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Tiggrr - 2016 Triumph Tiger XC
StormCrow - 2003 BMW 1150GSA
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Tuk Tuk

Washougal, United States ‐ Mar 14, 2024

353.6 mi

Riding Home

+3

The adventure ends

It was an absolutely perfect day to ride down the Columbia Gorge on my way home. I love living in the Pacific Northwest and I was reminded exactly why that is. It was a brutally cold start to the day....

Final Ride Stats

Duration - 150 Days Distance Traveled - 26,728 mi (43,015 km) Circumference of the earth - 24,901 miles (40,075 km) Fuel - 605.7 gal (2292.1 L) Average $/gal: 4.12
Spokane Valley ‐ Mar 11

486.9 mi

Cold and wet

+8

Last stop

I got a scolding from one of those voices in my head. You know the one... "Are you sure you know what you're doing?" "Zip it! I'm trying to concentrate!" Granted, riding a snowy mountain road at 35º i...
Bliss, Idaho ‐ Mar 10

492.3 mi

Utah, Nevada, Idaho

+9

The cold and lonely road

There is nothing like the feeling of having a remote highway all to yourself. I only saw a couple of cars during the entire three hour ride from Cedar City, Utah to Ely, Nevada. The wide open spaces r...
Cedar City ‐ Mar 9

370.3 mi

Zion National Park and more

+23

Zion National Park

You really can't take anything away from the American Southwest as one of the most beautiful places on earth. I had a spectacular albeit chilly day riding around the northeast end of the Grand Canyon....
Cottonwood Arizona ‐ Mar 8

287.9 mi

Heading North

+6

Heading North

When you have been moving for so long, returning to things that are more familiar causes a bit of mental distortion. Spending a couple days with Julie and Bob not only gave me an opportunity to refit...
Tucson ‐ Mar 5

211.2 mi

Back in Tucson

+16

Chiricahua Wilderness

Chiricahua Wilderness

I had a really lovely wild camp in the Chiricahua Wilderness last night. At over 6000 feet it was pretty cold, dropping to 28º over night. I had to jump around to warm up while I was packing my gear t...
Chiricahua Wilderness ‐ Mar 4

399.7 mi

Coronado National Forest

+5

The Border Wall

The Border Wall

Today I rode along the US, Mexico border on Highway 9. I caught this remote road just outside of El Paso, Texas and followed it along the south edge of New Mexico to Arizona. I took this route because...
Fort Davis, TX ‐ Mar 3

257.5 mi

Exploring Big bend National Park. Camping near Fort Davis.

+31

Big Bend National Park

Once again I’m camping where there isn’t any cell signal. Hard to believe I had better mobile coverage in Bolivia than I do here but its true. It’s okay though, I’ll post this sometime tomorrow when I...
Terlingua ‐ Mar 2

418.3 mi

Big Bend National Park

+4

West Texas

Yawn! West Texas is only slightly more interesting to ride across than the central part of Argentina. Endless straight road and is flat as flat gets. Coming from the Pacific Northwest I really cannot...
San Antonio ‐ Mar 1

219.2 mi

Tiggrr rides again

On the road again

I think American's should travel more. It would help them appreciate just how amazing the United States actually is. This morning I took an Uber to the cargo terminal to pick up my bike. I was amazed...
Houston

Flight to Houston
Buenos Aries, Argentina ‐ Feb 29

Last day in South America

A combination of skills

They travel on bicycles, motorcycles, and various other larger rigs. Overlanders seem to prefer to travel solo or in pairs though I have encountered a few larger groups. Unlike backpackers who rely mo...
Buenos Aires ‐ Feb 27

Exploring Buenos Aires

+27

The Paris of South America

I certainly got a workout today having walked from my hostel to central Buenos Aires to join a walking tour. A little over 14 miles in all. I met my guide and a small group of other tourist at the ico...
Buenos Aires ‐ Feb 26

Bike Shipping

+13

Ride Stats - End of South America

Just in case anyone is interested. Here are some stats. Days Since Departure - 132 Distance Traveled - 23,172 mi (37,292 km) Fuel - 512.5 gal (1940.1 L) Average $/gal: 4.27 US ($/L: 1.13 US) Fuel Eco...

Bu-bye Tiggrr

Yesterday was my bike prep day. It was difficult to find a place to wash my bike on a Sunday but with enough asking around I eventually did. I took the clean Tiggrr back to the parking garage where I...
Buenos Aires ‐ Feb 24

156.5 mi

Last stop is South America.

+13

Last stop in South America

I had a lot of different emotions running through me all day. Part of me is ready to head for home and part of me thinks we should push back up through Bolivia. "Let's just keep going!" I think Tiggrr...
Montevideo, Uruguay ‐ Feb 23

184.6 mi

Ride to Montevideo

+19

Sustainable living

Riding into Montevideo early this afternoon, I was reminded about the complexities of riding in a city. Navigation, traffic, pedestrians and noise. When was the last time I was in a city? Santiago. Th...
Treinta y Tres ‐ Feb 22

310.5 mi

Riding into Uruguay

Tagging Uruguay

“You don’t have the right documents” the police officer at the border control checkpoint said to me. I had just passed into Uruguay about 20 minutes before this encounter through a very obscure border...
Santa Maria, Brazil ‐ Feb 21

374.6 mi

Riding into Brazil

+6

Tagging Brazil

If you think I would shamelessly cut through a corner of Brazil just to put another flag sticker on my bike... well, you would probably be right. I have no illusions that exploring Brazil is its own s...
Cataratas del Iguazú, Argentina ‐ Feb 20

Visiting Iguaçu Falls

+37

Iguaçu Falls

I'm so glad I made the effort to get here. Iguaçu Falls was nothing if not one of the most magical places I have ever seen (and I've been to Disneyland!). I think you will enjoy my photos but really
Puerto Iguazú ‐ Feb 19

