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Rene Cromier
Canadian motorcycle adventurer Rene Cormier brings an inspiring presentation and talk to participating BMW dealers showcasing his four-year, 154 000 kilometre, around-the-world motorcycle odyssey aboard a BMW F650.
Cormier, who recently chronicled his unique travels in the book, The University of Gravel Roads: Global Lessons From a Four-Year Motorcycle Adventure, will read excerpts and welcomes fellow motorcyclists, world travellers and anybody with a spirit of adventure to share their passion with like-minded enthusiasts at this special gathering. A book signing will follow.
Island BMW is proud to present an evening with Rene Cromier at:
Olympic View Golf Club
643 Latoria Road
Victoria, BC
(yes, the same day as the annual Demo Days)
Admission: $20 with all proceeds benefiting the Morgan Jayne Project.
About Rene Cromier
Cormier started his journey to see the world from Vancouver in 2003 on a BMW F650GS motorcycle. He returned 154,000 kilometers later with Pakistani art gracing the front of his BMW and stamps from 41 countries in his passport. "And none of those small, ‘easy’ European countries, either," he jokes, pointing to his route map that includes a host of uncommon destinations including Yemen, Iran, Tajikistan and Mongolia.
"The goal behind bringing my stories to other riders is to remind them that although there are inherent risks with any travel, we imagine them to be bigger and scarier than they actually are. I want to convince people of the overwhelming rewards of adventure travel by motorcycle."
The Edmonton resident admits there were challenges during his journey. One such experience happened at an Ethiopian checkpoint where a drunken border guard, wearing only a wrap-around beach towel, insisted Cormier take a guard with him to the next town, "for safety reasons." "Drunk guards never make good travel companions," says Cormier, who proceeded to race the BMW into the safety of the desert while the towel-wrapped guard and his AK-47-wielding partner wobbled unsuccessfully after him. "They were looking for bribes," says Cormier, "and I'm too cheap for that."
Cormier undertook his world journey without sponsorship -- roughing it on a skinny budget of $25 per day. He persevered, found his future wife along the way, and he hopes his story encourages others to look rationally at the risk, and then go. As he likes to point out, "it's easier - and much more fun - than you think."
Attendees 25 years or older with a valid motorcycle licence are welcome to enter the draw for an all-expenses paid guided motorcycle trip to South Africa and Namibia aboard a BMW motorcycle in October 2010. Trip sponsored by Cormier’s travel company Renedian Adventures, http://www.renedian.com.
The University of Gravel Roads: Global Lessons From a Four-Year Motorcycle Adventure has been on the Bestseller List for both the Calgary Herald and Edmonton Journal and is available from select Chapters and independent bookstores across Canada and from www.universityofgravelroads.com.
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