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24 Nov 2011
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Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne UK
Posts: 252
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Happy Birthday
Hope you have a great one.. and continue to entertain us with your trip report.... pics about the british girl would have been interesting lol
Cheers
Geordie aka Will
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24 Nov 2011
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Join Date: May 2011
Location: Gravenhurst On Canada
Posts: 97
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Happy to see you are moving forward and Healthy..........
Happy Birthday
Hic
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25 Nov 2011
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Contributing Member
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Netherlands
Posts: 639
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Happy Birthday and I am looking forward to your next report.
I like the photos too.
__________________
Jan Krijtenburg
My bikes are a Honda GoldWing GL1200 and a Harley-Davidson FXD Dyna Super Glide
My personal homepage with trip reports: https://www.krijtenburg.nl/
YouTube channel (that I do together with one of my sons): motormobilist.nl
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25 Nov 2011
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Registered Users
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Everettt, Washington, USA
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Today was the most difficult riding of the entire 7.75 months of my adventure, no lie. I rode with a flat tire for over 30 miles. You wouldn´t believe it. Had a spark plug (1 of 2) foul, and was only getting 28mpg versus nearly 40. Ran out of gas the moment I left the dirt and hit the street 140 miles after buying gas. Found some kid to bring me 5 gallons for a cheaper price than the gas stations charge foreigners, and found a tire shop inside of 5 minutes.
IT WAS OUTRAGEOUS!
I am giving the bike an overhaul tomorrow. I rode to the border after fixing my flat tire, but have yet to fix the motor issue and the fact that I am getting 28mpg.
I found a motorcycle shop in Villazón, and the owner invited me to dinner with his friends, and then escorted me to a hostel with internet nextdoor. I´m going back in the morning. The bike needs to be washed badly as well.
Argentina tomorrow or the next day, depending on how much of the bike I want to overhaul.
Photos and the entire incredibly unbelievable story to come when I have a moment of spare time. As for now, I am going to eat chocolate, and relax in my hotel room.
AWESOME.
--Alex
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26 Nov 2011
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Everettt, Washington, USA
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Ahhhhh, shheeeeeeaaaat.
A quote from my Ride Report on ADVrider.
Quote:
smrchief
Say What??
From Tom's blog;
"Alex won't be to BA until Saturday, so sadly we won't be seeing each other again until we're both stateside. He's selling his bike to a committed buyer in Buenos Aires and then shipping out early December."
Sounds like Al's coming to the end of the trail.
Thanks for the ride Al!
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Tom spilled the beans on accident. He´s got his own things to think about anyway, like partying when his mom is asleep! I missed the fiesta with the Aussies Eddy and Lizzie in B.A., damn!
When I was relaxing, healing, and otherwise being detained in Ecuador after my accident there, I spent a lot of time on the internet searching the forsale and want to buy adds both on ADVrider, and HorizonsUnlimited.
Selling bikes in Argentina is always a precarious thing and involves leaving the country with the buyer and entering in again after changing hands.
Buying bikes is much the same. Hopefully you can find a good deal on one, and find someone that knows what he is doing in regards to selling the bike.
Well, I responded to a Want to Buy ad on the HUBB at Horizons Unlimited, and found a guy that planned to arrived the 28th of November. Well... Let me do some math.
I´m running out of money. I don´t want to pay to send my bike home. I would rather sell it. This guy is looking to buy. I can be there by the time he arrives barring any crazy unforeseen problems, which I am inately good at finding... Hmmmm....
So, after a few emails, it was decided, Steve from Australia would by my bike. I would sell it to him, help him with the paperwork, and see him off on good terms flying home a week after he arrived. He even went as far as to send me a deposit.
So, a few things remain.
I will be riding the next 1100 miles (1750km) to B.A starting tomorrow morning. I will likely arrive Monday afternoon. Steve arrives the same day.
I´ll spend a week with him, getting the bike taken care of, helping him sort his tools and gear for the bike, and allowing my Spanish to help him get on his way. He plans to travel for 5-6 months.
Today I spent in the border town of Villazón, Bolivia doing much needed bike maintenance. I changed the oil and filter, cleaned the air filter and carburetor, adjusted the chain, and most importantly found a man to drill out and tap the two top mounting bolts for my pannier frame that broke off INSIDE the motorcycle subframe.
