Honestly, Sterling, I would rather see all of the highs AND the lows. Seeing what motorcycle camping and just adventuring in general is REALLY like is hugely beneficial to everyone. Please don’t curate this content to only present a one-sided view of the experience and please keep producing your content. It’s not the picture or the slow pan or the ambient music that makes the video great. It’s so much more than that and you always do a great job of presenting your story.
Agree. I think all journeys over a handful of days reach some point of frustration. At this point, is it "me" who just needs vent, or is this a point where the journey is asking for a transubstantiation? I love to watch it in others in hopes I remember the process it happens, inevitably, to me again.
So do I. Life isn’t always golden, and so are motorcamping trips. My first one was a nightmare, I had almost but no sleep and that made me a wreck next day. But that’s the reality and luckily all things past so I tried again some weeks later and it was great. Your series kept inspiring me and I really love your work. The images are great. The stories are real. And realness is what we need in a more and more artificial world
I appreciate you being real and honest about your travel experiences. Makes me feel better about most of my camping experiences. But when I look back on even the worse camping trips, I forget all the bad parts and focus on the good parts.
For those wondering the old logs on the side of the road, where Sterling stops at the bridge, are the old timbers used to construct the old bridge before it was replaced with steel spans with a concrete overlay. The cables you see are old loggong lines that were used on high rigging on the timber claims back in the day, they used them up after on these bridges to tie the logs in place.
I know the drone shots are a pain in the ass, but man they are awesome and much appreciated. Don't be too hard on yourself....we appreciate you and what you bring us. cheers, shawn
Just starting this video and finding your authenticity so refreshing. It can be rough at times no matter how hard we try to make it pleasant. There is a Yin and Yang to the experience of ADV which I think needs to be captured and has its own kind of inspiration. Thanks for your artistic honesty, Sterling!👍👍👍
The beauty of the north island changed your mood pretty quickly, eh 👍🏻 The miserable stuff is a small price to pay to be able to call this place home. Glad you’re finding it. Cheers!
Indeed, I love the island so much - to be honest I want to go back there again but when it is off-season and I can experience it in the rain - not every day but some of it :-)
@@SterlingNoren best time to come here is September. It’s a small window of about 3-4 weeks but is absolutely stunning weather and the majority of all the mainland tourists are gone. I’m hosting a fundraiser north island for men’s mental health in September. Unfortunately it sold out in less than three days but look for those event videos to come from a bunch of different RU-vidrs that will be in attendance. Maybe you can make next year’s 👍🏻 Cheers!
I've been meaning to comment from the last video. I understand the extreme lows. Regardless, it is all inspiring. You are giving a real world experience and it would be important for others to understand that a trip of your stature is not like what most try to show on the outside. I haven't done a whole lot of camping, but I know that no road trip on motorcycle comes without issues, whether a mishap with the bike or possessions. I truly enjoy watching your experiences on your travels. I know many years down the road, we will remember and cherish moments like these.
Awesome... This is why I stop filming my journeys years ago.. It is too much to do... I have at least 2 hard disk full of my travel vedios un-edited last 16 years.. Sterling, You are Amazing character!! Most people probably do not understand the pain and effort you taking to film, each frames in your vedios! Driving back and forth to set up cameras, then acting, ( omg.. packing everything back to bags and doing it all over again) also flying drone while riding!! too much.. I lost my DJI Mavic Pro 2 in Utah desert 3 years back.. it just took off and never could find it back! Yeah.. you will get upset sometimes.. (seeing others enjoying the luxury, and you feel like a homeless. 😅😅 But one thing Sterling, I don't know you, we never met.. even I'm from a different country. but people like me watching your MASTERPIECE filming love your channel. Like you.. regardless gender, race. You are unique. God bless... Keep filming.. Be safe..🤝 from FL
Fuck all that!!😂 motorcycle trips are always a good time to lose weight.😅 I just live on protein bars. Another great video! Enjoy the ride man! Any plans to stop in Seattle and see Helge?
