Long Way Up
Long Way Up is a British television series which debuted on 18 September 2020, documenting a motorcycle journey undertaken in 2019 by Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman, from Ushuaia in Argentina through South and Central America to Los Angeles in the United States. It is a follow-up to 2004's Long Way Round where the pair rode from London to New York, and to 2007's Long Way Down, when they rode from John o' Groats in Scotland to Cape Town in South Africa.
The first three episodes of Long Way Up premiered globally on Apple TV+ on Friday, 18 September 2020, and eight further episodes aired weekly through to 13 November 2020.
Overview
The journey covered a route, through 13 countries, over 100 days from 5 September 2019 to 14 December 2019, using prototype Harley-Davidson LiveWire electric motorcycles that had been converted into adventure bikes.Accompanying Ewan and Charley were the key team members from Long Way Round and Long Way Down, including director/producers David Alexanian and Russ Malkin and directors of photography Jimmy Simak and Claudio Von Planta. Joining for the first time were associate producer Taylor Estevez and cinematographer Anthony Von Seck.
The production team followed Ewan and Charley's route in prototype Rivian electric pick-up trucks built especially for the journey. Trucks and motorcycles were sometimes charged at charging points built especially for the journey by Rivian. They were supported by diesel powered vehicles and generators.
Episodes
The series follows Ewan and Charley as they journey up Latin America through Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia, and on into Central America — Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala — and Mexico, before entering the United States and finishing in California.Episode 1: "Preparation"
Release date: 18 September 2020Eight months prior to the intended start date of 1 September 2019, the team maps out the route, revealing that they plan to use electric motorbikes. Having tested an electric road bike, Charley and Ewan are satisfied that they have made the correct choice. After discovering that the range of even the best off-road electric motorbike is limited to 72 miles, doubts start to creep in as they intend to travel per day, which would need a lengthy charging session, placing the entire fourteen-week schedule in jeopardy.
During the planning stage, Charley had a serious motorcycle accident. After recovering, he tests an all-electric Harley-Davidson Livewire. Although designed as a street bike, the team work with the Harley engineers to adapt the design for dual purpose use, receiving the prototypes ten weeks before departure.
Both Charley and Ewan want to offset their carbon footprint for the journey which necessitates using BEVs as support vehicles. Rivian agrees to supply two hand-built pre-production R1T pick-up trucks and install 150 fast chargers along the route to keep both them and the electric motorbikes charged.
Episode 2: "Ushuaia"
Release date: 18 September 2020In Tierra del Fuego the team meets with heavy winter snow. The Harleys’ ability to use level one AC charging is a concern as the level three DC fast-charging equipment is too cumbersome for the duo to carry. The team decides to wait until a new component arrives, delaying their start by three days.
During the initial leg, Charley and Ewan make the first of several border crossings and detour down Ruta Y-85 to on Inútil Bay, to see the only colony of King penguins in South America. Range anxiety resurfaces and they plan to charge from a support vehicle that has solar panels. When this fails, they attempt to charge from sockets at the reserve’s research station, but with a low current, the motorbikes fail to take a charge. The pair take refuge at Estancia Caleta Josefina, which although closed for the winter, opens for them. The production team runs out of charge with ten miles to go, and resorts to tow-charging the R1Ts.
ROUTE: Ushuaia → Ruta Nacional 3 → Tolhuin → Ruta Nacional 3 → Border crossing → Ruta 257-CH → Onaisin
Episode 3: "Southern Patagonia"
Release date: 18 September 2020After unsuccessful attempts at charging overnight, Charley and Ewan ask the support team to bring a diesel generator to charge the motorbikes. Nevertheless, Ewan runs out of charge within sight of the ferry and the production team has to assist him.
Two days are spent in the Torres del Paine National Park in Chilean Patagonia. Whilst lodging at EcoCamp Patagonia, charging proves challenging and overnight both the 12-volt batteries that power the motorbikes' electrical systems discharge. After jump starting both motorbikes, it appears they have enough range in the traction batteries to make it to the border with Argentina, but once across, again they have to use a diesel generator for recharging before the section to El Calafate in Santa Cruz province.
The duo decides to take the next day off to recharge the motorbikes, and to take a boat trip to the Perito Moreno Glacier in Los Glaciares National Park.
ROUTE: Onaisin → Ruta Y-71 → Porvenir → Ferry → Punta Arenas → Ruta 9-CH ''→ Torres del Paine → Ruta Y-150 / Y-156 → Torres del Paine National Park → Ruta Y-156 / Y-150 → Torres del Paine → Ruta Y-205 → Border crossing → Ruta Nacional 40 → El Calafate → Ruta Nacional 40 → La Leóna → Ruta Nacional 40 →'' Tres Lagos → Ruta Nacional 40 ''→'' Las Horquetas
Episode 4: "The Andes"
Release date: 25 September 2020The pair crosses back into Chile, now understanding that the bikes' batteries perform worse in cold temperatures. They adjust their expectations, traversing the Aysén region and the Carretera Austral to the port of Chaitén. Here the team elects to cross both the Gulf of Corcovado and the Gulf of Ancud by ferry to Puerto Montt as there are several gaps in the Carretera Austral further north which need either multiple water crossings or a long detour inland.
