RTW Summer 2011... EPIC

[bigalsmith101]

Hello Everyone!

I am a recent add-on to the community and am loving it.

My goal is this. I will embark on the most epic of epic journeys. I am going to ride a motorcycle around the world, two up, starting the summer of 2011 and ending when I complete my circumnavigation of the planet.

Starting just north of Seattle Wa, heading north to the Arctic Circle. I'll turn around and come down the east side of Canada and the USA, south through Mexico and every country of Central America. I'll skip Columbia and ride to the bottom of the world, aka, Ushuaia Argentina. I'll then ride east to Rio, Brazil and ship the bike to South Africa.

I'll ride all the way to the Morocco, ferry to Spain, ride to northern Europe, across eastern Europe and east/south across the "stans" and down through Nepal and India, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and China (missing some).

I'll then ship the bike to Australia, ride most of the way around, ship to New Zealand, ride from bottom to top, and ship it home.

What are your thoughts everyone? Many thousands of miles, 60+ countries, 15+ months, and one happy guy and his girl.

I'm open to EVERY thing that you guys/gals have to say. As my previous International business professor would say, "Any questions, comments, concerns, compliments or complaints?"

Thanks in advance everyone.

[Rockwell]

I have been planning a similar trip starting the same summer. Check out my route:

Trip v1.1 - Google Maps

This is an older version of my route; and it's still not complete.

How do you plan on crossing the Darien Gap?

Do you know the details about how you are going to ship from Rio to Africa?

How do you plan on getting from Nepal or India to Laos and Cambodia?

Have you done any research regarding entering China? From what I have read, it's quite impossible to enter with your own vehicle. Have you read otherwise?

[tmotten]

I wouldn't discount Colombia that fast. I regret not making it to there on mine, as I looked forward to it.

Also, what is the plan for Africa?

Depending on what you've looked into, Vietnam and China will be the most difficult and/or impossible out of the countries listed. Vietnam as a size issue (haven't we all) and China simply doesn't allow 'aliens' dotting their countryside on their own transport. There certainly are ways around that last one. But I reckon from my old homework that Vietnam won't be the trouble.

I'd start by looking at shipping on that route. Usually show stoppers. Than visa arrangements, and than the route in more detail.