vancouver, bc to Guatemala in January 2011
 

I am interested in riding to Guatamala in January 2011 and am flexible on the route. Thinking of going through thte Baja and across to the mainland via ferry from the tip. Any interest? Suggestions?

Regards
Kevin

Hello Kevin,

The last time I was in Abbotsford was getting gas after crossing the Sumas border crossing on the way to Alaska. Best luck on your trip.

I love B.C. in the summer. Friendly people and great riding!

Heading south in January always meant going down 101 on the coast road back when I lived in Oregon to avoid the snow in the Siskiyous and around Mt. Shasta. I can still remember stopping every 50 miles and warming my hands on the heads of my old airhead BMW. It can be chilly in northern Baja in Jan. as well. So bring some warm duds. It gets warmer south of the tropic of Cancer though. And soon you'll be in southern Mexico sweltering in the heat.

I will hopefully be in South America in January, but just wanted to wish you the best on your trip.

Have fun!
John Downs

How are you going get out of the cold? since I live here. It's to dam cold here in Jan. There is more then a chance of snow in wa, or and in most of the passes like grants. Ca has the same thing in the high passes. Not trying to rain on you but myself I not leaving for my trip till sometime in march or April. It's going to be 45 to 55 F with the wind chill in jan and feb. I spend allot of time reading up on guys whom travel year round and most all say out of the northwest that time of the year. :funmeterno::scooter:

Keep a very close watch on the weather and plan on taking the coastal route (101). Then be prepared to have an electric vest and heated grips going full time.

Once you're south of San Francisco you should run into some nicer weather.

Another option is to rent a one way U-Haul Truck out of Bellingham or Seattle and take it down to warmer climes in California. Not entirely cheap but it'll save you a lot of loonies going into the swear jar. Just don't tell them you're putting a bike inside the truck since they don't really like that idea. I did it myself when I crashed in Oregon and had to get the bike back to Victoria, BC.

The northern areas of Mexico will still be quite cold, I had ice on my tent when I was in Creel (Copper Canyon) in March. Guatemala can also be quite chilly in the higher elevations. But the southern coastal areas should be lovely at that time of year.

I wish I could join you but I just came back from a Victoria to Yaviza, Panama trip myself and my lovely partner is keeping me at home for now.


...Michelle
www.scrabblebiker.com

Great comments. My thinking is that I will choose (hopefully) a period of a day or 2 when the weather looks reasonably stable and go for it pushing hard on the I5 to northern Ca and then head to the coast for a ways to avoid the passes. I think once past SF things will warm up somewhat and I can take it easier. Yes I do have heated grips and vest so can persevere,

Once in Guatemala I am involved with a non-profit developing a children's village (You can look up the site...Project Somos) so I will be heading for that location. The land is located just outside Chimaltenango. I have been to Guat a couple of times so am somewhat familiar with things but of course still a newby...especially at long distance MC travel. I have a 2007 Dakar as my hopefully trustworthy steed. After working at Somos I would like to travel on for further adventures in CA and possibly SA.

I will be going to the HU event in Nakusp this year...anyone here going?

Kevin

Keven
Just wish I was going with you. Came north from South America crossing to the Baja from Mazatlan to LaPaz. There are two ferries, the one the truckers use (three letters name that I forgot) is much cheaper. Was told that there is a ferry about 500k north of Mazatlan that is half the cost. Once in Mazatlan look up Mar Bell hotel good place, north of ferry dock and south of most of the spendy stuff.

As for the passes, I kept checking the weather forecasts and shot from the Mexican boarder to SW Washington in two days, no snow, no rain. That was just before Christmas. The I-5 passes are normally clear but you have to watch the weather forecasts and don't spend the night in the middle or you can get caught.

Did not say how much time you had to get there but if you have the time run through Belize and enter Guat. from there (30 miles gravel).

Bob:scooter:

Blog at horizonsunlimited.com/tstories/thode

That road is now almost entirely paved, as of May 2010. There is probably no more than 6km's of gravel left ...give or take. A stark contrast to when I bicycled part of it in 2005.


...Mchelle
www.scrabblebiker.com

Kevin

I will probably be in Nakusp this august so we can talk then. I have Volunteered twice in Guatemala for Habitat for Humanity and riden my f650 there twice also.

Like Michelle I rode to Yaviza and back last winter from Calgary.

Cal

Yes I was through therre by car in 2005 as well and the road was pretty bad. It was blamed on the relations between Guat and Bel. Guat feels Bel should be within its borders...oil revenue and all.

Kevin

Late December?
 

I did the trip to Baja from Vancouver last Dec 4, sure glad the XR650R was in the back of the truck. The pass in Northern California closed behind me and the same going back in late Dec.
I'm interested in heading to Baja again around 18 Dec, there would be room for another bike in the truck. I started in San Diego last time, open to other ideas. Plan on doing 200-300 kms a day, camping and cheap hotels. I ride a KTM 950 SE, it can carry the gear my XR couldn't. Look forward to hearing from you.

Ken

Thanks for the invite. I am planning on travelling in Jan 2010 though. I figured that if a person veers towards the coast to bypass the passes in N. California then all should be OK. December is a little early for me I think. Ideas?

If you're set on that time of the year just head towards the coast as quickly as possible. But one never knows what the passes will be like, you may luck out. Once you're on the coast, from Astoria, Oregon, heading south you should be OK for avoiding snow and ice. But do expect lots of rain and possible strong winds.

When I went down in early March I passed the flashing warning signs just north of Eureka. "Winter conditions, snow and ice" it said ...or something to that effect. That applied to the last "escape route" to the coast before siskyu pass. Luckily I took the one before that near Roseville, which had the lowest elevation gain, according to the nice people at the Eureka tourist information centre. I wasn't about to chance the pass when I learned that the freezing level had dropped to about 1000 feet below the Siskyu pass elevation. Don't forget that I-5 sits in a valley and there is a little mountain range between it and the coast.

Don't let any of this stop you. Just be aware that you're travelling during an iffy time of the year. To play it safe you could just pick a nice stretch of two days and gun it towards Cannon Beach, Oregon and then follow the coast. If nothing else, it's a beautiful area.


...Michelle
www.scrabblebiker.com