Book Review: Maiden Voyage - The Prequel to the Adventure of a Lifetime

[MotoNews]

Published in: Media

I met Tim Notier a couple of years ago when he was a student at one of my husband’s adventure riding clinics. I knew nothing then about the grand plan we were all a part of in that moment, but after reading Notier’s book, Maiden Voyage: The Prequel to the Adventure of a Lifetime, I now understand how it all fits together.

Maiden Voyage sets the stage for another book yet to be written about a motorcycle journey Notier and his fiancee, Marisa, are now in the midst of. With an engaging, self-effacing (but not too much) style of storytelling, Notier includes us in the personal journey that took place within the structure of a motorcycle trip in the western United States—a trip which turned out to serve several purposes, as such journeys often do.

A cruiser rider for years, Notier decided to buy an adventure bike after watching the documentaries Long Way Round and Long Way Down, in which actors Ewan MacGregor and Charley Boorman circumnavigate the globe and traverse the length of Africa on motorcycles. Notier ended up with a KTM 1190 Adventure and decided some “adventure practice” was in order. That practice took the form of a shakedown trip westward from his home in Illinois, retracing some of the routes he had traveled with his family as a child. It was, according to Notier, “a test run around the Rocky Mountains to see if Marisa and I can rely only on what we can pack onto our motorcycle.” Nineteen days was all the time they had for the trip, but they packed a lot into the journey, which covered parts of South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado.

While I’ve been to many of the places Notier describes, the wonder he expresses in seeing them for the first time is refreshing. The subplot about the couple’s relationship comes across as genuine and adds a personal touch. And the experiences Tim and Marisa have along the way make it clear that you don’t have to be a RTWer to have an adventure, and also explain why Tim decided to get some formal adventure rider training! Add Notier’s clever humor to the mix and you have an enjoyable read.

Not to give away too much of the story, but Tim and Marisa are, as of this writing, deep into their “Around the World Two Up” tour, which suggests that their adventure practice turned out pretty well. Keep up with them at NotiersFrontiers.com (where you can also purchase the book) and on their Facebook page.

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★★★★ of Five Stars
Author: Tim Notier
Publisher: Self Published
Website: NotiersFrontiers.com
ISBN-10: 1521549214
ISBN-13: 978-1521549216
Paperback: $19.99 | Kindle: $9.99

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