Chasing Motorcycle Dreams

I did it. I did it. Those were the words echoing in my head, as I finally completed my Patagonia to Alaska motorcycle dream. Overlanding all of the Americas, from the southern tip, all the way to the northern tip of Alaska is a dream of many. And so, it was for me. 

The final 30 kilometers before reaching the Arctic Ocean, I couldn't do anything other than cry. Unexpectedly, I'd just become overwhelmed with emotion. I saw the arctic tundra through a haze of tears, behind my closed helmet visor. All those years, all those kilometers on the road and I have never cried. But the last 30 kilometers of straight, tarred road to the Arctic Ocean and tears were streaming down my face. I felt a little out of character but at the same time, I allowed myself to feel everything that I was feeling. I'd figure out what was going on later. 

Memories of my journey

That 'later' came when I started editing the video that I shot on this final ride of the journey. Hearing the emotion in my own voice and seeing myself ride that final stretch of road, brought back my train of thoughts I had in that moment. I remember riding that final day and having memories of the journey pop into my head. Random moments on the road. People that I met. The scariest moments. The adventures that stuck with me the most. It all came flashing back to me while I was riding those final miles towards my goal. 

Overcoming problems

Mark Manson, a famous writer, wrote something in one of his books that very much resonated with me. He wrote - you will always have problems in your life, no matter what you do. The key to true happiness, is finding the problems that you enjoy having and enjoy solving. I think about this principle a lot during my motorcycle travels. Especially when I am stuck in some swamp with my motorcycle, and when I am sweating like a pig to try and get it free again. Or when there are so many bureaucratic hoops and hurdles to get through in order to cross a land border. Or when the terrain is so hard that I doubt myself whether or not I can get through it. Or when I'm picking up my motorcycle after falling down for the 100th time.

I've come to realize that I like having these problems. And I like solving them. The feeling it gives me when I've overcome them is always worth the struggle. Simply because the reward is more valuable when the struggle was real. I think that's why I burst into tears during the last 30 kilometers towards Prudhoe Bay. I thought back to all the struggles, the sweat and hard work it had taken me to get here. Because of those struggles, it truly meant something to finally arrive here.

Pushing my boundaries

Without the struggles, I wouldn't have been crying. If I would have just followed the Pan American highway from Patagonia all the way north, I wouldn't have felt accomplished. It was all the ventures off the beaten path, into the unknown, that resulted in the biggest fights and struggles. They resulted in meeting the best people. In finding strength in myself and my abilities. In experiencing the best places and feeling the most accomplished. 

And yes, there were definitely days in this journey when I wasn't feeling up to the task. Days where I didn't want to make my life more complicated than necessary and when chose an easier route. Looking back, I am glad there weren't too many of those days. Because those days I barely remember. They weren't memorable even though that's what I needed at the time. It's the days where everything turned pear shaped, when I pushed my boundaries and went far beyond my comfort zone, that popped into my head on that final ride. 

My purpose in life

More than ever, the end of this journey also made me feel strongly about something else. That I have found my purpose in life. That my purpose may be, to travel around the world and share this with people through my videos. Because throughout these years, I've come to realize, that this journey didn't just mean something to me, but it meant a lot to the people experiencing it online with me too. To you, this community, all who virtually travel with me. 

And so, I thought about what other dreams I have. And already started setting things in motion to make those happen. I can't wait to begin and share them with you!