Two Wheels Through Terror: Diary of a South American Motorcycle Odyssey

Less than three weeks after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, Glen Heggstad left southern California on a motorcycle trip. His intent was to ride through Central and South America to Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego, the southernmost city in the world, and then return back home again. His dream was not an unusual one--the route through Latin America is a well-traveled one for motorcycle adventurers. He'd done his homework, researched the places he would be visiting and had prepared his motorcycle for the rigors of third-world travel. Although the tragedy of 9/11 weighed heavily on his mind, he figured that if he didn't go on his long planned trip, the terrorists would win.The first part of the trip, through Mexico and Central America was reasonably uneventful, aside from the usual dangers posed by unpaved roads, poorly driven buses and food-borne illnesses. Heggstad clearly enjoys travel in Mexico and his warmth for the country's rural population comes out through his writing. Working his way further south, he finally ends up shipping his motorcycle across the impassable Darien Gap to Bogotá, Colombia.He had been warned that Colombia was dangerous, due to several guerilla insurgent groups operating in the countryside. He decided to try for a cross-country dash, a decision that on November 6th, proved to be a grave mistake. Heggstad was pulled from his motorcycle and captured by the Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN), Colombia's deadliest rebel army. The group financed its activities largely through kidnapping and the AK-47-toting guerillas looked at an American hostage as pure gold. It was the beginning of a five week nightmare--the rebels provided him with only enough food and water to keep him barely alive, moved him almost constantly and beat and tortured him. His description of his treatment at the hands on the ELN is not for the faint of heart. Heggstad, who is a martial arts instructor, used his training to maintain his sanity, even while his body was wasting away under the constant assault. Near death, he takes a desperate gamble with his life that ultimately results in his release.Perhaps the most amazing part of the story is not that Heggstad survived (he was traded to the Red Cross) but that following his captivity and in poor physical condition, he refused an offer by the US State Department to bring him home, preferring instead to stay in South America and continue his trip. His friends in California arranged for a new motorcycle and equipment to be sent to Ecuador, and after some minimal physical and psychological recuperation time he picks up his travel narrative, traveling through ten countries over the next six months and finally returning home to California in June 2002.Heggstad, who is known to motorcycle adventurers (AdvRider.com) worldwide as the "Striking Viking" is a good story teller with a nice sense of pace and an occasional habit of understating the trials and tribulations he experienced. His mental and physical toughness is tested time and again, tests that not everyone might pass so successfully. During his trip he had regularly posted updates to a web site and he used these short missives to build his book. Unfortunately this occasionally leads to some choppiness in the narrative and occasional repetition from chapter to chapter.Following his South American adventure, Heggstad sold his possessions, packed up his bike, and set off on a trip around the world. This adventure became the subject of a National Geographic documentary and resulted in another book in 2009 titled One More Day Everywhere: Crossing 50 Borders on the Road to Global Understanding. An ability to relate the complex emotions that come with extended travel in foreign places, so aptly demonstrated in Two Wheels Through Terror, makes him a fine guide to those who wish to explore the planet on two wheels.Copyright 2009 Kevin Clemens (speedreaders.info)

I began collecting and reading every motorcycle-related book I could find on Amazon.com. When I came across this read, I could'nt put it down. Now made into a National Geographic special, this is one of my top three adventure stories of all time - of all genres.The narrative is so amazing, so captivating, that I got on my own motorcycle and rode to Mazatlan in part to find Glen, to hear his story first hand. In talking to him over the course of two days in Mexico, I found that Glen's insights into the nature of people all over the world in turn changed my own world view. Governments may not get along all of the time, but people around the world certainly do.I took Glen's advice. I "put my foot through the TV screen", got on my motorcycle, and got gone. I've been south of the border five times in the past fourteen months alone. To say that my horizons have been broadened would be an understatement of great proportion. You may not do something like this after reading his book, but you will feel like you are there riding with him at every border he crosses.Mr. Heggstad is a crossroads of many unique qualities, any one of which would alone make an interesting individual. At 6' 4" and seemingly made of steel, he casts a potentially intimidating shadow. However, he is probably one of the most compassionate, and passionate, individuals who ever believed in what they think. I found his answer to the question on whether he had any regrets intriguing - he replied "I wish I could have spent one more day everywhere I went".If anyone else had been released from captivity from insurgents, most would have made bee-line to the U.S. border and home. Not Glen. He went the OTHER direction and continued his journey, in part to prove that the guerillas may have captured his body, but not his soul, or spirit.Any fan of adventure tales and/or motorcycle adventure travel will consider this a must-read and a valuable collectable for their library.Five Stars! Thanks Glen!

Sometimes you have to give in to the stresses of life--and other times you have to gut it out no matter what gets in your way. Glen Heggstad set out with a goal to ride from Palm Springs to Tierra del Fuego. Communist rebels in Columbia delayed him setting that goal for five weeks. No one could fault him for giving up, going home, healing up, dealing with the emotional trauma, and putting back on the 55 pounds he lost.No one, except Glen himself. He got another bike shipped in from the states and completed his journey. He wouldn't let the terrorists win.This is adventure writing at it's finest--a true story of striving through impossible odds to complete a journey--to reach a goal--to finish the job he started. Heggstad's DEFINITELY full of himself--but it isn't arrogance--it's well-deserved and accurate self-esteem. He's a larger-than-life figure, living a larger-than-life life. His writing is filled with a bravado attitude that would be an exaggeration for most people--not for Heggstad.His kidnapping and captivity only take up a small portion of the book. The rest is devoted to his travels--depicted richly and vividly. It's a biker's dream come true--just get on the bike and keep going. THAT'S what this book's about: the ride, and the people you meet along the way. That's why Glen made the journey--the same reason all motorcyclists make the journey.I couldn't put it down--well, except for times it motivated me to get on my bike and go for a ride.

New product to low price. And the shipping method was the best.Good value for the money

interesting book, the guy was crazy!warmly suggested to everyone like the story about travel and adventure

This book is poorly written by an author who is very impressed with himself. Basically: "I'm a martial arts expert who is very disciplined. I could have easily killed them all but I didn't know the way home, so I pretended to have a nose-bleed."

good read, quite an adventure .

good read