The Final Ride

The Final Ride …. In South America anyway ….  for NOW!!

It was cold the morning backed my bike out of the hostel and on to the street in Buenos Aries. As I was attaching the panniers on the bike my fingers started to get cold and I started to consider getting out my warm gloves. The gloves were at the bottom of the boxes and I decided to leave them where they were, after all it was only 30 kilometers to the airport and I could tough it out. I had to take my bike to the airport and prepare it to be shipped back to Canada.  With mixed emotions I turned the key and started the bike, this ride would be my final one in South America, bringing to and end over 8 months of incredible adventure.

The route to the airport was easy, straight, left and take the ramp onto the autopista and follow it until it ends at the airport. Just as I pulled into the street the sun came out and started to warm things up, the sun on my face felt good. Not far into my ride the street turned to cobble stone and I found myself making an unplanned turn down a random street. I love riding on cobble stone, we don’t have any in Canada, and before I knew it I was just riding in circles on cobble stone streets, enjoying the final ride in the sunshine. I was riding slow and people started to honk at me, in a hurry to get to work I guess, but I paid no attention and just kept enjoying the scenery of old European style buildings, cafes and cobble stone streets.  Realizing I was only delaying the inevitable I reluctantly made my way to the autopista and headed for the airport.

The process for shipping my bike at the airport could not have been easier. They ship a lot of bikes from here and everyone helped point me in the right direction, I didn’t even have to ask for directions as all the airport workers just pointed me in the direction I needed to go. Once inside the cargo bay I had a large space to work in to prepare the bike for safe shipment by disconnecting the battery, removing the windshield, mirrors, panniers and additional lights. The pallet was already waiting for me when I arrived and with some help we rolled it on the pallet and strapped it securely in place. A final inspection of the VIN number, some basic questions, wrap the bike in plastic wrap and I was done.  I won’t see my bike again until I land in Toronto April 2nd.

“Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it.Greg Anderson 

Links

Shipping a bike out of Argentina? Use Dakar Motos they make it easy http://www.dakarmotos.com/argentina.htm

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16 Responses to The Final Ride

  1. Kevin S says:

    Greg Thanks for the incredible journey. I had a good time reading about your adventures and seeing all those great photos. Have a safe flight back to Toronto

  2. Hickery/ Muskoka On says:

    Thanks Greg for letting me ride along….enjoyed every word of it….has helped me prepare my trip to Alaska and SA.
    As I had planned on riding both ways…….I now wonder if shipping and flying back may be a better idea. Do you mind telling me the cost to ship the bike and your flight to Toronto.

    Thanks
    Bob

    • greg says:

      My flight was $1,025 CDN from Buenos Aries to Toronto on Tango Airlines. The bike cost $1,800 USD Buenos Aries to Toronto on Air Canada. A friend shipped from Uruguay and it cost the same. Another friend shipped from Chile and paid a LOT more than I did.

      Dont forget it cost about $1,000 to cross the Darien Gap (Panama to Colombia) by boat and even more by Air. So riding both ways means paying twice.

  3. Kevin says:

    it aint over till its over buddy,

    ride on
    Kev

  4. Dave H says:

    I found your blog one day when I was searching information on the Varadero (I ride the same bike you have) and have been checking in once in a while to see how you were doing.
    Glad you had a great trip and thanks for the excellent job taking the rest of us along.
    All the best!

    • greg says:

      Thank you!! It is always great to hear that people enjoyed reading my blog as much as I enjoyed writting it. Ride Safe!

  5. dennis magri says:

    Hello Greg,

    So glad Dominic and I met you in the Yukon, then again in san francisco. It was great to ride with you! You are welcome here anytime. Best Regards, Dennis Magri

  6. Sigal says:

    Hi Greg,
    We just came across your card and decided to say hello and check up on you.  Eugene and I had the privilege to meet you in Alberta about 15 km ahead of the Columbia Icefields on your journey.  We happened to stop at a viewing point at the Rockies.  The site was breathless and we stopped for a quick picture.  I believe you offered to take our photo and then we took a photo of you too.  We have not yet uploaded those photos but hope to at some point.  Anyhow, we just read your blog and really enjoyed reading about your adventures.  We admire you and we are glad to know you returned home safely.  We wish you best of luck in your next endeavors.    Warmly,  Sigal and Eugene from Toronto.  

  7. Eduardo Castrillo says:

    Hello there,
    Nice to know you did it!
    It was a nice trip and awesome adventure.
    Greetings from Costa Rica.

  8. Pete Chester says:

    Congratulations on completing your trip. Thank you for the great blog, it was so much fun following your great adventure. It brought back memories of my trip down to Ushuaia. Now you can rest & plan your next moto adventure. aybe some day if I get up your way or you get down to Las Cruces, New Mexico way we can get together.
    Be good, Pete Chester

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