Long term bike trips... HOW do you do it? (time/work/career)

You'll have that.

Well people I managed to read the first few pages of this thread and although I intend to read it all now is just not the right time. Another thread "Is Mexico Safe" has set the hook in me and with over 5000 posts I have a ways to go, I'm planning a trip down there and it's part of my "research". Hola!

I'm not sure (since I haven't read everything) what I'm about to say will be totally redundant or not but here goes. I'm fucking 71. Given the comments made by a lot of posters most of you feel that's damn near dead or as close to it as one might get without it actually happening. Jesus what a bunch of negative thinking, do you really feel you're life is over once you get past 55? For a lot of you it sure as hell sounds like it, and what a shame. Granted you probably know your own self-imposed limits (A man's got to know his own limits - Clint Eastwood in Dirty Harry) and if you're willing to accept those then so be it.

OTOH and this is important, if you take reasonable care of yourselves and do a minimum of planning you can live the lifestyle you dreamed about. Within reason. What that means is life for most of us has a lot to do with balancing what your needs are along with your partner's. If you have one that is.

I've read a lot of posts on this and other threads about how much you hate your jobs. Or how limiting they are with regards to the amount of time off you're entitled to. That's some of the saddest reading I've ever seen. If you truly hate what you're doing then you need to rethink your life and where you're going with it. Have the courage to make the changes that will enable you to begin living the way you need to live, not how someone else dictates. If you have kids and a spouse you need to open up a dialog that will embrace everyone's needs and develop a life plan that addresses those needs. Don't settle for whatever you're doing now if it's making you miserable but don't be greedy and just think of yourself. Believe me there are ways to satisfy everyone's needs, you only have to listen and make everyone understand they're part of the plan and you respect their needs the same as your's.

This business about riding around the planet on a motorcycle is one of the most fantasized dreams there is; it's exotic, sort of dangerous (not really), full filling (?), romantic (??), and just plain fun. That last part is true, at least for me and I think a lot of others. The thing is, if you're a young person in your 20's and you decide the vagabond life is for you and you take off on your "adventure" bike complete with skidplate and all that other rubbish and wander the planet for a few years living off your bartending skills good for you. Better to do that then spend your life quietly keeping books for some asshole who pays you a miserable wage and yells at you.

Still there is more to life than riding around on a bike; there's the notion of having a family and friends and participating in all the wonderful chapters that will bring you if you only let it happen. Then when you've reached the point of your life you feel you've contributed all that you can to that cause you should start thinking about the next chapter, riding around the planet yadda yadda yadda... The thing is, there's a lot of things in this life that will bring fulfillment besides riding bikes, you only have to embrace what comes and rejoice in it. If you fear your life will be meaningless if you marry, settle down, and raise a couple of kids think again, it ain't all that bad. Just don't put up with that idiot who yells at you and take care of yourself, it will pay dividends and if you make friends with your partner your time will come. And don't ever, ever, let some stupid asshole tell you 70 is old!

See you in Mexico? Hola!

LL75

Everybody has their own way of doing stuff.
I left Ireland 13 years ago with nothing only a dream of seeing the world.
The first 3 years were basically spend travelling from country to country and getting work where I could get it.

The best education you will ever get that gives you the means to travel is travel itself. There you will find what you are capable of. Running off to college and leaving with a degree and a college loan is basically a way of trapping you in employment and the 2.2kids/white picket fence/soccer mom car and the rest.

I have met truckers in Alaska that take 4/5 months off every year, cotton pickers in Australia, wheat harvesters in the midwest, farmers from Canada, all kinds of people, that can take the time.

Get out there and get a job thats seasonal, planting crops in an air conditioned John Deere, work long hours, live in a trailer on the farm, learn to drive a truck, learn to fix shit. All this stuff you do will strengthen you character for the future and open your mind.

People with money dont travel on motorcycles because they are too busy making money. The ones that do have motorcycles enjoy pampering them and thats all good too, to each his own.

Larrylarry, you must be on extra doses of something stronger than caffeine.

Rants and raves on these here pages are more about convincing one's self on what we would like to do- kinda like looking into the mirror for a pep talk. Would everyone who reads ADV rider daily wish to go round the world on their mighty scoot? absolutely! But in reality few will even consider it beyond these pages. They can however live vicariously through those of us who actually attempt..and I mean attempt it. Just because one plans and sets off on the epic journey does not mean one will actually complete the journey.

