March 21, 2019
Toronto Motorcycle Film Festival – Page @ BikerCalendar.EVENTS ⇒
Riding over 40,000 km in subzero temperatures with more than 5,000 of that below -30°C (which can feel like -75° at highway speeds) on the polar ice has taught Oliver a thing or two about dealing with harsh conditions.
Oliver Solaro, who goes by the nickname Brokentooth, is the key cast member in the TMFF 2017 film AKA Brokentooth – Canada’s Ice Road Biker. He’s also a modern-day explorer who has ridden roughly 8,000 km to the Wapusk Trail, retraced one of Samuel de Champlain’s routes through Ontario, ridden the ice roads up to Attawapiskat, rode to northern Ontario to pay homage at Bill Barilko’s crash sight, and last year hauled 1,000 lbs of dog food up to landlocked Churchill, Manitoba – in the mind of winter – with temperatures sometimes at -46℃.
We had a great time chatting with Oliver about his many adventures. On the surface, he’s a little kid full of joy (love that!) but dig deeper and you find someone unapologetically true to his soul and an amazing storyteller that left us feeling inspired and grateful that there are people with this level of passion.
DISCUSSION NOTES
- 01:51 – Why the kilt?
- 02:56 – Winter riding origin story.
- 06:26 – Oliver’s first motorcycle and early exploits.
- 07:43 – First adventure ride.
- 10:04 – Dad lays down the law.
- 11:41 – First winter adventure; the Wapusk Trail.
- 13:22 – Learning what works through first-hand experience.
- 15:25 – Dealing with subzero temperatures.
- 16:24 – Early experiences with filming the trips.
- 18:05 – Keeping in touch with family while away.
- 19:30 – Pushing the limits of what is bearable.
- 20:31 – Tips for managing camera gear at sub-zero temps.
- 27:11 – GoPro usage. A or B-roll footage?
- 27:46 – Filming in high-stress moments.
- 32:09 – It’s all about storytelling. Breaking down one of Oliver’s clips.
- 36:22 – The trip to Churchill, Manitoba.
- 38:03 – Preview of clips from the Churchill expedition.
- 39:23 – Future plans. Plan A – North Pole.
- 40:26 – Arctic and hummock ice, and how it’s changing.
- 43:13 – Plan B – Hans Island.
- 48:50 – Plan C – Tuktoyaktuk.
DIG DEEPER
- Official AKA Brokentooth website and trailer – http://brokentoothdoc.com
- The Brokentooth Project Part 1 & 2 – https://www.northernontario.travel/mo…
- Bill Barilko Expedition – https://www.northernontario.travel/mo…
- This Motorcycle Life Podcast – http://www.thismotorcyclelife.com/epi…
CONNECT WITH OLIVER ONLINE
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/Bwokentoof
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brokentoothp…
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SunDoggie/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bwokentoof/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sun_doggie/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/OliverSolaro
Music (Churchill Trip Clips):
- Tomorrow – www.bensound.com
Visits: 79