South America april - may 2008
 

I am planning a trip to Chile, Argentina, Bolivia and Peru april - may 2008. Unfortunately my travel partner had to withdraw from the trip due to personal reasons. That means I am looking for a travel partner preferably with a big GS or comparable bikel. I have a well equipped 1150GSA that is fully prepared for the trip.

The focus will be on off road riding, enjoying the scenery and absorbing the culture along the road. If you want an impression on how I like to travel, visit my homepage on i-spog --- explore my trip and look at my Morocco trip of last year.

I ship my bike from Belgium to Santiago de Chile and back. Departure last week of march. Duration 6-7 weeks.

I have done quite some planning already and the following is on the menu (this is only the rough cut direction I want to follow, nothing is nor will be fix!):

-Argentina.
from Santiago de Chile to Mendoza over the Paso de Los Libertadores along the Aconcagua to Northern Argentina over de Paso de Socompa back into Chile
-Around San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
-Salar, Bolivia
-Altiplano, Bolivia
-Che Guevarra route, Sucre, Santa Cruz, Cochabamba, Bolivia
-El camino de la muerte. De Yungas North of La Paz, Bolivia.
-Lake Titicaca, Arequipa and the PanAmerican Highway (Peru)
-Cuzco and Machu Picchu (Peru)
-Valle de los Volcanos (Peru)
-Atacama desert, Chile. The better off road work...


I have a no nonsense attitude and an open mind. I am pretty easy and tolerant. Nevertheless I refuse to take people that:
-refuse to ride before they have polished out that scratch in their tank
-neurotically start to look for a laundry shop whenever they spot a stain on their gear
-refuse to ride before they have had their favourite cereals (honey pops, smacks, krispies, whatever)
-want to go home after their first off
-refuse to ride before they have checked every little detail on the bike, leaving others waiting for 45 minutes
-refuse to ride when it's too cold, too hot, too rainy, too dry
-have no sense of humor and take everything way too serious
-...

Lack of experience is less of a problem as I think that you can always learn stuff on the trip (e.g. riding soft sand,...)

I hope the non limitative list indicates more or less what kind of travel partner I am after

If you're interested in this kind of trip, let me know asap. Departure date is nearing...


Cheers

Demito

Good Luck
 

"Nevertheless I refuse to take people that" You sound like the fearless leader type. However I refuse to ride until I've had my coffee. Guess that leaves me out. LOL. Sounds like a good trip plan and one that I normally would consider.

Just to put it right:

no fearless leader type and a micro espresso machine is ordered ;-)
Just wanted to point out the type of people that would not make a fit with the trip or with me, that's all.
I am pretty easy going mate.

T

But why in the winter?
 

It's the equivalent of Oct-Nov north of the equator; short days and colder, especially in the mountains.

I know but earlier is the rainy season and that's a lot worse...

Winter solstice approaching
 

Demito,

I'm not convinced that it is "worse": for me, the main issue is the lack of daylight hours - at present the majority of Europe (read northern hemisphere) is getting by on about 8 hours of daylight/16 hours of dark (and much less as you get further north). So, the same will be the case in South America in about 6 months time.

For the weather, this planning chart is not perfect - it leaves out Argentina and Brazil for example, but it does show that the driest months for Chile/Bolivia & Peru/Ecuador are Sept-Oct and Oct-Dec.
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tripplan/routeweather
So, going as far north as possible as soon as possible makes sense for the longer hours of daylight, but then you should consider what altitude you will be travelling at.

This is no criticism of what you want to do, I simply do not see the logic - maybe I would do it if that is the only time that I could get away from whatever (work etc etc) but, given choice, I would definitely be going at another time of year.

Hi Walkabout,
Tnx for your reply.
you're right about the temperatures but I am going north. That means end of march I should reach the northern part of argentina, which could cause some problems being the late rainy season. Daylight is't that much of an issue. March means the equivalent of september, which in the northern hemisphere is ok for daylight. I plan finishing my trip around may 10th which is the equivalent of beginning of november. Days will be a bit shorter but still ok I guess. The same for temperatures. I will be at the end of the rainy season/beginning of the dry season but still profiting from higher temperatures. It's always a compromise.

The chart you mention isn't only incomplete. It's also incorrect. Peru needs to be about the opposite of what is mentioned, with summer being wet and winter being dry. Take a look at Americas - Sunrise, sunset, dawn and dusk times - Gaisma and see for yourself.

Have you been to South America?

All comments welcome!

Tnx

T

Hi again,
No, I have not been to South America. Your timings make more sense now and it is certainly a different plan from the more usual "dash to Ushaia" in the mid-summer period.
As you say, compromises are always required.
A factor is the up-front costs to get there and back for just 6-7 weeks of travelling in SA, but I guess that is all the time that you have available.

Thanks for the info about the planning chart; as you say, Peru is completely different from both Bolivia and Ecuador and that does not seem right!

You're gonna freeze your ass in winter...
Good luck!