Wild Camping in Developing Countries by Jay Kannaiyan (JamminGlobal.com)

As I journeyed through Latin America on my Suzuki DR650 motorcycle, with all the possessions that I would need to survive on the back of my bike, I was anticipating the experience that completes motorcycle travel: camping. Arriving at a place chosen to be home for the night and then setting up that shelter, perhaps getting a campfire going and being a part of the nocturnal outdoors is to me a quintessential experience of overland travel. It also completes that feeling of freedom that comes with traveling on a bike; a freedom to choose where to spend your night.

I know that camping isn’t for everyone, but since I wanted to extend my budget (by staying in fewer hotels) and simply wanted to get to know the nomadic lifestyle, I made wild camping an integral part of my trip. I have comfortable-enough minimalist camping gear that doesn’t burden my luggage and allows me to enjoy the experience when camping becomes an option. And just to be clear, camping in the wild or the bush refers to not staying in established campgrounds.

I started camping from Peru onwards and after a few nights of sleeping in my one-man Catoma Twist tent, I formulated a strategy to help me in deciding where it was safe to camp. Although rural areas of developing countries are generally safe at night, there are some countries where it isn’t advisable to wild camp in a fabric tent, but with a few cautions, I managed to do it with no issues.

When I was traveling across the Pampas (savannahs) of remote northern Bolivia, as a part of my journey through the TransAmazonica in Brazil, camping was the only option due to the lack of urban areas and their hotels. I was riding through the world’s largest rainforest, which is contained in the Amazon Basin, an area as large as Australia but with a population density lower than that of Mongolia’s. That meant there were a lot of wild animals about and just making camp in the bush would not have been prudent. So, I opted for pitching my tent in front of rural houses.

Two to three hours before darkness, I would start paying attention to farm houses that I rode across and marking them as a waypoint on my GPS so that I could come back there if needed. As I’m riding along, I usually wave to most locals that I make eye contact with, to immediately establish a friendly relationship. In this same way, I like to stop at a ranch where I can see the owners outside their house, giving me information of the security situation. In hot climates, most people are lounging outside, so this information is my primary decision maker. That can also be read as, “Don’t stop at houses with no one around!” I broke this rule within a few days since there was no other house around and the owners, a young caretaker couple had gone into town to buy groceries. So, you can have hard-fast rules, but know when to break them.

Upon approaching the head of the household, I first introduce myself: where I am from and where I am going on this trip (I usually give a far enough known location so that they understand that I’m a traveler and not just a lost tourist). Then I ask them if I can put my tent here for the night and most everyone accepts. For Brazil, I memorized how to say these basic phrases in Portuguese using Google Translator and that got me through the Amazon. With rural people being as polite as they are, besides welcoming this impromptu guest, they also offered me a warm meal and a bath.

Even though I was now camped in someone’s compound, dangers still existed. Someone could rob my bike at night or assault me in my tent and rob me. Most likely this won’t happen and it hasn’t, so far, but I like to always just be prepared, because you never know. My strategy is to put the tent as close as possible to the bike and tie a cable between the bike cover and a tent peg. I bought a 15 inch machete in Bolivia for $3 and slept with that by my side, wrapped in a sweatshirt. The plan was that if someone tried to lift the bike cover at night, it would disturb my tent and I would spring out wielding the machete. I still haven’t had the chance, but I’m ready. These tactics might not be effective in real situations, but at least thinking this way increases my situational awareness and that is the basis for surviving.

With urban development accelerating in the developing world, there are very few places where a hotel can’t be found for the night. But what’s the fun in traveling from one concrete abode to another? I encourage you to add more camping in your next travel and get closer to nature and the people who live with it. 

"Why I Travel Solo" by Jay Kannaiyan (JamminGlobal.com)

I am asked this question quite frequently on my trip. Firstly, I'd like to state that traveling solo doesn't mean being lonely. On the contrary, I find it allows others to see this stranger on a motorcycle as being more approachable, leading to novel social encounters.  Taking a water break in the middle of the Western Desert in Egypt, I am approached by a local Bedouin and invited home for lunch.

In the years leading up to this trip, I learned the character traits needed for motorcycle touring by going on small to big trips around the US with these riding mentors of mine. While I enjoyed traveling as a pair or a group, I could see the flexibility that's offered when one travels solo. But on a ten-day trip with accurate information on roads and hotels in a developed country, there's not much need for being flexible.  I feel the option is needed when traveling through developing countries, where things can change quite often. This change should be cherished in the spirit of exploration, so it's best to be prepared by being flexible and going with the flow without needing the consensus from a traveling partner.

