BA in January 2010 then Ushai to Alaska
 

Well I have talked about it for ages and now have finally gone and done it, today I have given in my notice at work and am off to BA in January to ride down to Ushia turn around and ride upto Alaska!

I will be spending the next few months planning routes etc etc but is there anyone else there planning to do the same? I am in Devon but my g/friend lives in Liverpool so I commute up there regulary.

I ride a GS1200 Adv and would like to do it on that.

Any helpful comments would be well recieved, from a documentation point of view it seems like I only need my passport, licence and bike paperwork (V5) is there anything else I would need?

Hope to meet up with people on the way!!

Cheers

Andy

Oh wow that would be amazing!!!

Hi Andy, if you havn't been to BA before, get onto Javier and Susan at Dakar Motors to help you get the moto into the country and to sort out insurance and accommodation, it's the best way to start your trip. As regards paperwork, you don't require a carnet for anywhere in the Americas although the last time I flew my moto into BA I had a bit of a session with the airport customs until I asked to see the boss who was a lady and the tune up she gave her staff was amazing. 35 years in the military and I was impressed. It might be worth getting an International driving license from the Post Office, £5.50 and you need both parts of your UK license + a passport for good luck. I've only been asked for it twice in 150,000km but it's worth having. As to the whales, I think that they will all be off California when you arrive, a great pity as I was there in November and it was amazing. I should be wombling around SA when you are about so keep updating your whereabouts on the HUBB and we could have a beer or three. Ride safe.

P.S. SA is truely magic, just be very very careful of the traffic in BA, there is a large amount of F1 in all Argentinians and they use BA as a race track.

Me too!!!!!
 

Hey Andy I'm leaving Northern California for BA Jan 1 as well. Can't say I have any helpful hints for you but just to say I'm going to be out there too. Hope to see you on the road.

Sonny

Hi Mike,
Thanks for that, I have email Dakar not had a reply yet but will try again soon. I did 11 years in the Marines what were you in for 35 years?? Thanks for the info and it would def be good to meet up. It looks like the Dakar Rally is on when I arrive so will be good to catch some of that too.
Will def be taking it easy on the road while I'm in SA been to Quito and Bogota before so I have seen how they drive :) Shame about the whales they sound amazing!!
Cheers,

Andy

Hiya Sonny,
Sounds like we will be passing each other so would be very good to meet up will keep in touch!!
ps my email is andy at greatdives dot co dot uk

Hey Andy

Email replied yet
Jan/Feb will be late for whales, anyway is forbidden to dive with. You can do it with the waterwolfs. When you comes to BA we will have time to talk about, Diving was my other passion years a go and I will recommend you other operator in Puerto Madryn more nicer guy, more diving guy and less business man than others "Patagonia Buceo" Hugo “Galgo” Garcia, a friend.

The Dakar Rally will be finishing on 16th in BA and I will be trying to fallow the race all the way in Argentina so keep in touch!!

Saludos.

I've had to change my original plan of doing the trip from north to south to flying my bike into Buenos Aires in November and starting the ride from there. Sounds like we will be traveling the same general route around the same general time. A co-worker is also planning on going. My website is Let's Ride for the Cure - Home so lets be sure to get in contact.
:scooter:

Hi
Might see you guys on the road. will be in Argentina in October going south to Ushia then north to Alaska all going well. Riding two up on a black 990. Let me know if you want to meet anytime.
Donald

Just waiting for confirmation that I will be able to fly the bike over to BA on the 12th of January, then it will be all hands to the pumps to make sure I am completely organised for the 9 months trip of a life time!
Javier I will hopefully be with you for the end of the Dakar would love to see that :)
And Guys I will in keep in touch and hopefully meet up with some or all of you soon.
Cheers,

Andy

Hey,
FYI, personal experience with email responses from Javier and dakar,, umm none ! haha. Honestly he openly admits to not having time to keep up with the emails, it might happen, but if you need info or advice from him then just CALL ! Email is a crapshoot.

thanks

Hi Andy,
I'm working on doing a trip very similar to yours. In the second half of January, I'm planning to ship my 2009 KLR 650 from Los Angeles to Buenos Aries. Once there, I'd like to take a two week Spanish language immersion course, since I now can only order beer, find the bathroom and ask "sweetie for a kiss." Once that is out of the way, I'm ready to head north.

About me - I'm 33, scuba dive, rock climb, have done a fair bit of mountaineering, loads of camping, surf, race mountain bikes, kayak, etc... Grew up in farm country and now work in finance in California. Time to escape!

