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2-up on a Chinese 250 in South America
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Went to Lima with little to no experience on bikes and after a few days looking bought a 'Davest xtreme 250 gy-2' one of these... Motos DAVEST - Pantera Motos del Peru - motos scooters - recambios motos - accesorios motos - moto ocasion - motos 125 - comprar motos - motos bmw - motos cbr. The dealer who is the importer spoke a bit of english which was great as my spanish isn't very good yet. I got a 'permiso especial para firmar contratos' which I saw was needed from a thread on ADV and he sorted the ownership card and number plate. My girlfriend and I went to Cusco to go hiking and ruins visting for about 2 weeks until he let me know it was ready. Another 22 hour bus ride back to Lima then time to pick up the bike and get insurance which was incredibly easy and fast. Having all this sorted I spent a couple of days learning to ride around Lima which was fun, only stalled at the lights a couple of times...
By now we've about had enough of the city so after looking into getting pannier racks made up I decided i could just make one out of wood. It seems to be holding up well after 600km. We find our way out of Lima and head north without much of plan and after a night by the ruins in Caral we head to Huaraz, where we are now. The bikes not doing so good it seems to have developed a timing chain rattle, so I email the dealer and he has assured me he'll have it fixed by a dealer in Trujillo. Didn't expect much from a China bike but hopefully we'll get a few more Kms out of her. Attachment 4133 Attachment 4134 Don't have much of a plan but we're thinking of heading nnorth through Equador, Colombia, Venezuala and down through Brazil. This depending on how well the money and the bike lasts... |
Classic, a wooden pack carrier :-)
Have fun and good luck with the bike kim |
Onya mate! Let us know how you are going, there's some good blog tools on this site.
Nigel in NZ |
Definitely keeping my eye on this ride report!
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good luck with the bike big load for a 250 and 2 up
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The same bikes are sold in south Asia under the Zarang trade name (and probably others) in Enduro specification, which doesn't mean too much since it is Chinese, it is just a marketing thing. For instance, the model for sale in Afghanistan has "200" written all over it, but I am told that it is actually a 150 cc capacity. You pay your cash and you take your choice, unless in Afghanistan where the dealers' could not care less what you buy, or what you do for that matter; get on and ride away, no insurance, no licence, no anything. :scooter:
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In Huaraz we looked at a map and decided it would be a great idea to go up over the Punta Olympica pass (4890m) to Chacas, and from there through to Yanama and back over a 4700m pass to Yungay. Then through the Canon del Pato to Trujillo. It was a good ride, took us 3 days.
We left the sealed road in Carhuaz in the early afternoon and after a bit of looking/going the wrong way we managed to find the start of the gravel road to Chacas. It started off rough and stayed that way for 5 or so hours to Chacas going 20-40 km/h the whole way. It was a big climb to the pass and a lot colder then it looked on the map, it was raining at the start and snowing up near and over the pass. Had a couple of sketchy moments in slushy snow with it being a long way down if we left the road and the bike was struggling for power up some of the steep rocky switchbacks up near the top. The road was a stream most of the way and with the rain it meant numb fingers and toes and a hurry to get down to a more hospitable altitude once we get to the pass. I'm sure the view would have been great if we'd been able to see anything. End up riding the last hour to Chacas in the dark and rain which is fun with the terrible stock headlights and some slippery mud. Attachment 4169 Attachment 4170 Attachment 4171 Next day we put our wet gear back on and start off on another long slow day of rough gravel roads. Going up over the pass is another cold and wet afternoon and a hurried descent to get down to restore feeling to fingers and toes while i can still brake and use the clutch. The day ends with us getting into Yungay on dark, tired and with sore behinds. Some seat improvement is in need when i get around to it.. An early dinner and night definitly feels good. Attachment 4172 Then it's through the Canon del Pato, the gravel road with about 30 or 40 tunnels. It's nice to be warm and only showers not just rain. Near the top of the canyon we have to wait about an hour while a recent landslide is cleared off the road and we head on down with a few more hours of slow gravel roads through the impressive canyon which has quite a lot of water going through due to the rain. Attachment 4173 Now time to go to Trujillo and enjoy the beach at Huanchaco for a few days.. |
Nice report, keep it coming, would especially like to know about the bikes reliability!
Have fun. |
Bikes reliability = Not much. With about 1300 km on the clock the piston decided to fall apart yesterday. The side had disintergrated, sending quite a few bits of metal the size of small change through the engine. We were only 50km out of Trujillo which was lucky and managed to hitch a ride with us and the bike on a pickup truck back into town. Getting to a repair shop at 5.30 on a Saturday evening they say it'll be ready by 9. So with a few guys working on it, we have a new piston and resleeved cylinder as this was cracked too, ready to go at 9.30. Total cost just under 400 Soles, about $140 US. Other bike problems, The rear brake has been through a set of pads and doesn't work properly now, a lot of the spokes came loose on the back wheel, Chain has needed tensioning about 4 or 5 times. Front end (headset?) got a bit loose. But apart from that it's been good.
On the positive I'm learning lots about fixing bikes.. |
Hi Chad, sorry to hear of quite serious bike problems, but sorted very cheaply, compared to European prices, whats the possibility swarf etc is floating around from the piston break-up?. If I was you I would do a couple of oil and filter changes after relative short mileages just incase, but even then, not guaranteed. I know breakdowns can certainly add often a different perspective to the trip, but its at unnessary expence, I know that I learnt mechanics very quickly, and met some of the nicest people whilst brokendown by the roadside on an old 500 Triumph!
Chinese bikes still leave a lot to be desired, I have a Yamaha badged YBR125 that was made in China, I thought no problem as Yamaha would not put their name on anything bad, wrong! no primer used on the frame and a rusted exhaust by 460miles from new, but at least its not let me down yet. I hope that your bike repair costs dont make you wish you had originally brought Jap. Safe riding and all the best. |
Hasn't been an update for a while, hows this trip coming along now? Get the bike sorted?
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Thanks for the interest, I haven´t been around the internet for awhile but the trip is still going. I´ll update with some photos and more detail when I get a chance, hopefully in the next few days. We have made our way up through the top of Peru and up through Ecuador. The border was no trouble with the Peruvian plates, the border guards just laughed at us for having a Chinese bike. Last night we limped in to Otavalo coming from the coast, the bike getting serious copmression issues in the last couple of hours and blowing a large amount of oil through the crankcase breather into the air box. Going to get it looked at this afternoon if I can get the bike out of the hostal as there is now a market on the street outside. Hopefully it´s fixable within my budget. 5000km and my wooden rack is holding up better than the bike..
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Not exactly a ringing endorsement for Chinese bikes, is it? Glad you're continuing to have a good time!
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Time for an update...
