After Puno we moved North along the high Andean roads to Cusco, a tourist trap and hell for me , I'm a motoryclist not a tourist, touts everywhere trying to sell trips / hostels / food/ anything in fact! A trip to the famous Norton Rats tavern was dissapointing, being a Norton owner in the UK I expected some banter but none! A trip to Machu Picchu was worthwhile but once again tourist hell, I thought Aguas Calienties was particularly rip off city. The ruins though are spectacular and well worth a visit. Desperate to eascape the cold we headed back to Nasca and had some welding done on the pannier frames and on the route North had a look at the lines.
Back in the desert now we headed to Paracas for a stay (Nice seaside town) then to Trujillo, in retrospect we should have stayed in Huanchano a few Km's away, much nicer and less manic driving. Now in Chicalayo having a day off, nice city worth visiting.

The road from Puno to Cusco, could be Scotland!

Nun calling her pals to have a in the Norton Rats Tavern

Machu Picchu, worth a look !

Stunning scenery

Road to Nasca means the sides of the tyres get some wear!

Nasca lines, this one is "hands"

Desert, desert everywhere!!

As always more words and pics on the blog
www.ginoontour.blogspot.com

Now in Equador and already a huge contrast from Peru, desert is behind us for now and enjoying the amazing roads in the Andean mountains.
Couple of Video's we've put together but as always more details and stories on the blog, www.ginoontour.blogspot.com

All Roads Lead to the Moon Episode 5 - YouTube

All Roads Lead to the Moon Episode 5 - YouTube

Nice one Gino. Cuenca is a fantastic place to take a break.

Pat

__________________
Pat
www.patonabike.blogspot.com

It sure was Pat, great time there!

Equador was fantastic, great roads, nice people and awesome scenery, even had the privelidge of watching a Volcano get angry!! Now in Cali Columbia but unfortunately need to fly home for a family emergency for a week or so, meanwhile,

Awesome display of nature!

Crap roads!

Awesome scenery

Mad Jumpers!!!

The Equator, another milestone

Surrounded by inquisitive and friendly Colombians

As always more pictures and stories on www.ginoontour.blogspot.com

Now back in Cali , Colombia having returned from our week back in Scotland (Bloody freezing) Great to be back in the heat of South America and we took the opportunity to bring fresh tyres and spares back from the UK.
Ready to roll again.

A short vid of our time in Equador All Roads lead to the Moon Episode 6 - YouTube

And as always full story and pics on our Blog
www.ginoontour.blogspot.com

We headed from Cali to the nice town of Salento, wonderful place, nice people and my recomendation is to stay at te plantation House Hostel, go for the coffee tour its worth it. Afte a few days we made our way to Bogota and organised the bike shipping with Girag (by plane) $750 US each and $30US to pay at the Panama side so not too bad really. Super efficient Girag staff make it easy, the police however........
Sad to have left Colombia, fantastic country and very friendly, warm, open people. After extricating the bikes from Girag Panama (no more than 2 hours) and a day off we headed to just outside Santiago and met up with Sara & Dan www.worldwideride.ca for a day of drinking and general story swapping. Heading to Costa Rica in the next couple of days, full story as always on www.ginoontour.blogspot.com


Plantation House Salento, recommended!

Bikes in the Girag warehouse Bogota

Waiting 4 hours for the Police to check the bikes....Boring although Gianni keeps smiling

Panama City, big AND busy!!!
T
This ship paid $100,000 US to get through the canal, good work if you ca get it!!

It's not all hard work!!

Team photo before going our separate ways
.
Unwelcome visitor

More pics and the full story on our Blog www.ginoontour.blogspot.com

Latest video on our time in Colombia

All Roads Lead to the Moon Episode 7 - YouTube

Enjoy
www.ginoontour.blogspot.com

We headed up through Costa Rica , stopped over in some cool places and were amazed at the wildlife, flora and fauna that abounds there. Worth spending time in this country and to cool down get to Lake Arenal, the road around the Lake is amazing! The border crossing to Nicaragua was done in just under 2 hours so not too bad although we did pay a fixer $10, you could do it without but to be honest in the near 40 degree heat I just couldn't be arsed playing the where to go next game. This crossing is the first we had to pay taxes and all in all this came to $32 Dollars which includes $12 for compulsory insurance $3 fumigation (the bike not me!) $12 immigration $1 for travel tax sticker and finally $5 Tourist tax.
I know some people whinge about paying these taxes but those are the rules so just smile and pay, likewise the fixer, if it saves me an hour standing doing an impersonation of a waterfall in the heat then ten bucks is worth it, everybody has to make a living somehow!

