tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62080957712000467272024-03-06T15:01:15.588-05:00Travels With EricFrom a change of career to following my passions, it's just an account of where I'm going, who I'm meeting, and the things I'm getting to do.Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167788727809920660noreply@blogger.comBlogger58125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208095771200046727.post-59451028300230386132015-06-14T14:15:00.004-04:002015-06-14T14:15:47.445-04:007 Years Since It Began<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Yesterday couldn't have been a better day to mark <b>7 years</b> since I first closed my garage door in Atlanta and set out to change my life. The way Saturday the 13th of June this year went, it sure feels like I've made a few good moves. (Outside at a friend's house on sunny Oregon springtime day, we played typical yard games, sipped summer drinks, and had a blast surrounded by great folks well into the evening.)<br />
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So I should explain that, I've finally "settled down" a bit and signed an actual lease here in beautiful Bend instead of living life on the road so much. Over the previous 7 years, I'm guessing that I averaged 200+ <i>different</i> beds per year, partially because I was seeking adventure, and eventually because my work demanded it. I've slept in hammocks and tents, in vans and on their rooftops, in National Parks, cheap youth hostels, bus stations, trains, international border staff quarters, steamships, cruise ships, airplanes and airports, homes of friends and family, and of course a variety of hotels, ranging from $2 to $800 per night.<br />
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How did I choose Bend? Looking back at the last blog post, I eluded to how much this town had charmed me from my first moments arriving in July of 2013. I was able to spend 3 months here then, 3 months again in 2014, and simply couldn't get Bend or the friends I had made here out of my mind. Even when I was away in fascinating countries like Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Turkey and Greece last year, or gorgeous places like <a href="http://www.rideadv.com/" target="_blank">Patagonia that I continue to enjoy through RIDE Adventures</a>, Bend is where I've wanted to call "home." (Photo below is on the Oregon coast, hangin' with friends at a vacation rental for Lesley's birthday in October 2013.)<br />
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Since my last posting almost 2 years ago now, there has been less and less doubt in my mind about whether my motorcycle travel business, RIDE Adventures would continue. Coming up on the 5-year anniversary since the business launched, it's clear this operation is running well and here to stay. Such success and growth of the business is what has allowed me to slow down a bit, so instead of feeling like I constantly need to live on the road for promotions and business-growth reasons, now I know that I can settle down a bit, take care of myself better, and be in Bend for at least 8-9 months out of the year.<br />
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I will definitely still be traveling those other few months though, I still need to guide some of the <a href="http://www.rideadv.com/tours-by-type/dual-sport-motorcycle-adventure-tours/patagonia-tierra-del-fuego-ushuaia-bmw-/" target="_blank">"Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego & Ushuaia!" motorcycle trips</a>. To help though, I've got 2 great guys that live in Chile, (Ulli and Andres) that are now helping regularly with those trips as I can't do them all and run the business at the same time. Also, I want to do at least 1 major "research trip" each year to keep growing the business outward, internationally. This coming September, a group of friends & customers that I've grown fond of will embark on a 4-country motorcycle trip from Victoria Falls to Cape Town, South Africa, riding through Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa to complete the route. Very much looking forward to this event, I'm sure it will be a fun pseudo-vacation just before I get into the ultra-busy months of October through April (when everyone in the world it seems wants to ride motorcycles in South America.)<br />
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With the growth of RIDE Adventures means greater investments in marketing and such have taken place, most notably the 2014 Mercedes Sprinter shown below, that I now use to attend weekend motorcycle rallies and events, trade shows, etc. Oh, and after 7 years of owning a motorcycle <b><i>only</i></b>, I can't begin to explain what a convenience it is to have a vehicle like this. More than just a grocery-getter, the Sprinter does SO much I need it to, and is a fun home-type project as I build and add things onto it. Last week, I put solar panels on the roof, and today I'll be installing the 450ah of battery storage beneath the chassis. With all this power, I'll be able to sleep in there with my CPAP machine (yes, I'm on one now) and run a flatscreen TV and other things at events to showcase what RIDE Adventures is doing to help people "Ride the World" via motorcycle. (Nice job to Jason and the gang at <a href="http://www.streamcreative.com/" target="_blank">Stream Creative</a> for the design work on the van!)<br />
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<br />Speaking of which, I need to get out there and get to work on the van and enjoy another beautiful day here. Way, way too much has happened in the past couple of years to really write more about it, and as mentioned in the past 5 years, so much of my time is spent on the computer to begin with, I struggle to add more. Just know that my parents are well in Wisconsin, my brother is well (lives in Atlanta now) and I recently realized that: Each year that passes, I think about how I don't want to get older; yet each year that passes seems to be the best year of my life. Strange fate, it seems.<br />
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Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167788727809920660noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208095771200046727.post-48987059628090660242013-10-14T19:35:00.000-04:002016-08-17T19:47:22.070-04:00Yes, it's me. Still here, and loving life...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This has to be a record: The last posting on this blog was June 13th of 2012, a whopping 17 months ago. The "I've been busy" excuse just doesn't cover it though...<br />
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Here I am in Bend, Oregon, where I first arrived in July after the BMW MOA rally was held in Salem, Oregon just a few hours away. I'd <i>heard</i> of Bend before, but never actually been here, and now I wonder why. Turns out that this gorgeous little spot in the world, this "outdoor paradise," and place where I've found myself with great new friends has really got a hold on me. I don't want to leave, but nonetheless, will be forced to in another month as a string of family occasions and motorcycle tours to guide in South America are coming up. Still, my plans are to enjoy Bend as much as I can in 2014, although my presence will be spotty at best due to more travel needs for work.<br />
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That's the funny thing: In some ways, I almost feel "trapped" in travel. This lifestyle that I know many people would kill for and I still definitely do enjoy, sure has it's downsides as well. Like, as I said, wanting to stay here in Bend, maybe settle down a bit (especially if I found the right gal,) and just live a normal life again...it's not entirely possible while so much of my focus is on growing my business, RIDE Adventures, LLC.<br />
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<b><i>Which</i></b> by the way, is doing great. It's been over 5 years now that I first left my home in Atlanta, and over 3 years since <a href="http://www.rideadv.com/">www.rideadv.com</a> was first launched. The business did well the 1st full year, doubled revenues the 2nd full year, and is on track to <b><i>triple</i></b> revenues here in it's 3rd full calendar year. Don't go thinking I'm Gordon Gekko yet, as it's still a very small business in the grand scheme of things and it'll take a while longer for RIDE Adventures to really pay me a comfortable amount. But I'm having a ton of fun with it, the list of happy customers is long and growing, and new partnerships around the world are really making me feel like I'm onto something special here. Despite accusations in the past that I don't exhibit much patience, (Mom?) I guess I might possess some of this virtue afterall....albeit on select topics only : )<br />
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Here's a few low/highlights from the past year or so:<br />
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<li>While we lost my grandmother Charlotte last November, our thoughts of her remain and memories of laughs with her just the same. She was a great lady who lived a fantastic, full life, and died peacefully at the age of 94 in her hometown.</li>
<li>March 2013 saw a great group of motorcycle industry business owners and professionals get together for the <a href="http://www.rideadv.com/tours-by-type/dual-sport-motorcycle-adventure-tours/patagonia-experience-motorcycle-tour/" target="_blank">"Patagonia Experience" motorcycle tour</a> being offered by RIDE Adventures. We had Arden Kysely from <i>Rider</i> Magazine come along and write a story about the trip from his perspective. Proud to say, that story was published in the August 2013 issue of the magazine, and has been great for drumming up publicity for the business since then (<a href="http://ridermagazine.com/2013/08/08/the-patagonia-experience-touring-chile-and-argentina-with-ride-adventures/" target="_blank">see the article on this link</a>, and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXW7B9j_t1Y" target="_blank">video from the trip</a> below.) This was a <b><u>monster</u></b> of a project to pull together, and I will forever be proud of the fact that I/we pulled off something that, as far as we know, hadn't been tried before. Now all the guys involved are telling their contacts about their experience in Patagonia, and it's all tied to RIDE Adventures.</li>
<li>June was my 20th High School Reunion, and a great chance to meet up with friends I'd wanted to see for a long time. It was too short of a night, but it I'm truly glad I went, and would do it over again in a heartbeat.</li>
<li>In July, my brother, Dad, and I finally had a guy-trip together, and spent a week with a Jeep rental in Northern California. Visiting Dad's/our old family friends like the Usnick's and Bolger's, riding through National Parks like Yosemite and Redwoods, rafting the Trinity River, and seeing America's Cup sailing action up close in the San Francisco Bay. What an incredible trip we all had (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6ETMTV3e7A&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">see video below</a>)</li>
<li>As mentioned above, I arrived and have just about fallen in love with Bend, Oregon. I wish it wasn't so far from my family, or so many other friends; but it seems such will always be the case now, as the world and our lives change. My new friends and roommates like Mitch & Lesley, Casey, Dave, Jessica, Taya....I've had so much fun around Bend, thanks largely to your welcoming me. (Now Lesley, you know I'll have to stop <i>paying</i> to be your friend sometime :) The thought that Cousin Dave and his wife OraLee could be living out in Portland soon helps convince me that Bend may end up being as much of a "home" as I've had in a long, long time. (Oh, and yes, I still own the house in Atlanta, and it continues as a rental property with my great tenants, Jim and Sheri.) </li>
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As a final thought, I wanted to say something to everyone out there that I know, and all my friends in various cities around the world: Please don't be hurt or bothered if you don't hear from me often, or even if you found out I was in your town, but didn't call or stop by for a visit. Especially with the type of coverage I have of the western hemisphere and the number of people I know over all these states and even countries, it's just very, very difficult to find the time to see everyone. Imagine yourself, returning to your hometown for 1 week, and you know 200 people there. As I'm not the kind of guy to throw a party for myself, you can imagine how tough it is to visit with everyone. Especially as I continue to average around 10-12 hours a day working, making sure RIDE Adventures is up and running fine, my social calendar remains on the back burner.<br />
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I guess this thought comes on the heels of a talk I just had with my buddy & neighbor Steve in Atlanta, whom I hadn't done a good job of keeping up with, even once I finally got back to the U.S. in 2011. Now with the heaviest of prognoses from the oncologists before him, this has me thinking a lot. Steve has been living a great life and incredible career and seems to be quite at peace with things; factors that will undoubtedly come into play given his tough battle ahead. I guess I just want everyone to know .... I do care about you, and wish you all the best in happiness and health.<br />
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As for predicting the next blog post: Yea, right. I'll post every once in a while on FB, or of course you can see what RIDE Adventures is doing anytime at <a href="http://www.rideadv.com/">www.rideadv.com</a>. I hope we're in touch somehow in the meantime.<br />
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-Eric</div>
Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167788727809920660noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208095771200046727.post-9780696263777756852012-06-13T23:42:00.000-04:002012-06-14T00:05:26.283-04:004 years ago today, it began...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Gotta be kidding me. It was 4 years ago today that I left my home in Atlanta and headed north/west on my KTM motorcycle. My house was emptied and rented out, everything I depended on to live was there on the motorcycle with me, and as I just blathered about on Facebook, what has happened to me since then has been absolutely incredible.<br />
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In what could be described as an "excited state of exhaustion," my days and nights now revolve around <a href="http://www.rideadv.com/" target="_blank">RIDE Adventures, LLC</a> and making this motorcycle touring and renting business grow and prosper. When I'm not out of the U.S. guiding or researching tours, I'm traveling around the U.S. promoting the business. An endless string of bike nights, races, rallies, shows, and events will fill out the summer months for me before heading back out of the country for tours (looks like it'll be Colombia in November.) What might sound like work is actually a TON of fun, as I get to hang out with and meet new motorcycle enthusiasts all the time. If it were not for this, and the fact that RIDE Adventures is definitely prospering....I don't know how I could keep up with this travel.<br />
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<b>Sad/Glad News:</b><br />
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That KTM 950 Adventure S, (the bike that I ended up riding across the U.S., down to South America, and living with for the last 4 years) had to be retired just a couple of weeks ago. Existing electrical issues and upcoming non-routine expenses reassured me that it was time to sell "Julius" before having to sink major money into a bike that was worth so little. I had always envisioned keeping that incredible motorcycle in storage or somewhere, as we'd been through so much together, but with my home rented out and no practical place to keep the KTM, it was sold recently at auction. What an absolutely incredible motorcycle it was...<br />
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The upside to that change is that the new "company vehicle" for RIDE Adventures, LLC is shown above: The 2012 BMW R1200GS Adventure. What a great machine this is, with all the suspension, carrying ability, power, and handling I could ever ask for. The "Swiss Army" of motorcycles in many ways. <br />
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The BMW is actually not that "new" to me though, as I managed a fleet of these and use them all the time on different tours throughout South America. Instead of continuing with another KTM, this bike was chosen for that reason: BMW is <i>still</i> the rental/touring bike the world is relying on. In fact, we don't even have a KTM Adventure bike for rent/tour anywhere on www.rideadv.com.<br />
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So as you can see in the photo, the BMW named "Cosmo" is being adorned with all the marketing pieces possible, as he'll be at rallies, races, and motorcycle events all summer long (the majority of them being BMW-based events.) Aside from materials to promote RIDE Adventures, I'm also working with a handful of manufacturers to promote their businesses. Little add-on parts, protection pieces, and accessories are constantly being added in trade for publicity. This, I might add....is one fine part of working in the motorcycle travel business : ) <br />
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Anyway, thanks if you tuned into this, and I hope it's not so long again before I update with more news. Back to the other mountain of writing projects I have to keep up with....</div>Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167788727809920660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208095771200046727.post-44831294876718812612012-01-20T20:34:00.022-05:002012-01-26T22:55:08.388-05:00Time for an update, because.....<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPCpVzn9UPvFq4xuzu7v2JTg4M-VF2xoyW4lPh_FLguqqpXqucTgvcwWV90WJ5hdXqCsMiDObRn039dzVOAU_j5PjFW1cp937UP777cjAb8Od6MNrPDRnRWnFqSwdgdSpYDW_NEI4qR8Ql/s1600/KidsPool.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPCpVzn9UPvFq4xuzu7v2JTg4M-VF2xoyW4lPh_FLguqqpXqucTgvcwWV90WJ5hdXqCsMiDObRn039dzVOAU_j5PjFW1cp937UP777cjAb8Od6MNrPDRnRWnFqSwdgdSpYDW_NEI4qR8Ql/s400/KidsPool.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702130797924869122" border="0" /></a><br />.....because life could not be more fun!<br /><br />It's been quite a whirlwind though, balancing work, travel, and living on bikes, around hotels, and in coffee shops. The year of 2011 saw my business, RIDE Adventures LLC get off to a great start, multiple opportunities to visit with friends I hadn't seen in years, and plenty of time to visit with family.<br /><br />The previous post showed the 1st tour run by RIDE Adventures, and customers that were so happy they're returning for another tour soon (somewhere else in South America) and they've referred me to friends of theirs.<br /><br />I spent much of the 2011 summertime traveling to motorcycle shops, rallies, shows, and events with the idea of finally networking a bit with American motorcycle riders. Up to 2011, the majority of my "motorcycle life" had been in South America. For my work, it's important that I get to know who will be eventual customers in the travel business, so making the rounds at such events is key.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ_lNU-a5JDjGFc5wh5edThp7nXbUXafBSrPoCAB9gwwJXodleR7AAzYOLX45uFIg-PGCbqCApXXfKLcFsHkL5KyIZ5cZNkwafgDfhArra4YnUTagfGlkjdWXsIuVoil6wKhiX1Twd-IhS/s1600/BalancingCoco.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ_lNU-a5JDjGFc5wh5edThp7nXbUXafBSrPoCAB9gwwJXodleR7AAzYOLX45uFIg-PGCbqCApXXfKLcFsHkL5KyIZ5cZNkwafgDfhArra4YnUTagfGlkjdWXsIuVoil6wKhiX1Twd-IhS/s400/BalancingCoco.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702130292611750466" border="0" /></a><br />Up north on the east coast, time was spent visiting with my cousin Dave in the NYC area and getting to know who would become a great new addition to our family: His new wife OraLee! They had met earlier in the year and actually asked me to be the officiant at their wedding. So, I registered online to become an official ordained minister in the State of Texas before performing their wedding ceremony on a beautiful September day with both of our families present. So much fun to have us all together again, and it was quite an honor to be asked to carry this out for them. (An honor I admittedly didn't feel or appreciate fully until I stood there, leading them to repeat their vows to each other. That got to me, and still does.) - So it's official: You can all call me "Reverend Eric" for now. Well, just until my Reverendhood expires next year : )<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjemEp5iWZGvvY8TCFAhShgD3Br_8CdDaRfSQDSy9QGwfqw6YctxLh3Xm8Oec0M9qCuMXF4I974_-rCqru6yb4Dm6QGJuAYgebQahjYCIVvYDHQqvNM_qL2cq88YoNZSbiPoSiCRptxoVyl/s1600/Ceremony2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjemEp5iWZGvvY8TCFAhShgD3Br_8CdDaRfSQDSy9QGwfqw6YctxLh3Xm8Oec0M9qCuMXF4I974_-rCqru6yb4Dm6QGJuAYgebQahjYCIVvYDHQqvNM_qL2cq88YoNZSbiPoSiCRptxoVyl/s400/Ceremony2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702130793613217298" border="0" /></a><br />Not long after that in October, our geographically separated family, who had all been together once again in September for the wedding, was struck by the most unfortunately and early loss of Dave's brother and my cousin, Brian. The kind of guy that was more than just "family," it's tough imagine being separated from Brian so early in life. Having heard eulogies that reminded us what type of person he was and just seeing his sweet kids' faces....part of me still thinks this can't be for real.<br /><br />Miss you, Brian. I miss you alot.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinJv-v57DBU5m46rz5Nvl6pw6DTkGFl7p0jq4QJVNYqLFRZc012aNnM6_aIw5m7LPBV823B7i4PVp7YCGa9tnkehXXg3I3-iap2pLYgEx45eaEMC93cjuLJ74SgHD61IiLEnI7TYE-m8xf/s1600/Brian.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 273px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinJv-v57DBU5m46rz5Nvl6pw6DTkGFl7p0jq4QJVNYqLFRZc012aNnM6_aIw5m7LPBV823B7i4PVp7YCGa9tnkehXXg3I3-iap2pLYgEx45eaEMC93cjuLJ74SgHD61IiLEnI7TYE-m8xf/s400/Brian.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702130296331572290" border="0" /></a><br />After spending quite a bit of time around my hometown of Milwaukee August through October, November and December were spent down in Chile and Argentina again, as I was hired to do a Patagonia tour and see what is still some of my favorite riding anywhere. Got to meet more great guys from the U.S., Canada, and the British Virgin Islands.....wow is my life fun. It's work for sure, but I absolutely love showing people places like Patagonia and witnessing their reactions to this magnificent area.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUkuKQ-wMtO5Ofoqi5o0v4JKL3EY2nC7FlwqgZb1Fpd8iwKsF_72YGEw7bevJf22gJgBjjRKe0PPa5Wmv7CvpGOqRoqJhCDCx-kMsEs8dtTy61asO-Lc7ko1HMK48-q2lAVkPEoV3NdBPW/s1600/Perito+Moreno.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUkuKQ-wMtO5Ofoqi5o0v4JKL3EY2nC7FlwqgZb1Fpd8iwKsF_72YGEw7bevJf22gJgBjjRKe0PPa5Wmv7CvpGOqRoqJhCDCx-kMsEs8dtTy61asO-Lc7ko1HMK48-q2lAVkPEoV3NdBPW/s400/Perito+Moreno.