¿¿Why Take the Risk??

That seems to be a question I encounter more and more frequently.  Why do you ride off on a motorcycle to those dangerous locations?  Why do you camp when you could just stay in hotels?  What if something happens to you and you die somewhere out there?
To the folks and family out there that don’t travel, I’m not sure I could adequately describe it to you.  Travel is in my blood.  My mother was basically a gypsy, loving to travel.  When I travel, I feel alive.  I am alive!
Traveling on a motorcycle puts you out there amongst the elements and amongst the people.  Amongst the smells and sights you can only have on a motorcycle.  I’ve ridden a motorcycle all my life.  It’s my preferred means of travel.  By the time I entered Round the World travel, I had ridden a motorcycle throughout Mexico, Canada and every state in the United States.  Years ago I read a book called Jupiter’s Travels, by Ted Simon, which fueled my desire to travel the world. 
In 2012 I went to a Horizon’s Unlimited meeting in California.  I listened to tales of the road, from travelers who had ridden the world.  It excited me to my core.  One afternoon I found myself seated at a picnic table with iconic travelers Ted Simon, Sam Manicom and Al Jesse.  We drank a couple bottles of red wine.  I listened to stories I could only dream of.  Little did I know they would become lifelong friends.  Little did I know that we would also ride to locations that they talked about and I dreamed of. 
For the past 14 years we have been on the road riding.  We have ridden on six continents and more exotic locations that I can believe.  I’ve met and have friends, thanks to social media, that I keep in touch with from all corners of the planet.  I have been stranded and helped by strangers that didn’t speak my language, didn’t know my country and didn’t have much.  They were always interested where I came from but I never felt judged by the color of my skin or my spirituality.  They have given me the only bed in the house and whatever food they had for the family when I joined them to eat.  They have helped us any way they could.  Through all those thousands of miles riding exposed, I have never felt fear.  Only kindness. 
This morning we depart again to ride through South America.  We have dots on a paper map.  Things we would like to see and places we would like to visit.  We don’t have a return ticket because we don’t know where we will end up, or where.  We have ideas, nothing more.  That’s part of the excitement.  Not really knowing where we will go or whom we will meet.  Follow along if you wish and wish for us a fantastic and memorable ride.