hello! as part of a larger south america trip, i'm riding from montevideo to florianopolis and celebrate carnival. then after carnival is over, heading back west toward cordoba, argentina.

need some advice on good motorcycling roads for the following day trips of my journey. also looking for hosts, or people willing to show me around any of these areas or towns.

(1) punta del este - chuy, brazil (border) (1 day - jan 28): is this the best border crossing? would it be open and easy to pass through at the end of a days riding? or should i stay the night on the uruguay side, and cross in the morning?

(2) chuy to porto alegre (1 day - jan 29): planning on just taking the coast all the way, with the ferry crossing at rio grande. anything to see along the way?

porto alegre (feb 29-31): what neighborhood of porto alegre would be the most fun for a single, 36 year-old guy who speaks portugues ok? are you from porto alegre and want to host another ADV rider or to show me around your city?

(3) porto alegre to florianopolis (2 days - feb 01-02): found some great advice for this day at this thread: http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...-reports-67176. my route: Porto Alegre to Florianoplis, Brazil - Google Maps. let me know if you would change anything, and where to stay overnight mid-way.

(4) florianopolis/balneario camburio/carnival: are you from floripa and want to meet up or get a beer/chopp? should i remain in floripa for carnival or are there better celebrations in nearby cities? what else is going on in floripa at that time? i'm also visiting friends in balneario camburio - let me know if anyone wants to meet up there.

(5) florianopolis to cordoba, argentina (4 days?? - feb 13-16): what route and through which cities should i travel? at which cities should i spend the nights and do you know of any good hotels/hostels or want to host me? what is there to see on the way? (i have already seen iguazu falls.) how many 5-6 hour days should i plan on?

thank you so much!!!

eu falo portogues tambem, porque eu vivou em floripa por um ano em 2002.

here's my approximate schedule for the first 2 months (aquí está mi horario aproximado para las primeras 2 meses):

part - santiago, chile to cordoba, argentina (6 weeks):
jan 06-10: santiago, chile
jan 10: santiago to playa renaca
jan 10-13: playa renaca/vina del mar
jan 14-15: valparaiso
jan 15: valparaiso to mendoza, argentina
jan 16: mendoza to laboulaye
jan 17: laboulaye to buenos aires
jan 17-23: buenos aires
jan 24: (ferry) buenos aires to montevideo, uruguay
jan 24-25: montevideo
jan 25-27: punta del este
jan 28: punta del este to chuy, brazil
jan 29: chuy to porto alegre
jan 29-31: porto alegre
feb 01: porto alegre to sao jose dos ausentes
feb 02: sao jose dos ausentes to florianopolis
feb 02-12: florianopolis/balneario camburio (carnival!)
feb 13: florianopolis to passo fundo
feb 14: passo fundo to uruguaiana
feb 15: uruguaiana to parana/santa fe, argentina
feb 16: parana/santa fe to cordoba
feb 17-18: cordoba, argentina

part 2 - cordoba, argentina to santa cruz, bolivia (2 weeks):
feb 19: cordoba to aimogasta, argentina
feb 20: aimogasta to paso san francisco
feb 21: paso san francisco to bahía inglesa, chile
feb 22-23: bahía inglesa, chile
feb 24: bahía inglesa, chile to pan de azuacar national park
feb 25: pan de azuacar national park to antofagasta
feb 26: antofagasta, chile to san pedro de atacama
feb 26-27: san pedro de atacama
feb 28: san pedro de atacamo to…...

thanks!!!!

Hi mate,

didn't see on your plan the city of Foz do Iguacu, wich is know by the triple border of Brazil Argentina and Paraguay and also for the Iguassu Falls.

If you decide to come around, give a shall and be sure you'll have friend bikers for good food and good histories, all travellers are welcome, so feel invited to come ok

all the best

Rod
Bikers Help Desk

If you are going from Porto Alegre to Florianópolis going trough the Serra do Rio do Rastro I would suggest you to change a little bit your schedule to add an extra day at Lauro Muller. It definitely worth a extended visit rather than just riding through the city without stops. The road at the Serra do Rio do Rastro definitely worth a slow ride and many stops for pictures.
About tips about places to stay I would suggest you to check at www.mochileiros.com , an Brazilian web forum about backpacking with A LOT of information about places do stay, to eat and to visit.

Right next to serra do Rio do Rastro there is the beautifil Serra do Corvo Branco, dirt and gravel, wonderful!

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Fernando Costa
Ilhabela, SP BRAZIL

The itinerary from Porto Alegre to Florianopolis is really great. A few comments:

. from Timbé do Sul to São José dos Ausentes is a dirt road very nice (serra da Rocinha), but a bit remote. Be sure it has not rained.

. from São José dos Ausentes to Bom Jardim da Serra is also a gravel road and extremely nice. Be sure to get the tips on where to make the turns on the road to see the canions, very beautiful. Nice inns as well. Let me know if you would like to explore this area and I´ll give you additional tips.

. in the vicinity of Cambará do Sul there are some very nice canions (Fortaleza and Itaimbezinho), don´t miss them.

. from Bom Jardim da Serra to Lauro Muller you will go down the awesome serra do Rio do Rastro. It is worth going down and then up again, the views are quite different. If you choose to do so, then from Bom Jardim you could go to Urubici. The road is just beautiful, nice curves, you´ll have a ball. From Urubici, go down serra do Corvo Branco (gravel) really very nice (don´t miss morro da Igreja and Pedra Furada, right next to Urubici, on the way to Corvo Branco).

. going down Corvo Branco you will get to Braco do Norte and then back to the original route. I think it is worth the detour, this is one of my favourites riding spots in Brazil.

Good luck,

Fernando

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Fernando Costa
Ilhabela, SP BRAZIL

thank you. obrigado!