Uncharted Territory, almost

Imagine seven weeks of paid(!) vacation.
Imagine an employer that actually lets you go and takes you back after.
Imagine an old but trusty thumper that has a reputation for endurance and longevity.
Imagine rocks, mud, river crossings, old railroad tracks and dirt trails, everything but pavement.
Imagine a 5,000 mile off road journey on the Trans-America-Trail.

Stephan, your not so average German with serious traveler blood in his veins and a knack for mechanics didn’t stop at imagining. He took his 1988 Yamaha XT500 and just did it.

Last Sunday I came across Stephan's adventure blog by accident. Out of curiosity I SPOTted his location. He had just crossed the Canadian border, so I sent him a virtual wave by email to wish him safe continued travels.

But as it turned out he was on the very last leg of his journey (for this year), and adding to randomness he planned to put his motorcycle in a storage facility not even a mile away from my house. What are the odds? It was inevitable. We had to meet!

Hence, we picked him up and went for Eastern Indian food. As it turned out Stephan is a connoisseur of the cuisine as well as of the country as he had traveled India many times.

It would take too long to repeat all his stories, so just go check out his other blogs.

Riding to India:

Circling the Baltic Sea:

We had a great time, and who knows, maybe I’ll met him again next year when he picks up the bike to continue his trip to wherever his dreams might take him. Alaska? New Zealand? Time will tell.

A rugged looking Stephan and Yours truly.