Ride This Way (LA---Argentina) weeee!

Hi Adventure Riders!
I've been silently stalking on these pages for the most part, gaining wisdom from all of you here, and so wanted to thank everyone for the inspiration and knowledge about this beautiful art called riding the world by moto!

I wanted to share with all of you my upcoming trip that I've been planning and mostly dreaming about for a while now, it's a trip from LA (home) through Mexico, Central and South America all the way to Argentina. I'll be riding my BMW f650 GS and my buddy Andres, a 2003 KLR650. We are leaving December 1st to make it there in good time for summer.

I created a blogsite at [B]www.ridethisway.com[/B] for the sake of sharing our adventure with everyone, and am treating this not just as a motorcycle thing but also as an Art project and a minimalist lifestyle on the road. I'm actually getting rid of mostly everything that I own in order to not attach myself to one place. That means no rent, no storage unit..All i'll have is everything that fits on two wheels. (And this has been a bit difficult I must say, but at the same time, quite liberating).
We plan to make videos, documenting this trip and of course we'll take a ton of photos as well as write about our experience, so please do tune in.
The website is still somewhat under development, but it should soon have everything that I initially wanted it to have. There's also a facebook page that gets more regular attention at this time: www.facebook.com/ridethisway.


I'm an artist and this project, this adventure is meant to inspire others similar to how advrider.com has inspired me to hit the road. This will be my second long distance trip. After my trek up to Alaska and back last year, I got hooked on seeing the world and wanted to make it part of my lifestyle.

And so, I want to ask you all for your support and advice. I've started an Indiegogo campaign trying to raise some funding to offset gas/survival expenses, as I plan on being jobless on the road for quite sometime. My outlooks are always positive, but I'm planning for the worst just in case, and any monetary support, advice or other input that you offer will be greatly appreciated. If we get more money or sponsorship, we were thinking to really take our time and create a film by the end of this thing...but we'll need better gear of course.

I really love this community and am proud to be a member! If there's anyone that may be crossing paths with us between December and April, I'd love to have you join along with us. Thanks to all of you for helping make this dream a reality.

peace,
dim

This should be posted in " Trip Planning" for more exposure.

Lots of good info in this RR.
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?p=19822390#post19822390

Good Luck and Safe Travels.

Thanks for redirecting me, ill def read that post

Is this ride still going to happen, not much activity. Would be interested in tagging along from LA to San Diego. My dad lives in Burbank and I live in San Diego, so i make the route all the time. Let me know whats going on.

Hey Dim

Great to see another adventurer take to the road! Wondering what your timeline will be like to arrive in Argentina- will it take you a year to get there? December is actually Summer down there, and you won't want to be riding through Patagonia in winter with those winds!

I'm from Buenos Aires, but lived in LA for a long time- out on the road now, as a matter of fact, with my lady doing the Prudhoe to Ushuaia trip for a second time! Feel free to check out my blog, though it's not too informative for travelers (mostly just for friends and family to catch pics and such.)

Let me know if you need any advice, and have a blast!

Michael

www.motoroots.com

Hi, sorry ive been off this thing..hmm, is there a way to make it so ADVRider email me everytime someone responds to this feed specifically? I'm new here and haven't figured too much out yet.

YES the trip is still on..and OMG, how time flies! Everything leading up to our departure time which is still December 1st (im not sure how thats gonna happen with my buddy who still has sooo much stuff to get rid of)..Any musicians out there that need a music studio full of gear??!..

So last week I decided to call BMW and ask them to send me a "permission" letter allowing me to cross borders without having a title (since im still leasing my yellow beamer with $8k more to go)..then I find out a little technical detail that I must have looked over before...They dont give this letter beyond Mexico and Canada, and it's only good for 30 days anyhow. Shit!

Now I need to find $8k, pay off the bike, get the title, still pay $$$ to get BMW side cases, skid plate, engine guards, photon cannons and tractor beam! A $10k loan wasn't something I was planning with 3 weeks before the trip?
I jumped on Craigslist with a quickness and after 20 minutes of research hooked up with someone selling a '07 KLR 650..fully equipped with all the stuff that I planned on purchasing for my previous horse...and I managed to get this machine for $3600, after selling my car the day before...The timing and coincidence of it all..or maybe as they say, "if there's a will, there's a way!" The trip is still a go!!!

There are still lists and lists of things to do..as I pack up this old way of life and prepare for living in motion..Yes, we plan to take it slow down to Argentina, maybe at a pace of 4-6 months. Now, I'm only going to have a around $3k to my name, if I dont spend much more of it on gear, camping junk and what not..how long will that last me realistically?

