Entries by allan

Washington, DC – My Homecoming

Sure. The current government administration hasn’t fared nor treated us Americans well. Our president is stuggling to make sense of his legacy and our country’s top political parties have finally chosen their candidates and appointed vice presidential running mates. We are living in exciting and strange times. So before pulling up my temporary roots here […]

Putting The Pieces Back Together

I’ve been set back quite a bit by the breach and thievery that happened either in Turkey or on the WWL ship. But I can’t dwell on it other than sadly note that the only theft that occurred to me on this nearly three year journey happened after I had left the bike for its […]

WorldRider Get Together in DC This Weekend.

Does anyone want to meet in Washington, DC / Virginia this weekend? I just picked up my bike from the Port of Baltimore and will be at my brother Jonathan’s place this weekend. On Saturday we’re holding an informal “open house” welcoming me and Doc back to the states. We’d love to have you drop […]

Back In The U.S.A.

The Marine Memorial – aka Iwa Jima in Virginia across the Potomac. Brother Jon & good friend Tim, who met me in Argentina and Chile in 2006 sitting atop Charlie Palmer’s in Washington DC with a nearly full moon and the usual “hill” sites while sipping some legendary Italian Vin Santo. A good ole BBQ […]

Welcome Back to USA: Disaster & Ripped Off.

Well, it should have been an easy task. First, get my brother Jon to take some time and shuttle me up to the Port of Baltimore, where Doc would be waiting for me. I had locked my boots, helmet, and riding pants into the top box and Jesse Bags. My jacket was sent ahead for […]

Hassles at the Port of Derince

Sebile (a woman) at Yakin Dogu Deniz Acenteligi instructed me to bring the bike to the Port of Derince, which is about 45 minutes from Istanbul on the Marmara Sea. Though my schedule ship would not leave for about a week, I figured that the bike would be safer in the hands at the port […]

Istanbul (not Constantinople!)

Istanbul is crammed with so much great architecture, history, people, food and art that it’s impossible to explain it all. So better to just explain my feelings. In 2002 I had this crazy idea that I’d ride around the world on a motorcycle. Maybe it wasn’t so crazy but it was long a dream to […]

The Price of Gas? Come on!

I’m finding Turkey to be perhaps the most expensive country I’ve visited on this journey. I guess that’s the western European economy bleeding over into the most western part of Asia from this side of the globe. In the USA everyone is up in arms about the price of gas – petrol, fuel, benzine – […]

The Arduous Process of Getting Home

After numerous e-mails and phone calls to more than a dozen shipping and air-freight brokers, I’ve found a way to get Doc home for a reasonable price. Thanks to the good folks at Yakin Dogu Deniz Acenteligi A.S in Istanbul who were referred to me by Wallenius Wilhelmsen Lines (WWL), I’m arranging to have my […]

Longing for better roads?

I remember days in Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Malawi and even Namibia and Sudan just wishing and dreaming of nice sweeping turns on pavement roads. But you know what? I miss those places. The roads too. The more I ride and the more obstacles I overcome and those fears I confront, I build more confidence […]