All is well now, and the bike feels great. Also, ADVgrifter, you nailed it head on. I too was suspecting the spark plugs being fouled for my crap gas mileage, and indeed it was the problem. They were both black as night, carbon allll over them. I replaced them with genuine NGK plugs, and the bike ripped down street right away.
The guy working on my bike, Javier, and the shop owner José were up partying all night until about 6am. I arrived at the shop at 9am... I could smell the liquor on both of them. I think Javier was still a little drunk too! He tried to change the circlip and washers on my needle jet, but I made him leave it original, that is why I have an extended fuel mixture screw! His latent drunkeness made it harder for him to understand, but he eventually left it as it was. After that, all was well.
...
...
...
So, after 8 months and 3 days, I am flying to North America from Buenos Aires, I will arrive at the Vancouver, Canada airport 2.5 hours from my parents house (It was $220 cheaper than Seattle) on December 6th, and be home from my Central and South American adventures. HOWEVER, the Ride Report does not stop there. NO, indeed, it is just reaching the end of this particular line. Yes I will be home in ten days, for about a month after which I am planning something OUTRAGEOUS for the month of January, which for now, it is top secret.
But I can promise you, it will be awesome.
So, Argentina tomorrow, B.A in a few days, selling of the bike a few days later, and flying home a few days after that.
Then it is home for the holidays with friends, family, and loved ones. Kristi is even on Christmas break from University the day after I get home.
The next 40 days are going to kick major ass. Stay tuned everyone!
Onward! And soon. Northward!
--Alex
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26 Nov 2011
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Join Date: Oct 2005
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Well done. What an adventure! I'll miss those daily emails that tell me you've posted another installment. All the best for the last leg of your trip and looking forward to posts on your new venture.
Paul
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If you think you are too small to make a difference you have never spent the night with a mosquito.
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1 Dec 2011
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Join Date: Sep 2009
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The last AWESOME 8 days.
As I left La Paz, Bolivia and the continual party atmosphere of Loki Hostel La Paz, the skies opened up and rain poured down on me for a couple of hours straight. As I was riding, I didn’t stop until I reached Oruro only 120 miles down the road. I was heading south to the Bolivian/Argentinian border at Villazón. In Oruro, I decided to stop for the day, as I left late, and it was pissing rain. At 2pm I was parked in a hostel, walking the streets and looking for food to eat. The next day, I hit the road early for Uyuni, and I am glad I did.
On the way out of town, I tried to buy gasoline at the last gas station, and they refused to sell me gasoline. I needed to go back into town to Cinco Esquinas gas station, where gas is 8.7bvs(bolivianos) a liter for foreigners rather than the 3.7bv/liter that the locals pay. The other option was the next gas station 80kms further south. I chose to go back into town (12kms) rather than risk the next gas station. Luckily, I chose this option, as when I arrived at the gas station 80kms further south, it was closed, and had no gas!
On the way south to Uyuni, I found a slight road block and practicing strikers. Even a burnt up car!
After being told by the locals to just ride around the burned car and into town, that is just what I did. That is when paved road turned to dirt.
A view of the signs, all telling me I was cutting it close on my road to Uyuni. I already had ridden 80miles and only had about 100miles to go, or 162kms…
Hmmmm. Straight down the dirt road, or a right turn down the paved road… Straight!
The straight (dirt) road had an access road running along it. The main road was washboard hell, and the access road was sandy hell. What do I choose?
At the next town I asked around for gasoline. I had 94 miles on my tank, and 90 more to go safely. The man driving this land rover told me there was no gas around, and that I couldn’t possibly continue riding due south for Uyuni, as there was another road block that ABSOLUTELY would not allow me to pass. However, he was going to make a trip to Uyuni with his family via a round-about way, and I was welcome to follow. Yes, there will be gasoline along the way.
[IMG]http://i979.photobucket.com/albums/ae273/bigalsmith101/No%20Jobs%20No%20Reponsibilities
%20No%20Better%20Time/IMG_0260.jpg[/IMG]
So, with a little hesitation, I agreed to follow him out into the middle of now where and hope for the best. Llamas!
Damn. I really am in the middle of nowhere. I hope I never lose this guy!
Look at him go! At near 55mph, he was tearing across the altiplano in the middle of Bolivia and I was following him.
People live and die out here as well though, and I’ve got proof of it.
After an hour and a half of mostly 25mph riding with lots of various speeds between it all, we took a break.
It was some of the best riding I have ever done. AWESOME.
