To the End of the World

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May 16, 2013: We are in Villahermosa, Mexico. Only three short days until home. A lot has happened and I apologize for not keeping the post up to date, but it seems it is more important to me right now to ride, and get home.

April 25, 2013: We are in Linden, Guyana. A small town on the fringe of the edge of nowhere. There isn't really anything here, but I guess it is the end of the pavement. We have met people here who have NEVER been to Lethem in their lives. Lethem is where we go next. It is across a stretch of about 260 miles of dirt and mud, not an easy trip. But come on man, in your whole life you never felt like traveling to the next town.

Each of us has been doing a blog in our own way, but I thought I would add one here on TWTEX as well. I haven't figured out how to cause the pictures to enlarge when you click on them in this report, but on my blog you can see the larger pictures by clicking on them. Here are some other links of interest:

My link on Blogspot: Ride EOW
Chucks Link on Advrider: Chucks Ride Report
My Spot Link (when it's working, more on that later): Spotwalla
Chuck's Spot Link (although there is some concern about banditos getting this info and kidnapping us): Chuck's Spotwalla



Chuck and I aren't the best traveling partners (that's Chuck on the left). We have known that for some time. We are argumentative, stubborn and crotchity. One of our fellow riders compared us to the two old guys on the Muppet show who sat in the balcony. Probably a good analogy.



But somehow together, we have ridden every state in the US except Hawaii (no road) and every province and territory in Canada except three (one of which you can't get to by road). We have managed to do this without killing each other and with very few personality related changes in plans.

So, we are setting off to conquer the countries of the Americas. Our plan is to be at the end of the world (Ushuaia- Terra Del Fuego) at the end of the world (12/21/2012) . We also plan to visit every country in North, Central and South America during our trip. That's our plan, we will see ...

How it started
I have had a motorcycle endorsement since the early '70's. After totaling a Kawasaki 500cc in a high speed wobble and a '76 Kawasaki Z1 when an elderly gentleman turned in front of me, I agreed with my then wife that perhaps riding a motorcycle wasn't responsible for a man with a child. I sold my bike, but never failed to renew my drivers license with the endorsement. Chuck, on the other hand, had wanted to ride but never found the time nor was he given permission to get an endorsement or a motorcycle.

The kids grew up, each of us divorced and we took control of our lives. Perhaps similar to the captains of the Titanic and Exxon Valdez we were heading for disaster? In 2001, Chuck took the BRC (basic riding class) and got his motorcycle endorsement. Then he received a days rental of a Harley at EasyRider as a birthday gift. Everyone knows riding is more enjoyable with a buddy, so he called me and I rented a Harley as well. Our first trip was 600 miles in two days to Luckenbach, Texas and back. I still remember just how much my butt hurt after that first ride. The person renting us the bikes had to leave early and told us we were welcome to keep the Harleys an extra day. My butt hurt so much, I said "no thanks, I will bring it back early!"

Later that year Chuck bought a Honda VTX 1800, the first year they were made, and he bought an '83 KZ1300 from ebay. He must have been desperate to have a riding buddy. In 2003 we made our first long distance ride to California. The picture above is from that ride, we are standing in front of the Bixby Bridge. Our intention was to ride to Vancouver on the PCH. There are at least two versions of this story; but, somewhere in Santa Cruz there was a misunderstanding, that found each of us heading our own way, me back to Houston and Chuck on to the pacific northwest.

We managed to patch things up the following year and I purchased a used '04 Goldwing in 2005. We made trips then to Key West in 2005, Alaska in 2006, Colorado in 2007, New England and eastern Canada in 2008, Washington DC, BRP and the outer banks of NC in 2009 and finally up through the Midwest Heartland in 2010. At this time we had ridden every state (except Hawaii) in the US and all but three of the Canadian Provinces. Here is a photo from the our entry into Alaska in 2006.



The Dual Sport Era
In 2011 we got the dual sport craze. Earlier we had started talking about riding to the tip of South America and began debating which bike would be best and how to gain the experience. We decided the best approach was to buy something without a lot of emotional investment that we could learn on, destroy and then buy a new one. We thought that the right bike might be a KLR to ride to South America. One day Chuck called and said he had purchased a used KLR on ebay. On Friday he flew to North Carolina, picked up that sucker and rode it in the rain back to Houston by Saturday evening. The dual sporting era had officially begun.

Reacting to Chuck's purchase I bought a DRZ-400 here locally in Houston. I think it was a great purchase, pretty much ready to fly. My first dual sport ride was with a bunch of crazy maniacs at 60 mph on the beach in Bolivar. Chuck and I began riding Sam Houston National Forest trails and on the Beach. Later we branched out to Big Bend Ranch State Park and Big Bend National Park. I bought a used KLR in June, 2011, then in August we dual sported through Creede, Ouray, Marble, Grand Junction and points west in Colorado.




Of course I am leaving a lot out. And there have been the usual Bumps ... and Bruises:



But there isn't enough time to write it all down. The bottom line is; as of June 30th, 2011 I left the company I had worked for for 30 years and Chuck retired October 12th, 2011. So we are now both unemployed and our plans for our next big adventure are taking shape ...