403.1 mi

Riding to Puerto Iguazú

+7

Through wind, heat and rain

I did it. I'm not sure why exactly but in a pure display of suborn determination I rode the entire length of Argentina from south to north (~2800 miles) just to look at a water fall. It is the biggest...
Municipio de Bonpland ‐ Feb 18

618.2 mi

Epic day. Camping in Bonpland

Epic day in the saddle

I didn’t set out to cover 1000km today but I finally got that Goldilocks day I was looking for. Temperatures in the mid-80s and no wind. The rural highway I started my day on became progressively busi...
Trenque Lauquen ‐ Feb 17

427.7 mi

Into the farm belt

+6

Into the farm belt

It was little easier day today as the arid waste lands turned green, becoming corn fields and ranch land. I wouldn't call it hilly but after the last two days the slight roll of the land was enough to...
Las Grutas ‐ Feb 16

437 mi

More Argentinian plains

+8

More endless horizon

Midafternoon and I was getting beat by the wind again. My thermometer showed 102º and I could feel the sweat running down between my shoulder blades. Somehow I had missed the Goldilocks zone between f...
Comodoro Rivadavia ‐ Feb 15

462.5 mi

The endless plain

+5

Chasing the horizon

I only needed one photo from today because the scenery never changed. Just hold that one up in front of your eyes for five or six hours and you will get some idea of what my day was like. The only th...
Rio Gallegos ‐ Feb 14

381.4 mi

First day riding north

+10

Four borders and a ferry

I'm in my sleeping bag trying to warm up and dry out from the day. Leaving Ushuaia the weather looked promising as it was brisk but clear. The ride through the costal mountains was highlighted with a...
Ushuaia ‐ Feb 12

172.6 mi

The official end of the road. 55 degrees south.

+20

The actual end of the road

The Super Bowl party at the end of the world was very fun. I met some interesting riders and I enjoyed hearing about their adventures. I mentioned that section of road that I had struggled with a few...
Ushuaia ‐ Feb 11

402.4 mi

Fin del mundo

+15

Fin Del Mundo

Mother Nature made me earn my miles today. Through the rainy, cold and windy conditions, I patiently counted down the miles. I intended to reach the Fin Del Mundo (end of the world) today. Ushuaia had...
Punta Arenas, Chile ‐ Feb 10

389.7 mi

Back into Chile. Last views of the Andres

+4

South American Grey Fox

Back into Chile

The morning sky was clear and I was treated to my last views of the Andes today. They have offered me so many spectacular experiences all the way from Colombia to the tip of Chile. I was sad to see th...
Perito Moreno Glacier, Argentina ‐ Feb 9

51.2 mi

Perito Moreno Glacier

+19

Perito Moreno Glacier

I decided to have a rest day today. I slept in, loaded the bike and went in town to find a nice coffee shop for breakfast. After attaining the proper balance of blood in my coffee stream I set off for...
El Calafate ‐ Feb 8

430.4 mi

Riding to El Califate

+11

A very physical day

"Aye!" The wind felt like it was trying to twist my head off. It had been a constant menace all day but now a gust had caught me off guard. The bike wobbled and skated across the unpaved surface, my f...
Perito Moreno ‐ Feb 7

200.7 mi

Riding back into Argentina

+22

Back into Argentina

I had to dress in all of my layers this morning as it was a very cold start. It had rained all night leaving a fresh coat of snow on the hills just above where I was camped. Having completed the Ca
Cochrane, Chile ‐ Feb 6

208.5 mi

Villa O’Higgins loop. End of the road

+20

Why ride to the end of the road?

I couldn’t help but question my motivation to ride to the end of the road. I knew what was going to be there. The exact same thing that is at the end of every road. An anticlimactic barrier of some so...
Cochrane ‐ Feb 5

189 mi

Deeper into Patagonia

+20

Dust and washboard

The wind last night was incredible. Despite my best attempts to get it tied down, my tent kept collapsing under the 40+mph gusts. It would spring back into shape when the wind abated but it woke me up...

Ride Stats - End of Chile

Just in case anyone is interested. Here are some stats. Days Since Departure - 110 Distance Traveled - 17,595 mi (28,316 km) Fuel - 379.6 gal (1436.9 L) Average $/gal: 4.44 US ($/L: 1.17 US) Fuel Eco...
Río Ibáñez ‐ Feb 4

321.7 mi

Riding in Patagonia

+25

Patagonia!

From Puerto Montt I can't go any farther south without taking one or more ferries. It was difficult to figure out a route because all of the ferry lines are independent and they sail from different po...
Chaitén

Ferry to Chaiten

+6
Puerto Montt ‐ Feb 3

222.3 mi

There is not a way to proceed further south without a ferry. I spent the day visiting Chiloé island and then returned to Puerto Montt to catch a night ferry. Blog post will have to wait until tomorrow.

+24
Puerto Montt ‐ Feb 2

205.6 mi

Riding to Puerto Montt

+15

Ruta de los siete lagos

Leaving San Martin I followed what is called the Route of the Seven Lakes. I counted more than 18 so I’m not sure which ones were the “official” lakes. The weather was intermittently nasty with cold...
Municipio de San Martín de los Andes, Argentina ‐ Feb 1

343.4 mi

Riding to San Martin de Los Andes

+10

Sagebrush and jackrabbits

"Buenas dias!" a woman's voice startled me. It was 6:30 AM and I was in the middle of enjoying my cup of coffee and spacing out. Besides, I thought this place was deserted. "Buenas dias" I replied ref...
Camping Municipal Buta Ranquil ‐ Jan 31

352.6 mi

Riding in Argentina

+22

More toughness training

You would think with all of this toughness training I should be getting super tough. Apparently that’s not true as Argentina beat me up today. It all started okay. In fact the first 200 miles was not...
San Carlos ‐ Jan 30

259.7 mi

Into Argentina

+20

Argentina!