Stay on your feet. Stay energized. You create so many hours of inspiring people living life in trenches... Meditate, wonder, ride and inspire and be inspired; stop to enjoy nature and sun when she shines down in you. Protect yourself when she rains down on you. We are the guests in a greater chain of events, and therefore have no other choice but to keep our expectations as humble as possible. Every day is a lesson within ourselves, when by ourselves, to accept it as is. Ride safe!
As beautiful as the camp area was, mosquitoes kill the experience for me so I feel your frustration. Good on you for saying f@ck it, I'm going to make it a good time. As always, great content and I appreciate you keeping it real...
Good to see you got your mojo back. You pushed through the lows and didn’t give up on yourself. And showing compassion for others, as you did with the elderly campground host, always comes back to you. Ride on.
Great way to wake up in the morning - with a freshly launched video. I think the low you're experienced is mostly due to exhaustion/sleep. Oh, and those dang mosquitoes!
Actually, as I live in Vancouver, the camping experience can be horrible. Despite the mosquito and bear things, the loud music at Port Renfrew you stayed is a constant. Impossible to find a little camp spot is a constant. Don’t fake how you feel, it’s Ok to be authentic. Keep it up, great stories and videos.
I made a horrible meal moto camping with mosquitoes and black flies added in that just sucks But.... I had great photos being on the road is great I am leaving for a week long trip in two weeks
Yes I've been living in Canada since 1990 one thing is for sure the mosquitos are assholes out here in the forest when camping, they have no mercy on anyone lol. I hate them so much as well
As a Canadian living here all my life, farming, city, or camping in the woods in the Rocky Mountains... there is one thing that is a necessity of life... mosquito repellent... and LOTS OF IT... hahaha So I now exactly what you are experiencing... just can't do anything about the fire situation... hahaha
When you are traveling on highway, at speeds 65-75??.... with that specific wind shield, are you getting air buffeting on your chest, chest and helmet, or just helmet if any? Thanks.
There is another content creator called Steve who lives in Alberta, but camps in BC quite a bit. He uses a thermacell butane device with regularity. He also has used a pop out hunting blind as a shelter. A cot can fit diagonal and still be room for your chair and the little metal table you have. He does carry bear spray and uses a Mr Buddy heater in the winter. Just suggestions if you return to Canada.
Man that looks like you were having a rough time! Hopefully you got yourself some good bug spray. As a Northwest expatriate, (now living in Boulder City, NV) for me, camp smoke, forests and bug spray were the wonderful smells of summer! Sorry you had a bad day, but I don’t know if any place more beautiful than the PNW in the summertime! Consider yourself lucky. 🙂
Many years ago as a Forest Officer, in the center of the Island we had to stop and talk to a guy on a road bike, unheard of? He was the first person who details the NI 1000 to me so its very interesting seeing some of the result! But I have to jokingly comment on your, or a typical visitors, review of the TUTA Marina. My story with the site is a little different. lol. I was solo one clear, windy, very cold day in February just upslope of the current site at the time there is just older logging and mainline, no developement. As I break out of the bush on a view point I see a very big collum of smoke that appears to be coming from the edge of the coastline. I radio in my deveation of plans, lodging a fire report and heading for the smoke. I broke out on to that lovely little bay to find two small boats anchored in the bay, large beach fire unattended as there was know one on the beach. I spent 15 minutes yelling at the boats till I woke a guy up so I told him to get his butt to shore and put the fire out. As I supervised he indicated this was the only beach in the inlet suitable for locals to enjoy an isolated beach. Getting back to the office I mention this great beach we should preserve, as a unique oportunity, for locals , this area be designated as a FS Reereation Site , boat access only, to our Recreation Officer. He informs me that the bay has been slated for a joint FS/FN's project. I complained to the point I filed a complaint letter to the DIstrict Manager and the guy two cubicals down, basicly saying you will be sorry. Being at the end of that very bumpy road it was not worth me inspecting the FS interest for a couple of years after 'raod construction''. The road killed me in a truck, especialy the access road and on site, I taked with a guy dying of heat in a trailer, oh ya, the bugs, lol. I left discusted at the developement and reported 45 gallon drums on the dock servicing boats to Conservation Officers and a poor road construction report, at least I see they have fixed the site roads, lol. I just never went back so your video was very refreashing. The last bit is speculative between knowing the