Compass Expedition Blog
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Welcome to the Compass Expeditions Blog where we share our most unforgettable experiences from the road. Relive some of the most exhilarating moments that we’ve had out on tour. Read stories from past European motorcycle tours, adventure riding in Australia, motorcycle tours through Tasmania, African Safaris, and more! Feel the vibrations from our on-road and off-road motorbikes blazing through the most rugged and wild terrain on earth!
The Asian Overland Expedition- Research trip – Week 5 – Land of the Longnecks
We hit the for what must surely be Thailand’s most legendary motorcycle road, the Mae Hong Son loop, even in a Hilux we were excited to get onto this road famous for its 1864 curves.
The Asian Overland Expedition- Research trip – Week 4 – The Road to Mandalay
Our 4th week on the Asian Overland saw us hit the “Road to Mandalay”, the very name conjures up images of wooden wheeled carts being pulled by Brahmans and steered by a family wearing bamboo hats along a track that winds its way through endless rice fields, and that’s exactly the scene that greeted us we wound our way north. We reached the incredible Bagan, a 25 square mile plain on the mighty Irrawaddy River in central Myanmar. Bagan is a maelstrom of temples with up to 4000 Buddhist temples from the 12th & 13th Century AD, its often referred to as Ankor Wat on steroids but minus the crowds.
On the trail of the Incas
This is what happens when you have the good fortune to be able to take a motorcycle tour of Peru, Northern Chile and Bolivia with a bunch of riders and pillion passengers who all share a passion for travel, fun, good food, libations and of course riding motorcycles. Riders who are not afraid to love life and live it to its full.
The Asian Overland Expedition- Research trip – Week 3
Moving into our third week on the road, we look towards exploring our fourth country within south-east Asia. Myanmar is within reach, but not before discovering Thailand’s ancient history in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Sukhothai Historical Park. Here lie the ruins of the 13th century Sukhothai Kingdom, which is alleged to be the …
The Asian Overland Expedition- Research trip – Weeks 1-2
Week One: And so, it begins, one of the most extensive research trips that we have ever undertaken. Lucky enough to be doing this trip is myself, founder of Compass Expeditions, Mick McDonald and our resident paramedic who has worked on many of our rides, including our Simon Pavey and Charley Boorman events, Sarah Taylor. …
Compass Expeditions, BMWs and Mongolia…..Sounds like adventure to me!
Compass Expeditions is very proud to be involved in the very first fleet of BMW motorbikes to ever reach Mongolia, anyone can offer rides and rent local heaps of %&# but few, if any, companies would show such a commitment to providing decent BMW motorcycles, no matter where in the world.
Want to be part of Mongolian biking history then join up on one of our Mongolian rides .
Magical Mongolia 2018
Words and Images by Mick McDonald. Mongolia, the very word conjures up images of wild horseman galloping across and ancient empty steppe landscape, with bow & arrow in hand, which today, isn’t that far from reality in what is the most sparsely populated country on earth and where the locals still practice the three “manly” …
Kyrgyzstan Explorers
Words and images by Craig Jackson. I am sitting in a stone hut, 6 x 3 foot, it is steaming hot and an old bloke is stoking a fire to heat it from the small room outside. I am at 3200 mt and the small room has four other sweaty people in it. It is …
The Compass Expeditions Reunion Weekend and 5-day Ride-out
How do we follow this year’s amazing Compass Expeditions Reunion weekend and week-long ride-out? We move it further up the coast and do it all again – That’s how! The 2019 Reunion will be held over the weekend of March the 23rd and 24th and based in the lovely coastal town of Port Macquarie, NSW. …
The 2018 Compass Expeditions Road Of Bones Expeditions Image Gallery
With thanks for the images from all of the expedition participants and crew.
