A journey like this would not be possible without the support and generosity of many people, friends & family and amazing people I have met on the road.
This page is a huge thank you to everyone that has helped me live my dreams:
- Mark in NZ – helping from the other side of the world
- Tarquin, Katherine & the whole Secret Garden crew
- Vince & Marie for their help, support & inspiration
- Mike, my road-tripping buddy through southern Central America
- Caroline in Puerto Escondido for showing me what can be achieved
- Victor in Tehuantepec for a family christmas
- Kyle in La Manzanilla for everything
- Bari for putting up with me
- Mum & Dad for encouraging me the whole time
- The whole Rhoads family in California for giving me a home away from home
- Jen, Greg & Christopher for teaching me about family life
- Jeff & Andy & the whole Portland crew – awesome time
- Shane & Amy in Long Beach for making me think. Really think
- Judy & Kirby in Nanimo for their West Coast Trail stories & support
- David & Barbara on the Sunshine Coast for all their support & encouragement
- My brother Mike for helping shape my dreams and make the adventure real
- Bill, Hans & the whole Whitehorse crew – I’m grinning just thinking about it all
- Brett & Eva in Whitehorse – What can I say? Huge thank you
- Thomas & Roland – “what you can dream, you can achieve”
- Cal and the whole crew at Northern Reforestation
- Melissa & Reg for giving me a home before I even began
Hi Dan well your adventure is amazing to read about have showed a few of my collegues at the hospital in Aus and they are amazed at what your doing. Liz also keeps me updated.
Lve your old mate Pru
Hey Pru, thanks for the comments & I hope everything with you is great!
Hi Dan,
Thanks for very interesting adventures[Via Liz]Do you plan going to NYC?
Travel Safe
Ron
Great to hear from you Ron – it’s amazing how often I meet people that remind me of you. Always smiling from ear to ear, very relaxed, friendly and down to earth. I’m keen to see photos of your new bike!
Hey Dan,
Its been quite a few summers since those family holidays down at Wye River but I thought I would let you know that I’ve been following your tale for a while now. I am truly inspired, not to mention jealous!
Dad’s bike is very similar to the following, with a few optional extras:
http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/photos/2009models/2009-Victory-Vegasa.jpg
I’ve got my bike too, on my L’s. Its old school:
http://www.usouko.urethane-ya.com/SOLD%20OUT%20BIKES%2006/CBR250RR.JPG
A definate thanks is in order for sharing your stories.
Luke
Hey Luke,
Awesome to hear from you. It has been a long time since Wye River & I have really good memories of that time.
CBR250 – nice. Liz has a CBR125 in London now. I think I’ll have to get a bike sooner rather than later and find out once and for all if bikes are my thing or not. Ron’s bike is wicked. Must be close to one of a kind in Australia.
Hope you and Grace are doing great over there! -Dan
Hey Dan,
The link above is what I ended up tapping out about hiking through the Narrows with you. I hope you don’t mind that I linked to your website from mine? Remember to protect your pinkies once you make it across the Darien Gap – those little Colombian kids are ruthless.
Thanks for the good company on a good hike,
Mike
Mike,
What a great write-up! I’m glad I could educate you about the intricacies of the McDonald’s dollar menu
Linking to my site is always welcome. I’m a little behind right now, so I probably won’t have my trip report online for a week or more.
I’m happy to have your email address now – I want to keep in touch to see what Plan Z ends up being
Take care of yourself,
-Dan
Hey Dan its been really great having you here with us in the big Apple. It will be sad to say goodbye but exciting to follow your adventure.
Love Dad
Hey Dan, just came across your site, wish you well on your amazing journey.
”The earth is what we all have in common”
Jaymz
Thanks Jaymz!
Hey man..
You are awesome and do some amazing things..
Any plans to travel across Asia/Russia/Africa or something?
I’m deeply fascinated by this kind of free-spirited backpacking…Just that the pressures of earning a living stop me from actually doing it..The wait is almost over though, and hopefully soon nuff im going to set out!
