‘Long Way Up’ Recap: ‘Oaxaca to L.A.’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the series finale of ‘Long Way Up’.
​
The end of a road trip is quite the bittersweet affair. For while you’re ready to sleep in your own bed and enjoy the creature comforts of your home, you’re also not quite ready to see your journey come to an end. Because regardless of the hardships you encounter out there, the road gets into your blood and you definitely find yourself hooked on the sights and the sounds and the experiences that your trip provides you with. But alas, eventually it must come to an end and this is downright relevant to our discussion today, simply because the end of the journey and all the joy and sorrow that surrounds it, served as the focus of the series finale of Long Way Up.
 
For ‘Oaxaca to L.A.’ saw Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman’s 13,000-mile-long voyage north, finally come to a close with a return to Los Angeles. But before we closed out this epic journey and bid farewell to our new friends, there was still one last important part of this journey to handle. In that, the lads were still in the dangerous part of Mexico and Dave was still working around the clock to get the decoy bus ready for departure. Which meant we spent a little time in Oaxaca with the team as everyone pitched in to bring this plan to life and wouldn’t you know it? The team was able to finish the bus conversion, exactly when they were supposed to, allowing for Ewan and Charley and the crew to enjoy a little safety on the road.
 
Because the bikes fit perfectly inside the bus, and everyone was able to get some quality rest and take a breather in a dangerous part of the world and once the danger had passed, the team crossed back into the United States of America and that’s where another aspect of the road trip came into play. For when we near the end of the journey, we also take the time to reflect upon every moment of it, to see if it was downright worth it and for Ewan and Charley, the answer to that question was a resounding yes. Because not only did they get to take in the majesty of a part of the world they’d never seen in such detail before, they were able to revitalize their incredible biffleship and experience all kinds of incredible moments. Some good, some trying, but they were able to take part in them none the less and complete a voyage that they’d been working on for decades. 
 
Which made their arrival back in Los Angeles, heartwarming to say the least. Because they were able to return home with full hearts and be greeted by longing ones. Since their family was beyond eager to see them and well, now that this incredible adventure has come to an end, all we can do is thank Ewan and Charley and praise them. The latter of which comes from the fact that they traversed a hunk of the planet on electric bikes, making them pioneers of sort. And the thanks come about, simply because… they didn’t have to let the audience tag along on this voyage. They could have quietly done it on their own and enjoyed that sense of satisfaction in private. But instead, they opted to have the viewers at home come along for the ride and share in some powerful moments and learn some important lessons as well.
 
For in many ways, Long Way Up serves as a metaphor for everyday life. Because sometimes, our goals don’t come to fruition right away, and we have to wait for the right moment to make them happen… much like this trip. Plus, this show also served to remind us to cherish the moments we share with the people we love dearly since the wonder of those moments will never come again and in many ways… just the road trip in general speaks to life’s wild journey. For much like our time on the highways, life features all kinds of ups and downs and surprises in between. But what matters most… is the journey itself and how we respond to it, and those are some beautiful messages to find embedded within this powerful documentary. One where two good men accomplished wonders and now that this adventure has come to a close, it is definitely safe to say, that we’re in the same mindset as Ewan and are eagerly wondering… when the next big road trip for this dynamic duo is going to take place, so we too can enjoy the majesty and wonder of the world alongside a pair of hearty travelers.

---