"The Tom Report" Book Review

[MotoNews]

Published in: Media

"The Tom Report: Seattle to Santiago on a Motorcycle" - by Tom Reuter

For an important perspective, let’s put three things straight into the conversation about The Tom Report. The first is that the author and his travel pal, Al, were 24 years old when they set off in search of adventure through the Americas. Second, this is a book about the modern era of international motorcycle travel. And third, they are incredibly social guys, and Tom is open and honest with his writing. This combination makes for some pushed-to-the-limits, smile-cracking tales.

The story kicks off as the boys approach their college years, deciding that university is not the direction to go, and that life with further education, a career, and all that’s involved can come later. Instead, they head for Alaska to work all hours possible in order to finance an RTW motorcycle adventure. Much respect to them for this. They are living proof that if you dream of travel, you can make it happen.

But as with too many grand plans, eventualities got in the way. They did, however, still earn enough to aim for Ushuaia, the tip of South America. Their story details how they prepared for the trip, what worked (i.e., their trusty DR650s), and what didn’t, along with many other useful threads shared throughout the book. Another focus is the gut-wrenching situations they experienced, and how they dealt with those challenges. Both were Eagle Scouts in their youth, which had embedded a “We can fix it!” mindset. And they prove to be good at focussing on what’s possible instead of chewing on what couldn’t be done or might be missing along the way. That’s good fun.

The way the guys traveled must have been absolutely exhausting! They were party animals, with girls and beer high on the priority list. They blitzed every opportunity to celebrate, like a gap-year party on two wheels. My initial thoughts regarding this had me reflecting on my own motorcycle travel ideas and history, which almost got in the way. But by doing that I was at risk of missing a stream of pertinent observations and learning-curve experiences. After all, the guys were just 24 when they made this spirited, carefree journey. Bursting with the joys of youth, the guys were out for adventure and fun, which they found in bucket-loads. As they were not traveling on an incredibly tight budget, they were open to adapting where they stayed and what they did, according to disaster or opportunity. And as it turned out, I really enjoyed this relaxed, fun-seeking flexibility.

There are marked differences between overlanding and adventure riding, and Tom and Al see themselves very much as adventure riders, a description of many definitions. This is not a book peppered with keen cultural, or historical observations and discoveries, though there are some great side trips. The Tom Report is dotted with references to the use of ADVrider, Facebook, and blogs. Routes are worked out online in many cases, but frequently they’re the result of local suggestions. It’s those rides that live up to the word “adventure” with all cylinders firing. I liked that Tom describes how every so often he was stopped dead in his tracks by something that filled him with awe. I also liked the way they grew along the way, which was very much related to the challenges they met and how they dealt with them. That said, I need to warn you that some of those challenges are graphically described; the sorts of things friends and family will fear when you hit the road on a trip such as this.

I also loved the way that Tom describes the travelers met along the way who they often rode with. In The Tom Report the personalities, characters, nationalities, and ambitions are woven together into yet another thread that’s entertaining to follow. Their eye-opening journey made Tom appreciate so much more about who he is as a person and what he has in his home country.

One last thought: I read this book not only because I’m interested in all things to do with motorcycling in foreign lands, but I wanted to learn and to be challenged by what I saw within its pages. For me, this book did just that.

Published by: Road Dog Publications

RoadDogPub.com

ISBN: 9781890623821

Paperback: $22.99 | Kindle: $9.99   

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