Elspeth Beard was the first British woman to ride a motorcycle around the world — but this conversation isn’t about setting records. It’s an exploration of what happens when you strip life down to the essentials, face the unknown, and learn just how capable you really are.

We talk about what drove her to leave everything behind in the early 1980s, the solitude and strength she found on the road, and how that same resilience shaped her later life as an architect — including the restoration of a 130-foot Victorian water tower she calls home. Forty years on, Elspeth reflects on freedom, technology, and what adventure really means once the noise fades.

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Follow Elspeth @elspethbeard and check out elspethbeard.com to find her book.