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.

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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.

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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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NJ, NR, NBTTN