In the months leading up to this trip I had a very difficult time telling people that I was planning to ride my motorcycle to Argentina. Every time I did, it just sounded so preposterous. Even though...
Santiago, Chile ‐ Jan 29

Ready to Roll

+10

Ready to roll

My new friends at Zona BIkes in Santiago went above and beyond to make certain that Tiggrr was ready to go again. I have a fresh new set of beefy tires. German made Heidenau K60 Scouts which are known...
Valparaíso

+34

Valparaiso

The small, sprinter van, tour bus picked me up at my hostel at 6:30AM. There were 12 of us headed for Valparaiso and it was quite the international contingent. Ireland, France, Japan, Brazil, Eng
Cerro San Cristóbal ‐ Jan 27

La Casa Roja Hostel

+14

Cerro San Cristóbol

Serendipity

I love it when random but necessary things seem to magically appear when you travel without any particular plan. In fact, I tell other travelers not to plan so far ahead. Rather allowing the universe...
Santiago De Chile ‐ Jan 26

289.9 mi

Riding to Santiago

+4

Long day into Santiago

Two 500+ mile days, back to back, was definitely hard on my neck. I'm not riding that far again on this trip (or ever, if I can help it). Additionally,, that is the last I want to see of the Panameric...
La Serena

217.7 mi

Riding to Santiago (Lunch break)
Copiapó ‐ Jan 25

526 mi

A whole lot of not much.

+13

A whole lot of not much

A sleep under the stars makes all the difference and let me tell you, the stars were so bright in the desert sky. I decided to make a charge for Santiago. There is a Triumph dealer there and I need a...
San Pedro de Atacama ‐ Jan 24

69.8 mi

Rest Day

Rest Day

I was a little off my game this morning and could not decide what I wanted to do. After breakfast, I ran some errands. I needed to find an ATM and fill up with petrol. I finally decided to ride out to...
Calama ‐ Jan 23

120.9 mi

Into Chile

+31

200 miles of Bolivian hard pack

It was a long but interesting day. Leaving Uyuni, I meant to I take Highway 5 towards San Cristobal but took a wrong turn and followed the nicely paved Highway 21 for about 20 miles before discovering...
Ollagüe

184.9 mi

200 miles of Bolivian hard pack
Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia ‐ Jan 22

A day on the salt.

+51

A day on the salt

The thunder storm last night helped me make my final decision not to risk taking Tiggrr out onto the Salar. I so wanted to though. Instead, I talked with the host of the hostel and opted to take a one...
Uyuni ‐ Jan 21

342.5 mi

The high plain of Bolivia. Riding to Uyuni.

+20

The high plain of Bolivia

It felt like I was approaching the edge of the map. A little further and I was sure I could look over the edge of the earth. Getting out of La Paz was a whole lot easier than getting in. Of course it...
La Paz ‐ Jan 20

Exploring La Paz, Bolivia

+16

Exploring La Paz, Bolivia

If the Spanish would have known how big La Paz would eventually grow to, they would not have placed it at the bottom of such a steep canyon. The reason La Paz seemed so large to me riding in was becau...
La Paz ‐ Jan 19

168.5 mi

Crossing into Bolivia and riding to La Paz

+11

Dodging thunder storms in Bolivia

Riding along the shoreline of Lake Titicaca this morning, I could see I was in for an extreme weather day. Bright bolts of lightning danced on the horizon and ominous clouds loomed overhead. I stopped...
Puno, Peru ‐ Jan 18

245 mi

Lake Titicaca

+6

Túnel Punta Olímpica

Lake Titicaca

I don't know if anyone remembers the comedian Steven Wright. I remember a line from one of his performances. In his signature dead-pan delivery, he said "I live on a one way dead end street... I do
Machu Picchu ‐ Jan 16

Visiting Machu Pichu

+40

Machupicchu

Hiking with llamas

Climbing Huchuypicchu with Andre

Machu Picchu

I did not get back to my hotel until after midnight last night so I decided not to ride on towards Bolivia today. I'm just going to take a rest day in Cusco. Yesterday morning began with my alarm goin...
Cusco ‐ Jan 15

Exploring Cusco

+15

Climbing to Sihuas

Exploring Cusco

Cusco was the capital of the Inca Empire which stretched from Quito to Santiago. The Incas built a huge system of roads connecting their empire referred to as the Inca Trail. All of those roads origin...
Cusco ‐ Jan 14

307.9 mi

Riding to Cusco

+20

Distrito de Cusco

Mountains and more mountains

Even after all of that whining yesterday I still rode to Cusco today. It probably had more to do with a persistent stubbornness in my personality than any particular fortitude. Besides, I had already...
Puquio ‐ Jan 13

285.8 mi

Back up the mountain

+18

Huayno Dancing 2

Huayno Dancing 1

Back up the mountain

Peru has proved to be a challenging and fascinating place to visit. It also has the worst coffee and driving behavior. I had a long ride planned today so I got started early. I thought I could ride to...
Saint Vicente de Cañete ‐ Jan 12

295.4 mi

Down the mountain and through Lima

+8

Down the mountain and through Lima

It was a cold night but I slept better than expected given the altitude. I woke a little after six to the sound of rain. Damn! Aaron and I walked across the street to have coffee and some breakfast. T...
Cátac ‐ Jan 11

133.4 mi

Highway 107 over Huascaran National Park

+24

Tunnel Punta Olimpica

Huascarán

I’m shivering in my sleeping bag as I write this as we ended our day staying in a very rustic roadside hospedaje (lodging). This village is at 13,434 ft (4100 meters) and it is pouring down icy rain....
San Luis ‐ Jan 10

95.9 mi

Off road to San Luis

+31

Ride to San Luis

Today was not quite as scary as yesterday but it still had its moments. The road from Sihuas to San Miguel is unpaved, which in my opinion is far easier to ride than a road with bad pavement. It raine...
Sihuas ‐ Jan 9

