Howdy folks! Just moved to Austin. Good to be back in the US of A after a few years of riding the world and then living in India.
A little background: I'm from south India, grew up in Zambia, then came to the states to study mechanical engineering (did a masters at A&M from 03-04), then was based in Chicago. I got bit bad by the motorcycle touring bug and with a Suzuki GSX-R600, started exploring this grand country from West Virginia to Montana. I know, the GSX-R is not the best bike for touring but it was a 'ride what you got' feeling. I loved that bike! Put 50,000 miles in 4 years, including a bunch of track days.
Then the Adventure Motorcycling bug got hold of me and my love for the Suzuki DR650 started. Flew down to Tucson to pick up my first DR and rode her back to Chicago. Then down to Mehico, up to Alaska, and down the Continental Divide. I was dreaming and planning to stay on the road for a long time and it finally happened in 2010.
In March 2010, I quit the job, sold the house, car, and everything else that wouldn't fit on my DR650, named sanDRina, and we started riding. We went through Central America, South America, took a cargo ship across the Atlantic, criss-crossed Europe, ferry to Egypt, then down to Kenya, took a long break, continued down to South Africa, ship to India and a final leg through the Himalayas before ending the trip in New Delhi in June 2013. All in all, it was about 64,000 miles across 33 countries with only 6 flat tires. The journey was everything and more than I imagined a life on the road would be. I kept an active ride report thread on ADVrider and met so many wonderful people along the way and spent wonderful time in solitude in some remote places.
With the journey's end, it took me a few months to get back into the groove of our global society and after a few more months, I launched Jammin Global Adventures, curating motorcycle trips in far off places such as Kenya, Mongolia, Myanmar, India, and Peru.
I met my future wife in Delhi - she's from Dallas - and because of what the air pollution in Delhi was doing to her, I launched a startup to provide low cost air purifiers to help people live with the extremely bad air in many parts of India. She's just started a PhD at UT Austin and I'm working with another air quality startup now.
I'm slowly getting settled in - still need to get a Texas license. And I'm on the hunt for some new bikes and riding friends here in central Texas. Might get another DR650 or might get something smaller and lighter. Any suggestions?
And if you're in Austin or around here, message me for some
I see that I just missed the monthly meetup. I'll be there for the next one.
Starting off from Chicago in 2010.
Route map of the journey.
Crossing the Darien Gap
Sleeping with the pigs in Bolivia.
Snakes in Ethiopia! I was planning to camp that night.
Jungle riding in Uganda.
Hidden stump in the sand got me in Mozambique.
At Khardung La, one of the highest motorable passes in the world. It's actually only around 17,400 ft, not 18,000.
End of journey rally in Delhi organized by the local riding clubs.
Enjoyed riding this gorgeous Royal Enfield Bullet Machismo for a few years in Delhi.
Kenya tour on KLRs.
On the way to Presidio and Mehico in 07.
Crossing the Great Divide Basin, Wyoming on the CDR in 09.
If you want to see more photos from the journey: http://jamminglobal.com
Oh and I'll be going for the Formula 1 race next weekend in Austin. If any of you are going to be there, let's meet up.
A little background: I'm from south India, grew up in Zambia, then came to the states to study mechanical engineering (did a masters at A&M from 03-04), then was based in Chicago. I got bit bad by the motorcycle touring bug and with a Suzuki GSX-R600, started exploring this grand country from West Virginia to Montana. I know, the GSX-R is not the best bike for touring but it was a 'ride what you got' feeling. I loved that bike! Put 50,000 miles in 4 years, including a bunch of track days.
Then the Adventure Motorcycling bug got hold of me and my love for the Suzuki DR650 started. Flew down to Tucson to pick up my first DR and rode her back to Chicago. Then down to Mehico, up to Alaska, and down the Continental Divide. I was dreaming and planning to stay on the road for a long time and it finally happened in 2010.
In March 2010, I quit the job, sold the house, car, and everything else that wouldn't fit on my DR650, named sanDRina, and we started riding. We went through Central America, South America, took a cargo ship across the Atlantic, criss-crossed Europe, ferry to Egypt, then down to Kenya, took a long break, continued down to South Africa, ship to India and a final leg through the Himalayas before ending the trip in New Delhi in June 2013. All in all, it was about 64,000 miles across 33 countries with only 6 flat tires. The journey was everything and more than I imagined a life on the road would be. I kept an active ride report thread on ADVrider and met so many wonderful people along the way and spent wonderful time in solitude in some remote places.
With the journey's end, it took me a few months to get back into the groove of our global society and after a few more months, I launched Jammin Global Adventures, curating motorcycle trips in far off places such as Kenya, Mongolia, Myanmar, India, and Peru.
I met my future wife in Delhi - she's from Dallas - and because of what the air pollution in Delhi was doing to her, I launched a startup to provide low cost air purifiers to help people live with the extremely bad air in many parts of India. She's just started a PhD at UT Austin and I'm working with another air quality startup now.
I'm slowly getting settled in - still need to get a Texas license. And I'm on the hunt for some new bikes and riding friends here in central Texas. Might get another DR650 or might get something smaller and lighter. Any suggestions?
And if you're in Austin or around here, message me for some
I see that I just missed the monthly meetup. I'll be there for the next one.
Starting off from Chicago in 2010.
Route map of the journey.
Crossing the Darien Gap
Sleeping with the pigs in Bolivia.
Snakes in Ethiopia! I was planning to camp that night.
Jungle riding in Uganda.
Hidden stump in the sand got me in Mozambique.
At Khardung La, one of the highest motorable passes in the world. It's actually only around 17,400 ft, not 18,000.
End of journey rally in Delhi organized by the local riding clubs.
Enjoyed riding this gorgeous Royal Enfield Bullet Machismo for a few years in Delhi.
Kenya tour on KLRs.
On the way to Presidio and Mehico in 07.
Crossing the Great Divide Basin, Wyoming on the CDR in 09.
If you want to see more photos from the journey: http://jamminglobal.com
Oh and I'll be going for the Formula 1 race next weekend in Austin. If any of you are going to be there, let's meet up.