|
The Adventure Begins...
The adventure begins with the simple idea to get out and visit some out of the way places, meet some interesting people and take in some new experiences. It's about moving forward in a non-conventional way. While my route may pass along many notable landmarks, my hope is that the journey will take me to places about which I have never dreamed.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-O...0/IMG_0054.JPG While the dream is to go around the world, the plan is to do it in segments. I'm naming this first segment "Tejas a la Tierra". Or in other words, Texas to Tierra del Fuego. My route may change based on which way the wind is blowing. Right now the plan is to start in Texas and head South... through Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama. Then I'll take a boat to South America. I'll continue through Colombia, Ecuador (with an excursion to the Galapagos Islands), Peru, Bolivia, Chile (with a stop at Tierra del Fuego, the southernmost place on the continent), Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil, Venezuela, French Guiana, Suriname and Guyana. Then I'll head back home to Texas. If I can swing it, I'll try to stop by Antartica while I'm in the neighborhood. http://lh3.ggpht.com/-zpe_RrKmWyU/Tn...sT0/s640/1.jpg Along the way I plan to share some stories through this website in the form of commentaries, articles, audio podcasts, photos and short films/videos. Some of the stories will chronicle the journey and some will be about special topics . If you would like to join me on this adventure please subscribe to this website, my Facebook page and my YouTube channel. If there is a place that you think that I should absolutely visit, please let me know and I'll try to check it out. And, if you have family or friends that might be willing to host me for a few days, definitely drop me a note. You can read the highlights on this website or read the complete story by segments by country on my blog. Motorcycle Prep Texas Mexico Guatemala El Salvador Honduras Nicaragua Costa Rica Panama Colombia Ecuador The Amazon The Galapagos Islands Peru Chile Argentina Antarctica Uruguay Bolivia Paraguay Brazil The Road Home Que te vaya bien! |
Tejas A La Tierra... The Bike
I call her Emi. She's a beauty and she's my girl.
The bike that I will ride for "Tejas a la Tierra" is a specially modified Suzuki DR650SE. I selected the DR650 for its nice balance of street and dirt capabilties, reputation for reliability, abundant aftermarket parts, ability to haul gear, simple air/oil cooling mechanics and low profile styling. Being that the Suzuki DR650 is a Japanese motorcycle, I am going to call my bike Emi. In Japanese her name means beautiful blessing. You may hear me talk about her fondly as my girl. Below are some links to some of the modifications I've made. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t81GueeCqv.../s1600/Emi.jpg Modifications 1 Modifications 1 observations Modifications 2 Modifications 2 observations |
The Adventure Begins... Now!
The day has finally arrived. The adventure begins for Tejas a la Tierra. I'm heading south from Austin, Texas to Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. I've resigned from my job, sold many of my worldly possessions, cleaned out my house, modified my motorcycle, packed my bags and said my fair wells. I'm uncertain as to what exactly lies ahead. At this moment I'm feeling ready, but somewhat apprehensive. I've double checked my packing list. I sure that I've left something behind. Oh well, I'll just have to pick it up on the way. Or, better yet, just do without it. The planner in me wishes that I could take more. The free spirit in me wishes that I could take less. I had to cull a few items that I was planning to take - an extra pair of pants, some liner socks, some duplicates of tools. But overall I've been able to fit everything onto my bike. Most importantly I had a good night of sleep and I'm ready to go.
Thanks for all the support and well wishes. This whole trip wouldn't be possible without the support of my family and all my friends that helped me get ready. The Adventure Begins...Now! |
Tejas A La Tierra... The Border
I made it to McAllen, Texas today. The day started out a little bit hectic. I was finishing up my packing, cleaning and vacating my house, storing a few more items and looking around at motorcycle shops for a spare inner tube. I got it all done and set off at about 10:30am. It was later than I wanted to depart, but I think that fortunately I missed some traffic because of the late start. The ride was pretty uneventful. I left Austin taking hwy 183 south. I passed through Lockhart, Luling, Beeville, Sintun and a few random places. I reached McAllen at around 6pm. Cleaned up and ate dinner. I found a nice Country Inn Suite to stay at.
I've repacked to make my gear fit a little better and easier to access. It's an art and not a science. I hope to do a video on packing once I get my system down. Now, it's a night of good rest. Tomorrow I cross the border into Mexico. |
Tejas A La Tierra... La Pesca, Mexico
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IKLwH-BAv8...a%2BPesca3.jpg
My first stop in Mexico was a small fishing village along the eastern coast called La Pesca (The Fish). I chose the town because it seemed like it would be a calm and peaceful place. And, it was near the ocean. It didn't disappoint. The town centered around the one road which ran through it. Along the road there were a number of restaurants, hotels and shops. At the end if the road was the playa or beach. I had my first meal in Restaurante Costa Lora. It looked like a clean and bright restaurant in the center of town. I had a nice plate of shrimp with tomato sauce and frijoles. It was delicious. I ended up meeting and talking with the owner Marco Antonio. He gave me some great tips on things to do around the area. Namely, visit a turtle conservation project and a biosphere park called El Cielo (The Heaven). I camped on the beach under the stars for my first night in La Pesca, Mexico. It was magical. I woke up early, went for a swim in the ocean and tried a little fly fishing unsuccessfully. I dropped by the turtle project and the staff gave me a personal tour of the place. Afterwards, I tried unsuccessfully to use an ATM to get some Pesos. The attendant said that they only had a relationship with six banks. Oh well. Off to El Cielo. |
troyfromtexas
Hope you don't mind if I follow along. Your doing something I can only dream about at this moment in my life. If I wasn't a caregiver for an aging parent, I'd be on the road with you. daryl |
Tejas A La Tierra
Quote:
Please do follow along. We all have different stages in our lives. This seemed like the right time for me to take this trip. Who knows, you day may come along when the time is right. Troy |
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_IeOzl9XOy...0/P1000067.JPG
A day of dual sport riding The Adventure Begins: Crossing the Sierra Madre Mountains Here's a short 2 minute video documenting crossing the Sierra Madre Mountains in Mexico going from Xilitla to Pachuca to Papantla. Just a little taste of the experience. |
El Tajin, Mexico
After two days of riding east I arrived in the town of Papantla. The town is known for hosting visitors that wish to visit the ruins of El Tajin.
El Tajin in Totonac is lighting, thunder or hurricane. I didn't want to see any of those, just the ruins. To see photos and more of the story visit... The Adventure Begins: El Tajin |
Have a great trip Troy, I'll be following your adventure also
Steve |
Xalapa
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r-7KjEnnEg...mec%2Bhead.jpg
I landed in Xalapa, sometimes spelled Jalapa, and was pleasantly surprised. The locals are known as Jalapeños. I found a place to stay called Hostel de las Niebla (Hostel of the Clouds). It was a youth hostel, but open to all. It was right in the center of town, clean and well run. It reminded me of some of the hostels in Germany. The manager let me park Emi in the garage at night. During the day I found a nice spot next to the Cathedral to park. The Adventure Begins: Xalapa |
Puebla
I traveled to Puebla after spending a few days in Xalapa. This is what the sky looked like when I arrived. The photo is unedited.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-st65SShlDg...2Bcatedral.jpg The ride to Puebla was straight, then mountainous, then foggy, then rainy. I don't like to ride in the rain, much less fog, so I took a break at a roadside stand and ate a jamon y queso pastre (ham and cheese pastry) that under normal circumstances I wouldn't touch. I asked the señorita to nuke it in a microwave in the hope that it would kill any bacteria. I said a little prayer putting God to the test that he would protect me and my stomach from all that was bad. He seemed to be protecting me from my own foolishness. I rode on and on... then the weather cleared up. It ended up being a beautiful sunny day and about 80 degrees. As I neared the city my spirits were lifted by the sun and my clothes had been blown dry by the warm air. Puebla is definitely not off the beaten path, but it is significant to the founding of Mexico and has some amazing historical sites and architecture. I thought that I should check it out. I arrived into Puebla at about 6pm and pulled up to one of the first hotels that I could find that appeared to have a parking garage. The hotel was only about two blocks from the zocolo (central plaza) and main shopping area. I really didn't do much during the first night other than walk around the plaza and have a big naranjada (orangeade) and a cemeta (Mexican hamburger). I went back to the hotel, watched a little Mexican tv and fell asleep. Over the following days I did the following... Arrival The Adventure Begins: Puebla City Tour The Adventure Begins: Puebla... a tour of the city Detailed Look The Adventure Begins: Puebla... a detailed look History Lesson The Adventure Begins: Puebla...a detailed look at history Senoritas The Adventure Begins: The Señoritas of Puebla I'm sure some of you guys will skip straight to the post about the senoritas, but I hope you look at the other stuff too. :D |
It happened...an accident
First, let me say that I'm okay.
Now, here's the story... It was Saturday morning. After spending a few wonderful days in Puebla I was planning to visit a small town about 20KM from Puebla called Cholula. I had made contact with a Peace Corps Volunteer named Jan that had agreed to be interviewed for my media project. I packed up my things and headed out from the hotel. I had a map that would lead me to the site. I was traveling down the road following traffic. The bus in front of me suddenly decided to move from the right lane, the lane that we were in, to the left lane. I quickly found out why. In the middle of the road was a taxi at a complete stop. I tried to slow down then swerve to miss it. I was able to avoid a direct hit, but I clipped my lower leg on the bumper. The bike and I went down. Thankfully, the traffic behind me stopped. My first reaction... I was pissed. Why was this taxi stopped in the middle of the road. My second reaction... I humbled myself. I realized that I was in Mexico and needed to collect myself and assess the situation. I've lived in and traveled through many countries before. When doing so, I'm always aware that I'm just a visitor and must play by their rules/laws. I knew that I'd have some explaining to do. I quickly realized that I needed to move my bike and get off the road. Before this could even happened there were two traffic police officers on the spot. They told me not to move the bike, they wanted to take some pictures. And, they asked me if I was okay. Oh yeah, I think that the adrenaline was pumping through me. I hadn't even really stopped to make sure that I was okay. I walked to the side of the road and did a quick body check. Everything seemed to be okay, except that I had some scrapes on my leg and it felt a little numb. I could walk okay. I've always had a pretty high tolerance for pain though. I was riding ATGATT (All The Gear All The Time). A motorcycle acronym that means helmet, jacket, pants, boots and gloves all designed for motorcycle riding. All the gear held up and wasn't even scraped. After a few minutes and a complete body check I felt like I was okay to sort out the mess. The police had already taken their photos and had picked up Emi, my bike, and moved her to the sidewalk. The taxi driver was out of his car and had looked at the damage to his car. The police officer asked me for my drivers license and insurance. I had both. I provided him the International Driving Permit that I had purchased from AAA in the states because it contains translations in Spanish. I provided him a copy of my Mexican insurance that I bought online from www.mexisurance.com and underwritten by Qualitas. As soon as the officer realized that I had my paperwork in order he was quite helpful. He pointed to the Qualitas logo and said "no problema". I was thankful that I had purchased it and that it was from a reputable and known company. I'd heard that auto insurance was not required in Mexico, but if you do have an accident and you don't have it, you might spend some time in a Mexican jail for a few days. The police officer filled out some forms. I started talking to the taxi driver. He pointed out two spots that he felt I damaged. I wasn't going to admit to anything, but I was pretty sure that one of the spots was from a previous accident and not caused by me. Anyways, the officer said that we could all go to his office and work this out with the insurance. It would take about 45 minutes. My first thought was, I don't really want to go to a police office. My second thought was, I want to take care of this as soon as possible and get going. I overheard the taxi driver say something about "en effectivo" to the officer. "En effectivo" translates to "in cash". The officer turned to me and said that we could either go to his office or this could be handled "en effectivo". I said, "Cuanto seria (How much)?" The taxi driver said, "Quenientos Pesos (Five hundred pesos)." I did a quick calculation and 500 pesos is about 40 US dollars. I said, give me a minute and let me see. I didn't really need a minute. I knew that I wanted to settle this now and in cash. I walked away a little distance and searched through my wallet to find the cash. I returned and said, "esta bien (okay)". The police said okay, then we will not need all your paperwork. He gave it back to me. He did ask me to sign their report and write on the report that I agreed to pay the sum of 500 pesos for the damage that I caused. I signed. I handed over the money. And the taxi driver looked like he had just won the lottery. The police officers asked me where I was going. I told him. He said that he would show me the way. I was a little skeptical, but hey, I'm a law obeying non-citizen. He drove a little distance then pulled over to the side. He got out of this car and then gave me some directions. The last thing that he said was, "Bienvenidos a Mejico (Welcome to Mexico)". I actually found some humor in it and laughed to myself. Yes, welcome to Mexico... the adventure begins...for real, now. So, I did make it to Cholula. Emi seems to be fine, barely a scratch on her. Me, I'm a little banged up. I decided to take a few days to allow my leg to recover. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BEzIdutX9j...Baccident1.jpg http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dNwiXYkShJ...cident%2B2.jpg Day 1 in Cholula - found hotel, bought water, bought Dominos pizza, layed on couch with leg elevated. I contacted Jan the Peace Corps Volunteer and let her know that the interview probably wouldn't be happening right away. Day 2 in Cholula - ate day old leftover pizza, watched tv, caught up on blog, read ADVRider posts, sent emails, checked Facebook, layed on couch with leg elevated. Day 3 in Cholula - went outside of hotel, walked around plaza, ate a decent meal, layed on couch with leg elevated. Rescheduled appointment with Jan the Peace Corps Volunteer. Day 4 in Cholula - watched tv, watched YouTube, ate a good meal of pazole. Day 5 in Cholula - rest and recovery, writing post. After reflecting on this experience I've come to a few conclusions. 1. God was watching out for me. Yes, I'm a believer. And, I believe that he saved me. The accident could have turned out much worse. I could have hit the car directly. I could have hit the street much harder. I could have been hit by the traffic behind me. I could have injured my leg much worse. I've had a number of people praying for me back home and I believe that prayer works. God is amazing. He has a plan for my life. For some reason, He kept me alive to live out that plan. If you're a none believer, that's fine. But if you knew the God that I know, you'd know that he is pretty awesome. 2. I made a few judgement errors. I was in a bit of hurry to make an appointment, when I should have been taking my time. However, I wasn't speeding. I was navigating with a map, when I should have studied the map more thoroughly ahead of time to familiarize myself with the route. I had a space cushion, but could have created a larger cushion. What typically causes an accident is a series of events. I believe that these were the series of events that led up to the accident. Hopefully I've learned my lesson, I'll be mindful of these series of events and prevent them from happening again. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_pWQDX05cz...Baccident4.jpg 3. ATGATT! I ride with All The Gear All The Time protection designed for motorcycle riding. The Gaerne G Adventure boots were the last item that I purchased before I left on my trip. I believe that they saved my leg from a much more serious injury. The Olympia jacket and pants held up well. They didn't even have any scrapes on them. Also, I'm using soft luggage on my bike, a Giant Loop Great Basin Bag. The bag made contact with the ground, but barely had a scrape. I think that it may have even prevented damage to Emi. Good stuff. 4. The locals were great. The two police officers were very professional. First, they asked me if I was okay. They helped me move my bike. They helped facilitate the settlement. And they even provided me directions. I'm wondering if they will share those photos with me. I didn't take any. They'd be great to add to the blog. There was a bystander that stopped and asked if I needed a translator. There was a shop keeper that came out and made sure that the police were being helpful. I must say, that even the taxi driver was pretty understanding. Thanks, good people of Puebla, Mexico! 5. Up until now, everything had gone smoothly. The boarder crossing was easy. The towns and sites were fantastic. The rides were amazing. The lodging was great. I'd been taking some chances with some food, but even that wasn't causing any problems. I've always told myself and others that trips that go according to plan are rarely memorable. When I've taken an organized trip like a cruise, I usually can't even remember what I did the week after it is over. No, adventure is unpredictable, sometimes dangerous, sometimes bad things happen... but it's always memorable... and worth it. You just have to work your way through it... and live to tell the tale. Now I'm taking a little time to relax, recover and reflect. My leg is better, but not totally healed. I do have health insurance so I may have my leg checked out if it isn't better in another day. I just wanted to let ya'll know that I'm okay... and that the adventure will continue. If you have any thoughts, post me a comment or send me an Email. |
The Adventure Begins...Oaxaca
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MF4xvblyQa...aca%2Bride.jpg
From Puebla I decided to visit Oaxaca. There's an autopista (toll highway) that goes from city to city. Once I got on the autopista it was about 5 hours of smooth straight riding. The weather was cooperating as well. It was a beautiful day - sunny, cool, blue sky with light clouds. It was a perfect day to get back on my bike for a long ride. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xb1MVMRlte...ca%2Bride4.jpg The scenery didn't change much until about an hour before I reached Oaxaca. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OFd-cOZtu6...ca%2Bride6.jpg I took a break to admire the scenery. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bZayo9hl2_...a%2Bride10.jpg Some hills http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-96F4gzRt--...ca%2Bride8.jpg Some winding roads. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NrzebkJ36v...ca%2Bride9.jpg A nice ride overall. I arrived in Oaxaca and decided to stay at the Hotel Alcala in the center of town. Here are some links to the stories. Over the next few days I explored the city and some of the surrounding area. Oaxaca City Tour Oaxaca and Artesania San Bartolo Coyotepec and Barro Negro |
Wow Troy. Good to see your recovered from the accident. I will be following you as your trip continues. Good luck sir.
|
Troy hows the Giant loop bag working out for you so far?
Give us an update on pro's and con's of the bag when you get a chance. Enjoying your reports, keep em coming! Cheers, James |
The Adventure Begins... Giant Loop bags
Quote:
The Giant Loop gear I currently have is great for dual sport use. I'd highly recommend it. I'd still like to reserve some time for a fair review of the equipment for extended adventure riding. |
The Adventure Begins...Crossing the Sierra Madre Mountains to the Pacific Coast
Here's a short 3 minute video documenting my motorcycle ride from the interior of Mexico, Oaxaca, to the Pacific coast, Puerto Escondido. It was beautiful day that was mostly sunny and a few clouds. It seemed like I traveled through a number of ecological zones such as highlands, pine forrest, cloud forrest, desert, jungle and coastal plains. Hopefully it provides a feel for the journey.
