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Quit my job... gone riding through the Americas
Hi there,
I’ve said, that’s enough. And so I am off. 20 Countries. 40,000 miles. 18 months. Let’s do this. *This is my introduction. Like all of my posts, I plan for all of these posts to be “two-track.” I’ll post up a “cliff notes” video as well as a more detailed writeup. Here’s the cliff notes 5-minute video if you prefer not to read or are pinched for time: And here's the writeup: My name is Brent Carroll and I am from Chesapeake, Virginia. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...t%20Sign-L.jpg I am taking on North, Central, and South America on my motorcycle, solo. I left Virginia at the end of April, 2016 and intend to share this trip with you in words, pictures, and videos. About me... I have always had a passion for adventuring and seeing the world. While I have been lucky to travel all over the world and see it from above and below in the Navy and on vacations, I have not experienced it from a motorcycle. I feel I have missed the people, the culture, and myself in previous journeys. More importantly, perhaps, is I have never had the feeling of control, being in charge of my own time. That is what I am seeking. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0411-L.jpg First, after a fine career in the Navy for 20 years, and then working as a civilian for the US Coast Guard for almost nine years years as an engineer, and finishing my PhD, I feel I have worked hard, and cared deeply about the people that I worked with and the work I did. I am just 47, but... I want to see and experience the world in a new way while I can - which means NOW! My Dad passed away when he was 51! That alone is enough motivation for me to realize life is too short. When everything is said and done, I also want to point back to some chunk of my life that was completely under my own terms, doing what I want, going where I want to, truly getting to know the world in which I live, and not worrying about... anything, really, and not waiting until retirement or when I am not physically able to do this. I strongly feel the urge, and need, to do this now, to see the world for what it really is. So... having said that, and perhaps the more "pure" reason I want to do this is that I believe that the world is full of good, purposeful, and striving people, and that everything we hear distorts our world perspective in really negative ways. I want to challenge that really negative dogma and share my experiences with the world on this blog and in social media. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...240010-2-L.jpg Erstwhile, I have come to know that riding a motorcycle is the purist form of therapy possible, and that you get to see the world while riding all the better. You get feelings, sensations, smells, and experiences riding a motorcycle you simply cannot get on a vacation or in a car. You are not watching the scenery go by, you are in the scenery. I am an engineer and I like to attend to every detail if I can, so here and throughout, I might seem anal, but that is just me - I like attending to details. What this really relates to for you and my story is planning. As much as I'd like to just point the motorbike in some direction and then crash after a long day's ride (find a place to sleep, that is) wherever I can, I like to plan ahead a bit. I'm sure at some point, I'll find some happy medium between meandering and planning. Any-hoo - I left Virginia in the spring of 2016, and plan to first travel north to Newfoundland, cross Canada, head up to Alaska, and then follow generally the Pan-American Highway in its entirety all the way south through Patagonia to the southern tip of South America. And then... turn around and head back to Seattle. I think I will cover about 40,000 miles with my meandering. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...L/Selfie-L.jpg So, how can I do this? Yes, that's also a common question. No, I am not independently wealthy. How can anyone walk away from a good-paying job and all their possessions and venture out into the world on their motorcycle? For me, well... I retired from the U. S. Navy so have a lifetime annuity that essentially covers my trip. I also have savings, no debts, and a wonderful better-half who understands and supports my dreams. I am probably unique in this way. But, I do plan to land in Seattle once this is all done and resume a productive, working life. But for now, I just don't want to worry about that. So, off I go. I do have a few generic, overarching goals for my trip, though: Live life - see, smell, and suck in all that the world has to offer - take my time Meet and chat with as many people as possible; capture and share my thoughts about those experiences Average no more than 125 miles a day (to rest, to see sights, to smell the roses, to reflect, and to document) AVOID Interstate highways when I can (I think you should, too---that's not the world) Average less than $50 per day in costs, covering fuel, lodging, food, and bike maintenance Tent camping mostly, then hostels, couch surfing, AirBnB, and last, hotels I really do hope that you keep in touch and say hello. I’d love to catch up with you along the road or trail. Brent |
Have a great trip Brent! I hope the HU Virginia sendoff made you feel very welcome in the HU Community!
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Hi Grant,
I'll claim, and write about in full detail eventually, that several inspirational characters took part in my motivations for *doing* it. But, I will always want you and Susan to know, and I will always espouse, that you two started it all for me - you gave me my "seed." Thanks mucho! See you in Bracebridge hopefully! ~brent |
Hello Brent,
I have for sure you are absolutely right in meeting your goals in this personal journey, which I personally believe it will be fantastic. I live in São Paulo, Brazil and I have some expertise traveling in motorcycle through some countries like Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, Peru and Bolívia. These are amazing places and I think you gonna have good times visiting them. Well, I also noticed you are planning to visit my country. I don't know if specifically my city, but, anyway, if you need any kind of support, please, contact me (I could send my details through the email link in your website). I wish you the best and take care. Roger |
Look forward to following your trip, amazing continent full of amazing people, If you are in Argentina at the right time try to get to the HU meeting at Vierdma :mchappy:
Gino |
Woooohooooo I am in for the long haul my friend - Heading up via NY?
D.L.C.L. @motopoet www.themotopoet.wordpress.com Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk |
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~brent |
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D.L.C.L. Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk |
G'day Brent,
Good luck with your journey, I'll be following with envy and interest! |
OMG, I have so much to share. I've been on the road for 30 days now, finally making my way from Virginia to Newfoundland! It's been AWESOME!
https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0524-M.jpg This photo was taken today at L'Anse aux Meadows in the northern most part of Newfoundland. Here, the first Vikings landed in the Northern Hemisphere over a 1000 years ago. And yes, there were ICEBERGS!! It was close to freezing on the ride up from Gros Morne. The only thing that hasn't been awesome about Newfoundland is the Internet. Newfoundland has it, but it is slow and spotty. I have another blog post queued up and ready to go once I get some wifi that will support an upload over a meg. :( |
Leaving for my trip ended up being a lot harder than I thought it would be. Jeez, really, 18 months on the road! Are you mad??
As always, if you prefer not reading my dribble, here’s the cliff notes video (about 11 minutes): Well beyond being completely exhausted from countless trip preparations, including weeks of 12 hour days attending to the million details of getting out of the house, I had to say goodbye to my love and puppy. It was a cool, grey day, which aided in creating a bias toward the bitterness of saying goodbye over the sweetness of finally setting off. I also recall being very nervous that something unforeseen would happen in the final hours that would delay or cause me to cancel my trip, which only added to my uneasiness. But, I finally put the key in the moto, it came to life, and I rolled out. I was finally off!! I planned my trip so that the first few weeks I would meander around Virginia and North Carolina, visiting with family and friends. Primarily, I did this to see family and friends, but I also wanted a little cushion in time before heading north where the threat of snow and ice still peppered the forecasts. My first stop was close by to say farewells to my coworkers. I was very thankful for their encouragement and interest during my trip preparations. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0282-M.jpg The U. S. Coast Guard is a great outfit, full of wonderful people, and I was happy to have had the opportunity to help them wherever I could over the last nine years. Leaving there, my next stop was the Horizons Unlimited Travellers Meeting in Appomattox, Virginia for a long weekend. It was at this meeting a year ago where the idea for my trip was born. I know there are lots of rallies out there, but I wouldn’t really call this a rally. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....54%20PM-M.png The central theme of HU meetings is overlanding, and the people who attend have either taken epic or cool trips, or are interested in doing so. The four-day weekend is filled with a mix of presentations about adventures completed or in progress, and seminar-type demonstrations and discussions covering the gamut of adventure motorcycling from packing to changing a tire on the road. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....23%20PM-M.png The best part, for me, was meeting and chatting and learning first-hand from others, about their motivations, and about their challenges and triumphs. I met several folks that I am planning to see again down the road. While at the meeting, I visited the McClean House in Appomattox. What is that? Well, that where the surrender that ended the Civil War was signed. Huh? If you’re like me, I thought the surrender was signed in the Appomattox Court House. Nope. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0300-M.jpg However, the surrender was signed in the village of Appomattox Courthouse. Back in the 1800s, towns or villages were often named by their prominent feature, in this case Appomattox Court House was in the village of Appomattox Courthouse, but the surrender actually was signed in the McClean House in the village. Mind. Blown. The big difference I noted after leaving this meeting was I wasn’t returning home. My moto is now my home, I had to remind myself. This brought up all kinds of strange feelings, like, wow, am I really doing this? Can I do this? For 18 months??? I was nervous again. Heading south, I was to pass through Mt. Airy, NC so decided to visit my Navy Officer Candidate School roommate, Van, and his wife, Jenny. Hard to believe it’s been 21 years since I was commissioned in the Navy, but seeing him was like having seen him yesterday. Van retired from the Navy, too, and is now a farmer!! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0321-M.jpg For you TV aficionados, Mt. Airy was highlighted in the Andy Griffith series as Mayberry, and there are signs of the show all over the place. Turns out, the show remains part of the tourism in Mt. Airy. I made sure to stop by Pilot Mountain on my way out of town (or Mt. Pilot!). https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0327-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....53%20PM-M.png I then headed to Mother’s house in NC and spent a few days there visiting her. She was excited for me, but mostly she expressed her fears for my safety in all those “dangerous” countries. It is precisely this sort of dogma that I want to talk about during my trip. Personally, I think with good planning and some homework, you can travel safely. I also think the world is full of thriving, striving people who are no different than us in the U. S., and that any problem one can point to in another country happens right here in the U. S., too. We, through the habits of our lives in the U. S., have figured out how to deal with those problems here. It’s figuring “it” out as I go along that is THE adventure in my mind. So, after calming her fears a bit, and enjoying my Mom’s amazing cooking, I headed into the Smokies for a night of camping before meeting up with an old grade school chum, Keith. My Mom can cook!! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0562-M.jpg He chose the Casino in Cherokee as our meeting place, a place where he is treated like visiting royalty (and by association, me, too!). I made it plain that I had no intention of gambling any of my travel money, so Keith gifted me $500 that the casino had given him! Something about “priming the pump” for the high rollers amongst us, haha. Well, it took me no time at all to lose that money, and I did so without even a tinge of guilt, nor any inclination whatsoever to reach into my own wallet. We had a good time, eating and drinking to our hearts content (all on the casino, of course), and enjoyed just hanging out watching Keith win, and win, and win. Lucky bastard! Next up I met my good friend Ricky from back home, who rode out to Maggie Valley, North Carolina, for a weekend of riding around some amazing roads, including roads with some cool names: Tail of the Dragon, the Cherohala Skyway, and the Rattler. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0355-M.jpg I had ridden the Dragon several times, but this was my first riding the Rattlesnake. Turns out, the Rattler is far better in my opinion than the Dragon, longer and more twisties, so if you’re up that way make sure to check it out. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0366-M.jpg When I said farewells to Ricky after a great weekend, I had planned to visit a friend in Black Mountain, near Asheville, who had offered up free accommodations. When my schedule shifted, it turns out she’d be diving in Roatan during my stopover, but she still insisted I take her up on her offer for a couch at her house. This is where I met David, her beau. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0402-M.jpg David’s a really cool guy with an amazing life philosophy that roughly equates to simply living your life and not worrying about anything or how anyone else is living theirs. To be 69 (can you believe that?), his daily meditation appears to be paying off! We took a hike to some nearby falls, which was a good diversion from the long days of riding the previous few days. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0410-M.jpg That night, David made dinner, which included Dolmas – seasoned rice wrapped in grape leaves and soaked in olive oil. Wow, these things were delicious! I spent the next few days camping in Lake Norman State Park just north of Charlotte. I really needed some alone time as the trip so far had my head spinning. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0428-M.jpg It turned out to be just what the doctor ordered as I relaxed and did some hiking. I also did some beer drinking, which is a big no-no in NC State Parks. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0433-M.jpg I was given a gentle warning from one of the rangers and then was paranoid for the next day… I did see a critter or two hanging about, though, and we exchanged WTF looks. The next few days I holed up at my Brother’s house in Indian Trail, just east of Charlotte. Turned out to be a pretty good family gathering, so we smoked up some ribs and brisket. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0608-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0603-M.jpg I’d developed this routine of going through my stuff and ferreting out those things I simply did not need. In the end, after four or five iterations, I’d easily dumped about 25 pounds. Mainly, a huge bike lock chain, disk lock, tripod (swapped for smaller one), and too many clothes. The savings in weight was noticeable and the space I saved made packing and unpacking up a hell of lot easier. There’ll likely be more of these dumping scenarios. Before leaving Charlotte, Neale Bayley contacted me via my blog and wanted to meet. Neale, among other things, is an adventurer and writer, and does organized moto tours to such places as Peru. He also runs an orphanage down in Peru that he visits often. Check him how at nalebayleyrides.com. With just a couple of stops left on the family and friends tour, I left Charlotte and headed to Luray, Virginia to meet up with a friend from work with the Coast Guard. His hospitality and the beauty of the Luray are unmatched. A very hard working culture, with a pride to match, makes the area feel somewhat surreal. Everything is clean and in order and the family is the epicenter of the world. Afterward, I left Luray heading toward to a new friend’s house in Delaware, someone who contacted me via my blog and said he was taking a similar trip about the same time (minus the Canada and Alaska part). The day was one long slog, raining when I left and just kept raining the whole day. I eventually gave up after 5 hours and scooted into a passing hotel, thankful to be dry and warm. The next day, I finished what I set out to do the day before, and make my way to Patrick’s. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0462-M.jpg Turns out we booked the Darien Gap crossing on the Stahlratte in November for the same date! Well, I just had to meet this guy to put a face with a name. Patrick has a KLR fully kitted out and ready to go – he leaves in October. We swapped notes for hours on what stuff and routes to take, our expectations for each of our trips, what we’d like to see and do, how we’d like to travel, etc. Turns out we were a pretty good match and I look forward to seeing him again in Panama. Patrick also had built out a custom Beemer Café, which I thought was stunning! David treated me to an awesome dinner in town, then we returned to his house, chatting away the evening about adventure travel. It was a good visit. So, thus ended the 21-day family and friends tour through my home states. Next, I am heading northward for the real adventure and I have my sight set on Newfoundland! My lessons after three weeks on the road: 1) You will NOT need to carry as much you think. Now, I am not at some extreme minimalist, and the R1200GS can carry a lot. But, the improvements in handling you get with less load is noticeable, and the routine of unpacking and packing is SO much easier when you have less stuff. Keeping track of all your stuff as you explode into a hotel room and then repacking the next day is the number one concern you will have, so the less you have, the better. 2) Planning stops with family and friends is one thing. But, once that tether runs out, you are on your own to find places to sleep. I prefer camping, but sometimes after a long day of riding, I really want a nice, cheap motel to relax and shower in. I’ve found that planning days out in advance challenging, as one good day of rain will slow you down and then you risk missing a reservation. I’ll get there eventually when I am brave enough to just ride until I am tired and find a place behind some bushes, but I am not there yet. I also found times when I wished I could hang out a day longer, but because the anal engineer in planned out the next day somewhere else, I had to move on. I have to work on this. 3) I am WAY over budget so far, which was supposed to be just $50/day. Even though I spent roughly half the time on the road camping, even that is more expensive than I like. Camping runs $25-30 a night, then you throw in that day’s gas, some beer, some food, and if you want a fire, wood, then you’re quickly at $60-65. And the days that I do stay in a hotel, the total is over $100/day. Oooof! Then again, I knew I’d be over my budget in the U. S. and Canada, but not this much over! I know down the road as I travel south from Mexico, things will get cheaper, but I really need to be careful here in the beginning. I also need to get west where I can wild camp more often – too many fences in the east. 4) Connectivity. In most places I’ve camped I had no connection to the world. I do have a DeLorme, so I can send and receive text messages if I need to, but not spending hours on the web has been, well, quite refreshing. Logging into Facebook every hour or every four days turns out to be the exact same stream of stuff. More lessons to come I am sure. |
Great updates! I'm glad you are able to do that great trip of a lifetime.
