I've read recently about Benka Pulko's circumnavigation being a semi-hoax, with the discrepancies being that it wasn't continuous, it wasn't solo, and that she routinely engaged in fraud and deception regarding her accomplishment and to gain both financing and supplies. Obviously, these are serious allegations, and I've only found a single source thus far (Benka Truth Pages). Does anyone have any further info regarding this? My inquiry is not meant to be defamatory or accusatory in any way - just trolling for information. Thanks.

__________________
It's not what you ride, it's that you ride. And that the ride puts as many miles behind you as possible. That's Nirvana, baby!

I remember the ride. The promotion struck me as heavy handed, basically saying "give me money and I'll ride round the world". Call me what you like, but if I had cash to ride RTW I'd go myself, it's not as if it hasn't been done before. There was no hint at any dishonesty, no charities mentioned or promisses of promotion the way I remember it, just a belief that other people would want to give her cash for the ride. Her technical knowledge struck me as rather limited, so I could believe she got help with tyres. Her English wasn't perfect, so I can well believe there could have been misnderstandings at least where US suppliers were concerned and any articles would suffer accordingly. There are cultural differences between how such "promotions" work in Southern Europe and the US, US suppliers see it as an advertising deal, not just a way to get the local riders to think they are nice guys and the tax man to give a few quid back.

The article you linked to seemed rather short of stated facts, no names or dates. Ramblings about Calamity Jane didn't help and in places were close to being libelous. Is that the work of a serious writer?

It's old history now. My own impression was that Benka was litterally looking for a free ride and I lost interest accordingly.

All this came via Chaingang website (F650.com) contacts. I'm sure there'd be more people there with info.

Andy

Edit to add: The incident with the child on the bicycle was a source of a lot of ill feeling on the chain gang message board and didn't increase Benkas popularity. It was literally a case of one description of the incident (hers; and I got the impression she'd initially expected sympathy and was a bit shocked when people took the opposite view) and a lot of second hand comment about how people should behave.

totally untrustworthy

Not one single source, person, date mentioned.

That an anonymous man "didn't believe a word" doesn't prove a thing.

And who is the author? Even he/she is anonymous.

PS: Never heard of benka before now.

__________________
Poul
May you enjoy peace and good health !

I totally agree that if the author of the "Benka Truth Pages" wanted to maintain serious credability, sources should be named and references given. I also haven't been able to find the "Calamity Jane" article mentioned anywhere else online, which in this day and age seems highly unlikely.

The Guinness folks have her listed as the first person to complete a continuous solo circumnavigation riding on all seven continents (I'm paraphrasing, of course). However, assording to our own Grant Johnson (http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...ntarctica-1852), she never actually rode in Antarctica, just unloaded the bike and took a picture. She may have been able to ride had she gone to McMurdo Station, where motorized vehicles are used on a daily basis. But, since McMurdo is a US station, and the only way to get there (other than by supply ship) is by US Air National Guard military transport, she may have deliberately bypassed it if she knew she had legal troubles in the US. Unfortunately, this is just conjecture at this point.

I'm sure the real truth is out there, and I'd really like to know if this actually qualifies as the World Record it's purported to be. It just brings to mind the recent stories of the woman who greatly misrepresented her "swim" across the Atlantic. I'm certainly not suggesting Benka didn't put a ton of miles down, and I know that Greg Frazier ran into her at least once during her trip(s). I'd just like to know if we're dealing with facts or exageration. :confused1:

__________________
It's not what you ride, it's that you ride. And that the ride puts as many miles behind you as possible. That's Nirvana, baby!

I find most modern "records" uninteresting because they are so specialized, to be able to claim another record:

First bhutanese onelegged female, with a moustache, to cross Tower Bridge on her hands, wearing a neoprene diving suit

__________________
Poul
May you enjoy peace and good health !

Bugger, you mean it's been done?
I'll have to think of something else.

Hello Hubb visitors,

I have met Benka on the road, we travelled together and became good friends. I have read this Truth page, and I know who wrote it. But it is like pbekkerhtotally untrustworthy
put it. The author did not even have the guts to sign with his own name, so ignore it.

Benka traveled the world on her F650 and she traveled in places where most of the people on the Hubb would not go alone. I dont know if she rode the bike in Anctarctica, and I dont think this is important. She managed to get the bike there and she has done a fantastic journey. She has met a lot of people and with many she left a good and inspiring impession.

I am proud to call her a friend.

So, guys, dont judge anybody because of a Truth page, that is not even signed.

Greetings from South Africa

Mika Kuhn (RTW 1999-2005)

This has to be one of the most bizarre threads I've ever read.

Given that reputations have been put at stake here (Benka's and I guess Dr Frazier's), I wish that the mods would look into the IP addresses and clear this up...

Wildcat, instead of expecting StrikingViking to show up at some far-off event, if you want to prove him wrong why don't you just authorize the mods to post the results of an IP query in this thread? Seems like that would be a lot easier way to disprove his allegations about your identity?

MODERATOR COMMENT

I don't think this has any merit in being continued. For the record WILDCAT92 's ip addresses do not appear to be connected to the website Benka.info - as far as I can see - but to be honest I am not inclined to waste my time digging deeper.
Bottom line is that Benka achieved something most of us will only ever dream about so anyone who is childish and bitter enough to spread the story in the way they have done is obviously a very sad person.

END

__________________
...on the road to nowhere...

Biking roads by bikers for bikers www.bestbikingroads.com

Just spent a little while deleting the slanging match between wildcat92 and strikingviking. Pls stop it. Swap emails and carry on there if you want.

Took the time to check IP address too (after all I have nothing better to do) and Wildcat92 and "Truth pages" IP address are different. Apart from being an OLD story, I think the early comments above ref the "truth pages" sum up the general feeling: Benka would appear to have severely p*ssed somebody off, who produced those words of alleged "truth". The legal documents are also interesting.

We can make our own decision if Wildcat92 is peddling a little publicity for the "Truth pages" or making a genuine inquiry.

HTH
Chris

__________________

TBS.com