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702130800563857186" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSVfnoTfTV-nuySJisdtlFBW5jM-lSwcb7tyMworSMU7eWrGV2EujIFvTbhOyxxYlWyleCCBjEXaOz3J7wQplXGm6daPg33pC-kzboTeIXJebOuqi0aILzxKjFNue6ybBt-_UotXRloZzW/s1600/WrenchinDave.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSVfnoTfTV-nuySJisdtlFBW5jM-lSwcb7tyMworSMU7eWrGV2EujIFvTbhOyxxYlWyleCCBjEXaOz3J7wQplXGm6daPg33pC-kzboTeIXJebOuqi0aILzxKjFNue6ybBt-_UotXRloZzW/s400/WrenchinDave.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702133868313562354" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0xQ3VVRQda3dUDID7OVggJ1qMMjaLV7pHcmbJzvfwJ8ZPT1kaGz8Lnewh-1m9m_6J9y-RoHKC22sjeb0YbtUepU0FgIbD4r8fm3i4pio1f_tpq-txLVwdxdKQKKnYt-mJCvreiO2Q8hov/s1600/TdelPaineExit.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0xQ3VVRQda3dUDID7OVggJ1qMMjaLV7pHcmbJzvfwJ8ZPT1kaGz8Lnewh-1m9m_6J9y-RoHKC22sjeb0YbtUepU0FgIbD4r8fm3i4pio1f_tpq-txLVwdxdKQKKnYt-mJCvreiO2Q8hov/s400/TdelPaineExit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702133773618071186" border="0" /></a><br />Xmas was spent with most of the family in Northwest Arkansas (where Brian's kids and parents still live) and now I'm writing this from Atlanta, where I've just spent a couple of weeks cleaning out 2 storage units that I emptied my house into (see the very beginning of this blog, almost 4 years ago!) Needless to say, the $200 per month in storage is getting quite unattractive... so I've been Craigslisting and Ebaying my things away lately.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6wNlU81mN6F4KZowtkue61OgwYC7V6cUTFfE7Yw_JwOPLW1WtRdgv_SYUgRMCd04272dJoFwI_A6y2Wu4V4jdvg8loyuNRJJ24RQ6VEE4GhP-uaoBc4DiieSktA-llwq2oEa9KVsLdg05/s1600/SueMariah.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6wNlU81mN6F4KZowtkue61OgwYC7V6cUTFfE7Yw_JwOPLW1WtRdgv_SYUgRMCd04272dJoFwI_A6y2Wu4V4jdvg8loyuNRJJ24RQ6VEE4GhP-uaoBc4DiieSktA-llwq2oEa9KVsLdg05/s400/SueMariah.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702132064521293058" border="0" /></a>After this, I'll ride down to Miami where Mom, Dad, and brother Andy and I will hang out and enjoy some good winter weather. We've booked a weekend cruise to the Bahamas while we're there, and at the end of that trip on March 7th, I'm going to the Dominican Republic finally!<br /><br />A place that's been on my list of places to see for quite a while, my upcoming D.R. trip is happening thanks to an invite from one of the motorcycle tour operators down there. Much of what I'm doing with RIDE Adventures is serving as a travel agent, referring travelers to touring opportunities with tour operators I know and trust. So, as this tour operator wants me to promote their tours....we decided it was best for me to come down and experience their tours first in person first. Great!<br /><br />Naturally, I won't just hustle in and out of there. Some plans/tours I had for Feb/March have been cancelled, so I'll actually stay down in the Dominican Republic for a full month. Since I work remotely....constantly "mobile," all I really need is my Mac and good internet.<br /><br />So like I was saying, life is pretty good. My KTM 950 Adventure is still running strong, my business is up and running quite nicely, and I don't have much to complain about. Yea, it'd be nice to have someone to enjoy this all with, and I'm asked about that all the time ("why don't you have a girlfriend?") Thinking about it though, I'm not sure who would be able to travel along with me all the time like this. So......stuck single still.<br /><br />As I started this post saying though.....life is absolutely fantastic.....but writing this has to be put on the back burner!!Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167788727809920660noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208095771200046727.post-73304192138452919502011-07-31T20:37:00.021-04:002011-07-31T22:33:30.276-04:00Finally, an update! 1st RIDE Adventures tour is over, and back in the U.S.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJRxajjiaXNamJeyuB6rEwe-GHm5jVBLaIu_edsKDEiK-UTy9cc4JAPaxyZukEDkVMW4u5Bm14Ep-C0_Qc6Q5vevzgbpxtW24NMA_OT9BZHBkmr3GHRcNTu9mrhCjSwXre4vE631TpXdxA/s1600/P1040503.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJRxajjiaXNamJeyuB6rEwe-GHm5jVBLaIu_edsKDEiK-UTy9cc4JAPaxyZukEDkVMW4u5Bm14Ep-C0_Qc6Q5vevzgbpxtW24NMA_OT9BZHBkmr3GHRcNTu9mrhCjSwXre4vE631TpXdxA/s400/P1040503.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635701525635012274" border="0" /></a>Guilty as charged. I've slacked terribly on this blog.<br /><br />What is clearly the longest time gap between blog posts exists for reason though. I'm constantly writing and blogging for my business, <a href="http://www.rideadv.com/">www.rideadv.com</a>, answering emails, writing articles for magazines and soon to be launched eBooks, and obviously, this blog has been neglected. (Article will be printed in BMW's Owners News magazine later this year, and 1st eBook about motorcycle travel will be up on Amazon and the iTunes Store soon!)<br /><br />My business, RIDE Adventures, is going <span style="font-weight: bold;">absolutely</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">great</span>. The first 6 months have been tough to grind through at times, working so much and seeing such minimal results. But as of July, reservations for rentals and tours have really started to soar and a slew of new opportunities seems to be steadily coming in. The website is doing well statistically (thanks again <a href="http://www.streamcreative.com/">www.streamcreative.com</a>) and very clear examples of what I envisioned this company doing are starting to happen. Still just me working on it, but I think that will have to change within a year.<br /><br />Speaking of work...<br /><br />Back in April, I met up with RIDE Adventures' first tour group in Patagonia and took them through the best parts of Patagonia the weather would allow that time of year. Last minute cancellations from 3 of the riders left us with only 3, but Jeff, Ian, and Jeremy (from the U.S., Canada, and U.K.) all raved about their first Patagonia experience, and have actually referred me to other groups that appear to be booking tours soon for the 2012 season! Ahh, networking...<br /><br />This trip in April almost didn't happen though, as Ian gave us the ultimate scare by crumbling to the ground on the very first morning while attempting to mount his motorcycle. The 3rd kick of his leg turned into a dislocated knee, howling pain I don't care to recall, and an ambulance trip to the nearby hospital. Fortunately, a bit of morphine and other factors eventually allowed his knee to relax and move back into position, just in time that day to make a late start and finish the entire tour according to schedule. It all happened on my April 7th birthday (I would tell the guys later) and in these years where birthdays don't seem to matter much, my 36th was one I'll never forget.<br /><br />Here's some highlight photos from that tour:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu188RT8dW_25cDI_n9jNVZoNgwdOCsNCxdwJIWTlaZFt-OesrE0Usd9t77uU_LxMZPMIFmPbetkLG3VhwUMzK8HU6BKvDbiPkePWn8j6moWyrGz8ftkXC7BlinHqlS7_b9qe69zonn6Ub/s1600/010.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu188RT8dW_25cDI_n9jNVZoNgwdOCsNCxdwJIWTlaZFt-OesrE0Usd9t77uU_LxMZPMIFmPbetkLG3VhwUMzK8HU6BKvDbiPkePWn8j6moWyrGz8ftkXC7BlinHqlS7_b9qe69zonn6Ub/s400/010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635695856624998130" border="0" /></a>(Above, just overlooking the Llao Llao Hotel & Resort outside of San Carlos de Bariloche in Argentina, "Che" the St. Bernard was glad to help with a photo. Below, even the gas station attendants can be cute in southern Chile. Jeff's dance moves were pretty impressive for that early in the morning.)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI5CEkoU30kPT7W9f1Q4FGBbFelVH_mFe1g62vVSD2qHQtNVXX4TYYPoXT5D_qRic6aP_i4n00Vo_A_n3ifcFZgBHGe_7QXqts5ggxD_igyZOXrCodREeEXTIkoO7rzsqGw0R8cP45HHxS/s1600/020.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI5CEkoU30kPT7W9f1Q4FGBbFelVH_mFe1g62vVSD2qHQtNVXX4TYYPoXT5D_qRic6aP_i4n00Vo_A_n3ifcFZgBHGe_7QXqts5ggxD_igyZOXrCodREeEXTIkoO7rzsqGw0R8cP45HHxS/s400/020.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635697654183537074" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim4lvc8YmI6C2wIs-efJRWwyFi-IsMgerJBQTuHAamXUMElCQQdWV1tgK7CcpIYsCQ-NAXg80QOx-Nh5YEmmIuFFINye6o6W2lx351wO9adiGnFWKjm-np9axY77LJpR6Ade5uYORoEhdx/s1600/030.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim4lvc8YmI6C2wIs-efJRWwyFi-IsMgerJBQTuHAamXUMElCQQdWV1tgK7CcpIYsCQ-NAXg80QOx-Nh5YEmmIuFFINye6o6W2lx351wO9adiGnFWKjm-np9axY77LJpR6Ade5uYORoEhdx/s400/030.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635695866154320898" border="0" /></a>Above, our private cordero (lamb) barbeque with Jeff aside, and the drink of choice, "Pisco Sours" being enjoyed by all in the thermal baths at Puyuhaupi Lodge & Spa. Susi from Germany joined us for a late night dip at this fascinating and totally secluded resort, accessible only by boat. The guys likened our moments arriving to the movie "Shutter Island" and pretty much agreed it was a highlight of the trip. Something you just have to see...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO8xWTTN9djJGEog77Pfjsr36Orp_iMUREUFgCI2j49oZrwOd_pZFWOj2g-_teCRjvwsRg_Grvk4HrJl4DYe8vhiLdQmmbrIoCreOqm_AgXu7w5qx2wIVFDGXRzqvHiGhjQfQEhk0Fd5ME/s1600/070.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO8xWTTN9djJGEog77Pfjsr36Orp_iMUREUFgCI2j49oZrwOd_pZFWOj2g-_teCRjvwsRg_Grvk4HrJl4DYe8vhiLdQmmbrIoCreOqm_AgXu7w5qx2wIVFDGXRzqvHiGhjQfQEhk0Fd5ME/s400/070.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635695373952869698" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0EV8XTt2W6z_KWKaSpqRkSpiXxuMCc_rncBCX4NKPJhrQk6XBkjQ1I5D1lnViS39b3JhuH6IHkvQfpv_bciNNVHIl44G2Re8fz967wNcS0-P2XGw9wUyvq9jkQJBx18y2n3P6jNccq4TT/s1600/P1040352.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0EV8XTt2W6z_KWKaSpqRkSpiXxuMCc_rncBCX4NKPJhrQk6XBkjQ1I5D1lnViS39b3JhuH6IHkvQfpv_bciNNVHIl44G2Re8fz967wNcS0-P2XGw9wUyvq9jkQJBx18y2n3P6jNccq4TT/s400/P1040352.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635701810558633218" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidVH6MjW-qj-2IIOOuvXXOrMaHQZ64UZzfPIyfIS2VIrSHmYiUs0TZ8CHM_-q9gliMC_7yaSKdYksmdsj-N8oBy7-thAgIRdkS-DCbxvKsqtFG1eaZRYFE_SsOllrozcOponWOcEWG3I0C/s1600/060.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidVH6MjW-qj-2IIOOuvXXOrMaHQZ64UZzfPIyfIS2VIrSHmYiUs0TZ8CHM_-q9gliMC_7yaSKdYksmdsj-N8oBy7-thAgIRdkS-DCbxvKsqtFG1eaZRYFE_SsOllrozcOponWOcEWG3I0C/s400/060.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635695369765645682" border="0" /></a>Above, Ian deftly handles his first major river crossing on the BMW R1200GS with the skill of a pro, and below, a photo we agreed might have been the funniest from the trip. Jeremy merely offered a friendly ride to this traveling Israeli Army officer, but if that isn't a flash of love on her face, then I guess I just don't know what love is : )<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi13H8qAPwz2we8i7vNMJnUu9c9m396CfVRlRn5rC6p3zGELNMIBhOuwaq5WYoSeb8HTF7iszBiu1D5bSyKxyQwyDW2gfVNWfVm_kuAJLRKIehCiun_RU35fel9zZzJ0zHAdtXxNSpjLKky/s1600/050.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi13H8qAPwz2we8i7vNMJnUu9c9m396CfVRlRn5rC6p3zGELNMIBhOuwaq5WYoSeb8HTF7iszBiu1D5bSyKxyQwyDW2gfVNWfVm_kuAJLRKIehCiun_RU35fel9zZzJ0zHAdtXxNSpjLKky/s400/050.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635695367827664386" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKm_YFIeH-A5dWVPDv-vonLyR1Eo0UlrCc-BFkgTJ30ELJBmio6TI7Q4k3cmIidw5R3c3ARc8Ryl-siqELldOSquwv3dZ8TJI8fWrVQSb-ou3sYNRp_9XLpiBwltvu-PCjDaia27844PwM/s1600/040.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKm_YFIeH-A5dWVPDv-vonLyR1Eo0UlrCc-BFkgTJ30ELJBmio6TI7Q4k3cmIidw5R3c3ARc8Ryl-siqELldOSquwv3dZ8TJI8fWrVQSb-ou3sYNRp_9XLpiBwltvu-PCjDaia27844PwM/s400/040.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635695356356715954" border="0" /></a>After Jeff negotiated (with my translation) a good deal on some goat leggings from a roadside barbeque party, Ian gave us another scare by not making it across this bridge. The photo was snapped because we knew he was okay, but with a 500+ lb motorcycle, the chances for disaster certainly exist.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsuN_nxKfdV3PBSdCVRrVHKH1S-UCARYJIxxJV9iXeuf3nhh7taNMBF3xSJvF0qDmLbXxwFPj8rfwEch3trmn0HfLxllIrvTkrlQLBsgU-YkDERjj-5M7f8vdDP9aL8lHd17tJPpaIct5v/s1600/090.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsuN_nxKfdV3PBSdCVRrVHKH1S-UCARYJIxxJV9iXeuf3nhh7taNMBF3xSJvF0qDmLbXxwFPj8rfwEch3trmn0HfLxllIrvTkrlQLBsgU-YkDERjj-5M7f8vdDP9aL8lHd17tJPpaIct5v/s400/090.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635695382460503026" border="0" /></a><br />So I've been back in the U.S. since May, spending most of my time along the east coast and working plenty. Motorcycle events and rallies are pretty common this time of year in the U.S., and each presents a great opportunity for me to network with a crowd I enjoy very much.<br /><br />I was out in New Jersey for about a month with my cousin Dave, who will be married in Texas this September. I've been asked to conduct the ceremony in this non-religious wedding, so from here on, folks can refer to me as "Reverend" with some degree of accuracy : )<br /><br />My first tour back in Patagonia appears to be in line for October, so as I wished for, the "eternal summer" might be in line for this guy for a while! I'll try to write more before then...<br /><br />Oh, enjoy the video from the April tour:<br /><p><iframe frameborder="0" height="250" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Ys9faHNYVQc " title="YouTube video player" width="400"></iframe></p><br /><p>The latest video from RIDE Adventures is up on YouTube!</p>Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167788727809920660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208095771200046727.post-33913285446173535772011-04-05T21:19:00.008-04:002011-07-31T23:12:45.163-04:00Best of the Best and Facts about my 2-Year Motorcycle Adventure<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Time to finally post this summary about my 2 years riding through Latin America!</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Took me a while to put this together, as so much of my time is dedicated to my <a href="http://www.rideadv.com/">www.rideadv.com</a> work right now.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>While some of the facts and feelings are still fresh in my mind though, I want to go ahead and answer some of the questions I’ve been asked along the way….<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">THE NUMBERS</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">My date of departure was</b><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Friday, June 13<sup>th</sup>, 2008</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Days gone from my home in Atlanta:<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></b>944</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Days outside of the U.S., in Latin America:</b> 773</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Number of Motorcycles ridden:</b><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>10<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>(In addition to my KTM, I had a fleet of 7 BMW motorcycles at my disposal when I worked for Moto Rider.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Plus a few others I rode…)</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Number of Countries ridden through:</b> 15 – Canada, The U.S., Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Greatest Number of Days in Same Underwear:</b> 3.5<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>(That’s right.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Hey, Peter and I had just gotten into a situation where we didn’t find camping with showers for a few days, and I didn’t have any freshies to wear.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I must say, the Under Armour Boxer Briefs hold up extremely well through all that!</p><p class="MsoNormal"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Distances traveled: <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></b>Grouped together in the most major “segments” of my travel, here’s the breakdown:</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Atlanta to Santa Rosa: 3,749 miles (motorcycle)</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Suntrek training: 1,719 miles (van)</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Suntrek - Pacific Coast Tour: 1,281 miles (van)</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Suntrek - Canadian Rockies: 1,870 miles (van)</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Suntrek - Flight to NYC: 2,911 miles (airplane)</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Suntrek - Trans-Canada: 4,257 miles (van)</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Suntrek - California Dreamin’: 1,996 miles (van)</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Suntrek - Western Sun: 1,868 miles (van)</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>My West Coast Ride: 2,409 miles (motorcycle)</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Thru Arizona, Mexico, and Central America: 6,168 miles (motorcycle)</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Thru the Panama Canal to Chile: 7,300 miles (steamship)</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Random group rides in Chile/Argentina: 12,545 miles (motorcycle)</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Random work flights with Moto Rider: 1,400 miles (airplane)</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Bolivia Scouting Mission with Moto Rider: 3,764 miles (motorcycle)</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Random truck trips with Moto Rider: 6,562 miles (company truck)</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Random scouting trips with Moto Rider: 8,560 miles (motorcycle)</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Personal Moving trips with Moto Rider: 2,555 miles (bus)</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Patagonia/Ushuaia research mission: 6,696 miles (motorcycle)</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Santiago to Cartagena, Colombia: 7,855 miles (motorcycle)</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Flight back to Miami: 2,200 miles (airplane)</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">DISTANCE TOTALS:</b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"></b><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Motorcycle – 49,337 miles (enough to ride around the earth’s equator 1.98 times)</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Driving Passenger Van – 12,991 miles</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Steamship – 7,300 miles</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Airplane – 6,511 miles</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Company Truck – 6,562 miles</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Public Bus – 2,555 miles</p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo8"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">GRAND TOTAL:</b> 85,256 miles (enough to travel 35% of the way to the moon – on its average elliptical distance from earth)</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">More Crucial Motorcycle Figures: (for the gearheads out there)</b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"></b>I averaged 3,800 rpms and about 40 mph across all my motorcycle riding, so that’s:</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>49,337 miles</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>1,233 hours of riding</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>74,000 minutes of riding</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>140,610,450 ignitions in the engines (all bikes ridden were 4-stroke, 2-cylinder engines)</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>281,220,900 revolutions of those engines</p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l4 level1 lfo6"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Blog posts written from Day 1 until I returned to the U.S.:</b> 52</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Pictures taken with digital cameras:</b><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Approximately 7,300</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Sunglasses worn:</b><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>1 pair</p><p class="MsoNormal"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Bribes paid to corrupt police:</b> Zero <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>- But wow, was it close a couple of times.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I’ve honed my skills in dealing with these situations now.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>(Attempts by them to extort money only really only took place in Nicaragua, Panama, Bolivia, and Peru.)</p><p class="MsoNormal"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Magazine articles written about me:</b> 1<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>(nicely done, Hazzard)</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">THE "BEST of the BEST"</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal">OKAY, enough with the numbers!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Now let’s dive into the experiences that make travel so much fun.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Which country was the most beautiful?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Which had the prettiest girls?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Read on…</p><p class="MsoNormal"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Best Food:</b><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>With some possibly surprising results, let’s keep in mind that most of the time I was traveling, I was doing so on a budget tight enough to allow my trip to continue.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>That being said, be it for “value or flavor,” the countries with the best food are: </p><p class="MsoNormal">1<span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latinfont-family:Cambria;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">) <span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>*Peru</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latinfont-family:Cambria;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">2)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Mexico</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latinfont-family:Cambria;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">3)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Argentina</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latinfont-family:Cambria;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">4)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Guatemala</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latinfont-family:Cambria;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">5)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Panama</p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l5 level1 lfo4"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l5 level1 lfo4"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l5 level1 lfo4"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l5 level1 lfo4"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">(Peru as the winner…..the competition is not even really close!