CROSSING THE DARIEN GAP?

**ezrdr** · #1 25 Dec 2005

Hi
I am trying to find some information on getting a motorcycle through, or around the Darien Gap.
Almost everything that I’ve found so far indicates that trying to ride through it would be a very bad idea.
I did read one account that said that it was possible to ride along the beach at low tide. Could this be true?
I have also read that there is a ferry boat around it, but the cost was $500 each way.
Does anyone know of an economical war around the gap?
Thanks
Bill

**Grant Johnson** · #2 28 Dec 2005

Love to hear some proof that you can ride around it at low tide ...

NO ferry...

There ARE sailboats that go around. Do a search of the site and you should find all you need.

This is NOT a new question!

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Grant Johnson

Seek, and ye shall find.
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One world, Two wheels.
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

**Lone Rider** · #3 29 Dec 2005

Quote:

Originally posted by Grant Johnson:
Love to hear some proof that you can ride around it at low tide ...
.............

Yes, me too!
Real info?

**FREEFLOW** · #4 10 Jan 2006

Quote:

Originally posted by Flying Gringo:
You can ride around it at low tide.

yeah right...I say bullshit.....any proof of this gringo?..if so, please do tell...this is HU ya know...

I'll bet you took the Trans Darien Monorail right?...LOL

http://www.goodtimebob.com/monorail/home.html

say HI to the FARC or the ELN for me then mmmkk?...

**sohrakoff** · #5 10 Jan 2006

I can't believe I paid $400 to fly my bike from Panama to Medellin when I could have either ridden along the beach or taken that sweet Monorail!

Thanks guys for sharing this valuable info... if you only would have posted it 6 months ago...

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Steven
KLR "El Terremoto"
Currently returning from Ushuaia.

**Jeff Munn** · #6 10 Jan 2006

Quote:

Originally posted by ezrdr:
Hi
I am trying to find some information on getting a motorcycle through, or around the Darien Gap.
Almost everything that I’ve found so far indicates that trying to ride through it would be a very bad idea.
I did read one account that said that it was possible to ride along the beach at low tide. Could this be true?
Bill

You could start by finding and reading "Obsessions Die Hard" by the late Ed Culberson. He spend years attempting the Darien on his BMW before succeeding back in the late 1980's. As far as I know, only a handful of people have succeeded since then. Read his book and you'll understand why. Good luck with that beach route though. Let us know if you make it.

**quastdog** · #7 10 Jan 2006

Quote:

Originally posted by Flying Gringo:
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by FREEFLOW:

I'll bet you took the Trans Darien Monorail right?...LOL

http://www.goodtimebob.com/monorail/home.html

This is one the worst things about the internet, people can irresponsibily post things without checking beforehand to see if they are true or not.
See you on the beach.
]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I wonder where he got the idea you could ride the coast at low tide?

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb...ML/000712.html

Are you (Flying Gringo) a comedian looking for an audience, or just a jerk.

**nate** · #8 11 Jan 2006

Actually, IM(V)HO that is pretty funny.
I think it's pretty clear that Flying Gringo was just making a joke with his original posting, if you've read about the hardships Culberson or Heldge Pederson faced crossing the gap, then the idea that you could simply "ride around it at low tide" seems pretty absurd. Like saying to a mountain climber "Why didn't you just take the elevator?" Yeah, it would be bad if someone took off to "ride around it at low tide" based on his advice, but that person would also have to be pretty naive to do that based on the advice of someone they don't know on a bulletin board, right?

Nate

**quastdog** · #9 11 Jan 2006

Quote:

Originally posted by ezrdr:
Hi
I am trying to find some information on getting a motorcycle through, or around the Darien Gap.
Almost everything that I’ve found so far indicates that trying to ride through it would be a very bad idea.
I did read one account that said that it was possible to ride along the beach at low tide. Could this be true?

Unfortunately, it would appear that ezrdr had likely seen Flying Gringo's previous post about riding around the gap at low tied, which is why he's asking again. Obviously, ezrdr is clueless and didn't understand bullsh*t when he read it. Its reckless for Flying Gringo to keep repeating his comment - not to mention, how many more posts do we want to see asking the same dumb question?

**dlmurre** · #10 11 Jan 2006

Better use a boat trailer, or better yet a trailer your boat can pull.

**Mr. Ron** · #11 11 Jan 2006

Ezrder, welcome to the club. As im sure you have discovered, a few of us on the hub have a sense of humour some would find rather uninviteful. Your question is a good one, but has been covered many times on the hub. Use the search engine and you will find all the answers you are looking for. The short answer is no. Fly or take a boat. But if you choose to follow Gringo´s advice and ride at low tide, let us know how you do!

**Smellybiker** · #12 11 Jan 2006

There's a beach ??

Girlie's brother (who's spent ages in Panama) tells me that the bit where land & sea meet is gloopy mud.

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Last seen in S.America, missing presumed fed.
http://www.smellybiker.com

**Dave and Sam KTM** · #13 16 Jan 2006

i`m gonna lend him my hovercraft for the day.i cant beleive i didnt have it with me when we were there.
actually, someone could make a few quid there;if we all chip in and buy one we could take motor bikes across whenever they turn up and split the profits at the end of the year to fund all our next trips.easy.

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**FREEFLOW** · #14 17 Jan 2006

Quote:

Originally posted by Flying Gringo:
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by FREEFLOW:

I'll bet you took the Trans Darien Monorail right?...LOL

http://www.goodtimebob.com/monorail/home.html

This is one the worst things about the internet, people can irresponsibily post things without checking beforehand to see if they are true or not.

If you had done any research about the Trans Darien Monorail, instead of just posting something you found on a website, you would know that the Panama Colombia International Exchange Statute (PaCoLIES) of 1974, as ammended in 2003, strictly prohibits the conveyance of motor vehicles on monorails.

See you on the beach.

[This message has been edited by Flying Gringo (edited 10 January 2006).]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

hey Gringo.....please read and quote my entire post...if you had a clue....

hey why is the bogus monorail site linked to FARC?...http://www.farcep.org/....do you know of this?....

this is Horizons Unlimited, and the post info quality used to be relatively bullshit free and not misleading.....

**madmarco** · #15 17 Jan 2006

Ok Flying Gringo

why don't you share the results of your research with us?

It's not a help for anybody if you just post information like this without any hint on who did cross the darien gap riding around it at low tide...

Did you do it? Somebody you know? A friend of a friend? Did you read it somewhere?

Interesting subject, many people would like to know more about it :-)