I for one have found my fix for the time being, albeit three weeks at a time- riding ,flying home, and back again to another stored bike, only to ride again. Is it the fix for all? Nope. The bikes? Does it matter, if you are riding and doing what you want? I happen to be lucky and have some great rides to hop on where I store bikes; BMW GS 1200 in Atlanta, KTM 690 and BMW R1200RT at home, XR650L in Idaho, and I'm shipping an XR650R to somewhere once I get it finished. Plan to buy a bike in Europe next year and ride it for six weeks then sell it...or store it. Probably a 650 BMW or a 650R Honda with the; damn you friggin lucky Euro's-"an e-button option". Depends on the shipping cost to get her to somewhere I would go often to explore.

Bottom line here; write about your dream... often, but not so often that you don't spend the time working toward your dream of making that epic journey. and when you make the trip, no matter how short or if it is not as exotic as someone else. Who cares, you enjoyed it, and that is all that matters. Just ride until you can't.

Don't get married. Don't have kids. Don't carry a balance on your credit card. Eat a lot of rice, chicken, fish and fruits & vegetables. If you do all that and live frugally you can get away with not having a full time job. Or any job at all really. I do a lot of work from the labor/crew/event section in the classifieds on Craigslist. I also play music in bars about once a month. Keep an eye out for things you can sell on eBay at the thrift store. Have sex with old ladies for money. Ok that one's a joke. Not for lack of trying though :eek1

That's how I do it.

I think it was well said larrylarry... made some good points.

Thanks.

Good God LarryLarry you are old but being cranky and ornery is what makes the heart tick. I'm only 61, my wife is 59 and we are heading to Mexico/Central America in January for a 3 month stint. She rides her own. This will be our second 3 month adventure and our last together south of the border. After our last trip 4 years ago, (with a guy who turned 70 on the trip) she said she would do it one more time, so off we go before she's 60. How the hell do we do it? Hook or crook, smoke and mirrors. It takes some planning, changing one's lifestyle to save money and then.....Just Do It!. I'm a carpenter/builder. The first trip I was in the middle of a $800K remodel. My client had known for 6 months before I started the job I was leaving. I thought I had all my subcontractors lined out and ready to go and I'd only hear good things while I was on the road. Didn't work out that way and in Guatemala I was getting emails that stressed me out. Oh well, when I got back it took some months to get things smoothed out but we are are happy again. This next trip, my clients are being patient and I won't be leaving work in the middle of a job and I have work the day I'm ready to come back to work.
We have no kids at home now and they have all traveled the world by either working for Red Bull, the U.S. Navy or on their own. So our kids are behind us traveling. Now, our friends, that's another story, they think we are nuts.
So for LarryLarry, hopefully we don't have an option of getting old but we do have the option of acting old.
Everyone follow your dreams and have fun.

You're lucky that your wife enjoyed the ride south enough to want to return, my gal is afraid of riding - she's had friends get killed on bikes and it's nearly impossible for her to relax on one - but at least I have her blessing to continue with my wanderings. Once you retire it's a lot easier finding time for extended rides and it sounds like that's what you'll be doing. Since your wife says this will be her last ride south of the border may I suggest heading north? Presuming you may not have already done so the country in and around Alaska is absolutely gorgeous and one of the best rides you're ever bound to do.

You're a contractor, eh? Hmm... I just finished having a small building remodeled - seismic upgrades, etc. - and what was scheduled to be a 2-month project turned into nearly 6 months. During the last two months I thought I was going to go crazy it was so frustrating. Maybe that's why I'm cranky. Maybe a long, long tour will cleanse my soul again. Maybe.

LL75

True!

This in particular, I think, is a very good point! This thread wasn't intended to be about completely dropping out or living the "vagabond lifestyle". It was about finding a balance of having a fair amount of adventure and "stability". This of course requires to make certain decision/adjustments to your lifestyle... alas, it is very hard and I have yet to accomplish what Larry describes.

I've been pondering this for a few years now. I don't think it's really a big secret. To travel you need money without working. You either need to save it, win the lottery/inherit it, or have a form of residual income. I'm taking the saving and building residual income route.

