Runnin' Home - Tierra Del Fuego to Oregon!

After 4 months wondering the UK and some of Western Europe on a then new 1974 Norton 850 Commando Interstate...I promised myself that I would keep doing grand tours now and again. Somewhere I fell out of the habit and got paranoid about it. Or maybe it is just momentium.

SSU you are reminding me of what I have been missing. I will work on doing better.

Thanks.

Erica, I'm finally going to post up and pile on with the rest of your throngs of fans. It's been a better story than anything that's ever come out of my TV or from a movie screen. And that's from THIS side of the computer screen. I can't imagine what it must be like for you. Amazing!

Hope to see you again at WetFest this year!

Zac

we're hoping to see her on the third in her own back yard at the gorge gathering

Nice plug

Well, Erica, I have been sitting in this chair and following your adventure ever since Feb 21st. A day hasn't gone by that I've not checked in on your travels.....you've really caught our imagination and you're teaching us a lot. Perhaps your days as a "Fire Fighter" are coming to an end as I'm sure you will be a much sought after "speaker" upon your return home. I've been "lurking" for a long time on this site and couldn't find a better thread to make my "first post". Thanks for sharing this adventure...
May God Love You and Keep you safe.

Costa Rica, Baby!! Wahooo!!

I was on the road this morning at 6:30 and made my goal destination (David, Panama) by noon. After lunch and sitting out a brief downpour I decided to do the Costa Rica border which was just 20 miles down the road.

This was the first of a handful of the notoriously trying Central American border crossings. I was in a good mood, well fed, slightly cooler temperatures, and pre-warned about the borders but even still, by the end it I was getting pretty grumpy.

The exit from Panama was pretty simple and straight forward with the exception of being approached with, ¨Do you need help?¨ by numerous guys. These guys will help you through the border crossings for a ¨tip¨only, but in the end they take you for a lot of money (so the other travelers tell me).

While standing in line for the exit stamp a guy with an official looking shirt and a name badge asks for my tourist card, puts a sticker on it, and says that it is a $1 exit tax. I said no way, pulled the sticker off and stuck it back on him. He sticks it back on. I say no way. He says he´ll call the police. I say I´ll pay the guy who stamps my passport but not you. He is persistent, even to the point of asking the immigration guy for the paper back. Even as I´m walking away with my exit stamp and passport in hand, he and his buddy are saying something about ¨police, police¨.

I check my bike out of Panama easily, and as I´m getting ready to don my helmet to head over to the Costa Rica side the car behind me starts flashing its lights. I ignore it. Then when he starts honking. Finally I turn around. He signals to me to wait, pointing at the weather. Yeah, it looked like a good rain was moving in, but not a minute and a half later the skies opened up:eek1! I don´t think I´ve ever seen it rain this hard! It was torential buckets. Waterfalls. Solid water coming from the sky. It was astounding!! I looked back at the driver and gave him a silent thank you.

Pictures don´t quite do it justice.


I hung out in the covered area for 40 minutes or so, waiting for it to pass. While I´m sitting there on the ground, an American woman approaches me and immediately starts tearing into me about how horrible I am for not paying a tip to this 15 year old boy for two hours of work he did for me getting me through customs and immigrations. It took me a moment to figure out what the hell she was even talking about. I finally stopped her mid-sentence and said no one had done anything for me and that I didn´t appreciate her attack. She abruptly stopped and said she must have me confused for someone else.

My assumption is that thier helper, this 15 year old kid, was giving them a story, milking them for more money. Well, as fate would have it, we ended up going through the whole process at the same time - them with their helper and me without, and I finished before them.

The Costa Rica side probably took an hour and a half.

Get in one line for a piece of paper, fill it out and get in another line. Get in line for the moto import, fill out paper. Then told to go across the street for copies of passport exit stamp and other documents. Get back in same line. Get to front, she takes the papers and disappears for 5 minutes. It´s looking good then I´m told to go to another window to get another paper with a stamp on it (insurance, I think). I come back to the original window, she types some more, then says I have to go down to another door (patience is running very low at this point), I fill out another form and then she says ¨fumigation¨. I need to go back with my bike and go through fumigation for yet another piece of paper and a stamp.

Supposedly this was disinfecting my bike. From what, I don´t know. I wonder if that guy is going to have a shorter lifespan? Protective gear, anyone?


Have you noticed I gained a little weight? When Chris, Scott, and I started out we pre-ordered tires from a contact in Panama, so they were there waiting for me to pick up (Thanks, Joe!!). But I´ve got a few more miles to squeeze out of what I have on, so I guess I¨ll be packing these for a bit.

FWIW, the Metzler Tourances will have 10,000 miles on them soon!

A few last pictures from Panama.

This was the view from my window at the hostel in Panama. No need to go looking to see the ¨real Panama.¨ It was right there! And by 8 in the morning, you´d hear the real Panama with all varities of Panama music blaring. I actually really enjoyed it!



All in the same neighborhood, Casco Viejo, was the Presidential Palace, crumbling buildings, tourist resturants, very poor, very rich, and all bordered by the no-go zone. The mix of it all was really great!

And this is Super Mario!


You can thank Panama BMW for the ultra shiny bike. A free wash with an oil change!