Crossing the Sierra Madre Mountains to the Pacific Coast. More stories at the links below. Puerto Escondido and Fishing A Ride Along the Pacific Coast http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hnV9bkHveN...Escondido3.jpg |
The Adventure Begins...Dangerous Curves
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-h...mY/s512/25.jpg
On my first day in San Cristobal de Las Casas, I came across this. I honestly didn't know what to think or say or do. But I thought that some of you guys that are into fashion might have some critiques. |
Quote:
OK, no one really took the bait. Here's the full image. Still, I don't know what to think. |
The Adventure Begins... San Cristobal de Las Casas
http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Ep8J5ZUVa2g/Tq...j5E/s288/5.jpg
I'm not really sure what to make of San Cristobal de Las Casas. It's a town nestled in the highlands of Chiapas. Here is the full story... San Cristobal de Las Casas http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BdJESmO3TJ...nque%2Bsol.jpg And while staying in San Cristobal I decided that I would check out some ruins in an area called Palenque. The site was about 5 hours away. I didn't really feel like riding there, so I did the more typical tourist thing and booked a day tour. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DvAzmtXCm2...Misol%2BHa.jpg And was able to check out a few sites along the way. Here is the full story...Palenque Day Trip http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GZy9Us6UMx...BTravelers.jpg And there's always stories about the people you meet along the way. Here are some of my impressions on...Travelers |
The Adventure Begins... On The Road
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EEF-jgNMDS...1600/route.png
After one month on the road and it appears I've traveled about 3000 miles along this route. This line looks pretty straight, but believe me there have been a thousand twists and turns along the way. Sometimes it seems like it was only yesterday when I started, but there have been some long days too. I've had some amazing rides and some that I'd rather not have endured. I think that my little accident slowed me down for a week, but I'm almost fully recovered now. What lies ahead...Guatemala. |
The Adventure Begins... Todos Santos Cuchumatan, Guatemala and All Saints Day
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W5HilrlknU...2Bhuehue14.jpg
On November 1 in the cloud covered mountain town of Todos Santos Cuchumatan, Guatemala there is a horse race to celebrate Dia de Todos los Santos (All Saints Day). Here's a link to the story with photos and a video |
The Adventure Begins... Motorcycle Maintenance
I was in the town of Panajachel and staying at a hotel called Hotel El Sol.
Emi was looking pretty haggard from traveling 4000 miles over asphalt, gravel, dirt and through rain. I thought for this 4000 mile anniversary that I'd treat her to a little tender loving care. http://lh4.ggpht.com/-UlqADi7XERU/Tr...mm8/s288/5.jpg Across from the hotel was a moto taller (moto service shop) called Multiservicios Dany. The manager's name was Elesao. Nice guy. He offered me a package maintenance deal for a cleaning, oil change, air filter cleaning, chain and sprocket lube. The total cost was about $45. I felt like it was a time saver and bargain for me. They did a great job and Emi came out sparkling. The second thing to which I wanted to treat Emi was a shorter pata (kickstand) which would result in a lower lean and more stability. Down the street from Multiservicios Dany was a metal taller called Adulam Soldaduras. I spoke with one of the fabricators named Isaac. He said that he could do the work. http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ztaU62FG_QE/Tr...Bc/s288/25.jpg Now Emi is all cleaned up with a new shoe and ready to hit the road. For the full story visit this link on Motorcycle Maintenance |
The Adventure Begins... Santa Catarina, Lago de Atitlan
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RU1CMmoOna...2BCatarina.jpg
While I was at Lago de Atitlan I took a little day trip to Santa Catarina, Atitlan. It's a small town that sits on a hill along the lake. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lHJhwwU1an...na%2Bboats.jpg Traditionally the town has been a quite fishing village. These are some of the traditional lanchas (boats). http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q0JosZW7He...-%2BWeaver.jpg The town is also noted for having master weavers that produce hand woven brilliant blue textiles. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZmAk7Vq7o8...panajachel.jpg It was a fun day trip and a scenic ride around the lake. For the full story visit this link on Santa Catarina Lago de Atitlan |
The Adventure Begins... Chichicastenango
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E3sBcK8g7P...%2Bchichi6.jpg
Some travel guides claim that the largest outdoor market in Latin America takes place in Chichicastenango. I don't know if it is true, but I went to check it out. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Brj8IJyPsX...%2Bchichi8.jpg Chichicastenango is well known for its famous market days on Thursdays and Sundays where vendors sell handicrafts, food, flowers, pottery, wooden items, pigs, chickens, machetes, and other tools. In the central part of the market plaza are small comedores (eateries) http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5DRXbuDxYd...%2Bchichi7.jpg Among the notable items sold are textiles, particularly the women's huipiles (blouses) and masks, used by dancers in traditional dances, such as the Dance of the Conquest. For the full story visit this link on Chichicastenango |
The Adventure Begins... Antigua
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-29MD5EOH70...%2Biglesia.jpg
Good Old Antigua. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BIWovVZ5Xx...gua%2Bpark.jpg Beautiful colonial architecture. The center of all the best things about Guatemala. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QC77bFXsER...motocycles.jpg There's lots of motorcycles here. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C2PQ4AUmse...2Bcafe%2B2.jpg There's even a Moto Cafe (6 Calle Oriente #14 Antigua, Guatemala Tel: +00 502 7832 9638). Check it out if you get a chance. Nice folks there. For the full story visit this link on Antigua |
The Adventure Begins... Lightening the Load
I have decided that it was about time to lighten my load. I've been on the road for about two months and have just about figured out what I need and what is a convenience. There's probably still room for some trimming, but this is what I'm losing.
http://lh3.ggpht.com/-WMx69m-R4QQ/Ts...Mqw/s288/5.jpg Some books, map of Mexico, iPad, camera light, frisbee, tent, backup harddrives, souvenir textiles, fishing gear, some kitchen gear, extra hat, extra long sleeve shirt, knee brace and light hiking shoes. In total it was about 8 kilos or 18 lbs. And it is weight that I was carrying up high on my bike... not good. For the full story visit this link on Lightening the Load |
The Adventure Begins... Crossing the El Salvador Border
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jukF3Azz5f...Besquintla.jpg
I got up early to start my journey. I had packed my things the night before so it was relatively easy loading my bike. Plus, the fact that I had lightened my load by 18 lbs made my task even easier. I stopped at a gasolinera on the edge of town to fill my tank. And then I headed south. For the full story visit this link on Crossing the El Salvador Border or The Coastal Road |
The Adventure Begins... Juayua Street Food Feria
http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Zq03fMGd5jk/Ts...waI/s288/5.jpg
I decided to chill for the morning and soak up some sun on the beach. The arena (sand) in this area is black sand due to the historical volcano activity. To me the sand gets much hotter under my feet, but it seems to have some crystal elements that make it sparkle which I like. While hanging out I learned of a town called Juayua. Every Saturday and Sunday they have a street food feria (festival) that attracts people from all over El Salvador. They have typical food, but also some unusual items like alotes loco (crazy corn), rana (frog), culebra (snake) and iguana. The only issue was that the town is located in the western highlands which I had already passed. I made some quick assessments and figured out that it was only about 50 miles away. Nice! I could do 50 miles. I didn't realize that it would be so easy to get around this country. I packed and set off on the road. I backtracked along the coastal route. It was Sunday morning, and like in the states, it appears that everyone with a motorcycle was out riding. I latched on to a group of four riders. It's typically safer riding in numbers. One was riding a standard, two on choppers and one on a dual sport. I headed west then north. The route north is called the Ruta de Las Flores (Route of Flowers). The road wound through some small towns and the fuana along the road was lush. I noticed some flowers, but perhaps not as many as I expected. Maybe I just needed to go further along. I found the town and checked into Hotel Anuhuac. It was about 1pm. It was the perfect time to go get me some street food. http://lh6.ggpht.com/-HwxU1Tu1MRo/Ts...fk/s288/26.jpg http://lh4.ggpht.com/-4DUZWkNVAvk/Ts...WY/s288/42.jpg For the full story with additional photos check out this link Juayua |
The Adventure Begins... Las Siete Cascadas
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EvlLPjBk7K...2Bcascada2.jpg
While staying in Juayua I heard about this area called Las Siete Cascadas (The Seven Waterfalls). http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PAvNol7XNi...2Bcascada1.jpg I met some other travelers and we decided to check it out. The Hotel Anahuac connected us with a guide named Douglas... he was great. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gDg5hSAxFY...2Bcascada6.jpg Here's one of the waterfalls. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vxF0378mQU...2Bcascada8.jpg This is Lauren from Tasmania and another waterfall. Her self proclaimed nicknames was Osita (little bear). http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WJDm8QeApf...Bcascada11.jpg At the end we arrived at this waterfall which had a nice pool in which to swim. For the full story with more photos check out this link Las Siete Cascadas |
The Adventure Begins... A Ride Around The Hills
I woke up this morning and had absolutely nothing planned. I had a simple breakfast of an apple, pear and banana. It was nice having something light. I sat in the hammock for a while. Then I decided that I felt like taking a little day trip. I went on a hike the day before so something different was in order. There is a stretch of towns linked together by a road called 8W or La Ruta de Las Flores. I thought that I'd take Emi out for a ride along this route.
I removed my bags from Emi and headed out. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xYoriOSFaW...2BApeneca1.jpg The first town was Apaneca. The town is noted for having painted murals on many of the houses. I rode street by street and snapped a few photos. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BgtX-PE9P8...2BApeneca6.jpg I suppose one could look at these simple murals as amateur drawings. But as a collection I think they make interesting folk art. They definitely capture the sentiments of the towns' people about their surroundings. I'll post the entire collection of photos in another post. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XuIJvWOQny...gunaverde6.jpg Just outside of Apaneca I saw a sign for La Luguna Verde (The Green Lagun). I decide to check it out. 4 km is not too far. It started as a asphalt road, then turned to cobblestone, then to gravel, then to dirt and finally to rocks. It was a little unexpected, but it was a fun ride with Emi. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MnD7A80mlu...gunaverde8.jpg When I arrived at the laguna I found out why it might be called the Green Lagun. Although it is more of a lake covered with green, than a green lake. Sometimes it is not the destination, but the journey... that is the fun part. I continued on... http://lh6.ggpht.com/-SDkvfOBbNxk/Ts...rw/s288/25.jpg It was about 1pm and I was getting a little hungry. I saw a sign for a restaurant for El Jardin de Celestre (The Celestial Garden). Pretty lofty name... so I decided to check it out. There was an intricate manicured garden on the inside. The dining area was very tastefully decorated. Bread with butter, herbs and olive oil and Salvadoran Enchiladas. Tiramisu and Chamomile Tea. And all the food was delicious. I could have taken a nap right there in the restaurant. But, I decided I should ride on. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9aVGf3PsTl...-%2BAtaco2.jpg The next town that I came across was called Ataco. It is noted for it's artesania and wall murals. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--3FJom62TI...-%2BAtaco1.jpg The first thing I noticed when I entered the town was this unique looking church. I'm not sure what style of architecture this might be, any guesses? They also had a nice park. It was getting late so I needed to start heading back. It was a nice day of exploring without really having an agenda. For the full story with more photos check out this link A Ride Around The Hills |
The Adventure Begins... Tire Repair
I did a little dual sport riding the other day.
http://lh3.ggpht.com/-SABs8QgV5p0/Tt...ACo/s288/5.jpg When I returned to the hotel I noticed this... a nail in my rear tire. You'll notice that the tire is still fully inflated. I didn't know if the nail had not penetrated all the way to the tube or if the Slime that I put inside my tube had protected and sealed the leak. It was late in the day, so I decided to wait until the next day to attempt the repair. The next day the tire was still holding pressure. I've repaired a flat tire on my motorcycle before, so I felt comfortable repairing it. But I wanted to see if there was a llanta taller (tire shop) nearby that might be able to help. I asked the owner of the hotel and he indicated that there was not a taller in Alegria, but there were a few tallers in the town of Berlin about 5 km away. I headed down the road. When I arrived in Berlin the first shop that I found was closed. I rode around a little bit looking for another. I saw a young guy on a little Suzuki 50cc motorbike. It was what one might call a pit bike in the states. I asked him where I might find a taller. He gave me directions... una cuadra alla y dos cuadra alla, alli por el banco. I told him that I was not familiar with the town. He said that he'd show me they way. He push started his bike and we were off. We got a few looks as we roads through town because my bike dwarfed his... a rider in full moto gear on a Suzuki DR650 following a kid on a Suzuki 50cc wearing shorts. We arrived at the shop in just a few minutes. Issrak was the jefe (boss) of the shop but he had a bunch of kids hanging around, learning the trade and working. Issrak was a big strong guy... the type of guy I like working on my bike. http://lh4.ggpht.com/-6KAyS8eUiFg/Tt...gA/s288/25.jpg First he removed the rim and tire from the bike. He propped up the bike on an old tree stump. http://lh5.ggpht.com/-17EOW2_6hw8/Tt..._w/s288/26.jpg Then he removed the tire from the rim. Notice his little apprentice attentively watching. http://lh6.ggpht.com/-kOKJ6LwLsqw/Tt...oY/s288/27.jpg Then he removed the tube from the rim and checked it for leaks in a tub of soapy water. Good news... no leak. http://lh3.ggpht.com/-wVQfo-9DZQQ/Tt...Mg/s288/28.jpg This was the culprit. Issrak removed the nail from the tire. Apparently the nail just went in sideways and penetrated a knobby. He then reset the tube, tire, rim and sprocket. Then he put the tire back on the bike. The whole process from the time that I rode up to the shop to the time that I rode away probably only took 15 minutes. Great service. When I asked him how much he would charge me he said US$2. I was shocked. I just shook my head and gave him US$5. In the states to repair a tire would probably have cost $50 and I would have had to leave it in the shop for half a day. This little trip to Issrak's shop saved me quite a bit of time and worry. It probably would have taken me a hour and few few bruised knuckles to change the tire myself. T I'm simply amazed at the quality, speed of work and honesty of the mechanics and fabricators that I've come across in Latin America. Buena Gente (Good Folks). For the full story with more photos check out this link Tire Repair |
The Adventure Begins... Three Countries In One Day
After my wonderful beach experience in Playa El Espino I decided that it was time for a change of scenery.
Sometimes it's just necessary to cover some distance. From Southern El Salvador I took the coastal road East and then North to the border to the town of El Amatillo. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C4i9E_oXVo...%2B-%2B077.jpg I bypassed the long line of trailer trucks that were waiting at the border checkpoint. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M3j7FXN2z5...s%2B-%2B71.jpg The exit procedure from El Salvador was smooth and I was through in about 15 minutes. The entry procedure into Honduras was a bit more problematic and it probably took about an hour. The Honduras immigration and customs department required multiple copies of all my documents. They also charged me for a visa, vehicle permit and municipal road toll. I had most of my documents in order, but it still took some time. Once I finished with the entry procedures I rode through the Southern part of Honduras for about 2 hours. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zfyHOGngeu...%2B-%2B079.jpg There wasn't much remarkable about the ride. The road was covered with potholes. I took them on as a bit of a challenge, weaving around them as if they were barriers on a obstacle coarse. The Honduran roads were for the most part long and straight. There were mountain ranges in the distance. Lots of cattle fincas (ranches). A few volcanos. I arrived in the border town of El Espino. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XMAxrp_IDj...%2B-%2B082.jpg The exit procedure for leaving Honduras took longer than expected... about three hours. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5CFoozNiM4...%2B-%2B084.jpg The agents hinted at "lubricating money", but I decided to wait in line with everyone else. It was close to 6pm by the time I got through. For the Nicaraguan side since it was already dark I decided to hire an ayudante (fixer) for $10. He got me though immigration, customs and the local police inspection in about 15 minutes. I generally don't like to ride in the dark. It's harder to see the pot holes, farm animals, other automobiles and bandidos (bandits). About the same time that I was leaving the check point another car was passing through the border, so I decided that it would be smart to follow it. I was able to leverage their lights and their path. Also, strength in numbers. It worked. I followed the car for about 20 km to the town of Somoto, Nicaragua. There we parted ways and I found the Hotel Pan Americano to spend the night. For the full story with more photos check out this link Three Countries |
The Adventure Begins... Roads In El Salvador
Here are some short videos that I made about the roads in El Salvador.
This is a short 2 minute video which documents the journey along the Coastal Road of El Salvador from the border town of La Hachadura to the town of (San Blas) La Libertad. Check out this link to watch the video. This is a short 45 second video about moving against traffic in El Salvador. Check out this link to watch the video. |
The Adventure Begins... Sometimes I'm Lucky
Sometimes I can't control what goes on around me... like taking 3 hours to be processed through the Honduran border checkpoint. By the time that I left the border it was already dark. I pulled into the first town I could find along the highway to spend the night and stayed at the first hotel I could find with an open room. The town was Somoto.
Sometimes... I'm Lucky. It turns out that Somoto had quite a bit going on. It was the weekend and the town was celebrating their feria. In Latin American just about every town has a feria, a patron saint and once a year the town holds a huge street party to celebrate. I just happened to land in Somoto during their biggest celebration of the year. It was like walking into a surreal world. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bw1GP0qVUi...%2B-%2B078.jpg In the evening there was a carnival...with a band and dancing. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wWLsZPvXfN...%2B-%2B136.jpg During the next day there were marching bands, street vendors, food stalls and horses. Somoto is in the middle of an area of Nicaragua with lots of ranching. It's cowboy country... a bit like my home state of Texas. I felt right at home. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LJ2RJ0kQ_C...%2B-%2B134.jpg There was a parade of horses... http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-55JfyBuKw6...%2B-%2B145.jpg ...which included a few mules. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G1N6W548bY...%2B-%2B159.jpg The young...and the old put on a show. Sometimes... I'm just lucky! For the full story with more photos check out this link Sometimes I'm Lucky |
The Adventure Begins... Sometimes I'm Lucky Twice
Sometimes... I'm just lucky... and sometimes... I'm lucky twice.
While walking around Somoto I dropped in at a little ice cream store on the town plaza. The girl behind the counter was quite friendly and started asking me about where I was from, what I was doing there, etc.. After a while she suggested that I might like to check out El Cañón de Somoto (The Canyon of Somoto). Supposedly it was a canyon that locals knew about for many years, but it was only opened up as a national park and an adventure destination about 5 years ago. When I returned to my hotel I inquired if they knew about arranging a tour to the canyon. I was told that a guide to the canyon would pass by the hotel in the morning and I could inquire if there was still space with his tour for the day. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3CfVs7U1mJ...gua-%2B305.jpg I awoke at about 7am and met the guide Raynel. He said that I was welcome to join his group. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3OwH-3w-s5...%2B-%2B301.jpg The trip began with a short ride in a 4x4 to the national park. We took a short break for breakfast. We were provided life preservers. Then we began hiking. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vzYPkS5Wtn...%2B-%2B302.jpg We hiked through some small communities then came across this nice overlook of the canyon and the river that runs through it. Then we started to descend into the canyon. There were 7 Spaniards that were on the tour and I made the group an even 8. Funny how things like that work out sometimes. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1Xe7knofF3...%2B-%2B325.jpg We hiked along the banks of the canyon and when we couldn't hike... we floated the river. There were a few opportunities to jump from the cliffs. But for the most part it was hiking and floating the river. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RzMOiYHpA_...%2B-%2B120.jpg After about 4 hours of hiking and floating we met up with these lanchas (boats) and the guys paddled us down the river for a while. Then we hiked out of the canyon back to our 4x4 truck. It was an amazing day of hiking and floating and just taking in the natural beauty of the canyon. Check out this video. For the full story with more photos check out this link Sometimes I'm Lucky Twice |
The Adventure Begings... Leon and Volcano Boarding
http://lh3.ggpht.com/-cKI9klm0QT0/Tt...OA/s288/34.jpg
Leon is a town known for it's colonial architecture. There are some interesting examples around the central plaza. http://lh5.ggpht.com/-XxFQMwCReaI/Tt...OE/s288/40.jpg Honestly, I didn't do much in Leon other than walk around the town, eat some local food and people watch. I did meet another adventure motorcycle rider named Joel. He's a Kiwi (New Zealander) on his way down to Bolivia. He's riding a Suzuki DR650, a similar bike as me. It was fun comparing notes. Nice Guy. http://lh6.ggpht.com/-qGka_zhk04M/Tt...aE/s288/42.jpg Here are some local kids playing football (soccer) in the park. http://lh6.ggpht.com/-cYf1Fa2fz_o/Tt...AU/s288/48.jpg Here are some other kids playing games in an arcade. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Pn47G3ZjMg...%2B-%2B219.jpg And here are some big big kids playing on the Cerro Negro Volcano. What? Check out the video. |
The Adventure Begings... Baseball The Great Nicaraguan Past Time
Baseball is huge in Nicaragua. It is more popular than football...and for many people it is considered the national pastime. I had to check it out.
Probably the best known Nicaraguan baseball player is Dennis Martinez who spent many years playing MLB with the Baltimore Orioles and Montreal Expos. In the capital city of Managua they actually named the stadium Dennis Martinez National Stadium. I was visiting Granada where the local professional team is called Los Orientales. Granada is in the Oriente (Eastern) part of the country... thus the name. http://lh6.ggpht.com/-bwVFl_APvDU/Tt...FKc/s288/5.jpg I asked a few fellow travelers from the hostal if they'd be interested in joining me. We had a pretty good group. The stadium was about the size of a minor league stadium. There were general admission tickets for C$15 (US$0.65) or prime seats for C$40 (US$1.75). Being the big spending big baller that I am we opted for the prime seats behind home plate. There were fans that brought their own instruments to make a band, a dancing bat boy, concessions with local food like gallo pinto, yucca and chicarrones, the local beer called Toña, kids collecting and recycling beer cans and dogs wandering around the stadium. http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ryfDoCuGAJg/Tt...ks/s288/27.jpg It was the Orientales (Easterners) de Granada contra (vs) Los Tigres (Tigers) de Chinandega. http://lh5.ggpht.com/-FY0WS2tA3HQ/Tt...vQ/s288/34.jpg The Tigers jumped out to an early 2 run lead. The Orientals later scored 1 run to draw the game closer. The Tigers had a huge 5th inning and added 5 runs. In the last inning the Orientals made a small rally and scored 2 more runs. With the final score being 7 to 3, and the Tigers, the visiting team, winning. Check out the video - Troy |
The Adventure Begins... Yamaha XTZ1200 Super Tenere
Not that I'd ever think about trading in my Suzuki DR650 for a Yamaha XTZ1200 Super Tenere, but here is an interesting review of the behemoth bike.
Check out the video |
The Adventure Begings... San Juan Del Sur
From Granada I headed southwest to the coastal town of San Juan del Sur. I found lodging at a hostel called Casa del Oro. No real gold in this place, but the hostel was convenient and the staff friendly.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9mgIaWDKlU...casadeloro.jpg This was only the second place that I have stayed which did not have parking for Emi. Although she took it alright. She spent the night outside locked up to a bike rack. There was also a security guard looking out for her. San Juan del Sur is a former fishing village that now caters primarily to the tourist crowd. There are a number of cheap hotels, restaurants and tour agencies. I mostly hung around the central area and took in the scene. Lots of surfers walking around. Lots of Nicos hosting them, feeding them and taking them on tours. I checked out the strip, the market and the beach. It seems that people visit San Juan del Sur to either surf or fish. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KduCiUzweq...2Bfishing1.jpg I wanted to do a little fishing so I signed up for an excursion that promised fishing, a complimentary beer and a sunset. It only cost $16. I thought it was a pretty good deal for a fishing excursion. When I joined the tour there were in addition to me, 2 Canadian girls, 2 Aussie girls and 1 Brittish guy. They were an fun group. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d3JRT5BgUs...2Bfishing5.jpg We caught a glance of this rainbow. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LjC344q0z0...2Bfishing4.jpg We caught this sunset. And that was all we caught... absolutely no fish. Oh well... that's why they call it fishing and not catching. For the full story check out this link |
The Adventure Begins... San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua to Samara, Costa Rica
From San Juan del Sur it was only a short trip to the border of Costa Rica.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EacWFKJ8v-...%2Bborder2.jpg On the road leading out of Nicaragua I came across this windmill farm. Crossing the border from Nicaragua to Costa Rica was pretty easy. On the Nicaragua side they did require some paperwork and photocopies. It took probably 30 minutes to get through. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XatQoJwAhI...-%2Bborder.jpg On the Costa Rican side there was a long line of probably 200 people in line. Thankfully Costa Rica is organized. For the amount of people waiting to cross the border the immigration department processed them rather quickly. I think that I got through the line in maybe 30 or 40 minutes. There was no cutting in line and no bribery going on. Once it was my turn, my paperwork was processed within 10 minutes. There was no need for an ayudante. The process was clear. And, they only required one set of photocopies. Amazing how a little law and order makes things easier. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F_exz4Nlm-...%2B-%2B036.jpg Once I got through the border I had a bit of riding to do. I was targeting a coastal town called Samara that was about 190 km away. Costa Rica has clearly marked highway signage with towns and distances clearly presented. They also have clearly posted speed limits that are enforced by radar wielding police officers. I regulated my riding according. I didn't mind because the roads were in good condition, the traffic seemed to obey the rules of the road and I was riding through beautiful Costa Rican countryside. I arrived in Sumara after sunset. I rode around in the dark looking for a hotel. I eventually came across a place called Las Mariposas Hostel. http://lh5.ggpht.com/-z-qT18OE2PA/Tu...GDk/s288/5.jpg This is what La Mariposa Hostel looked like during the day. It was a small and friendly place that suited me fine. The managers offered to let me park my bike in their bodega (shed). http://lh4.ggpht.com/-deSgAE3JM2k/Tu...Io/s288/42.jpg And this little guy kept guard over the grounds. My kind of place. http://lh4.ggpht.com/-eDmZLzlKnkw/Tu...7c/s288/40.jpg I spent my first two days in Costa Rica and at Las Mariposas just catching up on blog posts, lounging around the beach and socializing with the other travelers. And making plans for passage into South America. For the full story see this link |
The Adventure Begins... Costa Rica to Panama
From Costa Rica I traveled to Panama. I left Uvita early and made my way south and east. I wanted to avoid the main border crossing of Canoas and cross at the smaller, and hopefully more tranquilo, border area called Rio Sereno.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-D...%252520033.jpg Along the route I came across this bridge. There were a number of people standing in the middle of the bridge and looking over the edge. I stood up on my bike and caught a glimpse of what they were looking at. I turned around to take a closer look. https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-A...%252520035.jpg First I saw these guys hanging out on a little island. https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-5...%252520040.jpg Then these guys were lounging about near the shoreline. I guess I better be a little more careful when swimming in the rivers of Costa Rica. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dA8Yja25E-...%2B-%2B348.jpg I rode on... and passed through some really lush green hills... Along some rivers... And up some mountains... http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ehtBNEslCL...%2B-%2B361.jpg About 10km from the border, the road turned to a mixture of dirt and wet clay. It was a little treacherous to ride over on my bike, but I slowed down and managed to slip and slide my way through. I reached the border by noon and checked out of Costa Rica within 5 minutes. Very simple. https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-8...mmigration.jpg I waited in line for about 3 hours to check in to Panama. There were probably only 20 people in line when I arrived. However, the border agent seemed to be taking his time processing he paperwork. If I had to guess, I'd say he processed about one person every ten minutes. To complicate matters, Panama is one hour ahead of Costa Rica. So while it was nearing 4pm in Costa Rica, it was nearing 5pm in Panama. The immigration office had a sign outside that said to the effect that the office would close at promptly 5pm and those waiting in line would be processed the following day. By the time that I finished all the border crossing tramites (paperwork) it was getting late, right about 5pm. I rode on for about an hour. It started to rain pretty hard, but I rode on because I was passing through a national park with thick forest. I thought about pulling over and camping, but there really wasn't even any open space, just very dense forest. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CqYihUfbRN...%2B-%2B368.jpg It was about to turn dark when I came across a hotel near the town of Volcan. After a long day I was ready for a little luxury. I was drenched from the rain. The hotel had a nice garden with a stream running trough it. And more important... enough space to dry out my clothing and a comfortable bed to rest my head. I checked in and stayed the night. For the full story visit Costa Rica to Panama and and Santiago and A Little Luck |
The Adventure Begins... Panama City - A Crossroads for Ships and Travelers
It was raining again. I drove through it and rolled into Panama City. Riding into a big city is never fun. The streets are confusing and the traffic is crazy. I made my way through the city and eventually found the Villa Vento Hostel. It turns out to be a pretty nice place to chill.
http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_jjIfJPRddg/Tu...tiQ/s288/5.jpg I showered up, met a few people and we headed out to dinner at a restaurant called Arabe. Grant(LA) Damiano(Rome), Allison(Cannes), Angelica(Panama City), Jenny(DC) and Sam(Melbourne). Over the next few days it rained quite a bit. I stayed in the hostel resting up and only ventured out to eat, drink or run errands. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aNqTeFQQwF...a%2B-%2B36.jpg Every few days, a group of travelers would arrive and a group of travelers would depart. So it is, this life on the road. Guy(New Zealand), Sue(Germany), SuJe(Korean), George(Canada), David(Australia) http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9IyTFdbsi_...a%2B-%2B32.jpg I did manage to see a bit of Panama City... the new and modern part. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7qWm06PIgp...a%2B-%2B37.jpg The Casco Viejo (Old Shell/Old Town). The Presidential Palace. The Mercado de Mariscos (Fish Market). And, I dropped by this little thing called the Panama Canal. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DBF3UXxQeK...a%2B-%2B17.jpg Ships arrive... http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e0ZF5xPxNI...a%2B-%2B18.jpg Ships pass through... http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EgE_Wn3Nbq...a%2B-%2B20.jpg Ships depart... ...kind of like travelers. But for most of my time in Panama, I was planning on how to get me and my bike from Central America to South America crossing over the Darien Gap. For the full story see Panama City - A Crossroads |
The Adventure Begins... Crossing the Darien Gap from Panama to Colombia
http://carlaking.typepad.com/photos/...en_gap_map.jpg
The Darien Gap is a 30 mile stretch of land that lies between Panama and Colombia. It is thick jungle that is pretty inhospitable to most human beings. There are some indigenous people, guerrillas and drug runners that do inhabit the area. There was one group of adventure motorcyclists that crossed through the Darien Gap in 1995 on specially modified motorcycles. Their journey is documented at Outback of Beyond. For most adventure motorcyclists there are a few options for crossing the Darien Gap. 1. Ship your bike from Colon to Cartagena on a cargo ship and buy a ticket on a separate ship or airplane for yourself. 2. Ship your bike from Colon to Cartagena on a passenger sailboat that will carry both you and your bike. 3. Ship your bike from Panama City to Bogota on a cargo airplane and buy a separate airplane ticket for yourself. I looked into all of these options. 1. This option cost about $700 for the cargo ship and then $100 to $300 for the passenger ticket. This would take about 2 days of travel and 1 to 2 days of arduous import/export paperwork. I would need to complete paperwork myself. 2. This option sounds like fun and cost about $500 for the bike and $500 for the passage. It takes about 5 days of sailing and stopping at islands and ports along the way. And, I would have to complete the paperwork myself. 3. This option cost about $900 for the cargo plane and $450 for the passenger plane ticket. It takes 1 day and the cargo plane shipping company handles the paperwork. I looked into option 1 and it didn't really appeal to me. It was not really cost effective and some of the logistics and paperwork seemed problematic. Option 2 was a real option. I actually rode from Panama City on the west coast to Portabelo on the east coast to investigate this option. By phone a guy named Captain Jack said that there were three sailboats leaving over the next few day. When arrived to check it out, it wasn't true. It is somewhat late in the sailing season and there were not any sailboats leaving until after Christmas. Also, if I waited and elected for this option I would have to complete the paperwork myself. This left me with Option 3. I contacted a company called Girag and inquired about cargo flights. Each day Girag would tell me that there might be a flight and they would let me know. However, they would only give me about an one hour advance notice. Not a lot of time to pack, ride and prep the bike for shipment. After a few days of missed connections and flights I made it work. I was in the town of Portabelo on the eastern side of Panama checking into the sailing ships. After finding out that there were not any sailboats leaving this week, I sent an email to Girag inquiring if they had any flights available. I received an email at 3pm stating that I would need to turn over my bike before 4pm to prep it for a flight leaving the next day at 7am. I sent an email back that I was on my way, even though I was on the other side of the country. I hopped on Emi and rode. The ride across the country is only about 1 hour in good weather. Luckily the weather was holding up. Until about 45 minutes into the trip... then it started to rain... and then the traffic slowed down. I rolled into Panama City at about 4:30pm, but still had to cross the town to the airport on the other side of town. I rode through the rain and reached the dock of Girag at 5pm. When I arrived the door was locked. I looked around the dock and eventually found someone. I mentioned that I was told that I could turn over my bike for preparation for shipment for the 7am flight. To my surprise... they said okay! http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pbRpOOz8YK...a%2B-%2B54.jpg I unloaded all my bags, disconnected the battery and siphoned out most of the gas. I completed one page of paperwork and turned my baby over to Girag. I then caught a ride over to the passenger terminal to book a ticket with Copa Airlines to transport me. The ticketing agents were not very helpful. I believe that it was the end of the day, they were ending their shift and they did not want to book a last minute flight. I did understand that it was probably one of the busiest times of year for them, right before Christmas. They shuffled me between the ticketing counter and the departure counter. Each desk telling me that the other would help out. Each desk telling me that there were no flights available over the next few days. They also told me that I could not buy a one way ticket to Colombia, that I was require to buy a round trip ticket or show proof that I would be leaving the country. Eventually, one of the ticketing agents said that I should show up early in the morning and try to fly standby. I resided to spending the night in the airport and trying my luck the next day. I found a cafe to eat dinner. I was fortunate in that the cafe had internet access. I used my iPhone and Kayak.com to check for fights between Panama City and Bogota. Turns out that there was one seat available on the second flight of the day at 7:45am. I booked it. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CivpCxLLVb...a%2B-%2B68.jpg I spent the night in the airport... woke up early the next morning.. boarded my flight... http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_41OIktrac...a%2B-%2B72.jpg and 2 hours later landed in Bogota, Colombia. I caught a free shuttle to the cargo terminal and found the Girag office. They told me that the cargo flight had not yet arrived and that I should return at about 4pm. I took this as good news. They had a nice little lounge with a cafe and some vending machines. I bought some food, found an ATM in the FedEx office and withdrew some Colombian Bolivars and kicked back and rested in their lobby. While waiting I came across another adventure motorcyclist name Ken who was riding a BMW Dakar. He had arrived the day before, but had just received his bike and completed the paperwork. He was on the receiving dock inspecting and prepping his bike to ride. We talked a little and exchanged info. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HddWgwHA2H...a%2B-%2B76.jpg At around 3:30pm Girag notified me that my bike had arrived. They handed over the keys and bill of lading. I went to the customs office to complete the paperwork. I was done within 30 minutes. I went back to Girag to take delivery of my bike. When they pulled my bike up to the unloading ramp I inspected it. There was some cosmetic damage to the sides and the handlebars seemed to be misaligned. They probably dropped Emi on her side. I reconnected the battery and started her up... she seemed to be okay. I torqued the handlebars a little and got them back into shape. Emi is a tough girl. I signed the paperwork and rode my bike down the loading ramp onto the dock. I grabbed my bags from the Girag office and I was ready. I asked a local motorcyclist who was hanging around the dock if he could show me the way into Bogota. He obliged and I rode into town. I found a hostel called the Platypus which I planned to make my home for the next few days. For the full story check out Darien Gap |
The Adventure Begins... New Shoes/Tires
My odometer on my bike rolled over to 7000 miles today. I thought that I'd celebrate by getting some nuevo zapatos (new shoes/tires) for Emi.
I asked a local motorcyclist where I might be able to find a motorcycle shop that sells tires and he directed me to a street called Avenida 1 de Mayo between Avenida NQS and Avenida 10. http://lh3.ggpht.com/-uYjsoeEGpHM/Tv...dVg/s288/5.jpg The street is lined on both sides with about a half mile of moto shops. http://lh6.ggpht.com/-0SkcSlnaTGo/Tv...-w/s288/27.jpg All the motorcyclists ride up and down the street looking for what they need, then pull up on the sidewalk to park. http://lh6.ggpht.com/-NU3_uAxHHs8/Tv...Cg/s288/50.jpg I found a shop that had some Perelli MT60 tires in the right size for my bike. http://lh6.ggpht.com/-FV-87Qa43qc/Tv...To/s288/51.jpg In the small garage the mechanics went to work on my bike. I also asked for an oil change and lube. I had them check my break pads and they seemed to still be in good shape. Afterwards, I rode down the street and found a moto wash. http://lh4.ggpht.com/-j-zj3WHZcUo/Tv...68/s288/53.jpg I had been riding through quite a bit of rain and dirt, so it was nice having my bike cleaned up a bit for $3. They didn't do a great job, but I think Emi appreciated it. I also picked up temporary insurance for Colombia for my bike. After visiting a few insurance sales offices and being told that it is only possible to buy a full year of insurance, I found Seguros SurAmerica at Carrera 10, #28-49 Edificio Davivienda which sold me two months of insurance at a reasonable rate.day Now I'm ready to ride the Andes Mountains of South America. For the full story visit New Shoes |
The Adventure Begins... Colombia
I'm way behind on my posts. Here are some of the highlights of Colombia. Please click on the links to see the full stories.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xtSitDoa42...a%2B-%2B16.jpg El Museo de Botero http://lh3.ggpht.com/-O-JOf56mRmg/Tv...XY/s288/52.jpg El Museo de Oro http://lh6.ggpht.com/-v0U07OeHJP0/Tv...E4/s288/50.jpg El Museo de Oro Experience http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7oa62-p0OZ...ge-764053.jpeg Happy New Year! I'll try to catch up. |
The Adventure Begins... El Desierto de Tatacoa
I was starting to feel that I had seen enough of the city of Bogota. It's a great place to take in a little Colombian culture, but I felt like I needed to leave the hustle of the big city and find a little tranquilidad (tranquility).
In Colombia, one certainly has a choice of ecoregions to visit. There are the Andes mountains, Atlantic and Pacific tropical coasts, and the Amazon basin. However, I had heard about an anormality called the Desierto de Tatacoa (Tatacoa Desert). It lies between two mountain ranges. It is a parched spot where temperatures can reach over 120°F, and it features a variety of landscapes ranging from rippled dunes to carved cathedrals. Sounded pretty unique. I was up for some dry and warm weather after 6 days of rain in Panama and 6 days of cold in Bogota. I got an early start and rode over the Andes Mountains. Luckily there was not a great deal of traffic, but the traffic that was on the road was moving slowly. There had been a quite a bit a rain over the past month in Colombia and the roads were in bad shape from landslides. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I5ok8gS8on...%2B-%2B320.jpg After riding about 4 hours I was welcomed by some warm air. I passed through the town of Neiva in which I was given directions to a small village another hour away called Villa Vieja. In Villa Vieja I picked up some survival water and food. From Villa Vieja, I was given directions to the national park another 20-30 minutes away in the desert. I passed through a few small villages until I arrived at the national park and observatory. It was about 6:30pm and already dark. I stopped by the park office because I wanted to inquire if there was a place where I might be able rent a tent. The park office was not in the practice of renting tents, but Oswaldo, one of the staff, said that I could borrow his tent. Colombians are just the nicest people and always seem to go out of their way to help someone. It was ready dark, so I set up the tent right behind the observatory. Oswaldo mentioned that there was going to be a presentation at the observatory about the constellations at 7:30pm. Perfect! A campsite with a little evening entertainment. Turns out that the Desierto de Tatacoa is a good place for an observatory because it has 170 degrees of skyline, is far from any light pollution from a city and has few clouds and little rain which obstruct observations. With Colombia being so close to the equator, the northern and southern hemisphere skies are visible year round. The presentation was quite good. I learned about some new constellations. The best part of the night was laying in my tent looking up at the unobstructed desert sky at the millions of stars. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FW36aRxet1...%2B-%2B235.jpg The next day I was woken up by the sun rising and a few random roosters. I gathered my things quickly and headed out into the desert. I wanted to check out some of the features before it turned too hot. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wNNvSfof3g...%2B-%2B297.jpg The Adventure Begins...When The Road Ends. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e1kcRUXUZI...%2B-%2B283.jpg The first thing that I encountered were sand dunes. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VoiBBt3WcK...%2B-%2B244.jpg There were sand formations created from erosion. It was almost as if I were on another planet. There were cathedrals. Rock formations. Cactus The dirt road was perfect for riding. It was compacted dirt with a little gravel and a little sand. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HDrIVsbKaY...%2B-%2B432.jpg In this area called Los Hoyos (The Holes), in the middle of nowhere, I came across this water hole. It was fed by a natural spring that deposited water into a well. The owner said that there was enough water year round to keep the water hole filled. I dived in and it was a nice relief from the heat. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jOSEjPKbBW...%2B-%2B433.jpg At the water hole I met this pretty Colombian girl that was visiting the desert for a vacation. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ouwV2R2pH8...%2B-%2B449.jpg As the sun got high in the sky it started to heat up. I thought that it might be a good time to move on. When I reached a location with internet service I checked google maps to see where I had been. I was surprised to find out that I was pretty far out into the desert. For the full story visit El Desierto de Tatacoa |
The Adventure Begins... San Agustin and Stone Sculptures
I left the desert and headed south and west. There was a town about 250km away called San Agustin that I wanted to visit. The road was in good condition. The weather was cooperating as well.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-32rkOO3Orb...%2B-%2B453.jpg I crossed the Rio Magdalena a few times. Its a long and wide river that cuts a path through the center of Colombia. Distances in Colombia can be a little deceiving. 250km is not a far distance, but the roads are often curvy and it always takes a little longer than expected. I arrived in San Agustin after about 4 hours of riding. I found a little oasis at which to stay called La Casa de Francois. After unloading my things I took a stroll around town. I came across a costurera (seamstress) and asked if they could repair a zipper on my pants that had broken. They could and charged me $2000 Bolivias (US$1). Around the town of San Agustin there are over 400 archaeological scuptures with stone carved statues and tombs. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wTJGLoK8th...%2B-%2B523.jpg At the hotel, I met a girl named Sarka from the Chech Republic and we decided to take a horseback riding excursion to see the sites. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9gUV2EkN2d...%2B-%2B534.jpg Our guide for the trip was a guy named Carlos. And my trusty horse was called Aceveda. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ups3CHswk9...%2B-%2B530.jpg As we headed out of town we came across these houses with these mannequins hanging outside. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z1JYpvEDnl...%2B-%2B527.jpg They are called Año Viejos (Old Years). They are constructed of old clothing for the new year celebration. On new years eve they are burned in the streets to symbolize the passing of the bad times of the past year and welcoming in the new year. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lYzhCTIXDR...%2B-%2B467.jpg Turns out that Carlos is a bit of a curandero (healer). He knows quite a bit about the local plants and can easily identify plants that can be used for medicine. He pointed out this coca plant which has traditionally been used for many medicinal purposes. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_xHVYYl3An...%2B-%2B474.jpg This group of statues was called the El Tablon. A woman shaman A man guardian A woman shaman http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2y_kTt_1Ey...%2B-%2B480.jpg We rode on and came across this huge canyon. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JNkobTQEOo...%2B-%2B483.jpg This statue is called La Chaquira. We rode on through coffee plantations. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PnaN_veHgY...%2B-%2B504.jpg This group was called La Pelota An eagle A jaguar shaman. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oSJ6NxSY81...%2B-%2B508.jpg We came across this house built in a traditional way with bamboo, mud and straw. It was near the collection of statues called El Puratal http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yRM8a-VEi0...%2B-%2B512.jpg There was this guardian male shaman. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZtdZ8dXEbH...%2B-%2B515.jpg A guardian shaman holding a baby ready for a ceremony. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dyRznZIq2R...%2B-%2B521.jpg An excavated tomb There is not a lot of information on the civilization that build the stone structures, but if you'd like to find out more about this UNESCO World Heritage site you can visit San Agustin website. I'm not accustomed to horse back riding. I could tell that I might be a little sore the next day. But I suppose that it was worth it. All in all it was fun day of exploring and horse back riding. For the full story visit San Agustin |
Hi Troy,
Great report, tnx for sharing. Keep up the good work and enjoying your trip! |
Looks like your getting along well Troy, keep up the report as it is very enjoyable
|
The Adventure Begins... Popayan... Colonial Architecture, Churches and a Corpse
As I moved south, I visited the town of Popayan. It's know for having a pleasant climate, colonial architecture and intellectual people.
I stayed at a nice hostel right on the central plaza called the Park Life Hostel. There's a number of things to do around the city, but I really just felt like walking the town and doing a little people watching. I encountered some interesting sights. http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Mn4xFhQSXZc/Tw...YhM/s288/5.jpg The window from the Park Life Hostel provided a great view of the Plaza de Caldas. http://lh5.ggpht.com/-V8kCffFn8So/Tw...Qg/s288/27.jpg The Cathedral http://lh4.ggpht.com/-JQd9JUv4bAY/Tw...ZM/s288/74.jpg And the view from the inside the Cathedral. http://lh3.ggpht.com/-FraITCqcEyI/Tw...oA/s288/51.jpg Empanadas de pipian and a yogurt drink from a restaurant called La Fresita. The museum dedicated to the poet... http://lh5.ggpht.com/-0jShTgk8RMo/Tw...Ug/s288/54.jpg And former president... http://lh6.ggpht.com/-5hnAS6ruO9c/Tw...nA/s288/56.jpg Guillermo Leon Valencia. http://lh4.ggpht.com/-6l1dbBye32s/Tw...wI/s288/62.jpg The Iglesia San Francisco http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Kou9mHLybEg/Tw...k4/s288/60.jpg had a few statues of saints... http://lh3.ggpht.com/-5W4A5wL40i0/Tw...9g/s288/63.jpg and this elaborate nativity scene... http://lh5.ggpht.com/-gupX4AUV9qk/Tw...R8/s288/64.jpg which included wise men, camels and a panda bear. http://lh4.ggpht.com/-vKwtlUvgxZk/Tw...Hc/s288/65.jpg There was this pedestrian bridge called El Puente de Humillidero... http://lh5.ggpht.com/-kFgccruzzZA/Tw...Ps/s288/66.jpg and this older pedestrian bridge called El Puente de Custodia, which they say priests use to walk across to the poor area of town to care for the needy. http://lh4.ggpht.com/-hICh2EFNfzw/Tw...Jw/s288/67.jpg The Iglesia de Santo Domingo. And it's entryway with intricate masonry. http://lh3.ggpht.com/-x-RmiObIXHs/Tw...eI/s288/69.jpg The Iglesia de La Ermita. See the two ladies talking in the lower left hand corner. http://lh4.ggpht.com/-GFrUsZTDVzc/Tw...QM/s288/70.jpg This one lady approached me and was quite disturbed. http://lh6.ggpht.com/-otxfUOm3EgU/Tw...zw/s288/71.jpg She explained that under the black cover in the lower right hand corner there was a corpse. Hmmmm, I thought this is something I would not normally see on an organized walking tour. I didn't know what to do, but I knew that I didn't want to look under the cover. I tried to explain that I was not from Popayan and really didn't know how to help. Also, It was the day before new years and everything was closed. We both just awkwardly muddled around for a bit. I assumed that the priests of the church would know what to do. Eventually we both went our separate ways. I suppose somethings are better left a mystery. http://lh6.ggpht.com/-CyMdzuJiKIQ/Tw...jQ/s288/78.jpg I continued on and saw many buildings like this typical colonial house. http://lh4.ggpht.com/-tpFxTNWQou8/Tw...RQ/s288/79.jpg And these colonial government buildings. http://lh6.ggpht.com/-mwxyA0WMhAA/Tw...D0/s288/72.jpg This cute old lady was selling her catch of trout along the sidewalk. I believe that she was from the nearby town of Silvia where they wear traditional dress including these stylish bolo hats. http://lh3.ggpht.com/-gb5NMDuuXyU/Tw...0A/s288/73.jpg I stopped at a little cafe and had a tamal de pipian. http://lh4.ggpht.com/-UoD24Q-w9uo/Tw...d0/s288/75.jpg As the night approached, the Plaza de Caldas took on a different appearance. http://lh3.ggpht.com/-DU1dWCyepvA/Tw...Vo/s288/76.jpg Back at the hostel, the owners, other travelers and I shared a New Years dinner of international cuisine. My contribution was Texas Chile and a Baguette. People seems to like it. http://lh4.ggpht.com/-BklmAcf0Iwg/Tw...yM/s288/77.jpg Lighting fireworks at midnight. The pleasant climate, architecture walk and the friendly people of Popayan made my stay a memorable one. I didn't visit some of the other typical tourists attractions, but sometimes a simple walk around a city is an adventure in it's own right. For the full story see Popoyan |
The Adventure Begins... Colombia to Ecuador
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZNsSlJFMvS...%2B-%2B537.jpg
From Popayan I traveled south. The Pan American Highway heading south wound through some gorgeous countryside. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tC78huEevO...%2B-%2B565.jpg The road was made up of what I call "gentle" curves. Perfect for riding in third and fourth gear on my bike. I would cruise in forth gear along the straights, then drop down to third gear to take a curve, then pop back into fourth gear to cruise. It was a full day of riding to a town called Pasto. I stopped in Pasto to spend the night at a hostel called the Koala Inn. Nothing really remarkable about Pasto, for me it was just a stop on the way to the border. I woke up early and headed south. It was about a hour and a half to the border. Upon arrival, I checked in with the Colombian Customs and the process was quick and easy. I was done in about 2 minutes. http://lh3.ggpht.com/-DG5-_4agXYM/Tw...Qw/s288/81.jpg However, there was a long line for Colombian Immigration. It was the tail end of the new years holiday. It seemed like there were a number of people traveling between Colombia and Ecuador for vacations. There were probably 200 people in front of me. I will say that the processing was moving along at a decent pace. But, it took about an hour and a half to get through immigration line. http://lh5.ggpht.com/-xGDJM6svZBQ/Tw...oo/s288/82.jpg On the Ecuador side, I encountered the same group of people lining up at immigration. While waiting I did meet some friendly Colombians and Ecuadorians and engaged in some conversation. It made the time pass by a little faster. I also had some time to write some blog posts. Another hour and a half later, I was through the Ecuadorian Immigration line. The Ecuadorian Customs processing was probably the fastest I had encounter in all of my border crossings. I was the only one in line requesting a permit, the system was electronic, I had copies of all my documents, the agents were friendly and it only took about 5 minutes. However in total, the border crossing took longer than I expected... about three hours. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iB9TJ4Lxum...2B-%2B0020.jpg After passing through the border I headed towards Quito. There was a definite change in the altitude and climate. The air was cooler and thinner. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dk_g4RUXrH...2B-%2B0017.jpg Emi had a little trouble adjusting to the altitude, but she did fine cruising through the Andes Mountains. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZobQvLks76...2B-%2B0009.jpg The countryside varied between green mountains and stone cliffs and deep valleys. In Ecuador, I noticed that the buses, trucks and cars were much more aggressive in passing traffic on the highway. They would pass on blind corners, up hills and two or three vehicles at a time. It's interesting how riding conditions vary between countries. I noticed that there were fewer motorcyclists in Ecuador than in Colombia. It was nice riding alongside other motorcyclists in Colombia as a gauge for riding speed and road conditions. In Ecuador, I was on my own. As I ventured on, I began to run out of day light. I didn't feel like pushing it, so I pulled over in a town called Cayembe. It turns out that Cayembe is pretty close to being at the middle of the world... or in other words...the equator. For the night, I stayed at a roadside hotel called Hotel La Mitad del Mundo. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wTFWAm3Ctv...2B-%2B0007.jpg The next day I would ride about one and a half hours into Quito. I was hoping that I wouldn't have to pass over the snow capped volcano called Cotopaxi that I could see in the distance. Luckily, I didn't. I had arrived in Ecuador and crossed over into the southern hemisphere. Nice! For the full story see Colombia to Ecuador |
The Adventure Begins... La Mitad Del Mundo
The Equator runs right through Ecuador.
http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Xoz9bB-6i7g/Tx...JU/s288/64.jpg At this location called La Mitad Del Mundo (The Middle of the World) they have built a huge monument to mark the spot. I had to check it out. http://lh3.ggpht.com/-mLsP-2IlV34/Tx...Cc/s288/65.jpg Here's proof...lattitude 0-0-0. The yellow line is the Equator. From this eastern view, my left foot is in the northern hemisphere and my right foot is in the southern hemisphere. http://lh6.ggpht.com/-dJm-qyfnviY/Tx...do/s288/66.jpg From this western view, my right foot is in the northern hemisphere and my left foot is in the southern hemisphere. Got that. http://lh4.ggpht.com/-yibaN8TJ9us/Tx...W0/s288/67.jpg If all of this is true, I should be able to balance this egg on it's edge while I'm sitting on the Equator. http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ipP0-AcTvnQ/Tx...hk/s288/68.jpg There we go. Cool! http://lh5.ggpht.com/-exwuHFtU8eU/Tx...Z0/s288/69.jpg But wait, my gps is indicating that the true 0-0-0 is about 00.000.080 north of this yellow line. That would be about 100 feet over that wall and outside of the monument grounds. http://lh4.ggpht.com/-vWr7qOjGoac/Tx...Kc/s288/70.jpg So I exited the monument grounds and hopped on Emi to find the Equator. http://lh4.ggpht.com/-AKyC7JJxLOg/Tx...q0/s288/71.jpg Ah, after riding a bit, I came across...00.000.000...the true Equator. And it only took 7,908.3 miles to find it. http://lh5.ggpht.com/-0855jJOXTbM/Tx...-Y/s288/72.jpg Emi is marking the spot. Front wheel in the southern hemisphere and rear wheel in the northern hemisphere. http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Y6VRs6oSb_k/Tx...04/s288/73.jpg Emi and this large pile of gravel. The Middle of the World. I've reached it! Somewhat of a landmark and milestone. OK, time to head south. For the full story visit La Mitad Del Mundo |
The Adventure Begins... Riding Around In The Clouds (Mindo)
I traveled to the small town of Mindo that is situated in a tropical cloud forrest in the Western Andean Slope of Ecuador.
http://lh6.ggpht.com/-chePGnsorag/Tx...mwk/s288/5.jpg I stayed at a nice little hostel called La Casa de Cecillia. The rooms were in a treehouse like structure made of wood. There was a little alcove between the building and vegetation that made a perfect parking space for Emi. http://lh3.ggpht.com/-2YbSsqt4NxU/Tx...FM/s288/27.jpg I took a ride along a dirt road into the cloud forrest to check out the surroundings. I started at about 8000 feet in altitude, the road ascended the mountain and I gained another 1000 feet in elevation. It was cloudy and raining lightly which made the ride strangely pleasant. http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Eh8J5bxrdbw/Tx...Jg/s288/51.jpg The combination of the clouds, clean air, light rain, dirt road, vibrant green vegetation and forrest sounds was a sensory smorgasbord. I would ride for a while, park for a while, ride for a while and park for a while. Just taking in the sights, sounds and smell of the cloud forrest. http://lh4.ggpht.com/-nx4O9ZX0Wjw/Tx...Xc/s288/63.jpg After riding through the cloud forrest for a while I decided to head south to a town called Banos. I was told by a local that there was a new road that would take me from Mindo to Los Bancos to Mercedes to Paquimaro to Aloag to Banos. The segment between Mindo and Paquimaro was not on google, my map nor on my gps. But I thought to myself that if the locals knew about it, it must be there. http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ljVIvEHO9nI/Tx...5w/s288/62.jpg The road took me along some of the best scenery that I've come across on my travels. The country road carved gentle curves through the hills. It ascended and descended gradually. It was rough asphalt but without potholes. Each corner opened up fantastic views. http://lh3.ggpht.com/-8tdY5Si8xcE/Tx...Vc/s288/54.jpg It was a single lane that wound through cattle ranches, sugarcane fields and rolling hills. It was an hour of blissful riding. http://lh4.ggpht.com/-2FiODI3hK6k/Tx...Qw/s288/56.jpg Then it met up with the highway to Banos. This highway crossed over the Andean Mountains and was two lanes of cars and large trailer trucks. It was cloudy as I passed over the range. The visibility was decent at about 100 feet (30 meters). But it was rainy and cold. I was wearing all my gear - soft shell jacket, motorcycle jacket, rain parka, pants, motorcycle pants, rain pants and winter gloves. My body was warm, but my feet and hands were feeling the cold and dampness. http://lh5.ggpht.com/-UKanONc8l34/Tx...Jo/s288/60.jpg After about 3 hours of riding I took a little break at a nice roadside cafe outside of Cotapaxi. I had a wonderful meal that included potato soup, pork, rice, papas, fresh rasberry juice and a dessert of tres leches. It warmed me up and fortified me for the last hour of riding into Banos. I rolled into Banos at about 6:30pm and found a room at the Plantas y Blancas Hostel. It was a full day of riding. Some pleasant, some grueling. But, it's all part of the adventure. For the full story visit Mindo |
The Adventure Begins... Into The Amazon
I decided to travel to the Amazon. I had always envisioned that I would visit the Amazon from Brazil, but after talking with a few people I heard that it is more accessible, affordable and pristine to access it from Ecuador. Also, I plan to visit Brazil later in the year and hopefully I'll be able to make another excursion at that time. So instead of waiting until mañana (tomorrow), I thought to myself, there is no day like today (hoy).
My trip started with a short bus ride from Banos to a town called Ambato where I would connect with an overnight bus to Lago Agrio. http://lh5.ggpht.com/-QtQRX-kRrZY/Tx...gg/s288/60.jpg Pretty lujo (luxurious) this bus. http://lh5.ggpht.com/-UIVo837ekOA/Tx...dU/s288/63.jpg Like a disco ball on wheels. I watched a movie, then feel asleep. I awoke at about 5:30am just as we were arriving into Lago Agrio. http://lh6.ggpht.com/-c8dgkZZJrBQ/Tx...L0/s288/64.jpg I was to meet my guide at the Hotel de Mario... me and a few other travelers as well. It seemed as if many tour companies use the Hotel de Mario as a meeting place. At about 8am my guide Jorge showed up and said that we would wait a while, then leave at 9am for the selva (rain forrest). Here is were the adventure begins. Click on the links to see stories from each day. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ngWl3rq6P7...2B-%2B1380.jpg The Amazon Day 1 http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iljKQ2ZRFA...2B-%2B1883.jpg The Amazon Day 2 http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P1aYt53Bm4...2B-%2B1615.jpg The Amazon Day 3 http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jRQPj64TyA...2B-%2B1651.jpg The Amazon Day 4 http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kDUqOIHLf1...2B-%2B1736.jpg The Amazon Day 5 |
The Adventure Begins... Museo de Pumapungo
http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ksk3EdaYhhI/Ty...W8/s288/56.jpg
In Cuenca, I checked out the Museo de Pumapungo (aka The Museum of the Central Bank). There were a number of ethnographic displays about different people groups in Ecuador, but what I really found interesting was this display of wooden masks. If you look at them long enough, they appear to look back. http://lh4.ggpht.com/-dHLKK_Oic-g/Ty...Y8/s288/63.jpg http://lh4.ggpht.com/-AEiyukBqdos/Ty...0A/s288/73.jpg http://lh6.ggpht.com/-vJzoF-PzTb0/Ty...vc/s288/64.jpg http://lh6.ggpht.com/-0BL8FkRUXVY/Ty...Dk/s288/74.jpg This last one isn't a mask, it's a tsantsa (shrunken head). Seems that the Shuar people group in the Amazon use to have a cultural practice of making tsantsa. When someone was murdered the way of restoring balance to the universe was for the offended family to kill and shrink the head of the offender. For the full story visit Museo de Pumapungo |
The Adventure Begins... Inca Ruins of Ingapirca
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RpaKdQQ9-K...2B-%2B1806.jpg
From the town of Cuenca, I took a day trip to the cloud shrouded ruins of Ingapirca. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MKpZW1ycrJ...2B-%2B1813.jpg The ride was along a fantastic road... http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HmL2I2i9ty...2B-%2B1809.jpg That wound through the mountains and ascended to about 10,000 feet (3,000 meters)... http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z0xEgcMoXw...2B-%2B1840.jpg And passed by mostly farmland and a few houses. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4JstRsOnWi...2B-%2B1817.jpg The Canari civilization first built a city called Hatun Cañar on the site. Then toward the end of the 15th century, during the Inca expansion into present day Ecuador, the Inca built their city on top of the ruins of the Canari city and called it Ingapirca. The site was built in the Incan imperial style of construction with a mortarless polished stone technique. This means that all the stones were carved to fit together perfectly without mortar. The city is linked to the city of Machu Picchu via the Camino de Los Incas (The Inca Trail). http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_BTQVUBqgZ...2B-%2B1821.jpg This area contained some excavated tombs. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IR7pfYcde1...2B-%2B1822.jpg This double semi-circle formation represented both the sun and the moon. Those are llamas grazing on the grass. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zibVJB1LSU...2B-%2B1819.jpg There was a sun temple... That actually functioned as a sun dial. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t1KwdemgAG...2B-%2B1824.jpg And this was some form of solar or lunar calendar. It's a mystery as to how it actually functioned. Outside of the grounds of the ruins was this stone pathway... http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AsFdAvoFoq...2B-%2B1836.jpg That lead to this rock formation... Called the Cara del Inca (Inca Face). I passed it completely when I was walking down the trail, but then looked back and saw the profile of the face. This is a natural stone feature in the side of the mountain and was not carved. A nice little walk around some ancient history. For the full story visit Inca Ruins of Ingapirca |
The Adventure Begins... El Cajas...Sinking Into Paramo
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-92yJscV9jq...2B-%2B1888.jpg
Wishing to get back to nature, I traveled to a national park called El Cajas. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kKj9HQb3yb...2B-%2B1893.jpg The park consists of mountains, waterfalls, rivers, lakes and páramo. Páramo is an alpine tundra or moorland. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qqv7CGma6v...2B-%2B1894.jpg The ground is soft, porous and retains a high quantity of water like a sponge. If you step on the spongy part of the páramo your foot sinks. It is best to walk on the packed ground or scramble over the rocks. The park is at altitude as well... 12,800 feet (3,900 meters). I went for a hike. The vistas were pretty amazing. I didn't know what to expect, so I carried a pack with a med kit, sleeping bag, ground cloth, food and water. I had heard that clouds often roll in and can be disorienting. Since I was hiking alone, I wanted to take the right precautions. There was low lying brush... http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jS2LrKpDUg...2B-%2B1898.jpg Ground coverage... http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hmz6pXbcGq...2B-%2B1897.jpg Cactus... Flowers... Plants and flowers woven together... http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wdK9aGKsTg...2B-%2B1904.jpg And this crazy forest... With wrangling trees growing in all directions. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iC_PXstMBh...2B-%2B1922.jpg I crossed a few rivers http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-grpSVnp3gD...2B-%2B1936.jpg Passed by a number of lakes Passed by more rivers That were raging http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RaDDiGncpf...2B-%2B1943.jpg And made a few missteps. It's all part of the adventure. Check out this short video to see what it is like hiking in páramo. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-maheKDg_7H...2B-%2B1920.jpg I got a little bit lost, but eventually found my way. The first day I spent hiking. The second day I spent fishing for natural trout. I hooked into a few, but released them. El Cajas was a beautiful area and quite unlike anything that I've seen before. The park had some good trails. The terrain was rugged and the climate variable. While I was there it was sunny, rainy, cloudy, cold and warm... all within the span of a few hours. For the full story visit El Cajas |
The Adventure Begins... Some Camping Supplies
http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Xj2O6KhUJ9o/Ty...GF0/s288/5.jpg
In Cuenca I found this store called Accion Sports. http://lh3.ggpht.com/-L3p1I0ae2rA/Ty...3Y/s288/27.jpg They had a decent selection of camping and fishing gear. I didn't want to add weight to my kit, so I decided to go ultralight. http://lh4.ggpht.com/--7u_q-V6RcI/Ty...qY/s288/54.jpg I ended buying some Sno-Seal to weatherproof my boots ($10). It's something that I've been looking for for some time. I bought a compact fishing rod and reel combo with a few simple lures ($13). And I bought a tent footprint and tent spikes which I will use as a tent ($15). The tent footprint is basically a waterproof nylon sheet with grommets that I hope will make a decent lean-to cover. Perfect...light and inexpensive. |
The Adventure Begins... Looking Back...The Galapagos Islands
Wow... I've spent a month in Ecuador... time has really flown by. There is so much to see and do in the country that I still feel that I've just scratched the surface. Back in December my whole objective was to pass through Ecuador in less than 2 weeks so that I could travel to Peru to watch the Dakar Rally. Well... that didn't happen. There was Christmas and New Years and I went on some excursions and met some people and started having a really good time. I made a calculation of the mileage that I would need to ride and the amount of time that I had to travel to reach Lima, Peru by January 15th... and it just wasn't possible. But no regrets, I've experienced so many amazing things in the past month that it has all been worthwhile.
At the beginning of January I wrote a post about flight. It was the beginning of a story about a trip to the Galapagos Islands. It has taken me a while to process the whole experience and sort though my images, but now I'm ready to share the story. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wBZIA3sMC1...2B-%2B0073.jpg The adventure began in the city of Quito. My first day in Quito I met Miguel Vinueza. Together we walked along Avenida Amazonas where there were a number of tour agencies. After talking with a number of agencies, I found an agent that could book me on a tour to the Galapagos Islands on a small cruise boat for 5 days that would leave within 2 days. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9rOk7NGtxx...2B-%2B0090.jpg Two days later... I was waiting for a flight in the Quito airport. http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Wlh5SiLjJOM/Tw...jbM/s288/5.jpg After a short wait in the airport, I was in the air... Flying over the clouds, ocean and finally reaching the islands. For the full story click on the links below. My itinerary would be... http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rN6uowWiLP...2B-%2B0123.jpg Day 1: SANTA CRUZ ISLAND http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jsIgc1OE_x...2B-%2B0229.jpg Day 2: SANTA FE ISLAND http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zet0pcCrOx...2B-%2B0605.jpg Day 3: ESPAÑOLA ISLAND http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NvnK8ianiH...2B-%2B0935.jpg Day 4: FLOREANA ISLAND http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w9-8b3LiWP...2B-%2B1156.jpg Day 5: SANTA CRUZ ISLAND |
The Adventure Begins... Riding South In Ecuador
I had some of the best roads and riding of my trip while traveling south in Ecuador.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m-TmPZmGuK...2B-%2B1958.jpg The roads between Cuenca, Loja and Macara were newly paved, wide and twisty. The engineers had figured out how to make the twisty parts without blind corners. To boot, there was very little traffic. The weather was cool, probably around 60F (15C). I had to wear all my cold weather gear, but I was still comfortable. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1YpE7_4V2D...2B-%2B1955.jpg For about an hour, I traveled through a stretch of pine forest. The area reminded me a little of east Texas or a certain segment in central Texas around the town of Bastrop. It smelled good too. For the full story visit Riding South In Ecuador |
The adventure Begins... Ecuador To Peru
I crossed from Ecuador into Peru.
http://lh3.ggpht.com/-y66jLyZX04U/Ty...VJg/s288/5.jpg Leaving Ecuador was fast and efficient. I decided to cross at the town of Macara. It probably only took 5 minutes. First a visit to immigration where they checked my passport. Second to Customs where it took probably 2 minutes. Basically they checked and kept my temporary permit. http://lh4.ggpht.com/-5aPTfJgW5n8/Ty...SM/s288/27.jpg The immigration office in Peru was amazing fast as well. I was the only person in line. I handed the immigration officer my passport, he put a stamp in it and handed it back. http://lh6.ggpht.com/-DGoVd2IAwUs/Ty...YQ/s288/54.jpg I then proceeded to the Customs office. They made copies of my passport, motorcycle title and request for a temporary permit. They actually made the photocopies... how refreshing. They instructed me to buy temporary insurance across the street. Once I obtained insurance I was back to the Customs office. The officer checked a few things, compiled my papers and issued me a temporary permit. All done, probably all within 15 minutes. No ayudantes. No bribery. That's the way to run a border crossing. Great job! Peru, here I come. For the full story visit Ecuador to Peru |
The adventure Begins... Peru Revisited
A few years ago I visited Peru.
At that time I was traveling with my friends Susan, Kim and Raj. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_K8f8N8ycQ...20/Peru_17.jpg We visited Lima. Saw the catacombs at the Monasterio de San Francisco. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_9lc6YEUAZ...320/Peru_1.jpg Traveled to the ancient empire of the Inca, Cuscu. Where some traditional customs still exist along ancient stone architecture. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fbphnFA6F7...320/Peru_4.jpg I happened to arrive during one of the most significant celebrations for the city of Cusco, the Inti Raymi or Festival of the Sun. People from the surrounding towns travel great distances and re-enact a ceremony that depicts the mythical origin of the Incas. People from all over the world visit to see the event. We spent a number of days hiking the Inca Trail. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7z-kFXQKJ5...320/Peru_8.jpg And spent some time at Machu Picchu. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KqCkjtvom3...20/Peru_10.jpg We visited Lake Titicaca and Uros where people live on floating islands made of totora. And construct their houses, boats and other everyday utensils with totora. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zgHUzILJCy...20/Peru_12.jpg We visited the small island of Taquile where the textile arts have been honored by UNESCO. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Osldkm_P5l...20/Peru_13.jpg Then, we traveled to the "white city" of Arequipa. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7dl5Db2I-H...20/Peru_15.jpg Visited the Monasterio Santa Catalina And admired the beautiful colonial architecture. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r0ieHjBHU7...20/Peru_16.jpg Ate one of the local delicacies Cuy (Guinea Pig). http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xYgyCULgFS...%2B-%2B265.jpg And finished the trip with a flight over the Nasca Lines. This time around I didn't want to revisit the same areas... I wanted to check out some of the areas in the north, coast and desert. For the full story visit Peru Revisited |
The adventure Begins... Chiclayo... A Biker and Brujos
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wF8MgwXJMg...%2B-%2B030.jpg
From Piura I rode south and entered the desert. There were miles and miles where it was just flat. And there were a few areas with low lying brush. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z8wnkGJoeT...%2B-%2B031.jpg The next town that I stopped in was the mid sized town of Chiclayo. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sLuM1j3NnB...%2B-%2B032.jpg As I was pulling up to a hotel, another adventure motorcyclist named Kevin pulled up on his KLR650. We ended up getting a bite to eat and hanging out a bit. I visited the Museo Tumbas Reales de Sipan. They would not allow me to take a camera inside so I don't have any photos to show you. However the museum had a nice display about the excavation of tombs of the Lord of Sipan. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tiXmajLC-t...%2B-%2B047.jpg I wanted to check out the local market where I had heard they had a little bit of everything. From shoes... To toys... To birds... http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d_MozmmZAg...%2B-%2B080.jpg To this...El Mercado de Brujos (Witch's Market). It is a supply center for shamans. I struck up a conversation with one of the vendors who said that he was a shaman. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Kua7F8umrZ...%2B-%2B063.jpg The stalls had all kinds of herbs, potions and instruments... Potions... Powders and stones... Shells... Eggs... Animal pelts... Voodoo dolls... http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sS6QvVggU2...%2B-%2B083.jpg And other tools of the trade. I actually got a little creeped out by this stuff. I don't believe that this shaman stuff has any real power over me. But, I was definitely saying my own prayers of protection. After seeing what I wanted to see I took off. For the full story visit Chiclayo |
The adventure Begins... Riding Through The Peruvian Desert
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PSAk-Gz5ka...%2B-%2B184.jpg
From Huanchaco I traveled to Lima. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--l1QcA_Aw1...%2B-%2B176.jpg Through the desert... The sands were still, but the wind was stirring. There were sand dunes the size of mountains. It was a vast distance to cover. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G4BRqGfUJJ...%2B-%2B196.jpg Emi handled it well. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PMFPRM3RFb...%2B-%2B198.jpg I came across this oasis of a town along the coast call Tortugas and took a break for lunch There were some twisty parts. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zaL72nOlvg...%2B-%2B210.jpg But for the most part, it was long and strait. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vGhSikhOjz...%2B-%2B216.jpg Passed by some unknown ruins. Passed by some farm land. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XTVCzRfz8E...%2B-%2B219.jpg And as I neared Lima there were fields of sugar cane. For the full story visit Peruvian Desert |
The Adventure Begins... Lima... Food, Art and Blowing My Own Horn
I did not spend much time in Lima.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-17b_poSjec...%2B-%2B225.jpg Just enough time to try these sandwiches and milk shakes at a sidewalk cafe called La Lucha. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xa-Mk3biv7...%2B-%2B226.jpg Checked out some street art at Parque Kennedy. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bqYhwjvuXf...%2B-%2B233.jpg And replaced the horn on my motorcycle that unfortunately stopped functioning while I was navigating through traffic in Lima. |
The Adventure Begins... Huacachina...A True Oasis
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oCI7OtTSCE...%2B-%2B238.jpg
I found a true oasis in the desert. There was this little town called Huacachina. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tfQHeI_GJt...%2B-%2B236.jpg There were a few structure built in colonial style... That surrounded a laguana. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0yrqM5b1Gg...%2B-%2B247.jpg And just outside of the town was a huge sand dune that was probably over 500 feet in altitude. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RAhGBNFK2_...%2B-%2B249.jpg While I was in Huacachina, a group of three adventure motorcyclists pulled up. They were riding a KTM990, BMW1100 and a DR650. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1ckmoHFf6b...%2B-%2B250.jpg The DR650 had a 10 gallon monster gas tank. Pretty cool. For the full story visit Huacachina |
The Adventure Begins... Chala...Between A Desert And A River
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UAwYDfNO7p...%2B-%2B263.jpg
I left Huacachina and headed toward Arequipa. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bpfj2a9haf...%2B-%2B274.jpg Along the way, I met a fellow adventure motorcyclist from Paraquay who was riding a BMW1200. Outside of the town of Nasca I passed by the Nasca Lines. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bIoxW-DERZ...%2B-%2B265.jpg I believe that these lines represented a tree. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fK_asoTAEj...%2B-%2B276.jpg I stopped overnight at a town called Chala that had this nice view of the ocean. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pSEv6JokZj...%2B-%2B280.jpg I continued on the next day through some pretty rustic looking areas. And I passed by some beautiful beaches with a raging surf. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P2NLMiJiTu...%2B-%2B300.jpg Until I came across this river. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4IxJCES9kS...%2B-%2B298.jpg Buses and large trucks were crossing the river, but the cars that tried to cross got flooded and stalled. I thought about riding or pushing my motorcycle across, but then came up with an alternative. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1LArWpbJu5...%2B-%2B310.jpg I rode back up the line of waiting trucks and found an empty one. I asked the driver if he would carry me across. He agreed. I recruited four bystanders to help me load my bike into the back of the truck. Then we road across the river. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NBWXHJn3ky...%2B-%2B312.jpg On the other side of the river, the truck driver pulled up to a sand embankment and I rode my bike off the back of the truck. I kept my bike and my boots dry. Then it was a little more riding through the desert to the town of Arequipa. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xCeaATwgC5...%2B-%2B321.jpg The next day I took a little day trip to the mountains. I passed through some desert area. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zhlO3828Q4...%2B-%2B346.jpg I came across this sign... http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NZcxbnhZlE...%2B-%2B338.jpg Which was a warning to look out for vicuña. Vicuña are an endangered species that are related to llamas and alpacas. I saw a number of vicuña run across the road, so I pulled over and snapped this photo. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IhU28oLyE8...%2B-%2B352.jpg I continued riding and came upon these snow covered mountains. Desert riding and mountain scenary... what else could I ask for. Certainly made for some fun riding. Here is a short 3 minute video about crossing the river. There were a number of people along the banks watching as trucks passed through the water. At about the 1:50 minute into the video you may notice a few cars that attempted to cross the river and were stalled. I shot this video on my iPhone. For the full story visit Crossing A River |
The Adventure Begins... How Can Ceviche Be So Good And So Bad
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-I...hone_photo.jpg
I ate this seafood ceviche from a restaurant in Arequipa called Cevichería Fory Fay. The ceviche had fish, squid, shrimp, onions, mushrooms and sweet potato. It was so good. But it was also so bad. About an hour after eating it I had an allergic reaction and broke out with a rash of hives. Many years ago I had a similar reaction, so I wasn't worried and I knew what to do. I made a quick trip to the pharmacy and bought some benedryl. After some time the inching and hives stopped and I returned to normal. Totally worth it. |
The Adventure Begins... Arequipa and Some Bike Maintenance
I had logged 10,000 miles on my bike and felt like it was time for a little maintenance.
Emi was coughing a bit. I wasn't sure if it was because of the altitude, bad gas, spark plugs or a dirty carburetor. I rode around town and asked a few people about where I might be able to find a good taller (workshop). https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-E...CE/s288/54.jpg I was directed to this workshop operated by a guy named Lucho. There was a Honda XR650 and Kawasaki KLR650 parked outside. I took this as a good indication that they knew how to work on large bikes from Japan. They said that they couldn't work on my bike on Friday, but that they could make an appointment for me on Monday at 8am. And they said that they could perform a complete tune up and obtain all the needed parts for my bike... oil, lube, filters, spark plugs, chain and sprockets. Great news! It would be two days of waiting, but if they could provide all the right parts it sounded like a good deal. On Monday, I arrived at the shop at 8am. Well, the shop wasn't open and nobody was around. I waited. See Video The shop was on a street that was right in front of this raging river. Was this some kind of omen? It is the rainy season and it had been raining in the mountains and in the city every day since I was in Arequipa. Needless to say I was a little concerned that if I left my bike at this shop and the river overflowed it's bank, that my bike would be flooded or washed away. I asked a policeman that was patrolling nearby and watching the river conditions if he had any reports as to if the river was going to overflow. He said that it was possible and that he was on guard as a precaution in case an evacuation would be necessary. Not comforting. Anyways, the shop finally opened at around 9am. They started working on my bike at around 9:30. I did not have anything to do other than to ensure that my bike was worked on properly and that the work was completed before the river overflowed, so I stayed and watched while they worked on my bike. For some reason the mechanic worked really slooooow. And, it turned out that they could not obtain the correct filter, nor spark plugs, nor chain, nor sprockets. Luckily I had a spare filter and spark plugs. The rest of the maintenance would have to wait until I arrived in Chile. We cleaned out the carburetor, changed the spark plugs, put in higher octane gas, adjusted the idle a bit, changed the oil, installed a new oil filter, cleaned out the air filter, lubed the axle bearings and lubed the chain. https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-N...28/s288/64.jpg Lucho did teach me how to change the jet of the carb for high or low altitude. It was the first time that I'd personally cracked open and worked on my carburetor, so I appreciated the lesson. I did the work myself so that I'd know how to do it in the future. Monkey see, monkey do. It took all day to complete the work. By the time we finished the sun had already set and it had started to rain. I took Emi out for a test ride. She seemed to like the tender loving care. I had mixed feelings about this workshop. It seemed as if I had to direct much if the work, they worked really slow and they did not have many of the critical parts that they promised they would provide. The positive points were that they did let me oversee the work and showed me how to crack open my carburetor. I felt like I was at least half prepared to begin some long days of riding through the desert. |
The Adventure Begins... Peru to Chile
From Arequipa, Peru I traveled to Arica, Chile. I left early because it looked like it might be a full day of riding.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-6...S0/s288/27.jpg I picked up a few supplies because I knew that I'd be riding through the desert for most of the day. An orange juice, saltine crackers and chocolate cookies. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WN2pPQqoXG...%2B-%2B007.jpg I passed by desert dunes... http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZYiXnoObMv...%2B-%2B008.jpg Coastal beaches... http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Gk6IBdcaSI...%2B-%2B009.jpg Rock formations. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WqwIw6AhDs...%2B-%2B027.jpg Along the way I met a fellow adventure motorcyclist from Argentina named Alejandro riding a Honda Falcon NX400. I really like the styling of the NX400. I wish that Honda sold the bike in the states. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OB_8izdSy9...%2B-%2B021.jpg Alejandro passed me, then I passed him, then at an overlook we pulled over and started chatting. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6GJAVQzJTY...%2B-%2B034.jpg He had a pretty nice hard case setup on his bike. Turns out that he made it himself. Also he build a pretty sweet tool tube that fit opposite his muffler. I asked him if he was an engineer and sure enough he was. I have a number of engineering friends and you can always tell the work of an engineer. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-itjw2xYS4m...%2B-%2B038.jpg We seemed to have a similar riding pace... so on we rode. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lQBM-1sT0l...%2B-%2B083.jpg We exited Peru with ease. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uqncbCeMX3...%2B-%2B084.jpg We entered Chile with ease. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SdMt5xz-wq...%2B-%2B040.jpg Looking back... http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xnmm9c0oqP...%2B-%2B059.jpg Looking forward... http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tT6rg0CPZn...%2B-%2B067.jpg Simply amazing views all around. For the full story visit Peru to Chile |
The Adventure Begins... Burning Rubber Across The Atacama Desert
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BhlVNnBcY7...%2B-%2B131.jpg
The northern part of Chile has some amazing scenery... that is if you like the desert. The desert in northern Chile is known as the Atacama... it is on record as being the driest place in the world. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1N-4wl_PFy...%2B-%2B108.jpg I don't know why, but I've grown rather fond of riding in the desert. I like the smooth subtle colors and shapes...dunes, sand, rocks, shrubs...earth tones. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0w_Xm6SzwD...%2B-%2B122.jpg And then there is the sky. The sky is blue...always...and it stretches from end to end... blanketing the horizon. There are few clouds...the forecast...little chance of rain. It is the same yesterday...today...tomorrow. The smooth shapes seem to be formed by the sun and wind. Large formations like mountains, valleys and canyons formed over thousands of years by erosion, expansion and contraction. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nisocG6Zss...%2B-%2B052.jpg Other formations like dunes seem to change before my eyes... growing, shrinking, moving. It was subtle... http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Otzjw8g0LV...%2B-%2B290.jpg It was dramatic... And harsh at the same time. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YHsa-S0djz...%2B-%2B077.jpg The elements of the desert were all very similar, but the alchemy of it all was kaleidoscopic. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nTh5u473zC...%2B-%2B190.jpg Alejandro and I decided to ride together until he would go his way and I would go my way. We covered some good distance each day...500km...600km. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ek6A5Pzh_G...%2B-%2B193.jpg There were some long stretches of emptiness between the towns in the Atacama. It was nice having a partner along for the ride. The towns that we stayed in were a blur...resting places...the goal was to ride...to reach the other side. Arica http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3H0MiIcQss...%2B-%2B222.jpg Have a BIG Coke and a Big smile Tocopilla http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Kicfoib4gY...%2B-%2B223.jpg Tocopilla street dogs...there were lots of them Chanaral http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cD7mrI4RSZ...%2B-%2B274.jpg El Mano del Desierto (The Desert Hand) is a big sculpture in the desert http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wtb7RpVNw3...%2B-%2B263.jpg A BIG stone sculpture La Serena http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NT00eR5SjQ...%2B-%2B220.jpg In La Serena, Alejandro and I parted ways. He would cut across east to San Juan, Mendoza, San Rafeal...Argentina...for him...home. I really enjoyed riding alongside Alejandro. A true gentleman adventurer...cultured, curious and moving forward. I hope to see him again down the road. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X0qPhwWTY9...%2B-%2B248.jpg I would continue south to Santiago. For the full story visit Burning Rubber |
The Adventure Begins... Out On The Town...Santiago
See Video
In the morning, I was walking through the Plaza de Armas (Central Park) and saw a crowd of people huddled around something. I decided that I should check it out. Watch the short video to see what it was. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O0AXe89-Pf...%2B-%2B453.jpg For lunch, I went to the W hotel and had lunch with my friend Rodrigo who works with a money management firm in Santiago called Capital Advisors. He treated me to a nice meal... I owe you one Rodrigo. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YFT0Ufnk_f...%2B-%2B510.jpg Later that evening these lovely ladies invited me to diner at a restaurant called Tiramisu. How could I resist? Megan (Colorado), Jessie (Buenos Aires) and Lucila (Buenos Aires). http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-omE91_A7VC...%2B-%2B460.jpg Afterwards we went for drinks. Megan and Jessie got comfortable in these comfy chairs. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Mrw3qGHvQE...%2B-%2B462.jpg Lucila and Megan made life imitate art. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R7AItRLO5B...le%2B-%2BW.jpg I just kicked back and thought... I'm a lucky guy. Good times... with good folks. For the full story visit Out On The Town |
The Adventure Begins... South Bound From Santiago
In Santiago I picked up some parts for Emi... extra spark plugs, chain and some lube. I still was unable to find new sprockets. I checked three Suzuki dealers, but none of them had the parts in stock. I'm thinking that I may order them online and have them delivered somewhere along my route.
