From Tip to Top: The Journey of a Lifetime From Chile to Alaska

by Peter Murtagh

Peter Murtagh decided it was time to embark on 'The Great Retirement Project' - riding a motorbike from Tierra Del Fuego at the very southern tip of South America, to the most northerly point in Alaska, alone and without the pressure of any deadline.
Aged 69, just him, a tent, a bike and a sleeping bag.
En route, Peter explored magical, wonderful and extraordinarily out-of-the-way parts of our bruised world, met incredible people from all walks of life and observed a great swathe of the Americas. Travelling alone on the 45,000km journey allowed him a rare opportunity to disconnect from hectic daily life and to embrace the solitude, challenge and peace-of-mind of the road less travelled.
From Tip to Top is a story of optimism and hope and the adventure of a lifetime, and is a ground-level portrait of the Americas as we rarely see them.

Kindle Edition

Published April 18, 2024

Reviews

[Peter Thew · Rating 4 out of 5]

So what do you do when you retire? New interests, hobbies or just relax? Peter Murtagh decided to ride his motorbike from Tierra del Fuego at the southern tip of South America to Deadhorse in northern Alaska. So he shipped his bike to Chile and followed it - just as COVID-19 started. His departure was delayed by more than two years meaning he was in his 70th year when he hit the road. 8 months and 45,000 km later he reached his final destination.
A lifelong journalist, Murtagh's writing has always been top class and this is no exception. He mixes descriptions of the constantly varying countryside with tales of those he met and where he rested his weary bones each night. A fascinating read.

[Donal O Suilleabhain · Rating 3 out of 5]

My issue with these books is that they can sometimes make you feel like you are paying for someone else's holiday but not so much in this case. He writes well and avoids hyping himself up as a risk taker like a lot of solo travellers seem to feel they need to.