file and on site yarns. Going by my office recolations, as a cooperative developement two lands were involved, Crown and otherwise. The initail maps had a service road running the entire beach suggesting total developement. Now I see the Crown portion is a wildlife reserve and the road limited to smaller marina location. The term 'host' is a FS contract thing, however all of the developement is on the other tenure? Later I would be a Water Officer working tightly with Lands. They just dont hand out campgrounds (sale or lease), everyone would want one. So I just dont get who these guys were as the competion? Describing the camp host and 'his raod' had me laughing, you have to know these guys. First any work on this project would have been government funded, he is probalby the guy who actualy built it, I'de call them crusty old road builders, these guys blow up, load and haul rock going uphill, it takes a certain personality. Like the bucket loader stepping out on his treads pouring a cup of coffee as he tells me if the big city biologist next to me is not out of site in sixty seconds he is going to dig a hole and bury him in it. I'm half laughing and trying to act official to ease the Biologist and when the operator started to hear the dialog direction was not going his way spewed his coffee showering the BIologist below, good shot though, missed me. I note the biologist is taking this very seriously, drove from Vancouver, ferry to V.I., barge his truck, on site on remote road facing Japan for sixty seconds, three guys, alone, one with a death threat, or was it, depends how you hear the guy, lol. So if the host is suggesting its his road just nod in agreement, there is a back story. Im hoping now, this what happened, and I'll throw in the word 'alledged'. My complaint was at least considered, my reports on the development hopfully went to a higher review and idetified a mess and they cancelled the FS portion of the project with the option for later being the Reseve desination. So my last question is for all ....do you think I had some success, make me feel this was a parcial career win, lol. And lastly it was great to get your birds eye of what I would see on a daily trip out to Nesook, takes me right into the truck seat!
One time on a long distance ride like you here, in Northern CA, I was depressed...ready to call it quits, and just go home. In fact, I called my wife and told her my "sob story". I was sitting inside a Burger King... Then I looked at the map and decided to get off of hwy 101 and head towards Petaluma...so at Mill Valley by the Golden Gate Bridge I rode out to the ocean to Petaluma on the backroads. And just started to getting lost...so I kinda got lost on those roads...At Muirwoods Vistor Center I almost went off a cliff...the roads there are SO FUN TO RIDE. That transformed my trip into an absolutely 💯 percent top ten day. The freeway was really getting me down. That 4 hours was like a day skiing fresh powder at Crystal Mountain here in Washington. Never forget, God is just around the corner! Mosquitoes do get to you...don't feel bad...I get it!!! I'd sure like to meet you one day...keep on keeping on!
Your videos are great whether the experience is good or bad as nothing is good all the time. Your videos has inspired me to do my own solo ride which I'll be doing at the end of this July and early August (New Mexico and Colorado). I'll be on a smaller KTM 500 EXC-F that I've put a lot of work into to make it an ADV bike for mostly off-pavement riding and your videos are what got me interested in doing a solo ADV ride in the first place. I'm a bit late in starting the ADV thing as I'm 65 years old, but I've been riding since I was 16 so I have plenty of experience both on and off road. I previously lived in the NW for 14 years and it's beatiful up that way but I'm definetly more of a desert/dryer environment kind of person and I think that has a lot to do with the enjoyment of camping vs. greener/wetter/mosquito infested places which can make tent camping not quite as fun. I'm sure your trip will only get better as you get to more open and dryer climates as you head back south (not knocking the NW at all). Keep up the great work.
Vancouver Island is such a wonderful gem of a place. I'm fortunate that I can visit it often but it can definitely get kinda 'peopley' if you catch my drift. Still...great vid. They sure grow trees big there....
The rough days make you appreciate the magic days all the more, and you don’t get the one without the other. Thanks for sharing it all. I hope you make to Holberg, which is kind of at the end of the road from Port McNeil. My folks were stationed there for a year back in the late ‘50s when my Dad was in the RCAF. It’s on my riding bucket list; I’d love to see what it looks like today. 😃
What would happen if Canadians were rude and unbearable, the mosquitoes and cooking terrible food would be a piece of cake. I blame Canadians too friendly. Love your films. My favorite is your Mexico trip from long ago. I watched it so many times and will watch it many more times. A true masterpiece. If you haven't watched it, you must. Thank you for all of your hard work.
