We have been planning our motorcycle trip from Alaska to Argentina for nearly 20 years. In all of our planning and vision, nowhere did we plan to bring a dog. A dog on a motorcycle just doesn’t seem right. On top of that, Michael and I were planning on riding the same motorcycles because that way we could share the load of spare parts. We had decided to get BMW bikes, as BMW’s and Kawaski’s tended to be the easiest to get parts for across the world.
Originally, we were going to travel the world. This was sparked by the mini-series/documentary Long Way Round (2004) about two guys riding around the world. We have always been motorcycle riders, but never thought about that scale. The series planted a bug.
My hearing has never been the best, but about 12 years ago, it took a turn for the worst. Profound loss they tell me, cochlear implants was the suggestion. I was not ready for that. The alternative was a service dog, specializing in hearing tasks. I opted for the dog, rather than the surgery. After a process and an 18- month wait list. I received Rasta from Canine Companions for Independence. But what would a dog do to travel plans/dreams? Would it still be possible? We talked about it and the more we discussed, the more we decided “why not?”
We needed a sidecar. Rasta is big, a golden retriever labrador mix. A sidecar needed a larger motorcycle to support. I now have a BMW1200 GSA, and Michael is on a BMW800 GSA. Spare parts plan shot. In 2016, we had a custom made sidecar and motorcycle built for us just south of Seattle, WA. Michael flew down and drove it up to Anchorage, Alaska, our home. We spent the next few years riding all over Alaska and sharing our travel lifestyle with Rasta. We became Wandering Alaskans. We wandered to the top reaches of the planet (Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories, Canada), where Rasta dipped her paws in the Arctic Ocean. In August of 2022, we sold our house in Anchorage and hit the road, Ushuaia, Argentina-bound. Rasta needs to dip her paws in the Southern Sea.