The Better Half
Of course I would be remiss if I didn't mention the VERY sympathetic support from my lovely bride. The only real input I have received about the journey is "I will not come to South America to retrieve your dead body!" I can understand that! Actually, Laura has been very supportive and understanding. She and I are planning at least two visits to South America during the trip; one being to Ushuaia for the Christmas season. After several months on the road, I will be happy to see her cheerful smile when she comes to visit!



Am I a lucky man or what???

[jfink]

Going Away Party

So we invited a few friends to a little mom and pop Mexican restaurant we frequent. We have known Javier and his wife Isaella for some time. They own a small place called Mr. Sombrero's here in League City. Here are a few pictures:























SHIPPING
The bikes are being loaded on the boat heading for Colombia. They should ship out September 14th and arrive in Cartagena on the 20th. We fly to meet them on the 21st. We were not able to take pictures at the docks due to restrictions so here are a few while they are in the crates at the crate builders.





So here is a typical traveler in Houston. I think his name was Jed and barely kept his family fed. I saw him on I-45 while heading to meet Chuck. I honestly don't know how he kept some of this stuff on the truck.

[jfink]

I am going to try to document as best I can the process for retrieving shipped cargo from the port. If you will NEVER need to do this, or don't care to hear the story of two bumbling illiterates in South America, then may be you can just skip over this part. We officially began the process of retrieving the bikes from the port on Monday, September 24th, 2012. We arrived at the port around 9:30a. Yeah I know, it is rather late, but we are getting into the Latin America swing of things. Unfortunately, the DIAN Inspectors arrive promptly at 8:00a.



Chuck is posting more information on his write up over on Adventure Rider: Chuck's post on Advrider.com

We shipped through SeaBoard, whose ship, the Colleen arrived at Muelles El Bosque (muyes el bos'key) the week before and the cargo (our bikes) unloaded there on the docks. Okay so here is the first tip, this is a two day activity, don't even expect to get it done in one.

Allow some extra time, because apparently the taxi drivers in Cartagena have no idea how to find an address or read a map. Learn the words "izquierda" (left) and "direcho" (right or straight sometimes .. go figure?); straight can also be "recto". And then bring your GPS or Smartphone and give them directions. Allow a few extra minutes for the cab driver to randomly stop, ask a random individual if they speak English, have a brief conversation about "what?", nobody knows, then laugh and take off again to look for the next likely street candidate who may speak English. Seriously, about five times in one cab ride.

Anyway, to get to Seaboard you must go through security at Port Operations:

Operadores Portuarios
Muelles El Bosque,
Pedro Velez # 48-14
(GPS N10' 23.745" W075' 31.393)



Go into the operation office, to the window present passport and ask to go to Seaboard. They may also ask to see your bill of lading. They will take your passport and give you a badge. Go through security with your badge, turn left, go into the second security building and ask for SeaBoard. You will go through the turnstiles and they may escort you through the security gates (two of them) or they may not. If not you will have to coat tail through the gates when some else goes through. Once through the two security gates, SeaBoard is the last building entrance on the left (see above). Ask for Jesus, he is in IT but will help with the English. You just got to love those IT guys, they are the smart ones !



If your cargo is there, Seaboard will stamp your Bill of Lading and you now must go to DIAN in Manga to obtain your Tourist Vehicle Temporary Import (another taxi ride). The rates range for taxi's from 6,000 to 10,000 pesos ($3.33 to $5.55 US).

Adunanas DIAN
Manga 3A, Avenida 28 No 25-76
(GPS N10' 24.578" / W075' 32.044")

Enter the first building, explain yourself to the receptionist if one is there, ask for Sandra. Otherwise simply walk through the small barrier behind the reception area (and the guy with the very big gun). Go back six or seven rows of desks and you should find Sandra. Sorry I am not more clear here, but once you find the right person it has only begun. Try to explain yourself and you will be given a form to complete. Make sure you get the RIGHT form and not the returning vehicle form. We spent an hour filling out the wrong form, getting it stamped and collated only to find out we had to go through it again. By the way, I cast no dispersion on DIAN, we had similar issues in Houston with Customs and I think we spoke the same language.



There is a little deli at DIAN where you can get some water, etc.

Once you have the form, properly completed and authorized the DIAN agent (Sandra or someone else) will let you know when the paperwork will be back at the Operations Center in Muelles El Bosque, usually it will be the next day. Now would be a good time to go get your SOAT required Colombian liability insurance. You will need a copy of your Passport and your Title. The best place we found was Suras / Sura east across street from the Zapatos Viejos statue.

Suras/Sura
After 18a on Calle 30 between the Chevy and Renault dealerships
(GPS N10" 25.248' W75" 32.232')

They will sell you a 3 month policy. Most places say that a one year policy is the minimum. Our policy was about $50 US per bike (999cc) for a 3 month policy.





The next day, return to the Operations Center at Muelles El Bosque to find the inspector. Best to get there by 8:00a because the DIAN inspectors go to the docks at 8:00am and 2:00pm to do inspections. Missing 8:00a and taking the 2:00p will probably mean another day to clear customs. Once arriving at the Operations Center they may tell you to go back to the security building wait for the inspector. TIP2: Don't do it, go to the Centro de Documentos building as you leave the entrance building. First building on the right.

