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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NJ, NR, NBTTN