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It’s time to start planning for the 2018 Compass Expeditions Reunion.
Next year the dates will be 14th – 15th of April and will be visiting the wonderful NSW South Coast region, around Merimbula, wonderfully located halfway between Sydney & Melbourne, for some incredible riding, good company and great tucker. This reunion is open only to past Compass clients family & friends Lunch will be at …
2017 Australia Encompassed – Part 1
One of the highlights for me leading tours, is meeting and riding with a diverse group of riders from all over the world and sharing great roads and attractions along the way. Our Australia Encompassed tour 2017 is no exception. Introducing the group we have Rafael from Spain, Miguel from Portugal, Paul from Norfolk Island, …
Kyrgyzstan Explorer – The view from the support truck – Week Two
Click Here to read about WEEK ONE of the tour Story by Ryan Heath Images by Mick McDonald The next day we are off the bikes but the adventure does not stop. Early in the morning we board two former Russian army trucks that transport us to the stunning alpine valley of Altyn Arashan. …
Kyrgyzstan Explorer – The view from the support truck – Week One
Story by Ryan Heath Images by Mick McDonald It is fair to say that when I told people I was travelling to Kyrgyzstan the most common reaction was, “you’re going where?” I think there was an assumption that any place that ended with “stan” was not a travel destination of choice. People seemed …
South America 360 Expedition – The finale!
Back into Argentina form Bolivia, to Santiago, Chile, and then the 360 is done. Tupiza, Bolivia into Humahuaca, Argentina. A generally difficult border went very well, much quicker than anticipated. The twisty mountain roads of Bolivia turn to flat and straight again in Argentina, but not for long. We soon hit the beautiful hills and …
South America 360 Expedition – Welcome to Bolivia!
Welcome to Bolivia! In this instalment of the South America 360 blog, we cross the border from Peru into Bolivia and head towards La Paz. La Paz to Uyuni, a long day, with a lot of kilometers. We left very early because of a predicted protest. They locals had just finished 3 days of celebrations …
South America 360 Expedition – Nazca to Puno
May 28, Nazca to Puno, June 9, marks the end of our visit to the wonderful country of Peru. We continue from Nazca to Puerto Inka, a great short day of Riding along the moon scapes of the western shores, with nothing but ocean, desert and huge dunes, with a magically constructed road leading through …
South America 360 Expedition – Mancora Peru to Nazca, Peru
May 18, Mancora Peru to Nazca, Peru, May 27 Mancora. A beautifully scenic beach town on the coast of Peru. The group meets up again after the long separation, we spend a short day and night at the comfortable beach bungalows. Then are straight back on track to the scheduled itinerary. Heading out again the next …
South America 360 Expedition – Justin of the Jungle reports
The group separates. I go one way, from the coast of Brazil to the coast of Peru, transporting the bikes and the van. The rest of the group goes on to explore Columbia and Ecuador. Definitely not the ideal situation, but it had to be done this way. The troubles and dangers and the crazy …
South America 360 Expedition – Rio to Praia do Pipa – Crew Report
Rainy and twisty. Long kilometers for the first day leaving Rio. Second day, long day again with very slow traffic and even slower towns and villages, and pouring rain, did, I mention the rain… Getting into Oro Preto next. It is a beautiful town with very tight and steep cobblestone streets. A great town to walk …
South America 360 Expedition – Praoi do Pipa to Manaus – Crew Report
Felix and Justin…somewhere A good riding day leaving Pipa, traffic, sun, rain, sun, late afternoon arrival to a great place called crooked canoe, Quanoa Quebrada, to stay at the Hotel California, such a lovely place. This will be my second stay at a hotel California, once before in Mexico, that they say was the original …
The 2017 Compass Expeditions Photo Competition!
