The Perception Of Risk

From the moment you begin talking about your plans to travel via moto you’ll encounter opinions contradicting the idea.

- Patrick McFarland

For me, the number one argument against my trip from Philadelphia to Chile was an unnecessary exposure to risk. How could I argue this point? After all, it was obviously safer to remain firmly planted in the office chair I’d become accustomed to, and it was surely safer to stay behind the imaginary wall separating us from our “friends” south of the border.

Friends and family also seemed to share the concern that while I intended to ride all the way to the bottom of South America, I would most likely not make it past Mexico. Apparently it’s common knowledge that drug wars are rampant in Mexico and it would only be a matter of time before I found myself in the crossfire. However, just months later when I did find myself across the border, I was met with open arms by friendly people everywhere. I felt so welcomed that my plans to race through Mexico changed and I ended up staying for more than a month.