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Their creativity, effort, and value are absolutely fantastic.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Anyone who appreciates the cuisine as being a major part of their vacation will love the experience of dining in Peru.)</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Most beautiful countries:<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></b>After 1<sup>st</sup> place, this is a very difficult ranking to give.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Each of the countries I traveled in exhibited moments and scenery that are absolutely breathtaking, but of course, equal time and travel was not spent across all countries.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Still though from 15 countries, here’s my Top 6:</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latinfont-family:Cambria;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">1)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Chile (southern, Patagonia)</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latinfont-family:Cambria;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">2)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Colombia</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latinfont-family:Cambria;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">3)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Bolivia</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latinfont-family:Cambria;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">4)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Argentina (northern, Andean)</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latinfont-family:Cambria;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">5)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Ecuador</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latinfont-family:Cambria;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">6)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Peru</p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">(Notice, nothing from Central or North America made the Top 6?)</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">The 3 greatest 1-day rides I did:<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></b>Be they “great” for their beauty, remoteness or variety, these 3 rides are simply unforgettable:</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latinfont-family:Cambria;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">1)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Patagonia, The Carretera Austral, and lapping around Lago General Carrera in Chile.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This could be credited as the ride that changed my life <u>forever</u>. It's as if mother nature was throwing a party, and really wanted to make the world look its best before guests arrived.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latinfont-family:Cambria;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">2)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Bolivia:<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Uyuni to Potosi, finishing as the sun is setting during the final 50 miles.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Simply ridiculous how beautiful this is. Incredible variety through natural settings so perfect that they almost appear man made.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latinfont-family:Cambria;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">3)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Cachi to San Antonio de Los Cobres, Argentina.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I never thought the road would keep going up the mountains like that!</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Friendliest People:</b><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Generally speaking, folks everywhere were very welcoming to a weary motorcycle traveler.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>But who stands out in my mind as the “sweetest of the sweethearts?”</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latinfont-family:Cambria;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">1)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>*Mexico</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latinfont-family:Cambria;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">2)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Colombia</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latinfont-family:Cambria;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">3)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Costa Rica</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latinfont-family:Cambria;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">4)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Panama</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latinfont-family:Cambria;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">5)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Chile</p><p class="MsoNormal">(*Having been maybe the greatest surprise of my trip, the Mexican people won my heart over in a way I can’t explain.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I’m urging Americans (everyone really) to ignore the crap you see on T.V., the news stories…the movies, etc., and please understand that there are many many fantastic and sweet-hearted people just across the border from us in the U.S.!)</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Prettiest Girls:</b></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Yes, it was quite a difficult trip for me: A guy who’s always been a bit “partial” toward dark-eyed, dark-haired beautiful girls just spent 2 years riding through Latin America. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I was living on a planet full of my type! <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Being such an important category, I’m extending the list to reach 10 places.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"></span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latinfont-family:Cambria;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">1)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>* ** Mexico</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latinfont-family:Cambria;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">2)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>____________</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latinfont-family:Cambria;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">3)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>____________</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latinfont-family:Cambria;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">4)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>____________</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latinfont-family:Cambria;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">5)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Colombia</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latinfont-family:Cambria;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">6)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Panama</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latinfont-family:Cambria;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">7)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Argentina</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latinfont-family:Cambria;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">8)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Chile</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latinfont-family:Cambria;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">9)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Costa Rica</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latinfont-family:Cambria;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">10)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Nicaragua</p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l8 level1 lfo3"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">*It seems inappropriate to even list Mexico amongst such amateurs; therefore, ample space surrounding them is given out of respect.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">**Led by Lorena Vasquez of Durango, the nation of Mexico will control this category for years to come.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">“Missed the Most” about home:</b><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>No doubt, there were moments I didn’t want to be traveling.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Not by motorcycle.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Not out of my home country.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Not in the nasty weather and wicked conditions I sometimes had to deal with.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>So what were the most recurring homesickness thoughts that raced through my mind when it was getting dark, pouring rain and freezing cold, miles from civilization, and all I could think about was how badly I wished I was at home?</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Breakfast and German Pancakes with my family.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>In some of the great old German restaurants we had in Milwaukee, I just wanted pancakes and family…and to be done with this stupid motorcycle trip!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Sitting around a fireplace….Brandy Old Fashioned in-hand with my best of friends.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>(Thinking Pioneer Inn in Oshkosh.)<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>But really, any fireplace…..any of my friends……just get me off this motorcycle and into some warmth.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>The thought of having a great girl curled up on the couch next to me, head on my shoulder, settling into a movie.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Maybe there’s a pooch with his head on my lap, and the fireplace is lit.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>That'll do.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Okay...that's a long blog post. My first tour for RIDE Adventures starts in two days, so back to work I go...... : ) </p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left:1.0in;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo9"><o:p></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167788727809920660noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208095771200046727.post-16982767536218810772011-03-27T22:56:00.002-04:002011-03-27T22:59:40.441-04:00What's going on now that I'm in the U.S....I mean "Chile?"<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><br />The duration between these blog posts might suggest nothing is going on or that life has been boring.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Just to clarify:<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>That certainly isn’t the case.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Since I arrived back in the U.S. I went from Miami to Atlanta, New York, Atlanta, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Chicago, Indianapolis…..the list goes on.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>My RIDE Adventures, LLC project is running strong, I’m busy traveling, seeing people I want to see, and having fun (almost) all the time it seems. (And I finally got to see my parents and grandmothers after 2 years of not doing so!)</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I’m back here in Chile staying with old roommates and friends for a week.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Running into old friends and faces I said goodbye to half a year ago……seeing the neighborhood pooches that run the streets in this section of town (a few of them recognize and remember me) and getting ready to run my first tour with my own company.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">That’s right!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I just got back here to Santiago this week to start preparing for a 10-day tour with a private group in Patagonia.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Getting to ride again in my favorite riding area of the world….and saying it’s “my career” and “my company” allowing me to do so!</p><p class="MsoNormal"> We’ll be renting motorcycles from some partners of mine in the south of Chile, and spending 10 days riding through some of the most spectacular scenery in the world.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>April should bring some pretty ferocious weather that far south, so I expect this trip to be quite an adventure in every way.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This group has elected to stay in some of the “finer” accommodations available, and I’m excited to also see some of these fantastic hotels I had scouted out once again (I was last there a year ago.)</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Updates about the progress of this tour will be tough, but I’ll post about it when I can.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>For now though, I’ll just come right out and say it:<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“Life is so damn good...!!!”</p><p class="MsoNormal"> Next post will be a fun one:<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The “Best Of” and some numbers with regards to my 2-year adventure through Latin America.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It’s going to be fun finally writing this!<o:p></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167788727809920660noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208095771200046727.post-29817706674964764452011-01-18T09:35:00.008-05:002011-02-01T22:25:07.034-05:00Adventure #7 is over.....back in the U.S.!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVGkGe6DlUHHbd71c5o1b99Nm0-sxMaqX4vJ5TaWy_P6i3Il06ZNoasq729CUlV7hTlnW-63xqXYWw3NdlrzcsuE0TwuhSms1xJtUVrK9_D_4fZ_j6RsIGu05JeKwhvRUA1xTPWBrqttb1/s1600/P1030914.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVGkGe6DlUHHbd71c5o1b99Nm0-sxMaqX4vJ5TaWy_P6i3Il06ZNoasq729CUlV7hTlnW-63xqXYWw3NdlrzcsuE0TwuhSms1xJtUVrK9_D_4fZ_j6RsIGu05JeKwhvRUA1xTPWBrqttb1/s400/P1030914.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568913280934472050" /></a><div><br /></div><div>After 13 countries, about 60,000 miles and countless sites and memories......here we are in the U.S., having saved our favorite country for last!</div><div><br /></div><div>The final battle through customs and immigration has been won, this photo above showing my motorcycle and I safely in Miami about 25 months after we crossed from Arizona into Mexico. I'm actually posting this quite a bit after I arrived, as I didn't think it was appropriate to say I'm "completely" back in the U.S. until my motorcycle was safely here as well. (Call me sentimental about my motorcycle...I can't deny it.)</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGGUrSGe5TCTiwLpjOO9okJVjwdYVWCnqU-JAq-lmDbl426GP9mFDlMTgllk6Jcx3EoMqlw-E9lBEDGXAhhQy0SWNPQSS9TK3KlyNZU0hU66hEoY80kvQMA4-ImBLCmpFddAM60tnLZGNs/s1600/P1030904.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGGUrSGe5TCTiwLpjOO9okJVjwdYVWCnqU-JAq-lmDbl426GP9mFDlMTgllk6Jcx3EoMqlw-E9lBEDGXAhhQy0SWNPQSS9TK3KlyNZU0hU66hEoY80kvQMA4-ImBLCmpFddAM60tnLZGNs/s400/P1030904.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568926047899679010" /></a>Since arriving, life has been quite busy, as I try to combine visits with friends and family along with the business plans I have in place. After visiting with my brother and his family in Miami for a week or so and somehow not taking any pictures, I headed up to Tampa Bay and had a quick visit with The Stair Family. Always great to see Ralph, Lila, (pic below) and their daughter Leslie as they are dear old friends of our family. Marking the start of my blog, Ralph was shown in the very first post I made in June of 2008 during our visit in Colorado on my way to California.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKlUuJzsVXBxL4iFGuJd44yMepGsk7VNmmOkOnwHnsa6NucfmS9fAyTX_Dzjk0ktZ2TNEG3gCC8j4hYPSnRwhI3gEneMe8k_1yJmP3U5WLP0PBXXMK0gcOaIYHsbSWuotFwWBZUeybbsOE/s1600/P1030921.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 330px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKlUuJzsVXBxL4iFGuJd44yMepGsk7VNmmOkOnwHnsa6NucfmS9fAyTX_Dzjk0ktZ2TNEG3gCC8j4hYPSnRwhI3gEneMe8k_1yJmP3U5WLP0PBXXMK0gcOaIYHsbSWuotFwWBZUeybbsOE/s400/P1030921.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568920933296331570" /></a><br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0etY-ILXTcWR20ApMo7Sz4pYkB9fMtKKnQ88cP5Jfh6xBk-DZC72qR6nlm4kd7cjXYH7HiuOfCswUScJdF2xaevqsrQxQp7BbhHiOzbjQisQUS2FY2_7gLlkCDDMdbu38mhQjnK-kQTuq/s1600/P1030945.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0etY-ILXTcWR20ApMo7Sz4pYkB9fMtKKnQ88cP5Jfh6xBk-DZC72qR6nlm4kd7cjXYH7HiuOfCswUScJdF2xaevqsrQxQp7BbhHiOzbjQisQUS2FY2_7gLlkCDDMdbu38mhQjnK-kQTuq/s400/P1030945.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568913279890400882" /></a>(Picture above: Back in front of my house in Atlanta, finally! I couldn't even drive around back to the garage and re-take the first photo from this blog because there was so much winter-ice on the streets in my neighborhood.)<div><br /><div>My plan is to write a summary of what I saw and did....some of the "numbers" involved with all my travels on Adventure #7 and a list of favorites along the way. Just have to find the time to write that up!!!</div><div><br /></div></div>Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167788727809920660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208095771200046727.post-48237430316404467172010-12-22T19:37:00.002-05:002011-01-10T10:05:28.463-05:00Adv #7 Continued: Finishing in Colombia<div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb6Uk_M5zzXGOaJL3SBCIesbT_PiQc-XocTXj40layRXZ7Cifb1_eXeTnMR-EImQXHv6YCHLhjvqqVS_ptjwUnmRohFjgitU_1S_0QhCljNB7EnAaTPM3B18L6IDBeJlIySJkZCTDUVDlX/s1600/P1030841+%25281280x960%2529.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553171103160376546" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb6Uk_M5zzXGOaJL3SBCIesbT_PiQc-XocTXj40layRXZ7Cifb1_eXeTnMR-EImQXHv6YCHLhjvqqVS_ptjwUnmRohFjgitU_1S_0QhCljNB7EnAaTPM3B18L6IDBeJlIySJkZCTDUVDlX/s400/P1030841+%25281280x960%2529.jpg" /></a> I'm here in Cartagena, Colombia!<br /><br />Back in February, I arrived in Ushuaia, the southernmost point in South America, and here we are in December looking out over the Caribbean Sea. Having ridden South America now from bottom to top with a bunch of zig-zags in between....the continent has certainly left an impression on me.<br /><br />My departure from Medellin a couple of weeks ago gave<span style="color:#ffff00;"> </span>me more opportunities to see this fantastic country of Colombia. There is <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">huge</span> potential for tourism here, I am certain I'll be returning soon (in fact, I have some tourism work & plans lined up with a couple of guys I met here.)<br /><br />The downside to this last portion of my ride though is that not many pictures turned because of the "La Nina" weather system this year and Colombia being pounded by rain every day. The result while riding is that I don't want to take the camera out in the rain, and when the rain finally stops, the lens fogs up so badly my pictures don't even turn out. Really though, the pictures aren't that important to me. These are images that will be in my mind for a long time to come.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfv0HLXKsvnlOmHoVBSEdrerz4oKfbWiAelt0q-zeQHlPgT7zLKToQQH-DycWSFknJB1xgQ4WKnfEMxy4B_RiWVAqXgTaKVXg4dzzUPI9QgatMCwDrXlSsCyeAZZaiO1FI_wBwf8xnVXOY/s1600/P1030848.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553171100332235362" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfv0HLXKsvnlOmHoVBSEdrerz4oKfbWiAelt0q-zeQHlPgT7zLKToQQH-DycWSFknJB1xgQ4WKnfEMxy4B_RiWVAqXgTaKVXg4dzzUPI9QgatMCwDrXlSsCyeAZZaiO1FI_wBwf8xnVXOY/s400/P1030848.JPG" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmo2e7-9lyf_LtEd5hifT8F-FJoBrDFuEjjjJPZars-GbcI2CQPSVKboO8PIeHKS9vJfrXXU06G1F3tuA_P0TUUOGpwZ4epi4_2dlmJeebC8aFqWPDbCaO_zTlfGr4a7XE1Cvqvyv8a3Sr/s1600/SDC10852.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553171094379699202" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmo2e7-9lyf_LtEd5hifT8F-FJoBrDFuEjjjJPZars-GbcI2CQPSVKboO8PIeHKS9vJfrXXU06G1F3tuA_P0TUUOGpwZ4epi4_2dlmJeebC8aFqWPDbCaO_zTlfGr4a7XE1Cvqvyv8a3Sr/s400/SDC10852.JPG" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6X4jOTA_raG-miJlSpVc8oUuGNbu8Mef4M9Y3JeGtsoeQaknYCYe1NMsVJxY78HburNgvOTeBribmVydu3cvGhFBas1_tx-dQS-8TkxbUDF2MevP8itcIPfdLud5dADTjZcJ-U9pvnJJY/s1600/SDC10947.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553171088297275330" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6X4jOTA_raG-miJlSpVc8oUuGNbu8Mef4M9Y3JeGtsoeQaknYCYe1NMsVJxY78HburNgvOTeBribmVydu3cvGhFBas1_tx-dQS-8TkxbUDF2MevP8itcIPfdLud5dADTjZcJ-U9pvnJJY/s400/SDC10947.JPG" /></a> <strong>THE STATUS:</strong><br />I finished the cargo preparations for my motorcycle, and confirmed my flight; tomorrow I’ll be in Miami. Tomorrow I’ll be in the United States??? That feels very strange to say, having not been there for 2 years now.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfj0TLLMhOif78Bfr50MqRCxQ7w6X2reu0LhtTimUlmosgCvytPFjKl_VVJnns4QlogcfDGmKA_n_s2zHYXlzfSSRTOr3ZVMfZZHZEfZrJt42hdc6KlhIlgZR4EfhS55qeD1-338X0u04P/s1600/010+%25281024x768%2529.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 299px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553703260127139266" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfj0TLLMhOif78Bfr50MqRCxQ7w6X2reu0LhtTimUlmosgCvytPFjKl_VVJnns4QlogcfDGmKA_n_s2zHYXlzfSSRTOr3ZVMfZZHZEfZrJt42hdc6KlhIlgZR4EfhS55qeD1-338X0u04P/s400/010+%25281024x768%2529.jpg" /></a> (Puppers above, chewing on my turn signal while sniffing for cocaine. I have never, ever seen a more "happily employed" character than these drug-sniffing dogs. They are given a tennis ball with a little cocaine in it to help remind them what they're looking for, and I swear, some of that coke must be seeping through onto their tongues. Below: Anti-narcotics officers want to ride the big KTM, too.)<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghwNiXwCIcoBio75z50DIRPEs9JijjrE-DggT5pLxEOkJFUd3KJVOpRm0WZLGUrvue66LsL0boJfoTffmS-7J8gFrMwrZNmO4YSwobT5X1Yq4Rz6kdZqlIqxItcgwCgyU3Np4OVYUG550M/s1600/020.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553703254932747378" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghwNiXwCIcoBio75z50DIRPEs9JijjrE-DggT5pLxEOkJFUd3KJVOpRm0WZLGUrvue66LsL0boJfoTffmS-7J8gFrMwrZNmO4YSwobT5X1Yq4Rz6kdZqlIqxItcgwCgyU3Np4OVYUG550M/s400/020.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaZRaejlPYkqUotvfOq_1SQEFw6YEyDYgFyJABb3jfJoY0AmrvL_VEwUI7vMIwCk8lBHB215Pd6FnBPDFi5TWujS0zJquMhmCbdYXvpxLLszJnupx7CQZnHYkBXjdzisyeg1wzA22rfjLn/s1600/030+%25281024x576%2529.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553702216842209090" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaZRaejlPYkqUotvfOq_1SQEFw6YEyDYgFyJABb3jfJoY0AmrvL_VEwUI7vMIwCk8lBHB215Pd6FnBPDFi5TWujS0zJquMhmCbdYXvpxLLszJnupx7CQZnHYkBXjdzisyeg1wzA22rfjLn/s400/030+%25281024x576%2529.jpg" /></a><br /><strong>What's running through my head right now.....