Whilst Charley and Ewan head along the Pan-American highway toward another border crossing, and into the Argentinian province of Neuquén, the production team, off-grid and running low on charge, co-opt a semi-truck driver to give them a tow-charge. David’s R1T has its first breakdown on the way to Las Lajas, but a system reboot sees it on its way. After adjusting their route to visit the Bajada del Rahue switchbacks on RP46, Charley and Ewan face another delay in Zapala whilst they wait for cameraman Claudio, who is riding a petrol Harley-Davidson Sportster XL1200, to refuel. Nevertheless, they manage a distance on a full charge due to warmer temperatures. They visit the indigenous Mapuche communities in Chorriaca and Chos Malal, and then camp for the first time on the trip near Barrancas. They are awestruck by The Catwalk, where the RN40 crosses the Rio Grande and the Agua del Toro hydroelectric dam in Mendoza province.
ROUTE: Las Horquetas → Ruta Nacional 40 ' → Perito Moreno → Ruta Provincial 45 → Border crossing → Ruta X-65 / Ruta 7-CH → Villa Mañihuales → Ruta 7-CH → Puyuhuapi → Ruta 7-CH → Chaitén → Ferry → Puerto Montt → Ruta 5-CH / Ruta 215-CH → Border crossing' → Ruta Nacional 231 / Ruta Nacional 40 → Villa La Angostura → Ruta Nacional 40 / Ruta Provincial 23 → Aluminé → Ruta Provincial 46 → Zapala → Ruta Nacional 40 → Las Lajas → Ruta Nacional 40 → Barrancas → Ruta Nacional 40 → Bardas Blancas → Ruta Nacional 40 → Malargüe → Ruta Nacional 40 → San Juan → Ruta Nacional 40 → Villa Unión → Ruta Nacional 40 → Chilecito → Ruta Nacional 40 →'' Belén
Episode 5: "Atacama Desert into Bolivia"
Release date: 2 October 2020Having entered Salta province, Charley and Ewan detour from RN40 to visit the Gorge of Shells and a natural amphitheatre off RN68 near Cafayate. The entire team then heads for an excursion on the Cloud Train high into the Andes. To counter the strong headwinds, Charley and Ewan slipstream a support vehicle to eke out extra range. Altitude sickness affects assistant producer Taylor, who leaves for lower altitudes and plans to rejoin them in Bolivia.
Bidding farewell to Argentina and having crossed into the Antofagasta region in Chile over the Sico Pass, the duo head across the Atacama Desert towards the border at Portezuelo del Cajón with Bolivia, stopping to admire the Salar de Atacama and the Licancabur volcano.
Holding both British and American passports, Ewan uses his US passport to exit Chile not realising that to enter Bolivia he will then require a visa. After some confusion, the team pay for a visa and they enter the altiplano to head through the Siloli Desert on gravel tracks, during which Ewan falls off his bike.
ROUTE: Belén → Ruta Nacional 40 ' → Calchaquí Valley → Ruta Nacional 40 → San Antonio de los Cobres → Ruta Nacional 51 ''→ Border crossing → Ruta 23-CH → San Pedro de Atacama → Ruta 27-CH / Ruta B-243 → Border crossing' → Ruta de las Joyas Altoandinas / Ruta Laguna Verde → Termas de Polques → Ruta Laguna Colorada → Laguna Colorada
Episode 6: "Bolivia"
Release date: 9 October 2020Setting off from the refuge near Laguna Colorada after nightfall in a bid to reach a charging station, one of the R1Ts runs out of charge and has to be tow-charged. The other suffers damage to its suspension and parking brake. In daylight, Charley and Ewan press on through the Siloli Desert, past the Blood of the Gods lake but find the terrain ever more sandy. Charley takes a tumble but is not seriously hurt. Having set off against the advice of Rivian, without a fully functional braking system, David finds his R1T rolling back on an incline and wedging on a rock with a hydraulic oil leak. Near Challapata, Charley and Ewan visit the UNICEF backed Challamayu School for indigenous Quechua children, where they are taught in both Spanish and their native tongue, helping to preserve the Quechuan language and cultural identity.
At La Paz the pair visit GustuBar, a restaurant that began as a school for under-privileged kids, some of whom have gone on to become successful chefs. Taylor has devised a solution which detects a live electric current to alert them whenever charging has stopped with an audible alarm.
At Lake Titicaca, after another challenging day of riding, Ewan and Taylor start to feel the effects of altitude sickness, culminating in a visit by the team doctor.
ROUTE: Laguna Colorada → Ruta Laguna Colorada / Ruta 701 / Ruta 5 → Uyuni → Ruta 30 ''→ Salar de Uyuni → Ruta 30 → Challapata → Ruta 1 / Ruta 4 / Ruta 1 → La Paz → Ruta 1 → El Alto → Ruta 2 → Lake Titicaca → Ferry / Ruta 2'' → Copacabana