144.7 mi

Riding to Sihuas

+26

Second scariest road I have ever ridden

When you are an adventure rider this is the kind of day that you dream of. An epic ride up into the remote regions of Peruvian Andres. It is also the kind of day that haunts your nightmares. It was a...
Chimbote ‐ Jan 8

218.4 mi

Riding to Chimbote

+9

Chimbote

The lady serving breakfast at the hotel seemed to take a liking to me. She picked up that I liked black coffee without sugar and she made sure my cup stayed full. I hit the road fully caffeinated. I h...
Chiclayo ‐ Jan 7

236.4 mi

Into Perú

+7

Into Perú

Today was the antithesis of yesterday. The lush mountains faded away and became an arid plain. The rollicking twisties turned into a flat, unbending ribbon of asphalt. The border crossing today was th...
Macará, Ecuador ‐ Jan 6

305.8 mi

Riding to Macará

+9

Epic day to Macará

Dear Ecuador, I will really miss your endless mountain twisties. I never get tired of riding them. Wow! It was an "Iron Butt" day in the saddle. My intended route dead-ended in a landslide and I had t...
Cuenca ‐ Jan 5

147.4 mi

Riding to Cuenca

+23

Ups and Downs

I did the one thing you should never do. Read stuff on the internet about places and things in the future. I started by trying to figure out which of the three border crossings into Peru I should take...
Riobamba ‐ Jan 4

146.3 mi

Riding to Riobamba

+11

Riobamba

My wish came true and it didn't rain today. Unfortunately I forgot to wish for a view of the mountains which were stubbornly obscured in the clouds all day. I tried to ride up into Cotopaxi National P...
Quito ‐ Jan 3

A day in Quito.

+15

Walking tour of Quito

A day in Quito

I found a free walking tour of the historic district of Quito. It met at a hostel that was about a 20 minute walk away from my hotel so I signed up. They said on their website that you can experience...
Quito ‐ Jan 2

217.7 mi

Into Ecuador

+9

Ride Stats - From home to the Equator

Just in case anyone is interested. Here are some stats. Days Since Departure - 77 Distance Traveled - 11,235 mi (18,081 km) Fuel - 240.3 gal (909.5 L) Average $/gal: 4.55 US ($/L: 1.20 US) Fuel Econom...

Into Ecuador

At some point today I crossed the Equator marking my approximate half-way point. If there was a sign marking it, I surely did not see it. I was hoping for the obligatory photo but I'm not riding back...
Pasto, Colombia ‐ Jan 1

236.9 mi

Riding to Pasto

+6

Pasto

After breakfast I loaded the bike, said a last goodbye to Tameka and headed out. I had a long ride ahead of me so I was eager to get started. It being New Year's Day, there was absolutely no traffic o...
Buenaventura ‐ Dec 31, 2023

152.8 mi

Riding to Buenaventura and back

+7

Riding to Buenaventura, Colombia

Cali to Buenaventura, Colombia

Buenaventura

New Years Eve and Cali is a ghost town. We got up and had a delicious breakfast. I'm in love with Colombian coffee... it's so tasty. We decided to spend the day riding down to Buenaventura on the coas...
Cali ‐ Dec 29, 2023

140.8 mi

Riding Back to Cali - Not much to report today. We had a pleasant four hour ride back down the Cauca River valley under mostly sunny skies. We stopped for lunch and ran into a few other motorcycle overlanders, two from the US and one from Austria. We listened to each others travel plans and exchanged contact information. Arriving back in Cali in the early afternoon we walked down into the central market for a bit. It was so noisy and chaotic it quickly became tirsome so we opted to go find a qu [...]
iet resatraunt for dinner.
Filandia ‐ Dec 28, 2023

148.6 mi

Riding Medellin to Filandia

+10

Filandia

Escaping Medellin required some creative riding in the intense traffic. Tameka did a great job staying on my tail as we weaved between the trucks and cars. As we climbed up and out of the Medellin val...
Medellín ‐ Dec 27, 2023

Exploring Medellín

+10

Exploring Medellín

Exploring Medellín

I don't think Tameka slept last night because she presented me with an elaborate plan to explore the city this morning when I woke up. At least the plan began with breakfast and coffee. We put a lot o...
Medellín ‐ Dec 26, 2023

83.3 mi

Riding to Medellin

+3

Riding to Medellín

It rained with thunder and lightning thought the night. We suited up preparing to ride in the rain but as we descended towards Medellín the sun came out. It was a short ride but beautiful ride along a...
El Tapado ‐ Dec 25, 2023

Christmas in Jardin

+10

Christmas in Jardin

Jeep ride to the hotel

Hotel Casa Nativo, Jardin Colombia

Christmas 2023
Jardin ‐ Dec 24, 2023

106.1 mi

Jardin

+8

Jardin Town Square

Christmas Eve ride to Jardin

Neither of us slept that great with the altitude but we got up and had a morning soak in the mineral pools which perked us up. After breakfast we started down the curvy mountain road, back into the ho...
Paraje Termales - Villamaria - Caldas, Colombia ‐ Dec 23, 2023

126.9 mi

Nevado Del Ruiz

+18

Hotel Termales del Ruiz

Nevado Del Ruiz

What a ride today! Tameka and I both ended the day with huge smiles on our faces. Leaving Ibaque we rode about 60 miles to the north through the Magdalena valley. It was so hot that we were reluctant...
Perímetro Urbano Ibagué ‐ Dec 22, 2023

113.9 mi

Riding to Ibague

+9

The plan comes together

Sometimes adventure travel is about the places you visit, the things you see, the roads you ride and the foods you get to enjoy. Today it was about the obstacles and the people that came together to s...
Tatacoa Desert ‐ Dec 21, 2023

