Columbia to Ushuaia

[dboisclair]

Hi All
I've tried seveal online map programs like Google and Yahoo but I'm not having much luck. Can anyone tell me the estimated distance and driving time between Columbia and Ushuaia? I'm still in the planning stages for a major motorcycle trip and I'll be doing a LOT of research etc - and reading any number of blogs - but for now I'm just trying to get my head wrapped around how long I'll need. I still work so bsically I'm trying to determine if it's doable now or if I have to wait until I'm retired. I know more time is better, and reading some blogs it looks like most people take ~ 6 months, but is it possible to do it in two months and still have enough time for some down time and some siteseeing? I don't want it to degenerate into ride, eat, sleep and repeat but I also would prefer to go now and push it a little rather than not go at all.
Just as an FYI we'll be riding two-up on a large duel-sport but we'll be sticking strictly to paved roads and staying in hotels/hostels etc - no camping. I'm also going to take the ferry around the hardest bit in Southern Chille to avoid a long stretch of gravel highway.

Any info and advice greatly appreciated
Cheers
Dale

[mjredl]

Hi Dale,

Based on my limited research, its about 6600km from Bogota to Ushuaia as the crow flies. So you could consider about 10,000km with all the twists, turns and side jaunts. If you rode 500km per riding day, that might be 20 days out of 3 months (90 day) trip. By the numbers, you should have lots of fun days off in between riding days.

I'm starting my trip in Valparaiso in October 2010, so I asked myself the same questions.

Have fun.

Mark

[dboisclair]

Hi Mark
I appreciate the response. I hope you have a great trip and I hope you keep a blog so we can all follow along.

I did more research and found a great blog from a couple that did the entire trip from San francisco two-up on a KTM and I'm afraid it's just not in the cards for me until I retire. Based on my research, and working backwards from their distance/time I figure it's roughly 15,000 klm from Columbia to Ushuaia and back up to BA and can take anywhere from 35 - 45 days of riding. 20 days @ 500klm/day sounds good in theory but I rode to the Panama Canal three years ago and I know that once you hit rough roads and third world conditions - not to mention the time lost to border corssings - 350 klm in a day is a lot. Chille and Argentina are modern countries with good roads but Boliva, Peru and Ecuador, and for that matter southern Argentina, will have their challenges.

My wife and I are going to fall back on our back-packing roots and do the trip using planes, trains and busses. We`ll forgo Ushuaia but we`ll get to spend as much time as we want exploring some of the sites and cities. It doesn`t have quite the allure of riding but we crunched the numbers and it doesn`t pay to ship the bike etc unless we`re going for at least six months - and until I retire I just don`t have that kind of time.

Have great trip!

[mjredl]

Hi Dale,

Check out Motorcycle Travel and Adventures

Jeff has good info here and he did his trip last year.

Regards

Mark

[Zibou]

dboisclair, I would be interesting by the direction of the blog you're talking of, thanks!