First off, you have to actually get on a scale with EVERYTHING to check your weight - one of them roadside scales (I went to the local landfill where the scale was graduated to next 20lbs.).

You'd be surprised how much you weigh in all your riding gear (boots, helmet, suite, armor) another 20lbs. or more (don't forget all that stuff in the pockets you carry while riding).

Next, touratech cases add what? 20+ lbs. with rack. The Touratech/Elkamet fuel tanks are another 20lbs or so with rack - and for the Salar they were full, so thats 22 liters = 22 kilos. I used just over 1/2 my fuel from Uyuni down to the Bolivia-Chile border. From there, instead of having to go to San Pedro de Atacama (where you have to do immigration & customs), I was able to go east directly to Argentina and fuel up some 480 miles from Uyuni. I got to just north of Jujuy that night. I'll hit Chile again from Mendoza - skipping the Atacama Desert.

I am carrying camping gear - bag (glad I had it the other night!), tent, Thermarest, cook kit and a few cooking items. I have 3 books - LP Backpackers Guide to SA, small English-Espanol dictionary, a novel (currently Whirlwind by James Clavell).

There's extra tools - small rachet/torx/hex bit set, vice grips which I haven't used yet, a few others, some spare parts (levers, cables, spark plugs, a small can of nuts and bolts which I've dipped into several times, mirror bolt and other stuff)

Stuff like the above, you just don't think about, and it adds up.

But, indeed, it is an adventure. Tonight I'm in Cafayate, on Ruta 40, heading south. Another great day of riding.

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quastdog
Chiang Mai, Thailand

Adventure Motorcycling - when you realise you left modern life behind so long ago you are making funny noises inside your helmet because there`s just nothing else to talk about. I do a passable chicken, haven`t perfect a horse yet.

You will catch me in Mendoza it looks like Chuck. Smooth sailing on ashphalt apart from a few assorted sections. If you ask around you can do a detour to the dinosaur bones - 300km north of San Juan.

Near Villa Union on the map, think it is 60kms one-way detour couldn`t do it myself as I have decided I`m late. Didn`t make Mendoza today. Too bloody cold.

from San Juan and glad you`re safe!

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The Road To Rio - Locokiwi

Josh, pick up an Ojos de Brujo CD, a very cool Tango band.

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Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!

Oh dear oh dear! Funny noises in my helmet? I already do that just on the commute to work - what do those long lonely miles have in store for me!?

And being Welsh of course I'd always prefer a good ewe in heat

But as for adventure motorcycling - I've decided my butt doesn't need that much adventure and bought this

Dirty naughty rubber toy on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

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http://thelondonbiker.com/blog

Watch some of my camp cooking videos

AIM: mattcashmore
SKYPE: matthewcashmore
MSN: matthew@matthewcashmore.com

Where are you riding to, Amsterdam?

My word be sure to give us a product review on that. Turning the vibrations into a soothing massage?

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The Road To Rio - Locokiwi

My first moto adventures were weekend riding from Glasgow to Glencoe, most weekends summer and winter, (or similar Highland destinations). This was the 1970's, on a shitty old BSA with crap lights, crap brakes, crap everything. Oh and those horrible Avon tyres with the square profile. It was only about 100 miles, but I assure you it was an adventure.

So the definition of adventure is elastic, and its what YOU say it is, for you.

I class adventure biking as going away for more than a few weeks, caus to me, thats just a biking holiday !!

Also, going somewhere unknown where you are exploring and seeing new sights and experiencing new things etc. A bit of risk and uncertainly makes it "adventurous"

Then again, just because you know where you are, doesnt mean its not an adventure.

As someone already said, its a state of mind and all revative to your own experience and dreams.

I guess were all adventurers, just some are more hardcore than others.

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Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

We're not hard core, we mostly pee sitting down....but do try to have a good
time

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Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!

Ain't no trees around that I can see (so easy on the tree huggers).

Must be them damn environmentalists, want to preserve the earth from all the irresponsible developers, wreckless recreationists, the mining and forestry industry before they destroy it all before the next generations get a chance to see what the earth used to look like.

There's not a single user of the land - farmers, miners, forestry, recreation users, land developers - that willingly limits their impact on the environment until the government has to step in and force them to do it. Same goes for the chemical, oil and gas industries - hell, when it comes to industry, they don't willing spend any more than they have to, and spending it on preserving or restoring ain't in the budget unless the gov says so.

God bless the tree huggers.

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quastdog
Chiang Mai, Thailand

Hey Quastdog don't classify all farmers as being the same ,some of us do have a conscience and believe it or not - and would ya have guessed - maybe not all govs have their country's best interests at heart .
Come and see Canada the home of phoney baloney .

God bless the tree huggers ,just so long as they don't wanna ban motorcycles .

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Blessed are the cracked, for they let in the light. - Spike Milligan
"When you come to a fork in the road ,take it ! When you come to a spoon in the road ,take that also ."

Rather than risk banishment or buggery from the enthusiastic police force

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Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!

For me adventure motorcycling is a state of mind which can occur on a longish trip.

I think the base factors (for me) are that I have to trust my own skills and equipment. The fact that there is impossible to get help (from friends, doctors, mechanics, no phone..) while I am in an unknown area might switch my brain to adventure-mode. If the culture is totally different and I don’t speak the local language the feeling gets stronger.
The logistic (fuel, water, food++ ) is a big factor.

It’s very difficult to get this state of mind if you travel with friend(s), and I have never had it unless there have been things as guns, total mechanical break down or injured people involved.

Pretty often I go on shorter trips in my own country and even if the driving might be pretty technical and far from people and help I wouldn’t call it “adventure motorcycling”, maybe “action touring”…. On these trips there is more focus on the driving. Logistical problems are few.

As an example I would say that riding in the dunes Algeria was “adventure motorcycling” but riding in the dunes in Namibia was not… In Namibia they had doctors, food, s and even workshops available.
Luckily I enjoy both, but it are complete different situations even if might look similar.

This is just my personal thoughts; I don’t think there is an answer most people can agree on. What is love….?

Is this??????

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for me its the dogs bollocks, pure and simple!

Yes Quasto - excellent point and well made.

Like Q, lets all avoid rightwing, neo-con, redneck views about the land and its welfare.
Whats that Woodie Guthrie song? "This land is your land, this land is my land....." etc.