I was hoping to make it to Tierra Del Fuego before the winter sets in. It is usually okay in March, but the weather starts to change in April, so I hear. Cold and rain... I can tolerate it... snow and ice... I think not. There had been some road blockades and gas shortages in the southern part of Chile due to some protests. I wasn't sure if I would be able to travel through the Lake District where the problems were taking place... but I sort of had a plan. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0GQA6JcPv-...%2B-%2B471.jpg Unfortunately, I got a late start. I headed south through part of the Chilean wine country. As I rode along the highway through the vinyards I could smell the grapes. Intoxicating. I really wanted to stop and visit some of the vineyards, but I needed to make some distance. I'll have to come back when I have more time. I rode until the sun began to set. Then I pulled into a town called Linares. Nothing of great interest around... so I asked a police officer where I might be able to stay the night... I was hoping to camp. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kjzypjGW6L...%2B-%2B504.jpg He said that it would be okay to camp in the park in front of their office. Sounded good and safe. It was late, so I didn't put up a fight... I just put up my makeshift tent...a ground cover and an lean-to cover hooked to the back of Emi... and laid down for the night. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a1ACtQoTEp...hile-pucon.jpg I got up early the next morning and rode to the town of Pucon. Pucon is known as a adventure tourist town that is overshadowed by a volcano and surrounded by hot springs. Many people climb the volcano, mountain bike the hills and paddle the rivers. In the winter there is skiing. I didn't feel like I had time to enjoy it all. I was being called south. However, in the evening, I was able to visit the hot springs. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-veCx71JztI...%2B-%2B574.jpg From Pucon I traveled to Puerto Montt. From Santiago to Puerto Montt was about 1300 km. Not bad for 3 days of riding. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OC-T3lWZS_...%2B-%2B594.jpg Puerto Montt is a seaside town that has an active seafood market and... http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ANGpzpcx2A...%2B-%2B595.jpg This...NAVIMAG! NAVIMAG is a ferry that travels from Puerto Montt (Central Chile) to Puerto Natales (Southern Chile). For some reason I like saying NAVIMAG... it just rolls off my tongue. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--3SejHRNSf...montt-nata.jpg The journey takes 3 nights and 4 days and is suppose to be pretty scenic. BBC Travel and Leisure sites the NAVIMAG voyage as one of the most beautiful ferry rides in the world. I thought that I should check it out... it might actually be good, save me some time, save me some wear and tear on Emi and most importantly... get me around the gas shortage areas in the Lake District. I'm hoping that I can revisit the Lake District later... after the protests, blockades and gas shortage situation are resolved. I can't take credit for this idea... my friend Rodrigo suggested the route. So I booked a trip on the Navimag. Me as a passenger. Emi as cargo. We would set sail in 3 days. For the full story visit Southbound |
The Adventure Begins... Puerto Montt and More Motorcycle Maintenance
The NAVIMAG ferry was not leaving for 3 days. I decided to check around Puerto Montt for some motorcycle maintenance.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wc4GUZhr_O...%2B-%2B516.jpg Turns out there was a Suzuki dealer and workshop in Puerto Montt. I took Emi in for an oil change, filter change, lube and valve timing. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l0_jDGTxIq...%2B-%2B517.jpg I've never done a valve timing, but I watched the mechanic as he did the work. Seems pretty simple. I'll have to try it some day. I also asked the mechanic to add a carb drainage tube and adjust the idle a little. Emi had been running a little rough. He did it and showed me how to do it. Now I know. I didn't feel like staying in Puerto Montt for three days, so I decided to visit a town just north called Puerto Varas. |
The Adventure Begins... Puerto Varas and Frutillar
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-s...0/s288/122.jpg
I stopped by the lakeside town of Puerto Varas. It's a small to midsize town surrounded by hill country and a few volcanos. https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-j...Q/s288/123.jpg I'm not much of a shopper, but the town happened to have stores by some of my favorite brands. The North Face... Salomon... https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-b...4/s288/124.jpg And Orvis. I did not buy anything from TNF or Salomon, but I could not resist picking up a new fly reel from Orvis. This is Southern Chile and I'd soon be traveling to Patagonia. Some world class trout fishing is available in the rivers in the area. I could not pass up the opportunity. I have not bought many souvenirs on this trip, so I thought that a nice reel would be an excellent souvenir, especially if I wound up catching a memorable fish. A simple but bare necessity. https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-7...g/s288/126.jpg I met a fellow traveler named Eva from Germany and we decided to check out some of the sites. https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-S...4/s288/127.jpg We made a side trip a town on the other side of the lake called Fruitillar. It's a town that was established by German settlers and it was easy to see the influence in the architecture and food. https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-j...c/s288/128.jpg We visited the Museo Colonial Aleman (German Colonial Museam). https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-G...w/s288/129.jpg There were some buildings that demonstrated how the German settlers lived during the colonization of the area. A dining room. A blacksmith shop and stable. See Video A water powered mill. https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-d...M/s288/132.jpg Ahh... fresh spring water. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VIQRAev2Js...ile_kuchen.jpg I learned a new German word...kuchen (cake). I found a bakery that had a raspberry meringue kuchen. I ordered it...ate it... and it was gut (good). For the full story visit Puerto Varas |
The Adventure Begins... Fly Fishing The Rio Hueno Hueno
When I was visiting the Orvis store I inquired with the shop manager where I should try out my new reel.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-W...k/s288/141.jpg He directed me to the Rio Hueno Hueno. It was about a 40km ride east of Puerto Varas. I was hoping that the Rio Hueno Hueno would be bueno bueno. https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-a...A/s288/142.jpg It had been raining quite a bit over the past few days. Upon my arrival I noticed that the river was quite high and the current was running rather fast. https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-f...g/s288/136.jpg Near a bridge and down an embankment I found a nice little spot to park Emi. https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-B...s/s288/138.jpg I prepped my rod and reel. https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-f...k/s288/139.jpg Then I set off and hiked maybe a quarter mile down the river bank. https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-1...4/s288/143.jpg I was the first person on the river...not a soul around. See video I found a nice piste and started to fish. Magical. As I mentioned before, the river was high and the current was running fast. Not ideal conditions for trout fishing. Ends up that I could not spot nor catch any fish. Still the endeavor was worthwhile. The ride to the river was fun. The area around the river was beautiful. The weather was cooperating with partly sunny and partly cloudy skies. Just a wonderful day. https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-u...A/s288/144.jpg As consolation, there were a number of raspberry bushes along the banks of the river. I ate my fill. I returned to Puerto Varas in the early afternoon. After a taste of fly fishing in Chile...I knew I wanted more. |
The Adventure Begins... Puerto Montt and NAVIMAG'ing
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eO6gtfzTZo...%2B-%2B574.jpg
I returned to Puerto Montt. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b3lmOdxFL8...%2B-%2B597.jpg I visited the artisan market. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y8O-B29gnA...%2B-%2B600.jpg Where they produce various types of woven objects of wool... http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N-GSQXRhoz...%2B-%2B602.jpg And these wooden mates (mugs) for drinking yerba mate. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0s90LFrIx8...%2B-%2B584.jpg The artisan market was near the seafood market http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--KrtcrE6_D...%2B-%2B586.jpg Where they had various types of shellfish... http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xhb5QUIPNu...%2B-%2B591.jpg Sea urchins... http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5JJgOHsbeA...%2B-%2B590.jpg And packaged smoked salmon. I bought a package. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kwT30U6ztg...%2B-%2B592.jpg There were a number of friendly dogs hanging around ready to pick up scraps. But I wasn't in Puerto Montt to shop or eat seafood. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wt-6jJL_po...%2B-%2B595.jpg I was there to NAVIMAG! http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EhvsvY-7gR...%2B-%2B596.jpg While these people were waiting to board the NAVIMAG http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S8a2eKLPfM...%2B-%2B610.jpg I was boarding with Emi into the cargo deck. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kvhic0_juL...%2B-%2B605.jpg I met some fellow adventure motorcyclists while boarding the NAVIMAG. Jordan and Sandra are from Canada and riding around South America on BMW F650s... and NAVIMAGing. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AU4bQZz3Ot...%2B-%2B619.jpg We set sail. See Video It was smooth sailing. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6bXwAkHsnw...%2B-%2B665.jpg There were a number of people on board that I'd met in the previous week while staying at different hostels... Grant (USA) Eva (Germany) and Joyeeta (USA) http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uGfCLe3Xk5...%2B-%2B624.jpg To pass time we played cards, mostly spades. Thomas (Holland), Eva (Germany), Joyeeta (USA) and Monique (Holland). http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vP9uvFuQ2d...%2B-%2B615.jpg Settlers of Catan... The dice version... http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qx8CD02YdB...%2B-%2B627.jpg and Bingo. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l3bxRaK8nr...%2B-%2B678.jpg We would eat this this cafeteria. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zTstLNw14F...%2B-%2B673.jpg We'd pass time in this lounge. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PdjVA_UYy6...%2B-%2B662.jpg We traveled through channels and fjords. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sBYn-fvgq7...%2B-%2B671.jpg The captain kept us on course from the bridge. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tQdc_8KLts...%2B-%2B637.jpg It was cloudy for much of the trip. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S7hfwnwfkU...%2B-%2B674.jpg But even from inside the scenery was pretty cool. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f9qny84yuk...%2B-%2B617.jpg And once once in a while the skies opened up. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ks2p85Mdru...%2B-%2B792.jpg To reveal some of the surrounding mountains and fjords. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oBzeI-PzCn...%2B-%2B646.jpg Our little ferry was dwarfed by the immensity of our surroundings. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5QVBOHAnYz...-%2Bglacer.jpg A highlight of the trip was when we passed by this glacier. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--6udDCkpMo...%2B-%2B690.jpg Before I knew it, we had reached Puerto Natales and it was time to deboard. For the full story visit NAVIMAGing |
The Adventure Begins... The Final Stretch
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7HSB5aB_db...%2B-%2B805.jpg
From Puerto Natales I rode to Punta Arenas. See Video The road to Punta Arenas was asphalt, smooth and scenic, but a bit windy. See Video I came across this Colombian Adventure Scooter rider who was riding from Colombia to Ushuaia on a Yamaha 125 Scooter. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EJ7z3huN-X...%2B-%2B674.jpg From Punta Arenas I took a 2 hour ferry ride to the town of Provenir. It was late, so I found an hotel and stayed the night in Provenir. See Video From Provenir to San Sebastion, the road was dirt and gravel and through the rain. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NO5cVUqpoe...%2B-%2B690.jpg In San Sebastian I passed through the Argentinian border post. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Jc8td8hBjB...%2B-%2B697.jpg The border agent incorrectly stamped my temporary driver permit with an exit stamp instead of an entry stamp. Luckily I caught the error and she corrected it. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7DUusSgVkz...%2B-%2B722.jpg I passed through the town of Rio Grande and I knew that I was close. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VZlkp7ckKd...%2B-%2B728.jpg The scenery changed from desert to coast to forrest. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NMaKggWJ5K...%2B-%2B732.jpg I was getting close and I knew the end of the road was approaching. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uAg6QJD8sk...%2B-%2B738.jpg I took a break at this scenic overlook to take it all in. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--_0yuJ4zN6...%2B-%2B737.jpg The overlook had a nice view of a lake and the Girabaldi Pass. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FkxgPpugMT...%2B-%2B075.jpg And then I arrived in Ushuaia. |
The Adventure Begins... Ushuaia...The End Of The World
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GIFZktARoG...%2B-%2B075.jpg
Well... I made it. An ordinary guy... on an extraordinary adventure. The adventure began in Texas. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EkXwaxdzAl...%2B-%2B072.jpg Texas a la Tierra... Austin, Texas, USA to Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina... The End of the World...El Fin Del Mundo. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ikXp4dwoIF...%2B-%2B070.jpg About 13,000 miles (20,000 km) over 5 months. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-82twxc-Jlk...%2B-%2B047.jpg My trusty girl Emi along for the ride. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-672jWzb9wN...%2B-%2B052.jpg Through sun, heat, clouds, cold, wind and rain. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HfknXzaPqi...%2B-%2B050.jpg Over asphalt, gravel, dirt and sand... land, air and sea. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nC6CL7DvAo...%2B-%2B056.jpg Great people, places and adventures along the way. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vx6VMSEDqP...%2B-%2B066.jpg Time to jump for joy! http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ygVoqMjrlv...%2B-%2B049.jpg There is not much more for me to do... ...other than to head south. |
The Adventure Begins... When The Road Ends
Ushuaia is known as el fin del mundo (the end of the world). It is the largest city in this isolated part of the world. However, there is actually a smaller town that is 20km further south of Ushuaia called Lapataia. I traveled to Lapataia and sought out the actual end of the road.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-a...4/s288/168.jpg This is the end of the road, the marker, Emi and me. Okay, it is official. I hit the end of the road. https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-s...M/s288/170.jpg The signs says, "Here ends route No. 3" https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Q...Y/s288/171.jpg Here is the view at the end of the road. https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-n...0/s288/172.jpg And a little beyond. |
Wow, I didn't know about Lapataia. I will have to put that on my watchlist. Thanks for the report. i really enjoyed reading about your adventure.
|
The Adventure Begins...Big Adventure Motorcycle Comparison - BMW R1200GS vs. KTM 990
See the Video
I thought that some of you might enjoy this adventure motorcycle comparison test: BMW R1200GS vs. KTM 990 Adventure vs. Yamaha Super Tenere. How the big boys stack up against each other side by side. |
The Adventure Begins... Antarctica
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ngtoluqsYv...2B-%2B3458.jpg
Antarctica...The South Pole...The White Continent...The Seventh Continent...Terra Australis. While I was in Santiago, Chile I met some travelers that had just returned from Antarctica. They shared with me that in Ushuaia it was possible to book last minute trips to Antarctica at a pretty steep discount. It peaked my interest. I researched it a little bit and found it to be true. But, there was a catch. The arctic exploration season is short, generally lasting about 4 months from late November to early March. I was told the last voyages typically leave the first week of March. I would have to rush. And so I rushed through Southern Chile riding at a pretty rapid pace. I traveled most days and only stopped for short excursions. I jumped on a ferry which helped me cover quite a bit of ground/sea in a short amount of time. I arrived in Ushuaia on March 7th I booked a voyage to Antarctica on March 8th The ship set sail on March 9th For the full story visit Antarctica |
The Adventure Begins... Gone Fishing
Sorry, I've been a way for awhile.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yUsD8Y5C7w...ina+-+0513.jpg While in Patagonia, I decided to do a little fishing. Click on the links for the full stories. Parque Nacional Tierra Del Fuego Rio Ewen Rio Grande Rio Maullin Rio Malleo |
The Adventure Begins... A Slight Detour of 5 Hours
From the town of Rio Grande I planned to ride across Tierra del Fuego through San Sebastian to a little town call Provenir from which I would take a 2 hour ferry to Puntas Arenas.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7gd5MLs22U...ile+-+0882.jpg The journey started off on asphalt with moderate wind gust of around 20mph. By now any gusts under 50mph are manageable. When I reached the pampa the wind dropped...but so did the rain. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gAIOljP3xl...ile+-+0869.jpg From San Sebastion it was gravel and dirt and rain. Luckily it was not cold, so I didn't mind it so much. Actually I kind of enjoyed it. There was absolutely no traffic on the road. Except for a patagonia fox, a few guanacos and some nandus. I tried to stop and take photos, but those critters are fast. Sometimes when I'm riding in these remote areas with no traffic coming or going I get a little nervous. What if I go down? What if I get lost? But for some reason today all of those negative thoughts did not occupy my mind. I was open to whatever lay ahead. The total ride should have taken about 4 hours. But the rain, animals and some photo taking slowed me down. As I neared Provenir I checked my watch... 1:55pm. Uh oh... the ferry was leaving at 2:00pm. I needed to push. I sped through town. Just as I was pulling up to the ferry loading area...the ferry was raising it's gate and pulling out to sea. I had missed it by about 2 minutes. Shucks! My options were not good. The ferry departed once a day. The next ferry would be the next day. There was an alternative route in which I could travel east and north, take a 15 minute ferry, then west and south, basically making a loop around the Strait of Magellan and a bay. The route would take about 5-6 hours. I was kicking myself for stopping to take photos of those guanacos. I didn't even get a good shot before they ran off. Not wanting to stay in Provenir and waste daylight I decide to take the alternative route. I asked for directions from two different people. It's my way of confirming directions. Each person warned me that the first stretch is ripio (gravel). I asked how bad it was. All I got back in response was a facial gesture that I was not entirely sure how to interpret. Ripio can be fun to ride in if it is compacted, but dreadful to ride in if it is loose. I filled up with gas, then headed off. The first few miles it was all asphalt. And then came the ripio. I slowed down. At first the road was primarily hard pack dirt with small pieces of gravel the size of peas. Easy to ride on. https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-p...g/s288/173.jpg Then I came across some larger gravel the size of olives. Still easy to ride on, but the larger pieces of gravel allow the tire to slide around a bit more. https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-T...o/s288/171.jpg Then came grooves of hard packed dirt with banks of loose gravel. It's fine to ride in the grooves, but to move over one of the banks or to react in an emergency could be tricky. I relaxed and rode on. Every once in a while I'd come across a grapefruit sized rock in the middle of my groove that I would have to avoid. OK, hop the bank, no problem. But honestly, I was kind of in the zone. See video The weather had cleared and the wind was moderate. I was riding and standing and weaving between the obstacles like it was second nature. I was enjoying this. After about 2:30 hours of pure riding bliss I came upon the Strait of Magellan where I would catch a 15 minute ferry to the other side of the bay. This ferry was still waiting for me. Since this was a short crossing the ferry crew did not even strap down Emi. I was kind of surprised. I was wondering if they were just playing games with the foreigner, but no, no one came to strap down Emi. https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-F...I/s288/170.jpg While we were in transit I got off Emi to take this picture. As we crested a wave Emi was rocked and almost fell over. I decided that I should sit on her to hold her steady for the remainder of the crossing. After crossing the Straight of Magellan I headed west and south along the bay. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TPPw4InwFv...ile+-+0902.jpg I came to an intersection. Staring at me from across the road and up on a plateau was this guanaco. It was all by itself... just standing there... staring at me... after about 2 minutes it left... then I left. The road was asphalt, but the wind really started to pick up. I leaned into the wind to keep my bike straight. Also, I employed the technique of sticking leg out to act as a sail to capture the wind...I call it the chicken wing technique. It was a pretty uncomfortable ride for 3 hours. What started out as a nice ride in the dirt during the morning turned into a brutal ride against the wind. I did see some more guanacos. And some nandus. I arrived in Punta Arenas at about 8pm. It was already dark. I found a hostel and found the bed. It had been a long day, but I reached my destination. I was happy. For the full story visit A Slight Detour |
The Adventure Begins... Into The Wind
Punta Arenas was a stopover. My real intention was to reach Puerto Natales. In Puerto Natales I was going to meet my friend Sarka (Chech Republic) and we were going to trek in the Torres Del Paine Park.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RmdCVL9S9A...%2Bnatales.jpg The road from Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales was pretty straight and all smooth asphalt. But, the wind was tremendous. I believe the wind gusts were probably the strongest that I have encountered... somewhere between 40 to 50 mph. Strong consistent wind is not hard to ride against... it is predictable. However, wind gusts hit you at variable times and with variable strength. Usually when you least expect it. On occasion the gusts were blowing me 3 to 4 feet across the road. Thankfully, the wind was blowing left to right. Thus, I was being blown toward the shoulder of the road and not into oncoming traffic. I typically ride at 60 to 70 mph. Because of the gusts I thought that it would be prudent to slow down... 45 was about right. Luckily there wasn't much traffic, just Emi and I and open space. I clutched my handlebars a little firmer, crouched down, grinned and bared it. Into the wind! |
The Adventure Begins... Torres Del Paine - Trekking The W
I met my friend Sarka in Puerto Natales.