Attachment 4276 We left Huanchaco and headed north up the coast for a couple of days, staying at Pimental, on the beach near Lambayque where we checked out a couple of museums. Then on through a desert and up the coast further to the tourist town of Mancora. We stayed a couple of nights just enjoying the beach before continuing up into Ecuador. The border was interesting it seems the old border station was not in use anymore so we drove around being confused until eventually following a taxi down the wrong side of the road and then finding that immigration is a few more km down the road. There was a bit of confusion with the border guards until I managed to convey with my broken spanish that I definitly wasn't going to leave the bike in Ecuador, and then they had the paperwork sorted in no time. The guards just laughed at me for having a Chinese bike. In Ecuador we were planning on going to straight to Loja but took the wrong road and ended up heading south to Alamor. We ended up camping the first night by a Petrified forest park and did and interesting short tour around it the next day, and struggling with the heat decided it was time to head for the mountains. Heading to Loja was our first experience of cloud forest, it was cold, wet and we couldn't see much but we enjoyed it all the same. (not many photos because of this). We stopped in Catamayo just short of Loja as it was already dark, going up hills is slow going on the loaded 250. Next day we headed through Loja and went to Podocarpus National park to camp for the night. Waking up we decided to do a hike for a couple of days, and after 4 hours of rain and cloud we turned back thinking a couple of days of being wet and not seeing much might not be such a great idea. So we headed north on the bike towards Banos. It was a slow, cold and wet trip for a couple of days in which we didn't see much. Good roads mostly but a lot of up and down and being in cloud most of the time. It had us wishing for better wet weather gear than PVC and me for boots without big holes in them. From Riobamba we took the road that goes right under the volcano Tungurahua. This was a fun road which gets periodically washed out by mudslides from the active volcano. With the visor up you can feel the ash hitting your face. A road crew wanted a dollar for buying cement but our money was far away in the pack so they let us through anyway. Attachment 4278 We were in Banos for christmas and stayed a few days to relax and there are some great little rough roads where you can see the volcano and a lot of waterfalls and that sort of thing. On christmas eve it was clear and we could see the volcano sending up smoke so we jumped on the on the bike and blasted up the road to a good viewpoint and caught glimpses of it shooting lava up which was a great show. After Banos we headed to ride the 'Quilitoa circuit' which was a couple of days of great scenery including the Quilitoa crater and rough gravel roads. By now we'd had enough being cold and wet in the mountains so it was off to Atacames on the beach for new years. Atacames was a just a huge party with about 30 big bars literally on the beach and thousands of Ecuadorians. We were two of the few Gringos there amongst what seemed like half of Quito that had come to the beach. A lot of fireworks, fires, not much sleep and a great new years. Attachment 4279 Attachment 4280 After a couple of days here we hadn't quite had enough of the beach so went for a 4 hour or so ride south to Canoa. A beautiful beach town and after our first night in a disgusting hostal we move to a nicer one, with our room and balcony right on the beach, for $10 night. One night we notice baby sea turtles on the road getting squashed by cars so we end up being up most of the night and taking about 60 baby turtles to the ocean. After we learnt they head towards the lights of town, mistaking them for brighter horizon of the ocean and it's a major issue with sea turtle reproduction. Attachment 4277 We hear good things about Mompiche, another beach town back up the coast, from other travellers so head there for a few days of lazing on the beach and a bit of surfing. We asked to buy fish from the fisherman as they came onto the beach but they just give you as many of the fish that are to small to sell as you want. So it was fresh fish grilled on a fire on the beach washed down with healthy amounts of beer, one of our best meals yet. The only bad part of Mompiche was the hordes of mosquitos, bringing back memories of the Yukon in Canada. From there we came back inland to Otovalo for the Saturday market. It took us a day and a half with a night in La Independencia on the way. On the way to Otovalo the engine starts losing most of it's power. The 4 different mechanics in the past 2 weeks all said the engine just had a harmless timing chain noise and it was no trouble, but it doesn't seem to have been the case. After struggling into Otovalo a couple of hours after sunset, which involved the 'direct' route as the locals called it from Minas. This was a rough dirt track that the bike struggled in first gear on the uphill with its lack of compression. The only way to start it was by roll starting which was frustrating when the chain fell off a couple of times. It was too late/cold/dark and the tools were packed deep for me to tighten it there so it ended up coming off 2 or 3 times. This was followed by turning the bike around to roll start it and finding somewhere to turn around again on the narrow track. A long day but we made it. Saturday and the market appeared outside the hostal with no way to get the bike out so we had to wait until Monday. Monday comes and I drive around asking for a Mechanic and everyone sends me somewhere else until I get to a mechanic who says he's busy until Friday. I don't feel like waiting a week so I coax the bike into Ibarra, about 20km away and twice the size of Otovalo. The mechanic pulls the top end apart and the piston's burnt and pockmarked and the cylinder is a bit damaged from the piston. So we buy the next oversize piston (the bike uses a honda XL 200 piston) and take the cylinder to be bored out. This can't be done until the next day so it's a bus ride home. I head back on a bus the next day and he as noticed the wristpin hole on the connecting rod is worn so he splits the crankcase and we have to take the rod to get the pin pressed out. The first shop we go to only has a 12 ton press and this isn't enough so we go to the place the a massive old press and at about 4500 psi and everyone hiding encase the bolt spacer comes shooting out the pin finally starts moving. I head with the mechanic to about 8 parts shops and none have the right connecting rod. With mechanics you go with them and buy the parts when they're needed. So they're getting a rod shipped from Guayaquil and the bike will probably be ready Thursday afternoon now. Frustrating but at least Otovalo is a nice town to stay a week in. Total cost so far is $25 Piston kit, $25 Connecting Rod kit, $10 getting the old rod pressed out, $ 20 cylinder bore, $15 new valves and hopefully labour will be under $100. |
Sounds like one heck of an adventure! Keep the updates coming!
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I love underdog stories, this is a great read! I especially like the details about the problems with the bike. I know that sounds mean, but this is the stuff of legends:thumbup1:!
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So haven´t had much chance to update this but I´ll see how my memory is.. We ended up in Otovalo for 8 days. A long time to be in Otovalo but got the bike fixed just in time on Friday night. Turns out nowhere had the right connecting rod so I had to buy the complete connecting rod assembeley with bearings and counterwieghts for about $75. Labour for a cople of days work was $50 so I took the nice mechanic who was about my age for grilled meat for dinner.
After this we headed out of Otovalo driving through the market that had sprung up once again as it was Saturday and north towards Colombia. Getting stamped out of Ecuador took a few hours but going into Colombia was quick and easy. We picked up SOAT insurance in Ipiales, the first big city for about $50 for 3 months, and headed north to Pasto. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN3779.jpg Post crash, Popyan - San Augustine road. Next Day was up to Popyan - great scenic ride. Then on the gravel road out to San Augustin. A couple of hours in we had our first proper crash after 6000 KM of riding. It was low speed which was nice, nothing worse than a couple of cut up knees, bent up gear leaver and a bit of damage to the rack. While we were recovering 2 couples on 2 bikes from Medellin in Colombia stopped and gave us some disinfectant and invited us to ride on with them. So a few hours later we made it to San Augustine, keeping up with the V-strom and 650 Firewind I think it was easily on the gravel, but struggling once we hit the pavement. We checked out the statues the next day, Before saying goodbye to our new friends and heading to the Tatacoa Desert, just north of Neiva. Had an incredible camp, if not a bit warm, right in the desert. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN3997.jpg Tatacoa Desert, Colombia. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN4022.jpg Muddy Tunnel, Colombia. We figured we should get our visas for Brasil, as it would save us having to go to Caracas to get them so it was off to Bogota. Leaving the Desert, we headed up on a back road for a while, with some fun one lane muddy tunnels near where it joined back up to the main road. When we got to Bogota, it was rebuild the rack time, with about $2 worth of new wood and a $3 stainless steel heat shield (dinner plate) , I cannabilised the old rack and made version 2.0. It turns out we had to wait a couple of weeks for the visas without our passports and we didn´t want to stay in Bogota so it was off to Villa de Levya and then San Gil. Going to San Gil we took the scenic route (you´d have thought we would have learn´t by now), and end up taking 4 hours to go 100km on a dirt road, passing through a random hippy commune and crashing at night on slippery clay in a thunderstorm. Fun times and we make it to San gil at about 9.30. In San Gil we relaxed for a couple of days, got a new rear tyre $40, new rear wheel bearings $5 and about 8 new spokes and the rear wheel straightened in a shoe repair shop for about $20. Then it was off to camp a night on the football field of a nearby small town (just down the road from Barricharra), then went to check out the Chicamocha Canyon, it´s a big canyon. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN4172.jpg Near Barricharra, Colombia. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN4221.jpg Between San Gil and Guican, Colombia. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN4272.jpg El Cocuy, Colombia. Still having time to kill, we met some random girls at our hostel who wanted to do the 6 day El Cocuy circuit hike. So we sorted out food in San Gil and we drove a day east to Guican while the girls bussed there to go for a walk. We decided against a guide as we really don´t like guided walks so we got dropped off at the road end with a map printed off the internet and set off. After a few cold nights in the tent camping above 4000m we survived. We all had a great time and saw some incredible views, you don´t usually go to Colombia to see glaciers. Then back to Bogota to get our passports, the striking truck drivers kindly letting us through their roadblocks. After a night in Tunja we get to Bogota in the morning and get told we can only get our passports between 2-4pm, so off to a parts shop for a new rear disc brake. It had been a bit off and on and gave up in Bogota traffic, made for some fun riding. It was about $70. Then back to pick up our passports which now have visas and out ofthe city. We hit friday afternoon rush hour traffic, and after a lot of lane splitting and footpath riding we made it out of the city. Finding a hotel in La Vega just after dark with the steering starting to sieze is nice. Heading off the next day, the bike reminds me it needs the steering sorted so we stop at the next town and get a complete new bearing and race set put in for $25 and on to Manizales to get in in the rain an hour after dark where we are now. |
I tried adding photos via picasa, but it didn´t work, will try again tomorrow.
