Ushuaia
The journey begins properly in episode 2 of Long Way Up as both Ewan and Charley push on from Ushuaia. Only, that’s easier said than done given it looks like it’s going to start snowing. The pair get the bikes all prepped and ready to go. Unfortunately, before they can go anywhere they need to work out how to charge up the bikes. The original plan was to charge these from cafes and other people’s houses but if they’re unable to do that then…what do they do? This problem is made all the more difficult given how rare electric bikes are. Harley aren’t selling these bikes yet so they’re not 100% sure whether it’ll work. After a bit of stress and anxiety, Ewan and Charley finally receive some good news. They have different options for charging and this means the trip can finally go ahead. They set off together and with 13000 miles to Los Angeles, they don’t have a moment to waste. The real joy here comes from the banter between these two riders. As they head up the road they come to their first big challenge – the charging stations. Thankfully the first seems to work pretty well. With Ushuaia behind them, the pair start moving from Argentina up to Chile. On the way, they find refuge at a nearby research base for King Penguins. With the ferry leaving in 1 hour and very few places to charge up their bike, this detour is short-lived. The pair really are up against it. With 10 miles to go, the unthinkable happens and the group run out of petrol and battery power. With no other choice, they’re forced to head back inside and charge the bikes up within the hotel walls. It turns out the extreme cold is actually a hindrance and the reason why the vehicles won’t charge up. While both bikes charge, the power suddenly goes off. Can anything else go wrong?
The Episode Review
Episode 2 adds more problems for Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman to deal with. While the idea of electric bikes is a good one, this episode shows what a headache they’re going to be on the road. With the technology still relatively new, it’s a tricky thing to balance and evidently something with a lot of bumps along the way. Thankfully, Long Way Up does well to blend this with the banter between the boys to keep this lighthearted and very watchable. Hopefully episode 3 may see a light at the end of the tunnel for the boys!
