That thing looks awful to pick up!

Subscribing to this thread to get updates on Panama to Columbia Ferry Service. Still in the planning stages, but looking at riding from California to Peru in 2017. Hopefully by that time the Ferry Service will be in operation!

Hi Mitch,

I would recommend a small and high quality trip. Think about riding Central America for three months (which will go by very quickly) and forgetting about crossing the Darién. Forget about crossing the gap this time anyway. You can get from northern Mexico to Panama in 10 days for semi focused daylight riding. Add at least another 2-3 days to get from NYC to the Texas/Mexico border. These are rough estimates, but knowing a little about your riding preferences when we returning from Nova Scotia, my estimates are optimistic. So if you rode there and back, its roughly 4 week of travel time alone. That still gives you +60 days to noodle around, hang out, relax... If you add crossing the gap, on a schedule, then all bets are off. At least in terms of a relaxed trip through CA. And what were you planning to do with your son's bike? Would he ride back alone or would you ship it to Colombia? What would you do with his bike in Colombia? Yes, some people sell their bikes at the end of their trip and fly home. Some people win the lottery too. Good luck.

Alternately, fly to Colombia and buy a couple of second hand dirt bikes and tear around Colombia and northern South America for three months. I suspect that you know enough people in Colombia that you could easily store them until the next adventure. My next South American adventure will follow this general strategy.

The key take away, take a hard look at the miles between here and the end of the rainbow. Then estimate the number of days you can take off from reality and live in Wonder Land. Everyone's trip is different, but minimum road time is the same.

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Peter B
2008/09 - NJ to Costa Rica and back to NJ
2012/13 - NJ to Northern Argentina, Jamaica, Cuba and back to NJ
2023 - Peru, Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia...back to Peru.

Blogs: Peter's Ride

Peter, my original plan was, of course to take the ferry to Colombia with my son and continue riding as far as we get, or if we are in Ecuador, head back to Colombia. We could sell the bike between Ecuador and Colombia , leave one country and not enter the next with the bike. That was the plan. Now maybe we'll just do Mex and CA together and I'll carry on as I have not time limit. I personally like to stay in high altitudes so CA might start to irritate me.

Truth is, the adventure is riding a $1500 bike as far as possible. I don't want to buy a dirt bike, i want to do the distance on the same bike I start with, and I want it to be a non traditional bike.


Back to the original topic, i wonder what the smallest ferry that would safely make the trip is. i would think that there is enough business for something simple and if it was reliable, people would plan trips around it. For me it was the game changer, I thought it would last at least a year and that's why I planned this trip now. Whatever, we'll just go and see what happens.

My friend Philip brought this Air Canada offer to my attention. Basically they are offering what look like reasonable rates to air lift your moto to South America or Europe. The first link is not from the Air Canada, but its to a detail Q&A with the airline.

Air Canada's new motorcycle cargo options - Canada Moto Guide

Air Canada contact info

http://www.aircanada.com/cargo/en/news/index.html?news=150218

Riding to Toronto from NYC is closer than the Mexico border...and the deal is very clear. Your mileage may vary negotiating with airlines in Panama City. I am rethinking the logistics of my next adventure, but I am still one the fence with the concept of buying a used dirt bike, they are so much fun off road.

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Peter B
2008/09 - NJ to Costa Rica and back to NJ
2012/13 - NJ to Northern Argentina, Jamaica, Cuba and back to NJ
2023 - Peru, Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia...back to Peru.

Blogs: Peter's Ride

Interesting, Montreal is even closer.

It looks like this ferry will be making a few trips.
San Blas Ferry - Home, Portobelo, Cartagena, San Blas, Panama, Columbien

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Amsterdam to Dakar - Completed November 2014, Alaska - SoCal - Planned for 2016, SoCal - Peru - Planned for 2017, Peru to Argentina - Planned for 2018

That one is about $1k for bike and rider.