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Gallery of Horror
Ian Hibell, possibly Britain's most outstanding touring cyclist, has been honored by the Cyclists Touring Club for his important contributions to the sport. He gained the taste for adventure during his RAF service in the 1950’s -- a factory job seemed dull by comparison, and in 1963 Hibell left Brixham in Devon determined to see more of the world. Since then he has ridden, pushed or carried a bike more than a quarter of a million miles in some of the most inaccessible of places, narrowly missing death on more than one occasion. Into The Remote Places takes the reader with him on three of his most exciting the crossing of Colombia's Atrato Swamp during his two-and-a-half year journey from Cape Horn to Alaska; the African section of his other 'end-to-end' continental trip, which began at Norway's North Cape and ended at the Cape of Good Hope (Hibell is the first person to have made both these overland tours by bike), and the west-east traversing of the South American continent at its widest point -- from Lima in Peru to Recife in Brazil. The book is illustrated with his own photographs. But the story Hibell tells is more than one of courage, determination and physical endurance. While some officials enjoyed saying 'no', most of the people he met -- of many races -- offered help and encouragement. The often difficult circumstances tested friendships, bringing out the heroic on occasion, and even allowing love to blossom. Into The Remote Places is a classic story of hardships endured, difficulties overcome and impossibilities transformed into accomplishments.
204 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1985
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 6, 2022
A cycle-memoir of Ian Hibell, the greatest adventure cyclist who spent nearly 40 years riding around the Globe. Among many of his accomplishments, he was the first to complete a land trip from the southern tip of South America to Alaska, including the passage through the impenetrable Darian Gap — a 100km long swampy area between Panama and Columbia. Indeed a feat like that requires lots of physical effort and stamina. But surprisingly, this book was drenched in heaps of mental pain and loneliness too. Nonetheless, his adventures are practically impossible to beat since the world has transformed so much since the 70s. Ian, you are an absolutely admirable cyclist!
July 17, 2024
I'm astonished by the number of positive ratings this book has received. In the first place, there is very little 'travel' about it - although the book covers three separate journeys in remote locations, the only thing that really differentiated them was the change in travelling companions. I didn't get any sense of the places or the people encountered, just lengthy descriptions of cycling down rough tracks or dragging the bicycle across terrain too rough to be cycled over. And a LOT of descriptions of how ill, tired or fed up he was, along with criticisms of pretty much everybody he met. It seems that he was more interested in being a record-breaker who was the first or fastest to travel a specific route than in actually learning about the countries he travelled through, so perhaps this explains the lack of local colour. When travelling through Peru, he complains when his girlfriend talks to the locals or stops to look at a view on the basis that "you couldn't expect to get anywhere" if you kept stopping!
He also came across as extremely arrogant and selfish. When the book opened with him having a major fight with 'Steve' and 'David', his travelling companions in Colombia, I thought it was maybe just to start with a sense of drama. But he seemed to have difficulty getting on with anyone, and his attitude toward his fellow travellers was horribly contemptuous, regularly referring to them as stupid. Yet it never seems to occur to Hibell that he might possibly be wrong sometimes - it is always the other person's fault! Plus he is constantly referring to himself as a "famous" explorer and to his appearances on TV. When he comes home during the Queen's silver jubilee, he even assumes that all the bunting is out in his honour!!!
Most troubling of all is his predatory attitude toward young women. A 19-year-old young woman was originally supposed to be part of the team on his first trip, and while acknowledging that at 35, he is "old enough to be her father", Hibell uses his position as expedition leader to ensure she has to share his tent, hoping to start an affair with her once they are in the wilds. When she changes her mind about going with them, Hibell shows breath-taking hypocrisy by refusing to let her leave before he gets permission from her parents, on the basis that they had "entrusted her to our care". I wonder if they knew just what kind of 'care' Hibell was planning on giving their daughter?
In the final section, now aged 44, Hibell spots a 23-year-old young woman in the front row of his lecture audience and spends the entire talk staring at her. He invites her to join him on his Peruvian trip, fantasising about sharing a tent with her and what she will look like asleep. Of course, they're not long into the trip before they start an affair, and he then becomes extremely possessive, on the one hand saying it is "flattering" that so many men want his girlfriend, while on the other, complaining that he has to be "constantly on guard" in case she attracts admirers. When Jean joins in the dancing at a local fiesta, Hibell makes it obvious he is unhappy, and later, when a drunk guy pesters her, he blames her, saying "I told you you'd gone too far" (by joining in the dancing) and "You know perfectly well you invite these things." Eventually Jean becomes ill and returns to the UK, only to write to Hibell a short while later to say that she is pregnant with his child. The book closes with Hibell making plans for his marriage to Jean and their future together - without, of course, any reference to Jean. I do wonder what happened to the poor girl - there is no mention of her or their child in any of Hibell's obituaries. Hopefully she found a life with someone who would treat her as more than just their property.
