“Long Way Up” [Electric Harleys]

[John OoSTerhuis]

[cross posting]

Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman’s new trip series, “Long Way Up,” just dropped its first episodes on Apple TV+. I’m already hooked. No snarky comments about the electrics from me. It is what it is and I’m going to enjoy watching two good friends on their journey together, their way... again. I have the BluRays of their first two trips. It’s not just the bikes. It’s not just the locations. It’s mostly the comradery of the riders and their crew. What an amazing undertaking! Prototype, first of a kind, designed and put together just for this trip, motorcycles and trucks. The first episode covered the incredible preparation before arriving in Ushuaia.

We just got an Apple TV, 5th gen, which came with a free year of AppleTV+. We’re enjoying the other content also.

John

 

[tjhiggin]

Here's a pretty good review: https://us.cnn.com/travel/article/ewan-mcgregor-long-way-up-apple-tv/index.html

 

[amorley]

I watched the first two episodes today. Interesting, but I don't call it "adventure" with three support vehicles, and Claudio on a third, gas powered bike. The Sprinter van is obviously loaded with batteries to charge the e-bikes.

... and much as I love Ewan, his little speech about the importance of caring for old relationships (with Charlie) right in the middle of divorcing his wife of 20 years was hard to hear.

It is interesting that they rode from Ushuaia to LA from September 2019 to December 2019. Noraly from Itchy Boots was two months behind them as she rode solo up the same route.

 

[ST Gui]

I’m already hooked. No snarky comments about the electrics from me. It is what it is and I’m going to enjoy watching two good friends on their journey together, their way... again.

That's good enough for me. I'm in. And +1 on every other point in your post.

Apple has been introducing new kit starting this month and over the next two. I'm hoping a new ATV will be announced. If so I'll come back and thank you John!

I bought a new Mac a few months ago and got the free year of ATV+ and will sign up when it's done. Thanks for the reminder about Long Way Up.

 

[ST Gui]

Ok I just finished Episode 1 and it is awesome! It's a little disappointing there are only 3 eps so I'll have to ration 'em. I'll be watching this series more than once. Thanks John-O!

 

[st11ray]

I've been watching it too. Good show. My biggest question is, why don't they have heated gear instead of freezing their butts off? Would the heated gear drop the range of the bikes even more?

 

[ST Gui]

Would the heated gear drop the range of the bikes even more?

I don't know if those H-D have regenerative braking but any additional draw reduces range to some degree. Halogen lights instead of their LEDs would take a noticeable hit.

On a bike used as a urban commuter the additional draw of a few watts might not be noticed but when trying to eek out every last bit of distance you trim as much fat as you can. Which should include fat in the can but it is what it is. Charlie is pretty lucky to make the adventure in the first place.

I love the bit in Ep 1 where the head H-D guy says something like "He just lost the back end... All right I'm nervous now... I'll tell you that."

 

[amorley]

Enjoying it but it does seem a little contrived as an entertainment show rather than an adventure.

After all that preparation, Charlie does not know how to use the Satellite phone? No heated gear?

Why did they not use the Zero Dual Sport bikes? They have a 200 mile range and were available last year?

It will be interesting to see how they get through the Darien Gap.

 

[John OoSTerhuis]

[crossposting again]

The fourth episode dropped Friday. They crossed the Andes and took another ferry. There’s still the charging of the bikes providing a bit of drama, but the scenery is just spectacular. High production values and the drone footage adds immeasurably to our enjoyment as vicarious trip members. However, the heart of this adventure series/production is watching the relationships amongst the crew. And their interactions with the locals and locations. There is a wonderful, playful exchange between Charley and Ewan when after mentioning some of the stressful issues, they spontaneously break into a mock dialogue of “couples counseling” with all of the PC psychobabble phrases and buzzwords. Genuine friendship, quick witted banter. The highlight of the episode; heck highlight of the trip so far for me.

John [off to call an old friend I feel the need to touch base with]

 

[ST Gui]

I watched Andes last night and ti was great. I was laughing all the way through "couples therapy" and the "That'll be $5000" bit. Getting out of the cold lessened the charging drama considerably. They figured they could get 130 miles on a charge compared to the first three episodes.

LOVED the drone footage. But Long Way Up also gives me even more respect for Noraly doing so much on her own. The lads are also very entertaining and come across similarly as Noraly in being personable and sharing an adventure as opposed to being "presenters" or hosts. I'm diggin' it.

 

[wjbertrand]

Is there anyway to watch this outside of signing up for apple TV?

 

[ST Gui]

Is there anyway to watch this outside of signing up for apple TV?

Currently and ethically I'd say no unless maybe you could find someone with an ATV and signed up with ATV+.

 

[John OoSTerhuis]

Is there anyway to watch this outside of signing up for apple TV?

Jeff, you could wait until all the episodes have dropped and then bingewatch during a free trial period before cancelling. Or as mentioned, buy any Apple device and get the free one year subscription.

John

 

[John OoSTerhuis]

Episodes 4 and 5 have dropped now. Great stuff! The modified Livewires took a hell of a beating on the high Bolivia plains’ washboard roads!! There was a wonderful segment with the crew visiting Bolivian school children. Today’s cliffhanger after leaving La Paz is Ewan suffering altitude sickness, along with a cameraman suffering his second bout.

For those without TV+, but have Amazon Prime Video, I can recommend Charley Boorman’s excellent series available there. I’m 7 episodes into his ‘Extreme Frontiers: Canada’ series. He’s traveling by bike most of the time, but the heart of it is all the very interesting off-the-bike adventures he seeks out... cold-water shipwreck dive, lobster fishing, rodeo, RCMP boot camp, coal mine electric train driving, Bay of Fundy tide riding, Bloodvein River canoeing, dinosaur bone hunting... and on and on! Fascinating!

Extreme Frontiers: Canada

He also has separate USA and South Africa travel/adventures series available on Prime. I’m just now reading his post-accident book, “Long Way Back.” Geeze, he got busted up pretty bad. Ewan commented in today’s episode that he was worried about the abuse Charley was taking on the rough roads.

Anyway, if you get a chance, check out Charley’s stuff. I really like the guy.

John

 

[kiltman]

Ok, my son -in-law has been pushing me to watch this. I’ve watched 3 episodes. Having seen what Noraly goes through on her OWN, with no production team of 20 plus people, translators and custom brokers.....she has them beat hands down.
I commend the team on going electric and being pioneers with this technology. They are however, white men of privilege and the resources they command....like who gets to hold a ferry for a 1/2 hour? It is a scripted reality show, with a lot of slick post production input.
I will say I enjoy the drone footage, the meeting of the locals... it appears to be genuine....but there is a formula.... start the day....have inner conflicts self doubt, energy/fuel issues, then back onto our merry way till another charging crisis...next episode

I will continue to watch. For what it is. There is a lot to be learned.

 

[st11ray]

Yeah, it's a good show but they aren't really facing any "hardships". Plus, they only travel 150 or so miles a day. How hard can that be with a whole team of trucks, Dr, translator and somewhat unlimited finances behind you?

 

[Gerhard]

I didn’t make it through the first episode, it just seemed to contrived. Maybe in the winter I will give it another chance.

 

[beemerphile]

It will be interesting to see how they get through the Darien Gap.

Electric boat?

 

[kiltman]

Just finished episodes 4 and 5. The content is much better, and the photography is wonderful. The formula is still there but a touch subtler

 

[amorley]

Episode 5 was entertaining with some spectacular photography and great scenes from the indigenous Bolivian where none of the kids had seen any of Ewan's films.

Now, in addition to the Sprinter van, they had a local guide in a Toyota Landcruiser helping them cross the Alto Plano and, very conveniently, a Rivian engineer to help fix one of the broken trucks. Makes Noraly's adventure even more awesome.