Meet the MN man traveling from Alaska to Argentina with 2 wheels and 1 compass

(FOX 9) – Whether he is navigating the open roads of the Great Plains, braving the frigid temperatures of northern Alaska or searching for the equator in Ecuador, Jimbo Tarpey is on a journey of discovery.

His travels have taken him across the Americas to experience the wonders both man and Mother Nature have to offer.

“It is very liberating having the ability to pick up my entire life. If I don’t like a place, I can move on. If I like a place, I can stay. It’s definitely not a vacation. It’s definitely a lifestyle,” said Tarpey from Paraguay via zoom during a recent interview.

Tarpey started planning for his pan-American adventure more than a decade ago, when he decided he wanted to get more out of life.

“I think I’d followed the path of least resistance and it took me to places where I didn’t want to be. And I was in a job that gave me great skills and was challenging, but it wasn’t what I wanted and I was afraid to leave,” said Tarpey.

So he saved up and bought a motorcycle, leaving Minneapolis on the day he calls “Jimdependence Day”, July 5, 2022 to see the world with his own eyes.

“When you’re in a car on a road trip, it’s kind of like you’re watching a movie as you see the world go by. But on a motorcycle, it’s like you’re in the movie,” said Tarpey.

So far, Tarpey and his bike have traveled 46,000 miles, heading north to the Arctic Circle, then south through Canada and the western United States before crossing the border into Mexico, Central America and South America. His goal is to make it to the southern tip of Argentina by Christmas.

“A huge part of why I want to do this is to inspire others to travel. I want to show the world that there are these amazing places that are accessible to folks. But another part of it is to bring people closer to each other,” said Tarpey.

Tarpey says some of his favorite memories include making a splash in the Arctic Ocean, visiting the world’s largest salt flat in Bolivia and celebrating his 35th birthday on Machu Picchu in Peru.

Not only was he holding Minnesota’s new flag on the ancient monument,  he has a tattoo of the flag on his back,  as well as a Minnesota license plate on his motorcycle, so a piece of home is always close to his heart.

“That’s a huge conversation starter at restaurants and gas stations. Whenever I pull over or arrive at a museum or any kind of tourist trap, they’re like, whoa, whoa, whoa, who are you? And that’s one way that I’ve been invited places so it’s actually quite nice,” said Tarpey.

During his travels from Alaska to Argentina, Tarpey makes videos under the title “2 wheels 1 compass” on social media about the history and culture of the places he visits.

“It’s making the world a little bit smaller of a place by sharing those little things that I find in every country that I go to,” said Tarpey.

In his 2 1/2 years on the road, Tarpey has experienced his fair share of crashes, but one of the lessons he’s learned on his trip of a lifetime is that even bad times can make good stories.

“I’m really happy that I did this. I can’t imagine my life without doing this. It’s opened my eyes to the world. I have so much more faith in humanity,” said Tarpey.

After this, Tarpey says he plans to visit Antarctica without his bike, before deciding whether he wants to continue his motorcycle journey to Africa and Europe or come back home to Minnesota.

If you’d like to follow his adventures, click here.