Jammin is at it again. This time it's more epic than ever!

[Wanderer]

No, I think he's just got balls the size of planets, and would rather live for today than worry about the future.  

based on what I've read about him (his postings) he lives simply.    
The setup post for this ride, posted over on ADV mentions him literally selling everything that didn't fit on the KLR. I imagine he just saves his pennies, and when he is logistically prepared, sells the junk he doesn't need, pockets the cash and takes off.  I'm way jealous.  I love my life, but envy his ability to do these things.

[Mrs. DantesDame]

based on what I've read about him (his postings) he lives simply.    
The setup post for this ride, posted over on ADV mentions him literally selling everything that didn't fit on the KLR. I imagine he just saves his pennies, and when he is logistically prepared, sells the junk he doesn't need, pockets the cash and takes off.  I'm way jealous.  I love my life, but envy his ability to do these things.

I seriously considered doing this a few years ago. I calculated how much money I'd have if I sold everything but the KLR and what got packed on it. Figured how much I could live on a day and how long that would keep me on the road. But after the money ran out... what then? I'd have nothing to come back to. That made me uncomfortable, so while I respect those who do it, its not something I could do easily.

[Orson]

That "Lois on the Loose" gal over on Horizons Unlimited wasn't wealthy, yet she managed several years on the road, and I think she's planning another trip.

[rgbeard]

I seriously considered doing this a few years ago. I calculated how much money I'd have if I sold everything but the KLR and what got packed on it. Figured how much I could live on a day and how long that would keep me on the road. But after the money ran out... what then? I'd have nothing to come back to. That made me uncomfortable, so while I respect those who do it, its not something I could do easily.

Maybe I'm thinking about this at too deep a level, but I can't help it.

re-entering the workforce/society/etc after 2 years off the "radar".  I would think that would have challenges.  Just one example is, most apartment complexes want a referral before they rent to you.

Time to quit thinking about this one -  

[TuffguyF4i]

Well, i'm married with a house and kiddo on the way.  I'm on the 'radar' even if i don't want to be.    

I wouldn't have it any other way, though.    I'm too much of a homebody to disappear on the road for more than a few weeks.  I'd miss my wife and dog too much.

[5OUTTA6]

Is this guy independantly wealthy or what?    

God bless and safe travels bud!!  

I met a guy at a Guzi meet in Bodega Bay a few years ago. He was on the road semi-permanent. He said he lived on Social Security and since it was direct deposit, all he needed was a PO box (to get other mail) and an ATM card.

[Scoop]

Maybe I'm thinking about this at too deep a level, but I can't help it.

re-entering the workforce/society/etc after 2 years off the "radar".  I would think that would have challenges.  Just one example is, most apartment complexes want a referral before they rent to you.

Time to quit thinking about this one -  

If you think long and hard enough, you can come up with a billion reasons why you shouldn't take such a step.  Then you won't do it.  Which is why the vast majority sit at work and read reports like Jammin's.  Don't know if we (wife and I) have the cojones to go that far off the grid, but we are in the process of setting up a simpler life that will allow us the latitude to satisfy wanderlust while still remaining just a tad responsible to our family

[Jmac_bandit]

Maybe I'm thinking about this at too deep a level, but I can't help it.

re-entering the workforce/society/etc after 2 years off the "radar".  I would think that would have challenges.  Just one example is, most apartment complexes want a referral before they rent to you.

Time to quit thinking about this one -  

As someone who returned about a year ago now from a nine month trip abroad it amazes me how people react to the fact that you have no job for a year or don't have recent references for job apps or apartment apps.  And that was only nine months gone with full time employment right up to before I left.  

It's just silly to me and oddly frustrating that our US culture treats any traveling for more than business or a floating hotel cruise for a week as such an oddity.

[Jammin]

Hey ST.Ners,
Thanks for all the well wishes and thanks for posting this here. I intended to post an intro thread to my ride here before departing, but as you can imagine, it was crazy hectic hitting the road and then I forgot about it. Sorry. Acadian Rider posted on my thread in ADV and I came back here.

Should I post some updates in this thread or start a new ride report thread? I suggest following along on ADV or thru facebook since that will be more current.

Let me answer a few questions:

COOL, thanks for the heads-up Doug.  
I'll tell you what, "no flys on that boys butt". I wonder if he kidnapped took RickC1957 with him, I know how much Rick likes to ruff-it  
His Alasaka report was awesome, this one should be epic.

Hey Sam, Rick thought about joining me on this ride, but he was at a different point in his life and is enjoying other interests now, like flying and skiing. Plus, he'd be griping about all the camping I've been doing

Looks like a very dangerous road trip too given the instabilities in the world right now and negative
attitudes towards americans. Good luck to him, but I'd be sticking with some riding in more civilized regions.

Jay is not American.  

Yup, I'm an Indian citizen, but was studying and working in the States for the past 10 years.