I have ambitions to do a 'big loop' around South America some day - but I think that someday will be after I retire at age 55 and start collecting my pension. :| |
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You're doing great Brent! :thumbup1:
Good early lessons on packing light! A big deal. Perhaps ease up on exact planning / tight schedules .... once in Latin America that will all to out the window anyway. No worries, let it flow. BTW, how's your Spanish? I'm sure they taught you Spanish in the Navy, yes? :cool4: Basic language skills really makes a happier trip, avoids problems, makes friends ... and saves money too! But even with good Spanish it may hard to convince the Hotelier in Guatemala that you need "a deal" and his room rates are too high when he observes your $20K USD Beemer. :innocent: I was never able to camp in Cent. America. Too dense with people, did not seem all that safe. Parts of S. America more opportunity especially S. Chile/Argentina. Camping shortens your riding day and adds work at end of long riding day. But some camp grounds are worth a few days ... so you can go that way too. Camping can also set you apart from local people (Wild Camping) and robs you of discovering local cuisine and culture you may find in towns and cities. Just my opinion. Lots of ways to go on this! A lot of the food is crap, but there are always jewels to be uncovered ... once you know how. !que le via muy bien! bier |
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So, I took Spanish way back in school, so some of it was still bouncing around in my head. But, I ended hiring a tutor for 6 months and using Duolingo everyday. It is my hope to be pretty fluent once I cross the border. And then I plan to do a couple of weeks homestay school, perhaps in La Paz, Baja Sur. Camping, yeah, I've heard that it's tough, but totally doable. A couple I follow did a lot of camping through CA/SA and lived to write about it extensively, so I am using them as a crutch. iOverlander has proven provide useful, too, for finding spots. Thanks for following along! ~brent |
Hey, Brent,
How are things? We are eager to hear of your adventure. Hope all is well :) |
He's probably too busy having fun to keep us lowly desk-slaves updated! :clap:
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Selbyville, Delaware to Newfoundland, Canada
Heading north now and the great adventure truly begins! As per the usual, you can choose between reading or watching, or both. After visiting family and friends for three weeks, I found myself thinking I’d need to rush to get from Delaware to Sydney, Nova Scotia in time to catch the ferry to Newfoundland that I had booked several weeks before. And after studying the map and distances, it turned out I was right. I’d need a string of 350 mile-days to do it. This sprinting part is somewhat boring, so I’ll skip the minor details here in favor of the more detailed write up of Newfoundland below. On the way, I stopped over for the night in Binghamton, New York, Montpelier, Vermont, and then Bangor, Maine, camping in the latter. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....36%20PM-M.png Skipping the I-95 corridor, I rode through some incredible scenic areas of Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine including the Poconos, and the White and Green Mountains. All simply amazing!! On a friend’s suggestion, I took the Kancamagus Highway, or “Kanc,” from Lincoln to Conway in New Hampshire and it is also spectacular! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....52%20PM-M.png In Vermont, I also started to see my first warning signs for moose, which people seemed to talk about everywhere I went. Locals say dawn and dusk are worse as the moose, licking salt from the road, are hard to see and like to follow headlights. I only saw one, though, dead by the side of the road. The further north I went, the daylight hours increased and the temperature decreased. I had planned to “wait out” the colder temps when I planned my trip, but still had some chilly morning starts in the 30’s, with each day ending in the 60’s. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0629-M.jpg Camping in Bangor was nice as folks got together in the campground for a bonfire and made Poutine in honor of Canada’s Victoria Day. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0630-M.jpg Poutine, my first time having it, was delicious, simply French fries with gravy and cheese!! Everyone likes French fries, gravy, and cheese, right? But, when you put them all together - Dayum!! The ride from Bangor to the Canadian border was desolate and devoid of gas stations. And of course, I did not fill up before leaving Bangor. I coasted into a gas station finally in Calais with zero bars on my fuel gauge, and of course, my spare can was empty because I did not think I’d need it yet!! I told myself never to take off without a full tank of gas again! This two-hour ride from Bangor to Calais was also the first time I felt really alone and isolated on my trip, both from a physical and social perspective. On this route through Maine, not only was there no one around to talk to, or cars to share the road with, but my better-half, Tracy, who I love and adore, I began to miss immensely. “Alone time” in the helmet, right? Well, we are mad about each other, and I’ve missed seeing her every day. I kept reminding myself that I’d planned my trip to see her about every two months over the year and a half course of my trip, but on that lonely road in the backwoods of Maine, I started to worry that would not be enough. Shaking off those feelings, barely, I composed myself enough for the border crossing into Canada. Immediately upon entering New Brunswick, I knew I was in a different place. First, everything is in metric, and as the eastern provinces are dual-language, English and French, so, too are the road signs. I enjoyed the math exercises to convert from kmh to mph as I did not switch it over on my bike. Celsius is another matter as the conversion equation is kind of jacked up, haha! I can’t say much about New Brunswick nor Nova Scotia as I bypassed the more coastal scenic routes in order to cover miles. Making my way into Nova Scotia, I can see them off in the distance, growing every minute, large, no… huge, no… JAYSUS!! GIGANTIC windmill generators. These beasts must be 500 feet tall with blades nearly that long!! Then I see the warning signs, one reading that the crosswind (had to be a crosswind, right?) routinely gusts to over 100KMH, or 60 miles an hour! Well, it was grey, foggy, and drizzly already, so why not throw in some crosswind, too? That day, those windmills were spinning with quite the velocity, and I quickly found out why. HOLY SH*T was that the hardest stretch of hanging-on-for-my-life riding I have ever done. I think I may have wet myself, too, although I couldn’t tell because although it was cold and I was wrapped up like flesh burrito, when I finally got through it, I was drenched! After pushing hard for four days, I made it into Sydney in time to take a couple of days off the bike and catch up with the blog. I also took care of some logistics, like doing some laundry and picking up supplies, including getting some tie-down straps for the ferry. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0474-M.jpg At this point while writing this, I am thinking I should do a separate post for Newfoundland, but, no, I’m not… It’ll just have to be a long one. I have a lot to say about my travels through Newfoundland. The next day, one I’d been looking forward to for months, perhaps even a year, I was off to Newfoundland. The ferry runs from North Sydney, Nova Scotia to Port aux Basques, Newfoundland. At the terminal in Sydney, there are only two motorcycles in the lines of cars, mine and my bike’s twin, two fully loaded GSs, both pointing toward Newfoundland. This is when I met Stefan, a retired surgeon from Germany, which turned out to be freakin’ righteous in so many ways. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0488-M.jpg He, too, is doing a TransCan and Panamerican run, but at a slightly different, and somewhat broken, pace. So, we had a lot to chat about right off (and he could speak English, quite well, I might add). The other great thing was I planned to show up in Newfoundland without a plan, really just winging it. Stefan, on the other hand, had put together an amazing plan, and I begged to pair up! So, my original seven-day visit grew to 11 days, which was fine by me if I could cost-share rooms and follow his plan! And his plan turned out to be AWESOME! I spent the first night on the “Rock” in Port aux Basques in a nice Bed and Breakfast. Here, I had my first introduction to Newfies and was impressed immediately. Very nice, friendly, hard-working, and hardy are the words that sprang to mind. They seemed interested and happy that I’d come this far to visit their island, and perhaps a bit crazy to do so on a motorcycle in May! Turns out the weather in Newfoundland in May is very unpredictable, changing hourly and by the mile. One minute, it is grey, cold, damp, drizzly, and windy, and then the next minute the sun pokes through the clouds, shining warmth through your suit and onto your skin. Speaking of windy, if you plan to visit Newfoundland, be aware there is a stretch of road on the TransCan just north of Port aux Basques that will actually shut down due to high winds – no traffic is allowed through. It’s due to the mountains acting as a funnel as winds come down from the north. Here, a sign read the max recorded wind speed was recorded at 240kmh! And I’ll bet it was a cross wind, too, haha! The next day, I headed north along the west coast and felt like I’d stepped onto another planet. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0497-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0505-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0507-M.jpg Large granite hills with shear faces gave way to higher tabletop shaped mountains that stretched as far as the eye could see, and the road goes right between them! The Long Range Mountains, as they are called, cover the entire western portion of Newfoundland and are showcased in Gros Morne National Park about halfway up the island. The spectacular scenery made my head spin, taking it all in was a challenge as each new turn another scene would unfold before my eyes better than the last. And I had my first moose sighting, one just ambling along the highway on the shoulder. I finally rejoined Stefan in the park where we’d planned to camp, but the forecast was calling for below freezing temperatures. Since we’d decided to cost-share rooms, the high prices became tenable so we stayed in a nice hotel in a small village along the shore, in Cow Head, after visiting the lighthouse in Rocky Harbor just before. It was clear we’d beat the tourist season by a couple of weeks as the hotel, although open, was clearly in the final stages of getting ready, with the paint still fresh smelling on the walls. The next day, we headed to the far north of Newfoundland to a place called St. Anthony’s. A small fishing village completely isolated from the world, it seemed, before a road was built in the 50s. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0545-M.jpg We took in L’Anse aux Meadows, where the first Europeans were believed to have visited the North American continent over a 1000 years ago. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0525-M.jpg Again, we were early and the visitor center was closed “officially” but they let us in to get warm, which we needed as the temperature was about 32, which helped explain all of those building-sized white things floating by the harbor – ICEBERGS! Funny thing I learned about L’Anse aux Meadows. It is obviously a mix of French and English, but only so because the British were not too bright on this one. The original name is L’Anse aux Méduse, or Bight of jellyfish. When the Brits took over, they mistook Méduse for Meadows, it is supposed because the peninsula looks like a large meadow of peat. Haha! We stayed two nights in St. Anthony’s and the next day booked a whale watching tour. AGAIN, we were too early in the season for whales, but we did drive-bys on dozens of icebergs, and saw sea lions and bald eagles. Coming back from the boat was the coldest I’d been yet as it was raining pretty steady and the temps were still hovering around 35F. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0523-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0550-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0531-M.jpg Our next destination was Twillingate with a stopover for one night in Deer Lake to get there. Did I mention Newfoundland is pretty damned big! It’s roughly the size of California in square miles! We chose a different route back and hit wildlife jackpot, seeing five moose and three caribou within about 15 minutes. None of them seemed to mind me stopping and taking their pictures. East of Deer Park, the land flattens out dramatically. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0603-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0613-M.jpg Twillingate is a sleepy, touristy village on the northern coast where everyone seemed to know one another. And our small bed and breakfast was filled with people from all over the world. We also saw icebergs here, but they were larger than those we’d seen up north in St. Anthony’s, taller. In Twillingate, there was an accent I had to work hard at to make out, and several expressions for which I simply gave up on. Most folks are descendants of a mix of Irish and British, which explains the accent. Still, just the nicest people! From Twillingate, we made our way to St. John’s, or as those folks in Twillingate called it, ‘the Big City.” We rode through the low rolling hills of Dildo Provincial Park (yes, that’s how it’s spelled!) and Terra Nova National Park. The scenery again picked up as my head was on a swivel trying to take it all in. Simply amazing riding! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0625-M.jpg And St. John’s is a big city, a completely modern place compared to the older world living found in most of the rest of Newfoundland, such a contrast! Riding into the city was challenging as we arrived right around rush hour! Rush hour is something we had not seen the last couple of weeks. In St. John’s, we booked a room at the local college. They rent “Summer Accommodations,” which are just empty dorm rooms now that classes are over. Best $27 lodging ever as we had the bathrooms to ourselves as well as great wifi! We planned two nights, so we had a day to explore. We visited The Rooms, a combination museum, art gallery, and holder of provincial archives, then next door the Basilica of St. John the Baptist. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0658-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0670-M.jpg We tried Signal Hill in the morning, but it was completely fogged in, so we tried later and were rewarded by our persistence. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0680-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0678-M.jpg Afterward we hiked 6 miles or so around Qidi Vidi Village and Lake back to the university. The next morning, upon leaving we decided to take photos at the very end of the Trans-Canada Highway, which actually starts on Vancouver Island 4800 miles to the west. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0690-M.jpg Then, we headed to Cape Spear, the eastern most point on the North American continent. Simply breathtaking! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0697-M.jpg Our next stop heading back west was the small village of Botwood, chosen because it’s halfway across the rock and had an inexpensive hostel. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0706-M.jpg Turned out to be the best night we had on the island, a great hostel that gave a chance to chat with other folks until late at night about our travels. And the hostel was super clean, with an awesome common area, kitchen, and grocery store right across the street. Met a cool chick from Montreal there and chatted forever. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0716-M.jpg By the way, we had to head back west to Port aux Basques because the ferry from Argentia (south of St. John’s) back to North Sydney had not started yet! Again, too early! The last night on the island found us back in Port aux Basques, where, frankly, I was exhausted! Not just from the riding, but from the total immersive experience of a beautiful place and its people. Before boarding the ferry, we shot over to Rose Orange Village and Lighthouse just east of Port aux Basques, and that turned out to be some of the best riding we’d done on the island, definitely a must see with great twistied there and back! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...0Blanche-M.jpg We spent 11 days on the island and I would do it again in a heartbeat! Final thoughts on Newfoundland I think Newfoundland should be on everyone’s list. It is a place of such contrasts west to east, north to south, in climate, scenery, road conditions, but everywhere we went, the people were some of the friendliest I’d ever met. And the scenery is top-tier and ever better on two wheels where you can smell the evergreens and wet pavement going by. Moose and caribou are everywhere if you luck a chance to see them, and icebergs!! Wow! The roads are something to watch for, though, as even the main roads have potholes, with the secondary roads even worse. We encountered dirt and gravel a few times and that was only when we left the beaten track to explore the smaller villages. Another interesting feature of almost all of the roads is a center washboard and two ruts where the cagers drive. So, you can vibrate yourself half to death in the middle or let the ruts jangle your front tire all over the place at 65MPH. The last thing I’ll mention is the weather. We came a bit early, so most have told us, but beating the tourist season meant no crowds or heavy traffic. But, it also meant we had the most unpredictable and quickly changing weather I’d ever experienced. Although it never got below freezing, we did see some snow in St. Anthony’s, and I felt cold most of the time there. Hour by hour, and mile by mile, you just never know what to expect. Oh, one more thing. I had planned my trip from the start to be solo. But, meeting Stefan on that pier in Sydney has changed my thinking on this. It’s good, not just from a security and financial standpoint, but having someone to chat with about the day is pretty cool, and Stefan and I got along great! I look forward to when our paths cross again down the road in California or wherever. My recommendation: Do it!! Lessons learned: 1. Because Newfoundland is quite expensive to travel through, I recommend ditching the restaurants and instead go grocery shopping and make your own meals, which can save you quite a bit of money. 2. I had never slept in a university dorm room nor a hostel – good accommodations for about $30USD. For now, they are my two favorite places to stay after camping. For both, I found them on booking.com. 3. Laundry. I’ve had no problem getting laundry done. I had a hotel do my laundry once with all the bedding they were washing, an AirBnB hostess let me throw in a load with hers, and then hung it all out to dry on the line, and then I managed it at a hostel for a loonie (Canadian dollar, or about 80 cents U. S. No problems, just ask. |
Wooohooo, was waiting for this uodate!
