it's just a ride..... Miami to Patagonia before the end of the world...

[Pongo]

and a good lesson to learn while only 1/100th the way to Patagonia, would have been a much harder lesson over much of the remainder of the trip.
I really like you photography, I love taking shots of fungi and rivers.

[RoninMoto]

Hey bud,
GPS has saved my ass a few times. If for nothing else, it gives you a snail trail to follow back out. It gives you a coordinate if you need it for emergencies.. I started with a garmin GPSmap 62st and it was good but the power connection is a USB cable (WTF Garmin?). Now I am using a Garmin Montana and its been working nicely.

I'm glad you made it back to Moab. Safe rather then sorry is always the better option when traveling. Keep on keeping on man!

[DSM8]

After having Hessian42 at the house for the last few days he is heading out north from LA.

If any of the ADV'ers out there along his path have any reservatiosn about putting him up for night or two I can vouch he is a stand up person and has some pretty good stories to tell.

You will just have to put up with the fact he smells like a camp fire.



Or course the dogs will love it so you would have that going for ya...

[rruugger]

Nice to meet ya Marcelo! Hope you found a camp spot before the rain hit. Although I think you were head'n right into it. Glad I could contribute to your adventure. Out there liv'n my dream If you pass back through let me know if I can help.

[Hessian42]

Utah story continued....

So After reuniting with said rider right at the same place we met a week earlier and hearing that my gut was right and the trail got much worse, even too much for Mr. bad ass to handle i decided to listen to my gut from there on out no matter what. As i mentioned my good nature tends to get the best of me and i ended up splitting a hotel with this guy for the night in moab. The town that simply wouldn't let go! The next day I decided the route was going to be simple and took on more of a i'm doing this if you wanna tag along attitude. 191 south led the way out and i was finally able to break the magnetic pull of Moab, though i vouched to come back to this place someday with more time hopefully even to live and explore the area. 191 was def. a boring paved ride so we detoured and took the 40 mile 211 to see the needles overlook. I simply have no words to describe what seeing something like that feels like. Total perspective vortex comes to mind (D.Adams fans will know what i'm talking about). Cannyons as far as the eye can see in every direction and snow covered peaks behind you, infuckingcredible! This was one of those spots that invokes something inside you and makes you feel even if only an instance one with the earth, sky and time.

We eventually made it back to 191 and shot south to hook up with 95 to take us to Glen cannyon and lake Powell. Unfortunately the ferry was shut down for winter so we didn't get to check out the lake. The ride into Glen is magnificent and one portion of 95 where you break through a portion of the cannyon and look right at miles of red gigantic walls was just awe inspiring. This was also the night i completed my 33rd trip around the sun and slept for the first time in a lake bed. We camped right in the edge of a small section of water which from the looks in summer would have been underwater. That night was peaceful, uneventful and there was not another soul within miles, that's all i had hoped for on my day. The next day we shot north up 95 and eventually through 24 to Capitol reef state park. On a side note i was getting more and more irritated on having a riding partner hindering my photo stops and also having to play catch up speeding from place to place. Definitely not what i had in mind and my gut was creeping up and telling me something though i wasn't ready to listen just yet. We ended up pitching camp at the Capitol reef campground and as a good luck sign there were a dozen deer in the campground unfazed by humans eating seeds from a nearby by tree. Not to mention the sun was setting against the red walls that surrounded the area which made for some awesome photos. Though capitol reef is known for it's purple sand dunes and it's petroglyphs the weather the following day was not on our side and i did the best i could to capture the place. Def. one of those must see way underrated places though!

The plan was to shoot over to Bryce cannyon and Zion the following day however the sexy ranger at the visitor center had pulled up the weather report for both areas and snow was everywhere. We decided to backtrack down 95 through Glen cannyon again (which i didn't mid one bit ) and made it just before dark into the Arizona state line through some dirt switchbacks via 163. We pitched camp just 16 miles or so shy of monument valley on the edge of some river in an Native american area in an unnamed town. Though this wouldn't be the end of Utah for me at least........

[Hessian42]

Arizona







First look at the Canyon











Simply incredible!

After spending a quiet evening knocking back a few brews, catching up with the lunar cycle and going to sleep in the hammock to the sound of flowing water; i was pumped to ride through Monument valley where Hopper and Fonda had laid the foundation years back. Those mounds of dirt beaten by time weren't just sights to see but signified the freedom i dreamed off! Waking bright an early and breaking camp as quickly as possible we hit the road and soon enough the valley was within sight. My first look was one of those moments i was still getting accustomed to where emotions build and rise from the pit of the stomach and quickly overwhelm the mind. Sadly the actual valley looked nothing like what it must have looked like in it's hay day. Instead it was overrun with tourist attractions and firework native side stands. We didn't bother to ride into the valley road and just made our way through the place snapping few shots and heading towards Kayenta and Tuba city to hook up with the road leading to Grand canyon. Going through the Navajo reservation was sad to say the least and i'll get back to that later on.