When it was time to find fuel, apparently there was none, and no one was selling any. And I only had another gallon of fuel with at least 80 more miles to do. So, the man asked me, “What can we do?” I pointed out that his truck was gasoline. Maybe I could have some gasoline from his truck? Yes. Ok. And so it went. He opened the hood of his truck, took the fuel hose off the fuel pump, and filled up a 2 liter water bottle twice, and dumped it into my tank. Onward!
As we continued on, I tried to take it easy to make sure I wouldn’t run out of fuel. Later on, I would learn that that would save the day.
This bus was empty, but there were about 15 people around it working on getting it “unstuck” from it’s predicament. It would have sucked to have been the passengers!
The scenery was outrageous this day, and I was having a great time, EXCEPT when I fell over in the sand at 5mph and bruised my left leg pretty good when my left pannier landed on me.
[IMG]http://i979.photobucket.com/albums/ae273/bigalsmith101/No%20Jobs%20No%20Reponsibilities
%20No%20Better%20Time/IMG_0271.jpg[/IMG]
Soon enough, I could see the Salar de Uyuni in the distance. Holy Crap. I am going to ride across the salt flats!
Dude. DUDE. DUUUUUUUUDE. This is AWWWWEEESSSOOOOOOOMMMMEE!!!
My “guide” took off into the Salar at full speed ahead, and I did my best to keep up without eating dirt in the bumpy roads.
And then, it was simply the immensity of the Salar surrounding me as we flew over the salt at 60mph.
See. I was really riding across the Salar!
Damn, my ugly ass hair is getting long!
Soon, we were getting close to where we would be pulling out of the salt and back onto the dirt and sand, and crappy roads.
For a moment, we stopped before we left the Salar, and the man asked me how I was doing for Gasoline. I told him that I was on my reserve and needed gasoline soon. He told me that in 5km(3miles) he was filling his gas tank, and as it would be, so would I. I filled 18.7liters into my 19 liter tank! Woo!
Here is the guy that led me 150 miles across the middle of nowhere to lead me to the salvation that was Uyuni! Thanks man!
The bike was covered in Salt dust and not less than a kilo of dirt and sand as well. AWESOME.
Soon thereafter I found a European tourist couple walking down the street and I asked them where they were staying. I then found their hostel, booked a room, went out for food, found some internet and passed out. My goal for the next day, Tupiza or Villazón, I wasn’t sure yet, and I had 208 kms of “good dirt road” to make it to Tupiza….
Well the first 1/4 of the “good dirt road” was ACTUALLY “good dirt road”, and I was having great time. That is basically where is ended though.
Llamas! Or are they Alpacas. I think they are Llamas!
To be continued...
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1 Dec 2011
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Registered Users
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story continued...
Sometimes, the “good dirt road” would turn into “shitty sandy road” and it would turn out I would take a well timed photo of the road behind me….Because…. Aaaah shit.
I had the presence of mind to take a picture while it was down this time. And the sand wasn’t particularly nice to me when I was picking it back up. All of you guys with KTM990’s and R1200GS’s must have fun if you have to pick them up!
It wasn’t but a few moments later when two Brazilians, Robertson and Anderson, rolled up on a Harley Davidson and a BMW G650GS.
I asked Robertson what he would do if he fell. His response,”I don’t fall”. I like that attitude. Slow going in the sand for this guy!
His riding partner Anderson had the same idea, and followed behind the Harley, why not, he’d never be left behind out here!
As they pulled away, I was happy enough to see this bolt on the left side pannier rack flopping around. After removing the pannier, it was obvious enough that it was snapped of IN the frame of the bike. Damn.
The other side looked like this… I hadn’t given the bike a once over after my epic ride the day before, and well, lucky me!
I’m not going back when I’m 40% into the 208kms of dirt road though!
On the way “deeper” into the middle of nowhere, I passed what seemed to be the local garbage dump/collection pile. There was garbage EVERYWHERE, for about a mile, and then it was back to the desert.
I’m halfway there!!!
Ah damn. Look at this stuff! Middle of nowhere awesomeness!
Check out this Czech guy on his R1200GSA. He was hauling ass standing on his pegs down this section of the “good dirt road”. I hope he slowed down for the sand up ahead! His two friends were behind him. One on a KTM
990ADV and the other on a R1200GSA
OH SHIT. Flat tire! What do I do!
First step first. Get off the bike, whip out the Enduro Star Trail Stand, take off the Velcro Strap, secure the front brake lever, and get ready for action.