On the 25th and 26th of March Compass Expeditions held it’s annual Reunion Weekend. You can read all about the rides and the fantastic dinner that followed here on our Blog. One of the most anticipated components of our Reunion Weekend is always the Photo Competition. Each year, we ask all of our past tour …
CAIRO TO CAPE TOWN 2017 – Zimbabwe to Chobe, Botswana – CREW REPORT
The most amazing hotel we were to stay at in Zimbabwe was the lodge at the ancient ruins. This hotel is a series of lodges built into the mountain side integrating the massive granite boulders into the construction of the rooms and buildings. From here we visited the great Zimbabwe ruins. An city which was …
South America 360 Expedition – Brazil, Foz do Iguacu to Rio de Jenairo – Crew Report
Leaving Foz do Iguacu to Rio de Jenairo for 3 days By Justin Wow, a long and challenging day of riding, leaving Foz, arriving in the dark into Campo Largo, over 600 km. Relief and anticipation of the great days ahead of us. Passing an interesting Bathroom shop and aptly named at that. This is the same …
2017 Compass Expeditions, Mansfield, Reunion Weekend Wrap-Up
It was overcast but warm when a handful of riders gathered at the entrance to Southbank Motorcycles BMW on Saturday morning……. Actually there were lots of riders there, but that was because a BMW ride was coincidently planned and meeting at the same place and time as our little Compass Expeditions Reunion ride group. Once …
South America 360 Expedition – Justin Reports – Ushuaia, Argentina to Foz do Iguacu, Brasil
South America 360 Expeditions Ushuaia, Argentina to Foz do Iguacu, Brasil One quarter (¼) of the 360 journey is complete! Justin reports After some relaxation and recuperation time in Ushuaia, and deeply needed visitations to the local Irish pubs, you know they’re everywhere! We were ready to ride North, from el Fin del Mundo …
Cairo to Cape Town 2017 – Malawi and Mozambique – Crew Report
Relaxed and ready to roll, once again we made our way out of the traffic of Arusha and headed south. Unfortunately Mount Kilimanjaro would not show its snowy peak through the high cloud cover this time around. We passed the days on easy roads winding our way beyond Dodoma, stopping at sights like the Ismalia …
Cairo to Cape Town 2017 – Tanzania – Crew Report
The Compass Expeditions Cairo to Cape Town Expedition continues South towards it’s destination at the very tip of Africa. The riders have had a chance to take a few days off the bikes, take a safari and spend some beach time as they make their way through Tanzania. Farewelling Brendan, we welcomed Bayne on to …
South America 360 Expedition – Justin Reports#2
South America 360 Arrival into Ushuaia, Argentina Justin reports Riding through more of Patagonia today, with luck, not such wild winds today, as they are most of the time. We made it to Cerro Sombrero, Chile. It was bit chilly, rainy and foggy, but the winds left us alone. The bikes and new Sprinter van are all …
Cairo to Cape Town 2017 – Kenya – Crew Report
Our border crossing day today out of Ethiopia and into Kenya went pretty smoothly once the chaos of the Ethiopian side was behind us. The new roads in the harsh inhospitable north of Kenya made travelling a breeze and we completed our 450 km plus a border crossing in good time to set up our …
Compass Expeditions Reunion Weekend 2017
It’s time again for the Compass Expeditions Reunion. This year the date will be 25th -26th of March and we are returning to the beautiful Victorian High Country for a ride in the hills, good company and great tucker. Lunch will be 1pm on the Saturday and afterwards we will take in some of the …
Cairo to Cape Town Expeditions 2017 – Sudan to Ethiopia – Crew Report
After our first camp night over the border into Sudan we started heading south through an ever changing desert landscape, along busy and rough roads to Karima. Here we visited the less famous pyramids of Jebel Barkal. These were walking distance from our hotel and just by the side of the road. It was refreshing …
Cairo To Cape Town 2017 – Ethiopia to Kenya – Crew Report
Ethiopia – Crossing the border from Sudan to Ethiopia took quite some time, but was relatively painless which was surprising given the ramshackle conditions of the border facilities in both countries. I think we were all a little bit sad to be leaving the hospitality of the Sudanese, but excited to be in a new country …
Gearlock to the rescue!
At the Phillip Island Motorcycle Classics a few weeks ago, I found myself in a dilemma that has plagued me on a number of occasions. I had ridden my old BMW to the event, appropriately attired in my favourite, old school leather jacket (you have to look the part, right?). It’s a beautiful day down …