Annesh – let’s see how this adventure goes, then I’ll plan my next one. Just quietly, I want to see Africa!
If you truly want to adventure, you’ll find there are no pressures to earn a living, it’s all in your head.
how do i join you? im in school right now writing a paper on my dreams and came across your site. ill be the woman version of you. enjoy yourself mr. !
Ali – I’m so glad to hear you are writing a paper about your dreams – the more you think about them the more they will come true! I’d be really interested to hear them if you would like to share… ?
ah! i didnt really expect to get a response so soon! awesome :] well, if it were up to me, as soon as i graduated highschool i would set off to this farm that would like someone as an internship position for a year but my parents are all like “you cant have a big time gap between highschool&college, you’ll never go back!” (which i dont really understand, they should know me better & know i WILL continue my education ha) Speaking of college..
i want to major in wilderness therapy / therapeutic recreation. i’ve been on conservation crews and hiking/back packing crews that lead about 10-12 kids on expeditions and i want to do something similar to that except for the kids that i would like to work with have some sort of issues like mental,depression,drug/alcohol..ya know? facilities i’ve looked at that have those sort of programs work with kids on their site or farm and then the kids go out on like 1 to 2 week long camping trips (sometimes even a month long) so that they can get out of their original surroundings 
i went backpacking for a month in Alaska and would just absolutely LOVE to go back. i havnt found any facility with my type of career goals in Alaska though. they’re sort of common out west. before all of this career stuff though i want nothing more than to just see beautiful stuff while i’m young and healthy and have good energy. my parents don’t get that cuz they’re so wrapped up in the modern world and technology and how people work these days 
we’ll see though, i may just follow my heart anyways 
i really want to live on a commune for some amount of time..
ok this is getting long! thanks for replying, i hope to hear from you again !
Wow Ali, that sounds like an amazing thing to do with your life! I had no idea programs like that existed at college.
I know that for me personally, I’m extremely happy I went to University before I started really traveling. I think it would have been extremely hard to find the motivation to go back after a few years of doing whatever I wanted. A side effect that most people don’t think about is the benefit of having a degree when you travel… Even on my journey right now it is helping me. I’ve just applied to work at an English School here in Mexico and as soon as they saw I had a degree, they were very interested in me. I studied Computer Software Engineering, which has nothing to do with teaching English, but it does say so many other things about me that are good.
I’m sure you’ll find the path that is right for you.
yeah a lot of people say they’ve never really heard of it as something to study haha its only offered at a few colleges that i know of. i never really thought of what you were saying about a degree. i guess it would be smarter and make you look more professional when you needed a job in an unfamiliar place ha teaching in Mexico sounds pretty cool dude! I hope you really enjoy it
i love working with kids. i work a daycare right now in the baby room :p they’re just so innocent and precious, i love work everyday haha! i dont think too too many people can say that either! although i’m sure you can say you love what you’re doing! thanks Dan! 
Hey Ali, as well as making you look more professional, it never ceases to amaze me how often I use my degree and the lessons it taught me in every day life. I’ve always thought of being an Engineer as ‘figure stuff out’ and also the ability to understand how to think and teach myself. As you can image, this is pretty handy in every day life
I’m really excited about teaching conversational English for a couple of weeks, I really hope it works out
Hey I think what you’re doing is… I’ve no words for it. I think it’s an unbelievable way to experience life. I hope in the near future I could do something similar with my life. I’ve always wanted to travel, but not the kind of travel where everything’s already planned out, you know? I’d just love to pack up and leave and go somewhere amazing and live properly.
I’m particularly fascinated with you’re Magic Bus entry. Into The Wild is one of my most favorite films. Every time I watch it, I’m inspired all over again! I’m 18 years of age and I live in Ireland, I’m happy with my life but I feel there is so much more to experience and discovering and reading through parts of your website today have really just confirmed to me that there is so much more out there. Theres a whole world out there and to think I’ve only seen about 1% of it is really… bad (haha).
