Planting the Adventure Seed

“Luis, we should do a motorcycle trip after graduation!” Something along these lines is what Dominic said when we were close to culminating our third semester of nursing school, back in December of 2012. I always dreamed of travelling and loved motorcycling. I didn’t give doubt a chance to question my response, nor do I remember a thought process developing in my mind regarding Dominic’s proposition, most likely because there was no thought process; I immediately agreed. With only one year until graduation we had lots of planning and dreaming to do, for which we wasted no time.

As dedicated, hardworking nursing students, we spent much of our free time in the school’s library. As motorcycle adventure enthusiasts, we spent most of that time talking about motorcycles and the endless possibilities this trip opened. I clearly remember finals week for that semester, we had spent so much time fantasizing about this trip and not studying enough for our tests that we decided to crash study a night before one of our exams. After a solid 28 minutes of study, we were slightly distracted by the google maps page which mysteriously appeared on our computer monitor. We took it as a sign and began to analyze the infinite routes available; on our screen, we traveled the world in 20 minutes, where thousands of miles were reduces to mere inches, but we had to set a realistic course, one not as far-fetched. Heading south appealed to us both, and we saw two natural turnaround points: Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, and the Darien, Panama. Considering the amount of time and budget we thought we had (which wasn’t much of either to begin with), it was decided the best option would be to make it to the Darien Gap, turn around and come back via a different route.

Early in our last semester of the nursing program, Dominic had a motorcycle accident forcing him temporarily out of school. This event not only postponed his graduation by six months but, in a way, bought us valuable time to continue planning and preparation; what a way to take one for the team! This additional time also allowed Tom to join in the pause-your-life-indeterminately-and-ride-your-motorcycle adventure. The more teammates the better, we thought, it added safety and knowledge to the mix.

The planning phase was truly composed from the moment the idea was conceived to the moment we departed… and continuously throughout the journey. Most of the planning (or what we thought would be most of it), however, was taken place in weekly meetings for which the three of us, Tom, Dominic, and I, got together, be it at a bar, In-N-Out, or Dominic’s house. At these meetings, we discussed potential modifications needed to fit the motorcycles for such a feat, points of interest we wished to visit along the way, routes we would take to connect said points, and equipment needed. In addition to this, we also sent out sponsorship proposals to several companies asking for support. Among the countless requests, we found help through companies such as Wolfman Luggage, Procycle, Klim and Rev’it apparel.

After acquiring our motorcycles, as part of a good prep, we did a few practice trips near home; day trips, weekend trips and a one week-long adventure in Baja California. These trials gave me valuable insight on what would work for the long run and what I needed to rethink. They showed me which items I was missing and which were those I could do without.

Everything was falling into place. I graduated nursing school in December of 2013, Dominic followed six months later, Tom quit his job sometime after that, and we were, more or less, set to go. Eventual departure date: September 5^th, 2014.

Having limited travel experience, I wasn’t sure what to expect; what was there beyond the horizon? How were the people there, and how would they receive us? How was the sunrise over the ocean and the sunset over mountains? Unaware of the answers to most of my questions, I let myself go by the curiosity and wonder of what I may find. I had never been far from home for more than a week or so; six months, I felt, would be difficult, but would transform me as a person, which, ultimately, was a big motivation for me to embark on this adventure. I strongly believe the more experiences one lives through, the good and the bad, contribute to our personal growth and make us more mindful and well-rounded individuals. The more of the world we see, adds to our cultural awareness and facilitates understanding among those who we encounter in our everyday lives. All this together formed an enticing mix of emotions and made me stare into the horizon with great anticipation. Living all this on a motorcycle made the whole idea sound that more exciting!