The flexibility also affects your riding. Sometimes I end up stopping every fifteen minutes to adjust something or ride for two hours without a break. If you stop unexpectedly, the other rider(s) start worrying that something has happened. But if both these riders rode solo, then no one would worry when you are fifteen minutes late. Of course, it's nice to have a traveling partner when something does go terribly wrong, but even then, besides being incapacitated, an individual can find their way back to safety.

I've also found that if you are intent on getting to know different cultures, a home-stay with a local family can give a traveler insight into the nuances of various societies. The biggest difference I experienced was the skewed daily schedule of Argentine families, where they eat lunch around 4pm and then dinner around 11pm or midnight. Thanks to CouchSurfing.org, I have access to this insight, which wouldn't be available through hotel stays.

Since I'm entering people's lives for a short time, I feel that traveling solo gives my trip a smaller footprint, making the adjustment of a guest into the host's daily routine that much more congenial compared to accommodating a group. Along the same lines, when I'm staying in small hotels, I've seen how the staff readily accepts that bike safety is of paramount importance and allow me to park in their lobby.  When I was staying in Guanajuato, Mexico, my front tire was against the reception desk with my rear tire squeezed by the front door.  I feel traveling with two or more bikes wouldn't welcome these kinds of accommodations.

One facet of traveling solo is that others view you as being vulnerable; not having an immediate support network and I've seen that this brings out the caring nature in people; especially in mothers of my hosts. I have to admit, it's comforting to be taken care of by a mother after being on the road for a while. In the northern Brazilian town of Maceio, Brono's mother welcomed me as a son and prepared a copious amount of food after noting that I was too skinny. I've learned that accepting such acts of kindness allows your benefactor to feel satisfied in providing to someone in need. Modern individualistic society tries to instill the notion of self-reliance and looks upon accepting gifts as a sign of weakness, or at least an act that must be paid back. However, there is a joy in giving unconditionally that exists in older societies.

While I may be in solitude inside my helmet, frequently staying with locals keeps me very social. This allows me to develop both these sides of my character. In the end, the journey of life is with ourselves, so we might as well be comfortable with it. As big changes in our society become the norm due to the effects of humanity on this planet, personal introspection is going to be needed in order for realistic change to occur. Traveling solo allows you to get comfortable with yourself and listen more to your intuition, your instinct, which is the basis for rational judgment.

Camping out in the middle of Patagonia, with not another soul for hundreds of kilometers, I feel connected to the vast land and sky that we are a part of. My companion and my safety net is parked next to me, ready to ride on.

Introduction to JamminGlobal.com and Jay Kannaiyan

Taking off my helmet at a petrol station in Peru, I'm approached by a curious local, and the inevitable first question is always, "Where are you from?"  I enjoy the shocked reaction upon them hearing, "India," and I quickly add to that, "but I started in the US," which doesn't help reduce the shock value.

Hola, my name is Jay Kannaiyan. I was born in India, but moved early to spend my childhood in Zambia, Africa, where wildlife safaris were the regular family trips.  After finishing up school back in India, I arrived in the US to pursue mechanical engineering, and that's where I got my first taste of two-wheeled excitement.  I putted about campus on a Suzuki GS500; and once I landed my first job, I started making small trips on the bike.  I soon recognized my need for speed and upgraded to a more powerful Suzuki GSX-R600, on which I toured around the US and dragged knee around Mid-western race tracks, putting 50,000 miles on her in four years. I saw the beautiful mountains of the Eastern US and the great lands of the Rockies in the West, and soon the desire to go further, beyond the asphalt, lead me to the dual-sport Suzuki DR650.

By this time, the idea of riding around the world on a motorcycle appealed to my inner core, and I eagerly absorbed as much knowledge as possible about this way of life.  I knew I had to make some preliminary smaller trips in order to iron out the bigger issues like what to carry and how many tools I would need, etc.  Since I planned to head to South America, I figured a short trip to Mexico was in order to see how it would be to travel in a developing country with a foreign language.  Brushing aside all the usual warnings, I had a great experience and knew I could continue all the way south.

Waiting for things to line up, I next went up to Alaska and all the way north to Prudhoe Bay.  I had some major mechanical issues towards the end of that trip, but I put it down as experience-building for the big trip.  After recovering from a skiing knee injury, I spent two weeks going down the US Continental Divide as a final dry run with the bike setup properly and with all the appropriate gear.

The time came to pull the trigger on the big trip, and I sold everything I had in Chicago and set off on my DR650 — motorcycle and man into the wind. It's been over a year now, and I feel right at home on the road with sanDRina, my steady companion. I've already had numerous lifetime experiences and my appetite keeps growing. When the muscles tire, I rest my bones in a welcoming place. When sanDRina shows signs of wear, she gets treated well, as her health is as important as mine.  Waking up for a sunrise in the remote high altitude southwestern deserts of Bolivia over a pot of steaming oatmeal and a cup of coffee, I breathe in and know that life is good, on two wheels.