Heres an album if anyones interested with some photos: https://picasaweb.google.com/1149519...eat=directlink I still can´t seem to figure out how to add a couple here. |
Bloody hell, what a ride!!:clap:
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Chad, Loving this ride report, keep it going!!! :scooter:
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what a trip. Your girlfriend/pinion must really really really love you. You both are made of the right stuff. Your adventure is more than a once in a lifetime IMHO, it's one in a million lifetimes.
But riding a motorcycle made in China that has parts available on every continent, in every country, city, town and village AND it can be repaired by cheap untrained local village mechanics, your missing all the high drama, stress, anxiety and expense of breaking down on a big brand name touring bike :thumbup1:. I'm hooked on your ride, keep it coming. |
Keep going!
Following you all the way. Been to that part of the world riding. Keep in mind, if something feels wrong it is probably wrong, bike-wise or people-wise. Sounds like a great adventure. :thumbup1:
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Hmmm, so life has been pretty hectic the last few months and I got lazy, but I thought I’d write an update before I forget everything that happened.
http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN4524.jpg Cathedral, Manizales. So, after Manizales we headed north, up to Medellin. Found Medellin to be a really nice city, stayed for a few days to relax and recharge before keeping on heading north, through Monteria to go for a swim in a mud volcano near Arboletes. This was one of the nicer mud volcanoes on the Colombian coast we decided as we had the whole thing to ourselves for most of the time, not needing to crawl over other gringos to get anywhere like the one near Cartegena. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN4558.jpg Mud volcano, Arboletes. From Arboletes it was time to head north again towards Cartegena, staying for a night in a dodgy love hotel somewhere along the way as it was getting scary riding with a very average headlight. We found Cartegena nice, apart from the city smelling like urine. (I think it was all the horse and carriages and the lack of wind because of the walls around the city). I decided it was time to get a new rear shock here as I was sick of the back tyre eating through the rear mudguard/airbox whenever we hit a bump. This ended up being a bit of a nightmare but I eventually found one that fit, or so i thought. It ended up being too long so when I put it on, it looked like I had some sort of freak drag racing motorbike. I couldn’t touch the ground and it felt I was going over the bars the while sitting on it. After having a good laugh with the guys at the bike shop, I realised that there was no way I was getting any money back. The guys at the shop decided cutting and welding it would work. With not much in the way of money or options I went along with it. So we walk a km or so to the welding guy, interrupting him from watching ‘the mask of zorro’ (i’m sure for the third time that day). So he puts it in a vice, cuts it, the thing explodes and almost takes a few of us out with flying springs and bits of metal. Turns outs he had cut it below the thread that was holding it together. Not to worry, we find the pieces, put it in a press to dodgily hold it together as he welds it. The welding cables were all exposed wires and the earth cable wasn't long enough, so he just clipped it to a 3m piece of rebar that he could lie so one end was on a metal table. I’m there cringing, looking the other way while he does his welding. Looks ok in the end (still in one piece after 10,000+ km now). So we head back to the bike, put the shock on and its still a bit high, so we all laugh again and the mechanic gives me a bit of 4x2 to put under the kickstand so the bike won't fall over with the now too short kick stand. Fixed. Slightly annoyed by then but it's getting late so I just go. Off I ride, a bit scared with a super high back end, not really knowing what to do and a $100 or so poorer. Getting back to the hostel, Kyla comes in and looks at me and the bike strangely, I shrug my shoulders and laugh with not much else to do. We end up spending a couple of hours loosening off the preload with a wrench as a screwdriver and a flathead screwdriver. A fellow motorcycle traveller advises us that this change of geometry may affect handling, but we decide to wing it anyway. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN4673.jpg http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN4676.jpg Somethings not right. While we were in Cartegena we also very briefly met Graham Murray, a Canadian/American who was travelling around on a Yamaha 125, having the time of his life. I recently heard the incredibly sad news that he was murdered camping in Ecuador. My condolences to his family and friends. After Cartegena we headed up the coast to Taganga, a gringo village on the beach right beside Santa Marta. We had a great relaxing week or so here, got a bit of scuba diving in, and checked out Carnival in Barranquilla. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN4702.jpg Room in Taganga. Then it was on eastwards to Riohacha, enjoying the cheap gasoline sold on the side of the road which is smuggled in from Venezuela. In Riohacha we ran into a Vallenato music festival, nice if you like really, really loud accordion music. There’s only so much of that you can take. Running away from this, we headed off towards Venezuela, not really knowing what to expect. Entering Venezuela through the Maicao border, we had forgotten it was a Saturday. Days loose meaning on the road. We got our entry stamps just fine, with the border guy helpfully informing us that the drugs and hookers in Venezuela were the best in South America and stamping Kyla with an out instead of an in stamp. Judging by his eyes and the way he was acting he had been sampling some of these drugs. Next stop, at customs to get papers for the bike, I was informed that the office wouldn’t be open until Monday. Crap. Plan B comes into action: knock on the door for half an hour until someone comes out, looking pissed off. Eventually with 100 bolivars help (about $12) I convince him to start up the computers and sort out the paperwork. Finally getting away from the border we head towards Maracaibo. The roads are good and after an hour or so we get stopped at a checkpoint. They have a x-ray scanner, just like at airports, but mounted on a truck. We have to unload our bags and send them through. Really wasn’t excepting that but we had no trouble except for having to unpack and repack the bike. We get to Maracaibo running out of petrol as the petrol stations on the way were all out of petrol. They let us cut the queue as we were on a moto, then we have no small change to pay so the attendant just gives us the tank. Petrol for about 1 cent a litre is a new experience for us. We head off looking for a cheap hotel, eventually finding one a couple of hours after dark and after getting knocked off the bike by a car. I think we were both at fault but we didn’t end up too badly, just a snapped brake lever, flooded engine and us a bit shaken up with a few scratches. Good thing we bought those knee pads. The next day is a Sunday, so it ends up being a bit of a mission to find somewhere to change money. The best way to work the money system in Venezuela is taking as much $us in cash as you will need and changing it on the black market. This means you get 8 to 8.5 Bolivars to the Dollar instead of about 4 if you go to a bank. So after riding around for an hour or so looking for somewhere thats open that will change money on a Sunday, asking at pawn shops, cash loan shops and clothing stores I eventually get pointed to a betting sports bar. Initially they won’t let me in because of the dress code because I am wearing jandals (flip flops for non-New Zealanders) and shorts. Eventually they do because I tell them I have us$500 to change and I am escorted to the managers office for the transaction. It goes smoothly, I get 8.5 to 1 which is quite good, gringo hostals do about 7.5 to 1. Then its back to the hotel to pick up Kyla and our gear, me feeling like I’ve just been in some big drug deal. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN4768.jpg Maracaibo. We finally head off over the 9km long bridge to the other side of the lake and down the eastern side of the lake. It feels strangely like a slightly older USA, with a lot of American vehicles and a McDonalds in every small town. There are also a hell of a lot of oil wells as this is one of the most oil rich parts of Venezuela. We ride around the lake, it’s the largest in South America I think, only getting lost in an oil field once before heading into the mountains towards Merida . It starts getting dark so we spend the night on the outskirts of Valera, having been through about 12 police checkpoints, seeing 50 odd promotional billboards for Chavez and quite a few statues of Simon Bolivar that day. Next day we head up over the pass to Merida, not quite realising that there is a pass at over 4000m and almost getting frost bitten once again as the weather decides to sleet/snow on us higher up and rain on us lower down. We limp into Merida in the early stages of hypothermia and end up staying in Posada Guamanchi. The guys here were incredibly hospitable and helpful, especially Chino, one of the staff members. After recovering here for a day or two I replace the very worn chain and sprockets on the bike and fix the holes in the airbox with super glue and foam from our only, already too small, bedroll. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN4785.jpg Waterfall near La Azulita. Next day we leave most of our gear at the posada and head of towards Lake Maracaibo. We take the scenic route there via La Azulitia, and see a whole lot of cloud and more cold rain. Down in the warmer lower altitudes heading towards El Vigia, traffic on the road is not moving, and after passing 10km of stopped vehicles with some creative riding we reach the obstruction. There was a landslide that had just finished being cleared so we sailed on through after about 5 mins wait instead of 5 hours. I love motorcycles. More coming shortly... |
