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 mostly on hitchhiking and public transportation, overlanders attempt to be as self-sufficient as possible. This allowing them to explore at will and to reach remotes areas. I’ve met a few overlanders that are older or younger but the vast majority are in their 50s and 60s. Is there a reason for that?

I started thinking about this journey long before Charlie Boorman and Ewan McGregor turned the whole world onto the idea with their wildly successful “Long Way Round” documentary. My friend Sheri Barrows and I rode the Arctic section of the journey back in 2004 and envisioned doing the entire Panamerican at that time. The practicalities and realities of life seemed to get in the way of that then and it is probably for the best. Having completed it now, I’m not sure that I possessed the combination of skills that the adventure required at that time. It seems to demand a collection of subtle expertises that take most of a lifetime to acquire and mature.

Many hours of listening to nothing but the air rushing over my helmet gave me lots of time to think about my journey through this life. I remember that when I was in the 6th grade I discovered the "map room” at the public library in Faribault Minnesota. A treasure trove of flat files that contained hand drawn county maps, some dating back over a century. The room also contained a large bronze globe about three feet in diameter. It was a fascinating object of beauty with the continents and mountains raised in topographical relief. Decades of hands touching the tarnished bronze surface had polished several areas to a bright golden appearance. Mount Everest, the Himalayas and the Tibetan plateau were worn to a gleaming mirror like surface. Halfway around the world from my small town in Midwestern America and just like that… the Himalayas had been imprinted into my psyche. Creating a place that would sing to me like a siren and eventually become the center of my professional life. 

The other area of the globe that had been worn smooth was a long range of mountains that stretched the entire length of South America and it shared my name. Andes. “One day, I’m going to see these.”

My parents were both educators and my early life was full of books, museums, national parks, family road trips and other cultural experiences. At age 12 my parents, gave me permission to do some short independent bicycle camping trips with my friend John. This was a huge learning experience as over the course of a summer we took several trips as far away as 40 miles from home. We quickly learned what to bring and what to leave behind. There was not any specialized gear at this time so we improvised panniers for our bikes and learned how to pack them efficiently. We made cook stoves from tin cans, cardboard and paraffin wax and learned how to repair our bicycles on the side of the road. Over the next couple of summers we had extended our reach to mutli-day trips covering what seemed like a big part of the state. In retrospect it wasn’t all that far but in that way that you see the world when you are a child… it was expeditionary. 

Despite constant coaching from my parents, I struggled in school. I was a painfully shy introvert and we moved around a lot. I always had difficulty finding new friends and I was often bullied by other kids. When I was in my early thirties I started seeing a mental health therapist in an attempt to re-learn how to talk to people and how to make friends. It was a difficult process at first, requiring many repetitions of simple exercises. “When you go to the gym, I want you to make eye contact and say hello to everyone you encounter there.” Now after many years working with patients this behavior is built into my DNA. Looking back, it is mystifying and amusing to me precisely how difficult this phase of my life was. Now as an overlander, I see this as a pivotal skill. Feeling at ease encountering strangers and unfamiliar situations… without this, the whole thing would not be possible. It certainly would not have been possible for me at an earlier time in my life. 

That is not to discount my innate introverted nature. I have always been quite comfortable spending long periods of time alone. I prefer to take my own counsel when confronted by problems and rarely see the need to collaborate on solutions (sometimes to my own detriment). When traveling solo it is important that you like your own company because for the most part, that is the only company you have. I have found this particular trait quite consistent amongst the travelers that I have met along the way. They meet new people and situations with apparent ease. They are happy to make contact and are very generous with their experience and resources. That said, I have found that they prefer to explore things at their own pace and, like me, will retreat to their own solitude to recharge. 