Bikes at rest by the shores of Lake Arenal with the Volcano in the background

One of the reasons I'm happy not to camp just now!


And another

And another!!!


No kidding!!! Somebody's feeding them, they're massive!!

It doesn't have to be hard! I'd recommend this place, Cascada Verde Hostel in Uvita Costa Rica

More pics and full story on the blog www.ginoontour.blogspot.com

Great to see you're still on the move - but now I'm feeling a bit guilty that I still haven't loaded up all the border information!

The next two are probably the trickiest - and I do agree with you about the heat - pretty relentless and a good reason to try and get to the borders as early as possible.

Have fun and keep blogging.

Pat

__________________
Pat
www.patonabike.blogspot.com

Hi Pat, yes one more crossing to do now Friday to Mexico the no more for a month!!!
The stuff you did put up was very helpful so thanks for that, what I noticed is that even stories from a few weeks ago are out of date now as the border staff play musical chairs with their offices!

Hi all, sorry been a bit lazy as we passed through mexico, the Blog is up to date on www.ginoontour.blogspot.com
We did find the time to make a little video of Central America
All roads lead to the Moon Episode 8 - YouTube
Hope you enjoy!
BTW the Bajercito to cash tvip's in Tijuana is no longer there, its moved to near the Otay crossing a few miles away (past the aiport)
I had a farce trying to find the place , the GPS coords are N32 32.746 W116 56.426
They didn't tell anyone and the signs for the old place are still there, Otay's a easier crossing anyway!

Apologies for the lack of updates, we left Mexico at Tijuana after riding up the Baja and we are now just into Colorado having gone a round about route to get here. Some pics of the journey to date

Thw Baja was great riding, here in the boulder field

A quick stop in Hollywood LA for a pic of the sign

Then San Fran, the Golden gate bridge, some bike problems here with Fi's bike rectified by BMW Livermore

Death Valley, damned Hot
S
Saw our first bear!

More Bears & Sharks here, Las Vegas!!


The Grand canyon....certainly is

Getting our kicks on ......

And then Monument valley

Full story and more pics on the Blog www.ginoontour.blogspot.com

Been in the USA for a few weeks now and currently on a 2 week break in a hire car as we have a visit from Fiona's parents. Must admit I'd rather be on the bike!!
It has though allowed us to get Part 9 of our video sorted out which is about our ride through Mexico
All roads lead to the Moon Episode 9 - YouTube

And I also got to go to Bonneville Salt flats which was cool

Colorado roads, awesome


Never made the Salar de Uyni but Bonneville has more motorcycling lore!

Full story on www.ginoontour.blogspot.com

After Bonneville we visited grand Teton Park, the ever impressive yellowstone and Rocky mountain park, great motorcycling roads but the traffic I'm afraid goes too slow for me to maintain concentration. A brieff spell back in Denver (and a Norton meeting) and we have wobbled up via Sturgis in South Dakota (quieter roads and fantastic scenery) Now back in Wyoming we have a week at the Norton meeting in Buffalo to catch up with old friends before the push up into Canada. We are now at the 18500 mile point and looking forward to the rest up to Alaska and beyond.

Jackson Hole


Grand Tetons

Yellowstone

Old Faithful

Saratoga, a good place to stop for a night


Rocky Mountain National Park


Nature in charge at Estes Park


Colorado Norton meeting

Back in Estes Park for July 4th


Fiona using the BMW's carryng capacity!!



Mount Rushmore

As always full narrative and more pictures on our blog
www.ginoontour.blogspot.com