He also came across as extremely arrogant and selfish. When the book opened with him having a major fight with 'Steve' and 'David', his travelling companions in Colombia, I thought it was maybe just to start with a sense of drama. But he seemed to have difficulty getting on with anyone, and his attitude toward his fellow travellers was horribly contemptuous, regularly referring to them as stupid. Yet it never seems to occur to Hibell that he might possibly be wrong sometimes - it is always the other person's fault! Plus he is constantly referring to himself as a "famous" explorer and to his appearances on TV. When he comes home during the Queen's silver jubilee, he even assumes that all the bunting is out in his honour!!!
Most troubling of all is his predatory attitude toward young women. A 19-year-old young woman was originally supposed to be part of the team on his first trip, and while acknowledging that at 35, he is "old enough to be her father", Hibell uses his position as expedition leader to ensure she has to share his tent, hoping to start an affair with her once they are in the wilds. When she changes her mind about going with them, Hibell shows breath-taking hypocrisy by refusing to let her leave before he gets permission from her parents, on the basis that they had "entrusted her to our care". I wonder if they knew just what kind of 'care' Hibell was planning on giving their daughter?
In the final section, now aged 44, Hibell spots a 23-year-old young woman in the front row of his lecture audience and spends the entire talk staring at her. He invites her to join him on his Peruvian trip, fantasising about sharing a tent with her and what she will look like asleep. Of course, they're not long into the trip before they start an affair, and he then becomes extremely possessive, on the one hand saying it is "flattering" that so many men want his girlfriend, while on the other, complaining that he has to be "constantly on guard" in case she attracts admirers. When Jean joins in the dancing at a local fiesta, Hibell makes it obvious he is unhappy, and later, when a drunk guy pesters her, he blames her, saying "I told you you'd gone too far" (by joining in the dancing) and "You know perfectly well you invite these things." Eventually Jean becomes ill and returns to the UK, only to write to Hibell a short while later to say that she is pregnant with his child. The book closes with Hibell making plans for his marriage to Jean and their future together - without, of course, any reference to Jean. I do wonder what happened to the poor girl - there is no mention of her or their child in any of Hibell's obituaries. Hopefully she found a life with someone who would treat her as more than just their property.
May 14, 2024
I went into this book wanting to read a travel book, and having never heard of Ian Hibell before, and I have to say I come out of this read strongly impressed. Fantastic story, really should be a 5 star, however there was one big disappointment for me.
The book is split into 3 sections, detailing 3 separate journeys, Argentina to Alaska, Algeria to South Africa and Peru to Brazil. Now let me tell you that the book is only 200 pages long. Only 200 pages to detail 3 life changing journeys. Not only that but the first trip, Argentina to Alaska is not even 40 pages, mostly about the Darien Gap, and barley anything written about anything other then that. I also didn’t quite understand who was who during that chapter, as the author was with some companions for part of the trip. Maybe I need to reread it, but I felt disappointed when I got the end of it - almost didn’t want to read on.
The other 2 sections, Algeria to South Africa and Peru to Brazil were outstanding. There must have been 5 separate times where I was thinking “this guy is mental, I would never do that In a million years” for example, him running low on water crossing the Sahara, having the option to turn back, reach a village and regroup, but deciding to continue on anyways, his literally ONLY hope being meeting someone else on the trail and sharing their water. If he met no one he would die. And he had the option to turn back, but decided to continue with those circumstances! Mental. But an amazing story. The only other disappointment was that the book was too short, literally months travelling on a bike across multiple countries and climates, and only 70 pages for each trip! He should have left the Darien Gap out and wrote more about the other trips.
Still a definite recommend for the last 2 journeys are an outstanding read.
The book is split into 3 sections, detailing 3 separate journeys, Argentina to Alaska, Algeria to South Africa and Peru to Brazil. Now let me tell you that the book is only 200 pages long. Only 200 pages to detail 3 life changing journeys. Not only that but the first trip, Argentina to Alaska is not even 40 pages, mostly about the Darien Gap, and barley anything written about anything other then that. I also didn’t quite understand who was who during that chapter, as the author was with some companions for part of the trip. Maybe I need to reread it, but I felt disappointed when I got the end of it - almost didn’t want to read on.
The other 2 sections, Algeria to South Africa and Peru to Brazil were outstanding. There must have been 5 separate times where I was thinking “this guy is mental, I would never do that In a million years” for example, him running low on water crossing the Sahara, having the option to turn back, reach a village and regroup, but deciding to continue on anyways, his literally ONLY hope being meeting someone else on the trail and sharing their water. If he met no one he would die. And he had the option to turn back, but decided to continue with those circumstances! Mental. But an amazing story. The only other disappointment was that the book was too short, literally months travelling on a bike across multiple countries and climates, and only 70 pages for each trip! He should have left the Darien Gap out and wrote more about the other trips.
Still a definite recommend for the last 2 journeys are an outstanding read.
May 28, 2023
The bad: there's quite a bit of chauvinism in the book, and a bit of colonial sentiment that doesn't hold up in the 21st century. However, the good is that there is impressive traversal of continents, and a real feel of what it was like to travel by bike in remote places, where your loved ones would go months without hearing from you and vice-versa.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews