South America: Until our Luck or Money Runs Out

I'm leaving Kansas City on August 28, 2011, my 70th birthday and heading to Ushuaia. Sounds like you should be ready by then. Charles should be done with graduate school by then and ready for another trip. Right, Charles?

Guys, phenomenal adventure...I know alot went into creating and sharing this with the world. Thank you! Thank you! and Congratulations on making it home...(till customs comes to get you for that bike.)

Joe and I got interviewed a couple days back for a story in our hometown newspaper:

http://www.northfieldnews.com/news.php?viewStory=47568

Nice little article that sums up 100 pages of advrider material...:huh...not quite the same as reading the real thing, but at least you got some recognition!

My wife and I have talked about a long MC and after reading your story, I'm thinking that I really need to brush up on my Spanish. Thanks for all the effort in Documenting the story. It's been a great read.

Don't worry too much about the Spanish. Trevor and I took an evening introductory course a year before our trip as neither of us spoke a word. Then our trip got delayed and we subsequently forgot most of it in the interim! <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
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Of course you'll need the basics: foods, how much is a room? camp spot? is there hot water? bathroom private? basic directions, etc. but honestly smiles and miniming get you a lot of the way when language fails you. People WANT to understand you and help you out and you'll pick a lot up on the way. The other thing is that everyone asks the same questions: where are you from? how much did the bike cost? where are you going? how long have you been traveling? etc. So you get pretty proficient at answering. I would definitely encourage you to brush up if you have the time (absolutely, the more Spanish you have, the better) but don’t worry if it’s the only reason not to set off .
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Nina is right. Don't let it stop you, taking the trip not knowing a word will still be infinitely better than not taking one at all. However if you can, learn as much as possible before you go. Being able to converse with the locals is one of the best parts of motorcycle travel.

Charles and Joe - Awesome is an understatement, thank you so very much for such and inspirational RR. Including your thoughts, feelings, and insight during the ride provided and real sense that we were there with you - exceptional journey.

South America is waiting for me

Here's a good thread about how different people feel about how to learn Spanish: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=315427

My vote is in for Coffee Break Spanish.

You guys are a great example of what makes the internet such an asset to humanity. I have learned a lot, not just about what it looks like down there but the human experience and the guys and gals that make up our ADV community. I wish I could meet all of them. It's amazing to think there are people in hotel rooms, office cubicles, hospital beds, etc. in any country, reading about 2 guys slogging it through what we all know is going to be the adventure of their lives, atleast in retrospect. Anyway, thanks. What the hell am I going to do now?

go for a ride! Hey, you're in SoCal, what else would you do?
Ya'll take care and ride safe.
mary

PS... I know what you actually meant, guess I'll have to find some more rr's to read...

Did you read Nina and Space's report?

Thanks for the report guys, a wonderful read on a cold winters day.
best
brian

I got here really late to the party... But this has got to be the best thing I have read and looked at in a while. The pictures were great .

You should write a book and include your pics...

Geat coffee table book for any rider!

I remember someone suggesting you don't use the mermites as panniers for this trip... Would you use something else if you had to do it again ?

I'm wondering about how solid the thing is without the insulation and if the closing clips are a lot of trouble to use.

I'm thinking of a trip similar to yours (thanks for the inspiring report !) and will have to go the cheap way to make it happen !

The mermites worked out quite well. I didn't really have any complaints. They were very sturdy, I dropped the bike fully loaded a number of times and they only required a little bit of pounding out once a month or so.

The clips can be a pain if the case gets bent up from a drop or a crash, but they are easily fixable with a vise grips and a hammer or something else to pound on them.

For the money they were about the best thing I've seen so far for a trip like that. If you have the money for Jesse bags or some other pre-fabbed case they will probably be a better solution especially if you can get a pre-fabbed rack mount for them.

Great read and trip. I just bought a DR650 and this is an inspiration. My previous bike was a 70 Hodaka so I have been off them for a while.

Hi.
I think that I "bought" something that you could be familiar to....

Although I cannot legally ride it or sell it (In the custom´s papers says that you enter Argentina through Paso de Jama, so the bike is a tourist vehicle) I´m planning to use it as living donnor for my own DR650 RSE - Have you ever read Cook´s COMA?, ok, but in 2 wheels-.


If you want, I can shipp to you the marmitts as a souvenir...but S&H costs are on you!!!










She will share the shelter with my other two babies..

Let me just be the first to say - !!!!!

How cool is that?

Yup, that looks like Joe's bike.