Awesome story. IMHO the cheap Chinese bike doesn't seem like it's all THAT unreliable when you look at the heavy load you're asking it to carry! :clap:
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After a night in El Vigia and getting the bent rear wheel straightened the next morning, we headed out to Puerto Concha, where we could get a boat out to the fishing village of Congo on Lake Maracaibo. Out here you can see the Catatumbo lighting phenomenon. Congo was an interesting village, built on stilts on the edge of the lake. About two out of three nights a year you can see the lighting, which is over the same place near the lake every time. There are a few theories about this but no one is really sure why it happens. We got luckly and saw the lightning, not it’s most impressive display apparently, but still lightning. On the way there and back we also saw monkeys, tucans, freshwater dolphins and a whole lot of other wildlife. Back in Puerto Concha, we headed to Merida for a another couple of days rest.
http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN4877.jpg Congo. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN4886.jpg Congo. In Merida we did a lot of sleeping and tried out the ice cream shop with the most flavours in the world. I got gristle in my steak ice cream and tried Viagra flavour, while Kyla didn’t really like the rice grains in her arroz con pollo (rice and chicken). Chino from Posada Guamanchi told us where some back roads were in Los Llanos that would be fun to ride with lots of caiman and capybara to see, so we thought we’d head that way. Next day we loaded up and head headed back up to about 4000m before dropping down into Barinas. We had a very close call that day with a car pulling out to pass a truck, not seeing us and coming within a few metres of a head on collision. Sometimes things remind you that even at 21 you’re not bulletproof. We spent that night in a small town in Los Llanos called San Silvestre, having given a cop $2 to stop harassing us on the way. Los Llanos is a huge, flat, mostly dry area through the centre of Venezuela that is mostly used for cattle ranching. In the dry season huge amounts of birds, caiman and capybara are concentrated around the few remaining water holes. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN4980.jpg Upgrade? http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN4998.jpg Rio Orinoco Ferry. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN5002.jpg On the Ferry. From San Silvestre we headed south on a slowly degrading road that ended up being a one lane sandy track by the time we got to the Rio Apure. The Apure is quite a large river but there is a family that lives on the bank operating the ferry. It was quite an interesting ferry, with a one medium vehicle sized platform on a couple of pontoons and a dugout canoe with an outboard motor tied to it for power and steering. Over the other side, after helping a local fix a flat, we headed off for a 2 hour ride in the wrong direction on a crappy road in the very hot sun. Nice scenery but it turns out our map wasn’t the most accurate one in the world and gps for me is looking at the sun and mumbling to myself. It’s easy to lose your sense of direction when it’s so flat, a new experience for me. So a 2 hour ride back to where we were after realising the road we wanted didn’t exist. Then we tried the other way. Not long after heading down this road there were big water holes running parallel to the road filled with literally thousands of caiman and hundreds of capybara. There were so many Caiman around there were a lot of road kill caiman just flattened in the middle of the road. As it was getting late we noticed a tour group pulling into to a compound for the night. We asked and they gave us a cheapish room for the night with a bunch of other gringos who had paid for a 3 day wildlife tour from Merida. The next day they let us ride around the ranch behind the jeep on a wildlife spotting tour. This was quite amusing for us and for the bunch of Russians paying for the tour. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN5028.jpg On the road. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN5147.jpg Caiman. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN5109.jpg Caiman + Pig http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN5049.jpg Capybara. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN5091.jpg Sunset, those aren't stick in the water. We headed east out to the main road and on towards San Fernando de Apure. Just finding a petrol station in time before we ended up pushing. Then an expensive but air conditioned restaurant as we were about to pass out from heat exhaustion/dehydration in the 30+ degree weather. After some amount of recovering we hit the road again towards San Fernando, only getting stopped and our papers checked at about 4 military checkpoints. The soldiers were generally very nice and gave us iced water at a couple of the stops while mostly not pointing their big guns at us. Eventually we find a hotel just after dark that there has been an attempt at some point to make look like a castle. And its rotisserie chicken takes away for dinner again (about $3 for a whole chicken). With the cheap fuel in mind and enjoying the open road we decide to head the long way to Ciudad Bolivar, via Puerto Ayacucho. So it’s south towards the jungle, on a road we soon christen ‘the road of death’. This was due to the intense heat, dryness and sheer amount of dead animals, birds and plants everywhere. It seemed quite mad-max post apocalyptical for awhile there. We somehow survived and made it to Puerto Paez, where there is a ferry across the Orinoco River. It was a nice ride over with river dolphins swimming alongside us. Over the other side we got hassled for half an hour at another military checkpoint, but at least they gave us more iced water. Then it’s on down to Puerto Ayacucho through another few checkpoints, to find another crappy hotel for the night. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN5163.jpg Road of dead things. We wake up cold in the air-conditioned hotel, even the cheap crappy hotels in Venezuela mostly have air-con. Then head off for a morning ride down to check out some big petroglyphs on an even bigger rock. Sweet. On the way back we stop by a river and I jump in fully clothed. Jeans, boots and everything. It’ll be nice to be cool for awhile. Coming back into town we look for a new odometer cable as ours had given up a couple of thousand km ago. No one has one with the right fitting and we figure it unnecessary so we move on back up the road. It’s getting on in the day, but we decide to hit the road anyway. Get caught for a long time at a couple of the military checkpoints on the way out of town, but end up getting through fine without paying anyone. Eventually we make it into a town that I can’t remember the name of that was between Puerto Ayacucho and Caicara del Orinoco a couple of hours after dark, suitably exhausted after playing dodge potholes at night with a shitty headlight. After another rotisserie chicken dinner it’s straight to sleep in a $6 a night love hotel. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN5171.jpg Petroglyphs. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN5178.jpg Swim Time. Trying for an early start ended up being a bit meaningless, as we have to wait a couple of hours at the only petrol station to get more petrol. But not to worry, we are on the road before midday and headed north. A couple of hours riding later I’m coming over bridge at top speed (90Km/h) and don’t quite see a big pothole. On the plus side we didn’t crash and didn’t blow the tyre, just put a nice big flat spot in the front wheel and a big dent/crack in the rear rim. Also blew my nice new shock (still haven't got around to replacing it 10,000 km later, nice and bouncy.) Makes for a lovely bumpity-bump limp into Caicara for a couple of hours. Getting into town its Siesta time so no bike shops are open. That means lunch before dark for once for us. Then eventually we find a group of a bout 10 people working on bikes in a vacant lot. This is where the bike mechanics work in this town I’m told. So we hang out under a tree, one of the guys sells me a slightly narrower rim for about $15 that he’d taken off his bike when he bought it to put cool purple ones on. And another puts it on and hammers the front rim back into shape. Sorted. It’s getting on in the afternoon but we want to get out of town so hit the road anyway. It starts getting dark half an hour later, maybe not the best decision but oh well. Eventually we make it to Maripa, too long after dark and quite tired. Finding a crappy over priced hotel, Kyla goes to sleep while I find food from the only open shop in town. Tomorrow it’s off to Ciudad Bolivar for a couple days rest then a trip to Angel Falls. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN5181.jpg Bang. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN5189.jpg You see some different things riding at night. |
And then?
