Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB - From Macapa to Oiapoque

About half of the men on the ship to Macapa were on their way back to French Guyana, and all agreed that the road north was very difficult. The buses schedule some 12 to 14 hours for this trip of some 600km. So I figured that I could also do it in 14 hours. Since there are only 12-hour days in these latitudes, I decided to do it in two days.
The first 300km, almost until Amapa, are paved. Then for 20km road construction, which gave me most of the problems. After that, gravel and flimsy bridges. At the intersection of Calcoene I happen to see a sign: Pousada i Restaurante. It was only 15.00, but 7 hours had elapsed, and there were still 218km to go, I let myself be persuaded to stop for the day. Felix, the owner, put me up in what he considered to be the Royal Suite, an outbuilding with a big bed, hooks for the hammock, and a shower and sink. Toilets across the yard. No star for this place, not even an asterisk. But what do you want for 10 bucks. Later in the evening Felix added an almost unique twist, he asked me if I were lonely and needed some female companionship. This guy knows that for a red-blooded adventure motorcyclist a beer in the evening is only the beginning to finish off a perfect riding day. For this his establishment deserves honourable mention.
Across the street is a service station. Fill up here; last chance.
After some 220,000km of riding on 6 continents, I thought that I've seen it all. I hadn't. The last 200km were a veritable rollercoaster ride, with holes in which you could ride in circles, and grades of 20 percent or more. The last 25km were again road construction. This section of day 2 took another 7 hours. It was a great riding experience. I loved it. It could be done by any biker with rudimentary gravel road experience. For me, another notch in the bedpost.
The police in Oiapoque signed me out on this Saturday. But customs does not work on Saturday and Sunday. So, back on Monday.
Hotel Oiapoque, on the riverside; good; cheep; and safe parking.
One suggestion: don't try this in the rainy season.