My wife and I both want to travel as missionaries. Our plan while i'm finishing college is to pay off every dime of debt we have, save a chunk, and go. All the while i'm building a business that pays me every month no matter where I am and what i'm doing (web design and software). We'll also likely have support from donations from friends and family for our mission work. We'll live on less than we make, and have savings as a backup.

If we could do it over, we both probably would have skipped going to college.

Our families have lived here in the Charlotte, NC area for multiple generations and pretty much think we're crazy for wanting to even leave the Carolinas. Many of our friends/family/acquaintances seem like they're totally unaware of the world out there, and totally content with their comfortable, albeit boring lifestyles. Thankfully we took the opportunity to go to Nicaragua in 2007 right after high school. We got the bug. I fear we would have never know what we were missing out on if we hadn't gone. We've been back 6 or 7 times and I took a 10,000 mile motorcycle trip last summer.

We've both been able to agree that we don't want to be 50...60...70 years old and wishing we'd done this when we were young.

The idea of teaching and having summers off to adventure is a good one. Not long-term freedom but an awesome opportunity to have a steady job and still travel.

Bottom line is I think you have to be willing to compromise and live a simple life. Not many people can pull it off because they lack the ability to live on less. Most people spend 125% of their income (not just all they make, but more than they make by going in to debt). We currently live on about 50%. That may sound impossible, but it boils down to what you are willing to sacrifice.

It's really hard to do this when you're brought up in a world that tells you to grow up, go to college, get a job with benefits, retire, and die. That just doesn't float my boat.

Saved, quit job on Oct 5th this year, am now traveling for 18 months, been on the road now for a month and a half. I think the OP needs to look at their fear of going backwards in their career. I don't think it would be that big a deal. My boss actually said that he would give me another 10k per annum to stay. I refused and he said there would be a job for me when I get back if I want it. Yeah, and I will get another 10k too now I know his actual bottom line.

Point is, you want to see the world, have to make some sacrifices.

There are many, many ways to do it when you live in the Western world because we have the leisure of choice. As many have said, you can work some, save some, quit, go for a while, and start over, it works for some but not for all, some do it their whole life and are just better for it.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
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Another way is to acquire early a skill set that will allow you to:<o></o>
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a) travel for very little expense - Flight attendant, pilot, aircraft mechanic for a major airline... lots of time off, decent pay, great benefits (my choice then).<o></o>
b) have lots of time off at regular interval, specific industrial/construction work, shift work, seasonal work, farming, teacher... <o></o>
c) become self employed with a practical/technical skill that can be exercise anywhere in the world<o></o>
d) join the UN voluntary program and build from there, aid work in developing or emerging countries<o></o>
e) nursing - doctor - engineer - technician - welder - chef... or other needed easily exportable skills<o></o>
f) work for the government fed-muni-state, most (in the western world) pay well, offer great benefits, and have almost endless flexible options for leave. And almost any job in the private sector has an equivalent at government (my choice now).<o></o>
G) if you only speak English become an ESL teacher and go teach abroad.<o></o>
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Soon enough you will know if you need/want/like to travel lots, long term sojourning is a great way to find out early if vagabonding is for you or not. If it is, it will be with you all your life, if it's not you will have it out of your system and know for sure.<o></o>
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I truly believe the possibilities are endless, and can be applied with or without a partner, kids... it's all about choices and you have the privilege of youth.<o></o>
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If or when you fall in love talk about those things early so you won't have to shout about them later, choose your partner well, listen to your inner voice.<o></o>
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Regrets are the worst....

What if i am a cantankerous young coot who has few friends and likes it that way? How do I make money with that?

Seriously though, I am a tech/design guy trying to get into contract work or freelance but seem to get stuck in fucking full time positions. Anyone have some advice? :/ I really think this is the key to living my life ho wI want to live it... on two wheels... more often than not.

As to the wife thing, I am young. 27. That is young right? Well I got myself a girl who loves to travel. We aren't married but i can see it happening :] She has already seen so much of the world and I have not barely left the east cost of the states. I look forward to a trip to Iceland with her on bikes of our own... only problem is... she is just now starting to learn to ride and I am trying to teach myself off road technique. But we are starting! We are both eager to get out and do shit. Have fun and kick ass. I think the best part is probably when you find yourself an adventurous girl to go with you, the adventurous man.