loving the ride report, how did the rest of it go??
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One of the best reports i have read for a long time, keep it up and ride safe.. ( would make a great book ).
Looking forward to the next installment, Barry |
*bump!*
Would love to hear more, especially about the chinese bike!
Despite reading about your engine problems, for some reason I've just bought and started preparing a chinese bike for a 3 month trip from Paraguay, via Peru and ending in Chile. I must be a sucker for punishment. Did you have any more bike problems? (can you tell I'm nervous about it?) I expect to leave in 3 more days. Your report inspired me to start one of my own, Making it up on a motorbike. | China's 2 wheeled revenge on Latin America.. I hope to hear back from you! Chur cuz, keep it real. P.S, your bike looks frighteningly like mine...! |
Ok, time to write something. Sorry for the delay, but I have been lazy a bit sick and very busy all in the past year.
So we got to Cuidad Bolivar, it turned out to be a very quiet city, took a day off and organised an Angel Falls tour. I’m not a fan of tours but it’s very hard to get there not on a tour, and I didn’t have the money or energy to try. But, after a bit of bargaining I got the 3 day 2 night tour for $225 each including flights. This turned out to be a good deal, some other people on the same tour paid twice that. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/stham237.jpg Jimmy Angels plane he crash landed above the falls. It was a standard trip with a 50 min flight out to Canaima in a little Cessna, a trip up the river to the base of the falls in a canoe and a look around the Canaima lagoon. At one point I managed to sneak off the tour and go for a shower under the actual falls, instead of just going to the lookout like everyone else which was interesting, although it did end up with me running down the track in the dark and having to swim across the river to camp at night. But it was definitely worth it. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/stham240.jpg Coming in to land at Canaima. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/stham242.jpg Heading up the river to the falls in low flow. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/stham250.jpg Angel Falls. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/stham256.jpg A much needed shower beside the Canaima Lagoon. Returning to Ciudad Bolivar it was decided that one last trip to the beach was needed before heading down to Brazil. So it was off North, a night in El Tigre and onwards to Mochima National Park on the Caribbean coast. We were lucky to run into Audrey who runs the Posada Le Petit Jardin in Santa Fe. She welcomed us in for a few incredibly relaxing days. I would highly recommend staying here, the hospitality and breakfasts are unbeatable. We managed a lot of sleeping and some awesome snorkelling trips to nearby islands. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/stham260.jpg 'La Playa', Santa Fe. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/stham261.jpg The oasis that is Posada Le Petit Jardin. All too soon it was time to leave paradise and head south. We diceded to visit Humbolts Caverns on the way. Camping out side them and watching the thousands of oilbirds fly out to feed at dusk was an interesting sight. Next day it was time to hit the road again, off towards Ciudad Guyana. After a day on the road we get in to town after dark and stop to eat at a roadside hot dog stand. Exhausted and eating average hot dog s we become the centre of attention quite rapidly. One friendly local bought me a pepsi and recommended carrying on 45mins to Upata where the hotels a much safer as he thinks we will get robbed and maybe kidnapped in the local hotels. Thanking him for his advice we head on to Upata. After 10 minuntes of riding my lights go. Not just the headlight but all of them. After a quick look I decide it’s too difficult to fix when I’m tired in the dark and I don’t know what I’m doing so I attach a very weak LED torch to the bike so traffic can see us and take off into the moonlight. I quickly refine a strategy of waiting for a car to come past and trying to follow it as close as possible. This is quite scary and difficult as the bike is a bit underpowered if such things as hills appear. Luckily the road is in good condition so potholes aren’t so much of a concern. Mentally exhausted after an hour of this I go the first Hotel I find and it’s straight to sleep. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/stham273.jpg Another classy hotel. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/stham272.jpg Even the milk is made with socialism here. Back on the road towards Brasil, the scenery is getting a bit greener and hills a becoming more frequent. Towards the end of the day we are almost at La Gran Sabana arriving at the town of Kilometro 88. This is a gold rush town that has just sprung up and has a ‘wild west’ feel. We stock up on food for a few days and I look for somewhere to change $US to Bolivars. After asking a few people I am escorted to the back of a shanty and manage to swap a few hundred $ at a decent exchange rate. I am very glad to have my bike to get out of town quickly with as it did not feel like a safe place to stay for long. The sun was going doing down so we figured get 30 min or so out of town and camp. We found a nice spot out of sight of the road near where the road finishes climbing up to La Gran Sabana. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/stham274.jpg We'd be well hidden in the tent without that motorbike in they way. The next day is a tourist day, checking out lots of the pretty waterfalls including the one made of jasper and the incredible scenery. It is very busy with a lot of wealthy Venezuelans going camping with their 4WD’s because it’s a holiday. We run into Pablo , an Argentine also travelling on a crappy Chinese bike before carrying on towards Roraima. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/stham275.jpg Checking out the map. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/stham277.jpg Ran into a German couple going the other way. Puts the bike in perspective. We stock up with food with the intention of going for a walk up Roraima and cruise down the 4WD track to village where you walk to the tepui from. On arrival it is packed with Venezuelan tourists on tours and we are informed there are no permits left and we are not allowed to walk there. I almost score us a job as porters but Kyla isn’t too impressed with the idea of carrying more than our own equipment. The police are hanging around with assault rifles and shotguns so we decide against sneaking off up the trail at night. So after a night camped in the village it’s back to the main road and of to Santa Elena de Urien for a couple of days to regroup and fix a few niggling problems with the bike before Brasil. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/stham279.jpg Trekkers posing for photos. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/stham282.jpg Jasper Waterfall http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/stham283.jpg Transition from La Gran Sabana to the Rainforest. More to come. |
Chinese bikes
What a great trip...
That little bike has done you proud, long may it continue... Keep it up and best of luck to you :funmeteryes: |
I must say i started out thinking chinese bikes are utter crap but !