I did manage to get a job illustrating comics on the road every week, a gig I could do from my laptop, but that requires a wifi signal..so I'm hoping to find that to keep some money coming in. We've also been pan handling from friends and supporters via http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/ride-this-way/x/5145713 (but that would just cover Gas I imagine)..
Been trying to score some free stuff/sponsorship from a few places, but that's proven kinda fruitless so far. Needless to say, there's so much more to do and I'll do my best to keep writing updates here and on www.ridethisway.com.

AdakTriumph, definitely come along towards San Diego with us..hell, come over to my going away party too (SATURDAY Nov 15th). Here's the invite if you get this in time, https://www.facebook.com/events/193162227533975/?ref_dashboard_filter=calendar.

Michael, not sure exactly the timeline...but the longer the better Im guessing. We estimated to be there around March..but everything is different in reality I guess..I'll keep posting more as I figure it out!

Thanks for the feedback, lookin forward to more!

I had no idea you could lease motorcycles.

yeah, March will make it a pretty good pace, and it's getting cold in the South by then- just to keep in mind. On the plus side there will be less tourists running around! Hit us up if you run into questions along the way, as we're a few months ahead of you… Crossing into Colombia this week. Great choice on the KLR, by the way. Always liked the '07… Good luck!

BTW: go to Thread Tools and Subscribe with e-mail notifications.

My bad, I meant, financing it.

Here's a pic of my new monster, "Dragónito negro"



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</td></tr></tbody></table>saritaymike, Wanted to ask how the roads are, any flats? I'm looking into getting some kevlar lining on the inside of my tires, heard that helps prevent getting annoying punctures. And since these are tubes, I cant easily plug the tire like I could with my previous bike.

Any hassle from authorities, or pretend-authorities that just want to rob you? I just keep hearing the same thing from a few people again and again on how dangerous riding down south is these days. Not that that's going to deter my travel plans..but perhaps I should reconsider bringing my Machete for instance.

thanks for the advice and good luck thru Columbia!

Decided to spend some time with family over the holidays and put off the trip til Jan 1st..in the meantime, prepping some practice runs and finalizing routes south!

My buddy decides he isn't ready yet and might not be ready for...who knows..months perhaps. So I'm off in a few days, heading to San Diego and then into Arizona to enter Mexico via Tucson. Planning my routes and getting the last of my equipment to ride solo. Perhaps we will meet somewhere over the border, i'll be taking my time getting across.

Dim,

Glad to see you have decided to venture on. please post your travels here on ADV so we can share the journey. I am looking forward to seeing pictures along the way. The bike looks ready to fulfill its destiny. Best of luck and please ride safe.

Ron

I've packed up my life in LA and set off for San Diego. I am going to Argentina solo, the adventure begins!
I'll be staying in San Diego for a few days with some friends and then head East towards Tucson Arizona. Bike seems heavy and parking it on a hill is a bitch without a center stand, so I ordered one to arrive in Tucson and wait for me until I get there by Monday Feb 10th. I plan to stick around town for a day and then head south into Nogales. I'll be posting my adventure on www.ridethisway.com.

Here's a fun video for you to check out! My cargo that I plan on bringing with me on the road! Til next time...
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Loaded my bike...then reloaded it again..the beast was heavy when I left Los Angeles Wednesday evening..hit rush hour traffic heading south on the 5 Freeway. I didn't mind the slow pace, gave me a chance to calibrate myself to the KLR, fully packed.
I call her Little Dragon, or "Dragonito Negro." Enchanted her with a bit of spray paint and some Orthodox Iconography. The old Gods and the new will guide my way and keep me company.

After delay upon delay, February was the month that I decided I would venture outwards. Andres could not join me after all, he had a family situation to tend to. Perhaps in a few months he'll be able to jump on his bike and join me somewhere along the way..for now I venture outwards solo.

There's nothing like an adventure on your own..I'm not complaining whatsoever. Back in 2012 I rode up north up through Canada, the Yukon and into Alaska. I feel I can do the mileage on my own again, this time southward. Besides, the world seems to throw a different set of nuances at those who venture foolishly alone into the unknown. I could ascribe it to an aura that I'd term "ignorant bliss." As long as one does not bring fear with them upon their trip..there is no need for that old relic.