Dudley, this is quite a compliment, being compared to your wife. I admire her already! I hope and plan on being like her at 60 and well beyond, god willing, of course!! And a dear friend of mine works for Aurora FD as well - she´s a battlion chief with them. I´m sure your son knows her!

Thanks for following along!

Thank you much for the Spanish correction. Yes, I am a ¨gringa¨!

And thank you for your kind words.

Myropa, I know what you mean on both accounts - momentum and paranoia. It´s easy to lose one and to get caught in the other.

I´ve thought a lot about fear and risk these last couple of months. What I´ve come to understand for the moment is that fear is not real. And what I mean by that is that fear is based on the future - we are fearful of something that isn´t here. We´re fearful of something that could happen, but isn´t happening now. So really, if we are only here in the moment, what is there to be afraid of? When I was stuck on the side of the road with a bike that wasn´t running, that is what I reminded myself of, Ëverything is good right now. Just fine.¨ Why worry about something that isn´t happening?

And then risk. Basically, the way I see it, Life is a risk. Life is a risk no matter where I am at. We all know how fragile life is, and how at any moment our circumstances can change. So why not be out doing the most outrageous thing you can think of when your circumstances do change?!!

One piece of advice I would offer to anyone, when you are preparing for an adventure or a big event (ie, traveling, or competing in your first big athletic event, etc, etc), seek advice/opinions from those who have been there and done it. Those who have done it will tell you what´s real, and the rest will often, with the best intentions, communicate their own ¨fears¨. And because we love and respect them we can easily internalize their fears.

I´d like to finish this with one of those editorial disclaimers: ¨The opinions expressed here are those of Erica and Erica only. And only at 10:07pm on May 21. After this moment, she accepts no responsiblity for them.)

Whosoever, I am honored to be your first post! Thank you for keeping up on this whole journey. I certainly would not have recorded it like I have if it hadn´t been for everyone here. It´s been a unique experience for me, to share like this. I often ride along, wondering how I could capture and share a particular moment or experience that I am seeing.

And unless BMW wants to sponsor a new rider to send around the world to kooky far off places, I don´t think I´ll be giving up on firefighting. It´s actually my job that has allowed me to do this. I don´t know any other job that I could manage this much (paid) time off and still have a job to come back to. It is something that I am very grateful for.

Erica I'd say you are spot on with you assessment of risk and fear.

Glad you are on your way again. Looking forward to more of your report.




disclaimers: my opinions are voided without notice

Everyone... Wow. I honestly don´t know what to say (although, I´ve clearly said a lot!). I am truly humbled and honored by everyone´s comments, compliments, support along this journey. All of it has meant a lot to me and has enriched this experience even more. I am grateful for it all.

Stick with me!! We´re not there yet!!

No problem! I, for one, will be stuck here for as long as you continue your journey.

Fantastic report and thanks for making such an effort to keep us up with the play.

Cheers
Allan

Hi Erica! You are doing a great job with the Trip Report! Thanks! How long per day on average are you using to keep the Trip Report current? Thanks again!

Donnie

Well I have followed your adventure from the start, and look forward to keeping up each day with your journey. I've burnt a bit of time at work in the process too!! Shhh.. don't tell! :huh

Tomorrow I leave San Diego for a 'short hop' in comparison to your travels--- a mere 600 miles up into the Reno area solo (hope to make it there before midnight) after pulling most of an 8 hour work day-- packing now getting ready.

Keep it going-- you're almost there!

Yo Radioman
Looks like your the man for doing daily SPOT updates in Al's absence .

Between prep-ing to take 2 weeks off work (no, i'm not a FF who can take months off from work) and my personal prep-ing to get ready for the ride south to me up with sis, I'm burning both ends. That and I'm not proficeint at the cut, past, save, post thing that is required by ADV site.

SO anyhow, its all up to you man! and don't be shy, I've heard stories:eek1 !

Tnx

My Dear Erica...these words are why so many people find you and what you're experiencing so inspiring and motivational. I think we all need to hear words of encouragement like this as often as we can...and to hear these thoughts coming from someone, like yourself, doing something as extreme as you are right now, encourages us all to seek out the posibilities we all have available to us in our own lives...whatever that may be.
These thoughts and words go WAY beyond mere international motorcycle traveling...these thoughts apply to everyone, everywhere, everyday.

Once again, you've shown us all how extraordinary you really are!
safe travels m'dear...GodSpeed!

Erica!!!!!



WOW!!!! EPIC!!!!!

I just spent the past few days catching up on this ride report!!! I came across it and have been stuck on it since, trying to get to the last page to see where you are at!!

This is (everyone's) dream ride!!!! and the "troubles" make it that much more of an adventure, that (I agree) this wonderful community of ADVers, and locals to the countries you travel through make the trip possible by helping when help is needed, and rooting you on to finish the ride!!!



Now, I am waiting to see how the rest of this unfolds
Oh- and about your metzlers- I put over 20k on mine on a heavyweight DL650 before replacing them you are fine at 10k....

Hope to see you again at.... well, wherever we meet up! (Wetfest, etc) Hope to get a chance to ride with you someday, or at least hear
some of the stories firsthand
Good luck!!!! (and belated welcome back to the North half of the world )