Nice shots as always ,so good to have some local help ,i really try hard to welcome travelers to my place ,i'm sure i get more out of the visits than they do .My last visitor was Belinda Sinclair (Belle) very good mate of Tiffany Coates ,English also ,she has just done Australia on a postie ,she has ridden all over the world ,very interesting lady .Anyhoo until next time YDF Noel

G,day Andy and Ellen, seems you guys having quite an adventure, you have taken some great photo,s since I visited this thread last. Andy, I enjoyed the pictures of the ladies, keep it up mate, How are you going with the KTM seems you had few issues with it, And has it been easier going two-up? Anyway keep safe Bro, Cheers, Roger.

Heya Roger

Thanks for your props on the photos, just want to record our trip the best we can with the gear we have and it is working ok.

The ladies ... I didn't like them either .. to hard on the mind and imagination

The KTM, well it would seem like a lot of issues but more to the point the problems were exacerbated by the introduction of "professional" Bolivians etc.

Every time we have taken our bike to a stealership I have ended up mopping up the mess down the track, now I am insistent on doing the work myself and it will not be in a KTM stealership where this is not allowed, I have grown a huge distrust to anyone who wants to touch the bike.

Two up is easy enough on the SE, long wheelbase, torquey engine and great suspension means back roads and some off road is not a big issue, sandpits are still a prob just because of weight etc, at least I don't have to watch my mirrors all day for Ellen too.

Cheers Andi

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Cheers Andi & Ellen .... https://twomotokiwis.blogspot.com/ Two Moto Kiwis Alaska - Argentina - April 2012 -> Somewhere

Hopefully one

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Cheers Andi & Ellen .... https://twomotokiwis.blogspot.com/ Two Moto Kiwis Alaska - Argentina - April 2012 -> Somewhere

Ok, 2 ..sorry

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Cheers Andi & Ellen .... https://twomotokiwis.blogspot.com/ Two Moto Kiwis Alaska - Argentina - April 2012 -> Somewhere

Alright, 3, this time!!!

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Cheers Andi & Ellen .... https://twomotokiwis.blogspot.com/ Two Moto Kiwis Alaska - Argentina - April 2012 -> Somewhere

Ok, f i n a l l y wifi worthy of photo support.

We were going to take the back roads and stay off the main drag but mum natures radical display of thunder, lightning and heavy rain that night finished that, Brasil has red clay which in Kamillas terms is “like riding on wet soap”, she is right it is slippery as.

Backtracking slightly we met a great guy in Rio De Janeiro, Raf Kiss, turns out he knows some other dodgy advers as well, we got an updated tracksource map of Brasil and many pointers on where to go up this neck of the woods, onya Raf, great information which has made our trip better. You can find his website here 9 days on Brazil's Estrada Real - A mix of History, Culture and Natural Beauty (Part 1)Brazil Road Trips and if you want great info on Brasil then this is for you.

Relegated to the tar seal saw us riding in full wets, it was very wet and very cold … something we were not used to given the previous temperatures we had been experiencing.

Yes these clouds did do nasty things

P1190467 by twomotokiwis, on Flickr

Our task for the day was to make it north to Ouro Preto (Black Gold), a very nice and very old town and being 420 km away was huge day for team TMK.

The odd section of road and bridge being rebuilt just to keep us on our toes

P1190473 by twomotokiwis, on Flickr

Ouro Preto was an easy day it turned out being 100 % great quality tar for the most, we were threatened with ominous clouds later in the day as well but they only frowned at us luckily, we found a hotel which was made in 1740 …. cool place with great wifi and parking for Maya.:clap

IMG_1183 by twomotokiwis, on Flickr

There was a concert on as well while we there, we did get up to see the talent to find it wasn’t quite what we thought it would be, good all the same.

IMG_1272 by twomotokiwis, on Flickr

Spending the day in Ouro Preto we took the place in with its stunning architecture of hundreds of year back so the depth of history being a major player in the place.

The sun did come and out and shout us an outstanding sunset across the town

IMG_1188 by twomotokiwis, on Flickr

A waiter in a restaurant, beautiful buildings here.

IMG_1259 by twomotokiwis, on Flickr

Leaving Ouro Preto in the wet again (we are getting used to this) we continued on the Estrada Real, mostly on the tar but the first “shortcut” on the old trail, this section only 8 km long so the work level skyrocket for me and Maya slipped and slid around on the damp paste, lucky not many other vehicle had been on it or it would have ended in tears.

P1190494 by twomotokiwis, on Flickr

We stepped off the main road and followed some of the original trails, for the most of it they are narrow dirt roads with a few signs explaining the locality and the happenings … all in Portuguese of course.

P1190542 by twomotokiwis, on Flickr

Some of these roads are 100% red Brasilian clay and so red they almost look fake, the red dust coats the close by trees and anything else) with a very red tinge.

P1190599 by twomotokiwis, on Flickr

The easy day on mostly tar again saw us arrive in plenty of time to Diamantina, that next.

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Cheers Andi & Ellen .... https://twomotokiwis.blogspot.com/ Two Moto Kiwis Alaska - Argentina - April 2012 -> Somewhere

Heya Noel

Yeh local help is essential mate, you can go all sorts of place to find out you could have had better places so local knowledge is kingpin.

We are the same in New Zealand, drag moto travller and pushbikers off the street and always results in good times.

Postie bike.... I had one but probably would not choose it for RTW travel but people still do it even on steppies.

Cheers Andi

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Cheers Andi & Ellen .... https://twomotokiwis.blogspot.com/ Two Moto Kiwis Alaska - Argentina - April 2012 -> Somewhere