</strong></div><br /><p>Needless to say, I'm very much looking forward to seeing friends and family again. I also wonder if this is going to be "shocking" in any way, returning to my home country after all this time. At the very least, I look forward to blending in a bit better again. Must say, I've had enough of being stared at.<br /><br />Feels like I've been watching what's going on in the U.S. from the outside, actually catching much of my news from Facebook. Seeing what friends are doing and saying about the issues of the day.<br /><br />A million little thoughts, some happy and some sad are racing through my mind. For the most part I’m definitely a little choked up just writing this. The past couple of weeks moved very slowly with the ridiculous motorcycle shipping process, so my work on the www.rideadv.com project has been minimal.<br /><br />As I walked through Cartagena tonight scouting out my dinner options, I’m thinking a little about “what if I had never lost my job in Atlanta?” Or, “what if I hadn’t bought my motorcycle, and instead just flew to California for my job with Suntrek?” “What if I had never met Peter, and never rode down here to South America?” It’s somewhat silly to even ponder such variables, but in moments like this, it’s unavoidable. “What could or should I have done differently while I was here?” “Instead of just changing my life, could I have done more to help others?” Again, silly to ponder…but….those are the thoughts and impulses that are coming to mind.<br /><br />One things's for sure though: I wouldn't trade these experiences for anything else in the world.</p>Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167788727809920660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208095771200046727.post-8499581188108205602010-12-01T08:28:00.005-05:002010-12-01T21:06:27.089-05:00Adv #7's thirteenth and final country: Colombia<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3djaTep0183WtY2pScB_Z_QNR7vGMXySco2zBXpU2sMG8d6scQu7QVmU3butvgGGoHUVzc3xs7kSw_kEKXPn595TVKrj4gKnYa9YkVL-Q3271VhCmnOJ2IZNajuTfWX0PqHWkVpYtpG69/s1600/010.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 275px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545336678575947506" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3djaTep0183WtY2pScB_Z_QNR7vGMXySco2zBXpU2sMG8d6scQu7QVmU3butvgGGoHUVzc3xs7kSw_kEKXPn595TVKrj4gKnYa9YkVL-Q3271VhCmnOJ2IZNajuTfWX0PqHWkVpYtpG69/s400/010.jpg" /></a>2 Years Ago Today!<br /><br />December 1st, 2008 is when I crossed the border from Arizona into Mexico, and I haven't been back in the U.S. since. Just a couple of months before that, I had started what I was calling "Adventure #7" at the top of the west coast in Washington State where my plan was just to ride down the coast to the Mexican border and finish Adventure #7. Well, 2 years and 13 countries later....I'm now in my final country on this trip: Colombia. I'd be lying if I said it didn't choke me up a bit the moment I crossed into this country...<br /><br />Enough with that, and onto this fabulous country that the world does not know enough about.<br /><br />It needs to be said that, "our impressions of Colombia need to be updated." Absolutely, this was a dangerous country for many of the past 40 or so years. The citizens of Colombia were as afraid of the FARC as anyone else in the world was, and our impressions of Colombia from movies and media were completely justified. But in 2002, they elected Alvaro Uribe as president, and Colombia has been turned around dramatically ever since then. (Uribe is credited with practically removing all guerillas and FARC from the face of the planet.) While there are rumors about small groups still operating high in the mountains, the only semi-monthly news anyone seems to hear these days about the FARC is that "another one of them was eliminated."<br /><br />I'm sure I'll write more about Colombia sometime, but for now, let's get to the pictures below:<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ii3acCKu-A-xYmwB-BGqgm62l98JeHf9RRCo9BvqdlbZorztaTJzcTwJOOMfFEifZXbasUR4J8BlfpYNvM4diIX4euyVhWqVM2REHHDtwdaQsP0LeiQ92lO2V9sceG5SDlm6tSB1isrx/s1600/020+%25281280x960%2529.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545336673943655490" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ii3acCKu-A-xYmwB-BGqgm62l98JeHf9RRCo9BvqdlbZorztaTJzcTwJOOMfFEifZXbasUR4J8BlfpYNvM4diIX4euyVhWqVM2REHHDtwdaQsP0LeiQ92lO2V9sceG5SDlm6tSB1isrx/s400/020+%25281280x960%2529.jpg" /></a> Above, the Sanctuary Las Lajas, just across the border from Ecuador. What a great first impression of beauty upon entering Colombia! Normally I'd say I've seen enough churches and cathedrals in all my travels, but the setting and design of this one is absolutely worth a visit. Below, just more of what the Pan America highway looks like when entering Colombia. BEAUTIFUL!<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCyONao1dQhNBV7viUbabRDHxmXl4D7E0R26gnQYv0OThv7DI4-d2nwd_xr1nHuza8LnUbz6J53nkRQy_QNHsVpznK2z_ERhVgGJSs6PCqERA29_EM_ow9zePxHwLysBYjO87yySNRQuEg/s1600/030+%25281280x960%2529.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545336430695281266" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCyONao1dQhNBV7viUbabRDHxmXl4D7E0R26gnQYv0OThv7DI4-d2nwd_xr1nHuza8LnUbz6J53nkRQy_QNHsVpznK2z_ERhVgGJSs6PCqERA29_EM_ow9zePxHwLysBYjO87yySNRQuEg/s400/030+%25281280x960%2529.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUm0G9_yLHiDevwMr0flMmWPGMS5cJsSQq99Hh7-h5aVMJQ4Kc00bFkKDkS3oUKX6mnBMJKTkxeBc2ihpy6lqozAXA9PT414REsO6QWSYF287oBNmBGTEoRTXalp12MDfy3z3JdHdsLTRX/s1600/040.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 272px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545336425100914066" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUm0G9_yLHiDevwMr0flMmWPGMS5cJsSQq99Hh7-h5aVMJQ4Kc00bFkKDkS3oUKX6mnBMJKTkxeBc2ihpy6lqozAXA9PT414REsO6QWSYF287oBNmBGTEoRTXalp12MDfy3z3JdHdsLTRX/s400/040.jpg" /></a><br />I made my way to Cali, and had the chance to meet with Mikkel Thomsen, a Danish guy that's been living and managing his motorcycle renting/touring business there for a few years now. He also does quad/ATV tours as well, and as the photos show, some friends of his had a farm-type property that was available for our riding pleasure. Just a little mud out there, as his cousin Thomas steams his way through some water in the photo below.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmtvKLVfFb3ov6BdKf-E85TorEqJTctkuryHXxRsIkIus_0PlZ6I8TK6l_rO7Wc55kJAn8KbatXJRDDrBXi0reOPrhouq6rqYLM6TmTlTnfLYquR4O5_9Q7GFhwQ2o9plx5Gw9QzXz0FKm/s1600/050+%25281280x960%2529.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545336424370699842" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmtvKLVfFb3ov6BdKf-E85TorEqJTctkuryHXxRsIkIus_0PlZ6I8TK6l_rO7Wc55kJAn8KbatXJRDDrBXi0reOPrhouq6rqYLM6TmTlTnfLYquR4O5_9Q7GFhwQ2o9plx5Gw9QzXz0FKm/s400/050+%25281280x960%2529.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_GsvCC9ZYVknFNDkmGq-IXeTZOfSXIY6NHJEna-DYyRIHk5H8RmAu-Eh3DvrFtUunD1kfcLi4TxMmQjdvo1DCOFx-cQeyA-LVZrDZknNC6tVC7XJTVz45dcrFr64x7tBYyxAowONwNbXX/s1600/060+%25281280x960%2529.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545336417857305074" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_GsvCC9ZYVknFNDkmGq-IXeTZOfSXIY6NHJEna-DYyRIHk5H8RmAu-Eh3DvrFtUunD1kfcLi4TxMmQjdvo1DCOFx-cQeyA-LVZrDZknNC6tVC7XJTVz45dcrFr64x7tBYyxAowONwNbXX/s400/060+%25281280x960%2529.jpg" /></a> There was actually quite a group of riders there, as the guy that invited us was hosting a barbeque, too. - Kids riding quads: Is it possible to see an expression like that and <em>not</em> love life? This little ripper was <em>so happy</em>, buzzing around the farm all day, stopping only when her quad did.<br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWEUMqnPX8D6PxuQnOoiN7EappnrGZRH5IKLf2cK9KapJ8W125EkkOCtfsP7hdXQKgPlBBrysmtnCY7OyQLRlOtR0H42VvGpNzOPFfbHI5r2XOQGyWZDeEDlHkCrale0IuOSD8QqeLfHSy/s1600/070+%25281280x960%2529.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545336414660624226" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWEUMqnPX8D6PxuQnOoiN7EappnrGZRH5IKLf2cK9KapJ8W125EkkOCtfsP7hdXQKgPlBBrysmtnCY7OyQLRlOtR0H42VvGpNzOPFfbHI5r2XOQGyWZDeEDlHkCrale0IuOSD8QqeLfHSy/s400/070+%25281280x960%2529.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGj2kvIc5I-VqfHH8dIO-_NsnT5ingNgoCH999ohAmr6e8TEvbPIuQGkET3vGzqA9VpYY51mLgT2CAMnjBvlYTLLcpXxDU6dOJej-rCwRWgMw3p4nZhgZI-IthqwGEbm8fACM8VuE8EN1v/s1600/SDC10726+%25281280x960%2529.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 318px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545899374979832034" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGj2kvIc5I-VqfHH8dIO-_NsnT5ingNgoCH999ohAmr6e8TEvbPIuQGkET3vGzqA9VpYY51mLgT2CAMnjBvlYTLLcpXxDU6dOJej-rCwRWgMw3p4nZhgZI-IthqwGEbm8fACM8VuE8EN1v/s400/SDC10726+%25281280x960%2529.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSipshU1-NqRuTtchLrYkfP5EODbTxALpJmhh_Sfo_jVJGdhwd9QLx2Y9Y-H7X4OYRblE6qstK08yE7YrowsuvoKXiGr0ASLwmYZ1a9Nk_STOVO-kA1N_RJzAi3eTJ51gdxOJuNZ2bbSoE/s1600/080+%25281280x960%2529.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545494900696066898" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSipshU1-NqRuTtchLrYkfP5EODbTxALpJmhh_Sfo_jVJGdhwd9QLx2Y9Y-H7X4OYRblE6qstK08yE7YrowsuvoKXiGr0ASLwmYZ1a9Nk_STOVO-kA1N_RJzAi3eTJ51gdxOJuNZ2bbSoE/s400/080+%25281280x960%2529.jpg" /></a> </div><div>On through the beautiful countryside (and I'm not just saying that.....Colombia is BEAUTIFUL!) I made my way through the area of Armenia to a town called Salento, considered to be at the heart of the coffee-country in Colombia. <div><div></div><br /><div>A few nights in Salento gave me the chance to meet some other great travelers, go on hikes, and of course tour a couple of working coffee plantations in the area. A place called The Plantation House runs a great 2-hour tour every day that's very informative, and walks us through the working parts of what it takes to grow and prepare coffee. Including all the sampling going on, I saw tourists walking and talking their way around Salento MUCH faster than they normally would. Pretty funny to see everyone so jacked up on caffeine.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWNiwBQy-sjMXenonkfdRfixCFm-LVG_CyhLEE7HICjGu9LbnA1S-P0N0X15SC6Ny2vEhfEkLEQyIF03jzoGzQ4PRKNnlHTRNEvlq_a0J3PxrLEj2POSBkU545kEm8rhUCUHr_ZR51bxiT/s1600/100+%25281280x960%2529.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545335786472613106" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWNiwBQy-sjMXenonkfdRfixCFm-LVG_CyhLEE7HICjGu9LbnA1S-P0N0X15SC6Ny2vEhfEkLEQyIF03jzoGzQ4PRKNnlHTRNEvlq_a0J3PxrLEj2POSBkU545kEm8rhUCUHr_ZR51bxiT/s400/100+%25281280x960%2529.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy5P4YhRP0dxdNCRJK9AFpM_HAx2mjGOGyLcO3gR-7Z5L_CSZxePYEGHgp7N7rcWVicncJUUu41tMFcMyo0-QRDKOb2wm-csnYtkthI_c5GVtSDSNd72-cWi8dv88zqJ-k-54oKrKkz0j-/s1600/110.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545335780047769794" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy5P4YhRP0dxdNCRJK9AFpM_HAx2mjGOGyLcO3gR-7Z5L_CSZxePYEGHgp7N7rcWVicncJUUu41tMFcMyo0-QRDKOb2wm-csnYtkthI_c5GVtSDSNd72-cWi8dv88zqJ-k-54oKrKkz0j-/s400/110.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAFuVIG2DEA_0T_UsoIDh24ODsWq2_2P07U_w0RBtUOuDU-2Q0IdDvkhoP1gn4k-jxcGWFSvMJYPI6SyaPrk76W39901WjrcDC8JSPqEOM7sHWfue4xDVtJSnuxvPjkuHRK05qR6HYSM01/s1600/120+%25281280x960%2529.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545335774412251298" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAFuVIG2DEA_0T_UsoIDh24ODsWq2_2P07U_w0RBtUOuDU-2Q0IdDvkhoP1gn4k-jxcGWFSvMJYPI6SyaPrk76W39901WjrcDC8JSPqEOM7sHWfue4xDVtJSnuxvPjkuHRK05qR6HYSM01/s400/120+%25281280x960%2529.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx9XIrLKvyJr8Unc0AInqBmh_OIoL_x3yl_6lOyLOQpAhbit2AihWliq3nFxfXzxjhUVQhv21yllE3sNctnNPvZYaSbZMCYcKyEn7ctFWu5MvPdZA1SijkVD1Oo0Ysxuwzh5gba-zm-czU/s1600/130+%25281280x960%2529.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545335158171095970" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx9XIrLKvyJr8Unc0AInqBmh_OIoL_x3yl_6lOyLOQpAhbit2AihWliq3nFxfXzxjhUVQhv21yllE3sNctnNPvZYaSbZMCYcKyEn7ctFWu5MvPdZA1SijkVD1Oo0Ysxuwzh5gba-zm-czU/s400/130+%25281280x960%2529.jpg" /></a>My 2nd day there, I joined about a dozen other tourists for a Jeep ride up into the Cocora Valley and a half-day hike. Standing on the back of the Jeep with some now-famous girl from Salento, this was a great chance to get into deep into the rainforest atmosphere.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJt52HV1oRLILksgdhOa48A-6V6wI1G7ohgajgl6nwhBLt8DyOTT8W4aNg_wiAzX2h5Jq4KdAkzKx10zC4ekeA6lNfg4BcC7-GB8Y-Hcb7HLp_9T9FyHx5cC3320W1fCryVUxET5emZZYI/s1600/140+%25281280x960%2529.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545335139009286098" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJt52HV1oRLILksgdhOa48A-6V6wI1G7ohgajgl6nwhBLt8DyOTT8W4aNg_wiAzX2h5Jq4KdAkzKx10zC4ekeA6lNfg4BcC7-GB8Y-Hcb7HLp_9T9FyHx5cC3320W1fCryVUxET5emZZYI/s400/140+%25281280x960%2529.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaLf_i9hLqqJ6m4GXqBnSot_Fgoc-AoBdEftMM59IHmE1Q7BVDL8vIbSgy_amvVtgM1qpPcNnG3UMpsNYFgQEfoNWq5c-lmBLx_gOl15mBnTB3op-3joO8MZlZVjkhtfGcRA-HXFdpsCSd/s1600/150+%2528960x1280%2529.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545335093391050546" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaLf_i9hLqqJ6m4GXqBnSot_Fgoc-AoBdEftMM59IHmE1Q7BVDL8vIbSgy_amvVtgM1qpPcNnG3UMpsNYFgQEfoNWq5c-lmBLx_gOl15mBnTB3op-3joO8MZlZVjkhtfGcRA-HXFdpsCSd/s400/150+%2528960x1280%2529.jpg" /></a> AGAIN, surprised by the amount of responsibility that South America seems to put on the shoulders of the tourists....WOW was this a rigorous hike! A slippery and deeply mudded path hugged the rivers and waterfalls all the way up through the valley, and most of the time all you had to hang onto was this barbed-wired fence for support. Then when getting more into the jungle, there's no way to swim safely across the rushing river, so the National Park Service put out these nicely gapped and unsteady bridges for us to wobble across.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWd33RKoLBd3oKQVgmjuvChIDckJq9HAyYSUnRIxApzwSPM-PfcVmZ0zfTyf2sPeIfjlPfhgGsAUX8xyhFc23S7c9tMSGJsLhOhMHbo5SF4VKgpw7_Mgihom7k709lRDHNaLHrS0-p92w-/s1600/SDC10889+%25281280x960%2529.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545501670889497474" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWd33RKoLBd3oKQVgmjuvChIDckJq9HAyYSUnRIxApzwSPM-PfcVmZ0zfTyf2sPeIfjlPfhgGsAUX8xyhFc23S7c9tMSGJsLhOhMHbo5SF4VKgpw7_Mgihom7k709lRDHNaLHrS0-p92w-/s400/SDC10889+%25281280x960%2529.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGwSsuPyG_tBzPGX550Xv6enficsNZMW70KxhnKaG2rPsNYVZwH_7awDoAEI2_BP7dsa2toA3jrBMr1-LgAdDJuOFO72nuclRPMOOv5aAcGuc6dhJ2sV6r51v6ISaeBc24w2RJlfKC6cSQ/s1600/160+%2528960x1280%2529.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545335076859534706" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGwSsuPyG_tBzPGX550Xv6enficsNZMW70KxhnKaG2rPsNYVZwH_7awDoAEI2_BP7dsa2toA3jrBMr1-LgAdDJuOFO72nuclRPMOOv5aAcGuc6dhJ2sV6r51v6ISaeBc24w2RJlfKC6cSQ/s400/160+%2528960x1280%2529.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV6xXMnR_2KLN4X6eZM-kAKv8cpPpxoLa814Fq_E0-yizrl5EQR9w8FOwxvcjjIuRl90ghEE6uWbSUC9SSPnofPGhtS1wSBEOGwouiKs7NTZrJ9Io7gi1JSY-ONJK9ezbeFKpL5ambd0zg/s1600/170+%25281280x960%2529.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545335065928893314" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV6xXMnR_2KLN4X6eZM-kAKv8cpPpxoLa814Fq_E0-yizrl5EQR9w8FOwxvcjjIuRl90ghEE6uWbSUC9SSPnofPGhtS1wSBEOGwouiKs7NTZrJ9Io7gi1JSY-ONJK9ezbeFKpL5ambd0zg/s400/170+%25281280x960%2529.jpg" /></a> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br /><p>The Cocora Valley hike finishes with the highlight of seeing the Wax Palms, known as the tallest palm trees in the world. In the rolling hillside leading us back down to Salento, this is a fantastic hike that I highly recommend.</p><p>I write this now from Medellin, having spent some time here getting to know folks and enjoying the fantastic and fun district called "El Poblado." If you're looking for nightlife...and don't mind seeing the occasional pretty girl.....Medellin is certainly worth a visit. </p><p>Off to Cartegena now : )<br /></p>Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167788727809920660noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208095771200046727.post-25044009260471334182010-11-16T09:59:00.000-05:002010-11-18T11:33:06.989-05:00Adv # 7 Continued: Last part of Ecuador<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF9DcvPU51B6vc5AUGmOp1RStOrtuLVkoFHdfO1ER3aAxmEWscZDi_d9GBpQaVhtXFxD7M2CkctqfvwSrBQKjcBi1FDoQuf-ODX5zjApRU6fFN0iBXuPxsf83rnSps9v-jRODZb0OlDVpF/s1600/010+%2528800x589%2529.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 294px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540920614396367458" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF9DcvPU51B6vc5AUGmOp1RStOrtuLVkoFHdfO1ER3aAxmEWscZDi_d9GBpQaVhtXFxD7M2CkctqfvwSrBQKjcBi1FDoQuf-ODX5zjApRU6fFN0iBXuPxsf83rnSps9v-jRODZb0OlDVpF/s400/010+%2528800x589%2529.jpg" /></a> <div>So after Baños, Ecuador I headed down further into the Amazon rainforest through Puyo and Tena, really putting my Klim riding gear to the test for the first time. Riding 4 straight hours in rain, the GoreTex proved itself as I showed up in Tena completely dry inside. (My previous gear I used in Patagonia failed me miserably.)<br /><br />What a beautiful ride though! Through the valley of the River Pastaza that I had just rafted, and all the beautiful waterfalls and vegetation, absolutely nowhere near what could be considered a major city, traffic, or pollution.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWp6fXgchkrkgHcP1YKEJqdjIABrcJMg0f4n-PgmVHLit0iT0BsCeBRJ8fY7hBP-XUWfLSg2IPYdZX4ugh9Nx1hZj7x0xxaIifUtHTTlnPEyFHPNRR84CIzRMhBzPCDZkFA7bmOW8DyI1j/s1600/020+%25281024x746%2529.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 291px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540920578148556402" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWp6fXgchkrkgHcP1YKEJqdjIABrcJMg0f4n-PgmVHLit0iT0BsCeBRJ8fY7hBP-XUWfLSg2IPYdZX4ugh9Nx1hZj7x0xxaIifUtHTTlnPEyFHPNRR84CIzRMhBzPCDZkFA7bmOW8DyI1j/s400/020+%25281024x746%2529.jpg" /></a> (Above, just like any other day in a random small town in Latin America, there seems to always be a celebration going on. This was in Tena, a small parade with all the costumes and locals. Below, buzzing by on the route to Quito, somebody either didn't do her homework last night, or was so anxious to do her homework, she had to do it there in gutter along side the road : )<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPEjx_RyqKDHArWxeVJY8jg7TW_YjuZwragiNSlP9XPb6zd0eQrpRjLxf9Oc2UnGJa7ItgudNDHN28pXrIXppwAcwOzZmdUdrY08Jj0SbVDzexps9o4T5n8_UL05z-0Etr4BJ-0FPcz6wL/s1600/030+%25281024x738%2529.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 288px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540920573382244578" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPEjx_RyqKDHArWxeVJY8jg7TW_YjuZwragiNSlP9XPb6zd0eQrpRjLxf9Oc2UnGJa7ItgudNDHN28pXrIXppwAcwOzZmdUdrY08Jj0SbVDzexps9o4T5n8_UL05z-0Etr4BJ-0FPcz6wL/s400/030+%25281024x738%2529.jpg" /></a>Looping back out of the rainforest to Quito, I had the chance to meet a group of motorcycle riders after a meeting I had with KTM-Ecuador's management (they want to start hosting tours of Ecuador, and of course will enjoy my marketing assistance outside of S. America.)<br /><br />The next day, these riders and I head out of Quito a bit to see some Rally Racing action, and had a great time touring around the beautiful countryside of Ecuador. Much of our conversation was about this topic of motorcycle touring in Ecuador, as there's very little of it being done. Without getting too much into this topic here, let's just say there are ENORMOUS possibilities for running great tours. Having the beach, mountains, jungle, and valleys all concentrated in one country, and so much dirt-riding connecting it all, I predict the touring of Ecuador is about to BOOM.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiphhHSup_vZpsBR42q4s8niA1RZs8gsiolcF15ZOK3MjRaFYiFsTKWnqDvPtMV5mhdN6xMa0MFWwpNpyApeQE7O7EfPEJuKaxmstCiv4t5kF189qvAsVIBibLC1zIxIpAx7R0rFMRfOYo-/s1600/040+%25281024x754%2529.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 295px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540920154398673506" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiphhHSup_vZpsBR42q4s8niA1RZs8gsiolcF15ZOK3MjRaFYiFsTKWnqDvPtMV5mhdN6xMa0MFWwpNpyApeQE7O7EfPEJuKaxmstCiv4t5kF189qvAsVIBibLC1zIxIpAx7R0rFMRfOYo-/s400/040+%25281024x754%2529.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC4eyqF1rLstekPWVZyEDM-MU94aI5cE2d8Z-E8-QJ7cQ_sD3093GEPwCYMDFxQrMdeD2NCA1nrRT3_tkRd4pm4kceZd88DnNO0KmEAgwzPdNLu-gsPNCGB1kaaaVHH5KU2oCUK3iiRDHH/s1600/050+%2528536x800%2529.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 268px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540920140063218946" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC4eyqF1rLstekPWVZyEDM-MU94aI5cE2d8Z-E8-QJ7cQ_sD3093GEPwCYMDFxQrMdeD2NCA1nrRT3_tkRd4pm4kceZd88DnNO0KmEAgwzPdNLu-gsPNCGB1kaaaVHH5KU2oCUK3iiRDHH/s400/050+%2528536x800%2529.jpg" /></a> Finishing my time in Ecuador is tough to do, but Colombia is a large country, and I’ve only got about a month or so before I plan to be back in the U.S. to enjoy the holidays with my family (whom I have not seen for 2 years.) As I headed north out of Ecuador, the obligatory visit is a pass over the equator. That’s right! “Ecuador” of course being on the equator, which runs right through the middle of the country.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHCm27Rw8lMMHnD6AG_lbguczySDtSbgvLS4r2d2ct5YXV__xR0_smTq6Vu3m-B3r-VYMEonSXtnGZC4Ogc_qg5rFiZo2xVEPPzvYGpzfx99vWQKtfY-ongsZE6vyL92mG95W3xWn7vLi2/s1600/060+%25281024x767%2529.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540920135448421602" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHCm27Rw8lMMHnD6AG_lbguczySDtSbgvLS4r2d2ct5YXV__xR0_smTq6Vu3m-B3r-VYMEonSXtnGZC4Ogc_qg5rFiZo2xVEPPzvYGpzfx99vWQKtfY-ongsZE6vyL92mG95W3xWn7vLi2/s400/060+%25281024x767%2529.jpg" /></a><br />Stopping for all the photos, the park ranger actually did a nice job explaining all the history of this location called “Quitsato” and how pre-Incan cultures were actually using the surrounding mountain and volcano peaks to mark the Tropics of Cancer, Capricorn, and solar declinations, etc. This moment, actually stepping across the line represented my first time being in the northern hemisphere in almost 2 years (the last time being on the steamship headed from Panama to Chile, shown in the February 5, 2009 blog post.)<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSFRUaHbMq4IiEt5S2guHRydZjDL4eyRKPjbPRIzqZIWd9pqy_2vTCZ7KCPT9KBfcMdq1ap5cBw2KxWT_yU8LR9sASl1xlWpoXuOB82HkxFbakXP3EW9xJifAY4pv4uYdrR5YHjRMu3w01/s1600/070+%25281024x767%2529.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540920103125822562" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSFRUaHbMq4IiEt5S2guHRydZjDL4eyRKPjbPRIzqZIWd9pqy_2vTCZ7KCPT9KBfcMdq1ap5cBw2KxWT_yU8LR9sASl1xlWpoXuOB82HkxFbakXP3EW9xJifAY4pv4uYdrR5YHjRMu3w01/s400/070+%25281024x767%2529.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggsLtpYt53FJiyH-IYiHFfYx-r0Qo1-cQHouhw33QlNLx5YGyeRs7I0hvp51pSjWyMb-UGjIEvmqy4D1CGo8UBRTCnJWVZF08eFL9HqU-2S6GHaxUG9l_08E4EvXmojr5dAF-ld-URYxQN/s1600/080+%25281024x729%2529.