Love the videos too, awweesoomme report my friend! |
Nova Scotia to Seattle
As I have been apt to do, here I offer a “Cliff Notes” video for those pinched for time. After riding 12 days with my new friend from Germany, Stefan, we eventually had to part ways owing to different plans (for the time being…). We left Port aux Basques and arrived in the rain in North Sydney. The plan was to ride the Cabot Trail the following day, so we holed up in Ingonish on the east side of Cape Breton National Park for the night. My ride the following day on the Cabot Trail was disappointing, especially the east side. It was raining and quite foggy and I didn’t get a chance at all to see any of the coast. The ride on the west side, however, although rainy, was good with lots of twisties through the mountains. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....18%20PM-M.png I had to be in Truro, Nova Scotia that night so that the following morning I could get the bike serviced in Moncton, New Brunswick. I stopped in at Atlantic Motoplex and they had me in and out in no time. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0684-M.jpg The next several days are “transit” days, making my way to the Horizons Unlimited Meeting in Bracebridge, Ontario. So, after my service, I hot-wheeled it all day in the rain and made it to Edmunston, where I was glad to be out of the rain after finding an appropriately named hotel on booking.com. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....41%20PM-M.png The next night I had my first AirBnB experience in Danville, Quebec (just south of Montreal) and it was awesome! My host was Claire, a French Canadian, and she had the most amazing stories to tell about life’s philosophies on all things good. She was also a virtuoso harp player and allowed me to video one (included in the video version of this post). Claire also let me do some much needed laundry! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0689-M.jpg Another first, the following day, was a night in a 12-person co-ed bunkroom in a hostel in downtown Ottawa. What an experience. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0736-M.jpg By the time the place was filled, there were folks from about a dozen countries chatting the night away about where they’re from and what they are doing there. This is my bunk mate Mira from Switzerland and she was flat out crazy! But, we all had a good time. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0737-M.jpg I knew I was in trouble when the bunkroom filled up with nappers about 4 in the afternoon. They all left around 10 that night to hit the town and I was gone in the morning while they were all passed out. The only negative thing about the hostel was, I guess because of the hostel’s proximity to a homeless shelter, I had my favorite pair of gloves stolen off the bike. Totally my fault for not securing my stuff, but damn, I miss those gloves. The following four-day weekend, I rode out to Bracebridge, Ontario to attend the Horizons Unlimited Meeting there. The ride through Algonquin Provincial Park was amazing! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0797-M.jpg Just like the other HU meetings I’ve attended, this is a cool place to be to meet fellow motorcycle adventurers and hear their stories of travel and lessons learned. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0760-M.jpg Greg, who hosted the event, I met in Virginia a few weeks back and has taken a trip similar to mine. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0788-M.jpg I also hung out with Richard, who I had also met in Virginia, and we simply had a blast all weekend. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0778-M.jpg I also met Liz Jansen (again!), who I think is just one of the best people on planet earth. She’s written several books and articles about connecting the road and spirit! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....00%20AM-M.png That Sunday on leaving, I paired up with Jim, who is making a run up to Alaska. He’s running a company to provide support to overlanders - Overland Quest – planning and support | get there. Interestingly, when I met up with Neale Bayley back in Charlotte, he had given me this guy’s sticker, which I had on the bike. When Jim pulled out a sticker to give to me, he was shocked to see I already had one! Small world! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0697-M.jpg After talking to several folks, I decided to go over Lake Superior and was not disappointed. Lake Superior and Sleeping Giant Provincial Parks are beautiful and the riding was fantastic! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0821-M.jpg I stayed at another AirBnB in Duluth after crossing back into the U. S. My hosts were great and they had the largest cat I have ever seen!! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0821-M.jpg Back in the U.S. now, the next several days were honestly too much for words – but I’ll try. Just utterly and astonishingly beautiful scenery, which, for an American, I am ashamed I had never visited until now!! Hugging the I-90 corridor, I started in Sioux Falls, where there are falls literally running through the town. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0824-M.jpg This was also the first day in weeks that I was hot, peeling off layers during the day and eventually having to stop for ice cream!! The next day, I rode through Badlands National Park and was again blown away! It was also hot there, too, nearly 100 degrees, as the color and shapes of the pinnacles and buttes created an oven effect. Still, it was breathtaking. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0831-M.jpg The next day, I rode through the Black Hills of South Dakota and visited two iconic national treasures, Mount Rushmore and Devil’s Tower. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0836-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0855-M.jpg Now, the next day, holy jayzus… that one day, I could never do justice for in writing. The entire day was stunning and every turn offered more and more. The day started in Red Lodge, Montana and first up was Beartooth Pass. It was cold and windy as all get out, but the riding and views were amazing! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0885-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0890-M.jpg Then, Chief Joseph’s Highway!! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0883-M.jpg Then… Yellowstone and Old Faithful!! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0896-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0898-M.jpg Then, if it couldn’t get any better, Grand Tetons! This part of Earth has to be among the most spectacular ever!! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0907-M.jpg I had intended to camp there, but it was late in the day and all the campgrounds were full. I ended up staying in Jackson, which turned out to be a huge financial mistake because it was unbelievably expensive. But, I was exhausted after this day and just had to crash quick. The next day I rode into Idaho and swung by Craters of the Moon National Park. Totally surreal! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0916-M.jpg For that night, I reached out to Lance Gines and asked if I could stop by. He has a great family, but also an amazing dual-sport spirit that permeates the house and family. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0932-M.jpg Well, they put me up for the night and even fed me! I look forward after my trip to making it back to Boise to do some riding on my KTM350 that’s sitting in storage… The next day, I had my sights on the Touratech Rally in Plain, Washington. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0933-M.jpg I did a volunteer stint at the front gate the first afternoon and was amazed at all the people rolling through, including Lisa and Simon Thomas, and Sandy, Terry, and Jack, the AdventureTrio. It was fun while I was there, and I know I missed a lot of cool stuff by leaving early, but I had to see about a girl, Tracy, who I’d left in Virginia nine weeks ago and was now in Seattle. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0939-M.jpg So, if you’d been following along, you know that Tracy and I decided to move from Virginia to Seattle. We left Virginia on the same day back in April with her ferrying the dog by car and me taking a bit more circuitous route by moto through North, Central and South America. It was so good to see her again and recharge y batteries in Seattle for a week before heading north to Alaska. I’ll see her again in 6-7 weeks when I get back from Alaska heading south!! Lessons learned: 1/ I continue to find I am carrying things I don’t need, like an extra rain jacket or warm coat. The motorcycle rain jacket over my inner riding jacket are perfectly fine. Or a doggone 6-pound hatchet that I’ve only used to bang in tent stakes. Or extra clothes… I have been able to find laundry service nearly everywhere I go… I think by the time I hit Mexico in a few months, I may be down to just one dry bag, maybe just a thong… lol. 2/ Planning is still my preference. While I enjoy the adventure of just rolling in and finding a place to sleep, that has bitten me hard twice now, and they were expensive lessons to learn. I still try and plan out using AllStays and booking.com a few days out, but sometimes, schedules slip or I want more flexibility. I am better now than when I left, by I need to get better at being more flexible. 3/ My cell phone bill for Canada came in – OUCH! I thought for sure I was using my data sparingly, but the bill, even though I was on a plan for Canada, was nearly $400. I need to just let go of my dependency on ubiquitous Internet, or pay more attention to free Wi-Fi hotspots. I’ll get there. |
Seattle, Washington to Dawson Creek, British Columbia
You know the drill. Here’s the video if you please, otherwise, or also, read along. The few days I spent in Seattle with Tracy I think I was the most relaxed in my entire life. Not worried about the bike or miles, and not having to think about work in any way made the stop like a vacation. But, even better than that, I got to hang with Tracy and her daughter Jackie! I got to see the place Tracy is staying while I am on my adventure, too. It’s a nice apartment with good views in Renton, just south of Seattle. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0947-M.jpg Not until the day before I had to leave did we three actually venture out, visiting the Chihuly Museum, which is stuffed full of this amazing man’s blown glass. It’s right beside the space needle, so of course I had to try and take picture with both. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0952-M.jpg We didn’t make it up the needle because the line was too long (we had been up it once before anyway), so instead we decided to try the Great Wheel, one of those ginormous ferris wheels near the aquarium. Lots of nervousness as that thing rocked back and forth at the top while those below were loading. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0978-M.jpg The following day I had to get going if I were to make it to Deadhorse and back to Seattle in early August, or about 6 weeks. I need to meet an impending date that Tracy and I have marked on the calendar to fly back to Florida to attend my brother’s retirement ceremony from the Navy, and then get all of our stuff out of storage in Virginia and back to Washington. The road east out of Seattle runs right through National Forests of lush and green, which probably explains the rain and mist. After that Washington opens up into desert scrubland all the way to Spokane before you start to see trees again. I camped that night near Diamond Lake. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....00%20PM-M.png The next day, I had intended to stop short of Glacier National Park to camp, but got there early enough and decided to go ahead and ride the Going to the Sun Road through the park. Listen mates, please put this on your list to do in your lifetime. It is absolutely spectacular and majestic and hot apple pie with ice cream amazing, and despite the heavy 10mph traffic, I was having mind orgasms every 3 minutes. And, much of the ride you are on a sheer 2000-foot cliff. Yikes! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0990-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0991-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0992-M.jpg That night, after Glacier, I holed up in a very expensive hotel in Babb, Montana near the border with Alberta, and they didn’t even have wifi!!! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1006-M.jpg The next day I crossed the border back into Canada and followed a route suggested by a fellow Jupiter’s Traveller, Nevil Stow, who I was planning to stay with that night in Canmore, Alberta. So, if you’re ever in Babb, Montana, do this and take Nevil’s and my advice: take the Kananaskis Trail. Holy mother of all toads, frogs, and other living things. After Glacier, I didn’t think I could be impressed, but as I learned, as the US Rockies become the Canadian Rockies, it only gets better each and every mile. It was marked as a dirt road on my AAA map, but no dirt, my friends, nothing but smooth asphalt through some breathtaking mountains. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1012-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....56%20PM-M.png That weekend I hung out with Nevil and his beautiful wife, Michelle. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0746-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0763-M.jpg Nevil’s house is wonderfully situated near the continental divide and is considered by many the “Aspen of Canada.” The town of Canmore reminded me of some Bavarian paradise. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1015-M.jpg That weekend started with Canada Day, the day I arrived, and went all weekend. Folks, mostly local friends, were coming and going all weekend and I find out afterward that his home is also known as “Stowasis” in the adventure motorcycle community, famous at least partially for its “Garagaritas.” Haha. Well, I too had to sign the garage door, right? (by the way, there’s people you know who have written on that garage door…) https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1017-M.jpg On Saturday, we did some admin in Canmore, where I picked up some supplies, including bear spray and bangers, and had some lunch. Then later, we did some bike maintenance in Nevil’s well-appointed garage. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0766-M.jpg Nevil is making a trip to Alaska in my heels and planning to make a movie for the 9MMFF, which he started, by the way… Make sure to check it out: 9 Minute Moto Film Festival - The Home of Overland Short Films They definitely took care of me and I really enjoyed my stay at the Stowasis! It’s the kind of place you’d want, and they’d insist, to stay for as long as you need to. Thanks Michelle and Nevil! After leaving Nevil’s house, I first stopped at Lake Louise and Moraine Lake near Banff. Again, just another couple of money shots as this part of the work is just simply amazing. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1021-M.jpg Then, I headed up the Icefield Parkway toward Jasper. And yet again, the views are just too much for words. I had some weather, namely rain, and it got damned cold through some of the shoots between the mountains, but still I wouldn’t have traded that ride for anything. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1032-M.jpg That night, I had intended to “wing it” and find a place to camp near Jasper when all of sudden I got a note from Stefan, who you may remember from our trip in Newfoundland a few weeks ago, asking to meet up!! We had split up back then because of different paths, but now the streams were crossing! Of course, I said heck yeah! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0779-M.jpg Stefan and I met in Hinton just north of Jasper at a hotel he’d already booked for two nights, so we made plans to ride the roads local to Jasper the following day. First, we rode through Medicine Lake, which a year ago (to the day) a fire had ravaged the place. It gave off a nice set of hues as the trees began to recover. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1043-M.jpg Next was Meligne Lake further south. This lake is very popular with the tourists and there were dozens of tour buses packed with people around. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1050-M.jpg We’d planned to go to Miette Hot Springs, but ran into “Joe from Jasper” in Meligne who ran a local tour outfit and he convinced us that was a waste of time (the spring just fed into a swimming pool…). He suggested instead we head down into Jasper National Park and take in Edith Covell mountain and glacier. Glad we listened, because the ride up the mountain was awesome, with lots of twisties, and the road takes you right up against a glacier. Thanks Joe!! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1057-M.jpg The following morning, Stefan and I split up (again) as I headed north to Dawson Creek, British Columbia via the Bighorn Highway (Hwy 40). The Rockies quickly gave out and turned over to slow rolling green hills and straight highways. Dawson Creek is cool because it is home of Milepost 0 of the Alaska Highway, where I planned to relax for a couple of days. It’s a neat little town that grew rapidly in the 30s when the railroad extended here. Now, many people come through on their way west and north to Alaska. While intending to take a picture of the sign, I ran into a fellow rider and realized it was Alex, who I had met in Bracebridge, Ontario several weeks ago! So we took the picture together. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1066-M.jpg So, that’s it for now. I am continuing on northwest to Alaska now, taking the Alaska Highway to Whitehorse, and then the Klondike Loop, including the Top of the World Highway. More posts later! Lessons Learned: 1) Gas stations and roads in northern Alberta. The stretch from Jasper to Dawson Creek is about 325 miles, but there was no problem getting gas in Grand Cache (about 90 miles in) and then again in Grand Prairie (another 115 miles), but between these small towns there is literally nothing but trees and wildlife. There also was a lot of construction between Grand Cache and Grand Prairie that required waiting for about 20 minutes and then following a guide truck for 5 miles over recently chunked up road. I understand from locals that little maintenance is done in the Winter, so in the Summer, there is a LOT of road construction! 2) Nevil (a prior trail guide) recommended some things to me I took on without question: i. bear spray with a glow in the dark cap (so you can quickly find it in the tent), ii. Bear poppers (like flares, but they go bang), iii. a fixed knife to cut your own way out of a tent if a bear gets too close, and iv. a solar powered inflatable light (seriously, Google this, these things are great!). For the bear spray and poppers, you cannot (or are not supposed to) bring them across the border, but you can find them in many stores once in Canada, like Canadian Tire. They’ll want your personal information and make you sign a government document before getting them. |
Yest another great episode, I really enjoy your videos. Simple, humble, and to the point. Thank you for the work you put into making them, and for sharing your adventure with us!
David C. @motopoet |
G'day again Brent,
Really enjoying your updates and videos, keep it coming. |
Dawson Creek, British Columbia to Deadhorse, Alaska
And here again… the video first, or last, or whatever you like. Then again, this is a bit of a long one.. I covered a few miles here and experienced a lot of things. I left Dawson Creek early in the morning and I find that when I do that, leave early, I often have the roads all to myself for miles and miles. It’s sometimes scary considering the remoteness, it’s also sometimes rather lonely, but more often than not, I relish the solace. This day was like the latter. I started enjoying the aloneness of it all in between start and stop points. Any-hoo, I was making my way north with a plan to get to Fort Nelson where I could hole up for a night in a non-descript cheap hotel. But I did get to park under an awning! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....06%20PM-M.png The next day, I made my way through some construction that had the roads pretty torn up. It was in northern BC that I started experiencing more and more waits for pilot cars to lead folks over long stretches of roads under constuction. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....00%20PM-M.png But, the scenery was great, that is when I could see it through the fog and rain. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....52%20PM-M.png I camped that night in Liard River Hot Springs Provincial Park, and the first thing I had to do was dry out my sleeping bag, which got wet from the rain leaking into my panniers!! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0788-M.jpg The Liard Hot Springs are fed continuously from an underwater spring with the feed end about 120 degrees and the other end about 100 degrees. I stayed in the relatively cooler end. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1074-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....04%20PM-M.png While at the park, one of the rangers told the story of a very recent black bear attack on two folks walking down the very boardwalk I had walked earlier – without my bear spray!! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1078-M.jpg There is nothing at Liard beyond the peace of the campground, hot springs, and an awesome burger truck. Here, I had lunch with Mark (left) and Lenin (right), on their own trip into the Yukon and Alaska and back. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1079-M.jpg I also met Liane, originally from Spain, who travelled to and fell in love with the Canadian wilderness, so decided to stay and work in the park. She scored me some free firewood after I told her I was heading south and was practicing Spanish. We chatted several times over the hours, she trying to help me with my Spanish. :) https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0787-M.jpg The next day, continuing along the Alaska Highway, I made it into the Yukon and over to Watson Lake, where I stopped by the Signpost Forest. You kinda have to, right? Plus, it’s right on the Alaska Highway in Watson Lake. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1081-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1087-M.jpg That night, I had planned to stay in Watson Lake, but it was still early when I arrived, so I pushed onto Whitehorse for the night and grabbed a hotel. The next day, I left the Alaska Highway and instead headed up the Klondike Highway toward Dawson. Dawson is a fun little town on the Yukon River that got its start as a mining town, and still is in many ways, with boardwalks and dirt streets. Seems many people are fascinated by the place as it is quite touristy. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1095-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1094-M.jpg I stayed at the Bunkhouse and relaxed in town for two days. If you ever make it there, make sure to catch the show at Diamond Tooth Gerties and check out the Pit, a rather eclectic bar. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0801-M.jpg I also ran into Jason Spafford, who with Lisa Morris, just finished a two and half year Argentina to Deadhorse run. Make sure to look up Jason’s photos – best ever. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0796-M.jpg I was excited about the next day – the Top of the World Highway. After leaving Dawson via ferry, I was soon on my longest dirt road to date, about 100 miles (including the Taylor Highway). https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1107-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....55%20PM-M.png The Taylor Highway, once you cross into the U.S., was horrible all the way to Chicken, full of washboard and potholes. I mean it was so bad I didn’t even stop to take a picture. But, Chicken on the other hand was a nice respite from the morning’s ride. I grabbed some lunch there and then headed on toward Tok, Alaska where again I hoteled it because I just didn’t feel like setting my tent up… Left Tok and headed toward Fairbanks, where I booked a night in the Eielson Air Force Base lodging. Here is where I met Brian, someone I have been communicating with for about six months to meet in almost this very spot. Brian is also on a long journey about the world on his motorcycle solo, but in his case indefinitely! Make sure to check out his blog as he makes much more frequent updates than I do, haha!! Home - Iron Roamer Our plan was to buddy up to tackle the Dalton Highway up to Deadhorse and back. The next day we left early aiming for Wiseman, a small, well you can’t really call it a town, let’s just say place, about halfway between Fairbanks and Deadhorse or about 185 miles up the Dalton Highway. Before we got there, we stopped in at the Arctic Circle for yet another mandatory phot op. That night, we stayed at the Boreal Lodge. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1134-M.jpg I had trouble sleeping that night worrying about the rest of the Dalton up to Deadhorse, the “harder” part I supposed. South of Wiseman was not really challenging at all as all the stars aligned, I guess – the weather was good, construction was at a minimum, the road was in great shape. But the rest of the way, we had heard, had lots of construction going on with one guy saying there were sections of “apple-sized” gravel. Ugh… https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1158-M.jpg So, we took off on another wonderful weather day and made it within 30 miles of Deadhorse before my hopes of smooth sailing were crushed. Those last 30 miles turned out to be everything we’d heard, pure pain– stretches of monster gravel, deep medium sized gravel, fresh noncompacted dirt. I was too busy trying to avoiding toppling over to catch a picture (I do have plenty on the return trip – next episode). I avoided at least a dozen falls. We booked into the Aurora Hotel, one of those pre-fab deals built block by block above ground. Although it didn’t look like much from the outside, the inside was very nice with rooms akin to a cruise ship. For the price, $150/night, it’s all inclusive, meaning you can eat all you want, even during non-meal hours. Internet and laundry are also free and TV had all the movie channels. This type of hotel caters to oil production crews who rotate in and out, so it has everything they need. We stayed for two nights so that we could relax a bit. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0830-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0831-M.jpg The next day, we hopped on a bus to tour the oil production facilities and visit the Arctic Ocean. It was kinda cool standing in the Arctic Ocean knowing my trip will take me to the other end of the Pan-American Highway next year. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0832-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0838-M.jpg The rest of the afternoon in Deadhorse, we heard no less than 10 stories about motorcycles coming up to Deadhorse, and all the stories had unhappy endings – broken ribs, life flights, bike shipped back to Fairbanks. I’ve read many accounts of people coming to Deadhorse on motorcycles and I never heard it was easy. My particular trip up, however, was not bad at all except for the hell of the last 30 miles. As I said, I think I was lucky everything just worked out. If the weather were bad during, or if there’d been a lot of rain in the preceding days, I am pretty sure my ride would have been very different. That’s it for now. Next, I’ll be headed south. Lessons Learned: 1) The further north you go, the more expensive everything is – everything is WAY more expensive, gas, food, and especially lodging. At the Boreal, we shared a small room with two twin beds barely big enough for two people and the bathrooms were shared with everyone. 2) If you’re heading to Deadhorse, the last stop to buy ‘take-away’ beer is Fairbanks. You can ‘get’ a beer or more in Coldfoot, but you have to drink it there. You can’t walk in and buy a six pack to go. And, Deadhorse is a dry town. |
