As the very much missed Joe Cocker wonderfully put it in one of his hits “I get by with a little help from my friends”. The same was very much true of our adventure, we got by with a little help from our friends but also from amazing gestures of kindness from complete strangers.
 
This page is dedicated to our friends and to those strangers whom, through their kindness, made our journey that much more special

 

	You might have seen our bike prep pictures and noticed the nice garage we were working in. That garage belongs to our good friend Cliff who kindly made it available to us years ago to temporarily host a downed GSXR. Weeks turned into years and Cliff's garage became the place where we maintained our race bikes, rebuilt old collectors and finally prepped our DRs for our adventure. Cliff we owe you a ton, thanks for giving a home to our bikes. 2009-10-11-12-13-14
	Coco is nothing short of a celebrity to anyone who ventures off-road on the Baja Peninsula. For years he has provided fresh beer, fuel or wrenches to the poor souls beaten by merciless Baja sands. We were no exception and we spent a wonderful evening in Coco's company, or I should say under his rule, for Coco runs his corner with discipline. We did not want to leave all the same and started missing Coco as soon as we drove past his gate. Thanks Coco! March 2015
	The Baja peninsula is mostly known for the luxurious resorts of Cabo San Luca and for the Baja 1000 race. Hidden at the end of a seemingly endless dirt track is Pancho's kingdom, a long stretch of white sand where a few local fishermen painstakingly extract a living from the Sea of Cortez. Pancho fed us the best fish tacos we ever ate, told us stories of his youth making the Zebra forget how many times she crashed on her way there. Thanks a ton Pancho! March 2015
	When a friend told us we could stay with his mom in Mexico for a week, we were not sure what to expect, we obviously did not want to intrude. But after our first month through the sands of Baja we were in need of a bit of pampering. Linda kindly opened us the door of her lovely home in San Miguel de Allende where we spend a week eating delicious cakes and visiting art galleries, exactly what the doctor prescribed. Tons of hugs to you Linda. April 2015
	Despite it's sumptuous architecture what we will remember of Mexico D.F. is our nasty experience with the police who impounded the Zebra mobile after we refused to pay a bribe. The cabby that drove us to the pound listened to our story with sadness, ashamed that corruption could stain the pride of his city. He negotiated with the pound officer to secure the release of our bike, waited for us and refused our tip restoring our shattered faith in humanity's kindness. Thank you! April 2015
	As we were strolling the narrow street of Quetzaltepec in the Oaxaca mountains, a kid waved at us: "are you the guys riding two motorcycles?" he asked us in Spanish. A long friendly chat ensued and we ended up being invited for pancakes with his wife, kids and in-laws. We followed Hector down steep trails carved in the hill side to the family home. The single light bulb cast warm shadows on the mud walls while Hector pulled his guitar and played the latest Mexican hit. As we left he entrusted us with a note for his father living a few villages away. It made us the proudest couriers ever. Thanks Hector! April 2015
	During our 2 weeks of immerse Spanish lessons in Antigua, Guatemala we had the pleasure to stay with Adolfo and Odilia. They both did not speak a work of English and at this point our Spanish was approximate to say the least. Imagine the potential awkwardness of seating around a dinner table, staring at each other without being able to communicate. Thanks to Adolfo and Odilia infinite patience, we were slowly able to break the ice and get to learn about each other. We are incredibly grateful for this experience, Muchas Gracias! May 2015
	We had heard that San Salvador was plagued by los maras salvatruchas, a sinister Salvadorian gang. Luckily we had a local connection, Rodrigo. Borned and raised in El Salvador, Rodrigo helped us navigate his city, introducing us to its vibrant nightlife, lush parks and historical buildings. Thanks Rodrigo for showing us the brighter side of El Salvador May 2015
	While we didn't get to spend as much time as we would have liked in Costa Rica, we certainly made the most of the time we did have there. That's thanks in part to Debbie and Andy who put us up in luxurious accommodations in Playa Flamingo, and proceeded to show all us the best local spots. Thanks so much for being such a special part of our trip. June 2015
	To catch the Stahlrate we had to bomb through Costa Rica and Panama in 3 days, covering more than 1000 kms. For our unique night in Panama city we had the good fortune to meet a local firefighter and his son. He told us: "You can't come to Panama and not view the city, follow me, I'll be your guide". Having already ridden 600kms that day we dragged our heels a little bit but we nevertheless went. For the next 3 hours that guy gave us a best of Panama city tour, we saw the Casco Viejo, the memorial to the men who built the canal, the canal authority building on Balboa heights, tiny parks...it was a magical experience, thanks for being our guide and making that night so unique. June 2015
