On The Pegs September 2019 - Volume 4 - Issue 9 | Page 117

On The Pegs
Vol. 4 Issue 9 - September 2019
117
International Travel
This actually isn’t as frustrating as you might imagine. Every major international
airport I’ve been in has directions and signs in English in addition to the native
language, so usually it’s not much harder to navigate an airport overseas than it is
to get through one back home. The harder part is usually getting in your rental car
and finding your hotel and Parc Ferme (staging area). We would always hang out
and wait in the airport until we saw another American rider (this is a good time to
wear your fundraiser shirt or really any motorcycle shirt, especially an event t-shirt
from a race back home). Most riders eventually end up at the same airport near
the event, so odds are you should be able to buddy up with them. That way if you
get lost, at least the two of you can be lost together. Getting maps and related
things in advance back home and bringing them with you can also make traveling
much smoother. You may have internet access at the airport because of WiFi, but
you won’t have any internet access or cell service off the WiFi unless you bought
an international calling plan before you left home.
Recouping some funds
After the event, many riders will try to sell take-off parts, gear, used tires, leftover
tires and old ISDE fundraiser t-shirts to the locals. Some riders even pack the extra
spaces in the crate with old gear and other worn-out stuff to sell after the event.
Do bear in mind the exchange rate matters though. We got burned pretty badly
in Argentina because their economy at the time was so fragile that many banks
wouldn’t even exchange the Argentine Peso for American Dollars. When we finally
found a bank that would take it, we ended up with about enough for a couple
cups of coffee. We would have been better off either not selling the stuff or using
our pesos to buy stuff to bring home with us (believe it or not my favorite hiking
boots, that are still in good shape years later, were purchased for almost nothing
down there). Most of all though, for the love of God do NOT sell your motorcycle.
US Customs will inspect the crate when they notice the weight is off, all the other
riders will hate you because our stuff will be delayed for months, and when cus-
toms realizes what you have done they will fine you so badly you will end up ow-
ing them whatever you sold the bike for and possibly more.
Congrats!
You have now survived one of the most stressful, grueling ad expensive events
in all of motorcycle racing…. getting ready for the ISDE. After all that, 600+ miles
racing against the best enduro riders in the world sounds downright easy! n