50 miles out of the city as I'm blasting in the carpool lane and my gas runs out. Not yet used to fiddling with my reserve switch, on the left side of the bike. I'll get the hang of it eventually..but in the meantime...here I was halted on the side at night, with traffic blasting by. Pulled over, turned the switch, yet still she would not start....
Hmmm..
I didn't think to fill the extra gas can either...not until I'd reach the border I figured. Well here I was, stuck!
I look back and notice traffic seemed to slow somewhat..and then I notice strobes..a copper weaving back and forth across all lanes. Not even 15 minutes passed and there he was stopping traffic for this motorcycling idiot. Ha!
The guy directed me through his megaphone..."Get to the right side of the highway!" And I charged with my bike across the lanes and parked it farther off away from maddness. Traffic resumed it's flow. I told the cop "I'm outta gas." He said there's a Chevron not too far ahead. I suddenly remembered, that this bike's reserve tank was located on the right side somewhat..and I needed to tilt the bike, in order for the flow of gas to do its thing. I tilted..and Rowr Rowr! She started purring! Ah..adventure.
At the gas station I noticed my left handlebar lost a screw..must be the vibrations.

Didn't have one long enough to fit..so I ziptied the loose hand guard and figured I'd find a spare one when I hit San Diego.





The wind was picking up and it was chilly for the next hour. I took it slow, I'll try avoiding driving at night when I can.

In San Diego for a few days. The rain might keep me here til Tuesday morning. I'll be heading East towards Tucson. Ordered a Center Stand to arrive at one of the shops there..the Dragon won't sit straight on anything but a straight road with this load, the moody thing.

WWW.RIDETHISWAY.COM

Oh, yeah, this is a KLR ride report!

Rode my KLR from Mendoza to San Juan, Argentina (again), today. It was only 102F, not the 106F it was a month ago when I last came through here.

Finally on my way toward Salta and the Salar!

I hope OP gets in the Murphy's Law mindset and puts these trivial learning experiences behind him.

I'm looking forward to following along!

(this post is a bit late.. I try to copy/Past from my Ridethisway.com)

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[Video by Dmitry Egorov]

I stayed a week in San Diego with my friend Dmitry, one of many Dmitry’s in my circle of good Russian friends. Somehow time evaporated all too fast, too many things still clouded my mind. I felt a bit displaced, slowly adapting to my mobile living and crashing on couches.

My motorcycle was heavy..too heavy. It hardly stood on its own, I needed a way to equal out the weight. The kickstand alone was not enough and so I ordered a Center Stand online, $150 upgrade that would arrive in Tucson a few days later at a motorcycle shop where I planned to make my next stop before Mexico.
On my last day in Diego, Dima filmed my exodus as I ventured off east in the direction of Salvation Mountain, a relic of California 3 hours away.

Salvation Mountain resembled a colorful frosted cake, righteously pasted atop forgotten desert land, by a recently deceased Leonard Knight (1931–2014). Its creator had just passed away a few days prior to my arrival. The guy’s been at work for 20+ years crafting and sculpting away this biblical eye candy, the concept couldn’t be more beautiful. I arrived at night, parked under the moonlight and planted down for camp right there in the makeshift parking lot.



Salvation Mountain is an art installation, open to the public, a few miles east of Salton Sea, in the Californian desert.



I lurked around the mound for a good 40 minutes, going from chamber to chamber and then zipped into my tent for the night. The next morning, I woke up to the sound of cars slowly rolling in, others had begun their pilgrimage to this site armed with cameras.



Its definitely worth coming this way to see relic. Bring some paint to donate…Or an extra pair of boots, as I had.



Right down the road from this thing, there’s a natural hot spring! Absolute bliss to soak in this brown swamp. “This is the last Free part of America” one older hippie-looking gentleman told me, as he slithered in.





A tiny art community type of place called Slab City is half a mile down the road past Salvation Mountain. This is their resort, totally free…and you could stay too as long as you’d like as long as you contribute one hour of work a day. Not a bad deal…



Slab City is right out of Mad Max…with a bit more artistic flare. Beautiful assemblage art made from absolute beautiful garbage. A mini permanent Burning Man type of situation..with its own law of the land and sense of community. The absurdity of what you might just inspire you..



I stuck around for a little while but the road awaited. It was getting late and I needed to be in Tucson by nighttime..I never got there.

My beast of burden ran outta gas moments out of slab city and after my attempts to reignite her fire, the battery had a cardiac arrest. I was stuck, farm fields to my right and left. I began pushing, while trying to figure out if I could jump her on flat ground…no, way too heavy! Even if someone was to help push I doubt it would have caught enough momentum. My water went out fast, the sun baked and my evening didn’t look promising.



