Ushuaia, Tierra Del Fuego
The Road Chose Me Volume 2 OUT NOW!!
The Road Chose Me Volume 2: Three years and 54,000 miles around Africa
I organize to meet Seth are Parker, my buddies riding bikes from Alaska, for our final night of camping in the wild. I find them fishing at the beautiful Lake Bombilla, where we have a fantastic night laughing and reminiscing about the road traveled. We’ve figured out a few times that we were within a day or two of each other in Prudhoe Bay Alaska, and now we’re going to arrive in Ushuaia on the same day. Very crazy.
Seth hoping for the best
Seth and Parker grinding uphill
A warm sunny day greets me for the climb up and over the final mountain pass, where I continually stop for photos with the Jeep. Rolling down into town and posing for photos in front of the “Welcome” sign does not bring forth the emotions I thought it might. I feel like I’m in any other town along my journey. Ushuaia itself is absolutely beautiful, surrounded on three sides with snow-capped mountains and the island dotted ocean dominates the forth.
Sunshine and blue skies!
On the final mountain pass
I post up in the La Pista Del Andio Campground and await the arrival of Seth and Parker, which kicks off a celebration of immense proportions. Many times during the night a phrase like “This is biggest achievement of my life” has us pondering exactly what it all means.
In the morning there are a lot of sore heads and confused people, and we tread very gingerly for a while.
Climbing mountains, all in a days work
I’ve driven a total of 55,580km over 558 days. That’s an average of 95km/day over one year, seven months and nine days. It’s really beautiful here, so I think I’ll stick around for a few days and let it all soak in.
Dan and Jeep in Ushuaia, 55,580km later
This adventure is far from over 
-Dan
Awesome Dan!!! Congratulations!
I wish we would have run into each other at some point (I am sure we will some day).
Hey Luis, thanks for the congrats!
I was just talking to Seth and Parker about how they ran into you guys (the brothers on bikes) – I feel 100% certain we’ll bump into each other.
Probably on a different continent 😉 Hopefully one we’ve never been to!
All the best for the road ahead, I know you’ll have a great time.
Congrats man, finally made it! Glad to hear that you and the jeep aren’t parting ways just yet and that the adventure is far from over. In honor of the occasion I’ll post 2 quotes that I feel are fitting of your journey and what it has meant to so many:
“The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say”
~JRR Tolkien
“So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more dangerous to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.”
Chris Mccandless
Keep living the dream,
Tyler
My favorite Chris Mccandless quote! I was just telling this to someone the other day!
Thanks for the kind words, all the best.
Congrats man, an epic achievement!
Hi Dan,
So happy to see you’ve achieved your goals, and are not stopping there.
Very proud of you!
Well done!
Christine
Thanks Chris! (What are you up to these days?)
Hey Dan,
I’m still living in Melbs and working in construction.
Am currently planning my next adventure.
Its not untill next year but can’t wait. It will be a hike up Mt Kilimanjaro.
Headding down to do a couple of days hiking on the Great Ocean Walk very soon – remember you did that with a broken ankle!
Hey Chris,
Kilimanjaro sounds amazing, I have heard so many unreal things.
Have you looked at any alternatives? In Ecuador you could hike Cotopaxi which is a little higher than K for all of $190.. and if you kill that you can wander down the road and have a go at Chimborazo at around 6,300meters for about the same price. You will save thousands over K.
Or you could Checkout Aconcagua in Argentina, at 6,930 meters it´s a full kilometer higher than K and will cost around the same price…
Lots of options.
-Dan
And belated birthday wishes!
Hey Dan
Congrats on make it down to Tierra del Fuego, thats an incredible trip
Well done, and keep it going
Good luck to you on the rest of the journey
Mike
Awesome Dan, congrats! I’ve followed your posts (as well as the pebblepedalers), congrats to you on arriving in Ushuaia!
I’ll be in the Patagonia area late Feb through Mid March. If I see you/your Jeep, I am going to chase you down and buy you a few beers!
Jason
(no relation to Chris, but love the quote!)
Thanks man!
I’m always on the lookout for a cold beer, I’d love to bump into you
Enjoy Patagonia, it’s amazing!
-Dan
Congratulations Dan! It’s been an absolute pleasure (virtually) following you on your adventure way back from the tree planting days. I have to admit that reading your adventure has motivated me to take my upcoming road trip from coast to coast of the U.S. in May. Pale in comparison to yours but each journey starts with a small step! Who knows what will happen after that!
*Cheers*
Chad
Hey Chad – I’m happy to hear you’re all set to head out on an adventure – I’m sure I will grow into something crazy!
Have fun man.
Hey Dan-
I’m preparing to fly down to southern Brazil, buy an enduro and drive back up into the states. Any suggestions for routes through Mexico?
Yeah! You’re going to have such a great time. A bunch of us were just talking about how much we love the food, people and scenery in Mexico.
I pretty much stuck to the West Coast and had a great time, the beaches there are fantastic, though you might be a little sick of them after the rest of Central America (there are thousands). The state of Oxxaca in Mexico is great, and the Baja is fun if you want to see some crazy remote desert.
Have a great time man, if you need any help, I’m happy to do what I can.
-Dan
Congrats Dan. This is a great accomplishment. I’m glad you shared it with us.