A man by the name of Neale Bayly has just completed a trip that involved a trek into Ukraine.
The motojournalist is a founder of the nonprofit Wellspring International Outreach and shares a mission to ‘bring aid and attention to the abandoned and at-risk children throughout the world.’
Naturally, the Russo-Ukranian War has created a perfect storm of need; hence, we have for you today a touch-down on Bayly’s experience in ‘a beautiful country with incredible people standing resiliently against a brutal regime intent on their destruction.’
According to Rider Magazine, the 6,600-km (approx. 4,100 miles) motorcycle trip was made possible with the aid of BMW Motorrad USA’s Oleg Satanovsky (who had a nice pair of F 850 GS Adventures ready and waiting in Munich), REV’IT!’s Matthew Miles (for the full treatment in protective gear), and Jeff Weil at Arai (he supplied the top-notch lids), on top of various sponsors and donors.
With the team outfitted in bullet-proof vests and holding approval documents from the Ukranian military, the trip began.
“In total, we spent close to three weeks in Ukraine, riding from Lviv to Kyiv, Bucha, Irpin, and Hostomel, scenes of the worst atrocities early in the war…then we rode to the seaport of Odessa,” says Bayly.
The stories chased involved everything from visiting current refugee sanctuaries and Soviet-era coal mines, to attending recovering soldiers, sheltering from air strikes and dropping off a $10,000 cheque at a children’s hospital in Lviv.
The sights seen weren’t always family friendly, either; Bayly mentions the carnage found in Vinnytsia, where the World Central Kitchen was doing their part for the good citizens:
“The World Central Kitchen was on-site handing out water and meals to people rendered homeless by the strikes. Cleanup crews were hard at work, and all the bodies had been removed – just not quite all the parts, which made me glad we had skipped lunch.”
If you’ve never heard of the Wellspring International Outreach and would like to become a part of their sponsorship/donations effort, Bayly leaves a link to the organization’s website.
Our hearts go out to the resilient souls involved in this war, and a big hug to those who are doing what they can.
Be sure to stay tuned, drop a comment below letting us know what you think, and as ever – stay safe on the twisties.