What a mistake!! =) Kidding. The Vstrom would likely be the bike I'd buy if I were to go adventure touring. Maybe test the dark side in a BMW 800 but that would would take some serious persuasion and guilt.

Baja can be traveled with nice paved roads but IMO, you'll miss much of it. With that said, I don't know if I'd want to attempt some of the other alternatives on a heavy bike.. Still not difficult but it would beat your machine pretty good. Those roads are ROUGH. Often taking the side roads/trails/ditches are smoother and where I spent most of my time, but then you can run into deep sand, and worse yet the deep pea sized gravel. Oh.. and the 4' high whoops made by the Baja trucks. These are only on side trails though.

You could still do the San Falipe - Alfonsinia's loop if you don't mind rough roads and some sand. Guys on GS12's do it. Same with some of the roads around Mike's Sky Ranch.

Don't let me scare you off. There are definite benefits to venturing off the tarmac. Really depends on your set-up, and desire to ride it. Otherwise I could suggest riding the salt flats west of San Ignacio. From what I remember it was mostly easy and quite interesting. Not sure if this changes with season though...(soupy and wet!). When we rolled through in Feb it was like buttery smooth pavement and had no issues riding off the road onto the flats although that sucked the gas back pretty quick, it was pretty fun!

With this info I assume you have never been. If you know Baja, please ignore it =)

I'll be attempting to once again ride it all off-road.

This doesn't have to stop us from meeting up though. I'd be interested in meeting someplace for a beer and bite. Discuss routes, travel plans, etc. I'm hoping to bump into people at some point with a similar plan as me. At the very least bump into others going across at La Paz.

Hi Motoman, My wife and are heading to TDF as well from Canada leaving mid/late October. Would like to get a dialog with you.
We are on a gs1200. I have been to the Baja before and we will ride the mainland through Mexico.
I do not have enough messages to PM you.
Mark

Travel South
 

Markandjan,
Since I just got an '04 Wee Strom, I'm having to outfit it to leave for long term travel and it will take me to late October to be ready. I have to wait for title and driver's license to come through also. Have passport and Mexican insurance.

I'm very flexible as to route and I could catch up down in Mexico.
I have no deadlines nor strong preferences. I would like to stop for a couple days in Costa Rica to visit family and friends.

Sounds good. There still may be a few of us leaving around the same time.

When I get my stuff in order I'll probably be PM'ing some of you for contact information. I'll also have Skype eventually. It's nice to know somebody is in the general vicinity and can lend a helping hand or simply somebody to gain info / speak english with once in awhile.

My general timeline will have me in LaPaz middle to end of Novemeber. Really depends how much time I take to explore things. Then likely crossing over to Mazatlan and then up to Durango and south before coming back to the coast.

Santa Fe NM to Baja and south Dec 1-
 

Leaving Santa Fe 1st week of December or last week of November to Baja for a month, then on to Guatemala slowly.

If snowing here in SF, will rent/share a Uhaul maybe to Tucson ?

Zig

I as well will be leaving later than hoped. Headed out of Co on Nov 4th heading to Baja then taking the pacific coast all the way down to chile then to Argentina where I will ship bike and self to South Africa around April-May. Would love to meet up and ridewith all different riders. I will be riding a 09 klr650. Fletch
Home Page

Sounds like you will be a week behind me, and approx 2 weeks behind another Calgarian who left this Monday to the HU meeting in Cali (Brad, you can find a post of his on here. Riding a Vstrom 650). I'm sure after that meeting there will be a pulse of riders ahead of us heading south.

You'll probably catch me in Baja somewhere if I poke around and explore a bit. Once I get to Baja I will slow down. Check out some Missionaries, try new trails, hang with the surfers like a bum, and get lost.

Hope to do ~300 mile days from Moab- Grand Canyon - South. Off road of course so I imagine some of that will be back tracking =)

PM me your info of estimated leave/direction and maybe we can meet up for a beer somewhere.

Hi everybody.

We (my girlfriend Irena and I) are on a RTW starting from Croatia on two road bikes Yamaha FZ6 and Moto Guzzi Breva 750. We are writing some sort of a diary on Earth on wheels - Earth on wheels so take a look.

We are already here in NY but have some problems with customs etc but if all goes well we'll get our bikes this Friday and then we'll head down the East coast (Florida, cost of Mexico gulf) and then Mexico and further south. We would really like to group with someone when we get somewhere near Mexico border since everybody here in NY is saying that it can get quite dangerous...

We've been looking around this thread but we didn't know when we'll get our bikes so we didn't contact anyone. What are your final plans? Maybe we can catch up with some of you since we don't have any hard set plans. We would maybe just visit our Croatian friends in Miami...

Update
 

markandjan should have left, or are just about to leave BC. I'm about a week from being ready. That puts the three of us crossing from AZ into Mexico about Oct 28.
Anybody else around? :welcome:

hi folks.

I'm headed to Argentina albeit slowly; I'm currently in Puerto Escondido; but you can track my progress here: SPOT Shared Page

I'd love to meet up with others on the trip.

Best,
David

Hey Jeff,

We'll be heading in the opposite direction, heading down the East coast of Argentina while you are coming up, or heading up the Chilean coast as you come down. Either way, might be nice to meet up and have a beer? Our details are on our website adelaidetoanchorage.com or contact me at adelaidetoanchorage@gmail.com and we'll put the wheels in motion...

Cheers.

Mick, Adelaide Australia

Hi guys, are you still in NY? We are having a little Horizons Unlimited get together next week if you would like to join us. It will be in Brooklyn.

Is anyone leaving a bit later? Two of us are considering NYC-Brazil for new years. Estimates on time from the Mexican border to Brazil is roughly 3-4 weeks. Does that sound right to everyone?

Considering you have a week just to cross the Darien Gap... probably not.


BTW, I'm crossing into Baja tomorrow. Will be ready tonight for an early departure! Hope to do lots of back roads after Alfonsenia's (SP?)

Heading South
 

Shibby where are you now? I´m in Nicaragua and will be in Costa Rica today.