Now, here is the best tip I have for this whole process TIP3: at the second window at the left as you enter the building, ask for Andre Bustamante (Servicio Al Cliente). She will give you a form in English on what has to happen next, help you with payment of port fees and help you finding the inspector. Without Andrea, it would have taken at least another day to get things done. Our port fees were about $55 US per bike. In addition we had to pay the locals about $30 to uncrate the bikes.



Once you are ready to ride out of the port, don't put up your paperwork. After we cleared the port there was a customs official and a police officer who wanted to see our documentation. You will just have to unpack it again.

Total cost to ship two bikes: $3,213.00

Shipping: $2,368.00 US
Crating: Still unsure at this time but we estimate: $700.00 US
DIAN Port and Uncrate: $145.20 US

Running to and fro to do your own paperwork: PRICELESS

[jfink]

After posting the write up above, I thought I would take a minute and explain everything else that has happened. We made it to Cartagena with really no significant issues. We were staying at the Casa La Fe. I guess we were so excited we didn't take any pictures of the Hotel, the owner or anything. We did go to dinner with Ed and had an engaging discussion about the world in general. Great meal! Here we are, try to ignore the goofy picture of me, I don't know what the **** I was doing!


Ed, Joe and Chuck - left to right

We did visit the Castillo de San Filipe. Quite a sight. It was very hot but that did not take away from the amazing construction and significant size of the castle. Here are a couple pictures.

Castillo de San Filipe from a distance


View of the entrance from the top


Canon on the upper wall

Based on the advice of Jeff the owner of Casa La Fe, after leaving the Port we decided to travel through downtown Cartagena to get to the more scenic Ruta 90A. Traveling through the city wasn't as bad as we anticipated, I actually enjoyed it a little bit. It's sort of like playing frogger (if you remember that game), only we were in one of the vehicles that ran the frog down . We left the city going north, stopped for lunch at a Subway, mainly because it had started to rain. I took this picture from Subway, does anyone see an iPhone lying on the ground?



More to come!

[jfink]

Chuck and I left Cartagena, headed for Santa Marta. Santa Marta is five or six hours up the coast from Cartagena. The rain began an hour or so after we left Cartagena and that really slowed us down. We decided to start exercising our relaxed attitude and stop at a little town before Barranquilla called Puerto Colombia. We drove around the city's streets and eventually found this place called the Pradomar Hotel. The place was a little run down but still commanded higher prices. We decided to stay rather than try to find something else. After negotiating (yeah, right, with our grasp of the language) the best rate we took the room furtherest from the parking area, up the hill and to the right, quite a trip with all our luggage.


After we parked our bikes, I found two of the office workers waiting for a bus and asked if I could take their picture in front of the bikes (really, again there was a lot of arm waving here!)




Here is a picture of the name of the hotel with some art they were hosting. We met the owner, but it was at dinner and I didn't manage to get a photo of him.


The view from the breakfast table


This was one of the workers at the hotel. He and I seemed to get along pretty well even though neither of us understood a single word the other was saying.


The beach left a little to be desired at this location if you were interested in getting into the ocean. I saw a number of people gingerly walking our in the surf trying to protect their feet.






Our room is the first on right.


The premium view of the ocean. Do you see it there?



We spent two nights in Puerto Colombia at the Pradomar. It was time to get things repacked and do a little forward planning. After that we took off on a back road to Barranquilla.

BARRANQUILLA
Barranquilla is a remarkably large town with lots of traffic. It was the first place where we experienced some of the crazy truck traffic that would remain a constant. When we reached Barranquilla the rain had caused what I thought was major flooding, but apparently is pretty common there. Then we ran into road construction that blocked the route we planned, so we took the detour.

I love OpenSourceMaps ("OSM") for our GPS's, and on my GPS it was clear that there was a very short six or eight block alternative to put us back on the route, not the two to three mile detour. Now I would never complain about OSM because they are free, but sometimes they must loose a little in translation. I new this wasn't a good idea the first block into the alternative, but it was so steep and rutted from the river running down the middle that there was no way to turn around. These "roads" were as difficult as any "trail" you would find in Sam Houston National Forest. I reached the bottom and would have driven right into someones house if I hadn't stopped. He was on his porch, shrugged and waved me on down the hill. Chuck said he really didn't like it!

Barranquilla was like a series of rivers at every cross street. Water up to the crankcase, flowing at break neck speed with plastic bottles, wood and every manner of trash. Cars and motorbike alike wadded through like this happens every day, who knows may be it does. I was to busy trying not to drown to get any pictures of this natural disaster. After that a very long ride on pretty much open road with no real speed limit.

THE DRIVING IN COLOMBIA
Now is probably a good time to tell you about riding in Colombia. First off is the speed limit is 40kph you can be pretty sure if there is no traffic that someone is traveling at 90 to 100kph. You either join them or get run over. We passed a number of policia and para military at significantly above the speed limit and about the only look we got from them was the look of oddity in seeing two HUGE KTM motorcycles with two HUGE Gringos on board.