I first met Sarka in San Augustine, Colombia and we went horseback riding. I saw her again in Quito, Ecuador and we shared a meal. Once again in Banos, Ecuador and we went out for a drink. Then in Ushuaia, we connected again. It's a small world. It was in Ushuaia that we discussed that we were both heading to Torres del Paine and we decided to try to meet up and trek together. Torres del Paine National Park is a park encompassing mountains, a glacier, a lake, and river-rich areas in the southern Chilean Patagonia. The park is located 112 km (70 mi) north of Puerto Natales. The landscape of the park is dominated by the Paine massif, which is an eastern spur of the Andes located on the east side of the Grey Glacier. Small valleys separate the spectacular granite spires and mountains of the massif. Sarka and I met at the Eratic Rock Hostel which hosts a briefing every day with good info about trekking in the Torres del Paine Park. After the briefing, we assembled our gear, bought groceries and purchased bus tickets to the park. The next day we would start our trek. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mHjxtkdxmH...-paine-map.jpg Our objective was to hike the W. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2t6Szk_Bou...aine-map2.tiff Here is a satellite image of what the terrain really looks like...lakes, valleys and mountains. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HNdP3o8Spl...ile+-+0928.jpg Hopefully as we trekked the W we would have a chance to see the Torres del Paine, French Valley and Grey Glacier. For the full story see Torres del Paine Trekking the W |
The Adventure Begins... An Ounce Of Prevention
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-R...0/s400/171.jpg
I woke up this morning and heard raindrops on the tin roof. A pleasant sound if you're planning to stay under the covers. Not such a pleasant sound to hear if you want to ride some miles on a motorcycle. My boots have not proven to be waterproof despite being marketed as waterproof with a gortex liner. I've tried protecting them with creams and waxes, but nothing has proven to work completely. I thought that I'd make my own provision using duct tape. I think it looks pretty diesel...what do you say? |
The Adventure Begins... Escaping The Cold
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-J...8/s400/171.jpg
It started to snow in Puerto Varas. It was already cold. It was already raining. I should have known that snow could not be far behind. I've been chasing Spring, but Winter has been chasing me...and it caught up. I had to make a decision. I could travel north via Ruta 40 in the snow or travel north by water ferry on the Navimag. Ruta 40 is a famous road which stretches south and north in western Argentina. It has a similar mystique as Route 66 in the states. However, the southern part of Ruta 40 is famous for having loose gravel and strong winds. Not such a great combination to ride on bike when you mix in a little snow or ice. The Navimag is a water ferry that travels from Puerto Natales to Puento Montt in southern Chile and passes through picturesque fjords. It's a relaxing way to see southern Chile, but not exactly exciting. While I was walking around Puerto Natales trying to make a decision, I saw a sign. I saw what looked like a new yellow BMW800 GS, a motorcycle that typically costs about $16,000. However, this bike had a broken windshield, scrapes on the side and was being trailered. I can only guess that it was a casualty of Ruta 40. I've heard many stories from riders whom have ridden the southern section of Ruta 40 and regretted it. Some recount days of torture. Some recount stories of wipeouts. I was not feeling up to Ruta 40. Maybe if I had a riding partner, but not riding solo. I decided to take the Navimag. I booked my ticket in the morning and I boarded that same evening...escaping the cold. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R3LL3zmW0G...ile+-+1477.jpg Emi had some company in the cargo area. There were two BMW1200 GSs along for the ride. One GS was being ridden by Andrew and Cathy a couple from South Africa. The second GS had a sidecar and was being ridden by Matt and Kristen a couple from Texas. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5cTaiCX4YT...ile+-+1498.jpg There were also a few trucks and a flock of sheep down below. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mIHFut79wz...ile+-+1507.jpg On deck we had nice views of the fjords. Clouds obscuring the mountains. Mountains obscuring the clouds. And when the light lined up correctly with the clouds there were rainbows. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t26x5DADp9...ile+-+1479.jpg The sunrises could be spectacular. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gTLnZA1HoI...ile+-+1484.jpg But they were sometimes overshadowed by the sunsets. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5A0TeEFFiI...ile+-+1491.jpg I'm not exactly sure how these colors were produced. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1IG_WLPH65...ile+-+1529.jpg Even when it was cloudy and gray there was some dramatic scenery. We eventually reached Puerto Montt. See Video Here's a short 30 second visual of the Navimag experience. |
The Adventure Begins... New Tread
I had a little over 14,000 miles on my bike. About 7,000 on the current tires. It was about time to put on some new tread.
I inquired around Puerto Varas and no shops seemed to have a tire in the size I needed. I was told that there was a shop in a town called Osorno that might have the right size. I looked it up on the Internet and sent the shop, MotoAdventura, an inquiry by email. They responded back that they had the tire that I needed and that they could hold it for me. https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-v...g/s400/171.jpg In Osrono, I found MotoAdventura. https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-2...s/s400/173.jpg They had a nicely equipped store and were a retailer of BMW bikes. https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-S...M/s400/175.jpg They helped me put on a new Perelli MT60, the same tire that I was currently riding on. https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-7...Q/s400/178.jpg The front tire seemed to still be in pretty good shape so I opted to leave it on. New tread for some new adventures. |
The Adventure Begins... The Seven Lakes
I left Puerto Varas and once again crossed from Chile into Argentina.
I traveled through Parque Peyuhue and over the Andean Mountains. It was a rainy and cold day, but the route was scenic. I was heading toward an area known as the lakes district and specifically a picturesque route called The Seven Lakes. The first stop was a town called Villa de la Angostura... nothing special. From Villa de la Angostura I would ride to San Martin de Los Andes and then to Junin de Los Andes. This is what I passed along the way. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sGu1V-u5Xz...ina+-+0434.jpg The route was 110 km...40 km of which was gravel. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GH6SFCLswS...ina+-+0403.jpg http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QbhjPxLcof...ina+-+0420.jpg http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NuKNKaAu2H...ina+-+0423.jpg http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oemwS6-KVA...ina+-+0458.jpg http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--lrvDeHJH4...ina+-+0474.jpg http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HE5-Qi8-PF...ina+-+0496.jpg Finally arriving at San Martin de Los Andes. I took a short break for lunch in San Martin then headed on to Junin. See Video Here is a short 2 minute video about the experience of traveling the road along The Seven Lakes. |
The Adventure Begins... Gaucho
After arriving in Junin de Los Andes I decided to ride around a bit to scout out some fishing locations.
As I was riding down this one road in the middle of nowhere I saw this gentleman. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BQhjNvKXvr...ina+-+0502.jpg His name is Estuardo... and he is a genuine gaucho. I stopped to talk to him. In Spanish, I said, "I'm looking for a river to go fishing." He said, "You need to keep following the road for another 10 km to the river." I said, "Are you a gaucho." He said, "yes." I said, "Do you ride a horse?" He said, "yes." I said, "Do you work with cattle?" He said, "yes." I said, "Cool." Estuardo wasn't real talkative. I think that he may have been a little surprised to see a guy on a motorcycle wearing a space suit riding around in the middle of the pampa. I said, "Can I take a photo of you?" He said, "yes." |
Howdy from Central Texas Troy! Rock on dude-enjoy life!
|
Quote:
|
The Adventure Begins... Paso Del Indios
Wow... it's been a long time since my last post. I'll try to bring y'all up to date.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HH6CFviHlA...entina+map.jpg From Bariloche I wanted to travel to Puerto Madryn and the Valdez Peninsula. I planned to split the journey of about 620 miles (1000 km) into two segments. From the map you can see that there really was not much in between the two locations. There was one town called Esquel in the west, one town called Trelew in the east, and in-between... there was whole lot of nothing...except pampa. Supposedly, about half way between these locations there was a town called Paso Del Indio (The Indian Pass). It was on a road map that I had, but it did not show up on google maps. Paso Del Indio would be my resting place since it was about the mid-way point. I searched online to see if there were any hotels in Paso Del Indio, but came up empty. Well... in a worse case scenario I could camp. Gas would be another issue I had to consider. I generally can travel about 250 miles (400 km) on a full tank of gas. I was pretty certain that I could make it to Esquel and would be able to fill up. I hoped that I could then make it to Paso Del Indio, that there would be a gas station, that there would be gas and that I would be able to fill up. Then, I could make it to Trelew and would be able to fill up. From there I could make it to Puerto Madryn. A few months back, there were reports online that there were shortages of gas in the area. To be on the safe side I filled up my spare 10 liter gas tank... and said a little prayer that there would be gas in Paso Del Indio. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m7SZ6oxEBS...ina+-+0736.jpg I headed down Ruta 40 to Ruta 25. It was a long and flat and straight asphalt road all the way. After a full day of riding I pulled into Paso de Los Indios. In Paso Del Indio, I would estimate there were no more that 50 houses in the entire town. Exactly two hotels. One hotel had about 6 rooms. The second hotel had exactly 2 rooms. I stayed in the hotel with 2 rooms. The one restaurant in town wasn't open, so I went to a small tienda (store) and bought some ham and bread and made a sandwich for dinner. And, one gas station with gas! Not exactly a tourist destination. However, the people were super nice. I bedded down for the evening. The next day, I would continue on my way. I was not looking forward to the ride, because I anticipated that the road would be long and flat and straight and boring... and it was. For a while... then I came across a beautiful pass...The Paso Del Indio. There were dramatic bluffs lining each side of the road, rock formations the size of skyscrapers and the road snaked between them. It reminded me of Big Bend, Texas or Sedona, Arizona. I was amazed. See Video Here is a short 1:30 minute video that shows some of the ride. Unfortunately, I did not have my camera mounted and ready to roll when I was passing through the really scenic areas. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WCbICLwQI8...ina+-+0755.jpg I continued on my ride and came across these... Patagonian wild horse. I had read an article many months ago about Patagonian wild horses, but wasn't really expecting to see any. I believe that these were wild horses because they reacted to me and my bike as wild animals do... they ran away. All of the domesticated horses that I passed along the road never reacted to me...they simply stayed still. Cool! It was just one of those days when I had to pinch myself... and be thankful for being in the moment. It was one of those days in which I was expecting the worse...but was blessed with something unexpected. |
The Adventure Begins... Puerto Piramides and Peninsula Valdez
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-heaYvkSy3b...ula_valdes.jpg
My intention for riding to Puerto Madryn was to visit Puerto Piramides and the Peninsula Valdez. The Peninsula Valdez is known for being a prime location to observe marine life such as sea lions, elephant seals, fur seals, southern right whales, dolphins and orcas. All I really wanted to see was the orcas. In March and April the orcas are known to hunt sea lions and elephant seals in an area of the Peninsula Valdez called Punta Norte. At times, they beach themselves on shore to attack their prey. Pods teach their young how to hunt in this manner. It is the only place in the world where this style of orca hunting occurs. It was the first week of May, so it was rather late in the season to observe this behavior. It was late in the sea lion breeding season and late in the orca migration season. I still thought that it was worth the effort to ride across Argentina for the chance to see this phenomena. I was hoping that everything would come together. I arrived in Puerto Piramides and planned to stay for a few days. It was a pretty small town made up of two cross streets. The population of Puerto Piramides is supposedly around 200 people. The population of the entire Peninsula Valdez is supposedly around 400 people. On my first full day on the peninsula I thought that I'd take a ride around the area to familiarize myself with the roads. The roads were all ripio (gravel). The peninsula may not look so big, but it is about 1,400 square miles. See Video Here is a short 45 second video of riding the ripio on the Peninsula Valdez. About 30 seconds into the video I pass some sheep on the right and some guanacos on the left. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RH-VUg6jvi...ina+-+0848.jpg Along the road I came across quite a few guanacos. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s0BjtzvIBC...ina+-+0809.jpg Also, I came across this pond in which there were a few pink flamingos. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uR-v20UzH7...ina+-+0817.jpg I reached Punta Norte after about an hour and a half of riding. It was already mid-day. Looking out over Punta Norte I caught a glimpse of the beach at low tide. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_ZaQgIv6b-...ina+-+0821.jpg Carved into the coast were these channels. During the low tide the channels appeared to be like hundreds of little islands. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RnRuegOu3J...ina+-+0828.jpg Some sea lions and seabirds were playing among the channels and looking for food. There were no signs of orcas. I had been told that they only approach the beach at high tide. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XX2UU5zi4T...ina+-+0867.jpg So I hopped on my bike and rode south along the peninsula. Not many people around. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x1aLrYcftX...ina+-+0836.jpg I caught a glimpse of something splashing in the water. It was too far away to discern what it was. It could have been a dolphin, whale or orca. I took this photo. Later when I looked at the photo on my computer and zoomed in I could tell that the dark object in the water was the fin of an orca. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-woxREgaCZE...ina+-+0864.jpg I continued on my way. After an hour and a half of riding I reached Punta Coleta. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-freizq5H4X...ina+-+0861.jpg There were elephant seals lounging on the beach. Not much else going on. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PonAuHY_sH...ina+-+0865.jpg It was getting late in the day, so I headed back toward Puerto Piramides. It would be another hour and a half of riding. The sun was starting to set in the west. Again, I had the road all to myself. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i9pXDIlBoX...ina+-+0874.jpg I made one last stop at a cove where a fairly large colony of sea lions were sunning themselves. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9EBpSfOiqG...ina+-+0876.jpg They were just doing what sea lions do...lying around doing nothing. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OaRr_nhKl0...ina+-+0891.jpg There was this one point jutting out from the cove. When the waves crashed into the point it made a dramatic splash. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nx1hIUiyOW...ina+-+0906.jpg This sea lion decided to go for a swim. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hsxYJIgZ2q...ina+-+0907.jpg It slowly approached the edge of the cliff which was about 10 feet high. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I5LJ6yBkcf...ina+-+0910.jpg Then plopped into the water. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ipaJjHcbLC...ina+-+0914.jpg It made a little splash and disappeared into the sea. It wasn't fancy, but effective I suppose. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hh16_k51Ao...ina+-+0889.jpg It was getting late, the sun was almost over the horizon, so I returned to Puerto Piramides. In total, I rode about 130 miles (210 km) of ripio. I believe that the whole day I only saw three other vehicles on the road. I definitely felt like the peninsula was an isolated area. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oGUyPTpkQP...ina+-+0919.jpg It was the off-season for tourism and much of the town shut down pretty early. There was only one restaurant open. It only had six tables, a staff of two, but made really delicious pizza. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tehsxn9pnW...ina+-+0926.jpg For a chance to see the orcas I would need to be at Punta Norte at high tide. I checked the tide charts online and high tide was forecast to be at 9am. It took 1:30 hours to ride from Puerto Piramides to Punta Norte. So, the next day I got up at 7am and left the hotel at 7:30am to ride back to Punta Norte. It was dark when I started. Luckily it was not too cold. It was a little tricky riding on the gravel in the dark, but I got accustomed to it. After about an hour there was sunlight. I arrived at Punta Norte at almost exactly 9am... just in time for high tide. And then I waited. I was surprised at how high the tide reached up the beach. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xvGkFZsiSm...ina+-+0815.jpg Looking south, this was low tide from the day before. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-idX4P0TXMa...ina+-+0924.jpg This was high tide. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uR-v20UzH7...ina+-+0817.jpg Looking north, this was low tide from the day before http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F-P9RxYboz...ina+-+0928.jpg This was high tide. All of the channel islands were covered with water. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n5y8GzPLD8...ina+-+0948.jpg I waited and waited, but didn't see any orcas. I got a little bored, so I starting taking pictures of some little birds. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sBHbENTWJ_...ina+-+0954.jpg There wasn't anything else to do. I had been waiting around for about two hours... it was 11am. I was afraid that it was too late in the season. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_Jiq6nDbrK...ina+-+0958.jpg Then off in the horizon I saw a spout. I used my zoom lens on my camera to see what it was. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BY9uvdJt-7...ina+-+1036.jpg Orcas! They came from the south and swam north along the beach. They were approaching the beach. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VqMauGmeH7...ina+-+1048.jpg There were three orcas... an adult and two adolescents. They were cruising amazingly close to the beach...hunting. I believe that the adult was teaching the adolescents how to hunt sea lions in the shallows. The adult would chase a sea lion, then the adolescents would mimic the behavior. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Nc0C2QtaLR...ina+-+1008.jpg This adult sea lion stayed in the water and appeared to be watching the orcas pass by until her pups could get out of the water. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--9WyTHjNiQ...ina+-+1061.jpg It was intense. I don't know why this sea lion stayed so close to the water. The seabirds started following the orcas. I suppose that they knew that if the orcas were feeding... they might be able to pick up some scraps. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ujvHwL7WUZ...ina+-+1097.jpg And it happened. I believe the adult caught a sea lion and chewed it up. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7qWRPid4g6...ina+-+1116.jpg The sea birds dove into the water and picked up the pieces. See Video They passed right by a number of sea lions. Occasionally the orcas would go under the surface, chase sea lions and thrash about. This is a short 1 minute video showing the orcas hunting for sea lions. The sea birds are following the orcas hoping to pick up the scraps. 20 seconds into the video one sea lion is seen surfacing on the beach narrowly escaping. Another sea lion was not so lucky and became prey. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aIpL5NdyuX...ina+-+1156.jpg I watched the morbid spectacle for about an hour. The orcas made four passes along the length of the beach. They went north, then south, then north, then south. Then as quickly as they appeared... they disappeared into the deep water. Wow... did I really just witness that. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-es7JpMSeyI...ina+-+1162.jpg When I returned to my bike, this little critter was hanging about. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b9D9w9zNtC...ina+-+1168.jpg It's a Patagonian armadillo. Cute fellow... in a prehistoric kind of way. We have similar, but different, armadillos in Texas. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5Cn221aRft...ina+-+1192.jpg I also caught a glimpse of this Patagonia grey fox. All in all, it was a pretty memorable experience.... traveling to the peninsula, scouting the area, riding the ripio, spotting some unusual wildlife and observing the orcas hunting. I definitely felt like I was out there. One park ranger said that I would have about a 3% chance of seeing orcas hunting so late in the season. Well, a slim chance is still a chance. Glad I took it. |
The Adventure Begins... Things To See In Mar Del Plata
I traveled along the coast to Mar Del Plata.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fdCnPAR7oA...ina+-+1225.jpg The countryside reminded me of Texas. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kQpTXhTP_0...ina+-+1285.jpg The city by the sea. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mjM_dX4YeS...ina+-+1253.jpg It was both modern http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pNmPlBfRjK...ina+-+1276.jpg And old http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TCLeMpz8AN...ina+-+1234.jpg Old house made into a museum http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4O9KEaB7Kn...ina+-+1235.jpg Ship compass http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cdpPC9nN_V...ina+-+1237.jpg Postcard http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4V1mhXW1kw...ina+-+1262.jpg Old water tower made into a museum http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-srjIBmT7wf...ina+-+1267.jpg Water tower http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OkiAJsROdD...ina+-+1266.jpg City view http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PwOnOEieo4...ina+-+1291.jpg Old hotel http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rfZsDevsTq...ina+-+1292.jpg Door knocker http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z0qn5zZYnC...ina+-+1294.jpg Door latch http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NB3pHRkbx4...ina+-+1297.jpg Stained glass window http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XpClHKGRaY...ina+-+1306.jpg Park merry go round http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xCPXM_z1NZ...ina+-+1275.jpg Park pooches http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yER_2da1kP...ina+-+1281.jpg Food sign http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c1D5WKAJjj...ina+-+1308.jpg Food http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kDEB7oH7Q4...ina+-+1328.jpg Theatre http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zD0HiKGrLZ...ina+-+1356.jpg Theatre http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0JYcxoDNiG...ina+-+1333.jpg Fiat http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6LRSFcvsu9...ina+-+1298.jpg Statue http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ocnJLRl6RU...ina+-+1368.jpg A like mind |
| All times are GMT +1. The time now is 13:50. |