Thoughts of 5 lanes of traffic, roundabouts and everything else entailed in urban riding generally does not evoke a positive image. But with the correct vehicle and attitude it can entertain quite well. Though it should be noted that this thrill is confined to foreign travels where traffic laws are less strict. With 6 million inhabitants, Guadalajara provided an ideal training ground for our first true urban adventure. It began after meeting a friendly local motorcyclist who

It is an odd quirk of traveling but conversing in a foreign language allows touchy subjects to become more approachable. Either the culture is just more open or they figure your ten words of Spanish provide the perfect backdrop for spilling their guts. Regardless, tales of mistresses, war and shattered childhoods have all been spilled on me through painfully slow conversations. Possessing a very limited vocabulary somehow forces a very blunt honesty. Simply because you can't

The boarder between Guatemala and Mexico marks drastic changes both in the geography and the people. Lush, rugged mountains rise up quickly as if God himself paid credence to the future political boundaries. Much of the terrain is too steep for walking let alone farming. Though where the land is accessible, carrot, beats, bananas, corn and some of the world’s best coffee can be found. Oddly most the locals can't afford to drink their own harvest opting instead for the cheaper

In between spoonfuls of spinach soup and the ever present maize I inquire about the local school system. While the government calls it 'free', after one factors in uniforms, books, supplies, etc. the cost is out of reach for many Guatemaltecos. This could account for the 37% rate of illiteracy. Through deeper probing I discover Mariah could attend a private school for about the price of one lift ticket per month. Obviously a very good student, it is painful to contemplate the

One would imagine piloting a motorcycle at 70 mph would have a pleasantly cooling effect. While this holds true at more reasonable temperatures, when the mercury marches upward a distinctly opposite reaction occurs. Much of Mexico could be classifieds in this department and I hold no affinity for it. Wind, by itself is simply an instrument of change. If the temperature of the moving air is colder than your skin, the wind merely increases the rate of which the heat is pulled f

They call them coyotes. For some they are nothing less than the pearly gates of heaven. Decent wages, medical care and more than anything, simple opportunity awaits those who slip through the hollowed entrance. But for the average Mexican this lies not in puffy white clouds, but in the barb wire hills strung across the hills of the southern United States. California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas form a porous and enticing frontier to those with enough money and huevos. And

Santa Cruz, CA / February 3rd, 2003 Finally we are on our way and already experiencing some warm weather. I am sick today with a cold from all the northwest weather riding that we encountered getting down here as well as the lack of sleep from two nights ago. That's something worth writing about. As we entered California on Saturday afternoon we were greeted with a terribly dark cloud that stretched across the horizon like an iron curtain. "You ready for this" i asked Jim t

Our ride begins with classic Seattle weather, 35 degrees and raining. "At least we'll appreciate Baja after this" I naively offer to Steve. Although a bit demoralizing to start this way, we suit up in our new Gore-Tex and head out. The good-byes are uneventful as we've been leaving tomorrow for the last two weeks. Fortunately the rain never turns to snow and we slip over Snoqualmie pass on I-90 unscathed. But night falls quickly and the foolishness of setting out at 4:00pm i

Well, looks like we'll be heading out finally on Wednesday morning and take a fairly direct route to California despite our previous plans of spending time in Oregon volunteering at Young Life's Wild Horse Canyon. Young Life has done an amazing job of making that place into a youth camp and hopefully we'll have time on the return to check out the progress on that place. I'm sure the biking would be pretty sweet also, but we'll hit that up after the journey south. These last f