Stay tuned for the next exciting installment of this journey of a lifetime.

The Lake Express will operate from April 30th through October 31st this year; and for the months of May and June, motorcycles will ride for free, a savings of $38.00 per one-way crossing. That offer applies to standard two-wheeled motorcycles. Keep in mind, there is still a fee for each passenger. According to the Lake Express customer service operator we spoke with, that fee per person is $95.50, which includes the fuel surcharge and the port and security fee. While perhaps not the most frugal method of circumventing the southern tip of Lake Michigan, the approximate 28% discount being offered by Lake Express was certainly worth mentioning and most definitely will be appreciated by the many bikers who will no doubt take advantage of this savings during May and June.

Accustomed to transporting bikes, the Lake Express has space specifically designated so that riders can enjoy the crossing confident that their bike is safe and protected. There are tie-downs provided for riders to properly secure their bike to the vehicle deck, and there is an easy on-and-off "nature" to the ferry allowing riders to go ashore within moments of reaching port. There is a minimum of 12 available slots per departure set aside for motorcycles, but exceptions may be made for larger group bookings. Motorcyclists are asked to be at the ferry 45 minutes prior to departure; and for safety and security reasons, once the Lake Express is ready for departure, no one is allowed on the vehicle deck. There is an open deck available for those who want to enjoy the cruise outdoors. There is also a classic climate-controlled cabin and the L'Expresso Cafe with on-board dining and movies to keep you entertained for those who'd prefer to cruise indoors.  For a slightly higher fee, you can opt to sit in the premier cabin where you will enjoy steward service, complimentary newspapers, non-alcoholic beverages, headsets for movies, and work-friendly table seating with electrical service for those traveling with their laptops. There is lots of good info on the Lake Express web site, such as attraction pages to check out for both Wisconsin and Michigan.

Wondering what's in the area specifically for bikers? Well, the Harley-Davidson Museum is located right there in Milwaukee. You'll want to check out the H-D Museum site for scheduled events that might be going on during your visit. For example, during May, there is a Women Riders Month Celebration in Milwaukee (May 22), and the First Rumble at the H-D Museum (May 27) scheduled.  A little further north in Tomahawk, WI, is the Harley Davidson plant where you can schedule a behind-the-scenes plant tour.  In Milwaukee, you may want to check out the upscale Iron Horse Hotel which caters to business travelers and motorcycle enthusiasts alike. Whether you book a room for the night or just want to drop by one of their restaurants or bars, the Iron Horse would be a fun aside visit for any biker visiting the Milwaukee area. Of course, there are lots of scenic routes through coastal and country back roads throughout southern Michigan and Wisconsin. Don't forget to check out the lodging map on BikerCamps.com. There are plenty of good motorcycle-friendly camping sites to choose from for those interested in camping.

DIY Bike Ramp by Kent Hartland

69th Annual Myrtle Beach Bike Week, Days Away

In the world of motorcycle rallies, the million-dollar question continues to be, "Will they come?" And no one seems to have the crystal ball on this one. Economic woes already were expected to negatively impact turnout to many of this year's scheduled motorcycle rallies, including Myrtle Beach's Bike Week; but with the Horry County council's newly-enacted legislation targeting bikers, while the 69th Myrtle Beach Bike Week event will happen, it's definitely going to be a wait-see as to what the attendance numbers will be. And that goes for other rallies to be held in the Myrtle Beach area throughout the month of May.

Vendors and Businesses Prepare for Motorcycle Rally Crowds

Still several days away from the start of the Myrtle Beach Bike Week, it is reported that there are already far fewer bikers arriving than in previous years. Vendors and business that cater to and thrive on the business that bikers bring to these May rallies, while making some cut-backs on supply orders, are expecting bikers to make their annual pilgrimage and are readying their businesses to welcome those that do show.

Barefoot Landing on the north end and Suck Bang Blow, a biker bar on the south end are already having their vendors set up.  Mike Shank, a spokesman for Harley-Davidson, regarding this year's Bike Week stated, "The feel of it's a little different, but people are excited about being at Barefoot in North Myrtle Beach, because they feel welcome up there and we feel like that people will come north and go south so it will be a good location."  Todd Price of Suck Bang Blow decided to move most of his vendors indoors, even though it will take up more space. Price has said that many bikers will avoid the city because of the new laws, but hopes more people will be inside and outside. Businesses like Suck Bang Blow and Barefoot Landing rely on the spring and fall motorcycle rallies to sustain them financially year-round and are hoping for a good turnout.

This month, Senate Bill 22 narrowly failed to get the two-thirds votes of the House required to get enacted into law. The vote came down to 282 yes votes vs 144 no votes. That’s a 66.2% yes margin which is about as close as it gets.