That's true, there're probably dangerous sections of this trip, but you know one thing that I've gotten confirmation on: people are scared of what they don't know. In Guatemala, a gang packing pistols joined me for lunch in a roadside shack and asked if I wasn't scared to travel through scary Mexico with the cartel war going on. In Ecuador, they warned me of the dangerous Peruvians. In Peru, they warned me of the dangerous Bolivians. You see the trend?

Not a single security incident has happened to me in the past 8 months. I'm in Rio right now, considered a super dangerous city and while daily muggings are common, I'm aware of how to increase my safety. Of course, I might get kidnapped tomorrow, but I think if I cook them up one of my tasty chicken curries and befriend them, all will be good.  

Plus, I lived in India and grew up in Zambia, Africa in the 80s, so the danger that's bred in the media doesn't put fear in me. Doesn't mean there isn't danger out there, but being constantly situationally aware, I think I can thread through without any major incidents.

I lived in Chicago for 5 years and there are distinct areas where no outsider should step foot in unless you want to be shot at. That's the same for Mexico City, Lima, Sao Paulo and Lagos.

And, my ethnicity is a major security enhancer. Being brown-skinned, I look like a local in most of these countries and learning to speak the language has helped me not stand out so much, attracting unwanted attention.

So, thanks for the concern and I don't take security lightly, but I also don't let it chain me down. Cheers.  

Pretty cool stuff. Best wishes for Jammin-but why no RE?

By RE, do you mean Reply? Sorry mate, my bandwidth is stretched pretty thin on this trip with posting on ADV and my website.

OMIGAWD!  He's posting from the future.  The first post on the top of the page is from 2011 showing us how to navigate.  That's because he's already seen it in the future.

Haha, I was hoping no one would notice the date. Trying to work around the limits of date-driven blog, but it works.

[Jammin]

Is this guy independantly wealthy or what?    

God bless and safe travels bud!!  

Haha, I wish, but no. I did have a nice corporate engineering job through which I saved as much as possible and cashed out some investments (everything except the measley 401k) and am now slowing draining the bank account. It's not much, but I should be able to make it last. I could use a donation or two.

I'm now following this.

Jay slept at my place a few years ago and I remember showing some nice roads in my part of the Great White North... (That was before the Great Crash, so there's no picture to prove it actually happened...)

Hola Corbeau! I still have pictures from my trip through Canada and our ride around Ottawa. That was my first long trip and told me this was the right thing to do. Merci beaucoup mon ami.  

[satz]

Well, i'm married with a house and kiddo on the way.  I'm on the 'radar' even if i don't want to be.    

I wouldn't have it any other way, though.    I'm too much of a homebody to disappear on the road for more than a few weeks.  I'd miss my wife and dog too much.

I think it just a matter of timing. I am 33 and have a 3 yr old and a 2nd on his way. I would not the time i spend doing this.
I moved a different country at 22 and just stayed for no apparent reason. Could have gone back but never did so nothing is hard.

[Jammin]

based on what I've read about him (his postings) he lives simply.    
The setup post for this ride, posted over on ADV mentions him literally selling everything that didn't fit on the KLR. I imagine he just saves his pennies, and when he is logistically prepared, sells the junk he doesn't need, pockets the cash and takes off.  I'm way jealous.  I love my life, but envy his ability to do these things.

Thanks for putting it like that. Yup, my parents taught me that you don't need much to be happy and to live frugally until the money is needed. I had a house, 2 bikes, a Mini Cooper and a few other possessions. But I never upgraded to a flat screen TV, bought a gaming console or the latest electronics (newest digital camera, ipod, etc - 2nd gen nano works well for me). I also did small things like giving up soda and not buying a drink when buying a meal and sticking to water. I also cooked most of my food and rarely ate out, only for social occasions. I shopped at the local Mexican supermarket, since the produce was fresher and cheaper with more variety. I also learned to fix most things myself: my bikes, my car, my house, my website and computer and my health, so to reduce paying for these services. I know these things might seem small and insignificant but actually in the long term, it adds up. Trust me.

There were many plans for this trip before the actual one materialized. I, too was scared of the fire-sale option and not coming back to anything, but circumstances (my visa situation in the US, not getting a green card, etc) lead me down this path. A year before the trip, I started selling everything that wouldn't be taken on the bike (by the way, it's a Suzuki DR650, not a KLR   ). I used craigslist, ebay and any other means to off-load my stuff. With patience, I got the prices that I asked for. I made about 4-5 grand selling all sorts of things like used skis, helmets, sleeping bags, kitchen plates, tools, posters, even clothes. It was a lot of work, but actually quite fun. And I'm telling you, not having the burden of owning a lot of stuff is quite liberating  

When I settle down next, I'll probably acquire more junk, but now I'll know how to get up and go.  

