Above: Me with my new (to me) Suzuki DRZ400, which I will mostly use to get around Toronto. However, hopefully I will be abe to go on some weekend adventures in the dirt as well. The DRZ400 is the bike that I used for our training session in California’s Mojave desert before our African adventure. I loved it.
Returning to life as a medical student after spending over 3 months riding across Africa is a bit of an adjustment to say the least. I went from not knowing where I was going to eat my next meal or spend the night to a highly regimented schedule. I am enjoying clerkship, but I am glad that I took the opportunity to go on my two globe-spanning motorcyle adventures when I had the chance. The luxury of having three months with no scheduled duties is something that may not come again for quite some time.
Returning to Toronto was also somewhat of a reverse culture-shock. The difference in the standard of living is striking. I’m not sure if Canadians realize how lucky they are to live in a relatively safe society that has the means and desire to provide a safety net to those who would otherwise perish.
The story of our motorcycle adventure from London to Cape Town has recently received some media attention here in Canada. Debra Black, a staff reporter with the Toronto Star, was interested in our story and interviewed me shortly after I got back to Toronto. A photographer also came to my building and captured the above portrait of myself and my new DRZ400 (on the day that I rode it home for the first time). The story was delayed for several weeks. I guess the collapse of the world’s financial system, the Canadian and US elections, Sarah Palin, and hurricane Ike all put a squeeze on us.
Nonetheless, here it is in all of its’ glory: http://www.healthzone.ca/health/article/508585
I have also created a collection of pictures on my flickr account of the pictures from the London to Cape Town trip: http://www.flickr.com/photos/14077797@N06/collections/72157607350306724/
My own financial crisis has dictated that I remain in North America for the time being. Perhaps the next adventure will be a short trek into Canada’s north. There is so much to explore right here in my own country.
Good bye Africa, at least for now.
Jerry and I in Ethiopia.
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The Motorcycle Blogs 
i am extremely interested in riding with you in the “pit” and some local or canadian adventures.but i would most be interested in a ride for charity like you did london to s.africa.if we could chat about the administration aspects of the trip like costs and such maybe we could try to plan a trip,i am in the airforce and maybe able to use our services if its approved for a charity such as possible to get ourselves and bikes flown for free to a place we fly to? we could see about it,depending on the charity.i know it would likely be a shoe in for fallen soldiers or children or such.plus depending on the trip we maybe able to use military bases for lodging and repairs? i know that myself im taken care of at any nato base i find myself at and if the ride was organized a bit,knowing theres no guarantee of time lines when riding,if they know we were coming could set us up for a night or 2,possibly for publicity too.they could try to collect for us and give us checks at each base to donate and such.i just think with your experience and my position we maybe able to have a great deal of fun and do good for a cause.its been done once,with your media attention and photos maybe sponsorship in terms of factory help or bikes provided by companies it would be amazing and if there involved extra media attention and donations,whats your thoughts? or hell if you just wanna ride im located in trenton with my 2000 yz 250,paul.
Will explode if the reactor in Japan?
I am very happy!