Tatacoa Desert by Tuk Tun

+10

Hoodoos

For a place that gets less than 40 inches of rain a year we got dumped on overnight and into the midday today. The thunder and lightning was spectacular, rocking our little hotel and lighting the sky....
Villavieja, Colombia ‐ Dec 20, 2023

107.4 mi

Tatacoa Desert

Tiggrr needs a clutch

La Plata is a busy little town that doesn't see very much tourism. This morning we retrieved our bikes from the parking garage and rolled them around to park in front of our hotel. While I was loading...
La Plata ‐ Dec 19, 2023

92.7 mi

Epic mountian ride

+10

Toughness training

It's been a couple of epic days. Leaving Popayan we climbed over a 10,800ft pass. It was a really beautiful ride of waterfalls and lush jungle ridges. About an hour into the ride the skies started loo...
San Agustín ‐ Dec 18, 2023

85 mi

Riding to San Agustin

+4

Popayán to San Agustín
Popayán ‐ Dec 17, 2023

97.9 mi

Ride to Popayán

+15

Ride to Popayán

Tameka and I started the day riding 2-up on my bike from our hotel to EpiCO MoTo Adventures. We had met the owner, Ricardo, at the Touratech rally that we attended in Northern Washington last summer....
Cali ‐ Dec 15, 2023

115.1 mi

Riding to Cali

Cali

I woke to the sounds of thunder and heavy rain. I thought of my ride yesterday and how different it would have been in the wet. It makes sense though, with so much hot and humid air in the lowlands yo...
Armenia ‐ Dec 14, 2023

265.1 mi

Into the Andes

+12

Into the Andes

I got up at 6:30 thinking it would be cooler in the morning. The AC unit in my hotel room wasn't very good so I mostly used the ceiling fan to keep cool during the night. When I opened the door of my...
Puerto Berrío ‐ Dec 13, 2023

196.5 mi

First "real" ride in Columbia.

+11

First "real" ride in Colombia

I went out to load the bike this morning while I surveyed the three steps I would have to ride up in order to get out of the hostel. Tiggrr was so big sitting in the courtyard, I wasn't sure I could e...
Zipaquirá ‐ Dec 12, 2023

26.7 mi

Escaping Bogota

+16

Catedral de Sal de Zipaquirá

Once again I didn't make it very far today but I did manage to escape Bogota. Lisa, Micha and I went to the Seguros office and were admitted right away but it still took more than three hours to proce...
Bogota, Columbia ‐ Dec 11, 2023

10.7 mi

Bike pickup

+4

Bike pickup

I didn't make it far today but I was reunited with my bike. Mr. William from Overland Embassy met me at the hotel at 7:30 to head to the airport. After arriving at the air cargo terminal, Mr. William...
Graffiti and Street Art Tour, Colombia ‐ Dec 10, 2023

+12

A city of art

Today I found a free walking tour lead by a local art collective down in the central district. It was raining this morning but I was interested in learning more about the art scene in Bogota. The tour...
Plaza de Bolívar, Bogota ‐ Dec 9, 2023

Walking around Bogota

+33

Walking around Bogota

I had an absolutely delightful day walking around Bogota. It is a city unlike anything I had seen before. It is a huge city of more the eleven million people but unlike Panama City there were few buil...
Bogota

The flight to Columbia was straight forward, taking about an hour and half. Bogota is considerably cooler than Panama City as it is at 8,500 feet. Only 62º which feels a little chilly after weeks in Central America. I made it to my hotel and took a bit of a nap. Looking forward to exploring the city tomorrow.
Panama City, Panama ‐ Dec 7, 2023

Tiggrr's can fly!

+11

Ride Stats - Central America Complete

Just in case anyone is interested. Here are some stats. Days Since Departure - 52 Distance Traveled - 9007 mi (14495 km) Fuel - 194.8 gal (737.4 L) Average $/gal: 4.66 US ($/L: 1.23 US) Fuel Economy:...

Last day in North America

I met Jose at the cargo terminal at 9AM sharp. Jose is Alejandro's father from Overland Embassy and he directed me first to Customs to get the bike checked out of Panama. It was a very different exper...
Ciudad de Panamá ‐ Dec 6, 2023

42.4 mi

Panama Canal and Panama City

+9
Panama City ‐ Dec 5, 2023

304.1 mi

Riding to Panama City

Panama Canal

I started the day with a beautiful morning walk along the Amador Causeway to look at the Panama City skyline and the Bridge of the Americas. This causeway was built using the excavation tailings of th...

Panama City

I rode a little farther than I had planned today. Sometimes I'm in the groove and I just want to ride. Panama doesn't have very many roads that run east-west so it was hard to be creative in creating...
Villa Paula ‐ Dec 4, 2023

67.2 mi

Costa Rica to Panama Border Crossing

+8

Rio Soreno border crossing and into Panama

It only took about 15 minutes this morning to reach the border of Panama. I knew I had made a good choice by driving up to Sabalito because the road leading to the border crossing was only about a lan...
San Vito, Costa Rica ‐ Dec 3, 2023

95.2 mi

Sabalito

+3

Last day in Costa Rica

Tiggrr was still a little sleepy this morning and decided to go for a little dirt nap. I would like to blame that I hadn't had any coffee but that was not the case. The woman camped next to me offered...
Puerto Jiménez ‐ Dec 2, 2023

168.8 mi

Ride to Puerto Jiménez

+4

Tiggrr gets a bath

Got up, made some coffee and went for a walk along the beach. Even at 6:30 in the morning I was already sweating. I took my time packing up and tried to clean some of the mud off of my riding gear. I...
Parrita ‐ Dec 1, 2023

172.9 mi

Riding to Quepos

+11

Just because there is a line on the map…

I spent so much time yesterday looking for a creative route form La Fortuna to the Pacific Coast. I, of course, learned that just because there is a line on the map, it doesn’t mean that there is a ri...
Peñas Blancas ‐ Nov 30, 2023

Canyoning near Volcán Arénal, Costa Rica - It was pouring rain this morning and I almost bailed on going canyoning today. I'm glad I didn't because it was so fun and I couldn't get much wetter. About four hours of walking through the rain forest, zip lining and rappelling over waterfalls. What a blast!

