I am new to this forum. In fact, this is my first post. I have just finished a 15 day tour of southern Laos on a rented Honda xr 250 Baja with my brother, and had a wonderful time nearly killing myself doing it. Before that, I rode a little chinese farmers bike around Guanxi Province while i was freelance teaching. I am a well-seasoned traveler, but only recently started riding. It has enhanced my experiences to no end. Before, I always figured I could make my way with the odd job, and some TEFL while I am not in the states. But now that I have bugs in my teeth grit in my eyes and riding in my blood. I don't have a bike yet, but rest assured, I will own one as soon as i am home again.

So my question is, how do you all do it? I want to ride until my back can't take it anymore. Is there a way into a tour operator training position? How do I hop around the world with a motorcycle in tow? Please give me some input!

This site is an amazing community that I am extremely enthuastic to have discovered and now be a part of. Cheers to you all.

I gust go on month a year trips.
Some go to an area get a bike for a few month or so travel around and sell it or store it.
Others have worked all there lives retired and go.
Some are self employed and can take time off
Still others sell there house all there stuff and go.
A vary few have sponsors that help with it.

TEFL seems to be a grate way to top up traveling $ TEFL TESOL certificate courses in Boston, US & Mexico -Teach English abroad. its not for me but still looks good.

You dint fill out where you are from so we cant help to much with bikes places to go or that.

Riding long distance has little to with traveling on a motocycle (or it dose for me) for 1,000+miles day riders try here IBA - World's Toughest Motorcycle Riders

As far as tour operator training position are you looking for training on riding skills, opening a touring business or train people to tour?

But I know how you feel riding all day seeing new sights talking to new people.

Hi,

Being out on the road is all well and good when you’re just thinking about it, it’s completely different when you’re actually doing it, ignore wheat most people tell you and just go your own way as everyone is different and seldom do two minds think alike. One guy might wash dishes for a few dollars while someone else will get a programming job for lots of money while on the road, it all depends on your own skill set use your own talents.

Secondly you don’t ever ride until your back aches, when you start to lose concentration or feel tired for god’s sake stop and rest eat and drink, if you don’t you’re going to kill yourself or worse hurt someone else.

That’s the best advice I can give you after 4 months riding so far, and another 2 years riding for me in the next few years.

Lee

Yep Lee that is good advice.

Just an addition to your info here, the American "Iron Butt" Association ( these guys do like 1000 MILE days and USA coast to coast in 72 hrs, that sort of thing) advise the following:

NO Coffee, Coca-Cola or any other stimulants to stay awake. Get adequate rest. If you are tired STOP. Never ride if feeling Ill, Never ride straight after a big meal, keep your meals light and snack often, save your Main Meal for the end of the Day.


Martyn

Of course I don't ride until my back wears out. I was trying to be poetic and the likes. Riding isn't all that fun if you don't stop to enjoy the scenery, local food, chill with the locals and such. I just remember an old teacher of mine who used to ride all over the states. He said he doesn't do it much anymore because his back bothers him too much. That was kinda what I was talking about.

My main question was how you all support yourselves. I can live well enough taking odd jobs until I save enough to go off for a bit, but I figured owning a bike is an added expense. Priorities I reckon.

Thanks for all your input. Hope everyone is having a fine holiday.

He Apc?',

Welcome to the Hubb. Have a look at bellow link. There was a very lengthy thread on the very same subject. Lot of reading to catch up with !!

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...-lifestyle-458


Cheers,
Noel
exploreafrica.web-log.nl

Hoi APC.

I'm sort of new to the HUBB and I'm into the traveling too however I did land myself an XTZ750 back in August after several years of gawking at a Red and White R100 GSPD and going bonkers over the first R1150GS Adventures. I'm not in a financial position to say, "Next week I'm cutting loose and going!" however I have made a goal of taking a month or two to do Australia (my back yard) by 2010, my 30th birthday.

I've set to put away $50 to $100 every week from my pay check to do this ride remembering I have a partner and we have bills and a house to pay off. In the short term I go riding in the state forests on weekends....a hoot!

Now the XTZ I bought as an on going project and over the course of the next few years I'll work on different components and replace them or add essentials to her as I deem necessary. Most people can't understand I'm taking this long but I've got other commitments and quite frankly it's a reflection on the riding I want to do as well. I can honestly work on this bike and tip over socket sets and drop bolts all over the garden without getting really worked up.

Heck, I'll mutter the odd phark this and phark that but giggle immediatly afterward. Change a lightbulb in the car and I'm on the verge of killing something.

I guess what i'm trying to say is start small and work up to the big trips. You don't need the latest and greatest GS/Strom/Katoom but get something that you know is reliable and spend some money on making it YOUR bike.

For the moment I can't fathom organising VISA's for a half dozen African nations from some hotel in the Ivory Coast nor do I want to begin to think of the prospect but I will begin little trips around my state and then my country as stepping stones hopefully for an overland adventure to the UK.

I think in your position be prepared to work for long enough to get you to the next country's job and keep going that way.....it may take you several years to complete this RTW. The alternative is to work at home and like DL said, take a month long vacation once a year to continue the trip.

Keep trying, it could take a few years to get going but persist and you will be rewarded!

__________________
--
justAL Gardner
"I find the time by neglecting my work, family and civic obligations."

NO Coffee, Coca-Cola or any other stimulants to stay awake. Get adequate rest. If you are tired STOP. Never ride if feeling Ill, Never ride straight after a big meal, keep your meals light and snack often, save your Main Meal for the end of the Day.


umm, isn't thaqt bad advice, surely it's best to have the big meal first thing to keep you going through the day? or maybe it's just me?

__________________
***Sorry, can you repeat that......Err what was that again***

IBA is US centric and thus assumes you are going to try and ride 1000 miles in 24 hours on motorway/fast type roads with 24 hour availability of burgers/steak/donuts/pizza etc. Portions are huge. No IBA rider would venture off road yet a fair few still have wildlife and tiredness related incidents. They are a very specific organisation IMHO.

Different cultures and different food types have different effects. How German truck drivers can put away a huge plate of stew and dumplings (and in the old days a ) at 6 pm and then drive another 4 hours is beyond me. My German friends struggle with the idea that I'll eat a seriously full English breakfast and then not fall asleep through some all morning presentation on a subject I couldn't care less about. It's what you are used to and how your body works.

The light food thing (scrambled egg, pasta etc.) and often (Go to 4 meals a day if forced to ride serious distances) does work. The big meal at the end of the day doesn't work for me (can't sleep), while I'm sure a few IBA types wouldn't be impressed with me drinking tea all day then finishing off with a or whiskey before bed. You need to develop your own routine to match your ride.

The idea that coffee doesn't keep you alert is seriously good advice. If it's cold, the likes of soup or hot chocolate that you'd think would send you to sleep actually keep you going, but the bottom line is once you start to flag stop and match to the conditions. For most of us we aren't trying to turn in the thousand mile day to get a (IMHO pointless, he says expecting to get flamed ) certificate, so it's more about comfort and safety than big distances.

Andy