The Man Who Traveled 36 Countries in 600 Days on 5 Different Motorcycles and took epic selfies along the way

If anyone can write a book with his camera, it is he, Alex Chacon – an amazing man who has traversed the globe on his motorbike and captured the earth on his camera! After over 120,000 miles, across five continents, thirty-six countries, in 600 days, facing difficulties and dangers, Chacon lives to tell the story of his wonderful adventure through his wonderful selfies. An ardent biker bitten by the travel bug, Chacon, on an impulse, embarked on a trek around the globe with a view to see the treasures of nature and collect money for charity. Let’s meet this man on his iconic adventure.

With adrenalin coursing through his veins, Chacon was just unable to sit at home. He gave up his job, accumulated money by selling his valuables, including car, television, clothes, and booked himself on a journey down the two great Americas – from Alaska to Argentina – and all of it on a motorbike! Chacon not only wanted to see new places, but he also wanted to meet new people and experience their cultures. He wanted to ride down the highway of life to find that, elusive something, which the heart is always searching for. On his journey, he crossed many mountains, forests, rivers and waterfalls, saw many a beautiful sight that words cannot describe. He captured all this on his camera for everyone to see. He saw the divine light of the Aurora Borealis, which filled him with an energy and purpose for his mammoth journey.

A tough and determined man, Chacon was not put off by the initial hardships he had to face at the onset of his journey, when had to sleep in car parks, eat sparsely and travel on a meager budget. But God favors the brave, and as he started posting his selfies on the Internet, people caught on to the excitement of his rides and became avid followers of his journeys. Sponsorships started pouring in and he was offered travel equipment, including bikes *(Kawasaki donated money for Chacon to buy a new bike) and petrol for free. He met a lot of people along the way who wanted to help him and offered him food, lodging and even money.

Travelling on Kawasaki bikes and Royal Enfields, Chacon got to ride some of the best bikes on his road trips. He was also one of the very first to ride Harley Davidson’s first electric motorcycle called Livewire. Chacon took the bike along the famed Route 66, the ‘mother of all roads’ for the ride of a lifetime in America! On another leg of his journey, he rode through Oman on the Royal Enfield. Crossing smooth highways, remote villages, Chacon raced along with other riders, splashed through stony brooks, and took tons of great vignettes with his GoPro camera. Wherever he went, Chacon mingled with the locals, and his easy personality and charming smile ensured him a warm welcome everywhere.

Chacon is not just an adventure rider, he is a man riding for a noble cause - raising funds for the children of Uganda. A man with a passion for travel and a commitment to serve society, Chacon decided to club the two purposes of his life into one great adventure. Not only did he travel alone over miles facing hardships, dangers and bureaucratic hassles, but he also took pains to promote his travel experiences in an exciting enough way to draw sponsorships for his campaign. He wanted to help the unfortunate children in Uganda for whom he left his family behind and took to the road. This shows that he is a fearless, ingenious man, dedicated to fulfilling his life’s purpose at whatever cost.

A man of many parts, Chacon is a public speaker, presenter and travel guru apart from being a great photographer and rider. Based on his expertise and experiences, he has developed his business as a motorcycle consultant and advises and guides motorcyclists on road trips and world travel. He attends festivals, conferences and events, enthralling audiences with stories of his experiences and adventures. Of the many adventures he recounts to his audience, Chacon talks lovingly about his ride through Bolivia. While wandering in Bolivia, Chacon recounts coming across the salt flats – vast stretches of land from which salt is extracted. Chacon recalls his fun time spent in the salt flats taking pictures of him in various funny postures. He fondly talks about the land, lagoons and hot springs of Bolivia.

Of all Chacon’s trips, one that definitely deserves mention is his ride up to the highest road in the world in the Himalayas. He drove through India, up the Himalayas to the highest road in the world, at around 18,000 feet above sea level. On this journey, Chacon had realizations. **At this altitude, where the air is rare and the majestic beauty of the mountains fills the senses, Chacon realized the value of life, the value of people and the value of loved ones. At the end of his journey, on the highest road in the world, what did Chacon hope to find? Maybe, a safe trip home.

The Chinese say that a picture is worth a thousand words; Alex Cachon’s pictures and video - his iconic selfies – are equal to unmatched descriptions of the most amazing parts of the world. Unknowingly, Chacon has done a favor to mankind – he has brought the beauties of the earth to those who would have otherwise never hoped to see them in their lifetime. Many people do not have the means or the opportunity to travel and almost always miss out on the fun, excitement and marvels of travel. Chacon has, through his efforts, brought to these people the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of our earth, and partake in the thrills of travelling through his videos. Many people are grateful to him for all that he has done, for all his social work.

We, as his audience, give him our best wishes for all that he is doing. So ride on Mr Chacon, you are doing a great job!

Photos Credit: Alex Chacon

Anjali Nayyar

Anjali loves to read, philosophize, travel and spend time with her family. With a Masters in Sociology, Anjali ended up as a writer instead of a sociologist. She believes that writing is a channel through which one can express one's innermost self and express one's uniqueness, the gift of life, for all to savor.