Take off the panniers and remove the luggage from the top case. Remember to take a photo of what “the middle of nowhere” in Bolivia looks like. I’m 50km’s from the next paved road, I have a flat tire, and I’ve just remembered that the Ecuadorian Police still have my Cycle Pump and patch kit.
Sit by the right side of the bike, put hand on pannier rack and push the bike up onto its side stand. Introduce the trail stand, and get ready for more action.
Remove the wheel, pop the tire loose, remove the tube, and find the whole. Damn it, I can’t even patch it. Roll it up, and stash it in a pannier.
Go about collecting scrub brush branches to stuff into my tire to help with the fact that I have to ride 50 more kilometers on a flat tire….
Thanks donor bush!
Go man go! Am I really shoving branches into my tire? Yes man, you are really shoving branches into your tire. You have no other vegetation around!
And, proof that I have shoved most of those branches into the tire…
Re-install rear tire and get ready for round two. Riding.
40km’s to go!
Man. I am out here. The view below is ahead of me, and it doesn’t look like much fun right now!
What is that? Oh, right. It’s pulverized scrub brush branches weeping out of my tire. Oh the joy.
What’s next? Realize I am surrounded by small patches of wheat grass. Run through the trail stand process once again, remove the wheel, pop the tire off, collect wheat grass and stuff away!
HAHAHAHAHA!
It just pulverized as well! 30kmph (18.5mph) for the next hour, and I look down every once in a while to see more wheat dust on the ground when I stop.
At least the scenery was nice! You see that road sign? This is a normal route of transportation!
Oh hell yes! A view of Tupiza! That is what I am talking about! Have I mentioned that my bike has been running like crap for a while now? I can’t ride the bike over 3000 RPM, and it’s cutting out under anything more than VERY low acceleration? Uphill in 1st or 2nd gear…
I made it to Pavement, but not after I went on my reserve, and NOT after I ran out of gas DIRECTLY as I touched paved roads! Ahahaha. The irony! The view, having come from Uyuni.
to be continued...
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1 Dec 2011
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story continued...
Ahhhh, a celebratory cocal cola. Thanks side of the road vendor lady!
Well, as I was rolling down the very slight incline of a hill, towards town, this young guy came jogging up to me. Hey, what’s wrong? Why won’t your bike start? You have no gas? I have gas. I have 40 liters I can sell you. I’ll go get it!
And that is how I got my entire tank filled for 5.5 bolivianos/liter, much cheaper than the tourist rate of 8.7/liter, and without having to move the bike a bit. I had only ridden 140 miles since the last fill up. 28 miles per gallon versus my standard 40-42mpg. UGH!
2km’s down the road I found a “gomeria” which is the same as a “llanteria” which is a tire shop that patched my tube for me which I shoved back in the rear tire and looked like a pro as I FLEW through the tube puncture repair process.
On the way out of town, the sun was setting, and I needed to blaze a trail to Villazón, the border city of Bolivia and Argentina. It was “an hour” away. My bike was running like shit at normal rev’s and so I was riding slower than normal, and with MUCH less power. Fouled plug/s was my guess. WATER CROSSING!
When I arrived in Villazón, it was 8pm, and dark. I had lit up the road on the way there (a nice, wonderfully paved, like new highway) with my ADVmonster LED lights. I rarely use them except to be more visible during inclement weather and at dusk, but this time they were awesome. I found myself looking at a KTM and XR650R parked outside of a Auto-Moto parts store, and pulled over to ask for help. Instead, I was invited for dinner and had a great time with Jose, Javier, and more. MEAT! AWESOME!
The next morning, after being escorted to a hotel the night before, I woke up and rode back to the shop at 9am. I had to wake everyone up to get any help. They had all partied until the night before until 6am! They said it was for my birthday which had been my hell of a day in the dirt from Uyuni to Tupiza!
Jose is 32, and feeling it this morning! What’s up guys!
I really thing Javier was still drunk as he was disassembling my carburetor… I was honestly a little concerned.
Dude. There are parts of my bike EVERYWHERE and all over the floor, and a pan of oil under my bike, and, and, and…
And everything will be fine!
Let’s go for breakfast. This guy was on a Honda XR250, and was a crazy bastard.
Breakfast time! Look at José (hands in the air) he’s HUNGOVER!