Canyoning near Volcán Arénal
San Carlos ‐ Nov 29, 2023

5 mi

Riding to La Fortuna

+7

RIDE COSTA RICA

La Fortuna

I really enjoyed Panama Beach. Over breakfast, I could feel the tropical beach vibe sinking in into my body. I was watching a pair of Red-Lored Parrots squawking in nearby tree and my mind just wander...
San Carlos

148.6 mi

Riding to La Fortuna
Playa Hermosa ‐ Nov 28, 2023

69 mi

Panama Beach

+3

Costa Rica and Panama Beach

Once clearing the border it was about a two hours ride to Panama beach. About an hour in, I was slowly melting in the 98º heat. I was delighted to see a sign for an organic coffee roaster. The sign ha...
Cárdenas (Municipio), Nicaragua

85 mi

Managua to the Border

Managua

When I went down to have some breakfast this morning I was joined by a group of expats who all have been living in Nicaragua (one of them for over 20 years). Two were from Texas, one from Colorado and...
Managua (Municipio) ‐ Nov 27, 2023

214.7 mi

Honduras to Nicaragua

+4

Two borders

That was a long day. I really tried to be optimistic about the border crossings but they were difficult. Getting out of El Salvador was easy enough. I got there early, passed a huge line of trucks on...
La Union, El Salvador

27.9 mi

El Salvador Border
Cantón Amapalita ‐ Nov 26, 2023

164.8 mi

El Salvador

Across El Salvador

Today I got a lesson in just how small these Central American counties are. I got up at 6:00AM to have some breakfast, coffee and pack up. Again, it rained most of the night so all of my gear was wet...
Volcan Santa Ana Crater ‐ Nov 25, 2023

+10

Volcán de Santa Ana and how to make the best cup of coffee

It rained throughout the night. I wasn’t sure if it would be possible to climb this morning but by the time I had to go meet my guide (guides are mandatory on this volcano) it was a pleasant 78º with...
Cerro Verde, El Salvador ‐ Nov 24, 2023

93.7 mi

Entering El Salvador

+9

Into El Salvador

I got up early to try to hit the border before it got too hot but it was already hot at 6:30AM. I started loading the bike and Javier, the owner of La Combi, walked over and offered for me to join him...
Chiquimulilla, Guatemala ‐ Nov 23, 2023

113.4 mi

La Compi

+8

La Combi

A much nicer day today with clear blue skies. I got up and walked down to the lake. Wow! what view of Volcán Atitlán (11,602ft). The lake is a large crater lake, much like the Cater Lake in Oregon
Panajachel ‐ Nov 22, 2023

149.5 mi

Long day in the rain

+8

Coffee tour

I slept great to the sound of rain falling on my tent. Waking at about 6:30, the rain was really coming down. I laid there in my sleeping bag for quite a while listening to the patter and contemplatin...
Cobán ‐ Nov 21, 2023

183.9 mi

Cobán

+16

The unexpected ferry

I had so settled into the relaxed vibe of El Remate that I was reluctant to leave. But, after another amazing breakfast I headed out. Even at 8:30AM it was already hot and humid. Its not so bad when I...
San José ‐ Nov 20, 2023

Rest day. Started with a lovely breakfast and progressed on to bike maintenance and laundry. Happy Birthday to my Dad on his 84th!
Tikal

+23

Tikal

My alarm went off at 5AM and met my shuttle bus at 5:30. I opted for the shuttle bus because it was free and I really needed a day off the bike. It took about an hour to get to the National Park where...
San José ‐ Nov 18, 2023

123.6 mi

El Remate, Guatamala

Ride Stats - Mexico Complete

Just in case anyone is interested. Here are some stats. Distance Traveled - 6880 mi (11072 km) Fuel - 151.4 gal (573.2 L) Average $/gal: 4.72 US ($/L: 1.25 US) Fuel Economy: 45.4 mi/gal (19.3 km/L) Av...
El Ceibo, Mexico

37.9 mi

Mexico/Guatamala Border Crossing

+8

Guatamala border crossing

Yesterday, when I rolled into Tenosique, I spotted a lavado de auto (car wash). That is what Tiggrr needs! So, this morning after breakfast, I went to see if they would wash my bike. I met two young m...
Tenosique de Pino Suárez ‐ Nov 17, 2023

171.3 mi

Riding to Tenosique

+8

How to stay positive

I woke early to blue skies and cool weather and I knew it was going to be a good day. Rolling out of San Cristóbal de las Casas I stopped to fuel up and drink a mediocre cup of gas station coffee. I w...
San Cristóbal de las Casas ‐ Nov 16, 2023

184.8 mi

San Cristóbal de las Casas

+9

Road to nowhere

"Whoa! Whoa!" I either said out loud or thought very loudly as the bike squirmed in the wet clay. The road was steep and I was struggling to keep control as the front wheel tracked unpredictably. Fina...
Lázaro Cárdenas ‐ Nov 15, 2023

286.4 mi

Riding Oaxaca to Belize day one (Track)

+7

Canyon ride with Andrew

Leaving Oaxaca

Better roads

I could smell the rain coming. On the motorcycle you are more aware of subtle changes in the environment. I could feel a slight drop in temperature and what were sharply defined shadows of the road no...
Monte Albán ‐ Nov 14, 2023

+16

Monte Albán and Oaxaca

I like to walk through the areas of a city where people live and work. This morning while it was still cool, I decided to walk to an archeological site just outside of Oaxaca. It was about a two hour...
Oaxaca ‐ Nov 13, 2023