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 285px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540920093235624546" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggsLtpYt53FJiyH-IYiHFfYx-r0Qo1-cQHouhw33QlNLx5YGyeRs7I0hvp51pSjWyMb-UGjIEvmqy4D1CGo8UBRTCnJWVZF08eFL9HqU-2S6GHaxUG9l_08E4EvXmojr5dAF-ld-URYxQN/s400/080+%25281024x729%2529.jpg" /></a> <div><br />Northern Ecuador becomes even more beautiful than parts I’d previously seen, as the cloud covered mountains carve the pathway to Colombia. Whereas the Pan American highway is generally not a pretty stretch of highway (usually polluted, and littered with too much traffic) this final stretch out of Ecuador is simply beautiful. It was interesting again to see how the faces of the people change, this time evolving from the more typical Inca-Indian appearance to that of Caribbean & African black. Whatever the case, the people have been completely friendly and always inquisitive about where I'm from, and where I'm going.</div><div><br />More news soon….the thirteenth and final country on my trip is ahead…. </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167788727809920660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208095771200046727.post-90794122752753872712010-11-11T10:50:00.000-05:002010-11-18T09:59:06.400-05:00Adv #7 Continued: Ecuador!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHRf6VzkDKyEcItz-9vJkBXa7yUwGc2cwNTDz_Oeh5cz4QtRbPJRYxQBcQHVkgEqJx33xEIXHMfbOoBpX9L_4R9fvBmWNXZcxWcXxBUxReC_wU6sZ_SjY7qBTqUo01ss8xA0iNQ72MvlQT/s1600/010.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 261px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540349569615755106" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHRf6VzkDKyEcItz-9vJkBXa7yUwGc2cwNTDz_Oeh5cz4QtRbPJRYxQBcQHVkgEqJx33xEIXHMfbOoBpX9L_4R9fvBmWNXZcxWcXxBUxReC_wU6sZ_SjY7qBTqUo01ss8xA0iNQ72MvlQT/s400/010.JPG" /></a> The site of American cash: I hadn't seen it for almost 2 years now, so pulling these out of the cash machine in Ecuador sure made for a strange feeling! (They use our U.S. Dollars.)<br /><br />After Peru came Ecuador, yet another great surprise in all my travels. I mean, who knows anything really about Ecuador? As I got closer to the country, I had heard a few things, but nobody did a great job just explaining how beautiful of a country it is. (I'm guessing that's because many folks only ride the Pan American highway in a bus, and don't get to explore other routes. Chalk one up for Julius The KTM and Eric!)<br /><br />I had the chance to meet the owner of KTM-Ecuador while I was in Cuenca. Great timing for that, because he's interested in starting adventure tours for the public, and needs help of course with the marketing aspect of things (perfect for my project <a href="http://www.rideadv.com/">http://www.rideadv.com/</a>)<br /><br />After a few nights in Cuenca, getting to know the city and doing a few things to my bike, I headed up to the highly talked about town of Baños, just on the eastern side of the Andes on the way down to the Amazon. For an outdoors-lover, Baños is a paradise!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm-5CpNG_eE5krhNEknRBNAVkzBCiwksm3_MzrrXrnnJfAu4gEDnjKw515nRwU3_JKINz9_vdlCQoZNv8M3hKGcRXjkD_0ZqGOAGz3fYG_7HiDJ7CgevljHLfPoa10sGkoSoRp0GmkOIga/s1600/020.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540349563561171490" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm-5CpNG_eE5krhNEknRBNAVkzBCiwksm3_MzrrXrnnJfAu4gEDnjKw515nRwU3_JKINz9_vdlCQoZNv8M3hKGcRXjkD_0ZqGOAGz3fYG_7HiDJ7CgevljHLfPoa10sGkoSoRp0GmkOIga/s400/020.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3LmA48Pi6iDawY40fKA7hjXVLVtTrtcilAdLzS4YvxYre58CAjVHCADp1SXNS5AD2mDZEPeY9OteXVTs05mk09f0OpPMT_xH8wLtODlntfEx2hq53yVNHDkJukxUvJLH58SfDpJ0Q40S3/s1600/030.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540348471954664962" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3LmA48Pi6iDawY40fKA7hjXVLVtTrtcilAdLzS4YvxYre58CAjVHCADp1SXNS5AD2mDZEPeY9OteXVTs05mk09f0OpPMT_xH8wLtODlntfEx2hq53yVNHDkJukxUvJLH58SfDpJ0Q40S3/s400/030.jpg" /></a> One of the first things I did was rent a mountain bike and head down to check out some of the dozens of waterfalls in the area. Most notably (above) is "El Pailon del Diablo," or "The Devil's Punchbowl," and certainly worth the hike to see!</div><div><br />The next day, I had the pleasure of meeting Ellen and Susan from Holland, both traveling Ecuador and Peru for a few months before getting back into the working world. We met on our half-day canyoning expedition, and had a great time for a couple of days and nights meeting other people along the way. The girls quickly named me the "Inca guy," as for some reason I was given the raincoat with the most local feel. (Plus, I look so Incan.)</div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcGiehMcnmqIrcg3pmlcjV6JyLwnQk1EM0apL6yMmEKJZ_P4CuEVImxOB3imSitsmcOaou-q5QHKNnZA_g-a9IzU5-wwCbb8VRAhCB-AGdA-VPLyTvjsSO4ujTEyWdwhUK06UfKJGGa60u/s1600/040.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540348461992143666" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcGiehMcnmqIrcg3pmlcjV6JyLwnQk1EM0apL6yMmEKJZ_P4CuEVImxOB3imSitsmcOaou-q5QHKNnZA_g-a9IzU5-wwCbb8VRAhCB-AGdA-VPLyTvjsSO4ujTEyWdwhUK06UfKJGGa60u/s400/040.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtSDxP20ojfszuTFWLtEjifj3tHLdHYMA0yw4ZTujHFhYyNW1cALXX0nZYxaZXoarvUPgpxwqsfvJTfQut6cgf-6AkRSKVJO4U37YZXHb-f7l75IErsNKbqKlzhMj7ZDfyxDTF5iRSSsMc/s1600/050.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 243px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540348442904782738" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtSDxP20ojfszuTFWLtEjifj3tHLdHYMA0yw4ZTujHFhYyNW1cALXX0nZYxaZXoarvUPgpxwqsfvJTfQut6cgf-6AkRSKVJO4U37YZXHb-f7l75IErsNKbqKlzhMj7ZDfyxDTF5iRSSsMc/s400/050.JPG" /></a> Canyoning is basically rappelling down cliff walls, and in this case, through waterfalls using all the necessary ropes and harnesses and such. Below, Ellen is starting to look like a pro already. We rappelled down 6 waterfalls in total, progressively getting longer and longer as we continued. The final drop was around 120 feet, and difficult to photograph of course because of the situation we were in.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvm00zNHqkDv4hat2ZhcuxAmjs2vgPsy3I9v0lpnkf8o7F-xsTb2R9O6KAqUjjm2JSvfFKs6MEg8qhXZJQj_jRtkf8Yg5HIplO6LVTtLo4y22jMUBgXoyrOgqiXh6oL-2H8hgKfB-IPUCx/s1600/060.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539445904094820562" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvm00zNHqkDv4hat2ZhcuxAmjs2vgPsy3I9v0lpnkf8o7F-xsTb2R9O6KAqUjjm2JSvfFKs6MEg8qhXZJQj_jRtkf8Yg5HIplO6LVTtLo4y22jMUBgXoyrOgqiXh6oL-2H8hgKfB-IPUCx/s400/060.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtOxEP1fQsmM0eG55-dfnrfYk2iPl8LzfNzl-LzEfY7_eJlriY-AQsmb65r2sNU9DmZsGj-ae4EOXXqZqhry6-jzg5oHwVsha3wTWDz9YpgEwh67n8AjbDfSVfZ89iKMHqch5ORLrT864y/s1600/070.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 274px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539445900854436178" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtOxEP1fQsmM0eG55-dfnrfYk2iPl8LzfNzl-LzEfY7_eJlriY-AQsmb65r2sNU9DmZsGj-ae4EOXXqZqhry6-jzg5oHwVsha3wTWDz9YpgEwh67n8AjbDfSVfZ89iKMHqch5ORLrT864y/s400/070.JPG" /></a> Above, our tour guide, Jose preps us for the biggest drop down into the canyon of the day. Below, to finish out the day, the girls and I rented a Jeep to do a little exploring in the San Antonio Forest Reserve, and finished out the days with locals and other travelers we'd meet throughout the day. I also spent a day river rafting on the Pastaza river in some nice class-4 rapids, but of course, the photos in that situation are pretty tough to take, so just take my word for it: It was a great day.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlOdQ3jwwm82G4yMAd-cHFkXi7j2SMBRKbEjXSmE7cUUduKD35dA_vCVepX0KyhV0VZuj_cuyRMmKl2Hto-vMJ283oKiIkjXgskjtutPuESTjx_ZiIKjKnlMyl1RWpQfNPfgGyDy-7FL_o/s1600/080.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 226px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539439708157845234" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlOdQ3jwwm82G4yMAd-cHFkXi7j2SMBRKbEjXSmE7cUUduKD35dA_vCVepX0KyhV0VZuj_cuyRMmKl2Hto-vMJ283oKiIkjXgskjtutPuESTjx_ZiIKjKnlMyl1RWpQfNPfgGyDy-7FL_o/s400/080.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGqeNdLa2y3xHeDKzQ5sZUeezolU_Nw_5CQ1WhLGcIrRIVs-yZOYrPvjoIz5qFQKeRFaDid2EUF4RGbBf_nVbV9dCnFxdFKOxPxT8Kx5E35TRmyBkpb1iY9GUBA7yhctfoBFhxMfjShF9s/s1600/090.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 255px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539439703836938274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGqeNdLa2y3xHeDKzQ5sZUeezolU_Nw_5CQ1WhLGcIrRIVs-yZOYrPvjoIz5qFQKeRFaDid2EUF4RGbBf_nVbV9dCnFxdFKOxPxT8Kx5E35TRmyBkpb1iY9GUBA7yhctfoBFhxMfjShF9s/s400/090.JPG" /></a> <div>The entire area around Baños should not be missed, as there's limitless hiking, hot-spring bathing, waterfall watching, and even bungy-jumping to do there. I only spent 4 nights there, but could have easily enjoyed 2 more weeks.</div><div></div><div></div><div>More news coming, as I have met some local KTM riders in Ecuador and will share news on that soon. </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167788727809920660noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208095771200046727.post-69547727688624960682010-11-02T22:06:00.000-04:002010-11-03T00:35:10.383-04:00Adv #7 Continued: Done with Peru, and now in EcuadorFinally here in Ecuador! Just left Máncora, Peru today after 14 great days on the beach...<br /><br />It’s been about 7 weeks since leaving Santiago, and a great trip so far. Had a few mishaps that led me to delays and searching for new tires and such, but it’s funny how those bumps in the road can lead you to new and interesting people.<br /><br /><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTxwbaxKSXx1PsG4pwzCUY-pi_SsU72IOY4pahNBn9JONvJqQu2MySf2BaFQSYeu5xBTljfUSgbs1dET0O7F5g8e_0nAjy1asIM5197Kc0CuGRP3xSzENUHz6ZPf0LTBtfDf6c5TcF_-D1/s1600/010.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535170678783385378" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTxwbaxKSXx1PsG4pwzCUY-pi_SsU72IOY4pahNBn9JONvJqQu2MySf2BaFQSYeu5xBTljfUSgbs1dET0O7F5g8e_0nAjy1asIM5197Kc0CuGRP3xSzENUHz6ZPf0LTBtfDf6c5TcF_-D1/s400/010.JPG" /></a>Through some of my contacts in my work, I was in touch with Luis Deza in Lima, a fellow KTM rider and extremely generous guy. After helping me track down the right tire (a tire that even motorcycle tour operators in Peru swore was not available) Luis invited me to stay with him and his family in Lima while I spent a few days freshening up my motorcycle. What a great treat that was, staying in an actual “home” for a change, and not to mention his sister Carmen Rosa’s cooking non-stop everyday for us! As good food and hospitality seems to be tradition in the Deza family, I was welcomed and enjoyed a great visit with my new friends, Luis for sure being a guy I'll be in touch with for a long time.<br /><br />After leaving Lima, I headed up the coast and actually met Luis’s brother, Carlos in Trujillo. Had the chance to visit the beach town of Huanchaco, the Sipan Museum in Chiclayo, and eventually made my way here to Máncora, just about 2 hours before the border with Ecuador.<br /><br />I’d heard about Máncora from a few friends and random travelers along the way, and figured I’d spend at least 3-4 days here to relax, take some time off of the motorcycle, and just enjoy the sunshine and beach. Those 3-4 days turned into 2 full weeks, as I absolutely loved Máncora!<br /><br />Not that it’s the most beautiful of beaches, or towns for that matter. But when you combine the weather, location, activities and pricing….it’s a place I just adored. Upon arrival, I learned that a major tourism factor here is the kitesurfing, and that Máncora is considered one of the Top 3 destinations in the world for this growing sport. As kitesurfers search strong steady wind, the right wave situation, and hopefully warm water and nightlife, Máncora is definitely a great combination for a large portion of the year. </p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoNFAK0lMZW5KHGqFjfWQQ9GmgJY5y4m7f8X8tJjwp4toafEcRibS_Pk_ngjl3RgFsszr_51YYO7kSmVkHNt6Ci92J0iXyFae_q3rv3S-j3k6RWtHlTa1nqHoQ13Zxt9Ct_ZMI6wpLdvfr/s1600/020.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 299px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535170673040965698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoNFAK0lMZW5KHGqFjfWQQ9GmgJY5y4m7f8X8tJjwp4toafEcRibS_Pk_ngjl3RgFsszr_51YYO7kSmVkHNt6Ci92J0iXyFae_q3rv3S-j3k6RWtHlTa1nqHoQ13Zxt9Ct_ZMI6wpLdvfr/s400/020.JPG" /></a>The authority on kitesurfing in Máncora is definitely Skip from www.perukitecamp.com. I was introduced to Skip through Canadian Honeymooner’s Neil and Lindsay whom I met on my first night in Máncora, after which I quickly found myself bouncing through lessons, kitesurfing, and a daily routine that was so much fun!<br /><br />Along with all the other kite surfers including Mike the Free Swede, Nadia the Swiss Chick, Bill from Australia, Doug “Stingray” from Calgary, Marina and Holt from California, and a handful of other people who circled throughout from day to day, it was so much fun to have a regular crew to run with. We started at about 10am for breakfast, overlooking the beach and early morning surfers. Then around 11am, we’d gather around Skip’s shop on the beach just to take it easy and make some rough plans on where to go for the day. Fresh empanadas and treats are always circling around us as locals make themselves plenty available.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyYieJTEqUE62OSUCkp6NylCa6wxSgMjC0IwfXaZ0Xqf4u2XiakbNHVdcQggVTKP-MaTjtd90fPQSrgSm2zt2wQ0MSpqiUccOhAgjof3EPw3U2UiLrMv_SSm6o4Gp6ps1FwaNWzqwchYqx/s1600/030.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535170666661011346" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyYieJTEqUE62OSUCkp6NylCa6wxSgMjC0IwfXaZ0Xqf4u2XiakbNHVdcQggVTKP-MaTjtd90fPQSrgSm2zt2wQ0MSpqiUccOhAgjof3EPw3U2UiLrMv_SSm6o4Gp6ps1FwaNWzqwchYqx/s400/030.JPG" /></a> (Above, Neil and Lindsay spending their honeymoon with all the kitesurfers....great! They've kitesurfed Vietnam, Venezuela, Brazil, and quite a few other places around the world.)<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhONUNc0xHrnU8OBMSiemmo-OPFVLILLU1wZS1jO21E4ji6WmtTlqeI8punv7RYP5VVaXJE_fIYt9Wbjda9OdUJYFwP7nxH1bNlJpV07KrIFUs1WWINaoTIkwasIo_dz87W-pf0S1uis_aQ/s1600/040.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535170658349848402" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhONUNc0xHrnU8OBMSiemmo-OPFVLILLU1wZS1jO21E4ji6WmtTlqeI8punv7RYP5VVaXJE_fIYt9Wbjda9OdUJYFwP7nxH1bNlJpV07KrIFUs1WWINaoTIkwasIo_dz87W-pf0S1uis_aQ/s400/040.JPG" /></a><br />Usually by around 12 noon, the decision is made if we were going to stay right here in Máncora, or head down the coast a bit where the wind might be a bit stronger. If traveling was necessary, we’d pack up the 4x4 van, crank up some Warren Zevon, Rolling Stones, or Led Zepelin, and head down the coast to pick the spot for the day (usually a small beach called Los Organos.)<br /><br />And the kite surfing begins! A steady 25mph wind seemed to be offered every day, as arid inland areas heat up and suck in the cold air off the ocean. From about 12:30 to 4:00 every day, it’s a smooth pulling wind just perfect for learning this sport. The experienced riders were twirling around in the air, and the rest of us just tried to perfect the part on the water. The whole time, Skip walks up and down the beach giving lessons with his beach dog, Rubina always by his side.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT_A3jufq-rg6nCdgnaQ0QyNiiRQ36lcLD3-odyYFZSzpDQt9v0dIGFxBL4G9f2rh14j4gaXnjbKmf69udTYXHQ8Njt1DWJsINvkDs7O22cpz4a8IfE2aXYbf6h6JbZjTbKNc_CdWVMTsO/s1600/050.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535170657262197442" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT_A3jufq-rg6nCdgnaQ0QyNiiRQ36lcLD3-odyYFZSzpDQt9v0dIGFxBL4G9f2rh14j4gaXnjbKmf69udTYXHQ8Njt1DWJsINvkDs7O22cpz4a8IfE2aXYbf6h6JbZjTbKNc_CdWVMTsO/s400/050.JPG" /></a>(Mike, El Sueco Libre above, and Nadia the Swiss Chick below. Everyone developed a simple nickname pretty quickly.)<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhFGwbfdLBPQcEiD2piftSSsLrXxYuA1s8ht92yE4lUqdj7WRG2GQ5SxQrab8n5geOt6GXDB0jFNg_I3tB7kIGVeUVZVTjQKefUmNBthNmLeAvi3VywNjGy_242VGVuAvHwBKnb9N18j_c/s1600/060.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535168744969578994" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhFGwbfdLBPQcEiD2piftSSsLrXxYuA1s8ht92yE4lUqdj7WRG2GQ5SxQrab8n5geOt6GXDB0jFNg_I3tB7kIGVeUVZVTjQKefUmNBthNmLeAvi3VywNjGy_242VGVuAvHwBKnb9N18j_c/s400/060.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicpUbT_FeHz3JEmVJ4wB2D54H5dA72pP6pXzAytnq9uKuL1cefgD28IjrbymCqGbfu6TweXeKrmNi3SCNbLhbqrfO_NvLPtz5Sp7rOwVSX0GYbQaXgW0miz4msZT6ileg72JsscXvwrSvB/s1600/070.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535168735127628706" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicpUbT_FeHz3JEmVJ4wB2D54H5dA72pP6pXzAytnq9uKuL1cefgD28IjrbymCqGbfu6TweXeKrmNi3SCNbLhbqrfO_NvLPtz5Sp7rOwVSX0GYbQaXgW0miz4msZT6ileg72JsscXvwrSvB/s400/070.JPG" /></a> (Above, one of Skip's instructors, Alexei shows off above, and there I am below!)<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuR73HedAB0yX_mVERXGpbAxDGYcUfqgWvk_bghOiLmC5YsDa749-4RLmnlWZ0osej6OyqVQCYgAXvsWW9raSmuvM4C_TOHdFSKhlgFl4K6U3wTnALhraw9c1hC035SgCKuUX7xyxTwlhp/s1600/080.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 297px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535168726623367698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuR73HedAB0yX_mVERXGpbAxDGYcUfqgWvk_bghOiLmC5YsDa749-4RLmnlWZ0osej6OyqVQCYgAXvsWW9raSmuvM4C_TOHdFSKhlgFl4K6U3wTnALhraw9c1hC035SgCKuUX7xyxTwlhp/s400/080.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs6E5GHOfOyvEd5ACeXR9Qqet0bdTW-3oRkDxeAcydJnca3gRh21WiW9ke8Lu366A86q8ZfXTdW70pNEQhD62OsJI3Lys8OPMOJeLaOOJHaNA2-wHRwEfI7z7m1KDRLGmMB3nZjb3UoNvB/s1600/090.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535168724376914338" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs6E5GHOfOyvEd5ACeXR9Qqet0bdTW-3oRkDxeAcydJnca3gRh21WiW9ke8Lu366A86q8ZfXTdW70pNEQhD62OsJI3Lys8OPMOJeLaOOJHaNA2-wHRwEfI7z7m1KDRLGmMB3nZjb3UoNvB/s400/090.JPG" /></a> (Doug, above we easily named "Stingray" because he stepped on one and got stung the first day. Below, Skip works the barbeque situation at the end of the day. What a great time we had!)<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ1T3UKa1rlHFZBjUbtQL8akhqBlSrRQq2lv7N6z9XVXlEEn4H3VJdjkEtSFHeatBfYy2oIm1YC6S5Yn_lyPlb_eRCuyrmWlSvlQfvN74ETDVqCQCQZM855oFuBqIIL1GwKVxxN5FXlglW/s1600/100.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535168717419885506" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ1T3UKa1rlHFZBjUbtQL8akhqBlSrRQq2lv7N6z9XVXlEEn4H3VJdjkEtSFHeatBfYy2oIm1YC6S5Yn_lyPlb_eRCuyrmWlSvlQfvN74ETDVqCQCQZM855oFuBqIIL1GwKVxxN5FXlglW/s400/100.JPG" /></a><br />I would have gladly spent another few months (seriously) there in Máncora, but my plans are still to be in the U.S. for the holidays, so it’s time to move on. Here in Machala, Ecuador, heading further north tomorrow, I’ll try to post news more often. </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167788727809920660noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208095771200046727.post-13743675388014867812010-10-09T23:15:00.000-04:002010-10-10T10:28:36.553-04:00Machu Picchu: WOW<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN32mUr6q59npZa58jRbjZT5uJIfo2GlD1aRkFfnm213BWnzXpbjhZZjOuXeKZ9cUOw0pxpJlAey7ymP7kmp9k1wDbZH6mU68rFJAhMx7NRZgntERcVrpL-9VjPZxa_0Vt6wuvcdZVodd7/s1600/010.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 290px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526255797487748178" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN32mUr6q59npZa58jRbjZT5uJIfo2GlD1aRkFfnm213BWnzXpbjhZZjOuXeKZ9cUOw0pxpJlAey7ymP7kmp9k1wDbZH6mU68rFJAhMx7NRZgntERcVrpL-9VjPZxa_0Vt6wuvcdZVodd7/s400/010.JPG" /></a><br /><br />Machu Picchu: The most famous site in South America?<br />Yes, and for good reason, I’d say.<br /><br />Starting with my arrival in Cusco, it’s easy to see how this nearby city has thrived as a starting-point for departures to Machu Picchu. Yes, it has that “touristy” feel, which sometimes takes away the authenticity of foreign travel. Didn’t matter to me though, as the restaurants, hotels, and service all make Cusco a delight to visit. Sometimes a proper city is a nice change from hustling by motorcycle through the barren Andes Mountains where fuel, food, and occasionally-needed help are scarce.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYTaHWSSfs-9sKDSkcD4a8RUuekW3ST1UG2ERgZgmuV1UZqcUYjEv1DoSNYHe7VOZhfR37bq16_UmqeRy6aWQp6-dwogy1hut5EoKN7lDLCZKKoKYPJ3ZiPiK4fsJwRfxX_UxCNXS3uTZW/s1600/015.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 246px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526255790289356802" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYTaHWSSfs-9sKDSkcD4a8RUuekW3ST1UG2ERgZgmuV1UZqcUYjEv1DoSNYHe7VOZhfR37bq16_UmqeRy6aWQp6-dwogy1hut5EoKN7lDLCZKKoKYPJ3ZiPiK4fsJwRfxX_UxCNXS3uTZW/s400/015.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV-aT2vVF3YUcZGJNYVGjkW-_ox27NRHPBiK-k4ER0VfBPlVYL4Yj_8GgETZvJL1dxn0zAApN-uMmUN1drugHoxX9BzYvSvmMKIiy7028TxeQgpiEiAl5l1l34n4fKsPm5z-rGyJ_7D_sj/s1600/020.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 310px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526255785803036002" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV-aT2vVF3YUcZGJNYVGjkW-_ox27NRHPBiK-k4ER0VfBPlVYL4Yj_8GgETZvJL1dxn0zAApN-uMmUN1drugHoxX9BzYvSvmMKIiy7028TxeQgpiEiAl5l1l34n4fKsPm5z-rGyJ_7D_sj/s400/020.JPG" /></a><br />Every type of hiking, biking, flying, or riding adventure is offered through local travel companies, but my focus in this area was definitely Machu Picchu. </div><div><br />After shopping around, I bought a bus-train-bus-hotel package from Cusco to Machu Picchu that included some touring of The Sacred Valley and its ruins and towns along the way. We spent about an hour in the Pisac ruins and were set to see Ollantaytambo as well, but election-day in Peru caused some delays of course, and I missed that part.<br /><br />From Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes by train is quite a ride though. Make sure you take this during daylight hours, as it feels like you’re saying goodbye to the rest of the world and sneaking off to a completely secret destination that, despite all its perceived fame, has still not been officially announced to the world. </div><div><br />Winding down through the picture-perfect “Sacred Valley,” everyone’s cameras were chattering as we tried to grab shots of the amazing surroundings. I had considered doing the 3-day hike on the Inca Trail instead of taking the train, but for a handful of reasons decided against it this time. (One of those reasons being that it gives me a perfect excuse to return to this beautiful area of Peru.) The motorcycle ride to Ollantaytambo was an option, but this time I decided to join the bulk of the tourists.<br /><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_3IfnPrdHjJfO4lG5LZNxtc_3OfO6RFvZxa2dFqnlPTNCxXuUQHlIfEQIjE_2agfwkW3ABTMwEHeC4QpMA1TNXeYulcWY346xTfo-Eea5qQC01bMAZwPCks_R6yu027zIuG0g5_iKQ7rC/s1600/045.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 290px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526255782229929266" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_3IfnPrdHjJfO4lG5LZNxtc_3OfO6RFvZxa2dFqnlPTNCxXuUQHlIfEQIjE_2agfwkW3ABTMwEHeC4QpMA1TNXeYulcWY346xTfo-Eea5qQC01bMAZwPCks_R6yu027zIuG0g5_iKQ7rC/s400/045.