Colombia, All or Multiple Cities Thread

[Paul Thoreson]

Mick, how could I forget you?! Porfavor! You were my first moto guest, arriving to the hostel about 7pm at night, a couple of hours after dark...and in the rain. I'm glad you enjoyed Colombia so much and have plans to return. Drop in to Casa Kiwi in Medellin when you get back.

Rick, sure, of course I remember you guys too. It seems like so long ago when we met in Mexico. At that time I though it would take me 10 months to reach Ushuaia and Buenos Aires. I guess I let the trip get the better of me, since it actually took 3.5 years to reach the bottom. I'm not complaining though. It's good to hear your South America plans are falling into place. I look forward to seeing you guys in Colombia.

Andy, I look forward to meeting you in Medellin this fall.

By the way, there is a great HU Community in Medellin, Colombia, with different groups doing rides almost every week out into the beautiful scenery surrounding Medellin. There are also a good number of big bikes in Medellin, which also means great access here to parts and service. Ruta 40, mentioned by Heiko, is a great shop, as is Moto Angel.

There is a whole neighborhood in downtown full of shops selling just about any accessory, and shops doing any kind of work you might need. And of course they work the Latin way. If something's broken, fix it, don't throw it away and pay exorbitant prices replacing it with something new - especially when that 'something new' isn't available anyway. They've come to work this way from necessity.

They really are very ingenious in the way that they see problems and come up with solutions using whatever materials they have available. And yes, the fixes usually last a long time. Example: in Medellin I can fix my clutch cable for $2, just replacing the cable and using the existing hose. The full cable and hose unit from Kawasaki in Seattle costs about $30. So, where would I prefer to do mantainence on my bike? Anywhere south of the US border!