In 2015, when his lease for a hostel in Búzios (RJ) concluded, 50-year-old educator and tourist, Jonas Fernandes Ramos, found himself at a crossroads, with no inclination of maintaining a sedentary lifestyle.
Armed only with his motorcycle and a dog he had adopted four years earlier, he resolved to actualize an old dream: embarking on a motorcycle expedition across Latin America.
Jonas recalls that Térix, a mixed-breed dog, was abandoned near the hostel he ran in 2011, and having never owned a dog before, he decided to adopt the pup.
“I was dining at a pizzeria when this little dog appeared and kept staring at me. I shared a slice of pizza with him, and we’ve been inseparable ever since. His name was inspired by the pizzeria, Asterix, hence I named him Térix,” he shares.
When Jonas decided to hit the Latin American highways, he knew that he had to modify his motorcycle to ensure safe and somewhat comfortable travels for his canine companion.
This marked the beginning of ‘Térix pelo Mundo,’ a project that kicked off in September 2015 and has since traversed 15 countries and roughly 130,000 kilometers.
Over the past seven years, the pair have journeyed through cities in Brazil, Suriname, French Guiana, Guyana, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, Colombia, Panama, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile, and Argentina.
“We took our time, covering around 300 kilometers a day. We ended up residing in Chile for two years due to the pandemic, which is the longest duration we’ve ever stayed in one place,” Jonas reminisces.
Térix, now 12 and considered an elder dog, has been well cared for throughout their eight years on the road. Jonas ensures balanced nutrition, regular rest stops, and they only lodge at pet-friendly inns.
“Traveling with him is straightforward. We maintain an average speed of 70 to 80 km per hour, pausing every hour for him to hydrate, relieve himself, and eat. Térix also wears goggles to protect against the wind,” Jonas explains.
The health of Térix isn’t neglected either. Jonas ensures that the little fellow regularly receives veterinary check-ups in the cities they visit.
Jonas, a nature enthusiast, reveals that their preferred destinations are those teeming with natural wonders such as Lençóis Maranhenses in Northeastern Brazil and the Argentine Patagonia region.
“The Amazon region is stunning. We ascended Mount Roraima (at the triple border of Brazil, Venezuela, and Guyana), which was exceptional. But the landscapes in the Argentinean and Chilean Patagonia, replete with snow-covered volcanoes, waterfalls, and lakes, are unparalleled,” he notes.
But life on the road also has its share of tribulations. Jonas recalls a harrowing accident on December 31, 2021, in Ushuaia, Argentina, when they were preparing to commence their journey back to Brazil.
“Another motorcycle collided with ours, causing us to tumble. Térix remained unscathed, and the motorcycle suffered no damage, but I fractured my knee and had to be airlifted to Buenos Aires for hospitalization and surgery. Recovery took nearly two months,” recounts Jonas.
During his hospital stay, Jonas enlisted a friend to assist with Térix’s care. After recovery, Jonas and Térix returned to Ushuaia, retrieved their motorcycle, and resumed their journey home.
With information from UOL
Travel Latin America, Travel, motorcycle travel,