Merimbula Days By Alan Toney
Merimbula Days an extract from Postcards from the Edge of a Sunburnt Country by Alan Toney The Compass Expeditions Reunion Weekend was a blast. Riders came from far and wide, from Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Hobart, Sydney, Brisbane and from many small towns in between. We numbered seventy-five, all having ridden with Compass sometime, somewhere in the …
London to Magadan – On the road with the Road of Bones Expedition 2018 #4 – by Allana Goldsworthy
Vonderful Volgograd 14 June 2018 Story by Allana Goldsworthy Images – Allana Goldsworthy, Azar Farahmand, Hugo Penasco, Bayne Morison and Dennis Grothues. Well we are now in Russia – and there are a few things we have noticed. 1. Whilst less people smoke here than in Turkey or Georgia – it is still the case …
London to Magadan – On the road with the Road of Bones Expedition 2018 #5 – by Allana Goldsworthy
Chapter Four – Moscow Awaits Story by Allana Goldsworthy Images – Allana Goldsworthy, Azar Farahmand, Hugo Penasco, Bayne Morison and Dennis Grothues. Well here was a surprise. Tambov. Where? Who? What? This was a 515 km ride – a long day. And the ride was not inspiring – We had a lot of kms to eat …
Magic Mongolia Blog – July 2018 – By Peter Grace – Part #5
Wednesday 27 June Day 11 We have ended the tour safely, but I’ll send updates for the missing days. A rest day so we had a slow start but went for a short ride to explore a local volcanic lava field. The eruptions happened just 8000 years ago, and the lava dammed the rivers to …
London to Magadan – On the road with the Road of Bones Expedition 2018 #3 – by Allana Goldsworthy
ROAD OF BONES 2018 A Long Day’s Journey into Night Story by Allana Goldsworthy Images – Allana Goldsworthy, Azar Farahmand, Hugo Penasco, Bayne Morison and Dennis Grothues. CHAPTER THREE VLADIVAVKAZ TO ELISTA I am working hard to keep on top of these posts otherwise they will still dribbling though as you are opening your Christmas presents! …
London to Magadan – On the road with the Road of Bones Expedition 2018 #2 – by Allana Goldsworthy
Road of Bones – 2018 CHAPTER TWO Story by Allana Goldsworthy Images – Allana Goldsworthy, Azar Farahmand, Hugo Penasco, Bayne Morison and Dennis Grothues. Our time in Tblisi, Georgia, passed all too quickly – we enjoyed our couple of nights in our comfortable hotel, in this quirky capital. Massive thunderstorms rolling over Tblisi in the evening …
Magic Mongolia Blog – July 2018 – By Peter Grace – Part #4
Sunday 24 June Day 8 Saturday was a rest day and we needed it. I went for a horse ride and the had a siesta., Sunday, we retraced our path away from the lake on a dry and dusty road (it had been muddy and puddled on Friday). I had another problem when my bash …
Magic Mongolia Blog – July 2018 – By Peter Grace – Part #3
Wednesday 20 June Day 4 It’s now Saturday, but I’m writing about Wednesday. We retraced our path down the main road of Darkham and the turned right (west) onto dirt tracks. Nice easy riding and lovely wide valleys with herds of animals roaming free. There are no fences, so the animals go where they like. …
The Inaugural Compass Expeditions Mongolian Magic Tour – Mick’s Blog – Part #1
Story and photos by Mick McDonald. Part #1 For the first time in nearly 3 weeks in Mongolia it’s raining, and raining hard, of course it’s our first day of our first ever 14-day Mongolian Magic tour. We struggle out of the capital Ulaan Baatar though a maelstrom of water filled potholes with manic bus …
Magic Mongolia Blog – July 2018 – By Peter Grace – Part #2
Day 2 Mongolia It was a full-on day. New bikes had been delivered, old bikes fixed, and the weather was cool but sunny. We left at 8.00am and got back to the hotel at 7.45pm. We started by visiting the Genghis Khan statue. It was enormous – the biggest horse in the world apparently. We …
Magic Mongolia Blog – July 2018 – By Peter Grace – Part #1
Peter Grace and his brother Dave have joined us on our inaugural Magical Mongolia motorcycle tour and Peter has kindly allowed us to follow along with their journey via his daily updates. I reproduce it here for you word for word without amendment. Many thanks Pete. Enjoy! Craig Compass Expeditions. First day in Mongolia …
London to Magadan – On the road with the Road of Bones Expedition 2018 #1 – by Allana Goldsworthy
CHAPTER ONE ISTANBUL Story by Allana Goldsworthy Images – Allana Goldsworthy, Azar Farahmand, Hugo Penasco, Bayne Morison and Dennis Grothues. This is the first of what will probably be a semi regular posting! Dependent upon WiFi access, computer skills, battery life and inclination! We are embarking on a trip that will take us through 16 …
Spain, Portugal & Morocco – The Research Trip
We often get told “we are living the dream” and its times like these that we can only wholeheartedly agree that yes “we are living the dream”. Words and images by Mick McDonald Following is the ramblings of Veronica and Mick as we conduct a research trip for our new 20 day Spain / Portugal …
Born to Ride – Asian Overland Story.
Our friends at Born to Ride Magazine have ran this great story featuring our new 104 day major expedition, The Asian Overland – Darwin to Beijing. The Asian Overland is a great long distance adventure that does not require you to have any off road riding experience as over 95% of the route is on …