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP7vicvBns5NfGQm6KHax23wrvdK1V9dwk1ft0sWMgOCR8TfcKVLpBKr9f_UwhGXCowOGXYo9iT0nf-qAJIGdlMdlftJ5VOWnw52oJL0o9PecDyvDlVYFA7bWE8Z98v1o4_Svy9tZhurKN/s1600/046.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 286px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526254876458690834" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP7vicvBns5NfGQm6KHax23wrvdK1V9dwk1ft0sWMgOCR8TfcKVLpBKr9f_UwhGXCowOGXYo9iT0nf-qAJIGdlMdlftJ5VOWnw52oJL0o9PecDyvDlVYFA7bWE8Z98v1o4_Svy9tZhurKN/s400/046.JPG" /></a></div><div> </div><div>Because only 400 people per day are allowed to hike to the top of Wayna-Picchu (see arrow in photo below), and there are only a handful of buses that depart at 5:30 in the morning to ascend from Aguas Calientes to the base of Machu Picchu, we were advised to be in line at 3:30am. As it turned out, we probably would have been okay at 5:30, but as there’s no predictability to the numbers from day to day, playing it safe and early was just fine with me. I had a Red Bull with me.<br /><br />It’s an amazing feeling to finally arrive at the site of Machu Picchu with the sun just starting to trickle across the ruins, having routinely seen photographs of this place since 4th grade history class. Despite the thin air and having slept so little, I seemed to have limitless energy available stepping within eyesight of “The Lost City of the Incas.” </div><div><br />(Below, I enjoyed my couple of days in the area with Paul and Annabelle Williams from London, here for a 2-week journey through Peru.)<br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEnNGjPNj2pzrnqB_PRysmabwboYRDRUWcqMOWZgUiTbbQLuZJL-BY5qDF9ZENzpnOzPtlqNriQJIeXiKlVGQjdXT4tIqJCaA_XWfJGXsS7gP2VFRcz5YzRrUMLVodjtydcwRE3Ajlr5lR/s1600/050.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 304px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526254858097438210" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEnNGjPNj2pzrnqB_PRysmabwboYRDRUWcqMOWZgUiTbbQLuZJL-BY5qDF9ZENzpnOzPtlqNriQJIeXiKlVGQjdXT4tIqJCaA_XWfJGXsS7gP2VFRcz5YzRrUMLVodjtydcwRE3Ajlr5lR/s400/050.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi6dsZZTtW6OmKw4kpEE-PKWVruwb2MFSDorvIOxkWdItAQCy2ySrdeoK_eWdMR-Gg3VEbsxFOa9vBHqJE13s1AH_iRFN_xawsooy5JZ-lSFZdfAQNulVAYSv4p3xE9_W-2RdLUNkWTUP1/s1600/060.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 283px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526254843000953010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi6dsZZTtW6OmKw4kpEE-PKWVruwb2MFSDorvIOxkWdItAQCy2ySrdeoK_eWdMR-Gg3VEbsxFOa9vBHqJE13s1AH_iRFN_xawsooy5JZ-lSFZdfAQNulVAYSv4p3xE9_W-2RdLUNkWTUP1/s400/060.JPG" /></a><br />Having a professional & local tour guide like our “Cosmo” to lead us was definitely worth the small investment. Not only for the information you might not pickup in a book or on your own, but it was also nice to sense the pride he conveyed in presenting one of the New 7 Wonders of the World in his home country. (One memorable point he made was that the Incas held high appreciation for the Andean Condor indigenous to the area, and either by coincidence or design, do you see the shape of the condor in mountains the picture below?)<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6kis1i0_M6uWoBHseDULE1L4kDr_tm8ngSRvQgeScV_qvJV97Thu48nQIv0oT_tkY3hoWrYEbN1vsaxDY2Xrrs0qAHTdbX5A-bswyPfkFpxX0S5d_ST-qox-p0iKAjs5AKEdTaCSyGUP7/s1600/070.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526254833430020610" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6kis1i0_M6uWoBHseDULE1L4kDr_tm8ngSRvQgeScV_qvJV97Thu48nQIv0oT_tkY3hoWrYEbN1vsaxDY2Xrrs0qAHTdbX5A-bswyPfkFpxX0S5d_ST-qox-p0iKAjs5AKEdTaCSyGUP7/s400/070.JPG" /></a><br />Our tour ended where the hike to the top of Wayna Picchu begins, having been on our feet for about 7 hours already at that point. I’m not going to say it’s the most difficult 1 hour hike you’ll ever do, but was it steep, narrow, and dangerous? Absolutely.<br /><br />Again I was surprised by the amount of responsibility South American tourism places in the hands of the tourists themselves, seeing the how hike to the top of Wayna Picchu is a non-stop climb along a tiny ledge with under-sized footsteps and rocks to support you the whole way. For about the entire 2nd half of this hike, you’ll use your hands for support to keep yourself from slipping, which could lead to a fall where you literally end up skipping off the side of the mountain like a flat stone off of water. No guard rails. No waivers to sign before you start. Just your own intuition as to whether or not you should be doing it. I love it!<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbCFPWJd3LHOFu4WPn0mSXWTWFZjG56G0yscO8GWxMz6jkF3Fu-YjmPELCDVr6ik0obPiDbOmVA3jZo7DA1m5ZnyozgkEyqmVoWYeJVUmhaH3zYiB-qx77y2sIJqgPhkJQdgY1OUaPhhn3/s1600/080.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 291px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526254817563005298" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbCFPWJd3LHOFu4WPn0mSXWTWFZjG56G0yscO8GWxMz6jkF3Fu-YjmPELCDVr6ik0obPiDbOmVA3jZo7DA1m5ZnyozgkEyqmVoWYeJVUmhaH3zYiB-qx77y2sIJqgPhkJQdgY1OUaPhhn3/s400/080.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCD6be4AimCAls9OZi7ZHrbc8HeEbS2kptawlURE9I0U4zSsP5lEGVV7kcxsHaOoyxD2yWwqpF-bjMElD6gsVs15klweGa5R-HPl14US8NHhia_TFP5LrwtyuG60q2Ghg0_2xZs8Mx7UZC/s1600/090.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 301px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526252179614777890" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCD6be4AimCAls9OZi7ZHrbc8HeEbS2kptawlURE9I0U4zSsP5lEGVV7kcxsHaOoyxD2yWwqpF-bjMElD6gsVs15klweGa5R-HPl14US8NHhia_TFP5LrwtyuG60q2Ghg0_2xZs8Mx7UZC/s400/090.JPG" /></a>(Above, literally on my belly at this point, the only way to the top includes a couple of small caves. This one so narrow that my shoulders were touching both sides. Below: Paul emerges from the same cave.)<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipnD9j-cJRJyNn7urB-JKUsgfgM_l7KazzatkfVTY_6Lir60hmR9ZuWc9AG1ousFyalfZP1N1CDzoV-XSqQ2Zzdn6XjPqB9DuUETcTLMbtGrCSszXlHDCW-kL3SKrqLJj4wK0EB0EpDg8d/s1600/100.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 283px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526252174168787954" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipnD9j-cJRJyNn7urB-JKUsgfgM_l7KazzatkfVTY_6Lir60hmR9ZuWc9AG1ousFyalfZP1N1CDzoV-XSqQ2Zzdn6XjPqB9DuUETcTLMbtGrCSszXlHDCW-kL3SKrqLJj4wK0EB0EpDg8d/s400/100.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjuijm0xUFj56Az4LC-GIwQM_5aCx4vcW58m8P2tWfNP0dYIHc8-5uvZIon35G3WgUZVXiRhFPPPUz8vQS7qZ0Z2JCk4QptIjvNSy70dQsn3fF7UqSy4aZCmyI89B_FQTDb9-3XxhcZuhr/s1600/110.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526252170838142466" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjuijm0xUFj56Az4LC-GIwQM_5aCx4vcW58m8P2tWfNP0dYIHc8-5uvZIon35G3WgUZVXiRhFPPPUz8vQS7qZ0Z2JCk4QptIjvNSy70dQsn3fF7UqSy4aZCmyI89B_FQTDb9-3XxhcZuhr/s400/110.JPG" /></a>(Above, this is what I mean by "dangerous." Almost at the top of Wayna Picchu, here's a portion of the trail. About a half-shoe width of a ledge, and if you slip to the left, you'll slide down the wall and probably bounce off that small ledge if you can't stop yourself. Then 6-8 seconds later you'll be at the bottom of the valley.)<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKQvu8HIf49Dx0_5AUVKchbTWaNjtWVM_i6hYIrocaIi2rWw336nUz0h6sepUtATPfHBrzPlV7SNh8G5q4InpcPYeamzpFTrNV6O4SkX-AgAIu21waqQU53T9hOJBsD-gEjDFvb3Lbhwlt/s1600/120.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 289px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526252161550651618" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKQvu8HIf49Dx0_5AUVKchbTWaNjtWVM_i6hYIrocaIi2rWw336nUz0h6sepUtATPfHBrzPlV7SNh8G5q4InpcPYeamzpFTrNV6O4SkX-AgAIu21waqQU53T9hOJBsD-gEjDFvb3Lbhwlt/s400/120.JPG" /></a>(Overhead view of Machu Picchu from the top of Wayna Picchu. Apparently the shape of a condor can be seen in the layout of the ruins also, but I admittedly struggle to see it.)<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiLoIY8X5n36QnSTiZsXdk66LbaLR8cOX0_C7VD7kOQhXEJL3zQL2bFgRa_s2sR-AGTt0Ekdogzq6FLORrvQyaRBIrRXhXeXawWmzSaKMe1xcv1D325joUvRcQhrqG_w1Qsf607A8TurEI/s1600/130.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 308px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526252155046508082" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiLoIY8X5n36QnSTiZsXdk66LbaLR8cOX0_C7VD7kOQhXEJL3zQL2bFgRa_s2sR-AGTt0Ekdogzq6FLORrvQyaRBIrRXhXeXawWmzSaKMe1xcv1D325joUvRcQhrqG_w1Qsf607A8TurEI/s400/130.JPG" /></a><br />As much as I tried to recreate the atmosphere with the camera, “you have to be there” rings true when I think about the layers of mountains and scenery surrounding the site of Machu Picchu. The uniquely shaped mountain peaks in the backdrop reminded me of the rows of teeth you might find in the mouth of a shark. Then add the famous ruins that Hiram Bingham introduced to the world in 1911, the stories of his journeys to find The Lost City of the Incas, and your own personal adventure to arrive there, and it all combines for an unforgettable moment in life. </div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167788727809920660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208095771200046727.post-749997955657062252010-09-25T14:46:00.000-04:002010-09-30T23:30:26.981-04:00Adv #7 Continued: Update after leaving Chile<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7lNW8uqLXIz-U4wvbPHVJ5TKr4-C1v4KEevFzrvNZcbX01H93TVUyee0yODPPv9HquLpXtO6bx7CIKXnGy0FfSoc-FJhIbrTNQD65KuFF4Pxft7uKw65Fo2L4uYIkuAl05yw37UV6vYsj/s1600/10.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 295px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522905041289456018" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7lNW8uqLXIz-U4wvbPHVJ5TKr4-C1v4KEevFzrvNZcbX01H93TVUyee0yODPPv9HquLpXtO6bx7CIKXnGy0FfSoc-FJhIbrTNQD65KuFF4Pxft7uKw65Fo2L4uYIkuAl05yw37UV6vYsj/s400/10.JPG" /></a><br />(Picture above is from the eastern edge of the Colca Canyon in Peru.....on my way home! The Andean Condors fly every morning further west in the canyon, and what a site that is.)<br /><br /><div>How great it is to be on the road again! (Writing live from a cafe in Cusco, Peru right now, about 2 weeks after leaving Santiago.)<br /><br /> </div><div></div><div></div><div>Updates to this blog have been lagging, partially due to scarce and slow internet so far. Plus, when I get the opportunity to use internet, other priorities are taking command (like the launch of <a href="http://www.rideadv.com/">http://www.rideadv.com/</a>, which is now up and running!)</div><div></div><br /><div>First impressions of Peru are great in that the people, food, and scenery all are very welcoming. I'm taking the time to zig-zag back and forth a bit to confirm what are good tour routes, and what is worth while (for RIDE Adventures.) Plus its been a little slow moving as I take alot of extra time to meet with different motorcycle rental and touring companies along the way. Had 6 good meetings thus far with providers in Chile and Peru, and will have a few more here in Cusco before leaving. Not to mention a few visits with buddies like Pier in Arica, Chile and Karen down in Iquique. Great to see everyone.....<br /><br /><div>Below, a curious onlooker spotted me eating lunch and thought "Mom, did you see there's a bald gringo eating in our neighborhood restaurant?" This was just outside of Juliaca, Peru, about a week into my trip. My lunch cost only 2.50 Peruvian Soles (about .95 U.S. cents.) I thought the owner of the place was kidding. It was delicious, and filling.<br /></div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQSmVUuMVqNWwgJYqxK_pM7xONIVN7z06C7oiZBnoOcYZq8o1ChNEp0RefFAyhewX8RMPrMgzOsiwKeZWgUrOoueWJtgNuU3ndyGTsR5698YuVMUMgxE5tUHIvSJ3FsKyIhIijfIowBGSJ/s1600/015.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 302px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522905036343126402" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQSmVUuMVqNWwgJYqxK_pM7xONIVN7z06C7oiZBnoOcYZq8o1ChNEp0RefFAyhewX8RMPrMgzOsiwKeZWgUrOoueWJtgNuU3ndyGTsR5698YuVMUMgxE5tUHIvSJ3FsKyIhIijfIowBGSJ/s400/015.JPG" /></a><br /><div>Puno, Peru was celebrating the anniversary of their University. Not the 100th, or any special number...it was just their annual 3-day (that I saw) non-stop parade & party that was quite a spectacle. Pretty much all day long, and into the night, the marching bands and costumed locals were relentless in this celebration.<br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsAofT8NnCAJxVz3zcCYC4kagZpzt-59mjA6gZYDWjnJBuvPgHdPzoWi2d5N35xxDPT6O7dU3cql4SHYJdrfqyg_p-9Si37MzeV23VOat7RkxqZXbFl2AcNqiA-GNHIoXju2gVOY7r5YTP/s1600/016.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 304px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522905031692194322" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsAofT8NnCAJxVz3zcCYC4kagZpzt-59mjA6gZYDWjnJBuvPgHdPzoWi2d5N35xxDPT6O7dU3cql4SHYJdrfqyg_p-9Si37MzeV23VOat7RkxqZXbFl2AcNqiA-GNHIoXju2gVOY7r5YTP/s400/016.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwHLYFhSAxZVWcfZh6wsIeiEFz7pOuy-Cn0oy-SRyQcObIFF_zWuD7JL7MiwrWKftwdagsmh4PyVjXpz9zg6yxJEAM2NjCOH2tLkbdXjMzuyZ_ky7Keh_RtQaeYh1H_D1_uo9Il67oYanf/s1600/017.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 292px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522902769460832626" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwHLYFhSAxZVWcfZh6wsIeiEFz7pOuy-Cn0oy-SRyQcObIFF_zWuD7JL7MiwrWKftwdagsmh4PyVjXpz9zg6yxJEAM2NjCOH2tLkbdXjMzuyZ_ky7Keh_RtQaeYh1H_D1_uo9Il67oYanf/s400/017.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIAM-XIHs1JRTk2HIn0EYBejuodMCdW7VvX8hSSWRXfWClWHUV2qyPhy8fK0l78oDG2AQ9_NIiptvDFlJuZnaQ819DJ2DXqk_fLrLJu5z1lBySSAxgU-j9uM-KUfdg4OnxBz__Hd5ye12j/s1600/018.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 284px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522902762425892082" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIAM-XIHs1JRTk2HIn0EYBejuodMCdW7VvX8hSSWRXfWClWHUV2qyPhy8fK0l78oDG2AQ9_NIiptvDFlJuZnaQ819DJ2DXqk_fLrLJu5z1lBySSAxgU-j9uM-KUfdg4OnxBz__Hd5ye12j/s400/018.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdbSwpNbNvrOj6ItdFlWdSV5PWYtOeqQplNcHGRqesBznQG1htrPe3MQXSjkBOcgfH6d2PCGjeR7q6jhXZ-gn4riZEX9-WuBCb4rNnxMtfa350-6yre7FZrP8ObIrQhC3yZsuwjErQn8Us/s1600/019.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522902760794259010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdbSwpNbNvrOj6ItdFlWdSV5PWYtOeqQplNcHGRqesBznQG1htrPe3MQXSjkBOcgfH6d2PCGjeR7q6jhXZ-gn4riZEX9-WuBCb4rNnxMtfa350-6yre7FZrP8ObIrQhC3yZsuwjErQn8Us/s400/019.JPG" /></a> </div><div>Easily the most impressive part of the ride so far has been my time in the Colca Canyon, still here in Southern Peru. Aside from its dimensions, colors, and farmed-patterns, it's also home to a famous viewing point of the Andean Condor, indigenous to the area. Every morning, bright and early, tourists from all over line the walls of the canyon in specific viewing points to catch a glimpse of the early morning hunting flights. The condors pass us by pretty close in many cases...the whole while with this beautiful canyon in the backdrop. Definitely worth the drive if you're in the area.<br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXGWoe2O2JqH0aqFjhd-0MBr8txK3zPXv6dsLoWzvdt8owK0APluTx6bZzw6jJsP3718uVDVJTXLWaq3XDuZ9yD5hdRJOoBIUq3ItIE4rj_RKojrxK62_oyIfIO6HeCobE1c7n-dZPik-_/s1600/025.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 304px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522902754157007650" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXGWoe2O2JqH0aqFjhd-0MBr8txK3zPXv6dsLoWzvdt8owK0APluTx6bZzw6jJsP3718uVDVJTXLWaq3XDuZ9yD5hdRJOoBIUq3ItIE4rj_RKojrxK62_oyIfIO6HeCobE1c7n-dZPik-_/s400/025.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhczp-NAAqqOKjYe7XSwHX9XN7gA2ZkW7GC70CwZvlL92DsQpXODnniudY-Efg4oFmgVr1IXT-xtYZLHcSlkmrlUyuDzDQUS63Gc8VU-lxaSUacfe4p_Ga43JdXTKgaBopCdidsWGfQv_DI/s1600/030.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 292px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522902749564866130" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhczp-NAAqqOKjYe7XSwHX9XN7gA2ZkW7GC70CwZvlL92DsQpXODnniudY-Efg4oFmgVr1IXT-xtYZLHcSlkmrlUyuDzDQUS63Gc8VU-lxaSUacfe4p_Ga43JdXTKgaBopCdidsWGfQv_DI/s400/030.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVzagmX2z4lEUYdZR_t2RCpOZzAttvRABu_I3us9lRbsj1QOf6s_tG9lBnFxxACaVvUPz0RaNw4YQDq-9Hz53Dmlb7m8vsX5mkc91zhAULNrCT_7PNPrivQQdj9mfvyVZjY82xMvxioXTD/s1600/040.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 297px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522901185514470898" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVzagmX2z4lEUYdZR_t2RCpOZzAttvRABu_I3us9lRbsj1QOf6s_tG9lBnFxxACaVvUPz0RaNw4YQDq-9Hz53Dmlb7m8vsX5mkc91zhAULNrCT_7PNPrivQQdj9mfvyVZjY82xMvxioXTD/s400/040.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtvN7RybGJ0oySiuB9aYDuUNGhAOKwKV886m6mpHpoMezjqj0XMISZrU866t0CHsRBASib72WeBLkxt4T7kTdHJmZxwxcfAzBYIddVENvATmlQqRSd2qbtoKavhm26AWVOmU0-_SrioQ5x/s1600/050.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 309px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522901178000085042" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtvN7RybGJ0oySiuB9aYDuUNGhAOKwKV886m6mpHpoMezjqj0XMISZrU866t0CHsRBASib72WeBLkxt4T7kTdHJmZxwxcfAzBYIddVENvATmlQqRSd2qbtoKavhm26AWVOmU0-_SrioQ5x/s400/050.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5N6w3ayxWReL2WpMNupMQrB3mezsPyGdsk46ts8l2zTrYsFFkFmYT8QQj69F8XO6uR9i0YPF2d4MEcgOhy4kOghdj2fLcWtNzQ_Rw1EpEs4dGao5D4LfCpKpannOZws1de5v8wSkycVEE/s1600/060.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 301px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522901173821119346" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5N6w3ayxWReL2WpMNupMQrB3mezsPyGdsk46ts8l2zTrYsFFkFmYT8QQj69F8XO6uR9i0YPF2d4MEcgOhy4kOghdj2fLcWtNzQ_Rw1EpEs4dGao5D4LfCpKpannOZws1de5v8wSkycVEE/s400/060.JPG" /></a> <div>While I was in Arequipa, a pass through the Plaza de Armas helped me notice the trend of pigeon-feeding going on there. Of course the locals sell little bags of bird feed, and I watched this little-local go through 3 bags of this. How long would she stay and feed the birds if you let her? <u>All</u> <u>day</u>. </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqAQMAEaiyqzvbSBLBdlj6ocH0xMI5vSJmzQ3oml2BVCTN9UJE4LmpGkp0qrQ-EL2fFbY2KlRPmGsGUdyrRQfB6xzaPjsLRz1JGY8W9tJ1Ljo3qOYE5dqcieuEoYDZzP6NzjmNSIDc1lE9/s1600/070.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 306px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522901166211386850" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqAQMAEaiyqzvbSBLBdlj6ocH0xMI5vSJmzQ3oml2BVCTN9UJE4LmpGkp0qrQ-EL2fFbY2KlRPmGsGUdyrRQfB6xzaPjsLRz1JGY8W9tJ1Ljo3qOYE5dqcieuEoYDZzP6NzjmNSIDc1lE9/s400/070.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9honMHB-NESiLiw3VyW6H7CLvrngLuebOmPILxeyjgCS_PPDx4EvNeypM72ZaXWlN-5r9FzkI4Wdnn-Uu8DAtLHZJCs2BfzqKM1fnbQlCCOBhMLojJ-nSYWm4tBYHKRX9i1ddbjs1rLOI/s1600/080.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 319px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522901157158603922" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9honMHB-NESiLiw3VyW6H7CLvrngLuebOmPILxeyjgCS_PPDx4EvNeypM72ZaXWlN-5r9FzkI4Wdnn-Uu8DAtLHZJCs2BfzqKM1fnbQlCCOBhMLojJ-nSYWm4tBYHKRX9i1ddbjs1rLOI/s400/080.JPG" /></a> I'm admittedly caught up sometimes by the kids around here and the cute things they do.</div><div><br />Very busy as I mentioned, so that's all for now. I've been here in Cusco about a week now waiting for a new tire, and I'll be off to see Machu Picchu and part of the Inca Trail in a couple of days. </div><div></div><div>More news soon!<br /></div><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167788727809920660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208095771200046727.post-48072668121346485532010-09-11T21:59:00.001-04:002010-09-11T22:23:44.404-04:00Adv# 7 Continued: The trip back to the U.S. has begun!I've officially begun the trip back to the U.S.! Almost 2 years after I left.....<br /><br />Having left Santiago behind for now, many great friends and experiences were on my mind as I left this morning in a hurry. Just yesterday I learned that a potential tour operator/partner I´ve wanted to meet will be in Chile in a few days, and with 4 solid days of riding, I could meet up with him in the border town of Arica.<br /><br />The past couple of weeks were quite a blur, trying to finish things here, saying some "temporary goodbye's," and getting ready to finally head home. The final project of finishing the RIDE Adventures logo and business card design was finished last week, so please check it out at <a href="http://www.rideadv.com/">www.rideadv.com</a>. Again, the point of this company is to promote every type of "riding" tourism, be it by motorcycle, snowmobile, jetski, horseback......whatever. So we chose a logo that just identifies "movement" and the bit of "rooster tail" that often kicks up behind anything you ride. I'm <em><strong>really</strong></em> excited about how everything's going so far, and have to tip my hat to my buddies at <a href="http://www.streamcreative.com/">www.streamcreative.com</a>. Great work, as usual.......<br /><br />So my plan is to head up through Peru and Ecuador, eventually arriving in Columbia sometime in November. I'll be hitting all the important "touristy" sites along the way, as well as meeting with various tour operators that could potentially work with RIDE Adventures. All that, combined with launching the full website sometime in the next month, I can't quite predict exactly how long this ride home will take. My hopes are of course to make it back for Christmas with the family (it's been a few years now I've missed that) and with a reasonable motorcycle-shipping option from Columbia to Miami, I don't see why I wouldn't make it.<br /><br />So keep looking for more new pics and stories! I should cross into Peru in about 4 days. In La Serena, Chile right now.Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167788727809920660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208095771200046727.post-34196260195741754972010-08-01T17:23:00.000-04:002010-08-04T22:35:27.542-04:00RIDE Adventures, LLC is alive!<p>It's official!</p><p>This past week, I filed the company name "RIDE Adventures, LLC" with the State of Florida, and all official confirmations make it my first live company as of today. Here we go!</p><p>As mentioned in my last post, some serious thought and research has been put in to starting my own business. This is something that's been on my mind for many years actually, but I was always missing one <em>very</em> important part of the process: I needed a business idea that I believed in.</p><p>Back in August of 2008, I was in the middle of another long, long day of driving in the van with my tourists (the French students) and it really started to hit me: We, as human beings, are generally not meant to be confined. Simple thought, right? But it had me thinking about these adventure tours I was taking people on, and what were the high points and low points of every day we were experiencing together. It might be obvious that the best moments in an adventure tour are when we're actually outside, being physical, and moving around.....but ever since then, this basic thought has kept me thinking about how I could make adventure tours that end up as a non-stop string of those highlights. Without giving all the secrets away, let's just say I still have a plan for how to make such adventures <u>without</u> using motorcycles, and it'll be part of what RIDE Adventures, LLC offers in the near future.