The topes (speed bumps) are a trip. Most every one of them have the topes vendors hawking water, food and probably anything else you can imagine. The trucks slow down to about, well, nothing, really! They barely cross these things, mean time cars and bikes are zooming around them at the topes on the left and the right, while the vendors play frogger to get to the truck driver wanting a bottle of water or something to eat. A wild scene at almost every tope, but to maintain civility the government has a policia or soldier stationed at many topes with an AK47.

Driving through these little towns there are almost always topes, but if that didn't slow down the trucks the hundreds of pedestrians staggering around in the streets usually did. To see this happening as an outside observer it looks like mayhem. But once you start riding or driving, it all seems to make sense. I think the people here all look out for one another and take everything in stride. I have not seen one case of road rage in many, many situations that would have folks in Houston pulling guns on one another.

I am not saying it is all roses though, there are so many trucks. Trucks are everywhere, trucks passing trucks and lines of trucks for blocks. If it weren't for all the trucks some of the roads would be outstanding motorcycle routes.

On to Santa Marta and the first Hostel that either Chuck or I have stayed in.

[jfink]

We followed our GPS maps to where the hostel The Dreamer was located, or so we thought. We had heard about hostel living and the web site hostelworld.com through a couple of young people in Cartagena. When I looked it up, The Dreamer got high marks. But we decided to just go and not book, probably not the best choice.


As I said when we got to where it was supposed to be we could not find it. Back and forth on the road, until a woman came out and waved us down. She asked if we were looking for The Dream and then pointed at a sign about 30 feet away, that we passed every time we had turned around.


Esther was the significant other of the owner of the Dreamer. She is on the left. She invited us in, told us what the options were and basically the only one that worked for us was the one with four beds and an air conditioner! There were no suites available. So we took what was available.

Honestly I was not prepared for roommates, that was not exactly how I heard Esther describe the room. So there were room mates. Meet Maria and Regula (right). We did not even meet them until the second day, other than a brief hi to Maria. We were asleep by the time they came back to the room on the first day. They wanted the fan off and the air conditioner turned warmer. We tried to accommodate but we were hot. The next day when we finally met them, they said they both slept in sweaters, socks and caps. Talk about making an impression.


Maria and Regula


Chucks bike in front of the office


Chucks bike right and mine in the bushes hiding


The gate that we had to get the bikes into and out off over the curb and step up


It was a tight squeeze

After staying for two nights in the hostel it was time to. We agreed that adding an additional two people two our normally messed up schedules really made things more difficult. If we stay at a hostel again, we will only choose one with no other guests in the room.

[jfink]

We left Santa Marta and the Dreamer hostel for Sincelejo. We had not made any reservations for hotels or hostels, we just took off. No one at the hostel who traveled all over Colombia, had even heard of this place. Along the way to Sincelejo, we stopped in Caucasia (yes, that is the name) for lunch. Nothing special about the town but we were ready for lunch. Everywhere we stopped the bikes seem to always draw a crowd


One of my favorite pictures so far. The owner was happy we were there. That's him in the red shirt with the bag.


Normal view, with lots of trucks


Chuck finally found a safe lane to ride in.

We arrived in Sincelejo without a clue of were we were going to stay. It was getting dark and it was a Saturday night. Everyone was out on the road. We tooled around downtown and found a hotel in the centro. Chuck went in and I stayed with the bikes. We spent the night in a relative modern hotel. The costs are not as low for some of these places as I was told.

We walked across to the mall and was going to have some fast food and a Cerveza. Who knew that for three days at an election (for anything) that alcohol is not allowed to be served. So we ended up with fried chicken (think Churches) and a coke and an early evening.

The next morning we heard about the bicycle team who had come to a race in Sincelejo. They were staying at our hotel and checking out about the time we were going to breakfast. Below are a few pictures from the hotel.


Bikes parked in secure parking, next to the bicycle team car.


Another shot of the second bicycle team car with bikes.


Chuck managed to get into the photo with some the support team SAG members.

[jfink]

We left Sincelejo headed for Medellin. We didn't realize the terrain we were crossing was as difficult as it was. We thought we had plenty of time to make Medellin before dark. It turned out the road was nothing but switchbacks for miles. Those of you that know the "tail of the dragon" in NC/TN, this made that look tame. To make matters worse, it is a main thorough fare with trucks everywhere. It climbed from around 5000 feet to over 9600 feet. At the top, someone saw fit to throw in some dense, dense fog. The temperature dropped from 70's in Medellin to 50's at the top of the pass and didn't get much better.

The downhill side of the pass wasn't much better. The trucks went a little faster but it made the passing more difficult. We mostly sat back and waited until we got to some semi-split highway and was able to make it to the hotel around 7:30p or so. This was after getting a little lost and ending up on a road that looked like Lombard street in San Francisco. Medellin is built on hills and valleys cut by the many rivers and streams that run together. It is beautiful unless you are trying to find your way and have to operate a 600 or 700 pound motorcycle.


Daysayuno (breakfast) on the 21st floor of our hotel, open air view.


Another view from the 21st floor

We decided that while Medellin is very beautiful and somewhere we could stay for a long time to see, we were more interested in the more country areas. So we only stayed the night and we were off to Manizales, in the heart of the coffee region. We did have very nice accommodations as did our bikes.