288.3 mi

Riding to Oaxaca

+5

To Oaxaca

Riding out of Mexico City this morning I realized that my 12 mile walk yesterday really didn't even scratch the surface of this massive city. Maybe if I had walked 100 miles. It being Monday morning t...
Ciudad de México

+16

Street performers in Mexico City

Lane splitting in Mexico City

Exploring Mexico City

My feet are tired after walking over 12 miles around the city today. I got out early and walked about an hour to reach the Museo Nacional de Antropología (National Museum
Ciudad de Mexico ‐ Nov 11, 2023

303.1 mi

Riding into Mexico City

+8

Riding into Mexico City

One thing that most people don't know about Mexico City is that it is very high. About 7500ft. Like Kathmandu, Mexico City sits in an ancient lake basin and is surrounded on all sides by mountains. Fr...
Ocotlán ‐ Nov 10, 2023

292.4 mi

Cerca de Guadalajara

Lane spitting in Guadalajara

Those ominous grey clouds that have been following me all day finally decided to open up. I felt the first few drops splash off my open visor. Three lanes of traffic are stopped and I think I have tra...
Escuinapa ‐ Nov 9, 2023

122.7 mi

Durango to Mazatlan

+10

Riding in the rain - Durango to Mazatlan

Riding in the rain. Mexico Highway 40

A tale of two highways

If you look closely at the map you will see two highways connecting Durango to Mazatlan. Mexico 40D is the new, modern super-slab. It comes complete with long tunnels and huge viaducts that bridge ove...
23.661625, -105.734107

98.2 mi

Mexico Highway 40
Durango, Mexico ‐ Nov 8, 2023

254.9 mi

Parral to Durango

+28

Durango

The ride to Durango was across a high plateau marked by dramatic skies and long views of the Sierra Madres. I must be hitting the season just right because the plains seemed so green and lush. Many of...
Hidalgo del Parral

211.2 mi

Batopila to Hidalgo Del Parral

+17

Leaving Batopilas

Batopilas

Batopilas is a hidden treasure which does take some effort to get to. The town was founded in the early 1700s and was a hub for silver mining in the canyon. It is also home to the
Batopilas ‐ Nov 7, 2023

257 mi

Yecora to Batopilas

+9

Copper Canyon

Last night when I rolled into Yecora, I noticed a very nice BMW 1250GS parked in front of the hotel that I was scoping out. A tall Texan named Jimmy introduced himself. He told me he had stayed at thi...
Yécora ‐ Nov 6, 2023

291.3 mi

Riding Copper Canyon 1 (Track)

Into the Sierra Madre

Launching off of the ferry I was in such a good mood. The ferry was so fun! I headed for Los Mochis where I continued north on Mexico Highway 15 which is a typical super-slab toll road. Not that inter...
Topolobampo

+12

Baja Ferry

My ferry didn't depart until 11PM so I had a chill day cleaning gear and doing some maintenance on the bike. I packed up and headed to La Paz as it was getting dark. I stopped along the Malecon in La...
Chametla ‐ Nov 3, 2023

128.4 mi

Back to La Paz.

Ride Statistics - Baja Complete

Just in case anyone is interested. Here are some stats. Distance Traveled - 3954 mi (6362 km) Fuel - 86.5 gal (327.4 L) Average $/gal: 4.55 US ($/L: 1.20 US) Fuel Economy: 45.7 mi/gal (19.4 km/L) Aver...

Back to La Paz

Not a long day of riding but I was feeling a little low today. I think I got a little too much heat yesterday. Woke headachy and lethargic. Then, I tweaked my low-back pulling on my sock! Nothing bett...
San José del Cabo ‐ Nov 2, 2023

136 mi

Well, I can't go any farther. I have officially ridden the Baja peninsula. The humidity made it seem hotter than is actually was so I was happy to find some camping, take off my gear and drink some water. Visited a Jesuit Mission in Santiago that was built in 1794 and crossed the Tropic of Cancer which means I am half-way between home to the Equator.

+2
Baja Ferries ‐ Nov 3, 2023

17.4 mi

Baja Ferry Ticketing

Baja Ferry Ticketing

I met the most patient ticket agent at the Baja Ferries. I went there to try to figure out the ferry schedule. There were no signs or anything to indicate a customer entrance. I asked a security guard...
La Paz ‐ Nov 1, 2023

199.5 mi

Puerta San Carlos to La Paz. Said goodbye to my sweet dog pal. Rolled into Ciudad Constitucion for huevos rancheros, coffee and gasoline. Started out riding to the Pacific coast. A small fishing village called Puerto San Carlos. I admit, It was't much to see. I took a few photos and headed back. The highway down to the Capital of Baja, La Paz, was a little wider in most places and much more heavily traveled by large trucks. I found a nice campground featuring its own coffee shop... need I say mo [...]
re? Hotter and more humid today in the mid nineties but the wind is just a pleasant breeze.

+2
Ciudad Constitución ‐ Oct 31, 2023

212.9 mi

Santa Rosalia to Ciudad Constitución

+9

Gulf Coast

A very relaxed day. I woke late and took my time packing up. I wandered around Santa Rosalia for a while and enjoyed a peaceful cup of coffee in a cafe overlooking the town square. The barista was ver...
Santa Rosalía ‐ Oct 30, 2023

293.2 mi

Ride to Santa Rosalia via Guerrero Negro.

