Julien and Cooper: two seasoned bikers
I am delighted to introduce you to Julien and Cooper in this new Wow Good Portrait. It's a very nice duo who spend their time on the roads traveling by motorcycle. Italy, Croatia, Lebanon, Greece, Montenegro…. You will have understood Julien and his dog travel the world on a motorcycle. They have visited 10 countries, and currently have between 7000 and 8000 km on the clock.
I now leave the floor to Julien. He introduces us to his beloved Jack Russell! A real ball of energy, always ready to hit the road. I love their story!
Julien, it's up to you! 🙂
I am an alien
I am a 27 year old young man, graduated from a computer school. I stopped working to start “feeling alive” and realize my dreams without delay. The most important thing to know about me is that I am an “alien”.
Indeed, I discovered my giftedness late and this allowed me to understand my operating methods and to better analyze my atypical educational and professional background. I am a curious and resourceful person. I like the unknown and autonomy. I never limit myself in anything I do. This mode of operation has helped me a lot to move forward and achieve my goals. However, in society it did me a lot of disservice. It's not easy to be “gifted”.
Things are not going fast enough for me and the involvement that I can put into my work is disturbing for others. I do everything with passion, commitment and determination. My previous bosses also recruited me for my proven combativeness.
I never give up until all avenues have been explored. I am loyal and committed when the causes are in line with my values. My reckless side is however annihilated by my emotions that I still can't manage in society. I am constantly disappointed and sad to meet people who happily take advantage of my abilities without even paying attention to the person I am. Our society lacks in my sense of benevolence.
My travel plan comes at a time in my life where I need to get to know myself better and refocus. “Who wants to get to know himself begins by exploring the world” as said Paulo Coelho.
This journey that I undertake with my dog is for me a project and a real challenge. I don't know what this trip will bring me or even make me live, but I'm curious to test my ability to adapt and meet all the challenges that will come up in front of me. I hope to grow out of this experience.
Cooper, my faithful traveling companion
Cooper is a Jack Russell 5 years old. It was at the Clermont-Ferrand SPA that we met. It was love at first sight, from my first visit. I would also like to thank Coralie Fournier and Carine Farge for supporting me in my adoption process. I longed for a long time to share my life in the company of a dog, but I couldn't manage to cross this threshold. It was a great responsibility for me and especially my first dog! I hesitated for a long time between a Dobermann, a German Shepherd and a Jack Russell in dedication to Jim Carrey's film “The Mask” which marked my childhood. My choice fell on a Jack Russell. Indeed, on the bike, its small size is an advantage!
Cooper is very intelligent, he understands quickly. He has the advantage of not barking and being calm. Of course, he has his crazy quarter-hours which are a real treat!
Jack Russells are known to be full of energy, hyperactive and very intelligent. I find myself in him in his daily way of being. Everybody finds Cooper very calm ironically, I think, about the fact that dogs look just like their masters. Cooper and I are fake calms.
We both aspire to a certain serenity and besides that, we form a duo full of energy, always motivated to move. The “No” is not part of our lexicon.
Motorcycling: a passion
Motorcycle rides are our passion! It's our way of feeling free. And yet, my dream of one day getting a motorbike was very badly embarked on… My parents always forbade me. My mother being an emergency operating theater nurse in Lyon saw many injured bikers arriving via the SAMU. Some sometimes very seriously…
When I turned 18, after obtaining my car license, I wanted to take advantage of the validity of my code to pass the motorcycle license. I worked alternately, my parents were not aware of this personal initiative. Incidentally, when I got my license, my parents received my new driver's license by mail, discovering this "bad news" for themselves! Their reaction was clear, they absolutely did not want to see me on a motorcycle and even less have to participate in the financing of my future racing car!
Four years have passed, I still had this desire to buy my first motorcycle. My parents were crazy every time I told them about it. Despite my parents' pedagogical discourse, my father nevertheless gave in and ended up offering himself a Piaggio MP3 500LT. Hmmm… Do as I say, but not as I do! At the same time, I can't blame him, it was his dream after traveling all over France and abroad on foot and by bike. He longed for more comfort. Not having a motorcycle license, in my opinion, he made the best choice by buying a Piaggio MP3 which had good stability, enough to reassure him for his next journeys.
We traveled together on this scooter for four years and traveled many miles. Spain, Portugal, All of France!, Italy, Sardinia, Corsica, Luxembourg, Belgium, Amsterdam, etc. All this allowed us to have a real experience of traveling as a couple and to discover these sensations together with a very beautiful bond between father and son that I will never forget! Over time, my father ended up accepting that I get my first motorcycle with all the safety options and an airbag jacket. In his eyes, it was a motorcycle for travel, for comfort, and not for racing. I am also lucky to have a wonderful mother with undeniable human qualities who played an important role in this delicate period for the whole family.
Following the adoption of Cooper, going on an adventure with my dog, discovering the world, being left to our own devices was my only obsession. After a year of preparation, we were able to make our dream come true! Here we are now on the roads of the whole world…
------
If you want to discover their adventures, I invite you to discover the article “Traveling with your dog on a motorbike”. Julien and his dog give valuable advice for your future motorcycle road trips with your dog. I advise you to read this article!