[jfink]

We left Medellin planning for a leisurely ride and arrival at the EcoHotel La Juanita in Manizales. Manizales is in the coffee region of Colombia and great place to visit the coffee fields and get a tour of the coffee process. There are some coffee plantations even along the way to Manizales. It makes the hills look very cultivated.

I had made a route plan and spoke with Chuck about a route that wasn't in the maps on our Garmin that took us up through La Cabana. When we finally arrived at the point to make the turn, the GPS began to say that the direction we were going was incorrect.

Chuck felt strongly about not going the direction I suggested and follow the route indicated the GPS. I asked Chuck if he trusted me, wisely he said 'probably not'! And I threw down the gauntlet, I said "you are welcome to go that way, but I am going this way." If any of you know the story of me and Chuck, a statement similar to that led to us going separate ways in California nine or ten years ago.

Fortunately for both of us, a fellow on a little Chinese bike came by and I asked him if the way I pointed was to La Cabana. I learned after a few confused looks that the correct pronunciation is La Cabuya. He graciously led us up the road to La Cabana. This was one beautiful ride. The road was narrow but nice and paved. The views were spectacular and NO TRUCKS! Ok, one or two but not that bad. This is by far the best road we have ridden since being in Colombia.


View from the road to La Cabana

We arrived at the EcoHotel La Juanita and met, Rosaria, Ricardo and their son Ricardo Jr. They are doing wonderful things with their little hotel. We took the two single rooms and have a room to ourselves for the first time on our trip. I will post some more pictures as we continue with our visit here.


This doesn't look that steep ... but it is.


Entrance to La Juanita


Hotel EcoHotel La Juanita


A view from El Terrace in Manizales


Dinner on El Terrace in downtown Manizales

When we arrived at the La Juanita, the water was out, but they had it back on later that night. The pipe from the city had broken and the city was out fixing it. Last night around 10:00p the power in my room went out. Just my room. The owners had gone home (down the hill), but their daughter was still in the main house using the computer. Again through hand signals, my limited spanish and her limited english, I communicated the problem. She called her dad, first by whistling off the back porch (not sure why), and then calling on the cell phone. The solution was for me to move into the "big house" into a fancy room. I must be living right.

By the time I had all my stuff over, I had broke out in a sweat. So I showered. Good thing, because I found out this morning that the water is out again. I don't know how Chuck feels about such things but I am learning to take it all in stride, deal with the inconvenient and revel in the experience. A person is truly a happy soul if their worst experience is a learning experience and they don't bring those around them down.

I want to make sure that everyone understands that our hosts have done to make our visit enjoyable. Rosario, Richardo and their family have gone out of their way to see that what we wanted to do and see was addressed.

Here is Rosario in her garden, that I reckon is needed to get away from the stress of two very high maintenance gringos.


Coffee Processing in Manizales
The area around Manizales is considered some of the best coffee producing areas in Colombia. Today we visited the Venecia coffee farm, an approximately 300 acre coffee producing and process farm near Manizales.


Coffee plants on the hills of the Venecia coffee farm

Alexander (Alex) was our guide and did a great job of explaining how things worked. Here he is making us a cappuccino and explaining how the coarseness of the grind and the amount of compaction of the cup effect the taste. Then it was interesting to actually taste the difference between two different cups just with these changes.



Seedlings for new growth when old plants are removed.


Most of the coffee production is hot, hard work.


Something for my lovely wife, perhaps she can identify this?

Alex told us that coffee workers earn about the equivalent of $16usd a day. This is more than the average of $8 for laborers.

[jfink]

After the coffee plantation we returned to the EcoHotel La Juanita. We talked to Rosario about where we should stop next. We planned to stop in Cali, but she said, no, no, you will need to go on to Popayan. All the buildings are white, it is a very good site.


Rosario and her daughter who tried to translate for us.

We got up early the next morning and left for Popayan. After a little rain and some winding roads, some straight and hot stretches we made to Popayan. The diversity of driving terrains is something to mention. High altitudes over 10,000 feet give way to lower, 2,000 and 3,000 foot valleys sometimes rising and falling two times a day. Temperatures as low as 55F up to 98F and then back down again, with fog, rain and blistering sun. It is hard to dress appropriately.



At Popayan we found that the roads are mostly one way and everyone seems to know which way, except of course us Gringo’s. Eventually we found that there are signs on the buildings indicating which way to go and what the street names were.



We continue to laugh that everytime we get a room it is the furthest away from the street where our bikes are. This time was no different. Usually this means three trips with our crap. We have to carry the top case, the sides cases, the camping luggage and miscellaneous helmets, jackets, GPS, Spot, etc., up to the second floor and all the way to the back. By the time I am done with this trip, I should look like Arnold Swarzenegger, back before he became the governator.



After getting settled in, we went out for a bite to eat, tamales South American style. They were very good along with the middle of the road cervaisa’s they have here. We then found a little bar where the beers were really expensive, about $5 bucks. They actually had more of selection so we had a couple and left. On the way back to they hostal we ran into a marching band, playing only percussion, even though they had a brass section, marching the streets of Popayan. It was some religious ceremony, since there were catholic priest and some image of a saint carried on a platform by eight young men. The thing that struck me as we walked behind was the beat of the drums sounded just like those from the Fleetwood Mac tune “Tusk”. I couldn’t help but hum the rhythm guitar part.



