There are few who have accomplished what Canadian motorcycle adventurer Doris Maron has.  In 2001, Maron, then a financial planning consultant, liquidated her assets, selling most of her worldly possessions and storing whatever was leftover, walked away from a safe and comfortable life in Edmonton, and started the journey of a lifetime – a motorcycle odyssey that would take her through forty-four countries on six continents, racking up 120,000 kilometers in three years.

On her ‘round the world trip, Maron traveled mostly by herself.  She is believed to be the first North American woman to have circumnavigated the globe solo on a motorcycle.  This remarkable feat was recognized by the Reynolds-Alberta Museum during the Life & Times of the Motorcycle exhibition (held in 2005-06) when Maron’s trusty Magna 750 was one of the one-hundred-fifty motorcycles on display. Hers was one of only four ‘special’ motorcycle stories selected for publication in the exhibit’s official catalogue.

For her remarkable accomplishment, Maron has been described variously as ‘courageous’, ‘fearless’, and ‘lion-hearted’, but she humbly dismisses these words of admiration and considers herself just an ordinary person.  “Everybody says my trip was courageous.  For me, it was a passion to see the world,” she says. 
Although Maron had considerable experience riding a Honda GL1500 Gold Wing, she astutely decided a lighter machine would be a better motorcycle for globetrotting. She chose a new Honda Magna 750 with chain-drive.  “It performed flawlessly for 120,000 kilometers.  There were always people around to help me.  My Magna wore out four chains and I had the tires changed six times.  I only had one flat during the whole trip, and I never had any trouble finding parts or tires.  The only time I had trouble finding tires was in Northern BC!” she says, laughing.

Maron’s three-year journey is chock full of memorable stories.   “In Pakistan, in one town, every hotel I went to was ‘full’.  Finally, I asked a clerk if the hotel was really ‘full’, or if the problem was that I was a woman traveling alone.  He said the problem was that I was traveling alone and I needed to go to the police station to obtain a permit to get a room.  I did that, and the next morning the police showed up and said they were escorting me out of town!  They arrived at 5:30 A.M. on 150cc Honda motorcycles.  I had five different police escorts that day!  But I didn’t feel threatened – they looked after me!”

Since returning to Canada, Maron has written a book chronicling her adventures - Untamed Spirit – Around the World on a Motorcycle covering the first half of her trip (Alberta to Thailand.)  She has been a guest speaker to numerous clubs and organizations (such as the Calgary Board of Education) and the subject of many television, radio and newspaper interviews.  Recently, a number of motorcycle dealerships have latched onto the idea of giving Untamed Spirit as an inspiring and special gift to their female customers.

 
Doris Maron is currently writing a new book covering the second half of her incredible adventure.  She expects to publish it in Fall, 2008.  Book 1 is available in paperback for $25 at many Edmonton area booksellers and selected motorcycle dealerships.  More information on Doris Maron and Untamed Spirit – Around the World on a Motorcycle is available at www.untamedspirit.net.