Deadhorse, Alaska to Seattle, Washington
As is my M.O, here’s a video of the whole post. As I mentioned in the last episode, almost the entire trip north on the Dalton to Deadhorse was, well… easy. The weather had been perfect, hot even, and the roads were dry and hard. It was an entirely different and a very miserable story heading south, though. It was bad. So bad, it made the trip south suck. The roads were complete shit. I may have even cried in my helmet once or twice it was so bad (no, not really, but it would not have been hard…) https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....01%20PM-M.png The construction area just outside of Deadhorse was the worst. Fresh, unpacked dirt had turned into deep, muddy ruts with the blowing rain. This is Brian after his off (the video is pretty scary – he went down pretty hard). https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0846-M.jpg And then I came off about 2 minutes later. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....45%20PM-M.png I mean seriously, how can anyone ride on a road with gravel like this! Some of it is the size of a large apple!! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...36e2ef_o-M.jpg This was one of the better sections – deep gravel!! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...5c6984_o-M.jpg And then more mud… deep-ass mud near the Yukon Crossing. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...94ff13_o-M.jpg The weather did clear a bit after the Atigun Pass, thankfully. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1179-M.jpg After that, the road to Coldfoot was a mixed bag of misery over soupy roads and I was slipping and sliding all the whole way. It took 8.5 hours to cover the 240 miles to Coldfoot. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....35%20PM-M.png https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....23%20PM-M.png https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....16%20PM-M.png https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1179-M.jpg We booked into Coldfoot Camp for the night and I sat and drank beers to stave off all the anxiety and desperation I’d felt during the ride down. That was damn good beer. That night I slept a solid 11 hours. It continued to rain in Coldfoot that night and again the next day for southern half of the Dalton. It was so muddy that eventually the radiators on my R1200GS became completely clogged with mud and I began to overheat, having to stop every few miles to let the bike cool down. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....12%20PM-M.png Eventually, the rain came on hard and my savior was riding through it, cooling the bike and clearing one radiator. I finally made it into Fairbanks and made a beeline for the first carwash place to give the bike a good rinse, including cleaning out those radiators. In Fairbanks, I stayed on the University of Alaska campus in one of their dorm rooms. You really should check these places out. Cheap, secure, and with good wifi (all the students are home for the summer). I did some bit of admin over three days, replacing my GoPro case, and getting extra batteries. The next day, we headed down to Anchorage. The ride out of Fairbanks is pretty boring to start but then the mountain rise above you and before you know it you’re in Denali National Park. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....27%20PM-M.png I went through another construction area much like the ones that scared me coming north through BC and the Yukon and realized this, and those, were actually fantastic roads compared to what I experienced on the Dalton. The next three nights, we stayed on the University of Alaska campus in Anchorage. Excellent rooms!!!! We holed up here to let some bad weather pass through. The folks in Anchorage were happy about the rain because of a large wildfire just south of the city that was threatening. The we headed over to Tok on the Glenn Highway, where a large glacier dominated the view for a while. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1188-M.jpg In Tok, I stayed in the same hotel I stayed in when going north. And this is where Brian and I parted ways, me going south and he covering my tracks east through Chicken and Dawson. I really enjoyed riding with Brian (here’s a shot of him at Denali). https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1185-M.jpg The next day, I make my way to Haines Junction and stay at a very nice hostel and met some cool people, including Sarath, a fellow ADVer making his way up and back to Alaska from San Francisco. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0856-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0859-M.jpg The next night I was in Johnson’s Crossing (there aren’t many places to stay up here!), a small shanty type place, but they had wifi, a good restaurant, and beer! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1201-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1193-M.jpg I also ran into a couple from the UK, who was up here riding in a large group. Good people. I bumped into them several times heading south to Kitwanga, the end of the Cassiar. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0864-M.jpg On my way south, I got an email from my old friend Stefan (third meeting now) who was heading north. We met up for coffee somewhere on the Alaska Highway. I’ll be seeing him again as we head south into Mexico together. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0863-M.jpg I was hearing reports about more construction on the Cassiar near Dease Lake, and just as my luck would have it, it was raining… But, thankfully, this was the last of the construction I would see. Thank goodness because, frankly, I was tired of it! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....14%20PM-M.png At Dease Lake, I hung out in the parking lot drinking with these fellow adventurers… (Hi Joanie!) https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0872-M.jpg I spent the next day in Stewart, which is a short 35 miles or so off the Cassiar highway and well worth the ride. Here, I saw Bear Glacier right on the side of the road. The towns of Stewart, in British Colombia, and neighboring Hyder, in Alaska, are cool little places it the world surrounded by mountains. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0873-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0874-M.jpg In Hyder, I visited Fish Creek in Tongass National Forest where the U. S. National Forest Service had built an observation platform for feeding bears. I saw none that day (they had been averaging one-two a day, and at random times). https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....42%20PM-M.png The next few days were merely transit days – Smithers, Prince George, and then Cache Creek – I was looking forward to getting “home” to Seattle again. After Cache Creek, I chose Route 99 to Vancouver, known as the Sea to Sky Highway. It goes through Lillooet and Whistler and is probably the most amazingly scenic, twisty, and fast road I have ever been on, and carves right through the Rockies. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1223-M.jpg I know this is a bold statement, but I am from North Carolina and spent a lot of time in Virginia, riding through the Smoky Mountains. I believe if you took the very best of the motorcycle roads in NC and VA – and I am talking about the Dragon, the Rattlesnake, the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Cherohala Skyway, roads like that – if you took only the best pieces of each of those roads and summed them, they’d still come up short of the Sea to Sky Highway. Simply breathtaking! Later that day, I made it into Seattle, tired from a full days riding and thankful to have this sometimes arduous, yet beautiful trip, come to a close. It was nice to be back in civilization again. Lesson Learned: 1) British Columbia: I spent nearly five weeks in British Columbia, the Yukon, and Alaska and in my opinion, British Columbia is the most beautiful place I have ever visited - in my life. It is an outdoor lover’s paradise with a beautiful, raw, seemingly untouched, but well cared for diversity. From mountains to rivers to glaciers to animals, I was stunned everyday riding through this Province. I can also tell Canadians are very proud of this Province. 2) Aloneness. The flip side to riding in these truly faraway and amazing lands is that I was by myself by what felt like hundreds of miles sometimes. I really struggled to get over a couple of humps of exasperation caused by my isolation. Each time that happened, however, I gave in to the beauty of the world around me. Just giving in I think is the key to truly remarkable travel, being vulnerable to whatever happens and simply going along for the ride. I felt so much better about myself, life, and the world when I resolved to these inclinations. 3) Dalton. As I said in the last episode, my northbound trip on the Dalton was, well, easy. It was hot, dry, and dusty, and the hard pack dirt roads were very hard. Coming back south, I encountered a totally different road, wetted by days of raining, and raining during the trek, that made the journey an expedition. I learned so many things about riding in sloppy stuff those two days. No, that’s not quite right. I had learned these lessons at the BMW Off-road School, I had just never applied them practically. These tips worked for me, so I recommend trying these when things are sloppy (all of which are equally important and go together): a) Always look up and ahead!! As soon as you look at the muddy rut beside you, that is where you are going. I got in the habit of the gluing my eyes on the “T” on the Pilot Vehicle in really bad stuff in construction zones. If you are not following a pilot vehicle, pick a tree off in the distance. Huge difference! b) Loose hands! When a heavy bike goes squirrely under you, with the handle bars going all over the place from deep gravel or mud, the natural inclination is to control it, forcibly, and even slow down. No!! It’s like wrestling a bear and you will tire quickly and will likely come off eventually. Alternatively, I found when I was in something a bit slippery or unpredictable, I “let go” and thought “loose hands.” When I did this, the bike would straighten right up without hardly a push from me. c) When in doubt… throttle out. So, I never understood this lesson until I did it 1000 times on the Dalton in soupy mud. I always thought it meant keeping your speed up through messy stuff. Nope, not to me. What I found it to mean is instead of a “hard throttle” through the soup, it is rather to “blip” the throttle when you feel the front tire digging in. “Blipping” the throttle would decompress the weight on the front suspension, making the steering very light (as opposed to digging into the muck and wobbling the steering all over the place), and when done with “loose hands” and “looking ahead,” the bike would always - ALWAYS - right itself. |
I have been following your ride around the Americas. Interesting report.
I see you made it over to Stewart and Hyde Alaska. Did you get a chance to ride up to Salmon Glacier? Many miss out on visiting this site. Salmon Glacier is 16 miles north of Hyder along a gravel road. The Salmon Glacier is one of the largest glaciers in Canada, although with global warming it may have shrunken down to the size of an ice cube since I was last there. As you ride up from Hyder to Salmon Glacier, you pass a number of storied gold/copper mining sites, now since long abandoned. Premier Mines, Grandeur Mines. There is a lot of mining history in these parts. Ride4Adventure |
I did not. :(
I have reason to go back now, don't I? ~brent |
Excellent!
Hi Brent, excellent job, i really enjoy reading and watching your posts! I was going to try and chronical my trip south.... but ive just been telling everyone i know to fallow yours and pretend its me!! Thanks for all your efforts, safe travels!
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Brent
Great story & pics, brings back memories of our trip along the roughly same route, keep me amused while i should be working. What's the Scottish connection? Gino & Fiona |
Quote:
Family, a couple generations ago. And I spent a lot of time in Scotland, too, while in the Navy - Dunoon, Glasgow, and Edinburgh. |
I really enjoyed your trip, thanks for that. bier
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Quote:
~brentt |
Hollah from Montucky!
Glad you enjoyed it. |
Seattle, Washington to Farmington, New Mexico
And because it’s what I do, here my latest narrated video of this part of my trip if you prefer. This episode covers nearly a month as I was quite busy recovering (and relaxing a bit) in Seattle from my excursion up to the Arctic Ocean and back, celebrating my Brother’s retirement from the Navy in Georgia, and moving household goods from Virginia back to Seattle. So, after getting back into Seattle for a few days, Tracy and I flew cross-country to attend my Brother’s retirement ceremony from the U. S. Navy – 23 years!! The ceremony was held at the chapel at the submarine base in King’s Bay, Georgia. I was so proud of him and loved hanging with family and the other friends I knew from back home for a few days. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...D8120081-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...D8120075-M.jpg My Brother also humbled me by asking that I be his guest speaker. It was a real privilege as I had both been in the Navy and a submariner. Very humbling! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...D8120045-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...D8120102-M.jpg Afterward, Tracy and I drove from Georgia up to our old home in Chesapeake to load all our stuff that had been hiding in storage. I had some friends meet us at the storage unit to pack a U-Haul. And it was one damned hot day, too, with the heat index around 110! Whew! We had two large storage units and they quickly filled a 26-footer plus a trailer! The next several days we averaged 450 miles a day crossing the country again back to Seattle. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...6268_n-2-L.jpg Definitely not the same ride as my usual 2-wheeled mode of transport – it was like driving a whale! Crossing the country, however, no matter how I do it, cements in my mind that the U. S. really is a beautiful place, you just have to get out and see it! (But still not as nice when on the motorcycle!) I was very happy to see real mountains again once we got into Montana heading west for the last few hundred miles. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...0005%202-M.jpg Back in Seattle, we reversed the process and put almost everything back into storage with the help of some of Tracy’s sister, Wendy, and kids, and Tracy’s daughter Jacqui and her friends. The next couple of days, I was preparing to get back on the road again. I had to get the bike serviced again, including replacing a bit of plastic that had cracked somewhere along the way. Other than that, I have had no problems with the bike. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...D8050001-M.jpg It was hard saying goodbye this time as it will be some time before I see Tracy again. The ride west from Seattle to the coast is beautiful, and it just keeps getting better as you enter Oregon. I think the Pacific Coast is one of the more beautiful places I’ve seen. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1230-M.jpg I spent one night in Lebanon, Oregon with Wendy’s family, another night in Montague, California with Tracy’s parents, and a third night in Reno, Nevada with Tracy’s brother, Kristian, all catching up with folks I’d not seen in a while. They were very pleasant visits and I love that Tracy is closer to her family now. Montague is right up next to Mount Shasta, which provides stunning views 360 degrees. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1235-M.jpg And riding south through Northern California, I visited Lassen National Park. Wow! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1242-M.jpg Next, I was off to Yosemite National Park to camp. As ridiculous as it sounds, I had to make reservation to camp here five months ago, but I did score what I thought was the very best campsite in the park, just at the foot of Half Dome! The views in the valley are stunning, including El Capitan. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1284-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1274-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1264-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1249-M.jpg I spent several days there and one day took a ride up to Glacier Point, which provides an eye-popping view right down into the valley. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1253-M.jpg I headed east out of Yosemite over the Tioga Pass (9947 feet) and the geography really started to change east of the mountains, very dry, high desert like. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1287-M.jpg I spent a night in Tonopah, Nevada to get my bearings and plan out the days ahead. From Tonopah east, I felt briefly like I was back in the Yukon in terms of running into other living beings. I rode for a couple of hours before seeing another car or house. The next night, I camped right up under Wheeler Peak (at 10000 feet) in Great Basin National Park. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1296-M.jpg It was very windy that night and so I didn’t sleep much, but the views were spectacular! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1291-M.jpg The Sierra Nevada mountains are interesting to me because they rise from desert scrubland and at altitude you have lots of Juniper’s and a thriving ecosystem. My next goal was Moab, considered a center of the universe for adventuring, but I stopped short in Green River, Utah because it was the cheapest place I could find to stay the night. Moab, the next day, happened to be kicking off Labor Day weekend festivities and the place was packed – and expensive! But, I stayed two days so I could take in Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park and just get a sense of this culture. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1365-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1322-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1324-M.jpg In Arches, I rode some of the dirt roads to get better views. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1313-M.jpg The soft sand beds that underlie this area, along with a huge vertical shift, nearly a mile, started what was to become this beautiful area. With millions of years of water and wind erosion of the soft sandstone, cool buttes and arches formed. It was surreal! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1316-M.jpg I also ran into Greg and Melanie Turp, who I met first back in Virginia at the Horizons Unlimited Meeting. They’ve been on the road and “homeless” for many years. You can find them here: https://2wandrrs.com https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1319-M.jpg After Moab, I made it over to Monument Valley just a few short hours south. The park is on tribal lands but run very much like a national park. I camped right in the valley up against three amazing monuments. I got lots of good pictures here. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1382-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1422-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1432-M.jpg My next aim point was Dixon, New Mexico to meet up with Ben Rainchild, co-owner and master craftsmanatf Green Chile Adventure Gear. I spent 3 nights there riding with Ben, hanging out, and just sucking in the adventure spirit. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1440-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1448-M.jpg I even let him take the Beemer for a spin. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1472-M.jpg Heading back west again, I stayed in Farmington, New Mexico. I’ve been developing some soreness in my right elbow, left shoulder, and now right knee that I wanted to give a rest, so I booked into a cheap hotel for three nights to take it easy. The Southwest of the U. S. is far different than any place I’d been so far. It was dry, hot, windy, and dusty (during my trip), but the scenery is so unique and beautiful. All in all, it’s been a very busy few weeks, but I still have so much more to see in the southwest U. S. before getting to Mexico in just three short weeks, including Natural Bridges, Escalante, Zion, Bryce, and the Grand Canyon. Lessons learned: 1/ Riding around like this is not all vacation. In some ways, it’s like physical work, and you have to take breaks every now and again. Packing, riding, and unpacking every day is strenuous and I’ve gotten to the point after four and a half months that it has begun to take its toll on me. I think I should do some sort of exercises to overcome the repetitive motion problems I think I’m having. 2/ I gave myself exactly one month to visit all the parks in the southwest and I think that’s about right. You can spend 2-3 days in places you need or want to, whereas many of the parks and sights can be drive-throughs. |
Malpensa Livigno
During a ski holiday, don't catch a cold, catch a warm ski lodge instead.
