In November of 1959, Ron Bowman quit his job as a newspaper reporter, sold his car and bought a 150cc Lambretta scooter. He intended to ride it from his hometown of Thorold, Ontario, Canada all the way to Peru. As far as he knew, no one had ever made such a journey, but he was going to try.
Three weeks before the trip, he met a beautiful woman and was utterly smitten. Suddenly he had misgivings about leaving for what could be a full year. But it was too late to back out, so on a bitterly cold morning, he started his journey.
The farther south he rode, though, the more he began to feel that he had made a horrible mistake and had left the woman of his dreams behind. He wrote her letters every day, each more heartfelt than the last, until finally he declared his love, asked her fly to Mexico City, marry him, and continue on to South America for as long as their money would hold out.
When he arrived in Mexico City, her letter was waiting for him. Would she be willing to take a leap of faith and marry an irresponsible character like him? A man she had only known for 3 weeks? His stomach in knots, he opened the letter.
The answer was yes. It was going to be a scooter honeymoon.
This is the story of Ron and Tove Bowman and their epic adventure romance through Latin America on a motor scooter, during a time when such a journey was virtually unheard of. No crew. No support vehicles. Just two crazy Canadians in love on a little scooter, discovering the world, discovering each other, and having the greatest adventure of their lives.
Three weeks before the trip, he met a beautiful woman and was utterly smitten. Suddenly he had misgivings about leaving for what could be a full year. But it was too late to back out, so on a bitterly cold morning, he started his journey.
The farther south he rode, though, the more he began to feel that he had made a horrible mistake and had left the woman of his dreams behind. He wrote her letters every day, each more heartfelt than the last, until finally he declared his love, asked her fly to Mexico City, marry him, and continue on to South America for as long as their money would hold out.
When he arrived in Mexico City, her letter was waiting for him. Would she be willing to take a leap of faith and marry an irresponsible character like him? A man she had only known for 3 weeks? His stomach in knots, he opened the letter.
The answer was yes. It was going to be a scooter honeymoon.
This is the story of Ron and Tove Bowman and their epic adventure romance through Latin America on a motor scooter, during a time when such a journey was virtually unheard of. No crew. No support vehicles. Just two crazy Canadians in love on a little scooter, discovering the world, discovering each other, and having the greatest adventure of their lives.
