The northern Peruvian dessert is one of the most miserable stretches of the planet I have ever seen. Photo: Alex Washburn / Element.ly
Pineapple vendor on the side of the road in Mexico. These small pineapples created the most delicious juice we had ever tasted. Photo: Alex Washburn / Element.ly
This was our second day of riding on the Baja Peninsula - when our riding suits were still black! Photo: Alex Washburn / Element.ly
A woman carries marigolds traditionally used for Dia De Los Muertos decorations through the town of Xoxocotlan Mexico on October 31, 2013. Photo: Alex Washburn / Element.ly
Nathaniel floats in Cenote Samula in southern Mexico.
Nathaniel takes a last look at Ecuador as we prepare to ride the last bit of pavement into Peru. Photo: Alex Washburn / Element.ly
Riding the Bolivian Death Road was one of the motorcycle related highlights of the trip. It was not as scary as we had imagined although in 2006 one estimate stated that 200 to 300 travellers were killed yearly along the road.Photo: Alex Washburn / Element.ly
Protestors carry a faux coffin adorned with Peruvian President Ollanta Humala’s name, photos and a dead rat in the Plaza De Armas of Cusco, Peru before setting it on fire on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2014. Thousands of gathered from various regions of Peru to protest corruption within the Peruvian government and prevented traffic from flowing through the city. Photo: Alex Washburn / Element.ly
Between La Plata and Popayan Colombia we found the Staleticia waterfall. We pulled over without discussing it and just stopped to appreciate it for a minute. Photo: Alex Washburn / Element.ly
An overall photo of the central portion of Otavalo Ecuador's Saturday market. It is particularly well known for textiles. Photo: Alex Washburn / Element.ly
A Brazilian girl dances for her boyfriend’s camera on the Salar de Uyuni. Tourists usually bring props to play with the strange perspective the salt flat creates so I found this especially ethereal. Photo: Alex Washburn / Element.ly
The Plaza Mayor in Valle De Leyva Colombia is one of the biggest plazas in the Americas. It’s a huge open cobblestone square with a small fountain in the middle and a handful of eateries on its edges. Photo: Alex Washburn / Element .ly
One of the motorcycle related highlights of our trip was riding off road with a collection of a dozen plus locals in Bogota Colombia. I managed to fall four times that day but both the bike and I held up. Photo: Alex Washburn / Element.ly
Somewhere along the 'coastal highway' in Belize. Ironically the road is neither coastal nor a highway. What is is is very muddy and beautiful. Photo: Alex Washburn / Element.ly
Arepas are a national staple in Colombia and the contents differ greatly depending on the region. However, the arepas con jamon y queso in Cartagena were our favorite. Photo: Alex Washburn / Element.ly
Yup. It's Machu Pichu. Alex Washburn / Element.ly
Casa Del Sombrero is a Cuencan (Ecuadorian) institution and sells some of the finest Panama hats in the world. Photo: Alex Washburn / Element.ly
After 60 miles of an awful dirt stretch of Ruta 40 Nathaniel was so thankful to reach pavement. Photo: Alex Washburn / Element.ly
I journeyed 15 hours round trip from San Jose Costa Rica to the sloth sanctuary of Costa Rica to pet the baby sloths. I ended up renting a car, destroying the clutch and battling a german GPS in the rain. Photo: Alex Washburn / Element.ly
This was the last river of a 4 stream, 3 river crossing day in Costa Rica. It was one of the roughest days of the entire trip and we were please Nathaniel's dad was there to witness it. Photo: David Chaney / Element.ly
Alejandro, the only mechanic of Tecka Argentina tells us about Yerba Mate as he putters about his shop fixing a hole in my bike's radiator. Alex Washburn / Element.ly
Nearing the end of our trip Nathaniel and I ran really short on gas crossing Tierra Del Fuego from Argentina to Chile and back again. Coincidentally we filled the tanks up in front of a mine field. Alex Washburn / Element.ly
Today is not the day I graduated college, the day I met my significant other or even the day I got my first grown-up job out of college.
Today marks one year since Nathaniel Chaney and I officially ditched the corporate life, climbed onto our Kawasaki KLR 650 motorcycles and started riding south to where the Autopista Ends. We had only been riding motorcycles for a few months but when we purchased the bikes it was with the intent of riding to South America.
Ushuaia, Tierra Del Fuego, Argentina is the southern most city in the world you can arrive to by vehicle and to get there you must drive through some of what are arguably the most dangerous countries in the world.
When Nathaniel first blurted out the idea for the trip one night I thought for a few moments and said “Yeah, okay.” The next day I was researching bikes for the journey and checking out visa requirements. The rest, is history.
The number one question we get about the trip: Did you have any problems?
Answer: Nope.
After 7.5 months, 15,500 miles and over a dozen countries we had one flat tire and zero problems with police, locals or fellow travelers.
Achievement doesn’t have to come in the form of a paycheck or things. The greatest achievements in life are not going to be handed to you. Reach out, take them, screw the things.