Cruising across continents
A man from Calgary, Alberta, is traversing the Americas on his bike
By trade, I am a sprinkler fitter-nothing renowned or extravagant. I am not rich and successful and I don't have a huge savings to draw from. At 29, I started a trip across Canada to Prince Edward Island on a KTM dirt bike. Canada is a big, beautiful, bilingual country but the plan was to see more. Continents more.
Taking the scenic route: Jeff Sherren's bike trip through the Americas has led him across a wide variety of landscape and terrain; in the photo, Sherren is riding in Baja, Mexico. —photo by Paul Michaud
Jeff Sherren's photo galleryBetween a mixture of riding around Canada and a few paychecks, I was ready to see the U.S. In Nelson, B.C., I met a pretty German travelling around the world. A BMW 1200 GS was lent to me and I joined her for an off-road trip covering the Trans-America Trail. After a crash on a logging road, I ended up sleeping on the sidewalk of a BMW dealership in Oregon. We rode northern California when the Aspens were changing colour. We were lucky enough to be in an electrical/hail/rain storm in the Nevada desert. We crossed Utah, off-road, after a record flood. In the middle of October we made a valiant effort crossing the 3300 meter, snow covered Ophir Pass in Colorado. Amazed with the fire arm carrying, bullet-belted people in Arizona, we took pavement back to California were I later did a tour of Napa Valley and Humboldt County up to Seattle, Washington, on a Honda Trans Alp 600.
I left Vancouver, Canada, in December with my friend Paul Michaud, owner of a BMW 1150 GS. We rode a windy Californian coast south to Mexico. On the dirt and rock roads in the dust bowl of Baja my KTM felt at home, even with luggage. While camping in a riverbed in a town named Boca, I met a secretary of a BMW dealership. She recognized me as the homeless guy sleeping on the sidewalk from a few months earlier in Oregon.
I continued south while Paul spent a good, long time on the warm, white beaches of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. A Slinky is straighter than the coastal road MEX 200. An obscene amount of crosses lined the route. Reminders to ride cautiously. We all know Mexico is a Spanish-speaking country but if a road is washed off a mountain and you get lost in southern Mexico, you will find out that some places don't speak Spanish. There are about 20 Mayan dialects still commonly spoken. They understood gasolina and pointed me south toward Guatemala.
In Guatemala, I went to Tikal, a very well restored site of the Mayan Civilization. Everything is as expected-a sweet smelling tropical rain forest, towering grey stone pyramids, howling monkeys and colorful Toucans. While lost in the highlands of Guatemala, I broke down in Fray Barthome de Las Casas. I had an entourage of people following me as I pushed my bike through town. A new friend took the next day off work to help me find a part for my bike.
Taking directions from a man in Guatemala, I headed to Honduras. Again lost, I ended up in El Salvador.
After nearly losing my shoes in a morning robbery, I went to Leon, Nicaragua. I met another fellow Canadian motorcyclist named Ron Seida. We shared stories for a few days and exchanged e-mail addresses. I stayed in Leon for two weeks, becoming friends with my Salsa teacher. She was a fountain of information regarding the culture in Leon. Between my streak of adventure-seeking and her recommendations, I was going from volcano hikes to classic music concerts in the same day.
The highway out of Nicaragua was dirt and had one-metre ruts. The highway also had police who made up traffic laws and fined motorists for infractions. I made friends in the lush cloud forests of Costa Rica and watched Volcan Arenal spew lava at night.
On a beach in Panama, I learned how to cook typical coastal food from some friendly locals. A well paved highway brought me to Panama City. There, busses enter art competitions-they are painted by graffiti artists, blessed by Jesus and don't have working brake lights. Easily noted from a motorcycle are the round corners adorning all the vehicles. You don't signal here, just bump the other cars. I got off the street as fast as I could and found passage to Colombia via a small Italian sail boat. I contacted fellow motorcycle adventurist Ron and informed him of the transport. We sailed through the San Blas Islands, stopping to eat lobster, sit on the beach and drink wine. We arrived in Colombia eight days later.
Having read of the dangers of Colombia, Ron and I planned a five-day speed run to Ecuador. It did not happen. We both spent about four months in Colombia. It has been the most beautiful country of my journey. There are hot Caribbean coasts, wonderful colonial towns horribly reminiscent of slave trading and the inquisition, dry desert-like planes and three mountain ranges traversed by winding dirt and paved roads. In the eternal Spring of Medellin, flowers are constantly in bloom, people invite you to stay in their house and a motorcycle repair shop, Moto Angel, rebuilt my engine free of charge simply because I was visiting their Colombia. I will never forget the warmth of Colombia.
