"From New York, head straight for the northernmost tip of Alaska and head for ushuaia, argentina, the southernmost town in the world!" Dutch rider Bas Baaten embarked on a journey with a dream to drive the Moto Guzzi.
Bas Baaten was accompanied by a 1993 Moto Guzzi California III. Although I have been getting my driver's license for 2 years, I have very little experience in riding a motorcycle, and the actual driving mileage is only 600km!
"I'm not afraid to be ashamed to say that my knowledge of maintaining and repairing engines is almost zero – recently, I've only just learned to change spark plugs!" Bas Baaten said a little embarrassed.
There are many more difficulties. For example, Bas Baaten doesn't speak Spanish, but just bought a dictionary of common languages and put it around, just to hold on to the Buddha's feet temporarily! On average, Bas Baaten runs 300 to 400km a day in the United States and Canada, about 200 to 300km in Central and South America, and 1,000km on the last day. You know, he is driving an 18-year-old Moto Guzzi, which is really durable!
Bas Baaten suffered from severe cold and heat. On the alpine roads of Canada and Alaska, he experienced snow and ice weather, with temperatures sometimes as low as minus 5°C to minus 10°C. However, in Lower California and Mexico, the temperature reaches 40 °C every day, sometimes as high as 45 °C! One day, when Bas Baaten was riding in Peru, he first passed through the desert section, where the temperature reached 40°C, and then over the Andes Mountains, which are covered with ice and snow and bitter cold! In one day, the temperature rose and fell, and the ice and fire were doubled. These are the harshest tests for people and cars!
Of course, when traveling through different countries, you have to learn to adapt to various environments. For example, the food problem, it turned out that Bas Baaten did not expect to encounter this problem. Before this expedition, he did not eat rice and soybeans. But when riding to Central America, it was found that there was no choice.
"But after eating it a few times, I found that these foods actually taste quite good. Mexican food is great, especially street food. I'll never forget the Argentinian roast, which may not look remarkable, but the taste is unforgettable! Bas Baaten still feels relish in retrospect.
In the end, the great journey was finally completed - 56,000 km of adventure, 208 days of joy and sorrow, magnificent scenery, dangerous valleys, deep despair, ecstasy of desperate life... Bas Baaten has experienced all of this.
"My next stop is already planned. Now, my old buddy Moto Guzzi has traveled so long that it needs maintenance. I think soon we will be on our journey again! Bas Baaten said with a twinkle in his eye.