A Motorcycle Trip through South America

by Luke Jensen, 2008 Legacy Awardee

Let’s begin with a story of a flat tire. I’m on a dirt road in central Bolivia, miles from the nearest town. My machine, a Suzuki that rolled off the production line somewhere in Japan just four years after I was born, has been a faithful companion until now. The sun beats down on its tarnished white plastic body, a reminder of the distance from my rainy home in Seattle. Rounding a sharp corner, small rocks flying into the air behind the machine, I feel the rear end sliding out behind me like a car losing traction on ice. I manage to stay upright and slowly wheel to a stop, looking down at the forlorn tire completely crushed underneath the rim. Then I look back up at the dusty road ahead, think of the occasional trucks that use it and the help they might bring, and wish that my riding gear wasn’t so hot in the mid-afternoon sun. So this is motorcycle travel.

I am exploring the world this year as a recipient of the Bonderman Travel Fellowship. Funded by David Bonderman, this grant supports independent world travel with the intent of developing new global perspective and personal understanding for the traveler. Fellows are required to travel for at least eight months to a minimum of six countries in two distinct regions of the world. Academic research and university studies are prohibited during the trip. As my first experience abroad, the immersive exercise is both formative and exhilarating. In the spirit of the Creativity Foundation, which encourages resourceful originality in all aspects of life, I am pursuing novel approaches to travel. My goal is to build a trip beyond the normal backpacker experience. I swam with giant turtles in the Galapagos Islands, pulled porcupine spikes from an intrepid but foolish dog in the rainforest, and descended deep into a Bolivian mineral mine to experience the lifestyle of many young men in South America. I’ve made new friends, escaped scary situations, eaten strange foods, and learned a new language. Taken together, all of the experiences are impacting my conception of life at home and  my role as a global citizen.

In the hope of experiencing the road from a new perspective, I bought a motorcycle in Bolivia for the remainder of my time in South America. Two-wheeled travel demands sustained focus. I am able to notice details on the road that might normally be missed from a car or bus.  For example, water has many smells – there is the crisp electric scent before a heavy rain. The fresh atmosphere indicating that an ocean is near. The muggy, wheat-infused humidity of farmland after rain.  Motorcycle travel, by its nature, brings a person closer to the experience of travel. It also opens the door for the entire road-accessible continent of South America, far more diverse than those cities accessible by bus. After South America, I will cross the ocean to Southeast Asia to experience another new way of life for five months.

Following my year abroad, I will be returning to the United States to pursue a postgraduate degree in aerospace engineering. Sustained independent travel provides a rare, detached opportunity to reflect upon major life decisions. I look forward to applying the lessons learned on this trip to previous experience to shape an open-minded, charitable, and effective future. The trip provides a rich tapestry of stories and experiences in rapid succession. Life as a Bonderman travel fellow places me far outside my normal comfort zone, providing an unequaled learning environment.

Back at our opening scene under the sun in dusty Bolivia, I sit for a while waiting for something to happen. Eventually it becomes clear, there is no option but to ride on the flat tire to the nearest town. The handlebars fight my every move as the machine struggles ten kilometers down the road, occasionally blasted by noxious exhaust from a passing truck. There are more cows on the road than vehicles, but I eventually find a “gomeria” for tire repairs run by an old man and his brother. We talk in my broken Spanish and sign language as the repair progresses and I try their home-concocted fermented corn beverage called Chicha. Thanks to small-town generosity and ingenuity on the part of the mechanic, I am back on the road with a new tire some six hours later. I have survived another day of adventure, cultural exposure, and problem solving – I feel like the most fortunate guy in the world, or at least in the high Andes.

For travel updates and photographs from the trip, visit my blog at www.luke-jensen.com

By LUKE JENSEN, 2008 Legacy Winner, National History Day, Luke Jensen was born on Bainbridge Island, Washington, a small community with a ferry link to Seattle. In high school he spearheaded the formation of a new history club, served as vice president of the student body and honors society, took part in math and trivia clubs, and ran cross country. He is currently studying aeronautical engineering as a student at the University of Washington in the undergraduate Honors program.