The Italian slopes are also a great alternative if you enjoy skiing. And like a wise traveller, you must also book an accommodation in advance to better maximize your time in the Italian slopes. Skiing Italy is almost certainly the option of those in search of winter vacations with sun and fashion but often unnoticed as a ski holiday location versus neighbouring France, Switzerland and Austria. Italy comes with fantastic ski areas, idyllic alpine communities and upmarket skiing. To put it accurately the Dolomites Superski spot offers probably the most runs of any sector anywhere in Europe. Ski housing in Italy is customary, comfortable and sometimes in conventional village residences or some great early hotel. Primarily, ski lodging in Italy is tremendous value. Discover what makes ski housing in Italy special. Travel around Airline flight times are a little longer contrary to other Alpine locations. Milan, Turin and Malpensa Livigno can be contacted within just two hours, Venice and Brescia take a little longer. Even so transfer mileage to most ski resorts to help you still get through to your ski accommodation in under 5 - 6 hours from the UK. Ski transfer companies are readily accessible at all air terminals. Most often (if you don't drive to Courmayeur), driving a car will be a less helpful option. Car route times is often as long as 14 - 16 hours based upon your ski vacation destination in Italy. Ski Housing in Italy Italy happens to be identified for great catered accommodation and fine foodstuff. In Italy there's a simple good mixture of hotels and ski chalets and several living spaces. You will discover minimal purpose-build blocks and discover mostly demand a small stroll or a ski bus to go to ski lift and ski slopes. Italy is also endowed with awesome historic hotels, many boasting substantial terraces that you can like your lunch or apres-ski under the sun. Many of the so-called Pensions (larger B&Bs) recently improved to hotel standard, adding fitness services along the way. Catered ski lodging in Italy quite often comes with impressive cooking. Italian cuisine and in particular the various pasta meals are the ultimate skiing diet. Skiing There are several well known ski areas in Italy and many very large interconnected ski areas like the Milky Way composed of Cesana, Claviere, Sansicario, Sauze d'Oulx and Sestriere and presenting 400km of piste. The Dolomites Super Ski Area comprising Selva Val Gardena, Val Di Fassa, Folgarida, Madonna di Campiglio, Alta Badia, Arraba, Alleghe and Cortina has more than 1200 kms of pistes, but not all interlinked. Regardless of whether you're a skiing newbie or a professional skier, you will in all probability acquire slopes to cater for your needs. Ski Housing Expense Ski accommodation in Italy is usually good value and mostly more cost effective than neighbouring France, Austria and Switzerland. Very cheap cost preference is frequently other possible traditional exclusive B&Bs and Pensions delivering half-board deals. Eating out is not high-priced and fine Italian food is easily available in many of the conventional eateries and mountain refuges. If you have dinner out at night you will need to budget £15 for dinner, £4 for a pint and £2 for a soft drink. Find to find your ski lodging in Italy. You finalize on single, quick request form, Your requirement is contributed with all appropriate and signed up ski accommodation companies. Managers can send a quote and you may select the one which may match you. Even if it is not ski housing in Italy. There are other ski destinations indeed, but to ski in Italy and to savour the food and ambiance of the country is more than enough to give the Italian slopes a try. |
Hello sir, how are things? Hope all is well, we haven't heard from you in some time.
David C. Ride, Smile, Blink Slow www.motopoet.com | Instagram: @motopoet | Twitter: @themotopoet |
Farmington, New Mexico to San Diego, California
Yes, as per usual, here’s a video if you prefer not to read my dribble. After hanging out with Ben Rainchild of Green Chili Adventure Gear in Dixon, New Mexico, I headed back west and stayed in the same little town I stayed in going east. I really needed the rest because not only was my right elbow bothering me (which it had since Newfoundland), not my left shoulder and knee were giving me troubles, too. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0915-M.jpg The next day was a “positioning” day up to central Utah, but I did ride through Glen Canyon on the way there and it was spectacular. However, I did dodge some mean black clouds for awhile before losing the battle and catching myself in a hail storm. The entire southern part of Utah is canyons, buttes, arches, and monuments. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1505-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1507-M.jpg After stopping for the night in Hanksville, Utah, I veered southwest toward Capital Reef and Grand Staircase-Escalante. Wow! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1512-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1526-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1567-M.jpg I camped near Bryce Canyon and the next morning headed off to see even more stunning scenery. For Bryce Canyon, you’re up on top looking down, like from 10,000 feet. It was a cold but beautiful morning. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1548-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1542-M.jpg Afterwards, I headed to Zion National Park, but this time you’re actually riding through the canyon. Just awesome! (I didn’t take any photos, so the video above does better justice). https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....19%20PM-M.png After a couple of days in St. George catching up on admin (like laundry), I made my way over to Boulder City in Nevada. I stayed at the Boulder Dam Hotel, which has lots and lots of history, including building of the nearby Boulder (now Hoover) Dam. When the airlines opened up here, many famous people stayed here, including Bette Davis, the Vanderbilts, and Will Rogers. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1563-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1556-M.jpg I visited the dam (see video) and then took off to the Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada. Just more spectacular scenery. My jaw was hanging pretty low taking it all in. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1553-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1567-M.jpg The next two nights, I hung out in Sin City. One, just to take a break from riding, but also to rest my aching joints. Las Vegas is also a city that “never sleeps” and there is so much to see and do without ever seeing the inside of a casino. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1575-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1581-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1570-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1573-M.jpg From Vegas, I took the route recommended by the National Park Service to Death Valley. This was the Old Spanish Trail and then Badwater Road, which leads right through the valley to Badwater Basin, the lowest point in the U. S. at 282 feet below sea level, and the point of the highest recorded temperature in the world – 134F!! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1586-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1588-M.jpg There I met Leor and Domer from Israel who had been touring the U. S. for the last month. Great guys. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...20Valley-M.jpg The next two days were transit days and I stayed in Ridgecrest and then Visalia California. I was on my way back to Yosemite for the Horizons Unlimited meeting. I know I have mentioned this before, but if you want to immerse yourself in the culture of overlanding by motorcycle, this is the place to do it. Great people, great lectures and seminars, just great atmosphere. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1621-M.jpg Some new besties, Sarah and Ginamarie! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1598-M.jpg Lots and lots of motorcycles, everything from Urals to GSs. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1623-M.jpg From Yosemite, I headed west to the coast going through Monterey, where I attended the postgraduate school there back in the early 2000s. Not much had changed – Monterey was still as beautiful as ever. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1632-M.jpg That night, I stayed in Morro Bay. It’s a small fishing town with a huge rock in the middle of the bay called Morro Rock. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1641-M.jpg Next was a stopover with family in Redlands, California. Just a beautiful place with amazing sunsets. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1668-M.jpg And the next day I stopped in to see the folks at Riverside BMW for service. Best bunch of people ever! I chatted with Dan Schoo for a long while the bike was getting worked on. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0928-M.jpg These last couple of days I have been hanging out in San Diego finalizing all my preparations before entering Mexico. I cannot quite put my finger on it, but entering Mexico to me is different than hopping over to Canada. I am expecting a culture shift with great people, beautiful lands, and awesome food, but something about heading south makes me feel I really need to prepare for it. So, yes, sure, there are some special preparations – like getting insurance (my U. S. policy doesn’t cover me there), getting Pesos (20 to 1 exchange at the moment), getting all my documentation in order for all the border crossing, letting my bank know I am heading south, and so on. I am sure it’ll work itself out just fine, but nonetheless I am putting a lot of thought into it. So, that’s it for now. I am crossing the border tomorrow, September 30, 2016. Lessons learned: 1. So, some bike issues have presented. I’m on my 3rd set of brake pads now and had to replace the rear rotor (I am at 50K miles now). Seemed excessive to me but have been told by three dealers now that it’s normal. I also blew out a seal on the steering damper. For heading south, I am taking spare pads and an oil filter. Overall, maintenance on the BMW has been the biggest part of my budget. 2. I mentioned this in the last post, but I have been doing exercises related to the repetitive motion problems I have been having with my elbow and shoulder. I suppose I can’t emphasize enough the importance of exercising, and perhaps more importantly, stretching, to keep the aches at bay. It really has helped me. |
San Diego, California to Chetumal, Mexico
The video is presented first for those of you with that preference. I will tell you, though, for this episode the video is a bit different, and likely somewhat more substantial. In the video, there is less of a timeline perspective and more of a thematic outline. I suppose I should preface this by saying I could never do Mexico justice in my writing or video. From the time I entered Mexico at Tecate until the time I left 22 days later, I was blown away every single day by a friendly and welcoming culture, beautiful scenery, and amazing food. But, I’ll give it a try. After a couple of days in San Diego, I was ready and raring to get into Mexico, my third country after five months on the road. I had several “chores” to do before entering Mexico, such as buying some Mexico insurance online, hiding some cash about the bike, getting a fake wallet prepared, and ensuring my Open Street Maps were loaded and working on the Garmin. I decided to cross at Tecate as I’d heard it was not very busy, and it wasn’t. I was also shocked to learn that there is no one waiting for you on the Mexico side, you could literally drive right through and into the country and I’m sure no one would stop you. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0938-M.jpg But, knowing I need to get myself and my bike stamped in, of course I stopped. This is where I saw my first of many types of topes, evil little methods for slowing down vehicles. These turned out to be my least favorite, the bike always hopped nervously between the bumps, although I could always see these coming, unlike most of the topes in Mexico (which I talk about later). https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0934-M.jpg Stopping in at immigration and at the banjercito to get the bike permit, I quickly had to summon all the Spanish I’d learned, but they were friendly and helpful and patient and soon I made it through and was on my way. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0935-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0937-M.jpg My first stop for Mexico was Ensenada, a very touristy town a couple of hours south of Tijuana. The Spanish language, music, and taco truck smells filled the air and I knew I was finally in Mexico. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1707-M.jpg Ensenada had a cruise ship port visit feel to it with lots of small colorful shops selling a lot of useless stuff. I didn’t stay here long. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1708-M.jpg The next day, the goal was El Rosario, but I stopped off at La Bufadora just outside of Ensenada first. La Bufadora is a natural marine geyser, meaning that waves break into an increasingly smaller space and once a very high pressure is achieved, the water is blown up and out to 180 feet. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....58%20AM-M.png Ooops… couldn’t read the sign until I parked there… https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1710-M.jpg On the way to El Rosario, I experienced my first military checkpoint. By the time I left Mexico three weeks and a day later, I think I went through at least 15 military or police checkpoints. They were always courteous, friendly, and curious about my trip. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....46%20AM-M.png El Rosario is a tiny town famous at least two reasons: it’s the first checkpoint on the Baja 1000 and is home to Mama Espinoza’s, an awesome restaurant and hotel full of sorts of Baja memorabilia (Mama passed away last year). https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1723-M.jpg After El Rosario, it was time to cross back towards the Sea of Cortez for a stop at Bahia de Los Angeles. Along this route, I had my first taste of Baja Desert. This is also when the heat really started to climb and I was sweating bullets and drinking liters of water. Bahia de Los Angeles, as is all of the east coast of Baja, is beautiful, especially as you catch the sun rising. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1763-M.jpg MEX-1, which runs the length of Baja is a pretty good road. It zigzags across the peninsula, so each zigzag takes you up and over the mountains. In my opinion, the east coast of Baja is much more scenic. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1743-M.jpg The next few days took me through Santa Rosalía, Loreto, and finally La Paz, where I holed up waiting for the ferry. All of the towns in the Baja are unique and the vibes excellent. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1770-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1787-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1812-M.jpg No, this is not “the” Hotel California. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1843-M.jpg I will tell you, I was challenged on the some of the roads where construction was happening, particularly right outside of La Paz. There was a stretch of about 10 miles of this sandy, dusty crap. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....49%20AM-M.png Waiting for the ferry was bad planning on my part, really, as I’d wanted to take the ferry to Tolopobompo, which is supposed to run daily, but it was all booked up. The ferry to Mazatlán is longer, but only runs three times a week, and is a bit more expensive. So, I ended up staying in La Paz for four days (I didn’t want to leave after only one day in La Paz). It was a nice resort place, but only about $40 a night. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1829-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1837-M.jpg Next was the ferry over to Mazatlán, where I booked a cabin for about $50 for the overnight sailing. The total time onboard was about 16 hours, so it was well worth it to have a place to hang out. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....36%20AM-M.png https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0958-M.jpg The next several days were a blur as I visited Durango, Zacatecas, Guadalajara, Guanajuato, and then finally Pátzcuaro. These cities, all modern and most large, share several common attributes: Lots of motorcycles, mainly 125cc, https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2175-M.jpg |
a main square with at least one elegant church,
https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2169-M.jpg lots of people walking around, smiling, and having a good time, https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2146-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2163-M.jpg great food (that’s Mole on the left, a chocolaty chili sauce), https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0979-M.jpg and a really positive vibe that you can feel. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2157-M.jpg I absolutely loved visiting and hanging out in these cities. I just wish I’d more time. In Pátzcuaro, I met up with an old shipmate at her house there. Pátzcuaro is an arts scene full of vibrant colors and open air markets. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2097-M.jpg I took a morning while staying in Pátzcuaro and visited nearby Tzintzuntzan, where I found another cool church and some ruins dating back to the 12th century. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2126-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2117-M.jpg The next few days, I went through Puebla, just east of Mexico City, Oaxaca, Tenuantepec, and then San Cristobal. Again, all of the cities were exceptionally beautiful, full of colonial architecture, and smiling, happy people. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2073-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2016-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2061-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2040-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2034-M.jpg In San Cristobal, I ran across a pair you might know… Ed and Rachel. We had dinner, some laughs, and then some chocolate that I think gave me an orgasm. Ed checking out someone’s handiwork. Rachel guiding us to dinner… https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2240-M.jpg Gorging on delicious chocolate… https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...0988%202-M.jpg Next, I made my way to Palenque, site of some decent ruins, where I walked around in the jungle heat for a couple of hours. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2249-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2253-M.jpg Finally, I arrived in Chetumal, a staging point for crossing into Belize. I spent 22 days in Mexico and I could honestly say I would live there in an instant. The people are amazingly friendly, the culture vibrates all around you, the food is excellent (although a bit fattening for me), and is as diverse in landscape as any place I’d ever been. Interestingly, much of Mexico (mainland) lies on a plateau rising between two and eight thousand feet, so in my trip across the country in October it was quite cool. It is hardly some hot, dry desert country. Lessons learned (I talk about them in the video a bit more, too): 1/ Mexico is a wonderfully inviting place full of friendly people, beautiful scenery, and great food. Stay away from the tourist areas, like Cabo, Mazatlán, and Cancun, and Mexico is also very cheap to travel around in, about one-half to one-third the costs in the U.S. 2/ Driving in Mexico is an odyssey. They have several different customs, shall I say, that took some getting used to. 1) The speed limit signs are ignored for the most part as far as I could tell; 2) topes… they are everywhere and most are not marked. It’s the quickest way to bite your tongue off if you’re not paying attention that I know of; 3) You will encounter animals being tended alongside and in the road nearly everywhere you go; 4) Cuota (toll) roads are great and fast, but expensive; 5) people will indicate it is OK to pass them with a left-hand blinker – are they turning or telling you it’s safe… ? Usually context provides this answer; 5) in some places the lane to turn left through an intersection is actually in the far right lane – confusing as hell, just pay attention to the signs; 6) In towns near topes you’d often find people asking for donations or handing out pamphlets. This just slows things down a bit; 7) Stoplight entertainers and windshield cleaners are everywhere; 8) Yes, I think dogs might outnumber people in Mexico, and they all live beside or in the road…; 9) I encountered demonstrators blocking the road three times – once, I was rerouted through a town with burnt out buses, once, I managed to slip through the trucks that gave me just enough space, and once, I had to pay 50 pesos (about $2.50USD) to pass. In no cases did I feel in danger or threatened; 10) I skipped the state of Guerrero – too many warnings from the locals (and the US State Department). There were stories (from the locals) about severed heads in the streets of Acapulco now that the town is no longer on the gringo tourist trail. I could be all wrong about this, but I went (or didn’t go) where the locals suggested; and last, 11) Military/Police checkpoints are everywhere. I think I went through at least 15 crossing Mexico. They were always polite, even friendly, and sometime curious about my trip. No worries here – they are mostly young kids and trying to make Mexico safer. 3/ Learn the language!! I found in every case where I tried to speak Spanish, I would see the other person light up, take a pause, and in turn, get much more receptive to my communication, even helpful, even if my Spanish was horrible. I said frequently, “Yo creo que puedo entender si hablas mas despacio” and always got a smile. (I believe I can understand if you speak more slowly). I learned a great deal of Spanish before I left, but I still have more to learn. I learned a lot of slang terms in Mexico, too, like chela for beer, and ¿Qué ondo?, for what’s up. I got chuckles every time I used those, but they understood. 4/ Open Street Maps for Garmin. They worked great for me almost 100% of the time. And they are free!! |
Hi Brent,
Another great report, thanks for sharing. Hopefully you feel better before too long, and on to the next part of the adventure |
Chetumal, Mexico to Panama City, Panama
As I like to do, here’s both a video and a write-up of my adventure through Central America. Actually, in this episode, the blog and vlog go best together, kind of like peas and carrots. I did not give myself enough time in Central America. I had three weeks almost to the day to visit seven countries. See, I had a date with the Stahlratte to cross the Darien Gap that I had booked many months before, so I carefully laid out a plan to get the most out of each country in the limited time I found myself with. Crossing the border from Mexico was painless enough except that I was missing the receipt for my tourist visa. And it didn’t matter that I had a tourist visa either. So, off I went to the banjercito to pay (again?). https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1010-M.jpg Anyway, once in Belize the first thing I noticed was much more expensive it was than Mexico, nearly twice as much! But, I settled into a hotel in Orange Walk and had a few Billikens. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1001-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1002-M.jpg After a terrible night’s sleep interrupted by nearby dogs barking and being right next to a busy street, I headed off to San Ignacio in the western part of the country. I learned that almost all of Belize’s income is derived from tourism and sugar cane, and since I was travelling away from the ocean, I witnessed a lot of poverty. But, San Ignacio is a cool, touristy town situated on the edge of the Guatemalan jungle. All manner of folks seems to come through here on their way to other points. I spent two nights there relaxing and gathering myself for the border crossing with Guatemala. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2268-M.jpg The ride to the border was a short one and before I knew it (less than 10 minutes), the bike and I were stamped out of Belize. After getting the bike fumigated, I was in and out of Guatemalan immigration and customs in under an hour. My first stop in Guatemala was Tikal, the site of some ancient Mayan ruins. It was hot and humid that day, and the mosquitoes were terrible, but the 30-minute hike into the jungle was totally worth it. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2277-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2273-M.jpg One thing I noticed about Central America was the scale in terms of size. I easily drove across Belize in a day (east to west), and visited Tikal and made my way to Flores in Guatemala by 2PM in a day. These countries are simply much smaller than the U. S. and Mexico (duh!). You do travel slower, however, with the traffic, small towns, and people congestion on the roads. I think my overall average through Central America was at best 40mph (70kmh). I stayed on Isla de Flores in northern Guatemala, only an hour or so from Tikal. It was all very modern and a welcome change from the Belize I visited. It’s also neat because the island is surrounded on all sides by Islote Santa Bárbara. Next, I headed south through eastern Guatemala to Rio Dulce. During this ride, I noticed a sharp, persistent headache pain behind my eyes. I’d never had this kind of headache before. What the heck? But, the scenery was nice with rolling green hills, so I just started slurping water thinking I was dehydrated. Rio Dulce is an up and coming touristy area along Lake Isabel. I stayed in a really nice hotel overlooking the lake. That night, I started to think I may be getting a cold with a bit of a fever and a slight cough. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...0%281%29-M.jpg The next day, I headed back west to Antigua, a very touristy town definitely on the gringo trail. I booked for a couple of nights to relax and take a day trip up to Lake Atitlan. That night, I walked right into some huge celebration where everyone was lighting paper balloons. It was quite the site! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2314-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1033-M.jpg That night, I was feeling much worse, with a noticeable fever, body aches, and now a rash! A rash? Oh no. What is going on???? I got on Google to see if I could find what was up. All indications pointed to something like Dengue. I knew I had been eaten alive at Tikal by mosquitoes, so decided to put Lake Atitlan on hold and go see a doctor the next day. He ordered some blood work, which thankfully all came back negative for Dengue and “thought” it was likely Zika, as they share symptoms (although Dengue, he said was much worse). https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1021-M.jpg So, I extended my stay a couple of days to get rest and drink plenty of fluids. The local pharmacy gave me a bunch of packets to mix with water that they said would help. I only got out of bed to go to the bathroom. Remember I said I did not plan enough time in Central America? Well, that time was getting shorter every day with me bedridden. Ugh! So, after four nights in Antigua, I decided I was feeling well enough to get back on the road and head for El Salvador. Big mistake. HUGE mistake. Within four blocks of my hotel, I rolled through a tight intersection and was t-boned by a lady in a SUV. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1036-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1035-M.jpg I just didn’t see the stop sign. Banged up the bike pretty bad, it threw me but I was OK (sore as hell the next day, but not so much as a scratch on me). The accident was totally my fault and I was not carrying insurance in Guatemala (not required). The lady called her nephew who spoke excellent English and we all waited for their insurance adjuster to arrive to assess the damage to her car. After 3 hours and paying $1000, I was on my way. I knew afterward I should not have been riding yet. I was still sick. On any other day, I would have been ten times more careful on the cobblestoned, tight streets of Antigua. In other words, I made a bone-headed mistake and am thankful there was not a worse outcome. So, with my El Salvador plans scrapped for the day, I punched in the nearest BMW dealer to get the bike checked out. There just so happened to be one in Guatemala City, which was just 45 minutes away. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1045-M.jpg They took me right in and got to work figuring out if the bike was OK. Meanwhile, I sat in the garage with a rubber mallet trying to fix both panniers into something usable. Turns out the bike was fine, but I did replace the mirror. I booked into a hotel in Guatemala City for two nights to rest some more, both from my pestilence and now the accident. More days gone and the Stahlratte is not altering their schedule for me… Damn! It was at this point, after losing a full week, that I realized that I have no choice now but to draw essentially a straight line between Guatemala City and Panama City, and move pretty quickly. With border crossings potentially eating up entire days, I was quite pissed on having to miss some things I knew I wanted to visit along the way. So, several cool places ended up being just a blur as I raced to get to Panama City: San Salvador and San Miguel in El Salvador, San Lorenzo in Honduras, Chinandega and Granada in Nicaragua, Liberia and Uvita in Costa Rica, David and Santiago in Panama. I was able to build up and store only a few memories from this whirlwind tour: -All of Central America is candy to the eyes – amazing scenery. -While San Salvador is as modern a city as any I’ve seen, I know I heard gunshots and screaming in San Miguel at 2AM… and it was very close to where I was sleeping. -Granada is an amazing town with lots to see and do -southern Costa Rica has more signs in English than Spanish https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2330-M.jpg In Panama, I booked into the Panama House Hostel. The place is recommended by Ludwig, the skipper of the Stahlratte. Not long after, several other folks taking the same trip showed and for several days thereafter we had a blast. But, that story is in the next episode. I plan to do one post just about the experience of the Stahlratte, starting in Panama City and ending in Cartagena, Colombia. Lessons learned: 1/ Border crossing are a pain, plain and simple, and you go through seven of them. To ease the process, I suggest the following: Do a little research to see what is required at the crossing – number of copies you need and of what, costs for immigration, fumigation, customs, order of things in the process, insurance yes/no?, to name just a couple. I’d tell you, but I think it changes from time to time. Show up early, smile, and be patient. You can get help for a couple of dollars, but be very careful you don’t let them fleece you – know the costs to cross! Here is an excellent resource from Shannon and Mike for each of the borders that will get you started: Border Crossing – S&M Boiler Works 2/ I never felt unsafe in the places I travelled. Actually, I should say, the most dangerous place is the road. Traffic is bad and unruly, and everything shares the road – people walking, people selling things, bicycles, animals, tuk tuks, cabs, cars, 18-wheelers, and 4.6 billion 125cc motorcycles. It really does keep you on your toes. I suggest paying attention to what’s ahead and try to ignore what’s behind you. Unfortunately, I think you do have be somewhat aggressive because everyone else is, otherwise it’s hard to get anywhere. |
Panama City, Panama to Cartagena, Colombia (via the Stahlratte)
Of course, here’s the accompanying video of this odyssey. As I understood it, while planning my trip, there were options to get me and my motorcycle from Panama City, Panama to Cartagena, Colombia. Why not just ride over, you ask? Well, owing to the marshy and dense jungle terrain, named the Darien Jungle, or Darien Gap, and lack of political support, there have been no roads to date constructed connecting North and South America. So, the options are you can ship via air or cargo ship, or like Dylan Wykham, convert your motorcycle into a power plant for a self-built raft. And, I’m sure some adventurous souls also have traversed the Darien Gap via motor-vehicle, but not me! For me, I chose the Stahlratte. The Stahlratte is a 110-foot, Dutch-constructed schooner built as a fishing vessel. It was first put to sea in 1903. Yes, that means this boat is well over 100 years old. But, don’t let that fool you into thinking it’s not seaworthy. It’s been very well kept over the last century. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....44%20AM-M.png https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....51%20AM-M.png For the last several years, it’s been operating under a German flag as a ferry between Panama, Colombia, Cuba, and Mexico, and because it has a large deck and spacious accommodations, it can carry several passengers and motorcycles (for my trip, we had 24 people and 19 motorcycles onboard!). The vessel is crewed by Captain Ludwig (affectionately known as LuLu and quite the character), and three volunteer deck hands. Here’s my experience from the days leading up to the sailing from Carti, Panama to finally setting off on my own in Cartagena. In all, it took six days to get me and motorcycle to from Panama to Colombia and cost me 200EUR plus $980USD. First, I booked my crossing several months in advance, nearly six-months if I remember correctly. I started at their website: Stahlratte There, you’ll find an email link to Captain Ludwig. Captain Ludwig is quite responsive via email, despite being underway most of the time. I booked the latest trip scheduled for the year, which was November 14, 2016. To book my passage, I had to PayPal a 200EUR deposit to the Stahlratte. Simple enough, I thought, and now I had a reservation. About three weeks out from sailing, Captain Ludwig emailed me asking me for copies of all of my paperwork – passport, registration, title, and driver’s license. He also asked if I would want insurance in Colombia and for how long. One of the perks of taking the Stahlratte, and a service you no doubt are paying for as part of the fare, is that he handles all of the steps of the “border crossing” for you. He arranges stamping you and the bike out of Panama, and handles all the immigration, customs, and insurance on the Colombia side. This was a very welcome relief from doing all of that myself through the seven Central American countries I just traversed. He also asked that I email a copy of the Panama import document once I crossed into Panama. About ten days from sailing, I received another email from Captain Ludwig explaining how the embarkation would go. I was surprised at this point because the bike loading actually occurs one day prior to sailing, or November 13. But, that was OK I figured, I did not have a lot of time to burn, but I could make it to Panama City by that weekend (Friday was November 11). Also in his email, he provided instructions on how to get to Carti, about three hours from Panama City, suggested where to stay in Panama City (the Panama House Hostel), and said he’d have lunch waiting for everyone after we were picked up by small boat and ferried to the Stahlratte after we arrived in Carti. My excitement was growing rapidly at this point (I was still in El Salvador at the time). I’d read so many ride reports about the Stahlratte and I was less than two weeks away from doing it myself!! Next, I booked a room at the Panama House, which is located in central Panama City. I reserved a private room with shared bathroom for $35/night for the weekend. They also have dorm rooms for $18/night. I made my way south over the next several days and finally made it into Panama City on Friday, November 11. I had to go through very heavy Panama City traffic to the hostel, and of course, it was raining cats and dogs. I was the third bike there after friends I’d been following all through Central America. Parking is secure. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1103-M.jpg I think this was the best decision I made during this crossing – getting to the hostel early to hang out with some people who ended up becoming some of my best friends during this shared adventure. The Panama House Hostel is a cool little dive with great food and vibes, and a very affable staff, but very poorly managed regrettably. I had booked a private room, but was informed one day prior that they had overbooked. They asked if the dorm was OK with me or if I would like a private room in a nearby hotel, which they would book for me at the same price. I said nothing and after arriving did not want to leave after meeting up with my fellow riders, so I settled on the dorm (for the first night, the next day, I moved to a private room). If you only knew how loud Scott Pfeiffer, one of my new friends, snores, you would understand. We all had an absolute blast for two days and nights, drinking into the wee hours getting to know each other, and exploring Panama City during the day as a group. We really, really bonded. I loved every minute of it. Again, I think it is totally worth getting to Panama City a couple of days early to hang out and relax. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1113-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1101-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1104-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1107-M.jpg ---Day One--- So, the day came to head to the Stahlratte, Sunday, November 13, and we decided we would all travel as a group. Even that was great fun, even though it started out a bit frustrating. A local, who had been following one of the group on Facebook, offered to guide us on his motorcycle to the highway leading to Carti. We agreed, and he proceeded instead to take us on a 20mph tour of Panama City. My GPS kept saying to turn in the opposite direction he was going. After he made a U-turn at one point, we all stopped, said forget that, and all drove in the direction our GPSs said to go. Adios and thanks, amigo! Panama is situated east-west, but the highways are still labelled north-south. Once we were finally on the Pan-American Highway heading “south,” we settled into a group formation, with every conceivable type of bike – BMWs, KTMs, a VStrom, and even a Honda 250 – and that was a blast, too!! A couple of hours later, we reached the turnoff toward Carti. This road, only about 25 miles long, twists through the Panamanian jungle to the sea and takes over an hour to cover. The road is not great, but it is all asphalt. It has some serious curves and steep inclines, and with the corrugations can really give your ABS a workout, especially in the corners. I nearly overshot a curve because the bike refused to slow down over the undulations. Along the way, you enter lands governed by the indigenous Kuna people. There, you are stopped and have to pay $20 per motorcycle and $3 per person to pass. They were very nice and curious. Finally, you’re up on top of the mountains and you can see the ocean off in the distance. Not long afterward, after still countless more curves and up and downs through the jungle, you reach Carti where the asphalt runs out for the last half-mile or so. And there, waiting as promised at anchor right in front of you, is the mighty Stahlratte, it’s diesel engine exhaust filling the air with thunder. I was fist-pumping with my riding mates as we’d all dreamed of this day for so long. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2356-M.jpg After several other riders showed up, a member of the crew approached us and directed us onto the pier, all in single line. There, we waited thinking the Stahlratte would come alongside and take our bikes. Instead, we unloaded our bikes, all panniers and bags, into a smaller boat that ferried our stuff to the boat. Then, with our bikes still on the pier, we were all shuttled to the Stahlratte for lunch. Before leaving the pier, I switched on my GoPro attached to the bike to capture the loading. This, I learned after, was pointless as the tide was low and the Stahlratte would not load the bikes until the following day. So, why were we here today? https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2375-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2357-M.jpg Once onboard, we were greeted by LuLu, and fed, we were assigned bunks. There is more than enough room for everyone, including for couples who share double-sized bunks. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2375-M.jpg We were then taken off the Stahlratte via small boat to one of the nearby islands, maybe 30 minutes away, where we’d stay for the night in Hotel Porvenir. There was nothing on this island but an airstrip and an open-air hotel, but they did have cold beer! We relaxed for the evening in hammocks while chatting, wondering about our bikes and what the Stahlratte was up to. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1118-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1123-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1124-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1125-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1128-M.jpg ---Day Two--- The next morning, maybe an hour after we’d been told we’d be picked up, a small boat arrives to take us back to the Stahlratte, which had been out of sight this whole time. There, we discovered our bikes onboard, lashed and covered in tarps topside. We ate another meal and got underway to yet another island further out amongst the San Blas Islands. We anchored amongst some other yachts on a very tiny island. We spent the day swimming, snorkeling, and exploring the tiny island. The San Blas Islands are truly magnificent and beautiful and I felt like I was on a vacation. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2388-M.jpg That night, we had a bonfire where Ludwig cooked lobsters bought from the local Kuna folks, smothered in butter and garlic. It was delicious. That night we celebrated a couple of passenger birthdays. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2419-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2415-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2435-M.jpg ---Day Three--- We awoke still at anchor with plans to set off late that evening. So, we had another day of swimming, snorkeling, and swinging off a rope affixed to the boat into the water. We relaxed all day chatting, some of us starting to get a little bored. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2387-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2392-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....19%20AM-M.png But, that night, around 10pm, we finally got underway toward Cartagena. As a Navy guy, I really liked the feeling of being underway on the open ocean, so I stayed up well after everyone went to bed to watch the stars and feel the ocean air washing across my face. ---Day Four--- The entire day was spent steaming/sailing toward Cartagena. We were told we’d be arriving near midnight, but the expected time of arrival constantly changed with the changing winds (we had the sails up). So, we did what we’d done the last two days and just relaxed. Eventually, we arrived in Cartagena harbor around 11pm and dropped anchor. We then all headed off to bed. ---Day Five--- Sitting at anchor, we were all very happy to finally be in Cartagena. It’s a beautiful city, especially with our vantage point at anchor. We had another excellent meal and then were briefed by Captain Ludwig on what to expect next. He said that immigration was not completed yet and he highly doubted that immigration and customs would be completed this day. He told us all to go into town to find a place to stay for the night as the Stahlratte tour had “ended.” He then told us to come back at 2PM to collect our passports and bags/panniers. We all trudged off to find a hotel without our passports, or having been officially allowed to enter Colombia. The hotel I’d booked refused to accommodate me without my passport, so I waited in the lobby and across the street at a Burger King for hours until I returned to the boat. Well, when we returned, the passports had still not been stamped. Boo. We were told to return the following day at 1000 and everything should be in order. So, back to the hotel, where a new staff member was working and took a copy of my passport that I happened to have and let me to my room. Thank goodness. ---Day Six--- We all returned at the appointed time, but then waited for the small boat to ferry us out. When the crew showed up, they brought bad news – our passports still had not been stamped. That meant that customs processes could not start and so we were all waiting again. Half of us went to the Stahlratte to hang out. Eventually, by mid-morning we all had our passports and by 2PM, customs and the insurance folks showed up on the boat. By 3PM, we were good to go save getting the bikes off the Stahlratte. Shortly thereafter, we were underway again to a small shipyard about 10 miles away. We eventually tied up and the unloading of the bikes began, taking no more than about 30 minutes. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1162-M.jpg Even though the shipyard is only 10 miles away, it would later take us over two hours to return to Cartagena by road in heavy, rush hour traffic. On my return, I even got pulled over by the police for riding a motorcycle in Old Town (which is prohibited, but where my GPS took me). They were understanding and escorted me to the hotel. My overall impression of this adventure is very positive; despite the negative tone I may have used in the closing days. You do a lot of waiting around for things to happen and I think near the end we were all just ready to get on the road again. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1134-M.jpg For the positives: First, the logistics of getting a motorcycle across a “water” border I’m glad I had someone handle for me. Even with the delays at the end, I am so thankful Ludwig took care of all the details. Second, the camaraderie that I shared with my travelling companions I will never forget – these are the greatest people I’ve ever come to know and look forward to lifelong relationships with all of them. Third, everything about the Stahlratte is adventure – getting to it, exploring the San Blas Islands, sailing the ocean with your motorbike, entering a new country, and building great relationships. For these reasons alone, it was definitely money well spent. And the food – you will eat and drink to your heart’s content on this boat! So, just to close on the costs. As I mentioned, I paid a 200 Euro deposit for my slot. Once onboard, you are asked to pay the remainder. For me, I asked for two months of insurance in Columbia, so my balance was $980USD ($930 fare + $50 for insurance). Total cost roughly $1180. And the Stahlratte keeps the frig stocked, if you know what I mean. Beer and sodas are $1/each and they never ran out, even for me. Recommended? Absolutely. |
Cartagena, Colombia to Pasto, Colombia
In this episode, I spent six weeks exploring beautiful Colombia. Colombia is a gorgeous, safe, proud, first-world country full of incredible people and scenery. Much like my account of Mexico, I am sure I’ll not be able to do it proper justice. But, I’ll try. Let me begin by saying this post is a bit long. I spent nearly six weeks in Colombia and loved every minute of it. I consider it a first-world country, full of amazing scenery, culture, and people. I always felt safe in Colombia. In the end, I did not want to leave Colombia. So, here goes. Yep. You guessed it. It wouldn’t be an episode without a video to accompany my drivel. Now that I’d broken free from the Stahlratte with my moto, it was finally time to relax and take in Cartagena. Several folks from the Stahlratte, who I’d bonded quite closely with on the Stahlratte, and I shacked up in the Holiday Inn in the Boca Grande section of town. We took a couple of days to just go out and explore the city. The days included checking out the Castillo San Felipe de Barajas, a fort built in 1537 by Spain to protect their gold interests in South America. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1166-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2530-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2535-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2532-M.jpg We also visited the La Popa Monastery, which provides an amazing view of Cartagena from 150 meters atop a nearby hill. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2553-M.jpg And these huge boots… Los Zapatos Viejos. The bronze sculpture is dedicated to Colombian poet Luis Carlos Lopez. Apparently, he had written a poem called "A Mi Ciudad Nativa" (To My Native City) where he talked about missing Colombia so much after being away, he left his boots there. Here’s my friend Karen doing what all the tourists lined up to do. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2545-M.jpg Afterward, we walked around the Old City where I found a Willy Jeep converted into a coffee stand! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2563-M.jpg And a worn-out tourist… https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2564-M.jpg And some art? https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2567-M.jpg The Old Town really is beautiful, yet geared for tourists. And you can’t ride your motorcycle there!! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2572-M.jpg Finally, after several days in Cartagena, it was time to get back on the road and head to Santa Marta, north and east along Colombia’s Caribbean coast. Leaving Cartagena is a nice ride as you are moving along the ocean. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....24%20PM-M.png I was also very happy to learn that in Colombia, motorcycles do not have to stop at toll booths! You actually have your own bypass lane!! I never understood why exactly, but if I were to guess, I think it is because there are 4.8 gajillion small motorcycles here, and if they all had to stop at toll booths, the country’s traffic would probably grind to a halt. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....58%20PM-M.png Santa Marta is a nice touristy town, but I think not so much for Gringos. Instead, to me anyway, it seemed like the town was full of Colombian tourists. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2604-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2607-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2623-M.jpg Santa Marta is also beautiful because everywhere you look, you see the Sierra Nevadas rising all around you. Colombia is mountainous I am learning! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2634-M.jpg Next, I made my way up to Minca. Minca is a small village up in the Sierra Nevadas. It is surrounded by dense jungle and home to an artsy scene and to several backpacker hostels. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2591-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2589-M.jpg Here’s the view of Santa Marta from the hills near Minca. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2598-M.jpg Over the next three days, I headed inland, mostly in a southerly direction, and stopped in the town of Aguachica, the huge metropolis of Bucamaranga, and finally Barrancabermeja. These were more or less transit towns to get me to Medellín. So far, the roads in Colombia had been great. But, once while leaving Bucamaranga and once while leaving Barrancabermeja, I had my first tastes of how bad the roads could be. After Bucaramanga, I experienced my first road closure due to a landslide. Apparently, in November, the rainy season is winding down, but by this point everything Is saturated, so even the slightest rain can bring down the side of a hill right into the road. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2644-M.jpg Next, leaving Barrancabermeja, I decided on a shortcut back to the highway and the road, while certainly passable, was exciting as 1) the road wasn’t good, 2) there was heavy traffic, and 3) it was raining. Plus, I was only going about 30mph and my GPS was telling me this road went on for another 78 miles! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....13%20PM-M.png I’d been looking forward to Medellín ever since I read friends Neda and Gene’s account a year or more ago. I was also planning to spend some time here, at least two weeks, so I could take more Spanish lessons and get some repairs and service done on the bike. I rented an apartment on AirBnB all to myself in El Poblado, the part of town where most things are happening, or so I heard. Well, when I arrived, I was blown away. Medellín is a laid-back, huge, sprawling city nestled in the mountains. It’s at 5000 feet in altitude and, owing to its proximity to the equator, and being in a valley, has an excellent climate all year around. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2658-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2717-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1191-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1193-M.jpg |
With my Spanish school, I arranged some tours. First, the group went out into town to play Tejo, which is considered Colombia’s national sport. No not fútbol, or soccer, it’s Tejo. Tejo is a very old game, over 500 years old, somewhat like horseshoes in principle, where you try to get closest to the target. But, instead of a sand or dirt pit, heavy clay is used in Tejo’s pit.