	Just because at some point in our lives we rode on the same BMX track I am FB friend with Stephane Chambon. If you have never heard of the guy look him up. One day as I was lurking on his page, I notice a random post from a guy mentioning he had just moved to Medellin, Colombia. After a quick check it turns out we are from the same region in France, enough of a reason to introduce myself and start chatting. A few months later the Zebra and I found ourselves invited over for a barbecue with David & Sonia, our new French friends in Medellin. The helped us fall in love with this fabulous city and gave the Zebra yet one more reason to want to learn French. Thanks guys! July 2015
	As we were chilling on the shores of Lake Guatape, we met a friendly guy who told us to call him if we ever made it Salento, 300kms further South. A few weeks go by before we set camp at Yambolombia in Salento. The owner casually asks us our plans, we mention trying to meet with that guy we met in Guatape when the owner interrupts:" 40 years old? With a kid? He owns a Tenere?" baffled we respond positively. It turned out that the two of them were in school together, he picks up his cellphone and less than 30 mins later Joaquin shows up on his bike! The rest was epic, over the next 3 days we covered close to a 1000kms, rode the highest road in Colombia, bathed in mineral springs pool, tasted local wine, visited coffee plantations and just had a total blast! Joaquin we will never thank you enough for those awesome 3 days. July 2015
	Cav is a good friend from 3rd ave, my favorite kiting spot. She has been following our adventures and one days sends us a random message: "Do you remember Pato? He is in Chile right now, maybe you guys can connect, drop him a line". A few emails later we showed up at Patos's house in Los Andes where his parents proceeded to so kindly push the walls to accommodate us for a few days. We were spoiled with a visit to Portillo and got a tour of all the cool spots where Pato spent his childhood. Nothing beats seeing a region through the eyes of a local, we owe you a big one Pato, thanks so much. October 2015
	Marcia, whom we met at the Bolivian border, wholeheartedly recommended we paid a visit to Johny Motos as soon as we got to Santiago. It took us a minute to find his anonymous garage, but once there we received the warmest welcome. Johny helped us prep our DR for Patagonia, invited us to his birthday party and introduced us to the local adventure riders. It made us feel right at home, a precious feeling for overlanders. Thank you Johny! October 2015
	The Zebra has indeed friends throughout the world and all the way down to Santiago. After wrenching at Johny motos and hanging out with Marcia, we found a peaceful haven at the Prochelle family compound. Following a call from their nephew all the way back in Seattle, they welcomed us and took care of us for our last week of sunshine and warmth before we dove into the lush but rainy landscapes of Patagonia. Thanks so much for making us feel part of your family. October 2015
	We must confess that we did not find Puerto Montt particularly welcoming, maybe because of the never ending torrential rains, maybe because of the weird owners of the hotel we stayed at. All was forgotten when we met Don Roberto San at Shima Aji. Don Roberto and I almost immediately bonded after I mentioned I had spent several wonderful months on the Island where he was born: Okinawa. We exchanged memories while listening to the Shamisen, the traditional 4 string guitar from the Island and ate more sushi than we could handle. If that wasn't enough, Don Roberto hid in our backpack 2 delicious bento boxes that we ate nostalgically the next day as we were crossing part of the Carretera Austral on a ferry. Thanks so much for taking such a good care of us Don Roberto. November 2015
	Argentina gave us a bit of a sticker shot and for our first night there we were not ready to spend $50 for a room that we would have paid $25 in Chile. To make matter worse we did not have cash. On the hunt for the blue market rate, we were sent to the local bakery. There the very friendly Chilean owner came to our rescue, not only changing our Chilean pesos but also offering us to set camp in the small studio / bakery lab adjoining his house. We spent a comfortable night while the roaring wind of Patagonia was blasting outside. Many thanks for your hospitality. November 2015
	"I met a guy riding a motorcycle in Argentina a few months ago, he gave me this address" Is all I had to say when I showed up at Marcello's door in Neuquen. Luckilly his parents decided to trust my gringo, dusty self and opened their gate. Marcello and his family were nothing short of adorable, showed me Neuquen, feeding me pastries and eventually letting take a much needed rest on their couch while I was trying to cover the 1600kms from Bariloche to Buenos Aires. Thanks for the good times and your hospitality Marcello! December 2015
	Last but not least we owe Special thanks to Peter and Gilles who so kindly supported our adventure with a donation. Thanks to you both.