[QUOTE Seriously though, I am a tech/design guy trying to get into contract work or freelance but seem to get stuck in fucking full time positions. Anyone have some advice? :/ I really think this is the key to living my life how I want to live it... on two wheels... more often than not. .[/QUOTE]

Barron, I hire tech/design guys all the time, to the tune of about a buck fifty per year. So.. Grasshopper, you have two choices; make do with what you have today and regret it for many moons to come...or find the inner Barron and become one with many like me and go see what the world has to offer you on your journey. and as Confusion says, (not to be misinterpreted with "Confucius") - "Who the hell knows where a man will end up in twenty years".

Prepare wisely and go.......NOW!

Barron, I hire tech/design guys all the time, to the tune of about a buck fifty per year. So.. Grasshopper, you have two choices; make do with what you have today and regret it for many moons to come...or find the inner Barron and become one with many like me and go see what the world has to offer you on your journey. and as Confusion says, (not to be misinterpreted with "Confucius") - "Who the hell knows where a man will end up in twenty years".

Prepare wisely and go.......NOW![/QUOTE]


150 a year??? The most I have ever been payed is a third fo that. That seems outlandish. But hey, if you are doing any hiring, you could always extend me a work invitation

Max,
There are so many great responses on this thread! Thanks for asking the question! I’m really enjoying the stories and perspective. Here’s mine:

At 39 years old, after 16 years of marriage and 20 plus years of 60 hour weeks, I realized that if I didn’t change things, I was going to stay on the treadmill until I couldn’t run anymore and then they were going put me out to pasture with nothing but memories of late nights and weekends at work.

Laid off, I left on a tour with no plan and no time limit. I ended up spending 35 days in the Rockies from Jasper to Phoenix. I wished to God that I had done it sooner. It was a life changing experience that ended up getting written up in Motorcycle Cruiser. (See my website for the ride report.)

I negotiated 4 weeks of vacation as a condition for the next job (partially because I was on the trip and just didn’t give a #!^% if I got the job or not) – enough to get out of town a couple times a year. But I also made a decision that I needed more than that. It took a lot of planning and preparation, but three years later I was able to leave on a four week trip and work from the road.

I now have my own consulting business and I can work when, where, and how often I want. (I enjoy the work a heck of a lot more now that it is for me, btw.) The most difficult part was breaking some of the mental paradigms that were controlling my decision making. A book by Tim Farris helped the most: 4 Hour Work Week.

I couldn’t be happier. I spend 4-6 weeks on long motorcycle trips each year and spend 2-3 weeks overseas and I’m increasing both of those numbers next year.

Buy the book – his story of the attorney who is even more in demand after he put his practice on hold is worth the price. Especially for you.

When you do schedule some time “Out West,” let me know and we’ll plan a ride!

... on what you want out of life. I am responding to the OP, I didn't read all the replies.

If you want a wife and kids, you need to let go of any pretence that you have control over things anymore. 50% of marriages end in divorce and kids will cost money for at least 20 years, if you&#8217;re lucky. So you can retire at 60 if you plan well&#8230;
Or, you decide the life of fridge magnets and minivans isn&#8217;t yours.

In that case, work, save your money, build a dividend stream, retire early and kiss the corporate world goodbye as soon as you can.

I took path number 2, and am retiring on Feb 9th next year (at 43). I leave for a 4 year RTW trip, staring with South America and then onwards to Australia etc. I did this once before in 2006 and rode from Europe to Cambodia over the course of 10 months.

Those are the main choices you need to make in my opinion. Once chicks get in the way, shit goes sideways &#8230;. Practice serial monogamy and be happy, then travel when the time is right (and the bank full). Shack up with a girl if you really must at 50 who&#8217;s a divorced empty-nester (and hence can appreciate your way of life) when you&#8217;ve traveled the far corners of the world.

I have had jobs which provided me with 4-8 weeks vacation. I made 2 month long trips during this period.

I have saved and quit my job to take a long (6 week) trip, which I easily could have turned into a 3 month trip.

I have simply told my boss I needed to go for a ride (26 days).

There is no job/career worth postponing life. A few others have noted that the sudden death of a friend/family memeber drove them to reasses their priorities. Keep in mind this could be you.

For me, being homely and skinny has probably granted me more travel opportunities than most. Personally I would rather have been born handsome and wealthy, however, I would be too tied down with, the wife and kids, girlfriends, and stalkers, to enjoy myself.