I trained it in 2007 because they were working on it. What I could see from the train it looked like they were doing a good job.

Let me know about the Missions route! I hope to be leading a group of 12 thru there in 2014.

Toby

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'We build the bike (in Peru) for your Epic Ride of South America.'

If you want to ride Mission Circuit, you can’t take the direct route from San José de Chiquitos to Santa Cruz.

From San José (the first mission you’ll find coming from Brazil) you have to take the northern route to San Rafael - Santa Ana or San Miguel - San Ignacio - Concepción - San Javier - San Ramón - Santa Cruz.

I made it on March, 2009. There were 460 km of good red dirt from San José to few kilometers before San Javier, 700 km total to Santa Cruz. The road was just a little wet. I only had a hard time on three sections of about 500 m long each, 40 km before Concepción. It had been a heavy down pour last night, and those lengths were slippery as soap, and I hadn’t knobby tires. A nice dance. This time of the year should be dry.

Another problem that seems persistent is gasoline. Riding on “alcoholed” gas on Brazil, you will feel your bike flying with Bolivian gas, when you find it. I had no problems in Puerto Suarez, other than service-time as usual in many parts (put gas before nap-time or you will have to wait up to 3 pm and a long line). In Concepción it was a 100-m long line to gas up, so I continued to San Javier, no problems. What I want to say is go always with enough reserve to go further.

Good luck, Santiago

Hola,

Thinking about doing the missionarie route aswell. But first I have to get from Sucre to Santa Cruz in a few days. Anybody got some pointers on wich route is preferable. There´s no real short road, not that I want it , but wich is niver to ride the north aproach, or the south one. South seems longer. But if it has less traffic and some nice dirt sections i´ll go for that way.

I don´t know the northern route (Aiquile) but I do southern route (Villa Serrano-Vallegrande)

The info I have is:

NORTH to Mataral: 416 km, 12 hours, regular traffic:
· Sucre - Aiquile: gravel, 200 km, 5-6 hours
· Aiquile - Mataral: gravel, 216 km, 7 hours

SOUTH to Mataral: 450 km, 10 hours, less traffic:
· Sucre - Tarabuco: paved, 70 km, 1.5 hours
· Tarabuco - Tomina: under paving, 80 km, 2 hours
· Tomina - Villa Serrano: gravel and cobbles, 30, 1 hour
· Villa Serrano - La Higuera: gravel/dirt, 130 km, 3 hours. This is the toughest section, recently open, fording many streams (the biggest is El Bañadito, 18.927°S 64.284°W), solitary. If dry weather, not problem, is an astonish ride preferred by Sucre/Santa Cruz motoqueros. La Higuera is Ché Guevara´s death place.
· La Higuera - Vallegrande: gravel, 80 km, 1.5 hours
· Vallegrande-Mataral: under paving, 60 km, 1 hour

Mataral - Santa Cruz: paved, 200 km, 3 hours

Please enjoy,

Santiago

South it will be although it will at least be a 2 day project for me

We are about to do this route here in the next few days. How did you like it? Any advice?

Cheers

We have not done our homework, but we were hoping someone would chime in on the Missions Circuit so we can plan accordingly. If you have some info, advice, or are willing to share your experience, that would be most excellent.

Cheers