Boy it makes for an interesting and colourful tale ,will read your further travels with gusto.travel safe .Noel:D
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It was goodbye Venezuela, hello Brasil. We ran into Pablo again at the border and ended up travelling with him for a few days down to Manaus. The first thing to hit in Brasil was the prices. Fuel jumped from a couple of cents a litre to about $2 a litre and the price of other necessities like food, beer and accommodation also shot up.
http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/stham285.jpg The Border. It was late in the day by the time we had sorted everything at the border, got rid of our last Venezuelan Bolivars while we could and hit the road south, riding with someone else for the first time since Colombia. After an hour or two we pulled in beside a river and camped the night, cooking rice and tuna on a small fire. Unpacking the bike, I noticed the head of the bolt holding the swing arm to the frame has snapped off and is just being held on by a small lip of metal. A bit surprised that the bike still is attempting to convert itself to a unicycle, I figure if it’s still holding it should make it a couple of hours to Boa Vista in the morning. Luckily they didn’t end up becoming famous last words and after a stressful couple of hours looking down every few minutes to check the remainder of the bolt wasn’t working loose, we made it to town. We followed the standard procedure of asking locals and ending up following directions or locals to various shops before finding a bike shop that had one of a Honda something that would fit. $30 or so later I’m lot more relaxed with confidence that the old girl may stay in one piece a bit longer yet. We stocked up on food water and fuel before heading south; as there wasn't much except jungle between here and Manaus we are told. While filling up with fuel a local riding past on a moto clips a car and ends up losing a whole lot of skin on the road. A huge crowd gathers around and he seems to get up but pretty soon after an ambualance takes him away. Shorts, singlet, flip flops and no helmet don’t offer much protection from the pavement. . We head off in the afternoon again and after a solid 5+ hours of riding we find a place out of sight of the road near some fairly recent virgin rainforest logging and set up camp on dark. I manage to get another small cooking fire going during the intermitting heavy showers so it’s a hot dinner. It rained alot during the night and Pablo came out of his tent /swimming pool looking a bit wet and we weren’t much better off. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN6065.jpg Second night in Brasil Back into soggy clothes and on the road again we head off. Right where the road crosses the equator there is a few km of bad mud road with lots of traffic backed up. I drop the bike once, losing the back end on a muddy off camber section. It’s at a slow speed and we are both fine with nothing more than a few bumps and bruises. We head on down through the section of road it’s illegal to stop while you drive through and the road is closed night due to the indigenous tribe living in the area. We stop at the police checkpoint after this section and they let us sleep on the concrete pad in front of their building with a covered roof. The roof is a luxury with the constant heavy rain showers every afternoon/evening. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN6072.jpg Battle. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN6074.jpg Pablo and Kyla. The next day it’s off to Manaus! We are quite excited to get to the city and see the big river. We stop for lunch in Presidente Figueiredo, a local resort town an hour or so before Manaus and a local guy, Genghis, runs up and tells us he was expecting us in broken Spanish as all our Portuguese is a bit pitiful. We are all a bit confused and eventually figure out we are the wrong people , he gives us a number to call in Manaus anyway and takes off to finish his lunch. We are a bit confused, and head on to Manaus. We get there as it’s getting late, ride around in the rain a bit and eventually stop at a gas station. Pablo calls the number and finds that it is for the Legion Phoenix M.C. and they would like to look after us while we are here. A couple of the guys from the club, Dieles and Ramayana, ride out to the gas station and tell us to follow them to the clubhouse. So off we go, ending up at Alcides house, who is the president of the club. Although none of us really had languages in common we got along very well and Alcides insisted there was room down in the lower house for us with some of his family. The hospitality shown to us by the club for the week we stayed was incredible. They showed us around the city on bikes and took us out for meals and drinks. They didn’t want me to have to go out in my one pair of torn up old riding jeans, so I was given a couple of spare pairs they had around. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN6076.jpg Time for some rack reinforcement in Manaus. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN6077.jpg The Manaus Opera House. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN6084.jpg Legion Pheonix M.C. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN6097.jpg The big river. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN6105.jpg The guys showing us around. Bridge being built over the Rio Negro. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN6109.jpg Family. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN6131.jpg Going to the Opera. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN6142.jpg At the Opera. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN6177.jpg Friends. We decided here to head on down the BR 319 to Porto Velho and Pablo headed back to Venezuela. They warned us they didn’t think the road was passable but we thought we’d give it a go anyway. Before we left the club gave us a rear tyre as ours was running out of life and Pablo got a front one. This was a hard gift to accept as they had already given us so much but it would be insulting to refuse. We also got a couple of 5L detergent bottles they had for fuel containers and after a few tears of farewell were shed we headed to the ferry. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN6198.jpg Crossing the Amazon amongst the tankers. It was an interesting ferry, crossing just below where the Rio Negro joins the Amazon and passing over the mixing of the waters, where the brown and black rivers merge. We headed off down the surprisingly decent paved road to Cariero, where we stayed the night. After an early start it was time for the fun to begin. There was a big concrete bridge built across the river beside Cariero but like the other one or two big bridges on the road, there were no on or off ramps built. Funding for this project had been cancelled at some point in the project, so people could cross climbing up the 3 or 4 metre drop on each side but vehicles and bikes had to take small ferries. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN6200.jpg Ferry at Cariero. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN6205.jpg Ready to go. The pointless bridge is behind me. We had filled up with petrol and were ready for 500km of jungle. Or so we thought. After 100km and a couple of these ferries, we passed an army base, the last of civilization for awhile. No private contractors were willing to rebuild the BR 319, so the army was sent in to do it. The road was originally built to maintain the communication towers every 50 or so km that connect Manaus to the rest of the country. It had not been maintained since the 80’s. At the time the 10-15km after the army base was the worst part of the road. We had to repeatedly unload as we sunk stuck into mud to the bottom up to the bottom of the bags, push the bike through and reload. After valiantly battling through 8km of mud in 2+ hours, the bike decided to completely consume her clutch. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN6207.jpg Into the jungle. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN6211.jpg Proper stuck. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN6214.jpg and again. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN6216.jpg once more. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...DSCN6221ps.jpg Right before the end of the clutch. Crap. It’s getting on to mid afternoon. No people. No traffic. Decisions. The bike is given a sad farewell and pushed into the bushes for a night alone. We start the walk back to the army base. Arriving just after dark the army boys are shocked to see two random gringos walking in. Although we can’t talk because of our limited Portuguese we end up with an empty dorm room/container to ourselves and leftovers from the mess. I never figured I’d join the Brazilian army for a week but they were great. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/..._1248847_n.jpg The army base. As viewed from one of the communication towers looking towards the closest civilisation. After a few hand signals and trying to communicate in broken Spanish, I realised they would love to pick the bike up but they don’t have enough diesel which is why they aren’t working and why the generator only runs an hour or two a day. So off we trot back up the track with no bags this time and spend the entire day pushing the bike back through 8km of crappy mud with no functioning engine to help. Getting in on dark we enjoy another meal of salty meat rations and retire to our quarters. The next day one of the army mechanics wants to take a look and it is confirmed. No clutch and the nearest possibility of a replacement is the small town about 100km and two ferry crossings away. The army can’t give us a ride because they have no diesel. Joining the army seems the only option. Kyla told the guys somehow it was my birthday and they find a few beers and make pizza for dinner. A unique enough place for a 22nd birthday I guess. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN6235.jpg Hmmm, it is broken!! http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN6241.jpg Birthday Party. The next day, Renan, the commander returns to camp. He speaks English which is fortunate for us. So the story is they have been waiting longer then they usually wait for fuel because the ferry is broken. In a few days they will drive in a truck our side of the crossing 30km away where a small boat can ferry drums across (and us!). During the next few days we encounter an anaconda cruising through camp, I catch a small fish with big teeth and eat it, we read alot and live on army rations. Life’s not bad when you have a dry place to sleep and food in your stomach. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN6250.jpg Anaconda. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN6245.jpg Lunch. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN6236.jpg Off to the truck. The guys in the background are carrying diesel from the genny tank over to the truck. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN6237.jpg Up she goes. The day has finally come, the boys helped me load the bike the night before and we are off. The first 18 km it is such a relief to be on the move again.... until the drive shaft decides to remove itself from the centre diff. That trucks not going anywhere. A couple of hours of waiting on the side of the road and the other working truck comes to pick us up. And take us back to the base for the night. Frustrating. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN6260.jpg That driveshaft doesn't look right... Round two and we head off the next morning in the other truck and make it to the river. Freedom! There is no traffic on this road but Renan says we will have a chance of getting a ride. (We saw a total of zero vehicles go past in either direction in our week at the army base). After pushing the bike for 8 or 10km a van that passed us earlier going the other way is coming back. I frantically wave it down and he stops. I get Kyla in the van with bags before tying a rope on to the van, wrapping one end around my bars and holding on. The road is paved mostly, interspersed with sections of potholes. The driver is a crazy Brazilian. The next two hours are the most mentally straining two hours I have had in a long time. Motorbikes are not meant to be towed. Arriving shaking at the ferry to the small town of Cariero I thank the driver profusely, give him 10 or 20 dollars and push the bike on to the ferry and off up to a bike mechanic. He pulls the clutch off and luckily it uses the same size clutch as Honda 150 I think and he gives me two options; $15 for the Chinese made clutch or $25 for the Brazilian made one. I splash out on the pricier one and then it’s time for another go at the 319. Taking the boat to Porto Velho would just be too easy. |
I'm amazed at your perservience
What adventurous spirit's you have ,loving you tale ,re the chinese bike,its almost worth buying one for the experience's it brings,how else would you have had the tale you are experiencing:clap:
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WOW....