After breakfast, it was back to the shop, cleaning the carburetor with gasoline scavenged from my gas tank.
Outside, José’s brother was trying to kick start the XR650R.
Lunch time! 3 hours later. Beef with a friend egg, rice, potatoes and a salad. For $3.50.
After lunch, back at the shop, the bike went back together, and Javier and I rode around to find a guy with a drill that could remove the pannier frame bolts that broke off in my frame. This guy had some old school HEAVY duty machinery at his disposal.
Here he is, welding a tab onto the remainder of the screw embedded in the frame. After hammering the tab to loosen the weld from the frame, he tried to unscrew the screw, it didn’t work.
This is what he was trying to remove…
By using the welded on tab.
Next step? Drill the bitch out! I had to stand on the other side of the bike as he leaned full on into the bike. Go man go!
What is this? Candid camera? Can you see his right cheek bulged out? He had about 150 coca leaves in his mouth, and that is not an exaggeration. It was ridiculous.
After he drilled out the screws, he tapped them from 8mm to 10mm, and after a quick stop at the hardware store, I was good to go! That night I spent again at the same hostel. Nice and pink!
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1 Dec 2011
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story continued...
The next morning, I was off to the border, 8 blocks down the road. That is where I met this guy from Uruguay, making a loop up and around through Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, and back down via Brazil. He was LOADED to the gills with this 125liter top case draped over his bike rack and passenger seat. And riding a Kawasaki 125cc bike. Nutter!
This European guy, living in Sucre, Bolivia was on a different mission, to re-enter the country with his American bike that was on temporary import papers. Nice 1200GSA amigo.
What does that sign say? 5121km to Ushuaia. That is a long way!
Damn 1909 Km to B.A. I’d end up riding it in 2 days as well!
Check out this German bicyclist that I met along the way. He started in B.A and rode south to Ushuaia, and then rode north again towards Bolivia. He was about 50km from the border. His bike was kick ass. It had a generator in the front hub that was always activated and powered the front and rear LED lights. I saw his front light from well over a mile away in direct sunlight. I was very impressed. Further, the rear hub IS the gear box, and it appears to be a single speed bike from the outside. Indeed it has a 14 speed consecutive gear box of which he can access any gear ratio from 1-14 speeds. Meaning gear 1.5, 3.8, 9.7, 13.2, are all available and accessed by the rolling gear shift on the handlebar. Meet Tom.
As I rode through the brilliantly paved Argentine highways, these impressive rock formations popped into view.
And this quite impressive burial area as well.
Then, came the clouds as I began to lose altitude from the previous 3800 meters of elevation!
It was very nice to cool down in the clouds, and smell the water in the air, kind of like at home in the “Pacific North Wet”.
When it was time to gas up again, I met Hernan! What’s up amigo?
I asked him where he was going, and he said he was returning home from a month on the road, 2 weeks of which he spent in Copacabana, Bolivia on the shores of Lake Titicaca with his friends. He was riding for B.A. and planned to arrive there the next day. AWESOME. Me too! Let’s roll. But not before I get some money from that ATM.
Into the ATM I go, and realize that I don’t have my debit card! Damn it. I must have left it in the ATM at my last transaction in Bolivia. Oh well, I have another card that I can use. I took out the maximum 700 Argentine Pesos that I could, and promptly left the ATM, AND MY SECOND CARD. Faaaaack! I didn’t realize until it was too late….
And so we took off, into the sunset, headed south 300km without a gas stop as there were no gas stations anyway. All at 100kmph. (62mph)
Hernan just cruised along. We didn’t get off the bikes for 3 hours straight.
What’s up Hernan!
I took a few photos from the saddle as I rode alongside him. Most of the time I was 50 meters behind him, but for a good photo I got a bit closer.
That night we stayed in a cheap hostel in Santiago de la Banda. I rode 194miles without a gas stop, but got 45mpg, the best of my entire trip (as I cruised at 62mph the entire time. Hernan, on his Honda NX400 Falcon received more than 61mpg!
After settling in at the hostel, we hit the town to find a Parillada, and had a grill plate with loads of meat. Hernan ordered a Fanta and a Budweiser, poured each of us a glass of Beer and then added a bit of Fanta to it as well. Hmmm.. It wasn’t that bad!
Then Hernan pointed out one specific moto out of the hundreds that were passing by during the night hour. This one was special.
