Shipping Doc to Iceland—The Drama

I’ve always wanted to go to Iceland. What about you? Of course, I want to ride my motorcycle from one end of the island to the other, border to border. Not any motorcycle, my motorcycle, Doc. After appearing at the final Travel & Adventure Show in Philadelphia in March, and in anticipation of a summer […]

Eat, Drink & Ride With Me — In Portugal This Fall

I am so pleased to share some exciting news. I’ve been asked to join an exclusive ride and tour of Portugal. The best part is, up to 10 other riders can join me—maybe you? As guest of Portugal Motorcycle Tours, I will ride Doc, the same bike I rode around the world, and serve as […]

Welcome Back to USA: Disaster & Ripped Off.

Well, it should have been an easy task. First, get my brother Jon to take some time and shuttle me up to the Port of Baltimore, where Doc would be waiting for me. I had locked my boots, helmet, and riding pants into the top box and Jesse Bags. My jacket was sent ahead for […]

Hassles at the Port of Derince

Sebile (a woman) at Yakin Dogu Deniz Acenteligi instructed me to bring the bike to the Port of Derince, which is about 45 minutes from Istanbul on the Marmara Sea. Though my schedule ship would not leave for about a week, I figured that the bike would be safer in the hands at the port […]

Istanbul (not Constantinople!)

Istanbul is crammed with so much great architecture, history, people, food and art that it’s impossible to explain it all. So better to just explain my feelings. In 2002 I had this crazy idea that I’d ride around the world on a motorcycle. Maybe it wasn’t so crazy but it was long a dream to […]

The Price of Gas? Come on!

I’m finding Turkey to be perhaps the most expensive country I’ve visited on this journey. I guess that’s the western European economy bleeding over into the most western part of Asia from this side of the globe. In the USA everyone is up in arms about the price of gas – petrol, fuel, benzine – […]

The Arduous Process of Getting Home

After numerous e-mails and phone calls to more than a dozen shipping and air-freight brokers, I’ve found a way to get Doc home for a reasonable price. Thanks to the good folks at Yakin Dogu Deniz Acenteligi A.S in Istanbul who were referred to me by Wallenius Wilhelmsen Lines (WWL), I’m arranging to have my […]

Longing for better roads?

I remember days in Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Malawi and even Namibia and Sudan just wishing and dreaming of nice sweeping turns on pavement roads. But you know what? I miss those places. The roads too. The more I ride and the more obstacles I overcome and those fears I confront, I build more confidence […]

Riding Through A Small Turkish City

Classic Four Minaret Mosque Photo by Ursula

Istanbul. So Much To See

Constantinople? Istanbul? There are two sides of the city. One is in Asia (Anatolia) and the other Europe (Rumelia). It’s truly where the two continents meet. Crossing the bridge over the Bosporus, the narrow strait that connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara, which ultimately connects with the Mediterranean. This narrow strait is […]