I seriously considered doing this a few years ago. I calculated how much money I'd have if I sold everything but the KLR and what got packed on it. Figured how much I could live on a day and how long that would keep me on the road. But after the money ran out... what then? I'd have nothing to come back to. That made me uncomfortable, so while I respect those who do it, its not something I could do easily.

Hey Colleen, these issues haunted me during the months and hours before leaving on this trip.   But my inner voice told me that I would not be coming back empty (maybe financially) but I feel my experiences are going to reward me somehow with connections and a way to move forward. Once I rolled out of the garage on d-day, I told myself 'no looking back, you've made the decision, now let things happens' and you know what, it was a great decision and I'm still on track to draining the savings.  

Maybe I'm thinking about this at too deep a level, but I can't help it.

re-entering the workforce/society/etc after 2 years off the "radar".  I would think that would have challenges.  Just one example is, most apartment complexes want a referral before they rent to you.

Time to quit thinking about this one -  

I thought about all these issues at the deepest level possible. My left brain was scaring me with all the what-ifs and long-term unknowns,   while my right-brain was telling me the experiences would be worth whatever struggles I had to put up with later.  

Good thing I don't plan on coming back to the States where they need references to rent an apartment.  

And for the concept of being off the radar, living off the grid, I thought that would be an issue, but somehow I don't feel that. With the internet these days and its ubiquity, I feel fully plugged in and am glad I can keep my finger on the pulse of the world.

Working for a cellphone company and being online 24/7 to going without having a mobile phone is an interesting experience in today's connected world.

As for reintegrating into society, this isn't just a really long vacation for me. I'm studying for a distance masters in sustainable development from the University of London on my trip. They send you the CD-roms with all the info and I can take the exams at any British consulate around the world. Just did my first year exams in Sao Paulo. Thinking next ones in South Africa. This degree is 3 years long and at the end of this trip and degree, I hope to get a job in this new field, which is addressing issues that are gaining importance around the world such as climate change, poverty reduction and I think my focus will be in water resources management. So, I'm using this trip to make a career change from engineering into humanitarian affairs and think I want to stay long term in southern Africa to work on some projects there (that's also where I grew up partly).

Well, i'm married with a house and kiddo on the way.  I'm on the 'radar' even if i don't want to be.    

I wouldn't have it any other way, though.    I'm too much of a homebody to disappear on the road for more than a few weeks.  I'd miss my wife and dog too much.

You know, besides the job and money fears, this concept of not having a home and more particularily, a kitchen, was a bigger concern to me. I consider myself a homebody as I love to have an abode to feel peaceful in and cook. I discovered I really need to cook to keep my psyche balanced and during my trip, I've been using CouchSurfing.org a lot. It's a network for travelers where people post up if they are willing to host travelers. It works really well and besides saving me lodging costs, provides a nice insight into local culture. The other big advantage is that I get to live in 'homes' more often than in hotel rooms, which has made the trip all the more comfortable and not tiring. Being from India, everyone wants me to cook some Indian food and I love making my chicken curry for my hosts and that keeps me at peace. I've also met so many cute dogs and cats by staying with people.  

I went to a boarding school all my life (since my dad was working in Africa for the UN and they paid for school), so from a young age, the concept of 'home' became where I am today. I paid attention to this during my preparatory trips to Alaska and Mexico to see if I would miss being 'home' and I didn't. With CouchSurfing and other traveler networks like HorizonsUnlimited, I think I could keep moving for a long time. But I totally understand it's different if you're married and with kids. And that's why I chose to do this now, before those long-term commitments come into play.


And if you're wondering how much I've spent so far: I've spent $5000 in 8 months and 23,000 miles. More than half of that is gas and maintenance for the bike (including an engine change   ). I've spent about $300 on lodging so far and about $700 on food. The savings this year are going to be helpful as I need to continue spending on my masters and Africa next year is going to be more expensive to travel through.

[veefer800canuck]

All I can say is GO JAY!  

[Dan K]

GREAT ride report.  Loving the adventures, have been reading the ADV posts for over an hour.  Sorry I missed you when you were living here in Chicago.  ENjoy the trip and good luck with the rest of your travels.  Thanks for sharing.

- Dan

[satz]

Jay,

The visa / green card thing is a bummer. I have seen so many of my friends go back and never recover. was in the same position a while back i share most of your feelings/fears.
i am happy you are dealing with it in a most unconventional way.Btw, i do second the curry chicken thing or in my case spinanch paneer. good luck.

satz

[sammyseaman]

All I can say is   and   and   and be safe  

[FJR-UK]

By my calculations, you're doing food and lodging on $4.17/day. I'm trying to imagine it.

Nope. Can't.

A pint in my local costs $4.83.

[Papa Lazarou]

Just to say that RE=Royal Enfield.  

[birdrunner]

 

[Papa Lazarou]

 

Rugged lil feckers....