https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2701-M.jpg Also, instead of horseshoes, you throw a heavy stone, called a Tejo (hence the name), trying to hit a metal ring in the center of the pit. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....46%20PM-M.png Now, here’s where it gets interesting. The metal ring is surrounded by small bits of paper inculcated with gunpowder. So, when a well thrown Tejo strikes the metal ring right where one of the bits of paper are, it goes off like a shotgun! (watch the video for this!) https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....32%20PM-M.png And to add a twist, the game is played while drinking alcohol, which is encouraged, haha. I had a lot of fun that night! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....45%20PM-M.png The next morning, I had arranged another tour out of the city to a town called Guatapé, about two hours east of Medellín. On the way, I stopped briefly to see La Iglesia Roca de Peñol, a church built almost entirely from a huge, free-standing stone. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2732-M.jpg The town of Guatapé is a cool artsy town with street performers and lots of color. Also, interestingly, is the town has preserved its history with art that has been incorporated into every building. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2808-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2752-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2800-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2810-M.jpg I also visited the La Piedra de Peñol (the rock of…). It’s a huge, monolithic piece of granite soaring into the sky with incredible views from the top. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2771-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2783-M.jpg No one is quite sure how this rock got here, because there is nothing like it anywhere close by. There are 675 steps to the top, I heaved through everyone considering the 7000ft altitude. It was worth it! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2781-M.jpg The next couple of weeks I spent taking Spanish lessons – they said I was advanced!! – relaxing, and seeing different parts of the town and surrounding areas. Yes, I loved it so much, I extended my stay here a week – I did not want to leave Medellín. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1189-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2909-M.jpg I also waited patiently as the local BMW dealer serviced my bike. I asked them to replace the panniers that were crushed during the accident in Guatemala, as well as the steering dampener, which gave out somewhere along the way. The hardest part about having to get new panniers was losing all of my stickers!!! Ughh… yeah, I am a sticker ho’. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1223-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2864-M.jpg I went out exploring another section of Medellín called Comuna 13. Comuna 13 was a battleground in the early 2000s between government forces, guerillas, paramilitary, and drug lords. It has a very bloody history. But today, the area has been revitalized with a new spirit as shown by its cool art scene that attracts a lot of tourists. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2839-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....02%20PM-M.png Well, it was finally time to get moving again. I honestly did not want to leave Medellín, but there were other places to see in Colombia. So, with sadness, I next headed to Jardín, an amazing small town hidden in another valley up in the mountains. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2915-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2928-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1250-M.jpg I also met up with Frank again who I first met on the Ferry from La Paz in Mexico. We then met again in Flores and Antigua in Guatemala, and then again in Panama City where we journeyed on the Stahlratte together. Central America is much like a funnel for those heading south. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2932-M.jpg While in Jardín, I decided to completely risk my life and go paragliding for a different perspective on Jardín. Wow, was I rewarded! Riding the wind was probably the most thrilling thing I have ever done in my life. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....43%20PM-M.png https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....39%20PM-M.png The following days were a just for transit and I first chose a nice quiet hotel outside of Cartago and then a place in downtown Cali. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2936-M.jpg I finally made it to Popayán for a couple of days. Popayán is mostly known for its old town which is called the “White City.” It was a cloudy day, but I enjoyed taking in the scenes. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2942-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2950-M.jpg My last stay in Colombia was Pasto, near the border with Ecuador. It happened to be over Christmas, and seeing I was by myself, I booked into a nice hotel for the weekend. I did not spend much time exploring, but Pasto is another of beautiful places along the Andes in Colombia. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2965-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1264-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2969-M.jpg I knew the day would come and when it did I was not ready. I did not want to leave Colombia. You know when you can feel positive vibes from people that you meet, it’s a good place. And I felt those positive everywhere I went in Colombia. It’s a place I know I’ll want to return to someday. So long, Colombia! Lessons Learned: 1) In Colombia, motorcyclists do not pay at toll gates, which there are a lot of. As directed by signage, you stay to the right and have your own lane to pass right through. 2) For the most part, I found the roads in Colombia to be excellent, and very, very scenic. Especially the main roads. Then again, I visited Colombia in November and December, which is the height of rainy season. Now, rain itself is not the problem, it what the rain causes – derrumbes, or landslides. Because Colombia is so mountainous, and almost all the roads go through the mountains, these landslides can quickly choke off traffic in both directions and there is rarely a detour. So, you have to wait. The good news is that Colombians are prepared and I always had a front loader showing up and clearing the road within a half-hour or so. 3) I’ve developed a scale in my head about the places I have visited. First, there’s the friendly and curious, which describes all of the places I have visited so far. Then, above that, are the inviting and welcoming countries, which I’ve only really felt in Mexico, Costa Rica, and now Colombia. But, now I have a new category for Colombia, above all the other categories – ambassadorship. Seems people in Colombia, at least most of the ones I met, are genuinely interested in you having a positive view of their country and go out of their way to show you and tell you about it. I mean that literally, they overtly want you to know about Colombia. I could only surmise this was due to the country’s turbulent, and recent past, but I bought it, all of it. And everything I heard turned out to be true in my mind, the country is awesome and the people of Colombia are friendly, curious, welcoming, inviting, and… great ambassadors! |
That's a crazy inspirational story man, I can't wait till I can follow in your footsteps (or biketrails).
Keep up the awesome travel and stories! |
Pasto, Colombia to Quito, Ecuador
In this episode, I finally made my way out of beautiful Colombia and into amazing Ecuador. Once there, Tracy catches up with me and, basing ourselves out of Quito for a month, explore together the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador and the Sacred Valley of Peru. Here ya go… the video if you prefer. It was hard leaving Colombia; I really love that country – very friendly and very beautiful. But, after six weeks there, it was time to move on. On the way to the border with Ecuador, I stopped to check out an amazing church built right into the valley – Las Lajas. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2976-M.jpg Getting out of Colombia was dead simple, and super-fast – I passed through immigration in less than two minutes and out of customs in less than five. Entering Ecuador was also simple, but there was a long line at immigration and I waited in the hot sun for over two hours to make my way through the queue. Gone finally were the harassing and tiring days of Central American border crossings. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1271-L.jpg The first thing I noticed about Ecuador was the scenery, along the Andes Mountains, and the excellent roads. The road surface was some of the best I had seen during my whole trip, including the United States! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....32%20PM-M.png I stayed in Ibarra the first night, which in and of itself is not that great a town. In a do-over, I would have stayed in Otovalo, which I actually visited later with Tracy. The next day I made my way into the sprawling city of Quito. Quito is the world’s second highest capital in elevation at over 2800 meters. It is also situated in a valley with amazing surrounding views of the Andes. There, Tracy and I rented an apartment for a month to base ourselves out of as we visited the Galapagos Islands and Machu Picchu. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...1273%202-M.jpg The following day, Tracy arrived. I had not seen her since Seattle (four months ago!) and was excited to see her. After getting settled for a day, we went out exploring. First, we visited the Old Town in Quito, specifically the Plaza Grande de la Indepencia, with its Spanish Colonial architecture, including the Iglesia Santa Barbara and Catedral Metropolitana de Quito. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...1277%202-L.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2983-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2980-M.jpg We ended the day at El Penecillo, a huge statue of the Madonna made from aluminum overlooking Quito. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2993-M.jpg The next day, we hired a taxi for a tour of our own making. We first visited Quitsato, where a monument marks the actual equator (as opposed to some other more touristy areas where the marker is in the wrong place!). There is also a large sundial here that marks the equinoxes and seasons. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_3009-M.jpg In Otovalo, a town with a majority of indigenous people, we went shopping in their market where you could literally buy anything from TVs to chickens. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_3037-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_3027-M.jpg Their traditional clothing was also interesting. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_3038-M.jpg Just outside of Otovalo is the Cascada de Pechuge and after a short hike we were rewarded with some pretty cool scenes. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_3054-M.jpg On New Year’s Day, 2017, Tracy and I boarded a plane from Quito to the Galapagos Islands, a long-time dream of ours as scuba divers. We stayed in the town of Puerto Bazquerizo in San Cristobal for a couple of days to hang out waiting for our cruise to begin. We chose the Expedition Yacht Galaven. Resting right along the equator, the temperature was amazing ranging from a high of 75 to a low of 72, and the views of sunset were spectacular. And the town had several residents that loved lounging wherever. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_3066-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_3115-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_3120-M.jpg Here was our home for eight days. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....05%20AM-M.png From which we toured the islands. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...V/0/M/8B-M.jpg The Galapagos Islands were formed by volcanic eruptions and are mostly covered with lava flows, especially in the low lands. The western-most islands are relatively young, at less than 500,000 years old, and the volcanoes are still active. The highlands, between 500-1500 meters, are covered in dense, rich jungle. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_3125-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_3147-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_3156-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_3184-M.jpg For the next eight days we visited six different islands, making land excursions and going snorkeling on most of them. The Galapagos, of course, offers a unique perspective on evolution as most of the species there are endemic, meaning they exist nowhere else on the planet. And because of the unique, and isolated, environment, and differences in similar species on different islands, Darwin was able to develop his theory of evolution based upon his travels there on the Beagle in the 1830s. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_3194-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_3223-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_3260-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_3280-M.jpg The most notable of these species are the giant tortoise, marine iguana, and flightless cormorant. Still, Galapagos, as a National Park of Ecuador, is teeming with all kinds of wildlife, both above and below sea level, including penguins, frigate birds, sea turtles, hammerhead sharks, and sunfish. A particularly interesting species included the Blue Footed Boobie, which would dive bomb the ocean in groups to catch their prey. There are also several breeding centers scattered throughout the islands to ensure these precious few species continue to thrive. |
https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_3300-M.jpg
https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_3324-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_3332-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_3311-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_3439-M.jpg We saw so much wildlife that we were always guessing what each creature was. A running joke was that if we said, “That is probably an ‘Endemic, Darwin, Galapagos, Lava <fill in the blank> species.” And, funnily enough, we were often right, haha. We even celebrated Tracy’s birthday onboard one night! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1288-M.jpg After the island tour, Tracy and I stayed behind on Santa Cruz Island for several more days, to relax, and more importantly, to go scuba diving. We booked with a local dive operator on Santa Criz Island and loved every minute underwater. Lots and lots of big animals including Hammerhead, White Tip, and Black Tip Sharks, Sea Turtles, Mobula and Eagle Rays, sometimes schooling, and Galapagos Sea Lions. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....44%20AM-M.png https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....40%20AM-M.png https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....23%20AM-M.png After Galapagos, we returned to our apartment in Quito for just a day, not even 24 hours. The next morning, we were back at the airport headed to Machu Picchu. It truly was a trains, planes, buses, and automobiles journey – we flew from Quito to Cusco, via Lima, then hired a taxi for the two-hour ride to Ollantaytambo, where we then caught a train to Aguascalientes (there is no road). In Aguascalientes, we then took a bus up to Machu Picchu on a perfectly sunny day. If you go, make sure you take your hiking boots because you do a lot of walking, but the views are spectacular!! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li.../0/M/MP1-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_3704-M.jpg I was also very impressed by how things moved around Aguascalientes as there were no roads – these guys moved everything via wheelbarrow up some very step hills. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_3687-M.jpg After Machu Picchu, we made our way leisurely back home (to Quito). We stayed in Ollantaytambo for a night and then Cusco for two nights. Both of these towns are of Incan origin laced with Spanish Colonialism. We didn’t want to leave as the vibrations here, the connection with Mother Earth, are incredible. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_7124-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1356-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_3695-M.jpg We also stopped off at Mayas, near Cusco. These concentric pits were built by the Incans, so it is supposed, as a laboratory to determine the best places to grow crops. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1348-M.jpg We finally made it back to Quito after missing our connection in Lima and went out exploring for another day before Tracy headed back to Seattle. First, we took the Telerifico (a cable car) up a nearby mountain at nearly 4000m. Again, we had perfect weather and the views of the surrounding Andes, the volcanos, and valley below where Quito resides were amazing. I even broke out the drone. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_7863-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_7316-M.jpg Next, we visited the Casa del Hombre, the home and museum of a famous Ecuadorian Artist by the name of Guayasamin. No pictures were allowed inside, but two quotes really caught my eye, the first of which inspired Guayasamin, but was an old Chinese proverb: https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....24%20PM-M.png “I cried because I had no shoes until I saw a child that had no feet” And, believing he would return after his death: https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....36%20PM-M.png “Maintain the light lit because I will always return.” Guayasamin’s art was about the horrible conditions about which cultures went through to finally find peace, and preached (he was not a preacher) that peace is within us. Very moving. After more than a month, it was time for Tracy to head back to Seattle. I waited for four months, since leaving Seattle myself, to see her again and it hurt like hell to say goodbye again. The impression that leaps into my head about the Galapagos is of a place the Ecuadorians are working very hard to protect. Rightfully so, I think, because the natural beauty and ecological significance is hard to put a value on. It really is a wondrous place, even UNESCO named it a World Heritage Site owing to its unique biodiversity. So, too, is the Sacred Valley of Peru, which is also labelled a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Highlighted by the remarkable archaeological and cultural accomplishments of the Incas, and the torrid history of the mixing of South American and Spanish peoples, represent yet another magical place on Planet Earth worth visiting. The peoples’ pride in these places is abundant everywhere you go. One last note… although we only spent about 7 nights in Quito, we got really lucky the first night Tracy arrived with a taxi driver that ferried us around whenever we needed a lift for the next month. We must have spent a full day in his car riding to and from all the sites we saw in and around Quito, as well as taking us around for errands. We struck up a good friendship with him as we tried to enhance our understanding of each other’s languages. We will miss you, Edison. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_4958-M.jpg |
Quito, Ecuador to Tacna, Peru
