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Written by Alexandra Fefopoulou and Stergios Gogos (WorldVespa),
Reviewed by Paul H. Smith
There has always been a tiny contingent of adventurous riders who choose the most unlikely motorbikes to take to the most unlikely locations. Case in point, imagine riding a vintage two-stroke Vespa through the entirety of Africa. And, better yet, completely ignoring the “correct” riding seasons along the route. If you’re just curious, or perhaps crazy enough to consider doing something similar, you’ll enjoy Rice & Dirt.*
Stergios, who met Alexandra later along his journey, piloted the ancient scooter across 17 African countries, going from north to south, overlanding across terrain where even well-equipped adventure bikes would have difficulties.
The story is quite informative in the details of minimalist life on African roads, survival in general, and numerous cultural tips—many of which surprised the heck out of me.
I can’t imagine anyone being disappointed with Rice & Dirt. It’s one heck of a tale that illustrates how we adapt and grow when flung into environments in which we’re not only inexperienced, but have no clue about what we’re getting into. It’s also a tale about why it’s often wise to trade our silly ideas about prediction and planning for serendipity, and how that’s so inextricably linked with the true meaning of adventure.
There’s a lot to like in this book, especially considering how completely underfunded Stergios was when he set off to follow his heart. We’re reminded once again that over-preparedness can be a detriment to just getting out there. And, that whatever bike you have is all you need to pull off a real adventure. There can’t be more than a couple of Vespas or scooters of any type that have made a similar journey. Indeed, this may be the only one. It’s definitely a twist on what would already be quite a feat on a “normal” motorcycle.
My hat is off to these two. You can read more about Alexandra and Stergios and their current journey through South America on ADVMoto’s website blog section.
*Rice & Dirt was translated from Greek. Although they’ve done a pretty good job, you’ll notice nuances that will be unusual to North American readers.
Publisher: Shuvvy Press Ltd. | ShuvvyPress.com
Paperback: $11
ISBN: 978-0-9564-305-7-1
