Tomorrow will make one month that I have been travelling solo and I often get asked “Do you get lonely?”. Although I do miss my friends and family and think of them often I can honestly answer that “No, I don’t get lonely”.
It is hard to get lonely with wifi available everywhere so I can skype and read e-mails from my friends and family. It is also hard to get lonely when you meet so many interesting people. It seems that interesting people are everywhere if you just take the time to start and conversation.
On my way to Alaska in while camping in northern Alberta I met a father and son from Winnipeg Manitoba, travelling across Canada by car. The son had just got his drivers license and they were taking a road trip so he could learn to drive. What a bonding experience they will have and by the time it is over the son will be the best new driver in Manitoba. I was too into my own adventure to think of getting their contact details.
A few days later I met Isaac, a Mexican guy who flew himself and his bicycle to Alaska and is now riding to Argentina. I pass a lot of people on bicycle and can’t help but admire their endurance. Isaac has a real passion for bicycling and for adventure. Also travelling alone we had much in common and lots to share. Unfortunately he was heading south and I was heading north, and we travel and much different speeds. Now that I am heading south I am going to try and meet up with him again. Check out his blog at http://www.2wheeldream.com/
About a week after meeting Isaac, while in the Yukon, I met another father and son team from San Francisco. These two were riding vintage motorcycles and were on their way back from Alaska. I was able to ask Denis and Dominic about the road conditions and other interesting places to visit. They were very helpful. This time I got their contact details, turns out they have a real passion for vintage bikes, check out their web site at http://www.sfvintagecycle.com/ I will definitely stop by this place when I get to California.
I made my way to Homer Alaska and that is where I me Jane Rose. Jane is a retired librarian who is now travelling in her van, solo. I almost had her convinced to come to Prudhoe Bay with me. She would take her van and me on the bike. Unfortunately, there were flaws in our plan and Jane had to back out. You can read about this and her other adventures on her website at http://www.datatamata.com/
When I stopped in Coldfoot AK, going north to Prudhoe Bay, I was lucky enough to meet Hilton and Tony. Long time riding buddies, Hilton from Texas and Tony from New Zealand, these guys were great fun and I ended up spending the next four days with them, riding to Prudhoe and back to Fairbanks. Check out their blog at http://greatarcticadventure.wordpress.com/
Stopping in Coldfoot on the way back from Prudhoe Bay, Hilton, Tony and I met Kevin. Kevin had flown his bike from Australia to Alaska and was also riding to Argentina. We had great laughs while trying to decipher each other’s accent. Kevin and I were both camping that night and when I visited Kevin’s campsite he was quite excited to tell me that just ten minutes earlier he had seen his first bear. The bear had been spotted near my campsite so needless to say I was not as excited. Check out his blog at http://exploreplanetearth.net/
And just last night I dinner with another motorcyclist I met here at the Motel. Doug was riding with a group but due to a necessary clutch repair on his BMW GS, he had to separate from his friends. He is also riding to Argentina later this year. I am still waiting for the link to his blog and will share it with you when I get it.
I have also met many other people without blogs but with interesting stories. Like my cute Alaskan waitress who shot a seven foot Grizzly Bear back in the spring, or Iris and Sean with their pet rat, and who can forget the Russian girls in Anchorage, or Bruce and Lena who took me in and treated me like family.
So, it is hard to get lonely when I am rarely alone and when I have so many interesting people to talk to.
Glad you are still rockin’, new friends including bears to keep you company!! Trust the bike is holding up?
I think I should try the road trip option — I still don’t have my driver’s license!
lol.