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Glen Heggstad, ambassador on two wheels
Topics: Travel, motorcycles, global, village
Posted by bmweerman Wed Nov 15, 2006 10:22:36 PST
Viewed 862 times
0 responses 1 comment Glen Heggstad is a man on a mission.

He wants to be an ambassador, but not like one would think. He wants to be ambassador to the United States from the rest of the world. That probably deserves a little explanation. 

In 1991, Heggstad set off to ride his motorcycle solo across North America down to the tip of South America and back. Along the way he was kidnapped by rebels and held prisoner in horrific conditions for five weeks. His release was finally facilitated by the Red Cross. But, instead of turning back for home he continued and completed the journey, chronicling it all in a best-selling book, "Two Wheels Through Terror."

In 1994, sponsored by BMW motorcycles, he made an around-the-world trip, taking the Hades possible route: the Trans-Siberia Railroad through Mongolia, through eastern Europe and finally down through Africa. 

Along the way, he found out that although governments may not get along, people do.
I
 was lucky enough to sit down with Heggstad in his living room for about four hours last week discussing the manuscript for his new book, "Reshuffling the Deck," while on assignment for Friction Zone Magazine. 

He told me that the rest of the world understands the U.S. much better than we understand the rest of the world; they understand our government, they can name our leaders and they are always generous, even with their last scrap of food.

One of my favorite stories from his manuscript is how some Russian plumbers were able to get his high-tech German bike back on the road after a bad crash using only the simple tools at their disposale, i.e. an anvil made of old pipes and the back of duct tape used as welding material.

Heggstad goes on to say that what is our fun machine here [motorcycle] is really a calling card and door opener in other parts of the world.

One of the things that makes Heggstad's story so compelling to an audience much wider than motorcyclists is that he tells stories about people. There is very little in his new book about chains, sprockets, mileages, steering dampers and all the other arcana that are specific to motorcycles. Instead, he tells stories about being tired and dirty and being invited into the homes of Russians and being given a warm bath in their wood-fired tub or traveling through Mongolia and seeing history written on the shapes of people's faces.

The story is so much better told in his own words, and I would encourage you to hear him tell the story.

Point your browers to: http://bmweerman.libsyn.com and listen to episode 14 –– it will change your life.

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Comment From: SwissMissy

Hi!I'm new to your online community but I already like the feel of a "family" here.. Not so much of a blogger but I've been forwarded your article which I so much appreciated and I felt like responding. What's so exciting about all this is that we, our production company WorldFlix, is making a movie on Glen's life which I hope will be as thrilling for people to know as for me to be part of the making of it! It's been an interesting journey so far as we have an Oscar winning director, Roger Christian, very interested in the project as well as a Hollywood A-list writer and his name is Kevin Bernhardt. I thought like sharing this with anyone who might have interested in just learning that actually Glen is sooo big that Hollywood makes a movie on him! I find that pretty striking - so to speak in Glen's words...:). Or maybe someone feels like getting involved in our feature film project.Also, in response to your letter below, actually all that happened in 2001, right after 9/11 - and I'm referring to Glen Heggstad's capture in South America by the rebel army ELN, as well as his around the world trip that was in 2004 and a second book on that incredible journey is coming out I think later this year. I had the pleasure to read through some of the 400+ pages book and it's like... you're right there.Anyhow, enuff said! I hope to be receiving some sort of feedback and I'm very happy to answer any questions in regards to the action/adventure bio pic on Glen's amazing life. This is coming from the City of Angels, Downtown.Cheers,Nicole Spaar aka. Swiss MissProducer on THE UNTITLED GLEN HEGGSTAD PROJECT