journey—and the bike that carried her through it all.

Upon her journey’s conclusion and return home to London in 1984, Elspeth Beard stored all evidence of her journey—journals, tapes, and photos—into a cardboard box in the back of a cupboard where they remained for more than 30 years. Now over four decades after her journey, Beard’s story has been brought to light and finds new meaning within today’s contemporary context. Charting the globe at a time when solo-female journeys were neither common nor celebrated, Elspeth Beard reflects on the challenges she faced as a woman on the road, with vivid presence, honesty, and wit. Lone Rider is not only the culmination of Beard’s journey on her bike, but her journey beyond her bike through life.

Previously published in the UK, Lone Rider made its debut to the US in June. This captivating book charts Beard’s progress around the globe in richly descriptive chapters that reflect on her experiences, from “Pretty Boys and Biker Gangs: New Mexico to California,” to “Bell Helmet For a Burka: Iran to Istanbul.” The book is accompanied by stunning full-color original photographs taken by Beard throughout her journey, capturing scenes such as riding alongside camels on the roads of Rajasthan, India, mending a punctured tire in the middle of the Pakistani desert abyss, and the expectant day before she set off on her two-year adventure. In 320 pages, Lone Rider tells the complete story of a woman’s round-the-world journey on her bike, from charts of fuel purchased and maintenance serviced, to accounts of love, loss, struggle, and freedom.

ELSPETH BEARD’S EAST COAST TOUR SCHEDULE

November 5th Union Garage – NY

November 7th   BMW Motorcycles Charlotte – NC

November 9 -11th Expo East – Reeb Ranch, Hendersonville – NC

November 14th Velocity Cycles – Mechanicsburg – PA

November 17th Bob’s BMW – Jessup MD (CLICK HERE for complete event details)