We planned to stay in Popayan an additional day. But, after we got back from our tour of the town that night I sent an e-mail to a contact we got from Regula at the Hostal in Santa Marta. The next morning we received a response that said that she actually had a cancellation for a five day Galapagos tour that would work if we hustled it down to Quito. So that’s what we did. Packed quickly, loaded the bikes, checked out and we were off.



Even though we had figured out “una via” and street names, we had not figured out who stopped for whom, and never did find any signs. Not knowing who had the right of way and probably somewhat in the haste to leave town, led to a little incident where I dropped my bike. I thought I had the right of way but didn’t. The bike coming the other way honked and I slammed on the brakes. Because of the rebound on the shocks, the bike came back up slightly at a list and I could not hold it up. Bam, but people came from all around to help me pick it up (and probably to laugh at the stupido gringo!)

On to Igiales for the night. Igiales is a town on the border of Ecuador. Not much in the way of tourism but plenty if you are interested in a brothel hotel, cold porcelain toilet bowls, showers without shower heads and sinks that drain onto the floors.

[Kit_McConnico]

[jfink]

We left Popayan to ride to Ipiales. We intended to stay the night, cross the border and make it to Quito, Ecuador by the afternoon. We got to Ipiales around 4:30p, before dark, which is good. However, it seems we have a nack for finding the Farmers Markets as they are closing down. And for Ipiales, this was no different. Cars, taxis, buses, trucks, vendors, pedestrians, people carrying stuff; all in a hurry to beat the now nonexistent traffic flow. In the middle of this, here we are "the Gringos" on big and wide motorcycles. We don't get a lot of people honking at us, because I guess we are a novelty, something more to be observed.

I didn't take many pictures here and what I did is on my camera coming back from the Galapagos. If I get it back soon I will post them up here.

Anyway, we stopped at one hotel, who unbolted their three locks on their door to let me in, and inspect the room. The room was fine, but they had no safe parking. So on to the next hotel. We had several in the GPS but there were a lot more just on the road. We found one of many on a little traffic circle. I went in to ask the price and look at the room. It was 20,000 COP or about 11 bucks. I looked at the rooms quickly and we decided on two or $22. The parking was down the block for $1 / night.

Of course after doing the deal, the rooms were on the third floor, 35 steps, three trips, all our luggage ...arggggh! Once the bikes are parked and we are in our room, Chuck comes by to ask; "does your room have a lid on the toilet, not just porcelain?" I laugh and say yes. He says his doesn't. He went down to inform the female desk clerk. I finish unpacking and meet him downstairs, where Chuck has drawn a picture of a toilet with no lid and also he informed me that he took her into her little toilet behind the desk to show her what his was missing. I am still laughing. He said he got it all worked out, but never did get a lid.

So, I am thinking I got the best deal with the room because of the toilet lid. But then I went to take a shower and didn't have any hot water and no shower head, just a pipe. Chuck says he has hot water and a shower head so I borrow his shower.

Let me tell you a little more about this hotel, on the walls were pictures of naked women, veiled and posed in very suggestive manner. That was the first hint. The second seemed like the desk clerk was surprised that a couple gringos wanted the room all night. Finally about one in the morning a man with a couple of women came into the room across the hall, turned up the music and started partying. Mean time the traffic in the circle was building, honking horns, loud music, people yelling. Thank goodness for ear buds.

We were out of there fairly early, and on our way to the Border. The border crossing was really a non-event other then standing in a long line at immagracion. Then over to DIAN for checking off for the motocycle. From thirty yards away, he looked at the serial numbers on the forms, then the bikes, "si! no problema!, ciao!" And we were off!

The two gringo's. Actually we heard something today that is probably better than the two gringo's, a man in the old town square of Quito came up to us and called us Los Gigantes! The Giants ... hahahaha.

We made it to Quito, and stopped for a quick bite to eat and some help finding the address we were given for the Hostel. The mapping program would not find the address. Quito is a city with a population about the same as Houston. We drove from probably eight or ten miles into the heart of the city, finally stopping at a little Panaderia. Had a quick bite and trapped a fellow customer into helping us with the address. He looked at the address and said tres bloques directo y dos bloques izquerda. We were within five blocks of the hostel. Try doing that in Houston without any idea of where you are or where you are going.

We made it to the hostel, met Maja, got the motorcycles secured, got unpacked and ready for our trip to the Galapagos. I have photos, but I left my camera in the van coming back from the islands. They found my camera but another of the guests is bringing it back with her when she returns today. Hopefully then I can add some photos.

[Texas T]

Outstanding! Keep it coming.

[The Bruce]

[jfink]

We are in Cajamarca Peru, but have had a bit of trouble. The roads have been brutal, and we have both blown the front seals on both forks. We are modifying our route to go to Lima and get the bikes repaired.

[Maintainer]

What an awesome adventure Joe, keep yourselves safe and savor the moment.

[jfink]

Originally Posted by Maintainer

What an awesome adventure Joe, keep yourselves safe and savor the moment.

