| Helge Pedersen |
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 This guy is truly amazing! Reading about him in my BMF Motorcycle Rider magazine just inspired and humbled me. His adventures are truly epic. His bike even has a washing machine on the rear.The washing machine is a bucket + water + laundry soap + bumpy road. Helge Pedersen comes from Kristiansand in Norway. His desire to travel originated in 1973, when he was chosen to attend Eagle Rock High School in Los Angeles as an exchange student with the American Field Service. While in the U.S. he met many other foreign exchange students and began to wonder what their home countries were like. He quickly decided that one day he would see more of the world. When he returned from the States, he took up a job as a photographer with the Norwegian helicopter rescue service. One of his duties included taking pictures of fishing boats to ensure they were comlying with international law. He soon began to realise his dream. In 1981, he bought a BMW R80 G/S motorcycle (which he called Olga) and set off to see the world. He didn't intend to be away for ten years, but because he doesn't like to just "pass through" a country, instead preferring to explore the real culture of the people - it took longer! Some friends gave him a parting gift of a map of the Sahara Desert - it was basically a piece of sandpaper with N for north written on it! Helge said it was about as good as the proper maps he had! In the end, he visited 77 different countries and rode over 250,000 miles. He has now published his exploits in a book titled: "10 Years on 2 Wheels". It has 208 pages with more than 200 glossy photos and nine maps. His bike, Olga, is now in the Munchen BMW Museum - say hello if you see her! If anybody wants to get me a Christmas present - this book would be perfect! For more information, visit his detailed and interesting website.
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