Fk all that golden cinematography! You’re doing amazing Sterling. I love to see human touch, highs and lows are part of it, being vulnerable is making you stronger.
showing real emotions and giving your footage a true actual content is exactly what you need to give it, at least from my perspective... I've been rolling around in my head for several years now whether or not to attempt to add my content to social media on a grander scale.. your videos are very much enjoyable Sterling; and on another note, as I'm not sure where you've made it too on the island at this point, (beyond this video being uploaded)... but if manage to make a stop again in the Campbell River area, I'm gonna recommend checking out Elk Falls Provincial Park and the Elk Falls suspension bridge as well as down island outside of Parksville there is a water fall and river trail called Englishman River, some great spots I enjoyed going for short hikes while roaming the island on my VStrom. And, if you find the time, check out Denman and Hornby Islands as they have some great roads an scenery I recommend to anyone on two wheels ! Cheers Sterling and epic travels !
love your honesty. so important to also share your "bad feelings" experiences. I watch a lot of adventure motor cycling videos and it always looks so awesome beautiful that inspires me to take a trip. Then I also experience a "mesquto" scenario and then I think I am doing something wrong. Thanks for showing the true experience of being out there and living like a "hobo on a motorcycle". People in cars and hotel dwellers do not understand that. That is sad. Keep up the good work. I follow every km... Lots of love from South Africa
I worked in this area, at the sawmills in Tahsis, in 1975 as a summer student. The road into Tahsis was really rough then, no paved bits as there is today. Tahsis Company basically owned Tahsis and built Gold River.
I live in Southern Gulf Islands just off south eastern corner of Vancouver island. Right now I’m riding Tennessee, Virginia area.nnI’ve ridden a bunch of Vancouver Island and I love what I’m doing now but seeing north Van Island I wish I was there. Grass is greener I suppose. Get out and ride is the thing.
Wow, you are being way too hard on yourself! For any motorcyclist you’re living the dream. You can’t have a gourmet meal every night, maybe you need to drink more 😂 all the footage you’re producing is just way better than any normal person expects so take comfort in the fact that we wouldn’t be watching if we didn’t love what you do!
Sorry your feeling this way, but it’s refreshing to see honesty rather than than the polished poop that is often put out. I love your videography format and (generally) its very calming. People say you’re your own worst critic, so please try and be easy on yourself so you can look back with fond memories
It's amazing that after a little riding, your mood perked right up. Any day riding is better than a day in the office. I understand the frustration with the mosquitoes though.
Having worked forestry on the island for many years the west coast inlets have the worst bugs I have seen anywhere.Literally more than a handful of times I have seen adult men and women start running away screaming and crying from the relentlessness of these bloodsuckers.I now plan around the peak bug seasons when going into BC's wilderness
Thats fine mate, we all know that there are highs and lows, and BC can be brutal regarding Mosquitos, no one would blame you if you stayed in a hotel/motel, i know I would do after my trip in Canada many years ago
Your self reflections and honesty are refreshing. We shouldn't feel guilty about our decisions on the road. We each travel and ride for our own reasons. I try not to have regrets on trips. I make decisions based on the situation at hand. I may have some " I wish I had's " when I get home, but I comfort myself in that I did what I felt I needed to do at the time.
Dude, I loved everything about that rant. I feel like every long moto trip gets to that point where all of the inane shit reaches a boil, and you just have to let it all out so that you can move on, and get back to enjoying the trip. A trip where yes, you’re a homeless person with a motorcycle, lol.
And there it is. At 2:20. The realization that it is what it is. And welcome to the BC We(s)t Coast. Where the national bird is the mosquito. 😊 Great video series!
The message comes out loud and clear, you went through all of that to tell us about the couple who has been together for 60 plus years and the love that is between them, thanks for finding such meaning.
