13 February, 2018 – Buenos Aires to Ushuaia via motorcycle, 326 km / 203 miles – 1-minute read

The first hour of any journey is exciting, whehter a trip to grandma’s house or the end of the world. Motorcycle trips are the same, and the beginning of our drive from Buenos Aires had me feeling good – the day wasn’t too hot, the bike’s running well, we had plenty of space – and I thought, “Damn it’s good to be back on the road.”

Of course, the first hour is followed by the second, and the third; the initial optimism is damped by sweat, gusts of wind from passing semis, and the inevitable reminder that riding a motorcycle for long periods of time is uncomfortable. Very uncomfortable.

Oddly, that’s part of why I do it. I know that for any stretch of road, the first day will be rough, and the second will be even rougher, but if I’m lucky, on the third I have a breakthrough where the stress fades, and I discover the shade of green created by sun through alfalfa fields, the moist scent from a storm a hundred miles away, and the feel of the road twisting beneath my tires. Unlike most of my everyday life, I find myself present.

This morning we left our home of six months. The apartment was a happy home for us, and though we’ve been melancholy while packing and saying goodbyes, this morning was bright – Buenos Aires is part of our past (and future, I hope) but our present is the road to Ushuaia.