I have now passed the equator in Ecuador riding a single-cylinder dirt bike. Still, only an hour from here past a field of pyroclastic debris I found snow while riding up Volcan Cotopaxi. A short flight to the Galapagos Islands allowed me to experience a cancer-inducing sun burn, swimming with marine turtles and looking face-to-face with a sea lion.
I still have several more countries to experience in South America. If I don't get lost, I'll be in Patagonia for Christmas. I now have a passport full of stamps, I am almost 31 and nearly fluent in Spanish. I will soon have a big decision to make: will the next ride be in Australia, Africa or Europe?
Motorcycle key contacts
Sicamous B.C.
H20 Motor Sports
Located in Sicamous, near some of B.C.'s favourite sledding areas, H20 Motor Sports is the place to go for all your sledding needs.
Whether you are looking for the ultimate touring machine or the most extreme mountain machine, we've got it all!. We are a Bombardier Ski-Doo dealer and specialize in sales and service of the best products Ski-Doo has to offer.
As a recognized platinum dealer, our in-house machining capabilities allow us to provide you with unbeatable service. In addition we have a snowmobile engine dyno complete with Dynomax software, weather station and brake specific fuel flow. We are avid sled enthusiasts and regularly test all our machines, products and accessories to make sure they perform as claimed.
Grizzly Ridge Honda
Situated at Slave Lake, Alberta, Grizzly Ridge Honda is your premier Honda dealer. Our huge inventory features all the latest and greatest sport, utility and youth ATVs, as well as Honda cruisers/Vtwin, dirt bikes, scooters and street bikes; browse our selection of pre-owned products to find your next nearly-new machine. Our parts and accessories department is equipped with the latest equipment and dress-up items on the market.
At Grizzly Ridge Honda, we have a rock-solid reputation of providing excellent service, support and satisfaction. We pride ourselves on giving our customers the best service available, the best parts and accessories, and a staff that understands all aspects of our business.
Grizzly Ridge Honda
DAWSON CREEK, BC
Welcome to Mile Zero Motorsports
We carry a selection of 4 wheelers and ATVs. Your needs may range from the hunting machine to the all-out racing ATV. Come and check out our Honda off-road and street motorcycles. We also carry a large selection of parts and accessories that include gun racks, coolers and pretty much any dress-up item you require. At Mile Zero Motorsports, service is everything and with experienced technical staff and a well-equipped facility, Mile Zero Motorsports is capable of servicing all of the products we sell.
Mile Zero Motorsports
B&F Sales & Service Ltd.
Your Honda headquarters
At B&F Sales & Service Ltd., located in Grand Forks, B.C., we specialize in superior customer service. Our large supply of Honda products includes ATVs, motorcycles, lawn and garden wares, generators, snowblowers, walk-behind mowers and water pumps.
Equipped with a fully stocked parts department, we'll help you find all the accessories and dress-up items you've been searching for. Our qualified technicians are ready and willing to help with any question or concern you may have.
Let our friendly sales staff and competitive service be the reasons why you choose B&F Sales & Service Ltd. for all your recreation needs.
B&F Sales & Service Ltd.
Greater Vancouver Powersports
At Greater Vancouver Powersports, you will find a huge selection of BRP's newest Ski-Doos, from the ever-popular Summit to the ultimate touring machine—and everything in between. Our full-service shop and highly equipped technicians are happy to provide assistance and answer any technical questions you may have. Be sure to check out our hugely expanded showroom and find any accessory or dress-up item you require.
We are an all-season powersports dealer and carry a massive selection of ATVs, PWCs, motorcycles and boats. So if you are in the market for a new toy, seeking the perfect accessory or need some technical help, head to Greater Vancouver Powersports for a superb selection and superior customer service.
Greater Vancouver Powersports#1 18565 96th AveSurrey, BC V4N 3P7, CanadaPHONE: (604) 888-8700
Alpine Country Rentals Ltd.
Explore the alpine
Home to breathtaking scenery, spectacular views and plenty of wildlife, the mountains around Valemount are an outdoor enthusiast's dream. Let Alpine Country Rentals Ltd. take you into the heart of this beautiful country. We offer two- and 3.5-hour ATV tours with experienced guides. Custom, private and more challenging tours are available upon request. For the adventurous who want to explore on their own, Alpine Country Rentals provides hourly and daily ATV rentals. Call now to book a tour or rent a machine and prepare for the experience of a lifetime.
Alpine Country Rentals