Before crossing the Belize-Guatemala border, I rolled up to a campground in a town close to the frontier named San Ignacio. There were loads of travelers there using it as a staging point to either gather themselves before crossing, or rest after they'd just done so.
There are only 2 land border crossings in Belize, so again, this is one of those bottleneck locations where travelers will run into each other. The long distance travelers roost here for a bit. The Frigate birds. When I rolled up, a huge storm was rolling in so I was moving fast. I set up my tent and hid my Africa Twin from the rain. It didn't take 10 minutes before I approached by a tan blonde man with a German-speaking accent asking about my bike. David and his girlfriend Melina were traveling across the Americas on older versions of my motorcycle, Africa Twins. He introduced me to his girlfriend and then the bikes. I was astounded at how far the model had come. They had versions from 1994 and 1997, mine is 2020.
The rain brought us together as we hunkered down from the onslaught of thunder and lightning. We got along well and ended up spending 4-5 days there getting to know each other, preparing, relaxing, and working up the nerve for another border-crossing day. 'Team Af Twin' was born.
The differences
We've been together for about 2 weeks at the time of writing this. Things are so much different for me as someone who has been riding alone for 99% of this journey. Back on the Alaska Highway I rode with a married BMW GS couple from Arizona but only for a couple days. I honestly haven't rode my motorcycle with anyone since then as a travel partner. All others have been day rides around with locals in the US, Canada, and Mexico.
It's very different when we ride past locals. When I'm alone riding through communities or passing other vehicles, people stare. People turn their heads, but there's mostly just a look of wonder or confusion.
When I'm with Team AF Twin, people smile. People wave. Some honk horns and flash brights and wave out windows. It's a parade! Look at all these motorcycles packed to the brim with gear! Where are they from? Where are they going?
I've noticed that purchasing things in bulk is an option. We can now buy watermelon. Even as a duo, Melina and David would not have purchased watermelon together. Me alone? Hell no. But with the 3 of us, we can enjoy a watermelon without wasting it or pigging out on it. This purchasing power in numbers applies to other things as well. Splitting costs of lodging is possible. Standing in line while others go to the bathroom. One of us watches our jackets and helmets as they're draped over our bikes while the others go inside a garage or grocery store to shop in the heat.
Our bikes parked together look less like a target and more like a pack. People have come up to take pictures and videos.
We have a woman with us too, which also changes the dynamic for the better. We aren't viewed as scary by families, kids, or others, even if one of us is a grim-faced cigarette-smoking east German. Solo or groups of women travelers see us as more approachable with Melina. People will smile as we approach vs. feeling overwhelmed by a boys club if we were all male. We're not a bunch of weekend yahoos, we're like a familyyyy awweee.
We run so well together as motorcyclists because we have obstacles that over-landing RVs, van lifers, bicyclists, and backpackers don't have. We need to seek out the same kind of shelter for camping. We have limited water and a lack of refrigeration. We need gasoline around the same amount of time, and we can zip through and around traffic down the highway better. We move at the same pace this way, whereas traveling with a truck pulling an RV would not be able to keep up.
We're sharing wisdom and experience. A few techniques and gear ideas have been shared, many I will unfortunately may not be able to adopt because of lack of access to gear.
Something to get used to
There are some downsides to moving with new people now. Your timelines are bent to meet the needs of others. For example, I'm planning on being around the El Salvador mid-way point by June 4th. If the Euros want to run alongside me, they'll have to slow down if they want to stay with me. I also pack faster. I have my entire tent, all my clothes, and everything else packed up in the bike ready to go in about 20 minutes. Even with 2 of them, they take closer to 35 minutes. It's not because they dally, it's because they honestly have a lot more cookware and a tent that's a bit of a pain to set up and take down.
Finance obviously requires complete transparency. We keep a running tally of who is owed what in our heads. It's run down on one side or the other after purchasing things like lodging, meals, or groceries. We take turns on making runs for things, pumping potable water through the filter for all of our needs, washing dishes, navigating, or leading the pack on rides.
I've also found myself barely having time to put together things for 2W1C. I'm so exhausted from the constant movement that I'm barely finding myself enough time to see things. The compromise has made it difficult to find time for myself to write or video edit. Luckily I'm staying on top of it, but even right now I'm writing while the Euros are out grocery shopping for dinner. There will then be cooking, figuring out financials, washing dishes, and the day will be shot and I'll be out of energy at the end of the day.
Honestly, it's great.
When you're rolling with other folks, it makes you enjoy the small things. You're sharing experiences. You're making inside jokes and laughing all the time. For the first time in a while, I find myself not having to tell the same stories over and over like I am when I meet new people. I'm actually earning new stories WITH new people. It's us against the forces of .. well, whatever comes our way. We tackle things as a trio, and we use our skill sets to our advantage.
They've cooked amazing meals, I've called places ahead of time to find availability, parking, and reservations. They navigate and find places ahead of time and routes, I've helped with getting through borders with my superior Spanish skills. They've helped me pick up my motorcycle when it falls in the mud after a huge storm. David had good advice for riding in dirt. Melina had good advice for keeping ourselves cheery and optimistic when stuff would fall apart. We all bring something to the table too, even if it's something as simple as keeping a cheery attitude or helping me pick up my motorcycle parking puck.
We're a team. We stick it out because the positives far outweigh any negatives. It's been awesome riding with these fellow frigate birds.
-JT
5/30/2023