8th February 2012

A MOTORCYCLIST is due to leave Bridport today on a road trip to the other side of the world.

Building contractor Rob Booth is taking a five-month long motorbike journey across the globe to “find himself” after suffering from depression.

The 46-year-old was inspired by a similar trip taken by movie star Ewan McGregor in the TV series Long Way round.

Mr Booth will ride more than 12,000 miles to his home in Wellington, New Zealand after attending his daughter Christina Wareham’s wedding.

The route will go across Europe, through India, China and Australia.

Mr Booth said he was relaxed about taking the journey, which he is using to highlight Dyslexia Action and depression in men.

The dyslexia sufferer said: “I’m off to find myself. I’d suffered with depression and wanted to stop the world and get off but rather than do that I’m going to ride around the world and find out who I am and challenge myself.

“I’m quite relaxed about it and I suppose I’m looking forward to the first time I fall off and see my new bike sliding down the road and have my heart broken. 

“Then I’ll pick myself up and get on with the rest of the trip.

“But there’s nothing I’m worried about because it’s all part the challenge. 

“It’s the bad times I will look back on with fondness, the times when I was swearing and cussing and regretting ever starting, but that’s the whole point  - the challenge of it.”

Mr Booth is a keen motorcyclist and used to compete in motorcross competitions as a youth.

His BMW GS1200 Triple Black adventure motorbike cost £15,000 and will weigh around 300 kilograms when fully loaded. it is a similar bike used by mr McGregor in his TV series.

Mr Booth said: “the show really did inspire me and also left me wanting to know more, there was a lot of stuff they didn’t tell you about the experience. But they had back up, I won’t be having any of that. It’s just one man and two wheels.”

Mr Booth said he had wanted to complete the adventure for two charities but had chosen Dyslexia Action after suffering with the condition since he was a pupil at Woodroffe School in Lyme Regis.

He said: “I choose that charity because I wanted to do it for a cause close to me and, because I didn’t get any help with it, I wanted to raise awareness for people who have.

“also I want to raise awareness of depression which is one of the symptoms of being dyslexic.”

Mr Booth will upload his current location, photographs and videos of his adventure on spotadventures.com – his tag is 1man2wheels. 

You can also follow him on facebook.com/pages/Robs-way-round

 If you would like to sponsor Rob go to justgiving.com/1man2wheels or text UKNZ80 followed by the amount you would like to donate to 70070.

PICTURE: Rob Booth prepares for his five-month adventure across the globe to find himself after suffering depression

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