A Few More Miles - A Motorcycle Journey Through The Americas

[Dr. Benny]

Hey Folks,

I've been poking around the HUBB for a while now, silently gathering information for my trip. In mid October 2009 I'll be departing on my KLR to ride from the USA to TDF.

I wanted to thank everyone who's already contributed to this site for all the amazingly useful information. I'll be sure to put it to good use in the months to come and will certainly be asking lots of questions from the road.

I've set up a simple blog to stay in touch with friends and family. Feel free to check it out at A Few More Miles. I welcome any and all advice for the journey. Perhaps I'll run into a few of you out on the road.

All the best,

-Ben

[sanderd]

Hi Ben,

Welcome to the HUB. Good luck and have fun!

Suerte,
Sander

[Dr. Benny]

I traveled along the states for 3 weeks and have arrived in Mexico. It feels great to get some miles under the belt! Feel free to check in: A Few More Miles
-Ben

[Serge LeMay]

Nice to see a southernly neighbour!

I'm just north of NH, Have a good one

I'll be following your trip...keep us posted!

[Dr. Benny]

Hi Serge - Thanks for your support! I'm in San Miguel de Allende now and enjoying the ride! Cheers.

[Dr. Benny]

I guess it's been a while since my last update... I made it to Ushuaia 2 days ago! I'll get that blog (see signature) updated soon. Cheers!

[Mickey D]

Hey, Congrats on making it to TDF!

Doesn't look like you shared your trip here on HUBB. I'm not a Blog reader, but would follow your ride if posted here on the Ride Tales forum.

I'd love to read an abbreviated ride report with Pics and post it in chronological order and in bits and pieces as you get time. Ride Tales isn't used much, be nice to have more longer reports.

[Serge LeMay]

Good for you!!!

Tell me 'bout it when you get back

[Dr. Benny]

Hey Guys,
Thought I'd share a few photos of the journey. A full report is on the blog: A Few More Miles. Cheers,
-Ben

A few photos before leaving home



Key West, Florida


Mexican Pyramids


Tacos in Mexico, mmmmmm


Fixing a friend's flat


Micatech Pannier cup holders hard at work


Random guy with guitar singing about moto travel


Sleeping in the NEMO tent at Laguna Bacalar


Christmas in Guatemala


Rainy day in Guatemala


Local boy selling sticks to climb Volcan Pacaya


Busted CDI entering El Salvador. Fortunately, I met some great locals to pass the time


Getting a tow to the city


Entering Nicaragua


Loading the bike onto the boat to cross the Darien Gap

[Dr. Benny]

SCUBA in Colombia


Privacy


Cruising around Colombia


Good looking Mannequins in Cali


Military Checkpoint


Ecuator


Carnival in Quito


Picking up the bike after being run over by a Land Rover


Testing the limits of a carburated bike


Flat deserts in Northern Peru


Canon del Pato - Backroads in Peru


The kind of roads that make a motorcyclist happy


Road Construction - you can't stop me!


Bridge closed - not for my moto!


Rainy day crossing of Lake Titicaca

[Dr. Benny]

Best llama photo ever


Bolivia beauty


Land Cruiser on the Salar


Cooking up tiny people in the Jetboil


Nasty gas in Bolivia


Dinner in Chile


Hand in the desert


Still a long way to go


Beautiful Carretera Austral


Argentina


Getting Dirty


Fluffy traffic on Tierra del Fuego


USHUAIA!!!


Crowded passport

[Dr. Benny]

Back home




First shave in 6 months...

[Dr. Benny]

Hey Guys,

It's hard to believe that I've been back in the USA for over 4 months! Spending time with friends and family has been great and the summer weather has been beautiful here in New Hampshire. So... What's been going on? Well, 6 months without regular exercise coupled with 3 or 4 daily meals of delicious fried food plays a toll on the body. I weighed myself when I returned home - I gained 15 lbs... YIKES!!! Riding the motorcycle everyday was exhausting but it wasn't stimulating my cardiovascular system. Now back at home I've been kayaking, running, biking (of the pedal variety), and hiking on a daily basis and I've shed that baby fat. Here's a shot from the absolutely stunning Acadia National Park in Maine.



Have no fear though, I'm still riding the motorcycle nearly everyday. My car has only seen a few days of use this entire summer. Being stuck inside the 4-wheeled box is near torture. The KLR, a.k.a. El Burro, has been a true workhorse. He now has roughly 35,000 miles (I say roughly, because I've been without a spedo/odometer cable for the past 12,000-ish miles). All that traveling has taken it's toll and I now have piston slap. It looks like I'll be rebuilding the engine's top end...

This Bike Climbed Mt. Washington


I recently presented the my journey through the Americas at the New Hampshire Latino Festival. Latinos and Gringos alike came up and asked all sorts of questions. "Are you ****ing crazy!?" was a popular one. I met Salvadorians, Mexicans, Colombians, and Guatemalans. Their eyes opened wide as I described riding through their countries. Many young kids who are still learning about their heritage stopped by to check out my photos. Their parents would point to a picture and say "That's our country." Who knows, maybe in a few years I'll inspire one of these kids to jump on a bike and ride through their country to experience it first hand. I made this highlight map to have on display.

Crucial to the success of my journey were the Micatech panniers and top case. You've seem then in every photo with my bike and I certainly put them to the test. With over 50 tip-overs ,they are still in excellent shape and waterproof (although a bit dirty). The boxes are made only 30 miles from my home and since returning home they've contracted me to do some engineering and design for new products. The projects have been fun, challenging, and engaging. Designing and building adventure motorcycling products is great. One key element in product development is field testing... Alright, so what's next??? Ya, it's about time for a new adventure. Well, in 3 short weeks I'll be back on the bike, riding 3,300 miles across the country to California where I'll be presenting my journey through the Americas at the Overland Rally. Are you interested in traveling the world by car/truck/van/motorcycle/bicycle then this is the event for you. So, if you're in the Bay Area between September 23 and 26, sign on up and check out the rally.



After the Overland Rally I'm headed south to Mexico! Wooo Hooo! I'll be riding down the Baja Peninsula and then crossing over to the mainland where I'll be riding for 5 weeks. While south of the border I'll be filming for a How To Guide for Motorcycling in Mexico. I'm super excited about this project and hope to inspire others to go and ride their dream. Check out the website at Motorcycle Mexico. Interested in following the new journey? Then sign-up for email updates by clicking here. When I make it back home at the beginning of November I'll have put on another 10,000 miles. Anyone headed south and interested in sharing some tacos and cerveza?



Ride & Explore!

-Ben