A copper took somewhat of an interest in my dilemma but was mostly interested in running my name and license as I told him I was on my way out of Slab City…not too civilized of a place in their books.
I insisted on pushing the bike and he insisted on following slowly behind me in his giant police tank. The sight was pretty comical. My body gave out and I called in roadside assistance, parked on a dirt drive way and unloaded my cargo as the cop went on his way.. My battery that needed jumping was under the seat, it took a little effort to get to, but I wasn’t in any rush. The truck came, restored my momentum and off we went..twice more that night the bike had lost its juice, it just wouldnt charge anymore. I would fill up my gas tank and ask around for jumper cables..slowly progressing towards Tucson, Arizona.
By 5 am, I limped into the city and parked in front of gates of…



I had a few hours to kill before they opened..figured I’d grab a coffee down the street and take a nap as the sun rose that morning.
A few hours later, I had a brand new battery and a portable jump starter in case this situation was to repeat itself where no tow truck would come for me..The shop where I ordered my Center Stand was down the road someway. With my new healthy bike I rolled on over and within minutes Richard, at Motion Sports, hooked me up. Ah, a center stand..It’s like having an extra pair of legs now!



I took advantage of the naked bike to give it a quick chain scrub, then lubed her up, sprockets and all and packed her back together…(that sounded kinda wrong oh well..)



It’s been a long day, the hour approached 6 pm..my eyes were blood red, the mind a bit numb, the wallet a bit more empty than expected..but this was only the beginning. A little bootcamp, a couple swift kicks in the ass to get me ready for the real ride of my life.

I find myself in Guaymas, not too far south of Hermosillo. Arrived in the afternoon last night and found a cheap hotel where they’d lock up my bike behind a gate.



The room is 250 pesos, under $20, and has wifi, that precious signal that ironically connects me to reality better than I thought it did. I look at a paper map, that is if I find one of the city that I happen to be in…and good luck..there’s no arrow telling you where you are, which way you’re facing, nor a yelp review of the internet cafe that you’re hoping to find. Yes, a hotel is precious merely for its internet connection..the warm shower is nice too.



It’s an old building, the checkered floor and strange angular hallway makes it perfectly bizarre for me to enjoy my stay here. The guy offered me a slab of fish that he was cooking on the skillet after I checked in.
Knowing my horse is locked up and safe I wanted to go walk around town a bit. The place is off the coast of Gulf of California, Lot’s of old buildings, a dock..church.



I walked around, grabbed a coffee at a corner cafe, Sky Cafe it was called. (There was no sign or indication that this was an establishment, just folks sitting at tables outside some building, you have to use that ole common sense thing I guess.



By the looks of it, a few days from now, a carnival was to take place in Guaymas…near the center of town all sorts of rides and attractions were hibernating. A marching band was practicing and vendors sold churros and other mexican delights.



If I had better Spanish, I’d ask this guy if he wanted to ride with me to Argentina. With a cart like that, we could pack a whole lotta junk..a portable restaurant seemed like a fun idea.
Got back to my hotel and started looking up some couch surfers for my next destination, Culiacan. People tell me not to camp or that it’s safer to just stay at hotels..but the weather is really nice out…and these mountains!



Hermosillo, the earlier night was pretty nice to me! I met two friends, Omar and Jonathan, who had a bike of their own, A 125 CC Italika. They took me to a few spots around town. It was nice to absorb a little into the culture, as I’m still feeling a bit outta place…wishing my vocabulary had more meat to it.



My computer lost its USB capabilities..that might throw a wrench into productivity. I also need to get a sim card from Telmex and hope my phone unlocks to make it all work for me. Ok, it’s almost check out time, Gonna go back up my bike and gulp down some coffee before the road, Peace out.

Leaving Guaymas, I ventured south by day light, my goal was to reach Los Mochis before dark. The distance seemed doable, I’ve gotten used to the toll roads and overall things have been turning out quite well. Five hours or so later I was getting closer. The sun was getting closer to the horizon too, little time remained before darkness. I kept my eyes open for a place to camp..figured I’d try that maneuver rather than another hotel.

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There were some wonderful mountains scattered here and there, but nothing really grabbed me as a definite spot at which to rest one’s bones. And so I entered Los Mochis, figuring I’d ride over to the coast a little farther and find someplace to pitch my tent..but as fate would have it, a fellow by the name of Gilberto crossed my path, he was riding a BMW and we exchanged a greeting at a red light of an intersection. The light turned green and off we went, only to stop again at the next light, this giving us more time for conversation.



