My Heros – Seth and Parker Berling
The Road Chose Me Volume 2 OUT NOW!!
The Road Chose Me Volume 2: Three years and 54,000 miles around Africa
When I last saw The Pebble Pedalers, Seth & Parker we were in Baja California, Mexico, just starting the Latin American leg of our respective journeys. The night we shared food and water at our campsite on the side of the highway has remained at the front of my mind as one of my best campsites, all through nine more countries.
While in Quito recently I met another cyclist coming down from Canada and after a few minutes I had news of Seth and Parker – and most importantly found out they were close. Really close. A few emails and days later, I watched them ride into The Secret Garden Cotopaxi on a sunny morning, grinning from ear to ear. It’s great to see how fit and healthy they both look, their bodies now very used to the punishment of riding 100+ kilometers every day for a year. All of us talk simultaneously and try to ask three questions at exactly the same time.
There is lots of laughter.
Seth, Dan & Parker
We spend hours over the next couple of days telling stories about the adventures that have transpired since our last meeting, loving every minute. It’s amazing to spend time with guys I can relate to so well – they understand my journey so completely I feel like they’ve been with me the entire time through the good, the bad and everything in between. More than a few times in the middle of a story we finish each others sentences, more than well-versed in life on the road in Latin America.
The guys & the gear
On more than a few occasions thinking to myself “If Seth and Parker can do this on bicycles, surely I can do it in a Jeep…” has helped me push through difficult times, and it’s cool to get a boost from seeing them for real. To know they’ve now ridden 18,000km and are still loving every minute and going strong is a huge boost to my energy and I’m more excited than ever to get back on road. It’s awesome to know they are now forging the trail in front of me, and we know we’ll see each other again before the journey is done.
Riding off into the sunrise
Good luck guys, seeya down there 
-Dan
Hi Dan,
Quite refreshing reading your blog after all those mostly boring travel websites of my fellow Europeans who seem to dominate this “business” of overlanding – the Germans all painting “Alemania” all over their way too expensive vehicles – ah, you must’ve met them.
A tip for once you’ve hit the road again: Coroico, 80 km west of La Paz, Bolivia (see http://www.coroi.co.cc for a first impression). Lovely place to get to know Bolivia and its inhabitants, but with just enough resident and visiting foreigners to keep one going… For me, it was a perfect mix. And what a fantastic scenery around there.
Happy travels and good luck!
Bart the Belgian
Thanks for the advice Bart, I’ll be heading that way for sure, on your advice!
What a great, upbeat post Dan! The last picture is fantastic – and reaffirms that the journey is what makes us appreciate whatever destination we are heading toward. The means of making that journey, either by bike, Jeep, boat, or Llama, is tertiary to what you experience. There is no wrong way to travel! Keep the updates coming.
Dan,
Seems you are enjoying your trip! Those guys ride 100 miles a day every day that is impressive. I wish I did something like this before I joined the NYPD would have been kind of cool to get life experience under my belt.
I enjoy reading your blog and I hope next time you come to visit your family in NYC, we can actually meet up this time. Perhaps you could come to mi casa and hang out with a few beers. My bar is coming along and might even be done by the time you come back to the States.
Thanks for the invite! I’m there for sure.
I’ve got to say, Wow. I came across your blog when googling whether soft top jeeps could make it in Alaska. I had to read the entire thing before I commented because I became enthralled. I’m amazed and excited that there are people out there who do what you’re doing. It makes me believe that I can too… hell, one of these days I just might. Thanks for doing it, and thanks for sharing!
Hey Abby,
I’m glad you left a comment after all that reading. It’s great you think you can do something similar.. because you CAN! jump in your Jeep and go for a spin – you’ll have the adventure of a lifetime I guarantee!
Are you thinking about heading to Alaska? In summer you’ll be great, in winter it’s warm enough, just ice sticking to the windows, especially the back, is the main problem.
Good luck, and I’d love to hear what kind of grand adventure you come up with!
-Dan
Dan, I just got choked up reading the story about your reunion with Seth and Parker- so incredible! So happy to hear things in Cotopaxi are going so well. I have thought about you and your adventures pretty often since you and Duke left San Diego way back in November…wow, it’s been 9 months! Keep the blogs comin, you are such an inspiration for those of us who live for the experiences to be had in life!! Your pictures are unbelievable…carpe diem!
-Cheryl
Hey Cheryl, great to hear from you!
Wow, it’s really been a long time with a lot of distance in between. I hope things are going great for you in SD – enjoy that sunshine for me! Surely you have some big plans too..?
-Dan
Hey Dan!
I’m glad everything is going so well for you!
Remember to let me know when you’re in Buenos Aires!
Take care and keep having fun!
Thanks so much, I will absolutely be doing that!
Hola dan mucho gusto, felicitationes la verdad lo admiro me gustaria hacer un dia ese viaje el problema es q, se necesita mucho dinero ;-( una pregunta q, se requiere para entrar un carro americano a Colombia son muy dificiles los tramites y cuesta mucho??? se lo agradesia si me lo deja saber un abrazo se cuida.
hola amigo, no, no nessisita mucho dinero para viajar mucho, esta muy barrato. Para entrar colombia con camioneta, esta un poco difficil, y yo pago $750 USD para embarco de Panama a Colombia.
Buenas swerte amigo!
showing some love from Orange County CA.