Thanks Terry. Hopefully, when the bikes are down for repair I will have some time to update the ride report.

[jfink]

Based on information from Warner and others at Hostel Garisol, we decided that we would stop in Cuenca after leaving Quito. It was a fairly large town, with an active downtown area. In fact I had time to actually find a hotel that sounded like it was pretty good and put that in our GPS’s. It seems it takes hours sometimes to find and book a hotel if we don’t do it ahead of time.

Getting out of Quito was entertaining. We made a wrong turn (or two, or three) and took an indirect route to the freeway. In fact we got to one point and ended up riding across a muddy soccer field, onto a side walk and then off the edge and on the Pan American highway. This would be highly frowned upon in the States but normal course here in South America.



The ride to Cuenca from Quito was very uneventful. While in Quito we found out that Ecuador had begun aggressively enforcing speed limits. Anything over 15 Kph over the speed limit and you go to jail for three days. We were lucking that we weren’t stopped going into Quito, because there were many times we were well over the speed limit. So the ride out of Quito was right at the highway speed limit mostly 90kph (60 mph). The highway was two or three lanes wide and moved most the time at freeway speeds. Of course there is some potential for danger:



It was cold riding at over 11,000 feet. Here I am dressed up with my scarf, which I nearly lost a few miles down the road from it almost blowing out.



When we arrived at Cuenca, we followed the GPS to close to the hotel. Then it started taking us around in circles (it does this a lot here in SA). We dead reckoned to close to the hotel, eventually finding a road, but it was one way the other way. We spent at least an hour trying to find a way onto that road and never did find an entrance at the other end of the one way. I honestly believe that most folks just drive up the road the wrong way, but not us gringos.

We left the downtown area and eventually found a hotel out of town. But all in all, we spent at least 2 to 2 ½ hours looking for a place to stay for the night.

[jfink]

After a late start from Cuenca, we left for the Ecuadorian / Peruvian border. After Loja the Panamerican highway turned right and headed towards the coast. We stayed straight. Eventually the highway, turned to a country road, then finally dirt, but still easily passable. As we rode the passes, up to 11,000 down to 5,000 the roads wound around the steep drops and creeks that cut into the mountain side. Then it began to light rain and some road construction. We were making the kind of distance we had planned and it soon became apparent we were going to need to stop for the night. We came to a little town Valladolid.



After a few questions at a local “tienda” (store), we were directed to the town Hotel! The woman at the hotel; showed us where to park the bikes, as she worked to sweep out the parking place. We stayed on the second floor. I wish she hadn’t because we knew we were just going to mess it up again with the bikes. We each took a room. Mine with two beds, Chucks with one, windows that opened into the area below where the bikes were parked. There was a common restroom with a shower and toilet. The shower had the first electric heater (heater of death) located on the head. It works by electrically heating the water as it comes out of shower. However, it didn’t work, which is probably a good thing, so I had a VERY cold shower that evening, that took my breath away.



Valladolid, from a distance is actually a very pretty little town. This seems to be common of most south American towns. Closer examination however revels an infrastructure in sad need of repair. Houses are partially finished (as was the “hotel” we stayed in), exposed electrical systems held together with crimped wires and electrical tape, and plumbing that sometimes seemed to come from nowhere and lead to nowhere. We had dinner just down the street.



I came into the hotel after dinner to find a man chnging out a light bulb dangling from the ceiling with a kitchen knife. I went to my box and found my leatherman with a screw driver and lent it to him. Chuck and I both wished we could bring extra tools to give to some of these people.

That night I slept on a mattress that was about two inches thick, underpinned by wooden slats. Eventually I got up, went to the bike and got my air mattress, which finally led to sleep. The next morning we were up, had some basic breakfast with instant coffee, packed and we were on our way. We are slowly learning the language but still have no idea what we get when we order meals. We had scrambled eggs, mixed with ham and some fruit. The guy next to us had eggs, ham, some rice, fruit, bread and juice. All we could do is look at him with envy. J

[jfink]

We left Valladoid and traveled through the small city of Palanda and as we approached Zumba we were stopped by the police at a road block. They were all quite young and none spoke English. He asked where we were going and we told him Peru. He looked over the bikes and motioned towards my cases. I said; “no habla espanol!” He motioned more aggressively and said something in spanish. “no hable espanol” shaking my head. Then he knocked on my cases, motioning to open them up. “no habla espanol”. Finally in frustration he just motioned my on. That’s all it took, I was out of there and Chuck right behind. The next checkpoint before the border, the guard was much more friendly, asked where we were going, how long we had been on the road, took our passport information and finally told us which way to go. We were only about 8 kilometers from the border but it took us the best part of an hour to reach the border.

By the time we reached the border it was around 11:30a. We had done well; we had traveled about 90 kilometers in about three hours. We found the border agent at a small café eating lunch. We followed him back to his “office”, he stamped our passports and we thought we were out of Ecuador. Back to the bike, and waiting for someone to lift the gate. The agent came out and said “Adunas” or bike check. So we got off and went back to the Adunas agent. Here is where it got a little difficult.