In this episode, after a month exploring the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador and the Sacred Valley in Perú with Tracy, I set off to explore these two great countries by motorcycle. The two countries are side by side, yet so different in many ways. Keeping with the program, here’s a video version of this post. I spent a few days in Quito getting ready to get back on the road. This involved not only prepping the moto with service and taking care of a few logistics, like laundry, but also getting my mind ready again. After a month living in relative comfort and safety, I knew I needed to reflect on the miles and places ahead. So, to start, I planned a short day’s ride to Baños. I soon discovered, though, that the roads and scenery in Ecuador were top notch. Seriously, these were some of the best riding roads I’d experienced since Mexico. Baños is an amazing town a couple of hours south of Quito along the PanAmerican highway. It is surrounded by mountains and waterfalls, which were visible even from my hostel. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2768-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_3848-M.jpg While in town, I signed up for a 4-hour tour on one the Chivas (an open top bus), stopping in at all the major waterfalls, including the Cascada del Diablo, an absolutely huge chute of water. I also tried some ziplining. It’s stopovers like this where I feel more like a tourist, but I did enjoy my first easy day back on the bike! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_3836-M.jpg The following day however, tested me. It was a wet ride through the mountains and I was cold and shivering in the fog. Cuenca is another in a long line of colonial Spanish cities, and one of the first I’d seen in a while that was clean and orderly. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_3895-M.jpg The churches in Cuenca were the first I’d seen that were painted hues of blue – very pretty. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_3657-M.jpg It was in Cuenca that I also I had my first thoughts of getting to Ushuaia. I think it was the cold and wetness of riding here that got me thinking about several friends who were just making it to Ushuaia and telling me it was cold, windy and wet there! Ecuador is not that large a country and in less than a week, I found myself at the border town of Macará. It was another day of riding through heavy fog and cold. But, I happily ran into another adventurer, David, from Germany, heading north to Prudhoe Bay. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_9735-M.jpg I also met Betty and Beat from Switzerland, who have been travelling for a couple of years now in their Overland Toyota. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_3913-M.jpg From my hostel in Macará, I could see the mountains in Perú through rainy mist. My border crossing experience entering Perú was not ideal, but still better than those I experienced in Central America. The one immigration person was asleep and had to be rousted and the one aduana agent had to finish his breakfast first. Haha. When I entered Perú, they were getting massive rains in the north, which made for not only a wet and cold day, but a very muddy one as well. It made the roads quite hazardous and I saw two buses overturned on the side of road. I finally made it to Chiclayo, but even that town was suffering from massive flooding. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....02%20PM-M.png https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....23%20PM-M.png The next day, I finally had decent weather and the desert, mountain, and ocean all came together in a beautiful landscape. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_8806-M.jpg I ran into Mark from Saskatchewan and Don from New Hampshire and we ended up riding together for a bit. We stayed together in Chimbote and then split up the following day as I peeled off into the Miraflores section of Lima. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_5552-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0097-M.jpg Don did pick up a nail somewhere and got a flat, but just a mile away was a tire shop. This guy had us in and out in less than 30 minutes. Miraflores is a wonderful neighborhood, super modern, clean, and family oriented. It’s a place I could live tomorrow and I didn’t want to leave. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1814-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_3928-M.jpg While in Miraflores, I watched the Superbowl on Spanish ESPN. I was very disappointed they did not have any funny or entertaining commercials on the Spanish version. In southern Perú, I stopped in for a couple of days in Nazca – and it was HOT! Turns out the Atacama Desert starts in southern Perú and stretched half way down Chile. Nazca is famous for huge line art drawing on the desert floor. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_3948-M.jpg The drawings are huge, of uncertain origin, and 2000 years old. Most peculiar among them is a figure that looks eerily like an astronaut. I took an airplane up to check them out. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_7393-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_4126-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_4121-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_3997-M.jpg In Arequipa, I came down with my second bout of a stomach bug, which is the absolute worst travelling on a motorcycle. For several days I could not be more than 5 feet from a toilet. But, Arequipa is yet another beautiful Spanish colonial town surrounded by three volcanos. Also, all the old buildings, including the large church in the square and a monastery, were all built with white volcanic rock. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_3665-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_6068-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0766-M.jpg My last town by motorcycle in Perú was Tacna, a hot, deserty border town. And yes, the traffic was a bad here as it had been throughout Perú. My overall impressions of Ecuador and Perú are very positive. In Ecuador, the roads are great and clean and the drivers are good, just the opposite in Perú. But, in both countries, the scenery is beautiful and the people engaging and friendly. I ate something bad both in Ecuador and Perú, still not sure what, that sidelined me for several days each time. Maybe it was these? https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....44%20PM-M.png Lessons Learned: 1) Ecuador is a great country for motorized vehicles of any sort. The highways are immaculate, well-maintained, and fast. And gasoline is the cheapest I’ve found during my whole trip, about $1.75/gallon for the good stuff. 2) One thing I noticed in Perú was, what I think, it is full of the world’s worst drivers! You really have to be on your toes there. People there see two lanes painted on the road and try to fit five lanes wide of traffic into them. It’s very chaotic. They also use a horn blasting system that I never figured out, but it’s a constant and distracting cacophony. And the buses… OMG! The buses simply go where they want and everyone else just has to get out of their way. There’s another dangerous habit I witnessed. The stoplights have a visible countdown timer and people routinely time their sprint from the lights ahead of this timer, like with a second or two left, they take off. Meanwhile, people also maximize their green lights squeezing through even after the light changes to yellow. Why I never saw an intersection collision is beyond me. |
Tacna, Peru to Ushuaia, Argentina
In this episode, I traverse the length of Chile, cross into Argentina and make my way to “El Fin del Mundo,” the end of the world. The further south, the colder and windier it got, but after arriving in Ushuaia, I was overcome with emotion. Why stop with the videos now? So, here you go. My first stop after crossing the border was the coastal town of Iquique… it was fun riding down through the mountains and into the dunes along the coast. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....33%20PM-M.png But, to get there, I had my first taste of Chilean roads, just south of the border. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....51%20PM-M.png Although northern Chile forms part of the Atacama Desert, the scenery along the oceans was brilliant. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_9664-M.jpg Next, I stopped in Antofagasta and Copiapó, and then La Serena, which is another city along the coast. As I mentioned, the coastline dominates most of Chile. What’s interesting about Chile is that at its widest point (West to East), it’s only 240 Km wide. As you travel south, you have the ocean of your right and the mountains on the left, the whole way down the length of Chile. I stopped in Concepción for the night, but really didn’t see much. My hostal was away from the city center and the ocean, so I took a couple of days off to work on the blog. A highlight of the trip was stopping at Casa Matte’s in Santiago, a moto-oriented hostal in the heart of the city. I had good fun hanging for several days with Frank and Scott, who I’ve met several times during my trip. And Karen and Brian also joined us… all Stahlratte alumni! It also gave us all a chance to work on our motos. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_4201-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_4230-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_4180-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_9836-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_1801-M.jpg I made way over to Pucón on several folks’ suggestions. Pucón is known as the adventure capital of Chile. It’s a large area filled with mountains, volcanos, and includes Chile’s second largest lake. There, I stayed at MotoCamp Chile, but after some serious downpours, it was sort of a muddy mess. Still, seeing other overlanders on their motorcycles gathering in one place is always a thrill. I even ran into Bryan and Karen again, who I’d first met on the Stahlratte last November. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_8303-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_4239-M.jpg I left Pucón early and headed to Puerto Montt, where I had an impending date with one of the many ferries that get you from place to place in Patagonia. While in Puerto Montt, I took care of some laundry and restocking some supplies, and also took a trip out to Osorno Volcano, an 8,000-meter behemoth that many say resembles Mount Fuji. While hidden by the clouds during the ride there, I was rewarded once I neared the summit as the clouds gave way to sun, which provided amazing reflections off the ice-covered top. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_4259-M.jpg Puerto Montt reminded me a lot of Newfoundland. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_2552-M.jpg Next, I made arrangements to board the ferry. It’s mostly a cargo and passenger affair, so there were not many private vehicles. And as far as I could tell, I was the only motorcyclist. The ferry takes a circuitous route from Puerto Montt to Puerto Natales, a meandering 900-mile trip through the narrowest and most scenic places I’d ever seen – the Patagonian Fjords. I spent 4 days and three nights on a mini-vacation, chatting with my fellow travelers and taking pictures as the scenery scrolled by. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_3431-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_4286-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_4306-M.jpg In the end, I was glad I took the ferry from Puerto Montt to Puerto Natales. While, I could have taken the Carrera Austral, I really needed some downtime as I was growing quite tired of the day to day grind of moto travel. It’s not that I don’t like it, I do. I mean I really love this lifestyle. It’s just my mode has been one of constant movement for months on end and seeing my desire to get to Ushuaia was constantly in my thoughts, I was getting drained. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0198-M.jpg Arriving in Puerto Natales in southern Chile, again I was immediately reminded of scenes of Newfoundland, which makes sense as both places are roughly the same distance from the equator. It was a rainy and cold day and I began worrying about the absolute barrenness of southern Chile and Argentina. I made plans for a long ride across the continent to Rio Grande in Argentina, which meant taking a ferry and then crossing the southern border. After crossing on the ferry, I was officially in Tierra del Fuego. Tierra del Fuego is not attached to the South American continent, and as all areas of Patagonia is considered protected. Rolling hills, and violent winds, dominated the senses I continued riding south and east. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0978-M.jpg The road, actually the only road, connecting Chile and Argentina down to Ushuaia was about 50 miles of hard pack dirt with a little mud. I hooked up with a pair of riders, both on bikes I was surprised to see tackling these roads, a chopper and a big cruiser. One of them even had a bad off on the road, but they were great people. I arrived late in the night in Rio Grande, Argentina, which is only a few hours from Ushuaia, for a rest. It had been a long 12-hour day, but I was excited about the next day and reaching my goal of El Fin del Mundo. The next day, I took my time getting up and ready for the final push. As it turned out, the road was not as barren as I thought it would be, with small towns dotting the way south. The further south you go, the bigger the mountains become. Eventually, you reach a pass of 2000 feet or so and on the other side lies Ushuaia, where you are greeted by the really cool entrance signs to the town. There, I met Chris and John, who I had met the day before at the ferry crossing, and Frank, again. They decided to book into the same hotel as I, and as soon as we dumped our gear, we headed out to the national park sign marking the end of Ruta 3. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_9629-M.jpg I had been building up to this moment for nearly two years and when I saw the sign, I almost broke down, overcome by emotion. All of the area is a huge tourist attraction because it is jaw-droppingly beautiful. But, none of that mattered that day. After more than 10 months on the road, exploring North, Central, and South America, I had made it!!! Whew! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_4315-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_4319-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_4324-M.jpg Not long after, my mind turned toward home. I was ready. |
Ushuaia, Argentina to Miami, Florida
In this episode, I make a U-turn in Ushuaia and start my journey back to the United States along the long, straight, cold, and windy Ruta 3 in Argentina. In Buenos Aires, I make arrangements to ship my moto to Miami, familiar territory. And for those that prefer moving pictures… Ushuaia was cold and grey when I decided to mount up and head out. There was also lots of evidence of snow the night before. But, the euphoria of making it to Ushuaia still fueled my inner soul and I felt like nothing could ever stop me now. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....37%20AM-M.png As I made my way over the pass rising out of Ushuaia, I noticed I was getting closer and closer to the snowline… until I reached it, and then came head on into heavy snowfall. It was cold, too, right at the freezing mark, and I began to notice what looked like slick spots on the road. I eased my over one, and yes, with my front tire losing grip, I knew it was ice. Luckily the pass takes you over the mountain in less than 20 miles, so I crept along and before I knew it I was back out of the snow and onto clean roads again. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....03%20AM-M.png Rio Gallegos is really too far from Ushuaia to make in one day, especially considering the two border crossings and the ferry you have to take. So, I made my to Rio Grande and booked into the same hotel I had stayed in going south. From here, it was time and distance back to Buenos Aires, where I had a date set to ship my bike back to the U. S. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....31%20AM-M.png The following day to Rio Gallegos offered some excitement in the form of 30 miles of dirt road that was in the midst of getting some heavy rainfall. It’s the first testing road that I actually enjoyed, thanks no less, I am sure, to the pair of fresh Michelin Anakee Wilds (knobby tires) I was using. Lots of slick mud and deep washouts, but I had a absolute blast scooting along. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....14%20AM-M.png https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....29%20AM-M.png I also met Kyrol from Luoisiana at the ferry, who is the beginning of his big adventure through South and Central America. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_7409-M.jpg The next day to Comodoro Rivadavia was the longest day of my trip – 481 miles!! But, I knew Ruta 3 was a good road and pretty featureless, so I did not mind the miles. However, the wind is very strong and relentless, and the road is teeming with Guanacos, so at the end of the day I was exhausted. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....29%20AM-M.png I saw several adventure bikes still heading south along the way and wished them well with a big air fist bump. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....02%20AM-M.png Another long day in the wind to Las Grutas the following day. Las Grutas was finally warm, about 85F, which I was very thankful for, although deserted, which was strange to me as it appeared to be a well-appointed beach town. Oh well, I had the whole place to myself. I saw prices rise steadily as I headed north, especially when I reached Bahia Blanca, a huge, modern town in central Argentina. I had to dole out more than $100 for a night’s sleep – jeez! But, at this point, I had less than a week left in this part of the world, and I was only two days from Buenos Aires, so I found it easy not to let things bother me. I was happy to be back in civilization. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....37%20AM-M.png I decided to stop short of Buenos Aires in the town of San Miguel del Monte, about 2 hours to the south. San Miguel is a vacationing town along a beautiful lake and I really enjoyed getting a chance to relax and after several long days. I even washed the bike for the first time in months. I timed it to miss rush hour traffic in Buenos Aires, but the traffic was still very heavy. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....39%20AM-M.png Eventually I made it to Sandra and Javier’s house, home of Dakar Motors, a shipping agent. There I handed over all the required paperwork and went through the process of getting the bike ready for shipping. The moto would go on an airplane from Buenos Aires to Miami. I met several other bikers there who were all at the end of their journey, including Klaus I has crossed the border into El Salvador with. The following day I had to take the bike to the cargo area of the airport, but first I had to burn off nearly a half a tank of gas I’d so poorly thought out not to fill in the first place. The moto had to be empty, or nearly so, or it wouldn’t pass checkpoint through customs or with the airline, we were warned. But, I managed a loop outside of town and got to the airport right on time. The process was pretty quick to get the bike ready – remove the windshield and mirrors, deflate the tires, disconnect the batteries, and stuff all of my riding gear into the empty panniers. The panniers were empty because only the bike, tools associated with the bike, and riding gear could be shipped. Which meant everything from my tent to clothes would have to be checked with the airline when I was scheduled to fly out. The whole process took about four hours, including getting the go-ahead from the Aduana. Oh, and I had to weigh the bike – with just the bike and my riding gear and tools, the bike weighed 301kg, or 663 lbs!!! Wow!! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0235-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0240-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0237-M.jpg The next day I ventured in Buenos Aires, by taxi, to pay at the shipping agents office. To ship the moto from Buenos Aires to Miami costs $1790. While in town, I took in the sites including the Casa Roja (Red), which is analogous to the White House in the U. S. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0246-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0244-M.jpg Saturday, March 11, 2017 was my last day in South America and I headed to the airport to catch my flight home. I say home, but I knew my trip wasn’t over just yet. I still had a little over two months to meander my way back to Seattle on the west coast. But, I was beginning to feel a flood of emotions about my trip and knew that in the coming months I would reflect on the trip quite a bit. I felt like I had accomplished something big, something that lots of folks dream about, and knew it would be important to really share everything about my experiences, which would take time. I finally arrived in Miami after a missed connection in Bogota around 3 in the morning. https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li...IMG_0249-M.jpg I was exhausted and needed sleep, but was excited to learn that my bike did not miss a connection and was waiting for me to pick up the following day. The process of receiving the bike was easy, once I found the right office in the cargo area of Miami’s huge airport. I was in and out in about 3 hours and, after eight months exploring Central and South America, I was back on two wheels in the United States!! https://photos.smugmug.com/Loving-Li....40%20AM-M.png |
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