Simon Gandolfi

Simon Gandolfi
Born 1933 (age 8283)
Nationality English
Known for Long-distance motorcycle riding
Website simongandolfi.com

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

A 2010 tour of India, with two companions on another bike, 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 1 and World War II MI6 officer.[9][10]

Bibliography

References

  1. 1 2 Simon Gandolfi, "Biography", Official website, retrieved 2015-06-30
  2. "Biker banter with Simon Gandolfi", Times Now (Times of India), 2013
  3. 1 2 "The Easy Rider", The Hindu, August 5, 2013
  4. Sandi Toksvig (November 29, 2008), "OLD MAN ON A BIKE – THE SNOW TOURIST", Excess Baggage (BBC Radio 4)
  5. "Always look Honda bright side of life", Saga (Saga Group), September 5, 2012
  6. "Author profile: Simon Gandolfi", The Guardian, retrieved 2015-06-29
  7. Simon Gandolfi (June 7, 2013), "Octogenarian on a motorbike: first stop, India", The Guardian
  8. Simon Gandolfi (October 11, 2013), "Backpackers' diaries: the ride towards Delhi and a cow-bike calamity", The Guardian
  9. "Lt.-Col. Cuthbert Euan Charles Rabagliati", thepeerage.com, retrieved 2015-06-30
  10. Victor Laurentius (May 2, 2011), Secret Agents in Tuxedos via Simon Gandolfi Official blog

External links

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