+2

Baja

I woke before dawn. Actually I'm not sure I really slept at all. The wind rocked my tent viciously all night. I thought I might be meeting the Tin Man and the Scarecrow soon. I was tired but I needed...
La Poma Beach

291.9 mi

Yuma to San Felipe

+4

Blustery Day in Baja (San Felipe)

Blustery Day in Baja

Tiggrr’s Blustery Day

Any previous post where I used the adjective “Windy”, I take it back. Apparently I didn’t know the meaning of the word. I started my day very early as I was a little nervous about the border crossing....
Yuma, United States ‐ Oct 28, 2023

297.3 mi

The warm up is over. Time for the adventure to begin. Long, open and windy ride to Yuma today. I have some new tires (Dunlop Trailmax Missions) which will hopefully last me to Tierra Del Fuego (and beyond?). Spending the night in a hotel here so that I can depart early to cross the border. Wish me luck! I'm hopping to camp south of San Felipe mañana.
Tucson ‐ Oct 26, 2023

74.7 mi

Beautiful day ride up to Mt Lemmon for a view of Tucson (and cup of coffee).

+2
Tucson ‐ Oct 24, 2023

204.9 mi

Riding to Tucson (Track)

+7

Thunder Storms

I woke up to the sound of thunder and heavy rain. I was pitch black out but I had to go rescue my helmet which was still sitting on the bike. The ground around my tent had turned to muck and I gained...
Show Low

62.4 mi

Coffee Break
Petrified Forest ‐ Oct 23, 2023

264.5 mi

Petrified Forest

+10

Petrified Forest National Park

After leaving Durango this morning I rode south through the Ute and Navajo nations. I have to say that the land we gave them is pretty sad. Desolate. No trees or water. Just a few small, dusty settlem...
Durango, United States

43 mi

Breakfast in Durango. Just taking advantage of the internet and catching up on my posts. Very cold morning ride into Durango (36º). I think it is time to head south.
Mesa Verde National Park ‐ Oct 22, 2023

145.4 mi

Riding Natural Bridges National Monument to Mesa Verde (Track)

+8

Mesa Verde

Today was a little shorter. I started the day by riding back to Natural Bridges National Monument and went for a couple mile hike down the canyon to view three natural bridges. Then a quick 40 minutes...
Southern Utah ‐ Oct 21, 2023

267.4 mi

Million Dollar Highway (Track)

+5

Million Dollar Highway

5 star day! A very brisk morning walk along the canyon rim to watch the sunrise. Packed up and headed for Escalante. There is a piece of highway that connects Escalante with Boulder, Utah called the “...
Bryce Canyon, United States ‐ Oct 20, 2023

170.7 mi

Cathedral Gorge to Bryce Canyon National Park

+9

Bryce Canyon

First leg from Cathedral Gorge to Cedar City was pretty wide open, straight and... boring. After filling up with gas in Cedar City I found a really nice coffee shop called "The Grind" with the best co...
Cathedral Gorge ‐ Oct 19, 2023

419 mi

Winnemucca to Cathedral Gorge (Track)

+5

Winnemucca to Cathedral Gorge

Before I started this trip I took an oath that my tires would not touch an interstate highway. Apparently you cannot leave Winnemucca without getting on I-80. So I started my day wit 51 miles of Inter...
Water Canyon Road, Winnemucca Nevada

291.9 mi

Burns to Winnemucca (Track)

+3

Steens Mountain Loop

Steens Mountain loop to Winnemucca

Very brisk morning ride from Burns to Frenchglen (44ºF). I had to stop to get some coffee and get the feeling back in my fingertips. Then taking to the gravel I climbed to the top of Steens Mountain (...
Burns, Oregon ‐ Oct 17, 2023

347.6 mi

Launch Day (Track)

Harney County Fairgrounds

Blast off

After being delayed yesterday by thunderstorms, I'm finally on the road. What a prefect day too. Sunny and 60 degrees with fall colors decorating the Columbia Gorge. After crossing over at Biggs Junct...
My House ‐ Oct 13, 2023

South America Prep

+13

Bike Prep

+4

Tiger Transplant

Bike Prep

Bike preparation included rebuilding the front shocks with new seals, new chain and sprocket set, new wheel bearings, new brake pads, valve service, oil change, air cleaner replacement, coolant flush...

Tiger Transplant

6 weeks before departure while preparing the bike I discovered an oil leak. Turned out to be a crack in the engine casing. What a disaster! I decided the best option would be to purchase a used bike o...
Vancouver ‐ Sep 20, 2004

385.9 mi

Grand Coulee Dam, Coulee Dam, WA to Vancouver, WA
Grand Coulee Dam ‐ Sep 17, 2004

546.6 mi

Glacier Rte 1 Rd to Grand Coulee Dam, Coulee Dam, WA

+2
Glacier National Park ‐ Sep 15, 2004

333.8 mi

Banff, Alberta, Canada to Glacier National Park

+2
Banff, Canada ‐ Sep 13, 2004

371.1 mi

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada to Banff, Alberta, Canada

+8
Edmonton ‐ Sep 7, 2004

1 237.8 mi
Whitehorse ‐ Sep 2, 2004

761.6 mi

+3
Inuvik ‐ Aug 29, 2004

76.8 mi
Tuktoyaktuk

+11
Inuvik ‐ Aug 28, 2004

480.6 mi

Dempster Highway

+16
Dawson City ‐ Aug 25, 2004

524.6 mi

Tok AK, Chicken AK, Top of the world highway, Dawson City
Denali National Park, United States ‐ Aug 23, 2004

184.1 mi

Riley Creek Campground to Kantishna Airport, Alaska

+4

Riley Creek Campground
Denali National Park ‐ Aug 22, 2004

361.4 mi
Seward ‐ Aug 20, 2004

605.5 mi
Juneau ‐ Aug 16, 2004

922 mi

First installment of Arctic trip August 2004

As I sit here typing this email, I am experiencing a strong sense of familiarity. I am sitting up in a narrow bunk with the reading light on behind me. The boat is gently pitching with a few rolls thr...
Bellingham ‐ Aug 14, 2004

254.3 mi
Vancouver, United States ‐ Aug 13, 2004

Begin - My House

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