Thanks much for your reports. I had heard that camping was not ok in the jungle because of big cats. But maybe nobody told you and so you proved them wrong. You do know that it is the rainy season now? To late now to be concerned about that, isn't it? Thanks again for your reports. In time, we will see if I get down that way. All the best to you. mike
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Thanks for the report. Please keep it going if you can! Very interesting.
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Wow, what a practical idea - two large rucksacks on a wooden carrier. Who needs £1000 luggage!
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*This is going back to May 2011 riding through here, I have been incredibly slack.
It was getting on into the afternoon by the time the bike was back in one piece and good to go. So we loaded up, bought a couple of dozen beers and a couple of bottles of Cachaça for the army boys and headed back over the ferry. It was now getting dark but I was frustrated enough to keep going. Then the headlight decided enough was enough and stopped completely. Not Again. I quickly diagnosed that it was the battery. I had been having to kickstart the bike for a few thousand km but hadn't got around to getting a new battery. So under-powered LED headtorch strapped to the front it was into the night. Half an hour of this was enough with the frequent potholes and my already frayed nerves from the mornings towing, so we decided to camp soon. There weren't many places that looked nice for camping in the jungle, so we headed on until finding a church seemingly on its own in the middle of the jungle. After figuring that we wanted to camp on his lawn the pastor seemed happy enough. Setting the tent up I dropped straight to sleep before being woken half an hour later by excessively loud late night preaching screaming from the rough sawn church. A bunch of people turned up from the jungle to get yelled at for an hour or two. It was a bit strange, but these things happen. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN6265.jpg Camped at church. Up early, it’s nice to be on the road again. After 15 minutes ride I see a strange shape on a power line. Stopping to investigate we realise it’s a sloth who had a shocking experience and its’ hooked claws were holding it up on the line. Not much fun for the sloth. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/stham321.jpg Then it was on to the next ferry and back to the army base. We stopped for lunch and a few beers and to say our thanks before heading off down the red mud road. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/stham322.jpg Thanks Renan! The muddy parts were a bit easier as the road had dried out a little and I knew the best lines after having been this way and walked back already. We got through with a bit less drama than a maintenance crew heading out to service the communication towers, giving them some water and keeping on going. There wasn’t much we could do and they were working their way through with a turper winch. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/stham323.jpg Stuck. We kept on riding and stopped at for the night at the tower about 100km from the army base. No one is staying at this one, but the gate is unlocked and we camp inside. The hurricane mesh fences wouldn’t be much of an obstacle for a hungry jaguar but I figure I must smell too bad to be eaten anyway. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCN6284.jpg Camping under the tower. It’s south again the next morning and off down the road, which is a mixture of dirt mud and seal until we get to a river. There is a small village here and a big old riverboat tied to a barge as a ferry they take us across for a small fee seeming surprised. I think the ferrying business has all but dried up for them now their only access to the world is down the river. I think the locals are saying we can’t go further but I can’t really understand so we go for a look anyway. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/stham326.jpg Curious Monkey. The bridges get bad until we get to a river where the bridge is burnt out completely. There’s a body of a car which tried to cross at some point and it’s a long way to the other side. Frustrated, we decide to eat lunch. I noticed a side track back a bit so we investigate. Nope, no way that way either. Back to the road. This must be why the army and locals and everyone was saying don’t go. Silly gringos. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/stham327.jpg Getting Bad. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/stham329.jpg Worse. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/stham330.jpg No way around. I think I can make a canoe out amongst the pillars against the other bank. I don’t want to turn back. Swim time!! I take the spare tubes out and inflate them to float across on. They don’t give much flotation but it’s something. I splash around in the shallows for a bit to convince myself that I won’t get eaten by piranha or any other strange Amazonian fish or reptile and take the plunge. The current is surprisingly strong so I paddle upstream and float over to the other side. The canoe turns out to be a decent size. We have a chance! http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/stham331.jpg http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/stham332.jpg Almost There! I Bail it out with the cut off soft drink bottle that was in it as it is almost full with water and paddle back across with the paddle that was cut to shape from a plank. Next step, manhandle the bike into the canoe. This is difficult but manageable, with the bike ending up hanging over each side a bit. I paddle back over with the bike and Kyla. We are both in our underwear in case we end up swimming. We make over and eventually get the bike up the muddy bank on the other side. Another trip to get the bags and we are off again. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/stham334.jpg Going for a paddle. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/stham335.jpg Perfect fit. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/stham336.jpg Looking back. It starts to rain and we ride off again. I drop the bike at least 20 times on off-camber greasy muddy sections. At least falling on mud doesn’t hurt as much. We pass another maintenance vehicle going the opposite direction and they are shocked to see us. The second and last vehicle we see before the village 100km out of Huamita. Frustrated, we make it to a tower and stop for the night. There is a ‘light house keeper’ staying in this one and he gives us clean water and the use of his toilet. I climb the tower in the morning. There is an incredible 360 degree view of endless trees, with the only contrasting feature being the single dirt line cutting straight through. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/stham338.jpg There can't be much traffic when there are leafcutter ant highways crossing the road. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/stham339.jpg The way we came. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/stham340.jpg The way we're going. I have noticed the fuel tank has a slow leak. It appears there is no crack, just fuel seeping out through the fatigued metal. I think this from the force of crashing repeatedly with the overfilled ‘tankbag’ attached. I hope it doesn’t get worse or we may be walking again soon. Leaving the compound we see big paw prints in the mud. For better or worse the cat doesn’t seem to be around anymore. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/stham342.jpg Prints. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/stham341.jpg Tightening the chain. After another exhausting day we make it to the village 100km before Huamita, and find it has a place to stay. A beer and an early night for a long sleep in something that resembles a bed. A guy in this town sells fuel from his shed which is a relief, as it would be a bit touch and go to get to Huamita. This next section of road is very bad because it gets used. It takes a few hours to get out to Huamita and the rest of the day before getting into Porto Velho. Looking for a hotel a very kind bus driver sees us confused, finishes his route, and returns to show us the way. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/stham343.jpg Accommodation in the village. Clothes could stand by themselves now. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...n/stham344.jpg Made It!!! |
Made it!