Anyway, if my timeframe meets up with yours, let me know. I'd love to meet up with someone to do some / all of the route together since my travel partner is unable to make it.

Cheers!

Jason

Hi Jason,
Sounds like we could be doing the same thing around the same time! Although you sound far too fit for me to keep up :) I am 47 fat and flatulant!!! cant speak spanish at all but I have booked in for an immersion course in Spain for December but only one week. Are you going to head down to Ushia first or come back up from BA?
you can email me andy at greatdives dot co dot uk
cheers,

Andy

All BA bound in January 10!!
 

Sounds like we've got a lot of fellow riders all starting at the same time. Should get together around the 16TH for the race and a few beers. Anyway be great to meet up since i have a good feeling we will all be running into each other for the next several months. I am overwhelmed with planning at the moment but am getting pretty damn excited!! can't wait to meet most of you and wishing you all good luck!! Going to the HU meeting in CA, anybody else?
Andy sorry for the late response. I forgot I posted and didn't check back. will follow your posts more closely.

Sonny

that sounds like a plan!! The 16th for a few beers at the end of the Dakar! will kep in touch with you all through this thread.
Getting pretty excited now :)

Hi Sonny, Andy,

I am hoping that I can meet up with both of you. If a beer or two is involved, even better :)

Not sure exactly when I'll get to BA, but it will be some time in January for sure. Then, as I mentioned earlier, I'm planning to do a two week Spanish course.

After that, I'm heading as far south as I can go...

What kind of bikes are you guys riding? I'm on a 2009 KLR. Oh, Sonny, when and where is the rally you are speaking of?

Jason

Hi Jason,
Got your email thanks and I have replied. The Dakar Rally is here Dakar: homepage

I am riding a bmw 1200 GSA huge beast of a thing far too big for me but I love it so shes coming too :)

A Beer definately sounds in order!! Looking forward to us all meeting up

Cheers,

Andy

Spanish class
 

Hey Jason,

send me the info on the spanish program for 2 weeks. I really could do with it before i really get going. Be fun to be in it with someone who's doing the same thing I'm up to.

Sonny

Sorry Guys I am out of the trip, I have broken my left leg on a BMW offroad course training for my trip!! Its now got a 12 inch titanium nail inside the shin and screws holding that in position. I wont be able to walk properly until April earliest so everything is cancelled while I reassess my life. pretty fed up!!
Regards,

Andy

BA in Jan
 

Hey SuperGringo me and a buddy were planning on heading to TDF form Pismo Beach then shipping back from BA but since we have had to dealy till Jan we are talking bout starting down there and riding up. Could you hit me with a email please maybe we can share container cost or I could get some info from ya.

Thanx Billy

We were also going to do a imersion class so we would be wanting to do that with ya as well if we start down there

BA in Dec, TDF in Jan
 

I am flying myself and my R1150GS to BA on LAN Cargo out of Maimi the beginning of December (I have tickets for AC DC in Buenos Aires on December 4.) I intend to spend December in Rosario, Argentina visiting a woman I know and then after the Dakar race head south. If any others doing the "South to North" route would like to meet along the way please keep me in mind.

Let's Ride for the Cure - Home

Well me and Curtis would dig meetin up for beerz anytime while we are bouncin around but i highly doubt anyone will be wanting to travle with/share route with us due to what we are riding LOL
:scooter:

Dont know how to do pix on here yet but there are acouple of our rides here selling my life to do a trip to TDF - ADVrider

Wow, I like your "ride" and it'll fit right in down in Argentina. Great additude as well! Hope to see ya..and how much did you get for the crazy girlfriend?
:mchappy:

Ya you can see we are in no hurry to get anywhere on these things thats why we are now lookin into shipping down there and run back up home. Just kinda worried if we ride south this late by the time we see/do everything we want to it would be like april when tryin to hit Ushuaia and I'm not sure but that may be kinda ruff.

The pens I used for the GF and the boss went like the 1st day. So far I have sold over 30 "getfuct/punch/kick to the nutz" vouchers. Everyone has been tryin to lowball me on Jackson and that aint gonna happen so I think he may be riding with us if we can keep him sober long nuff LOL

Weather in Ushuaia
 

Hi Andy

Have you found any decent sources for the weather at this time of year? - in 2007 I did a solo overland trip from New York to BA (on GS 1200 ADV) and by the time I got to BA (July /Aug) weather against me to go further south.

Promised myself I'd return someday - so looking to take a month off to go BA - Ushuaia - Santiago - BA.

Hoping to get going late Dec 2009 / Jan 2010 ... conscious that a limited window in terms of weather so would welcome comments from anyone whose been there recently.

Cheers, John