</p><p>Most recently though, and with the encouragement of my buddy Alfonso, I've realized that I could combine my relationships and knowledge of South America with my passion for motorcycle adventures <strong>to help more people enjoy the incredible adventures that are possible here in South America</strong>. The scenery, culture, and many other things about these countries together form the perfect place for a service offering that people will truly value. So that's what we're going to do: With the soon-to-be-launched company website <a href="http://www.rideadv.com/">http://www.rideadv.com/</a> and by exhibiting at motorcycle trade shows and rallies in the U.S. and Europe, I'll be marketing and selling motorcycle adventure tours & rentals in cooperation with my friends and contacts here in Chile, Peru, Bolivia and Argentina.</p>I'm already having many "flashes" into the future about how this whole thing could turn out, and that was part of my reasoning for choosing the name "RIDE Adventures." It might be a name that's a little on the "general" side of things, but there's plenty of reason behind that....and all will become evident over time.<br /><br />So for now, I'm here in Santiago waiting for my parents' arrival here for a vacation in October, and then my plan is to start the ride back to the U.S. on my trusty KTM. This little bit of down-time here in Santiago actually is quite needed, as I try to finalize some things with my retirement funds down here, as well as holding a few meetings with my contacts that will be a large part of making my company grow. (And what fun this is to think that as my company grows, I'll be helping my contacts and friends down here grow as well!)<br /><br />If I leave Chile in late October, I"ll ride the 6-8 weeks it'll take to get to Columbia, and then ship my motorcycle to Miami instead of driving back through Central America and Mexico. I'm not completely set on that idea yet, as I'd love to visit some folks again that I met on the way down with Peter 2 years ago. But, I'll proabably be in a bit of a hurry to make it back in time for the motorcycle shows to begin in January.<br /><br />Either way, see you soon U.S.A. !Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167788727809920660noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208095771200046727.post-52332849358731782912010-07-11T12:07:00.000-04:002010-08-01T12:09:21.020-04:00Adv #7 Continued....Snowboarding the Andes, and Moto Rider is closed<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhHjim2Bwp70J_Z8vRZIn5_GNHth6g5M52tFAJrhxfU0peIpfA-2cOdhqCeoGdmow1a-CXp2LzfvJEoT3r4d8tQ8_-QVSNtBy5qpQmBQReNIdrs35Jq6IaUz6PqLV7-Ov5e-6Lx6VGhq2g/s1600/IMG_6415.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 283px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492687540579428722" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhHjim2Bwp70J_Z8vRZIn5_GNHth6g5M52tFAJrhxfU0peIpfA-2cOdhqCeoGdmow1a-CXp2LzfvJEoT3r4d8tQ8_-QVSNtBy5qpQmBQReNIdrs35Jq6IaUz6PqLV7-Ov5e-6Lx6VGhq2g/s400/IMG_6415.JPG" /></a> Forrest says: <em>"And would you believe it? I got to go snowboarding in the Andes Mountains......."</em><br /><br />For the first time since I snowboarded the Alps in 2003, I finally strapped on a board and hit the slopes! That's 7 years without snowboarding, so of course things were a little shaky at first. My buddies Fernando and Alfonso invited me to the La Parva resort just about an hour out of Santiago for a great weekend of skiing/snowboarding, drinks, and laughs. (And the opportunity to learn that, what we call a "snowman" in English is called a "mono de nieve" in Spanish. Translated? "Snow Monkey." That discovery sure was worth a laugh......)<br /><br />(Pics: Above, my new Klim motorcycle riding gear is not only great for waterproof riding, but snowboarding as well! Aside from renting the snowboard and boots, it was neat to see how completely motorcycle gear can be transformed into snowboarding gear. Below: Pisco-sours , a famous local drink, before a crash or two on the slopes (Fernando?)<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_irAZlAVf3udFZ2e9dD5f3aOk9RTFsUMNdGMeJJAB8fV34BAQ4oNVDOblFIz0mYxLBTQ71UXQbSbUwYtBnsbLFaWnKJlPvehnjeKWwCxi82hC5wSi5LWr_BedfQsIIteNpN5f0sA1-8JR/s1600/34070_417589009080_619514080_4458642_4001908_n.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492687532345310146" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_irAZlAVf3udFZ2e9dD5f3aOk9RTFsUMNdGMeJJAB8fV34BAQ4oNVDOblFIz0mYxLBTQ71UXQbSbUwYtBnsbLFaWnKJlPvehnjeKWwCxi82hC5wSi5LWr_BedfQsIIteNpN5f0sA1-8JR/s400/34070_417589009080_619514080_4458642_4001908_n.jpg" /></a> Below, from top, clockwise: Enrico from Italy, who just arrived after studying in England with a mutual friend of ours; Alfonso, my buddy and fellow motorcycle rider you've seen before in this blog; Jorge, who I had just met; Fernando, who I am living with now in Santiago; Vicente, who I had just met for this trip. Out on the deck at the end of the day, sun going down with the slopes just 100 yards from where we sit, and beers in position. Not a bad day.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjScBVZClyzAYKIYMveh0Mah0VVyUZjCph3GDsL22yyj2e4wpnwjqzgaqcFInrBsjUZPUnFpVjRHbJrMs8p8v5OYSkC29W3_RC0o6plwwVRyVPmRJSdp2H3WovBgXsY3VEw6UN7J_rG6h8_/s1600/IMG_6431.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492687528456592306" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjScBVZClyzAYKIYMveh0Mah0VVyUZjCph3GDsL22yyj2e4wpnwjqzgaqcFInrBsjUZPUnFpVjRHbJrMs8p8v5OYSkC29W3_RC0o6plwwVRyVPmRJSdp2H3WovBgXsY3VEw6UN7J_rG6h8_/s400/IMG_6431.JPG" /></a><br /><strong>Status of Moto Rider:</strong></div><div><strong></strong></div><div>If you read that last caption above, you might have noticed I'm back here in Santiago now. It's official: Moto Rider is closed for business.</div><div></div><div>Daniel first told me there were some serious financial issues back in May, and as described in my previous blog post, he was trying to sell Moto Rider and get out of the business. Quite frankly, with its current financial status, it's not a very attractive business to buy, Daniel just wants to close the company instead. I have left Antofagasta with all of my personal belongings, and moved everything for the company back to Santiago. Signed my contract-closure statement this past week (which was an interesting story I'm going to hold back on writing about) and now I'm looking forward to the next big move in life. <span style="color:#ffffff;">xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx</span></div><div><strong>What happened and why did it fail?</strong> </div><div></div><div>Without getting too specific, let's just say that many, many errors in timing, staffing, marketing, purchasing, and strategy all combined to see this company open and close in 1 year. Things were looking good and our sales were growing until the earthquake and the end of the "peak" summer months. Unfortunately, those two major factors when pitted against the many errors I eluded to above put us in a position of having extremely imbalanced costs & revenues. On the plus side: What an <u>absolutely</u> <u>incredible</u> learning lesson it has been for me! <span style="color:#ffffff;">xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx</span></div><div></div><div><strong>What is next for me?</strong></div><div></div><div>I've been talking with competitors here in Chile and out in the world about some possible work. There's plenty of interest in my help, because t's not often they find someone that knows motorcycles, knows the South American tour routes, has sales and professional experience, and speaks Spanish and English. (Well, let's say I speak "enough" Spanish. No voy a ser un escritor de discursos profesional en espanol pronto : )</div><div><span style="color:#ffffff;">xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx</span></div><div>Thinking about what I said above.....that this has been an "absolutely incredible learning lesson for me," has sparked even more thought about starting my own business. I've seen so many mistakes made and lessons learned, it's like I was just given a 1-year lesson on how to start a business. (Or maybe I should say "how NOT to start a business.") <span style="color:#ffffff;">xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx</span></div><div>Alfonso, (mentioned above) and a few friends have been generous enough to put some small business ideas in my head, and those ideas pairing well with the other ideas I've had since about August of 2008. Before explaining the plan in detail though, I still have quite a bit of research I'm doing from the feasibility standpoint, including talking with potential suppliers. (Yes, it has to do with motorcycle adventure tours.) My thanks to you either way to Alfonso, for making the extra suggestion that really has me charged up again to start something.</div><div><span style="color:#ffffff;">xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx</span> <span style="color:#ffffff;">xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx</span></div><div>So I'll write more about that soon when things are more definite. Like I said though, I'm also talking with other companies about working for them, so at this point, there are many possible next steps ahead! Will write more soon.</div><div></div><div><br /><br /></div><div></div></div>Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167788727809920660noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208095771200046727.post-58451891298441915252010-06-13T18:12:00.000-04:002010-06-13T22:19:40.379-04:00Adv #7 Continued....2 years and counting!It was June 13th, 2008 at about this time of day. I had just closed the garage door to my townhome in Atlanta and was about to begin my motorcycle journey to California. My friend and neighbor, Carolyn, caught me in time for a few quick photos marking the start of it all, and after 13 countries and over 80,000 miles by motorcycle, van, and steamship, I haven't been back home since.<br /><br />So this calls for a more traditional blog post, maybe one where I describe a little better what's been going on in my life. A few suggestions have been made friends and readers of this blog that, while all the pictures of travel are great, an explanation of what's going on in my "life" is important to write about, too.<br /><br /><strong>MOTO RIDER RENTAL, LTDA., and my status with work:</strong><br /><br />I've been working since August of 2009 for Moto Rider, trying to make a successful motorcycle renting and touring business here in Chile. Looks like 3 of my last 4 blog posts actually detailed "route planning missions" I was on for work, (Bolivia, Argentina, the Dakar Rally, and through Patagonia to Ushuaia.) In total, I've spent about 3 of the last 10 months out there on our new BMW motorcycles, checking routes, recording GPS coordinates, making notes, and visiting hotels and places that would all be good for making tours. It's been absolutely INCREDIBLE!<br /><br />Despite all my tour-planning efforts during these last 10 months, Moto Rider was never quite committed to making tours. The owner (Daniel) has been in the car rental business before, and really wanted us to focus on renting motorcycles instead of selling tours. His instincts were right, and we were growing strongly just by renting our motorcycles by reservation to people from all over the world. Renting has been our "niche" while the other companies here in Chile are always so focused on just organizing guided tours. (It's actually gotten to the point where the other touring-focused companies are renting motorcycles from us in times where they are short a motorcycle or two.) Right through the summer months here, we were extremely busy, and everything seemed to be going right.<br /><br />As you probably heard, there was a disasterous 8.8 earthquake in Central Chile back on February 27 of this year. Not just one earthquake, but a series of them struck the country causing very significant damages, nationwide panic, the loss of over 200 lives, and of course the ensuing media frenzy over-blowing the chaos to its fullest. (I don't want to get off on a rant here, but once or twice in the history of the "free press," things have been exaggerated a little bit. Hey, whatever it takes to get attention, sell advertising space, and make money, right?)<br /><br />Sadly though, since the news about the earthquake, Moto Rider's reservations for motorcycle rentals have dropped rapidly. Especially with the peak summer months being over, now heading into winter, we have truly suffered in terms of "sales."<br /><br />So why not focus on selling tours like our competition is still successfully doing? Well, their businesses have been hurt by the earthquake news as well, but the thing is..........tour reservations are typically made 6-9 months ahead of time. If we are going to start selling tours.....we actually have quite a time gap to get through before realizing the cash flow, not to mention the significant cash outlays we'd still have to make in before operating a tour. So the long-story-short is: Moto Rider is up for sale.<br /><br />Daniel announced to me about a week ago that he wants to separate himself from this business for now, and focus on his construction businesses. Despite the incredible investment made thus far in website<u>s</u>, motorcycles, all the equipment, tools, route-planning missions, etc., he just feels it's best to separate himself from the whole thing now.<br /><br />So for my task right now is helping him organize the company and make a presentation for sale, along with finding prospective buyers. This puts me in a pretty interesting situation, as Daniel is helping remind me that <strong>"I am"</strong> Moto Rider right now. Sure, Daniel is the owner.....and we've had other employees. But as things have changed in past months, and we've said goodbye to previous employees, it's just a fact that <strong>I am</strong> really the only one that is marketing, operating, and running the business. I'm the one that knows the tour routes, the maintenance schedules of the motorcycles, how our new website works, (in fact, I'm the only person writing on the <a href="http://www.motorider.com/">http://www.motorider.com/</a> blog as well.) I don't want to sound arrogant or like it's anything special that I'm doing, but Daniel himself has reminded me that the company does not exist without me.<br /><br /><strong>What's Next?</strong><br /><br />What will become of it, and will we sell Moto Rider? Too early to say, but I'm sure the next blog post will give the answer. Either way though, with the contacts I've made and continue to make, all the new experiences I've gained since leaving my home 2 years ago, and continued love and passion for working amongst topics like "motorcycles, touring, and adventures," I think I'll be just fine for work no matter what the outcome. In fact, a couple of informal job offers already await me, should it turn out that Moto Rider is simply closed-down instead of sold and still functioning with me involved.<br /><br />So it's "exciting times" still for me! I should explain also that I'm now living in the north of Chile in the city of Antofagasta. It's considered the "mining capitol of the world" with seemingly everyone here being involved in the huge copper mining industry in northern Chile. Antofagasta has about 300,000 people, is right on the Pacific Ocean and on the edge of the Atacama Desert, and has rain about once every 5 years. I like it for the most part as I tend to lean toward smaller cities with fewer traffic issues. The downside to this smaller town would probably be that I don't "blend" as well as I did in big Santiago. Folks here are much more stunned and likely to just flat-out stare at me here in Antofagasta. Something I can understand and shrug-off, but it also gets pretty annoying sometimes.<br /><br />Folks are constantly asking me when I'm going to return to the U.S. Honestly, I just have to see what lies ahead with the job situation over the next few weeks before I can answer that. I sure do miss many things about the U.S. on a daily basis, not to mention the great friends and family I have there. But I'm still reminded by those friends and family that just having a good, well-paying job is something to be pretty thankful for right now. So as Moto Rider goes through this transition, maintaining a forward direction with my career remains of the utmost importance to me.<br /><br />More news soon when I have it. It's neat to think that, whatever the next stage is in all of this.....it'll be fun and interesting for sure!<br /><br />EricErichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167788727809920660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208095771200046727.post-25349830422633990202010-05-19T10:48:00.001-04:002011-07-07T13:53:17.131-04:00Adv #7 Continued: Thru Patagonia to the "End of the World" in Ushuaia...FINALLY!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRQxjjr0CFTFUpzzTqizzuZl7nB9pIXeRwDJxlpFyRvzbYZbJAILZfyR-EKqs_Iws_BzXwFKg1TdIrPe4SMbnnKo_LSiha6H4bVwBQiRa5mww9J7vJYQzSSPIW1NsqwbmwExzrR1fcKOTl/s1600/010.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473001687744683218" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 298px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRQxjjr0CFTFUpzzTqizzuZl7nB9pIXeRwDJxlpFyRvzbYZbJAILZfyR-EKqs_Iws_BzXwFKg1TdIrPe4SMbnnKo_LSiha6H4bVwBQiRa5mww9J7vJYQzSSPIW1NsqwbmwExzrR1fcKOTl/s400/010.JPG" border="0" /></a>(Above: Paso Vergara from Argentina to Chile. Up and over the Andes Mountains for about 320 kilometers, 7 hours of incredible scenery, and about 40 small river crossings the day I did it. What a way it was to finish this trip. A completely remote setting, and I didn´t see a single car or person the whole ride...except for those poor lonely border officials.)<br /><br />Like it was yesterday, I remember writing the note to my family announcing the plans to ride my motorcycle to South America.<br /><br />It was only back in September of 2008, but I remember just beaming with excitement over the fact that I was about to embark on what could truly be considered a "trip of a lifetime." (The moments I spent writing that note will also never be forgotten, as my buddy Dame sat beside me absolutely roaring over this video more than a couple of times with that great laugh of his: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4gK3RRtCHw">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4gK3RRtCHw</a>)<br /><br />At that time, I already had it in my mind that just riding to South America alone wouldn't be enough, since I'd read so many examples of other riders making it to this mysterious city of "Ushuaia, Argentina" at what is commonly referred to as "The End of the World." I know I've mentioned it plenty previously in this blog, and you can Google about it. In terms of latitude, it's basically as close as you can get to Antarctica on land before the Antarctic Ocean. (The southernmost tip of South America.)<br /><br />Since arriving here in Chile though, my plans to "finish the ride" to Ushuaia have been postponed for a handful of reasons. When I first arrived February 1st of 2009, I honestly needed a break from constantly traveling so much, and wanted to spend some time in Valparaiso with Carlos and Michelle. Shortly after that, winter sets in in the deep south, and traveling by motorcycle through all the rain and snow just isn't reasonable. Then as summer of '09 arrived, I of course found myself entrenched in this work with Moto Rider, so breaking away for a 1-month motorcycle trip to Ushuaia just wasn't possible.<br /><br />Or was it?<br /><br />In late December of 2009 (middle of summer here) Daniel, the owner of Moto Rider suggested it would be a good idea for me to know the southern parts of Chile and Argentina, and ride all the way to Ushuaia. The idea being that, if Moto Rider is going to continue offering motorcycle rentals and eventually lead tours to Ushuaia, I should spend some time planning tour routes and getting to know the southern portion of the continent.<br /><br />Naturally, I couldn't have agreed more with this idea (make your jokes, but it does make sense!) and the planning for my trip to Ushuaia began. What did I see along the way? Let's let some pictures explain below. I took about 800 of them on what turned out to be a 6-week, 10,800 kilometer journey through late February and March, riding another one of our BMW R1200GS´s. Chiseling the list of photos down to these few pictures was not easy, as what you see in southern Chile and Patagonia is...<br /><br /><strong>A-B-S-O-L-U-T-E-L-Y</strong><span style="color:#ffffff;">xx</span><strong>S-T-U-N-N-I-N-G !!!</strong><br /><br />Let's start though with some of the people I met and rode with along the way.<br /><br />First: Jan Verzijl from Holland. Funny thing is, Jan and I had met in Santiago traffic about 3 weeks before this picture was below was taken in Argentina, and what a ride he is on. For almost 2 years at this point, he's been riding his 1943 Harley-Davidson (named "Betsy") from Alaska to South America! Betsy is one of the old bikes that the Canadian Army left behind in Holland after World War II, and she´s still running strong just by replacing a few routine parts here and there. With a suicide shifter, left grip-controlled ignition timing, and oil leaks everywhere, it seems Betsy is going to run forever. Jan and I just met by chance again at this gas station in Argentina, both headed toward Bariloche after we'd said goodbye after a coffee a few weeks earlier. This gave us the chance to ride a couple of days together through some of the sites you'll see in the following photos.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOGcLlCw-0X_CCfScdZEzizv4IWxGpYR6MXyq9v60my2FlJWaDpmQyCPw8C5P8EACl794t2KhYjtMhzxTuSNtaTAEs1CM44mvtbgrFzgskNDtaP45esdY2o7GO2IIs0uMwtI9vDmeE12XC/s1600/020.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473001682979524482" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 291px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOGcLlCw-0X_CCfScdZEzizv4IWxGpYR6MXyq9v60my2FlJWaDpmQyCPw8C5P8EACl794t2KhYjtMhzxTuSNtaTAEs1CM44mvtbgrFzgskNDtaP45esdY2o7GO2IIs0uMwtI9vDmeE12XC/s400/020.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473001528914268338" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 306px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyA8mQqn-wysWNVOBmT9bXjyHPQylb__bM-ASmZzpvbj3baxBlsSdcELikRA0cVmYtKmF4ZYi2nN4ENM-MGMWWJMyPMaWmHTkEtF0FjvRam3ctI4qPCYTKvB0PZqarflYg5sjw0KIWhaWq/s400/030.JPG" border="0" /><br />Next up: Sungdo! <span style="color:#ffffff;">xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx</span><br />I met Sungdo Mun as we were about to jump on the ferry from Quellon to Chaiten, Chile. (For this blog post, I should explain that this trip to Ushuaia would involve crossing the border between Argentina and Chile 5 times.) Great timing this day though, as I met Sungdo in his 4th <strong>year</strong> of riding around the world! See Sungdo and his KTM above, and then below a map that he has stuck on the side of his luggage box showing the routes he's ridden since 2007. When he left his home in Korea, his initial plan was just to ride across Asia and Europe. As he describes it though, a much larger "mission" developed in his mind that first year, so Africa and The Americas were added to his schedule for 2008-2010.