Argentinian’s ‘dream’ takes him to Alaska

Photo by Will Johnson

A 37-year-old systems engineer from Buenos Aires was in Whitehorse last Friday as part of an inter-continental road trip from Argentina to Alaska.

It’s an odyssey Gabriel Storchi planned to fulfill a promise made to his father before he died.

“I wanted to go away from Buenos Aires,“ Storchi told the Star in front of Fountain Tire, where his distinctive vehicle, decorated with flags and decals of his sponsors, was being serviced.

Storchi said when his father and two grandparents died within months of each other, he felt he had to get away and fulfill his father’s dream of seeing the world.

“My dream was to go to Alaska,“ Storchi said.

Storchi left Buenos Aires in his 30-year-old mid-sized Chevrolet on Dec. 9, 2007, and has been on the road ever since. He’s driven across many international borders and seen many countries including Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, Panama, Mexico, the U.S. and now Canada.

The border Storchi said he had the most trouble crossing was the U.S./Canada border, which he crossed near Vancouver.

“They treat the people like animals. They think people are terrorists. I think it’s the worst border in America. I think they have to change their procedures.“

Storchi was dismayed by routine procedures such as being asked to surrender his car keys to border guards so they could search his vehicle without Storchi present.

Storchi said the guards were not interested in a scrapbook he tried to show them, which included many newspaper clippings of his journey from media on two continents.

“A terrorist does not appear in the newspapers all the time,“ said Storchi.

In contrast, Storchi said it was easiest to cross the border from Mexico into Arizona.

Storchi has met many well-known people on his travels, including actor Paul Walker and football player Brad Beavan. He has also collected currency from many of the countries he’s visited.

Storchi said his journey through Panama was “not so funny. The people are different.“

But all the other countries he’s been to have been “excellent,“ he said.

Canadians are “very cool people,“ Storchi added.

The traveller said he was impressed by a large photograph of the Rockies in Alberta that hangs in the Canadian embassy in Buenos Aires, so he made sure to see them for himself while in Canada.

After entering the country in Vancouver, Storchi said he drove through Alberta, then to Dawson Creek, B.C.  and finally on to the Alaska Highway heading north.

Storchi said his plan is to visit several towns in Alaska, including Fairbanks, Anchorage and Dead Horse before flying to the southernmost tip of the Americas, Tierra del Fuego.

From there, he will drive back to Buenos Aires.

“Thanks to Fountain Tire,“ Storchi said with a smile. “They make Whitehorse A-OK.“