Simon Ralph William Gandolfi
Born1933 (age 90–91)
London
NationalityEnglish
Known forLong-distance motorcycle riding
Websitesimongandolfi.com

Simon Gandolfi (b. London, February 11th 1933[1]) is an English writer and long-distance motorcycle rider. He has ridden over 110,000 kilometres (68,000 mi)[2] on solo, unsupported rides in America and India including:

  • 2007–2008, Mexico to Tierra del Fuego via Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Argentina: 34,000 km (21,000 mi) on a 125 cc Honda
  • April–December 2009, Tierra del Fuego to New York: 46,000 km (29,000 mi) on the same Honda
  • November–June 2010 – 2011, India: 18,000 km (11,000 mi) on 125 cc Honda Stunner
  • April–October 2013, India: 16,000 km (9,900 mi) TVS Motor Company TVS Phoenix 125

A 2010 tour of India was undertaken in defiance of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, of which he said "The attack infuriated me and I saw all the tourists cancelling and so I rode around India, and if a grand old man like me can ride around India at my age, it can't be that dangerous."[3] The 2008 solo ride was undertaken when Gandolfi was 73,[4] 2010 when he was 77, and the 2013 solo ride around his 80th birthday.[3][5] The 2013 ride around India was published as a series of contributions to The Guardian's "Backpacking" travelogue section between June and October of that year.[6] The column on his ride, which was planned to span India to England, ended when he suffered broken ribs and other injuries after being kicked off his bike by a heifer in the road.[7][8]

Gandolfi's father, Ralph Vincent Gandolfi-Hornyold, Duca Gandolfi, Marchese di Melati, died in 1938.[1] He is the stepson of Lt. Colonel Euan Rabagliati DFC, MC, Legion of Honour, British pilot in World War I, and World War II MI6 officer.[9][10]

Bibliography

Even With The Shutters Closed 1965 Peter Davies ISBN 978-1871565591.

100 Kilo Club. Wildwood House 1975 ISBN 978-0704501621

The Reluctant Stud, Sphere. 1981. ISBN 978-0722138038

France Security. Frederick Muller. 1981. ISBN 978-0-856341168

Golden Girl. Orion. 1992. ISBN 978-1855920088

Golden Web. Orion. 1994. ISBN 978-1857975116

Golden Vengeance. Orion. 1995 ISBN 978-1855928213

White Sands. Orion. 1996. ISBN 978-1857976915

Aftermath. Orion. 2000. ISBN 978-0752832296

  • Old Man on a Bike. HarperCollins. 2008. ISBN 978-1906321666.
  • Old Men Can't Wait. Shuvvy Press. 2011. ISBN 978-0956430526.
    • Arcadia Press reprint 2013 ISBN 978-1-910050-61-3
    • An Indian Love Affair. Arcadia. 2016. ISBN 978-1910050811

References

  1. 1 2 Simon Gandolfi, "Biography", Official website, retrieved 30 June 2015
  2. ↑ "Biker banter with Simon Gandolfi", Times Now, 2013
  3. 1 2 "The Easy Rider", The Hindu, 5 August 2013
  4. ↑ Sandi Toksvig (29 November 2008), "OLD MAN ON A BIKE – THE SNOW TOURIST", Excess Baggage, BBC Radio 4
  5. ↑ David Allsop (5 September 2012), "Always look Honda bright side of life", Saga, Saga Group
  6. ↑ "Author profile: Simon Gandolfi", The Guardian, retrieved 29 June 2015
  7. ↑ Simon Gandolfi (7 June 2013), "Octogenarian on a motorbike: first stop, India", The Guardian
  8. ↑ Simon Gandolfi (11 October 2013), "Backpackers' diaries: the ride towards Delhi and a cow-bike calamity", The Guardian
  9. ↑ "Lt.-Col. Cuthbert Euan Charles Rabagliati", thepeerage.com, retrieved 30 June 2015
  10. ↑ Victor Laurentius [in Dutch] (2 May 2011), "Secret Agents in Tuxedos", Simon Gandolfi
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