Gilberto noticed my bike luggage, took interest in where I was going and where I was coming from and somehow I managed to express my desire to find a beach. “La playa??” At this hour..? “I like to camp..” I replied, Gilberto was a bit concerned it seemed…he asked me to pull over with him, he was going to call a friend who knew more english in order to explain a few things to me.
We pulled over at a gas station…I took out my map and figured there’s another 30 or so kilometers to the coast…but the sun has set and I’m sure the temperature was on its way down too. In a moment, Tito drove by, a total character, and there I was surrounded by Mochisians, ready to welcome me into their town…right away they told me that camping was an awful dangerous idea and that a year or so, someone got stabbed at night. They talked amongst themselves and to avoid concerning my new friends with my idiotic idea I told them..well it’s no problem, I saw a few hotels coming into Mochis…”Maybe you can recommend a place to eat at?” I asked… And off we went to a taco stand, the best one in town supposedly..I couldn’t disagree…the damn things were delicious. The mustached owner covered the bill, and as I munched my Carne Asada Goodness, I asked Tito what he did for a living. “I work for Movistar, it’s a cell phone company…” No kidding! What are the odds..maybe you can hook me up with a phone plan, or explain how to go about setting up a phone out here I said..
"Absolutely, we can do all that tomorrow!”
The friendly gentlemen went on conversing amongst themselves, no doubt a sinister plot to lure me into a trap, a kidnapping for a ransom…The tacos were merely a way to gain my trust…Surely after I was fully fed, the hotel that Gilly was to escort me to was to be my prison for who knows how long…!



I followed my friend through the city. He knew a good hotel with laundry service not too far. At one point he reaches into his pocket, pushes a button and a garage to a palace opens up before us. Some hotel! I was a guest at Gily and his wife’s beautiful home for the night. A personal room, a garage for my bike and laundry.



Gily gifted me a black bandana and a “Live to Ride, Ride to Live” biker T-shirt. My motorcycle adventure had triggered a friendship, a sort of bond between bikers where we look out for each other. Gily knew some friends in Mazatlan, my next city on the map, and promised to connect me with bikers from down there…I’d get a free night a hotel guaranteed.
If that wasn’t enough, that evening this wonderful couple invited me to join them for an evening with friends..a weekly tradition where every friday a dozen or so meet up for dinner and music..tonight I was their honored guest.

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I sipped a quarter bottle of Tequila, butchered my way through kindergarden level conversation and even made a joke referring to how the liquor was comparable to oil that lubricated the machinery of my language barrier…The merry folk all sang, I sketched out a caricature. That night, the dreams were too perfect. I had taken a liking to Tequila.



I awoke around 9 AM, my bag of dirty clothes was washed and dried, I was offered breakfast. Gily and I talked about politics as the news channel hammered away at the same story over and over how some drug lord Guzman, was recently captured…Funny enough, not even a day after Obama flew into Mexico for a visit to discuss whatever it is that presidents discuss…It’s all political stunt, it’s all too very obvious and very coincidental was our breakfast theme.
I took a few minutes to load up my bike and scrub my chain clean. Gily was to escort me to Tito who promised me a way to activate my iPhone with a Mexican plan.
For the next two hours, my phone was getting a new sim card, a monthly plan where I had nearly unlimited data, local phone and even free phone calls to the US. This miracle of course involved me having to hack into the phone first, liberating it from its former way of being..Sadly this process erased my music and audiobooks for the time being, but to have a working phone and GPS seemed like a better payoff! I’d back up my phone with my computer later sometime. Little did I realize both of my USB ports were shot to hell… Wouldn’t be able to fix them until way later in this adventure of mine. But that is exactly what it all is, adventure…from one level to the next…Each new dilema brings forth a challenge and opens doors to creative resolutions.



By mid afternoon, I was ready to head out. Gily parted ways with me at the highway going south. I rode in silence, observing the lovely landscape. Evening turned into night fairly quickly. I would gas up, add warmer layers and continue driving under the clearest starlit sky. And despite the warnings of driving at night, I pushed onwards. Mazatlan was a few hours away and I was determined to get there by midnight.



The reasons why to Ride This Way,
in nighttime or by hours of day
the reasons clearly out-weigh
the choice of those who choose to stay.
And merely so if I may say
because the voyage lets me play…
a game of thoughts that my mind craves,
a meditation in a way
to the hum of engine sound waves.
that harmonize with this life phase
myself, the journey and the way.

(More Updates here: https://www.facebook.com/ridethisway)