As I finished reading your report and I stood up and cheered, laughing. Thank you. ratbikemike
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Love your never give up out look!!
You show great improvisation skills ,looking forward to your next blog.Noel:D
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holy frijoles! Colebatch and his crewe have nothing on the two of you! Need a bike? Figure out how to buy one, first, get a questionable Chinese bike, and then nurse that sucker to success!! Your can-do spirit is wonderful. Bridge out? Swim across, borrow canoe, shuttle bike, gear, and sig other across, suit up and get back on the road. Bike dead? Push it. How far? Upwards of 8 miles! Wow! You guys put the ADVENTURE in adventure biking!! :thumbup1::clap:bier:D
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You haven't posted for a while, I hope all is well?
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Your still on SA as of last report. How about some boring ride report stuff with roads, restaurants and showers etc. Maybe include an intrestering sight to see. Hope all is well. ratbikemike
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I must admit i've been a little concerned too
Would be great if you can give us all a heads up.hope your well.Noel
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Addicted to this trip, need an update!!!
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All is well and the trip is over. Thank you all for reading and the concern. The last post happened May-June 2011 I have just been delayed.
Here is a brief synopsis of events since then: We headed on to the Bolivian border at Guayara-Mirim from Puerto Velho. We camoped a night on the side of the road on the way or tried to, before being woken up by inch long ants who had eaten their way into the tent. Waking up being chewed on by hordes of angry ants is not the nicest and after a quick evacuation of the tent I realised we had unknowingly pitched the tent a meter or two from an "ant highway" and they didn't like intruders. We decided that was enough camping for the night and headed on towards Guayara-Mirim. After an hour and a half ride with half an hour to go in the middle of the night we run out of fuel. Should have been carrying extra. Oh well. After half an hour so the first car going past stops to help. Thankfully he is very helpful and siphons a few liters out of his near-empty tank for us. We make it to town and at the only hotel with a vacancy, no one answers at reception. Tired, we put the ten up on the lawn and go sleep. After an hour or so asleep I wake up with someone yelling and shining the light at the tent. It's the police. I try to explain the situation in my very questionable Portuguese and the police try to find the owner or manager. They can't find them either so they just shrug their shoulders and leave us to get what sleep we can. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...ps4622a878.jpg http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...ps42c1089a.jpg Almost time for new boots. The next day the manager apologizes and gives us breakfast before head down to customs and find a boat to cross over to Bolivia. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...pse3ab9494.jpg We spend the next few days riding through the thick dust of the roads to Riberalta and Rurrenabaque, camping along the way and almost running over an anaconda crossing the road once. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...psc5d10f8c.jpg From Rurrenabaque we went over to Coroico for a few days relaxtion before heading up 'the worlds most dangerous road' to La Paz. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...ps0d735428.jpg http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...ps600cc424.jpg http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...psb8133582.jpg In La Paz Kyla and I decide to go our separate ways as friends. She heads back to Canada and I start working for "Gravity Assisted Mountain Biking" in La Paz. For 10 months I work as a guide taking backpackers down 'the worlds most dangerous road' and a few other more adventurous rides. I bought a couple of mountain bikes and the motorbike is relegated use running around town. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...ps63b3b7aa.jpg http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...ps61f78ddc.jpg Working Hard. The plan was to get back on the road after working for a year but that didn't eventuate. After a crazy 9 months or so I heard my older brother at home discovered he had a heart condition and I was told to get checked up. I got some tests done in La Paz and it showed an issue. This was most likely why I had 'fallen asleep' while guiding a month earlier and ended up with a dislocated should and a lot of missing skin. I sorted my life out in La Paz, sold my motorbike for about $400 (4 times less than one of my mountain bikes), and flew home. I went straight to hospital on arrival and ended up with a defibrillator/pacemaker put in. http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...ps77caeec8.jpg http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...ps3fdb4bd5.jpg Final Goodbye. Now I am doing fine, living in Brisbane, Australia. No bike or motorcycle licence(yet) but Dreaming of and Saving up for the next adventure... |
Chad thank you for a very enjoyable read
Glad your home safe,I'm in Emerald C.Q. if your ever passing through.pm me i'd be happy to put you up.Noel:D
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Thanks for finishing the report. That's a bummer with your heart condition, but it looks like you've caught it in time. Good luck with your future adventures.
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Great adventure
It was great reading your adventures.I am from India and if you ever plan for a trip here you can contact me, wud be happy to help.
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Thanks....
Glad you made it to the hospital. Sometimes a guy gets lucky. And thanks so much for the last update. It is good to bring a story around to a fitting end. I'll have to do that myself, now that I am home. I very much like your style of adventure and the no frills reporting. I am glad things are going well with you. ratbikemike
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Just out of curiosity
How many miles do you think you put on the old Chinese Junker?
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Thanks guys, I think by the time I sold it I had done about 20,000 km/ 14,400 miles.
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Wow! Just read this through in one sitting! First of all, I want to bow in admiration of your persistence and strength, pushing through every obstacle as you two did!
I live in Peru and have alot of experience on riding Chinese bikes in South America (even 2-up), and the worst thing you can do is just buy a bike and head out on a long ride! I recommend: Seat the engine in (about 100 kms on these models) with a good quality non-synthetic oil before you load it and head off. Then change oil to a FULL SYNTHETIC 20W50 (made for 4T motorcycles) and use only that! It is AMAZING how long the engine will last! Top off oil (if needed) every morning. Just in case, carry an extra (next oversize) piston kit and cam chain (you can have both for less than $40 !). Take it all apart (yes, new!) and putting it back together with alot of locktite and the correct torque (like those steering neck bearings! I recommend even replacing them with conical needle bearings). Take some foam strips and pad the battery (they are always bouncing around loose!). Take some Dielectric grease with you (you won't find it in South America) and put it in every electrical connection. This will keep water and corrosion out. Secure good strong connections on the battery posts and then cover them with Dielectric grease Gutting the exhaust to give more power and allow you to ride almost all altitudes on the same jet is very important. Great rear rack but it probably added quite a bit of weight by itself. A steel one actually would have been lighter, but... THE MOST IMPORTANT THING is to triangulate the rear of it down to the rear footpeg mounts so the frame and rear rack don't keep breaking. The stock rims on some of these bikes are paper mache! Best to find some tough steel or decent aluminum ones and have them laced up with thicker spokes. Change out the stock 15/45 ratio sprockets with 17/43 ratio. Otherwise you will be screaming the engine at 50 kph. When you are going to do the tough spots, just put the 15T back on the front and adjust the chain! O-Ring chain. They are tough and quite inexpensive compared to back home. Don't leave home without one. And as they have much thicker links they don't stretch much! Use good chain lube every morning. Again at noon if it has been a wet day or many stream crossings. KNOW where and when your rainy season is! As your clutch wears the cable will get tighter. Make sure you always have some play at the lever or you will burn the clutch up! Carry an extra set of clutch plates with you (they are only $4 for a full set!) and know how to change them. I've ridden Chinese bikes 5,000 kms at a stretch, well loaded (and me at 105 KG) and never had a mechanical issue the whole way! :mchappy::mchappy::mchappy: |
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