What would it feel like if you finally stopped letting your daydreams sit in the back of your head? What would it feel like to step aside from everything stopping you from pursuing your dreams? What would it feel like to swap your office chair for the freedom of a motorcycle saddle and go on the adventure of a lifetime? What will people think? Will I be able to find a job again? Why would you leave a comfortable life back home? Will you feel lonely or sad? Will you be scared? will you be safe?
No this is crazy! Let me get back to the computer, I need to prepare for a meeting.
These were the thoughts running through the back of my mind ever since I got a taste of adventure motorcycle travel through Vietnam in 2017. I could never let go of the feeling. I knew that I would never fully return home the same. And well I didn’t. As time moved on I did well in my professional career but I found that with each milestone I crossed in my personal life, life became more comfortable, easy, and my dreams of a wild travel adventure became further away. It was not until my 30th birthday started to linger in the future that I woke up to the fact that I (or my family) would not be young and healthy forever and that if I ever was going to do something like this it needed to happen now. “Life would be so much more interesting after a trip like this” I thought.
And then this quote that always stuck with me came to the front of my mind and has it has guided me ever since. “The traffic lights in life will never all be green. If you really want to do something you have to go out there and start. You can always correct course along the way.”
So in Summer 2022 I took the steps to making this dream a reality. I bought a Honda CRF 300L Rally, got my motorcycle license, and began driving it to work every day. And then I told my employers I wanted to take a year off to travel. They were shocked but understanding. To my surprise they said yes, and where very accommodating. They allowed me a 1-year leave of absence. I was ecstatic and asking was not as scary as I thought it would be. I spent the next few months preparing the motorcycle and all my film and travel gear. I would say I over prepared and packed too much but I corrected course along the way.
February 2023, I embarked on an adventure of a lifetime and pulled out of my driveway on the motorcycle with my best friend Colton (driving a Suzuki DR 650) heading South. My journey led me through the remote deserts of Baja, the jungles of Central America, in a fishing boat to cross the Darien gap, The Colombian section of the Darien Gap, the magical valleys of the Colombian Andes, the paramos of Ecuador, the heat of the Amazonas in Peru, the sand dunes of Peru, the epic salt flats of Uyuni, the lightning-clad altiplano of Bolivia, the fjords of the Carratera Austral, and the wind stricken plains of Argentina. After 14 crazy months of traveling by motorcycle I approached the most Southern destination I could drive to, Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. It was a triumphant feeling to reach the end. Feeling a bit of nostalgia, I started editing this video.
This video is a reflection of my journey South collecting some of the most beautiful and cinematic videos I captured on my semi-broken Panasonic Lumix GH6 camera and partially broken drone. I highlighted some of my favorite moments capturing the magnificent Andes mountains, the Pacific Ocean, emerald and gold mines, and the desolate and unloved landscapes of middle of nowhere. I also witnessed incredible flashes of rich culture and beautiful people. I found Latin America bolstering with life, displaying a pre-colonial lifestyle with pride in ceremonies, dances, and clothing. And ultimately the thing I loved the most on this journey are the people I met. The amazing friends I made a long the way. All of the incredible and beautiful people that this journey has connected me with will leave the biggest impact on my life!
I hope you enjoy this short cinematic film reel! I made this in April 2023 and it has just sat on my computer for almost a year now. So I think it's time I post it. I will be starting to edit a lot more videos in January.
Spoiler: I never returned to my job or home after reaching Patagonia. So I guess I am still in the middle of the adventure and I am not sure where this journey comes to an end. I do not think I will ever be able to come back to the life I had before doing this. A trip like this changes your mind, heart, and soul in every way and it is still shaping me. So I guess when I pulled out of the driveway, I really embarked on a life long journey.
Thank you for all the love and support on my UA-cam videos and Instagram. Thank you for all the comments and likes. I really appreciate the support.
This video was posted from: Jodhpor, Rajastan, India
Stay tuned,
Jacob
R.I.P Lang. May your love and brilliance for life live on.
@MoskoMoto @Outbackmotortek @hondamotorcycles @PanasonicLumixVideo