Photography by Polo Garat
Words by Pico
In the common law of England, a “Writ of Outlawry” made the pronouncement Caput lupinum (“Let his be a wolf’s head”) with respect to its subject, equating that person with a wolf in the eyes of the law. The Outlaw was deprived of all legal rights, allowing others to kill him on sight, as if he was such a wild creature.
One may think that riding under the wolf´s flag, it was written that we were to become outlaws in our own world. Although, Solitario style, we were to pronounce the Writ of Outlawry ourselves, and abandon forever the motorized Shangri-la that was once Wheels & Waves, to whose erection we had devoted so much energy and soul, now burning in the flames of greed and mediocrity.
Facing again the unknown, with the bitter taste of betrayal still in our mouths, we hold tight to our strongest values: loyalty, creativity and independence, and moved forward, opening our own path.
Once more, the stars aligned for the wolves, and a few months later an outlaw legion was flying, riding and sailing from every corner of the world to gather at El Solitario ranch, Costa da Morte (Death Coast), at the northernmost part of the Iberian Peninsula.
After a two-day party the gates of the ranch opened and, as if they were those of a huge dam containing all that lust for life, a tempestuous cascade burst forth, unstoppable in its way towards the waters of the Strait of Gibraltar, 1.600 kms. away.
Dirt bikes, road bikes and other vehicles flowed southwards across small roads or smaller paths, some finding their way along the mountain crests, others in thunderous ride across beautiful and remote towns, always reuniting at dawn to camp, feast and dream together.
The Outlaws was an independent entity, with its own space and time, oblivious to the rants and rumbles of ordinary men. Protected by a veil of uncertainty, everything was possible and the colors were brighter to our eyes. There was a powerful energy around us. Certainly, we had the flow.
We suffered together and laughed together. And, as every time this global family is united, we envisioned and created together. Having so many people we admire around us, we couldn´t but try our best to capture in film the way they approach life. The exhausted wolves are now working day and night to bring to you our vision of what we find so inspiring from them.
Meanwhile, we hope you enjoy this enlightened view of the raid by our dearest friend and outlaw, Polo Garat.
Long live the outlaws, whoever they are, wherever they are!!
About Polo Garat:
Polo was born in Soule in 1967, the most eastern region of the French Basque Country. His eye reflects the openness of a world traveller: Europe, Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America or California to better find his ancestral land near his friends, shepherds, restorers, hunters, men and women but also trees, bitumen and animals that give him this feeling of eternity. If he leaves his native country for motorcycle rides with his friends, he takes advantage of it to make images that connects him to the great epic of the American west of his dreams as a child but also the typical scenes of the films of the years 70.
The press often commissions him for the genuine and unclichéd photographic approach to his subjects, for his portraits, executed in a bare and uncomplaisant style that attempt to strip off the appearances and show the rawness of the soul. He is also a commercial photographer who regularly works hand in hand with advertising agencies.
Co-founder of the collective Odessa in Toulouse where he lives, his work is internationally exhibited.
Next post will cover the adventures of the Dirt gang
6 Responses
Love the photos . Jealousy oozes from my pores . Great choice of support van .. as for El Solitario chico .. tell /show him he’s in good ( no … great ) company … e.g. Johnny Cash
https://theselvedgeyard.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/johnny-cash-san-quentin-flipping-bird-jim-marshall-1.jpg
Rock On – Ride On – Remain Calm ( despite all the bs ) and do please Carry On … remembering always ;
All criminals are outlaws …. but
Not all outlaws are criminals ..
A [ very relevant ] quote from author Tom Robbins ;
“The difference between a criminal and an outlaw is that while criminals frequently are victims, outlaws never are. Indeed, the first step toward becoming a true outlaw is the refusal to be victimized. All people who live subject to other people’s laws are victims. People who break laws out of greed, frustration, or vengeance are victims. People who overturn laws in order to replace them with their own laws are victims. ( I am speaking here of revolutionaries.) We outlaws, however, live beyond the law. We don’t merely live beyond the letter of the law-many businessmen, most politicians, and all cops do that-we live beyond the spirit of the law. In a sense, then, we live beyond society. Have we a common goal, that goal is to turn the tables on the ‘nature’ of society. When we succeed, we raise the exhilaration content of the universe. We even raise it a little bit when we fail.
When war turns whole populations into sleepwalkers, outlaws don’t join forces with alarm clocks. Outlaws, like poets, rearrange the nightmare.
The trite mythos of the outlaw; the self-conscious romanticism of the outlaw; the black wardrobe of the outlaw; the fey smile of the outlaw; the tequila of the outlaw and the beans of the outlaw; respectable men sneer and say ‘outlaw’; young women palpitate and say ‘outlaw’. The outlaw boat sails against the flow; outlaws toilet where badgers toilet. All outlaws are photogenic. ‘When freedom is outlawed, only outlaws will be free.’ There are outlaw maps that lead to outlaw treasures. Unwilling to wait for mankind to improve, the outlaw lives as if that day were here. Outlaws are can openers in the supermarket of life.”
Words and thoughts to live by mi amigos
amazing history…
pico!!
Que elegante esa travesia, cada curva y giro..cada terral, cada caida y raspon.. cada mangueada. Es lo justo, lo buscado pe causa. Aqui en Lima-Peru estamos fuertes y activos cada dia, recontra “forajas” desde chiquillos…y ahora en motocicleta aun mas. Que sigan las ruteadas y las fotos…nada puede detener esto.
F*ck those wheelz n wavez punks! They wouldn’t know loyalty if it stabbed them in the back of the neck. Loyalty is standing by your wolfpack through thick and thin. Loyalty is sticking with it even though you might not agree. Ride on wolfs!
“When war turns whole populations into sleepwalkers, outlaws don’t join forces with alarm clocks. Outlaws, like poets, rearrange the nightmare.”