THE JOURNEY

The road to Ushuaia started that day but it took a couple of years to really take hold. My 5th trip driving to Alaska, in 2002, took me all the way to Deadhorse and the Arctic Ocean.  By this point I’d started planning, prepping and building towards the my Pan-American journey.  Reaching the Arctic accelerated those plans.

In 2004 I purchased the vehicle that would be more home on the road. 1997 40th Anniversary FZJ80 Toyota Land Cruiser. I named her Ruby Claire and slowly built and modded her for the trip with very few people, if any, knowing the end goal. I was getting close when on a trip to San Juan Mountains of Colorado in May of 2007 I decided it was time to go. By November the time had come and I hit the road. Many saw it as rash and out of nowhere but the plan had been in place for 11.

I wasn’t 100% ready but the opportunity was there so I took it. I hadn’t learned Spanish at all, the long range auxiliary fuel tank I wanted for my truck hadn’t yet been purchased and I was going solo. None of those things really mattered and on November 6th 2007 I started my 18 country, 6 month, 36k mile overland adventure with little more than a few guide books, some paper maps, my Blackberry and very well equipped Land Cruiser