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Photo by Alessio Corradini, on the Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia, of two locals

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Photo by Alessio Corradini,
on the Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia,
of two locals



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  #1  
Old 15 Nov 2004
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US to Darien Gap and Back
I am just starting to look into this but, can someone tell if it's possible to travel to the Darien Gap and back from any of the US borders states in ~2-3 weeks. Has anyone done this before?

wes
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  #2  
Old 16 Nov 2004
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No idea, just finished reading about how dangerous the whole area around the Darien Gap is. I was hoping that a lull in the fighting,, kidnapping and robbing would allow me to find a way across from the South, (currently in Buenos Aires). I don´t suppose I´m being particularly reasonable, unless anyone knows different...
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  #3  
Old 16 Nov 2004
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Essentially, are you talking about a trip to Panama and back? From Texas to Belize can be a hard three day drive. From Belize south to Panama is probably a very hard week.

Why bother if you can't slow down and smell the roses.

For comparison: I'll have 5 weeks of vacation next year and was considering a one-way trip to Panama and then fly back in four weeks. We decided that perhaps that wasn't enough time and will probably do a circle tour of Mexico, Belize and Guatemala instead.
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  #4  
Old 16 Nov 2004
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Stretcher monkey, - the Darien is very simple - don't even think about it.

It's been done twice by bike, first by Ed Cuthberson, last time by Helge Pedersen in the 80's, and if you ask him he wouldn't do it again, never mind the bad guys. Three weeks to do 85 miles...

Today with all the drug traffic/smuggling etc, your odds of getting through alive are somewhere between slim and nil.

You're welcome to try, and let us know how you do though...
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  #5  
Old 16 Nov 2004
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Wes,

If your talking about "to" the Darien Gap – where the dirt road begins -- and not through it, I did it, round trip, from North Carolina in 28 days but that was riding and not screwing around too much. Three days off in Costa Rica for a rest before heading back.

The borders are a pain in the butt and the slowest part of the trip. Some are costly -- in official fees and bribes. Keep your cool and smile a lot while keeping in mind you have to come back this way.

The roads vary from newly paved and great to the worst potholes and broken up crap you have ever seen. Beware late afternoon riding as the shadows can effectively hide broken pavement. My ride was three years ago and a lot can change in that time.

Stop early in the evening so you are not caught out on the road at night -- a real no-no –

Use common your sense about things and stay out of dicy areas – don’t make a target out of yourself.

I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Best of luck,
Jim D
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Old 20 Nov 2004
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Okay, I did this in 2002 on a Honda XR650R set up for dual sport. I rode all the way down to Yaviza Panama, the end of the road (CA1), and back to TX. The last 40 miles was a mudbog, definitely needed the XR, I stopped and helped push 4WDs, one of them overheated, blew its motor and never made it.

From TX, this was a five week venture, but I also rode out to Siuna Nicaragua in the Mosquitia, all through the mountains of Guatemala, and out near Trujillo in Honduras, so it wasn't at all a direct trip.

I would say from TX to Yaviza and back direct you would be looking at about 26 days. That is based on two or three days from TX to Tapachula Mexico, one day from Tapachula to Chiquimula Guatemala (near the Honduran border), etc.

I have lots more info on this trip and how to prepare for it if you need it. There were times, like in Mexico, when I would have liked to have been riding a twin, but I don't think I would have made it all the way except on the XR. Not to mention the whooped out jeep trails in Nicaragua that used every bit of suspension travel!
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  #7  
Old 21 Nov 2004
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You can get from the US border to the end of the road (Yaviza)without going into the Darien and back in this timescale, but it will be hard going. We have gone the one way in 9 days.
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  #8  
Old 22 Nov 2004
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In June 2003 I departed from US Central Atlantic area headed for Panama. Rode to the Canal and back with 11 days spent in Costa Rica in 33 days. Street bike and I don't speak Spanish. Just do it!!!
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  #9  
Old 3 Dec 2004
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FYI...I just got back...I/we were able to ride 2 KLRs from crossing at MaCallen TX to La Cieba Honduras in 5 days riding with the usual BS border stops and other central america delays (like 3 hours where some students decided to steal a bus and park it across the main 2 lane highway coming from Acayucan towards Tapachula (no map in front of me at the moment)...Darian Gap has intrigued my for a few years now and I will glean more info from the local bikers when I return to hop back on my bike in March 05...but I agree....you won;t know if you don't go...if I listened to half of the internet advice we got before the trip it would have seemed more impossible....my vote is go and learn for your self....
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  #10  
Old 3 Dec 2004
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Have any of you guys took the monorail thru the Darien? http://www.goodtimebob.com/monorail/home.html
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  #11  
Old 3 Dec 2004
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Good find DE mark! I've booked my ticket!

rotfl...



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