December 9, 2021
Dan and his “fully loaded” Hawk 250 (Yes, that is his entire travel kit, including camping gear). These bikes and their direct relatives are everywhere in Mexico and Central America (more 150s than 250s, but both exist), and parts are plentiful south of the border. Always great to see more people proving that you don’t have to spend a fortune to see the world, and Dan’s 250 will blend right in as he heads south.
Dan stopped by this week on his way through Texas. Well, actually, Dan broke down very close to here, and posted a message looking for some help. By the time I saw it, he had already had several offers, and was well on his way to repairing his bike. A few days later, he stopped by and we spent an evening trading travel stories, and the next morning checking over his bike.
Dan is a relative newcomer to motorcycle travel, but definitely not to travel. He has already spent time in several other countries, including hiking in Nepal, and bought and rode a small motorcycle through Vietnam and Laos. He decided to leave his job and travel full time just before the pandemic, and was lucky when he was able to return to work until things calmed enough that he could travel.
He left Wisconsin about a month ago, headed south to follow the warmer weather, with plans to continue through Mexico (at least) before heading to California to continue hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. Being a backpacker, he knows how to pack: his backpack is the entirety of his gear, strapped to a home-made rear rack that his father made from a cutting board. No tank bag, no panniers, no tool roll. A great job of traveling light!
Over dinner Sunday night we traded tales and information. We had hoped to be in Vietnam last month, and Thailand right now, but for us those places are now postponed until this time next year due to travel restrictions. It was great to add some new sights to our itinerary, as Dan loves to explore caves and waterfalls, and he had a few suggestions that were missing from our list. In return I gave him my route through Mexico and Guatemala from my 2015 trip.
We may cross paths again, depending on how fast or slow Dan travels through Mexico this month. Hopefully we’ll see him again down the road.