Buenos Aires, End Of The Line

I made it to Buenos Aires.  Temperatures have been on the cool side and autumn leaves collect in the streets.  I felt no great joy or sense of accomplishment upon reaching the city.  Just road weary - fond and appreciative of my machine and those who understand them inside out.  I rode out toward the shipping docks and I saw the muddy water from the Rio de la Plata flowing out toward the open ocean.  This was definitely the end of the line, for now.  I stayed in a hostel in the Belgrano neighborhood and during the day walked for hours throughout the city.

The mechanic whose shop I stayed at in Santiago hooked me up with a guy that would store my motorcycle for free.  I made a cold evening ride out to his place in Mercedes, about 60 miles outside of town.  After some lemonade I said goodbye to my moto, then Gabriel gave me a ride to the bus station on his Africa Twin 750.

I bought a roundtrip flight with a return leg in 6 months.  The plan is to come back during south america's summer and do some more riding.

The airplane seat felt unusually cramped, especially for a long flight.  It would take roughly 12 hours to make it over the same land that I pushed through during the last three months.  It seems like some magical compression of time and space.  All the violence in those engines harnessed for the passenger's money and the collective wish to be elsewhere.

I woke up this morning in my apartment in Brooklyn and eased into a lazy day of strolling.  The weather is perfect.  The energy here feels electric, like it has in the past.  So many people pushing so hard.

Back with my girl and my dog; sweeter than yoo-hoo.

Thanks for reading,

John

Map from Wikipedia of the Pan American in it's entirety.  My route began in Phoenix, AZ and hugged the pacific coast through Mexico, picking up the Pan American Highway south of Mexico City and on all the way down to Buenos Aires.  My next trip might be to Ushuala (Patagonia) and/or Brazil.