Hmm cost estimate? ....some long distance dreaming.

[lonesoldier84]

Ohh yeah & Lone , down under we speak 'Stralian so you'll hafta learn some local lingo before you arrive :thumbup:

Nah, I'll just speak gibberish and make up words of my own. That's the root of "Stralian as you well know, so you will find me more competent than even some of your native speakers.

An' if youj aren that believadongle, then why you is wackier than a willie bam. Sure is.

 

[Hellgate]

In the words/vain of Frank Zappa..."Shut up and bike your bike!"

 

[lonesoldier84]

In the words/vain of Frank Zappa..."Shut up and bike your bike!"

Ha! Says the man not trapped in a cubicle all day. Sometimes the only riding you can do is via the net.

Finally home.....

FREEEDOMMMM!!!!

 

[jtarkany]

Lone, I've no doubt that not only will you do this trip in my life time but, like a Sikh, Canadian, Kwai Chang Caine, armed with spiritual serenity, mad engineering skills and highly developed sense of social responsibility, you will fight to insure justice and balance in the lives of the many poor and desperate souls that you will encounter along the way. You won't need a budget as the unwashed masses that benefit from their interaction with you (specially the Stralians) will not only feed you, but fill your tank with whatever the local equivalent of moonshine is :thumbup:

Can't wait to see the ride reports

 

[Popeye70]

This is one epic travel plan! :rockon: Make sure to cover it well with photos, movies and written text. I guess it must be easy to sell travel reports to international bike mags as you go along to fund some of your expenses.

A few tips for the road:
- Points 6-8 will be covered by watching Discovery Channel extensively. ;-)
- Make sure you visit Scandinavia in summer (June-August) for best chance of good weather. Riding is possible until late October/early November when the snow starts falling.
- Riding around the coast of Iceland is is done on the Route 1 (the Ring Road of Iceland). I guess it is open all year, but it will be very cold anytime other than in the summer months, I guess (with emphasis on "guess").

Make sure you book meet-and-greets with forum members along the route. Not only for the fun of it, but we can act as a safety net if something happens. We know the local customs, what to buy and where, what to see, and we can assist if you need road side assistance.

Keep us oriented as the pieces fall into place. :thumbup:

 

[The Toecutter]

In the words/vain of Frank Zappa..."Shut up and bike your bike!"

I totaly agree!! just do what Forest Gump did (except on your bike) [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHJHdNe02ik]YouTube - forest gump[/ame] when you run out of money find a job.... pick vegtables,sweep a floor,wash some dishes,feed some cows,and get back on the road....no need to plan that takes all the adventure out of it... :rockon:

 

[The Toecutter]

Oh yea allmost forgot get your imunazation shots updated and any extras the can recomend for a world wide trip!!! :rockon:

 

[lonesoldier84]

Lol, thanks gents, but this is all a ways down the road. I'm just trying to direct my life in that direction and for now I just want to try to start the actual logistical planning and turn a random daydream into something that is being actively pursued. It's always just been wishful thinking but I know I can turn it into a reality eventually. Just need to direct my life in that direction and plan for it. This thread has all been just me thinking out loud and bouncing ideas off whoever will listen about what sorts of things I need to do now to get the ball rolling.

I've already spoken with my work people about being transferred to their office in north west India. Reason for that is, financially, it might make a ton more sense to do this route in legs. Moving to north west India for 2 or 3 years in a couple years could give me a great launch point for Africa, the Middle East, and the Himalayan area. A 6 month riding trip leaving from India would be very cost effective and so many amazing places would be in range. It is very central to much of the eastern routes on the agenda. Plus this way I would have more money to do the humanitarian stuff. I don't know. Down the road in terms of planning.

But the office in India has been very receptive to taking me on down the line if I pad certain areas of my resume. So that's another reason I've been taking these Civil Engineering classes and going after that diploma.

In the meantime, right now the plan is:

2011 - Mexico to pad foreign riding experience, and more camping excursions close to home to get the hang of roughing it a bit more.

2012 - South America for 3 months. Would be nice to make the southern tip over 3 months then ship the bike back and fly back after route is complete. But as long as I make it to Chile I'll be happy.

2013 - Save money and play it close to home.

2014 - Depends on what happens with the transfer to India. This is the general timeframe where I want to launch the really long range stuff. I could just as easily spend 2014-2016 on the road continuously if it is financially feasible. But that's something to be thought of in more detail down the road.


But for now, I just have to play it one step at a time. I wish I could just bugger off but if I did that I would return to my life which would be in shambles. If I set this up properly and lay a foundation now for future buggering-off, I could bugger off and return to a life which would allow me stability when I get back. Bugger!

 

[The Toecutter]

I was thinkin the Fz6 would need some off road modifications to make it through Mexico,and any 3rd world country realy....they don't have much for infrastructer,and pot holes big enough to swallow a car!!! :BLAA: :rockon:

 

[lonesoldier84]

I was thinkin the Fz6 would need some off road modifications to make it through Mexico,and any 3rd world country realy....they don't have much for infrastructer,and pot holes big enough to swallow a car!!! :BLAA: :rockon:

Won't be taking the FZ. Buying a second machine before next season starts. Eyeing a couple different models/type of bike but looking for one @ the right price before I pull the trigger.

Still a good chance it'll be a road bike though. Even still, I've been doing my research on roads in Mexico and what to expect. Been doing some preliminary route planning once in Mexico. There are quite a few decent roads down there, even if potholes are to be watched out for. Most of the places I want to hit on the next trip can be reached by paved roads 80% of the time.

 

[Jez]

Don't overcomplicate things, would be my advice. Yes, mechanical knowledge is handy, as is a bit of first aid, but you don't need to go nuts on it. Same with languages - basic phrasebooks will usually see you though. Pack light - too many people take too much then ditch half of it.

You're never too old. This guy is still going into his 70s:
old man on a bike

 

[08fz6]

you need to find some sponsors for your trip and fill up your bike with decals and logos of them, usualy new tv stations, banks, whiskey and such companies do this kind of sponsorships but you need the guts to go and ask for it, also you need to convince them that they are gonna be advertised of you, your bike, and your trip. anyway if you manage to get to Greece just pm me!!!!! i have a spare gorilla cage and plenty of bananas to begin with !

Like this guy