The Omnibus bill, which in reality was 160 bills rolled into one and included more than 1,300 pages, was the latest attempt to steam-roll a bill, which none of the legislators had read, through the Congress. Luckily, the AMA, along with other outraged motorcycle groups, were able to scream loudly enough to be heard. They  urged motorcycling voters to get involved and  let their congressmen know how they felt about this law, and the people responded. Luckily, enough of the representatives listened to their constituents to halt the measure before it got sneaked through.

Had the bill passed, it would have banned any motorized vehicles from more than 2 million acres of public land. Despite this bill failing, expect it to come up again. As always the price of freedom is vigilance.
 

Here is the Voting Roll for Senate Bill 22

Check to see how your representative voted, if they voted NAY, you might want to thank them, if they Voted Yea you might want to tell them that they are working hard to lose your vote next election.  If they are one of the six that didn’t vote at all, you have to wonder how they got elected in the first place.

International Motorcycle Rallies in '09

• Speed Fest – Mar 14-15 (Valles, Barcelona/Spain)
• Honda 40th Anniversary Rally – (Queensland, Australia)
• 7th Costa Rica National Rally – April 24-26 (San Jose/Costa Rica)www.harley-davidson.com
• 17th Love Ride – May 3 (Switzerland)
• Harley-Davidson – May 7-10 (Port Grimaud/St. Tropez/ Cote d'Azur/ France
• Skagen Rally – May 21-23 (Copenhagen/Denmark)
• 64th Rally FIM – May 25-30 (Zadar-Zaton/Croatia)
• Swiss 500 Miles – June 6-7 (Zurich Dietikon/Switzerland)
• Custom Bike Show – June 6 (Norralje/Sweden)
• XIX Reunion International HDC-C – June 11-14 (El Vendrell/Spain)
• Helsinki Bike Show – June 13 (Helsinki, Finland)
• Ultimate Rally 2009 – June 26-27 (Marcillat en Combraille/France)
• International Trucker & Country Festival – June 26-28 (Interlaken/Switzerland)
• Swiss Harley Days – July 3-5 (Interlaken/Switzerland)
• H.O.G. Rally – multiple dates in July and August (Cranbrook/Victoriaville/Halifax/Barrie/Calgary/Canada)
• Bulldog Bash – August 6-9 (Warwickshire/England)
• 12th European Bike Week – September 8-13 (Faak am See/ Austria)
• 10th Caribbean H.O.G. Rally – November 6-8 (Copamarina/Puerto Rico)
• The Carole Nash NEC Bike Show – November 27 – December 6 (Allesely, Coventry/England)
• Snowdogs Moto Rally – (Russia)

Many of the websites are not translated into English, so check the details listed carefully before making travel plans. While we attempted to provide the most accurate information about the rally date and location, the rally website will be most reliable. For those that end up attending one of these rallies, send us details of your adventure to share with other BikerCamps.com readers.

Sturgis Chamber of Commerce – New Owner of Sturgis Bike Week

For nearly a decade, the relationship between the Sturgis Chamber of Commerce and the owners of Sturgis Bike Week, Inc., have remained strained in a dispute over who would own the motorcycle rally’s marketing rights. When you have an event that has that much notoriety among motorcyclists worldwide, attracting hundreds of thousands of bikers to the venue yearly, it’s likely that trademark and copyright ownership for that event would be worth big bucks. In the world of motorcycle rally games, this tug of war seemed like it would never end. Finally, on March 3rd, 2009, that ongoing dispute was finally resolved.

Happy Campers Only at Sturgis ’69

The  details of the transaction that put this Sturgis Rally issue to a much-needed rest has not been disclosed, but the news is that Sturgis Bike Week has been purchased by the Sturgis Chamber of Commerce and that both parties are happy with the resolution. Francie Ruebel-Alberts, one of the three Sturgis Bike Week, Inc., owners, stated that, "…we just kept coming back to our desire to keep it in the Sturgis community. Despite the fact that we have had our differences over the years, the Sturgis Chamber seemed the obvious choice and to maintain local ownership was very important to us." Gary Lippold and Bob Davis were the other two owners.

This wasn’t the first newsworthy dealing to take place in Sturgis this year. The Glencoe Campground and the Rock’n the Rally Amphitheater also changed ownership this year. Gary Lippold, again co-owner of those properties, participated in a little official paper inking a few months back that finalized that $8.6 million real estate transaction. These are just a couple of  Sturgis behind-the-scene details we thought might interest you. The 69th Anniversary Sturgis Rally countdown is still ticking down to its scheduled August 3-9, 2009, date with plans for a great motorcycle rally still in the making. Aerosmith and Toby Keith are just a couple of the top-named musicians you’ll find on the ’09 event calendar along with lots of other great motorcycle rally activities.