Apparently, we needed to have the paperwork for the bikes when we entered Ecuador, where the VIN’s had been checked and bike import authorized. Now, we had asked about this when we came into Ecuador from Colombia. We were both told that it was unnecessary. Well, don’t ever believe them! We should of gotten our bike authorization and the Adunas agent at the Peru border was not going to let us leave without them. He said we needed to return to Loja (Low’ ha) to get the proper credentials. It had started to rain hard and the roads were turning to mud. To return to Loja meant about a two day ride. There had to be another way.

The border agent came by and seemed to be advocating for us. We asked if the Adunas agent could call someone for special permission; “no!”. We asked if there were a “fine we could pay there?”; “no!” with an emphasis of cutting ones throat. Chuck, in his best Spanish whine asked “por favor, special excepcion!” “No” again with the throat cutting. Finally the border agent got him to call “el hefe” and there was a long, long conversation with the outcome of el hefe telling the Adunas agent to let Peru deal with it J! We were through without having to go back to Loja. But it had been raining hard now for an hour.



Next came the other side, Peru! We stopped at the Peru side of the border bridge. We walked to the Adunas building on the Peru side and the agent said we must go to the Passport check primary. So down the sidewalk we go. No agent. We wait, and wait, sit more, walk across to the restaurant ask for a coke where they say “si” then sit down and watch television. We sit there for thirty minutes and finally leave for another restaurant, where we finally get a coke. Still no passport agent.



Another person, of unknown authority tells me the passport agent is a home, points out his house and tells me to go knock on the door. I didn’t know who this person was, so I didn’t go. Turns out this is apparently very acceptable behavior, that many times people at this crossing go find the agent. Mean time the Adunas agent takes pity on us and starts filling out the motorcycle import paperwork. About the time he is done, someone has finally gotten the Passport agent out of bed an up to the office. He fills out my passport paperwork but there is one more step. I must be checked out by the police.

Down the hill with my paperwork I go, to the police building. Huh? No one in the office! No one in the back room, no one in the kitchen, so around the corner to the sleeping quarters I go. Ah, there he is, asleep in the cot. Clear my throat, nothing! Perdon! Nothing! Hola!! Hola! Hola! Finally, some movement. “Una momento!” “Si!” and back to the office I go. He finally comes into the office with his uniform half on and fills out my paperwork. Back to the Border agent and he stamps my passport. All in all about 2 ½ hours. Did I mention it had been raining!

After Chuck completed the same cycle we returned to the bikes, this unknown person I mentioned, unlocked the gate and let us into Peru. Finally! It’s about 2:30p, it had taken only about 3 hours but it seemed like an eternity.



Only 25 kilometers to San Ignacio, as the crow flies. We are quickly learning though that 25 kilometers as the crow flies here in the mountains is probably more like 75 kilometers. And, had I mentioned it had been raining. Now everything was mud. Not a real deep mud, but a very slimy, slippery mud.



This is, in my opinion, the worst conditions to ride in. Worse than snow, rain, sand or anything else. The back end will just not stay behind you. Your brakes work marginally but sometimes when they do they cause the front or back end to slip out. We struggle, we push on in the rain and then we come to stopped traffic. Apparently, due to the rain, there had been a mudslide that blocked the road.



An hour and a half later they finally let us through, but the road was an absolute mud pit.

Now it was getting dark. We still had about 15 kilometers to go. Chuck wanted to pitch a tent, I didn’t. It was muddy and the only place was on the side of the road to pitch it, which, in my opinion would not have been safe. We decided that we would just take it easy, work slowly towards San Ignacio. But the mud was bad, it had been worked over by all the traffic including large trucks. It was now dark and I watched in my headlight as a large 2 ½ ton truck tried to make it up a small incline. Two spotters, one on each side, pushed against the truck frame to keep it from sliding sideways, but it still did. But he eventually made it. Now my turn, feet down, light on the gas, keep the back wheel behind me, slowly, clutch, gas, adjust and eventually success.



At the top of that hill, a French guy in an RV came out and waved me down. We talked a little of the road and the mud, but he said he had had it and was stopping there for the night. He could, he had an RV. Chuck and I pressed on. More and more mud, slow, slow in the turns, a little speed in the straight aways. Eventually, we made it to San Ignacio around 8:30p. We had started in Valladolid around 8:30a, so 12 hours to go about 150 kilometers or about 100 miles.

In San Ignacio we started our pattern of looking for a place to stay. We had asked on the road and had been told the best place was the Gran Hotel. Asking for directions to this hotel just got the RCA dog look. Eventually I asked a police man who took us to a hostel. I tried to get them to tell me where we could park our bikes and they told me we could put them in the restaurant next door, but that didn’t close until 10p. About this time, a German pops his head up from a computer there in the lobby, there are three of them there. He says they are staying in a hostel down the road, but there is a big hotel just down from them. Chuck and I have a long chat with the Germans, they are riding a couple older K100R’s and an Africa Twin. Finally they help us find the Gran Hotel.

We check in, drag mud across everywhere, the lobby, the stairs into our room, then order some dinner, but they are closing and the only thing they still have available is Carne Seca, or dry meat (think beef jerky). I was hungry but more tired. I eat a little but it upsets my stomach so I go upstairs and go to bed. A very long day!