We made it to Grand canyon that same day shortly before sunset and getting my first glimpse at the canyon in late light with a light fog hovering over the walls was simply indescribable. We both snapped a round of shots and headed into the park being chased by the dark into the most expensive town i had been through. Tusayan! Settling in the cheapest motel in town we decided to stay for two days to fully explore the scenic beauty of the area. This place would prove to drain my wallet faster than i cared for but it was after all Grand Canyon! The next morning we woke before sunrise to catch the magic happen in the canyon. We choose to go our separate ways and thankfully for most of our time at the canyon it followed the same. After two amazing days at the canyon chasing sunrises and sunsets it was time to finally head south. Just like in Moab the other guy chose a dirt path out of Tusayan and into Flagstaff which was suppost to be fun.

The beginning of the ride was scenic and fun double track through pine forests. Not half way into it dodging sharp large sized boulders and fighting foot deep ruts was the norm. The other guy was nowhere to be seen and I might as well have been riding by myself. After a few dirt naps, a set of destroyed highway pegs and a sore knee I was looking forward to pavement and wondering wtf I was doing. When our route crossed 180, an easy paved two lane which headed straight into Flagstaff I took the easy way out. I caught some lip from the other guy and gave some back after all I had no commitments and this was my trip. I decided to follow my gut and avoid any more damage to my overloaded bike and hit the tar. He set on his way and continued down the boulder fest by himself.

It’s funny how sometimes things just work them selfs out. As soon as I hit the pavement I felt relieved to be riding at my own pace, taking in the scenery and actually enjoying my journey. Not long after hitting 180 I saw a sign for a hike to a small peak which looked interesting swung a u turn and followed the gut. The hike was peaceful and the area stunning. After hiking up some old lava formations and sitting down for a snack everything came together and my decision was made. Alone again it shall be!

After pulling into Flagstaff and grabbing a bite to eat I met up again with said rider and broke the news. I had arranged for us both to couch surf that night and the next morning we finally parted ways. To say the relief was huge would be an understatement. I headed east out of flagstaff towards window rock where I’d meet up with some guys I had met previously in Moab…

[Hessian42]

I can't thank DSM8 enough for all the help and support and am looking forward to coming back through L.A and spending more time with himself and his bud Andy. More on that when i get around to the Cali portion of the trip.

And thanks for the tire Ruger, already got er mounted up and ready to roll. I'm def. gonna hold you up on that beer/ride when i get back in town.

[Ponies ate my Bagel]

Hey bro, it was good having you! Ride safe man, hopefully when you make it back down this way it'll be nicer out and you can get some photos of the coast around here!

Take care and ride safe!
PamB

[macrae85]

My weather is heating up mid week! :p

[Dieselpwr]

Awesome pics and I'm guessing photoshop as well. Those colors are amazing.

[Hessian42]

So DSM8 was kind enough to lend me a spot emergency gps unit for my trip down south. And since the service comes with the tracking page/map i figured i'd share it on here. If any advers are in the same area at any given time and would be down to meet up a for a beer, a ride or whatever please contact me. Meeting folks from this site has been a big unexpected plus on this trip. I'll be in the california/oregon area till around the 2nd week of january before heading to mexico.

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0gjxKtIniXttoBtdgzGKlmIkE4CeCHn dS

[rtwpaul]

Originally Posted by Hessian42

So DSM8 was kind enough to lend me a spot emergency gps unit for my trip down south. And since the service comes with the tracking page/map i figured i'd share it on here. If any advers are in the same area at any given time and would be down to meet up a for a beer, a ride or whatever please contact me. Meeting folks from this site has been a big unexpected plus on this trip. I'll be in the california/oregon area till around the 2nd week of january before heading to mexico.

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0gjxKtIniXttoBtdgzGKlmIkE4CeCHn dS

if you are going very slow thru mexico and around the yucatan at the end of the first week of march i will be coming in from Cuba on the Stahlratte heading north and can help you out on all the border crossings that are easy but fustrating all the same (if not check my RR) have a great christmas on the road

BTW you need a password to open that link you posted

[Hessian42]

so after roughly 3 months and 8,000 miles on the road i've drained my funds enough that crossing the border into south america would be sketchy to say the least. Specially considering the Darien and it's unknown cost. I'm back down in southern california after having my ass kicked up north by the weather. I'll unfortunately have to stay in southern cali for a few months and get back in the rat race as well as find a place to stay in order to save enough to continue my journey to patagonia. I'm planning to have my tools shipped here from miami and will be looking for any mechanic, welding and fabrication work i can find. Unfortunately making money to stay on the road from photography seems impossible. I'll be squatting around BLM for a while and then heading back to LA in the next few weeks. I'll be working on getting caught up on pictures and stories and posting them to the RR. My only way to thank all those advers who have helped me along the way and whom without i would have never gotten this far.

huge thanks to all!

Hessian

[rruugger]

If you need to make some cash, I could put you to work for a week. You'd just be hump'n pipe and drilling holes for labor wages and you could stay in the motor home if your interested...

[rruugger]

W'll even feed ya Marcelo!