Tolerating discomfort whether physical or psychological is another aspect of overlanding. Whether it is an overly bureaucratic border crossing, riding blistering heat or the smell of that shirt you have been wearing for a few too many days, there is no end to the discomforts that must be confronted. I credit my time in the US Army for providing me with the opportunity to face a multitude of adversities. As a soldier, I quickly learned that there was little point in complaining because it was not going to change a thing. Not that soldiers didn’t complain, they certainly did. It just didn’t change anything and often made the suffering worse. Over time I learned to just lean into things and to keep my mouth shut. Now, I try to roll with any situation with a smile on my face. My friends would tell you that I’m not having fun unless things are difficult or if there isn’t some level of suffering involved. Some part of that is probably true. I don’t seem to mind the achy muscles and stiff body that I get from sleeping on the ground or a poor quality hostel mattress. Traffic can be a challenge and I don’t like to wait in lines (does anyone?), however, I do try not to suffer these situations. I focus on my breathing and remind myself that this moment is the only one that is necessary. There is nowhere else that I need to be. Sometimes that actually helps. 

Having the confidence to ride down a remote and unknown road boils down to either blind faith or a reliance on well-trained riding and mechanical skills. Having some idea as to what I am capable (or not capable) of riding and what the machine can do takes years of practice. It also takes a willingness to get that edge wrong and fall off once in while. Hopefully not on a road in Peru. I’ve been riding motorcycles since I was 18 years old but in the last 20 years this two wheeled vehicle has become my exclusive transportation. Riding through the villages in Nepal is one of my true joys in life and I especially enjoy using the motorbike to reach remote locations to visits patients and perform house calls. The riding in Nepal is always challenging. Using what is basically a street bike with street tires, we beat these small machines to death off road, through rivers and in extreme weather. Parts are cheap and workshops are plentiful. I rarely have to wrench on my own bike in Nepal even though I enjoy doing so. 

Overlanding, I have to be much more self-reliant especially because I am riding a relatively rare brand of machine. Triumph dealers and parts are few an far between in South America. It helps that I am very familiar with this bike having owned it since 2016 and having ridden it over 70,000 miles before leaving on this trip. I have ridden several Backcountry Discovery Routes with the bike heavily loaded and negotiating difficult off-road conditions. All of this has helped me understand the weak points of the machine and what I would need for spares. I do all of my own maintenance from tuning the valve clearances to changing my own tires. During the trip I performed a routine of daily inspections and a weekly checklist of maintenance items. This helped me catch minor problems before they resulted in roadside catastrophes. Having the clutch fail in Colombia was a bit of a stressor for a couple days but with the help of a network of other motorcyclists it was minor in the grand scheme of things. 

Even though this was a solo adventure I could not have done it without the support of my community. My network of valued friends is my most prized asset and it is something I have worked hard to establish. I have aspired to be a friend worth having though I have had my limitations and failures along the way. Fortunately I have attracted some wonderful people who seem to accept these shortcomings and have encouraged me to undertake this expedition. My girlfriend Tameka, equipped with her laptop, has been my reliable “Gal in the chair”. Eager to discuss possible routes and troubleshoot obstacles she has been a valuable teammate. My entire community has been there, behind the scenes, when I needed them most. I especially appreciated all of you who followed my blog and periodically reached out to let me know that you too were enjoying the adventure. You can’t imagine how good that can feel after a difficult day. I hope that someday I can help some of you realize your dream or at least take the sting out of a difficult day. You are all friends worth having. 

As my trip comes closer to its conclusion, my mind is more and more focused on what happens next. It would be easy to just keep going and many overlanders do just that, spending many years exploring the the world. Some part of me could get on board that idea as there are so many places I would still like to experience but… I find myself eager to get back to work as I receive so much satisfaction in the teaching, mentorship and patient care that I do. It is my purpose. 

I have been thinking about my work in Nepal the most. I feel like this trip has given me a refreshing and necessary break but I am ready to get back to it. I have some new ideas and a renewed sense of motivation. 

I’m not quite done with this adventure and I know that there will be so many more in my future. Somehow I have been able to acquire a combination of skills to live an extraordinary life. A life filled with people who I love.