The next day, we really made some time after filling up with gas. We rode straight for 3 hours. Hernan lives in Campana, 80kms (50miles) north of B.A., and he didn’t want to pay for a night’s accommodation when he could sleep at home. And so we made TIME! This photo will show you a guy on his 250cc road bike drafting me at 65mph.
When we filled up for gas again, we had ridden 197miles, and I was mentally freaking out about gas. I put 17.7 liters into the 19 liter tank, and told Hernan that I couldn’t wait that long until the next gas stop. Every 250km was my limit. Every 150 miles at least. That is 2.5 hours minimum anyway!
We stopped for lunch and shared a $5 sandwich. It was massive even after cutting it in half!
A way down the road (another 400kms) we stopped again and threw on our rain suits. Well, Hernan did while I zipped my liners into my pants and jacket. On the way south from Santiago de la Banda where we stayed the night before, it reached 114* F (45.5* C)in the flat prairie/farmlands of northern Argentina. It was the hottest temperatures I have seen on a bike in my life, and 9 degrees hotter than Mexico where Tom and I saw the next highest temp of 105*F. We had been roasting in this oven for about 4 hours before cooling off in the wetter weather.
Hernan also had a large blue plastic sheet to drape over his giant pile of stuff. Made my panniers look like luxury items.
That night, we arrived at 9pm in Camapana, having ridden a couple hours at sunset and dusk and only losing each other for a 15 minute period of time when we weaved through a 5km construction zone and met up at a toll booth on the other side. I slept that night on his floor on a bed mattress after using his internet which made Peru and Bolivia internet feel like Dial up. I had forgotten what fast internet was like!
The next day, I spent the morning cleaning my bike, as it was Monday, November 28th, and Hernan would be leading me into B.A. to Dakar Motos where I would meet Steve Cook, the Australian prepared to buy my bike!
Before leaving though, we rode to the Super Mercado, bought some steaks, rode back to his house, and Hernan went to work!
His Dad had arrived an hour or so earlier, and like father like son, they were enjoying their midday meal preparation.
Hernan has a great looking Boxer as well. But he didn’t get any of the Churasco’s (steak).
Hernan’s house was a quaint thing, but it served his purpose well, and had secure parking inside his front room which served as a kind of mud room for him. Both of our bikes fit well after removing my panniers.
Check out the rear tire of my Pirelli MT90. It made it 4591 miles. Not bad on a loaded bike when Tom made about 3k miles on his last rear TKC80. I’m going back to Mefo Explorers when I get home. I made it 8k miles on my rear before it was replaced.
Here’s a shot of Hernan’s Honda NX400 Falcon. It proved to be a good bike that made it 7k kilometers (4200miles) with no issue, and was easily riding 60-70mph while we were on the highway.
This is Hernan’s way of making a living. Pimping out his truck services! A 1982 Ford F100 that has been converted over to Natural Gas. Pay the man, and he will get it done!
As we left Hernan’s house, he gave his friend a ride down to a local cross street. His friend had delivered the truck from where he had stored it, and we dropped him off.
Next stop was to deliver me to Dakar Motos, a motorcycle hostel on the outskirts of down town Buenos Aires run by Javier and Sandra. It’s a great place to be, and currently I am working on making sure that Steve gets a bike in good condition for the remaining 5 months of his adventure! The bike will be getting a new front and rear sprocket with chain, an oil change, and he’ll be ready to rock and roll!
[IMG]http://i979.photobucket.com/albums/ae273/bigalsmith101/No%20Jobs%20No%20Reponsibilities
%20No%20Better%20Time/IMG_0421.jpg[/IMG]
More to come in the next few days amigos!
YES! ONWARD!
--Alex
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2 Dec 2011
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Registered Users
HUBB regular
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Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Devon, England
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Fantastic report, it's been so much fun following your journey, very much looking forward to seeing what you have planned next.
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4 Dec 2011
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Registered Users
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Join Date: Sep 2009
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!sold!
Alright every body!
The bike has been !SOLD! and the new owner Stephen Cook rode it back in to Argentina and obtained legal temporary import papers. Sunday is filled with tying up loose ends, transferring money, and deciding what of anything I have that he would like to have, and what I will be taking home with me.
Monday at 6pm I fly home.
I am no no longer the owner of my old 2007 DR650.
And guess what! I don't care because I made a deal with AdvBilly (fellow inmate) to buy his!
Left Side
Right Side
Full Frontal
From the Rear
Cockpit
Notice the Similarities?