I just would like to know, when did you start your adventures and do you have or did you have much money to begin? I think the only thing stopping me from living my dreams is that I wouldn’t know where to begin!
Hey Maira, I’m glad you’ve enjoyed reading around my site.
Remember, the most important thing about adventuring is that you actually begin. Don’t focus too much on where, let the road guide you when you get underway. I’ve been travelling for about 4 years now, living in the US and Canada for that time, and now 7 months on the road on this crazy journey. I had literally $3000 in the bank when I started 4 years ago, and just get a job whenever it’s required. A way will always present itself
You are 18 and totally set to get out there and see what’s around.. go for it!
Dan,
I stumbled on your site by accident, but it’s been fantastic reading your posts and seeing your progress in your journey. I miss traveling very much. I traveled extensively throughout Europe and now that I’m back to my life in Vancouver, I am yearning to get out there again. My friend and I are planning on riding our motorcycles to Alaska and back all the way down to California before coming back to Vancouver. We’re planning for June/July 2010, but the way work is looking right now, that trip may have to happen later this year.
Anyways, I’m really happy for you.
I’ve come across a guy who did a similar trip that you’re doing but in two stages while driving a Nissan Pathfinder. The website links are below if you feel like checking them out.
http://www.stormstudios.com.mx/EnbuscadelaAurora -Spanish Only
http://www.stormstudios.com.mx/Expedition2 -English
Good luck in your travels and stay safe. I can’t wait to read more from your trip.
Pete
Hey Pete, thanks for stopping by.
There are so many places to go and see in the world, it makes me so excited when I think about them all.
I highly recommend a trip up to Alaska. The Canadian Rockies are awesome for sure, and in my opinion, Alaska is better
I would think on a bike you really want to be up there in summer. Winter comes very fast up there.
Thanks for the great link too, I’m reading it right now.
I’d love to hear when you decide where you are going / what bike you will ride, etc. etc.
-Dan
Thanks brother, I can’t wait to go. We’re currently working on the details of our trip, but nothing is in stone quite yet. I am seriously stoked about Alaska though. I’ve done a lot of work in northern BC and I’m familiar with the Canadian landscapes but I am very green when it comes to Alaska. Either way, any place that has northern lights has gone to be cool. We’re looking at riding up to Dawson Creek where the Alaskan Hwy starts and then up north. On the way back, we’re planning on taking some of the less travelled routes to the Canada-US border and finish up in Disneyland as a treat before heading back to Vancouver. I’ll let you know more as our trip gathers steam.
Meanwhile, I can’t wait to read more about your adventures to where your heart takes you. It’s very exciting.
Cheers,
Pete
Oh man, I was just telling some people today how much I loved Alaska. You’re going to have such a great time!
A trip directed by the heart is the only way to go!
Hi Dan,
Could I request an email contact from you? I would like to discuss a request from my client with you.
Best regards,
Eva
It looks you have some great support; yes all merit goes to you… you’re an inspiration, man!
Hey Dan- I need to know what were the People like at Santa Teresa- In regard to the Gov’t and the money being made at the INCA trail? Is the Govt trying to shut down their bridge? what was the tourist shopping like?
Hey Patricia,
Interesting question. Santa Teresa is a very small town at the end of a seriously bad, dangerous gravel road. It’s hot, humid and full of biting bugs making it not exactly a hugely popular place to visit. It reminded me a lot of small towns in Central America. The people I met all seemed friendly, just getting on with their lives mostly. They obviously see quite a few tourists come through, but there was no visible impact.
With regards to the money from the Inca trail / MP entrance, I never did see a single shred of evidence to show where that money is going.
My guess is someone’s pocket.
I don’t think the government will shut down access from this “back side”, lots of the locals use it to get in and out without having the pay through the nose for the train.
Tourist shopping? in Santa Teresa? Absolutely 0.
-Dan