Im glad you show the bad side also. If a new person saw the good and nice camping all the time and then went on there 1st camping trip and did go as good as all the videos. I dont think peoplr would go out and do it again. Thank you sir
Pro Tip - Try "Intermittent Fasting" (IF) I've been doing this going on 20 years & bonus it cones in real handy when you travel. IF is only eating in a window during the day - I only eat from Noon to 7pm (ish). It works well when traveling because you don't have to cook breakfast - you make a few coffees in the morning and move on. & NO if you do it gradually your body/mind gets used to IF (& NO U won't DIE). So man up - grow a pair - quit complaining - & do the IF thing.
Good to see you're back! Honestly, even though I've been a backpacker for many years, I thought my first motorbike camping trip would be roses and sunshine based on what i saw in RU-vid. I'm happy to see the reality and we have all been there.
I’ve been enjoying this series and as someone who had done long distance hiking I have to say we’ve all been there with the lows. On trail we say never quit on your worst day. Literally laughed when you said “fuck all that”. Absolutely relatable. Best part of the series so far. In my mind maybe the BDR job in the middle of this trip really took some of the magic out of it. I’ll keep watching and hopefully things turn around in the next few vids. Thanks for putting in the work on these.
That's right - the BDR trip really took a lot of the wind out of me - not because it was a bad trip at all, but it was "work" none the less and also it is simply challenging to ride an entire BDR (twice!). Indeed, as you will see things pick up pretty quickly as I move on and get much better.
Truly enjoy your video's. And a pat on your back, as you seem to have your MOJO back today. I know you inspire us to get out in nature and enjoy. Thanks for sharing one of your most important things with us (YOUR TIME) Safe Travels
Hi Sterling, I’m currently riding round Australia on my Yamaha Super Tenere 1200, a trip of approximately 15000 kms. This morning was wet and miserable, then the afternoon was brilliant. I sympathise with your highs and lows but I tend just to take things as they come and believe in myself and that setbacks will happen. I’m 71 years old and am very grateful that I have the desire and health to take on and endure the challenge. The crap days are as they say “character building” even at 71 we can all improve. I also regularly reflect on all those that for whatever reason can only dream of what we do. Keep on keeping on mate.
The biggest problem with social media is that most of what you see is polished to absolute positivity. What I mean by that is people seldom post their true experiences, only advertising that their lives are amazing with carefully chosen photos and curated moments... that leads to everyone else wondering why their lives aren't as wonderful, and why they seem to be such losers compared to Mr and Mrs Jones. You are doing your viewers a service by showing them that not every adventure is sunshine and lollypops, because if you did and they had a different (read: more difficult) experience than you, then they'd feel that they'd somehow failed. Life is a challenge, embrace the suck.
Keep it up. Those of us that motorcycle camp have gone through the same thing as some point. It's about keepin' on keepin' on. Camping on the Island is some of the most challenging - i've experienced the exact same thing with trying to start/sustain a fire, the bugs, and anything else (last year I did the NorthI1000 and got 4 flat tires.....one changed while a bear watched me from 100 yards away). So ya, it's trying at time. But loving the honesty and the footage. Thanks for sharing and bringing us along.
Sorry you had a rough patch. If you go moto camping enough, you are bound to have a rough patch where things don’t go how you want them to. I’m guessing that this was filmed summer of 2022…. While you were doing this, I was a year and a half into our 13 year olds 2 and a half year treatment for leukemia. For 2 years now(4-2023) I have been passing the time in a children’s hospital watching your’s, and a handful of other moto camping video creators work, religiously trying to pass the hundreds, maybe thousands, of hours watching our boy on a slow drip of chemotherapy. I really appreciate the work you all put in to making content. It really has helped me pass the time. So next time you are sitting in a mosquito suck fest know that you are not doing this for nothing and you are helping someone like me get through a shitty patch of life. Thank you sir and “Keep Going”
Hi Sterling! THANK YOU for sharing the realities and not just the pristine. When we only share the highs, we can actually end up discouraging each other. Being real about the lows gives us the encouragement to continue on. I glean things from each video. I have been looking into a cooking box too. Your reality about the soot and mess is helpful in being aware of what I'm getting into. Thanks for the adventure!
Glad you enjoyed some of the North Island 1000 tracks. Doing a Rally end of June in that area. Should be a good time. I will be well prepared for mosquitos!