Comfy Ass
Can you say TUBLISS?
Oh, right!
AdvBilly lives in Mobile, Alabama and I am going to a Fly and Ride in Mid January!
And I'll be towing one of these!
http://www.moto-mule.com/trailers.html
I'll be taking names for all of you inmates that might want to put me up for the night on my way back north!
ONWARD!!!!!!
--Alex
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4 Dec 2011
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Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne UK
Posts: 252
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Thanks for taking the time and sharing your great adventure
I have enjoyed every word of it
Safe journey homeward
Cheers
Geordie aka Will
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4 Dec 2011
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Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
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Join Date: May 2011
Location: Gravenhurst On Canada
Posts: 97
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Thanks for sharing your adventure Alex.....wishing you all the best in the future.
MERRY CHRISTMAS
Hickery
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4 Dec 2011
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Contributing Member
Veteran HUBBer
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Netherlands
Posts: 639
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Hi Alex,
I enjoyed reading about your adventures in SA.
Have a good trip home and I'm looking forward to reading about your next adventure.
__________________
Jan Krijtenburg
My bikes are a Honda GoldWing GL1200 and a Harley-Davidson FXD Dyna Super Glide
My personal homepage with trip reports: https://www.krijtenburg.nl/
YouTube channel (that I do together with one of my sons): motormobilist.nl
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Check the RAW segments; Grant, your HU host is on every month!
Episodes below to listen to while you, err, pretend to do something or other...
2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.
"Ultimate global guide for red-blooded bikers planning overseas exploration. Covers choice & preparation of best bike, shipping overseas, baggage design, riding techniques, travel health, visas, documentation, safety and useful addresses." Recommended. (Grant)
Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance™ combines into a single integrated program the best evacuation and rescue with the premier travel insurance coverages designed for adventurers.
Led by special operations veterans, Stanford Medicine affiliated physicians, paramedics and other travel experts, Ripcord is perfect for adventure seekers, climbers, skiers, sports enthusiasts, hunters, international travelers, humanitarian efforts, expeditions and more.
Ripcord travel protection is now available for ALL nationalities, and travel is covered on motorcycles of all sizes!
What others say about HU...
"This site is the BIBLE for international bike travelers." Greg, Australia
"Thank you! The web site, The travels, The insight, The inspiration, Everything, just thanks." Colin, UK
"My friend and I are planning a trip from Singapore to England... We found (the HU) site invaluable as an aid to planning and have based a lot of our purchases (bikes, riding gear, etc.) on what we have learned from this site." Phil, Australia
"I for one always had an adventurous spirit, but you and Susan lit the fire for my trip and I'll be forever grateful for what you two do to inspire others to just do it." Brent, USA
"Your website is a mecca of valuable information and the (video) series is informative, entertaining, and inspiring!" Jennifer, Canada
"Your worldwide organisation and events are the Go To places to for all serious touring and aspiring touring bikers." Trevor, South Africa
"This is the answer to all my questions." Haydn, Australia
"Keep going the excellent work you are doing for Horizons Unlimited - I love it!" Thomas, Germany
Lots more comments here!
Diaries of a compulsive traveller
by Graham Field
Book, eBook, Audiobook
"A compelling, honest, inspiring and entertaining writing style with a built-in feel-good factor" Get them NOW from the authors' website and Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.uk.
Back Road Map Books and Backroad GPS Maps for all of Canada - a must have!
New to Horizons Unlimited?
New to motorcycle travelling? New to the HU site? Confused? Too many options? It's really very simple - just 4 easy steps!
Horizons Unlimited was founded in 1997 by Grant and Susan Johnson following their journey around the world on a BMW R80G/S.
Read more about Grant & Susan's story
Membership - help keep us going!
Horizons Unlimited is not a big multi-national company, just two people who love motorcycle travel and have grown what started as a hobby in 1997 into a full time job (usually 8-10 hours per day and 7 days a week) and a labour of love. To keep it going and a roof over our heads, we run events all over the world with the help of volunteers; we sell inspirational and informative DVDs; we have a few selected advertisers; and we make a small amount from memberships.
You don't have to be a Member to come to an HU meeting, access the website, or ask questions on the HUBB. What you get for your membership contribution is our sincere gratitude, good karma and knowing that you're helping to keep the motorcycle travel dream alive. Contributing Members and Gold Members do get additional features on the HUBB. Here's a list of all the Member benefits on the HUBB.
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