<br /><br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQLhYqMyt1WTwbbh9lFIATOtteQ1Pp_B4rN0OqajCFKDPbxJFJnSH4VfoMuu0wC_qSVSEiFUq2o-HlJNqsCaeq9ouNllE0-KjGAw1ZRT9zUGkipes8F-BrzPw3WTmwF2nKcVrT8vQ322bH/s1600/040.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473001521051477026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 290px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQLhYqMyt1WTwbbh9lFIATOtteQ1Pp_B4rN0OqajCFKDPbxJFJnSH4VfoMuu0wC_qSVSEiFUq2o-HlJNqsCaeq9ouNllE0-KjGAw1ZRT9zUGkipes8F-BrzPw3WTmwF2nKcVrT8vQ322bH/s400/040.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQzh8IBljXQ76ay3-gISntTf5o938LayA4bHO-HQhlzG6esQmK4M5bFM7hLYC1W-UxqRwbta3HRV1Szzr6Y7mu8Vybogq0gS-rJagBOzRkce8SKLotw_YiZub-GIczlNAC2fvfi5y-xWTZ/s1600/050.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473001513559568082" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQzh8IBljXQ76ay3-gISntTf5o938LayA4bHO-HQhlzG6esQmK4M5bFM7hLYC1W-UxqRwbta3HRV1Szzr6Y7mu8Vybogq0gS-rJagBOzRkce8SKLotw_YiZub-GIczlNAC2fvfi5y-xWTZ/s400/050.JPG" border="0" /></a>Last, but certainly not least, Julio Carrillo (from Chile) joined up with Sungdo and me one morning as we embarked on a fairly famous and grueling stretch of Ruta 40 in Argentina. Excellent at photography, riding, and meeting European women, (had to buddy: ) it was great to ride with Julio. We spent a couple of days together riding down toward Torres del Paine, but then split up, as he was short on time and had to get back to Santiago. Update: As I type this right now, I just received confirmation on email from Julio. He´s officially resigned from his job, moved out of his apartment, and has the first few flights confirmed for his 1-year, around the world tour. Exciting plans coming together, I know he´s been dreaming of such an adventure for a long time. (Start that blog Julio!) <span style="color:#ffffff;">xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx</span></div><div></div><div>Of course I met other riders along the way, but these 3 guys were my main buddies on this journey, and really made it a better experience for me. <span style="color:#ffffff;">xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx</span></div><div></div><div>So what is it like in terretories like Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego, Southern Chile, and Argentina? Neither words, or pictures can describe, but I'm going to give it a shot:</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT2XYJmPkPoumCTwy74bU6dpeUXG1ua51TmHFdjoatz9fzaxgVVRHBZIa6QyDAbop-tSYVXJ_nkZugkAVLDE2Tc_bfdDMgTYfS8yAEELa6tQ95kzR-E8v80XsBphTJJilw9cgjWuzvqDCH/s1600/060.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473001507742148178" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 315px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT2XYJmPkPoumCTwy74bU6dpeUXG1ua51TmHFdjoatz9fzaxgVVRHBZIa6QyDAbop-tSYVXJ_nkZugkAVLDE2Tc_bfdDMgTYfS8yAEELa6tQ95kzR-E8v80XsBphTJJilw9cgjWuzvqDCH/s400/060.JPG" border="0" /></a>(Above, just a typical crisp and clean bit of road-side scenery. -- Below, looking up at Argentina's famous Llao Llao Resort and Hotel near the famous ski-resort town of Bariloche.)<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjouOdaHSVGNry6uuHqK86uYZVEhrkAzk6I1ROnQhktCLgzAoEmcA57m50vpE_XAo3jLQjFEkp3nxHkipetn8i-o9B-NgLnm7h3IHT45sS94K6Z5-yjpMZz2pXF22nAoB9JL-apsGGfq6-9/s1600/070.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473001502368265506" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 294px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjouOdaHSVGNry6uuHqK86uYZVEhrkAzk6I1ROnQhktCLgzAoEmcA57m50vpE_XAo3jLQjFEkp3nxHkipetn8i-o9B-NgLnm7h3IHT45sS94K6Z5-yjpMZz2pXF22nAoB9JL-apsGGfq6-9/s400/070.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVSbm6TvuIH384gzHIABkxW1FlEbkeHwbI_1h2CCsnqP8VDf9v85Kgc3ryzRwxqROgSGqFxTXGvmUmQgITx7c8a5cDSahlVGSuVPlPziHVCQM5LILNAVfibmJA25BsBy7xJyKJIAi-4b4H/s1600/080.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473001166487001442" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 297px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVSbm6TvuIH384gzHIABkxW1FlEbkeHwbI_1h2CCsnqP8VDf9v85Kgc3ryzRwxqROgSGqFxTXGvmUmQgITx7c8a5cDSahlVGSuVPlPziHVCQM5LILNAVfibmJA25BsBy7xJyKJIAi-4b4H/s400/080.JPG" border="0" /></a>(Above, a shot across the Gulf of Corcovado at the tip of the Corcovado Volcano. - Below, trying to capture how thick, beautiful, and <strong>green</strong> the vegetation and plant life is as I was just starting to sink into the forests in Patagonia.)<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuFDKcznEOD7bestdsgcXaEgOiJMBYX41vVbHAyc-NmxqMKIyrW-vg1iwkJcaFii0VK_WxR-z90gVQ5GV9o7GZ3XxsnMzrbYH0e3OtMstNa3dzst3p-i_tDOk1ss-5RRu5ZjqI1HV1hQpU/s1600/090.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473001161031939586" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 299px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuFDKcznEOD7bestdsgcXaEgOiJMBYX41vVbHAyc-NmxqMKIyrW-vg1iwkJcaFii0VK_WxR-z90gVQ5GV9o7GZ3XxsnMzrbYH0e3OtMstNa3dzst3p-i_tDOk1ss-5RRu5ZjqI1HV1hQpU/s400/090.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOAyXrH_bV-xGyRYcu-BmC_A1SrAdUFi_-MZZIEpGmznYD27ou8A_9FrSmJq9xVURmszPTvAks4QrQBMRwaRIale5fMs-bFBhAIenLQ6Cm627c7FVPjKW7RJF1JtPr7KBk4yzZs0oSsBka/s1600/093.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473001152358092370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 295px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOAyXrH_bV-xGyRYcu-BmC_A1SrAdUFi_-MZZIEpGmznYD27ou8A_9FrSmJq9xVURmszPTvAks4QrQBMRwaRIale5fMs-bFBhAIenLQ6Cm627c7FVPjKW7RJF1JtPr7KBk4yzZs0oSsBka/s400/093.JPG" border="0" /></a>Everywhere you look, beautiful rivers, rock formations, mosses, colors....and very, VERY few signs, cars, or anything reminding you of the normal world so many of us live in. The famous Carretera Austral (Highway to the South) is a ride you simply have to make at some point in life! No iPod is needed, the music will automatically play in your heart and mind as you enjoy some of the most precious nature on the planet.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj438hptLxayAk5YhVnGKE20EwUo0T612mFIhUd3LVlVXAWP-nHMEKsDUy19GzpBfwgvlqcNYnelXV-qQr9jogJPV9SFKKSU432urfDorLu7Ng9GHWgX2Nnl0R4JSv8SjJsD8vVGeyhtjB2/s1600/095.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473001143904454194" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 287px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj438hptLxayAk5YhVnGKE20EwUo0T612mFIhUd3LVlVXAWP-nHMEKsDUy19GzpBfwgvlqcNYnelXV-qQr9jogJPV9SFKKSU432urfDorLu7Ng9GHWgX2Nnl0R4JSv8SjJsD8vVGeyhtjB2/s400/095.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDLCEiuQwG5b4WLPLxJskwecLs4TLRtAg8TQc6ZCCFmgQ55kBK2JsvcUrtc5OzKcx0pvzihmw5Qym_SxJb4avklroKXHWhzq8JUZKJqNB2WHc7r70GI3oJjyM-zqlVJ2puW8pecTZoH5zR/s1600/096.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473001135525465874" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 301px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDLCEiuQwG5b4WLPLxJskwecLs4TLRtAg8TQc6ZCCFmgQ55kBK2JsvcUrtc5OzKcx0pvzihmw5Qym_SxJb4avklroKXHWhzq8JUZKJqNB2WHc7r70GI3oJjyM-zqlVJ2puW8pecTZoH5zR/s400/096.JPG" border="0" /></a>(Above: The house of somebody that clearly has their head on straight in life. Wish I could show you better the entire surrounding area and remoteness of it on the way to Futaleufu, Chile. -- Below: Struggling to remember the name, it's some form of Devil's Cane, and this is one of the average-sized leaves I'd come across. In a few spots less reachable, I saw some easily 50% larger, about 7 feet in diameter.)<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCjR3eLPdZsfIROLOt-MlPGDwtqbvmtRO2M0z_1ot8FQvYuFPat4ZdFMGtvjp_airJkVc878o5FktRZ9LOZIbrQs-EOoEx9UoH0bbYWvafn70nEhJOSaOo-oR42hitlyTntnt0UkQYPc0k/s1600/097.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473000628312199442" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 286px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCjR3eLPdZsfIROLOt-MlPGDwtqbvmtRO2M0z_1ot8FQvYuFPat4ZdFMGtvjp_airJkVc878o5FktRZ9LOZIbrQs-EOoEx9UoH0bbYWvafn70nEhJOSaOo-oR42hitlyTntnt0UkQYPc0k/s400/097.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig4DDlvPMuiL8X0DyCrktI3cvBRROOORTFyErVY_EHTeXEInVKhTZdjBMxaXlSxIsd97vlSCSFx2TcbqzPZUEbtLFdI9VHmaWWLBupTYhVPIE4aJ4v09X-aHYNI0p-iO6n670vHOajKow-/s1600/098.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473000623704625730" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 301px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig4DDlvPMuiL8X0DyCrktI3cvBRROOORTFyErVY_EHTeXEInVKhTZdjBMxaXlSxIsd97vlSCSFx2TcbqzPZUEbtLFdI9VHmaWWLBupTYhVPIE4aJ4v09X-aHYNI0p-iO6n670vHOajKow-/s400/098.JPG" border="0" /></a>Important to note is that I truly was searching, planning, and taking notes for what would be the best possible tour route on the way to Ushuaia. For much of the journey, there's really only 1 reasonable option of a route from point A to point B. But what do you find when you go out of the way, and take the not-so-obvious routes? Just write me a note if you're seriously planning to visit Patagonia, and I'll make sure you don't miss what must be the most stunning, heart-breaking, and precious area of the world I have ever been to .... shown in the next pics. (And "thank you again," to my buddy Peter Fischer for pointing this area out to me and making sure I didn´t miss it!)<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFASwCM5cJqhMBWtHA6DQITLC_uE5LAvNqN_MYNe0Y51Y05ljJPINEiZNnc3hcJEib_TscdvfMxRbJXeZi4HkL8a6MnsFPa3fCpAcHRxcxQYT3cgzqr3JbM5z9lCsldPPyjRl53ToM32DR/s1600/100.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473000616771819554" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 295px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFASwCM5cJqhMBWtHA6DQITLC_uE5LAvNqN_MYNe0Y51Y05ljJPINEiZNnc3hcJEib_TscdvfMxRbJXeZi4HkL8a6MnsFPa3fCpAcHRxcxQYT3cgzqr3JbM5z9lCsldPPyjRl53ToM32DR/s400/100.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivOdI0PKD50OX2OdVLbvsYqfg1Fojmau6qk4tyH-as9GYFpayAmURcXJUg87m5JyTexNy19rGjdJ5fOeNS3NO00ll37S8y5JnDmwfRLTI3JzC6Wp6u8AygiiYveS0fWzKALbh07K7vqgFp/s1600/105.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473000607719215410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 298px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivOdI0PKD50OX2OdVLbvsYqfg1Fojmau6qk4tyH-as9GYFpayAmURcXJUg87m5JyTexNy19rGjdJ5fOeNS3NO00ll37S8y5JnDmwfRLTI3JzC6Wp6u8AygiiYveS0fWzKALbh07K7vqgFp/s400/105.JPG" border="0" /></a>(Above, trying to point to where Sundgo and I were headed to, and -- Below, zoomed in a bit more...you still have to look very closely to the winding path on this incredible portion of the ride! The water in the area is so blue because it's all glacier-fed lakes and rivers. The glaciers shave particles of rock off the mountains, and those particles in the water give the blue reflection with sunlight. Breathtaking! There were seriously portions of this ride where I would stop, take a few pictures, and put the camera away. Then drive 30 seconds more, stop, take the camera out again..and take more pictures....and repeat this whole thing 4 or 5 times over the span of 1 kilometer.)<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFe9lKj2cJnGLjeQgm6F9BGEnmtAv9OuLgbQu9oJufIF6beF3wK1SQQ7srmpGSJauYjGEUJEDzGA9hgw1YIULV_l67XGt4JlRR2WwAJWhdXy3olnWBdBNC-F2TfHgyZL88Oa7LH4FoYBqw/s1600/110.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473000602091656370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 286px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFe9lKj2cJnGLjeQgm6F9BGEnmtAv9OuLgbQu9oJufIF6beF3wK1SQQ7srmpGSJauYjGEUJEDzGA9hgw1YIULV_l67XGt4JlRR2WwAJWhdXy3olnWBdBNC-F2TfHgyZL88Oa7LH4FoYBqw/s400/110.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTl21roMgB60Sh6NL17bA4iD2qNv-nvICr-CHsX2Nc_T81iUzb2Bv4AFE9upWf_FS-QeMR04dyihAdzRsM1oygmqBBuGLwa4q3qKdaoPJF9Dp61_y0W2lpL0vAd3YCpRdzIh8HR4HX3rFk/s1600/120.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473000229391226274" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTl21roMgB60Sh6NL17bA4iD2qNv-nvICr-CHsX2Nc_T81iUzb2Bv4AFE9upWf_FS-QeMR04dyihAdzRsM1oygmqBBuGLwa4q3qKdaoPJF9Dp61_y0W2lpL0vAd3YCpRdzIh8HR4HX3rFk/s400/120.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuhOYoA60M8on9cfCt3nu_di7Umd3SudpwaZ2131cJkBW5xen1Z8c70S_n_mL0TLnNG5vhbpY3Hljo8_xTatFne5oOey8tZWWJJ9DozfQD-Q6Jm367E9v4yoCtiZ8MZa_QRUIbUfIrjSDr/s1600/130.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473000223565956274" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 282px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuhOYoA60M8on9cfCt3nu_di7Umd3SudpwaZ2131cJkBW5xen1Z8c70S_n_mL0TLnNG5vhbpY3Hljo8_xTatFne5oOey8tZWWJJ9DozfQD-Q6Jm367E9v4yoCtiZ8MZa_QRUIbUfIrjSDr/s400/130.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCSbzghzvg7TNrePV3d0cppxrGM58-S75QbMwbNYFPNcoqX8JfaTG6GUjqadmqFxjzNsrUhN26pkEC17jB52okIbwbFr66QKeGNd88-Nr9SuNaVMCH_vs9gYTv3w2_Xt4JriG2yy2BbzTV/s1600/135.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473000217859309074" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 310px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCSbzghzvg7TNrePV3d0cppxrGM58-S75QbMwbNYFPNcoqX8JfaTG6GUjqadmqFxjzNsrUhN26pkEC17jB52okIbwbFr66QKeGNd88-Nr9SuNaVMCH_vs9gYTv3w2_Xt4JriG2yy2BbzTV/s400/135.JPG" border="0" /></a>(Above, a wild little chute of rapids along Rio Baker, and Below......just to help us get our bearing straight : )<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEGlAXqBH0TmQKMwBRUDWXdItcsML_uHHUTln6c-qapOZ8coaMhPRjFYX2dpM8kAnz-nxcpuOYQFRQ8zjbsMVJxTSTKaxJZ73pVTNZdX5Prqz1sI3grn_HfEX49RF78hGGtgrElDL-n6ut/s1600/140.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473000208813441954" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 288px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEGlAXqBH0TmQKMwBRUDWXdItcsML_uHHUTln6c-qapOZ8coaMhPRjFYX2dpM8kAnz-nxcpuOYQFRQ8zjbsMVJxTSTKaxJZ73pVTNZdX5Prqz1sI3grn_HfEX49RF78hGGtgrElDL-n6ut/s400/140.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Jp_E_HwjcyMwthPz9N18EDTuafh9riDFjRFfXLbOIxLQRUMZl6pVj04OERhRGbr0oTVHBWY_w4hQD1weJCNJNMFc-NWaYeeGetrDUGURD4RnLgjY6Hdpgofx4xg__dPrisXIGHxV71uF/s1600/150.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473000204198034258" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 297px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Jp_E_HwjcyMwthPz9N18EDTuafh9riDFjRFfXLbOIxLQRUMZl6pVj04OERhRGbr0oTVHBWY_w4hQD1weJCNJNMFc-NWaYeeGetrDUGURD4RnLgjY6Hdpgofx4xg__dPrisXIGHxV71uF/s400/150.JPG" border="0" /></a>Above: Sungdo and I arrived in El Chalten, Argentina fairly late in the day, and didn't get enough hiking time to get better pictures of the famous Mt. Fitz Roy peaks. Still impressive. -- Below: Finally, I got to see the famous Perito Moreno Glacier, just west of El Calafate in Argentina. WOW.....this is a site to see in person! About 1 kilometer wide here at the water, look closely at the tiny people you see on the walkway in front of the 60 meter tall glacier before them. Gazing out over the glacier, about every 30 seconds or so, you'll hear what sounds like a deep thunder. It's actually the ice constantly cracking and shifting, which leads to amazing break-offs of ice splashing down into the water.<br /></div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg47bebCXwOpdR3qct1ZsidXnQxpQLa_gCAdD8Pryipf08xJV0JwvT5B2aJ1aGLjTEv5L6qyCknETLzPh5F8YMkDqB0L-w-eD2qyaXkn_rmooyYcqma1I_5Z1GrbaSnH5Q9UVzmoAT1bXnF/s1600/160.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472999670952359842" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 252px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg47bebCXwOpdR3qct1ZsidXnQxpQLa_gCAdD8Pryipf08xJV0JwvT5B2aJ1aGLjTEv5L6qyCknETLzPh5F8YMkDqB0L-w-eD2qyaXkn_rmooyYcqma1I_5Z1GrbaSnH5Q9UVzmoAT1bXnF/s400/160.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJnMy-xF-68wolQ1LtFCTcPAQzLMLNBesZCK-laBr50I-VHf0lGSY-4Sa4caqMYGq17E9ADJagPZVg8hnJgWMHiq-F8FprPfeCZeDBJnHpz3qS9sDEWw8TCcmnxa5LrFgGY8UBkOyxpEuY/s1600/170.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472999663299746690" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 299px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJnMy-xF-68wolQ1LtFCTcPAQzLMLNBesZCK-laBr50I-VHf0lGSY-4Sa4caqMYGq17E9ADJagPZVg8hnJgWMHiq-F8FprPfeCZeDBJnHpz3qS9sDEWw8TCcmnxa5LrFgGY8UBkOyxpEuY/s400/170.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLQMUScA1sri0sp_T_u5eNrCr2mII3Qi1PGNauudnkDZ_TjV7ofSp_QUAvDZ7hGLCU-B784XgM8vdZo1ZT6JpyvEvTcbIp7RVIo5MkynGtKDxqpCh_j1KJFdWoRRdFudtguZkHkvzCkIL6/s1600/180.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472999654542182338" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 311px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLQMUScA1sri0sp_T_u5eNrCr2mII3Qi1PGNauudnkDZ_TjV7ofSp_QUAvDZ7hGLCU-B784XgM8vdZo1ZT6JpyvEvTcbIp7RVIo5MkynGtKDxqpCh_j1KJFdWoRRdFudtguZkHkvzCkIL6/s400/180.JPG" border="0" /></a>Living in Chile, I can't tell you how many times I've seen pictures of the famous peaks & horns of Torres del Paine. This actually is not the "Torres" (Towers), but instead Los Cuernos (The Horns) found just on the other side. Truly a unique mountain formation, I'd say. I woke up before sunrise to hopefully catch the light just right....turned out pretty good, and what a beautiful National Park.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEFGrr7SvVvB-oMgfD65GVkwLSM_kS96s8NL35WsSqAz2AZtWz9r70JIgDTnXbS15egXEAErGOkERe-HS1mrAKNKtqmSwxPQYxiAdRTUTHftLGjUb3jKUEtWFDQMJlDOZ0xNAjQaKdTh27/s1600/190.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472999651567058306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 304px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEFGrr7SvVvB-oMgfD65GVkwLSM_kS96s8NL35WsSqAz2AZtWz9r70JIgDTnXbS15egXEAErGOkERe-HS1mrAKNKtqmSwxPQYxiAdRTUTHftLGjUb3jKUEtWFDQMJlDOZ0xNAjQaKdTh27/s400/190.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqYXZXoYvpiYXbLimAx3BZQMSWeT8-pzk8r4yqggcYo3wTkf_7AVwF-EBMIsV3fX08chAB5h9G2t_Gii9HjRfkgY-TOzpNFif1753sxDxZmZSa6DAWSJRSpHuEUxawUROfQXkFBfrRcMk6/s1600/200.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472999640853266626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqYXZXoYvpiYXbLimAx3BZQMSWeT8-pzk8r4yqggcYo3wTkf_7AVwF-EBMIsV3fX08chAB5h9G2t_Gii9HjRfkgY-TOzpNFif1753sxDxZmZSa6DAWSJRSpHuEUxawUROfQXkFBfrRcMk6/s400/200.JPG" border="0" /></a>Sungdo and I had split apart in El Calafate, but by coincidence, rejoined in Punta Arenas just before crossing into Tierra del Fuego. And what does it mean when you see the sign above? It means "get ready," cause the sign below is VERY appropriate.</div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM30dn2-WDimbudEMVw8bfhrcDWEBMT_cPE6wiMxsKqzuEV-FoVFtGPymxozNtPobQ_E9rpr8E8tUDztVShlFOx36-_p3YCcMXXjeVLJRKsLmzJ6wyZbrm1ld_z6hpJNJITJ25EG3lPQ5e/s1600/210.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472998860736120706" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM30dn2-WDimbudEMVw8bfhrcDWEBMT_cPE6wiMxsKqzuEV-FoVFtGPymxozNtPobQ_E9rpr8E8tUDztVShlFOx36-_p3YCcMXXjeVLJRKsLmzJ6wyZbrm1ld_z6hpJNJITJ25EG3lPQ5e/s400/210.JPG" border="0" /></a> I've felt some pretty amazing wind gusts in all this travel since 2008, but absolutely NOTHING compares to what I dealt with in Tierra del Fuego. It's just a huge, flat, open landscape where no trees or anything live because the wind is so constantly wild. Barely inhabited by people either, it makes for an amazing final stretch before arriving in Ushuaia. Not in terms of "beauty." It's just amazing in terms of "what it takes" to cross this land by motorcycle.</div><div><br />On the morning we would enter Tierra del Fuego, Sungdo and I got a late start due to some mis-information we were given, and really had to hustle as it became clear we were going to miss the 8:00a.m. ferry to take us across the Strait of Magellan at Punta Delgada. Part of why we were so late were the extremely powerful crosswinds making it tough to ride faster than 45mph even on a straight stretch of road. It's absolutely some of the most grueling riding I've ever done, having that wind pound and press against the side of me and my helmet....and it basically was that way for the entire 400+ miles of the ride that day. <span style="color:#ffffff;">xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx</span></div><div></div><div></div><div>Througout the day, that crosswind did eventually turn out for our benefit when we finally turned east a little bit and rode <strong>down</strong>wind for a change. Trying to catch the ferry, we ignored the ridiculous 50mph speed limit posted, and going about as fast as we could most of the way. It´s an amazing sensation riding a motorcycle so fast speed, and not feel any wind. How is that possible? Think about it for a second: If you're riding at 80 mph and don't feel wind, that's because the wind is coming from your back at 80 mph! <span style="color:#ffffff;">xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx</span></div><div></div><div></div><div>I was able to roll the throttle a bit between 75 and about 80mph quite a few times that day when the road briefly headed the direction of the wind. (The wind was basically blowing the same the <u>entire</u> day.) What an amazing sensation that is, riding so fast, being able to stick your head out from behind the windshield, and still feel nothing. Just hearing the silence.....the sound of that beautiful BMW boxer engine powering away....the tires on the ground.....and nothing else. And what a nice break it is from dealing with the pounding of the crosswinds. I didn't take many pics of this because it's hard to even stop and keep the bike from falling over, but one picture below shows a few remaining flags that happened to be out in the middle of that treacherous wind. If you take your helmet or gloves off, and they get sucked away by the wind? Forget it. You'd never see them again. While fighting the crosswind througout the day, holding my helmet against the wind, my otherwise perfectly-fitting helmet was actually twisting on my head so much that it was pressing my nose up against my cheek on the other side. Seriously.<br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZboQpbaCZ7DwsNNo2qKBoc1aF1Z_Z4vddArAtmMgkDX81Ve4kg4CnwwKhqnfOfF4CN3T3dp2O8VbBpaIU2vBORS339O59Z0w8SFO66LrAYdOlnUJb88PyyhhqTAVrKc_19zYFbyPpfl5H/s1600/215.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472998856183062914" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 225px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZboQpbaCZ7DwsNNo2qKBoc1aF1Z_Z4vddArAtmMgkDX81Ve4kg4CnwwKhqnfOfF4CN3T3dp2O8VbBpaIU2vBORS339O59Z0w8SFO66LrAYdOlnUJb88PyyhhqTAVrKc_19zYFbyPpfl5H/s400/215.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnSe90b_BRWKYeqUfriuf8-cCG35-VvkanJSsaLq2baMQVr-t-Ri8dxTh-gHu-mbHmWdqjx59XMongl2Rl-3D7I2ff4tRu22NIa-4P8G0jxFgxc2KMiL3D5-om6mDA1gsj0Ql99WAE_RSy/s1600/220.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472998852400935074" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnSe90b_BRWKYeqUfriuf8-cCG35-VvkanJSsaLq2baMQVr-t-Ri8dxTh-gHu-mbHmWdqjx59XMongl2Rl-3D7I2ff4tRu22NIa-4P8G0jxFgxc2KMiL3D5-om6mDA1gsj0Ql99WAE_RSy/s400/220.JPG" border="0" /></a>So as I said, Tierra del Fuego really isn't much to look at. The landscape sure does improve quite a bit about the time you reach this sign above, as you've been counting down the kilometers of the ride. For me, that's about 15,000 in the U.S. Another 12,000 or so getting through Mexico and Central America. And then another 40,000 +/- since I've been here in South America. <span style="color:#ffffff;">xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx</span></div><div></div><div></div><div>Until eventually, absolutely exhausted from all the wind and bad weather, you arrive at this sign.......at the <strong>END OF THE WORLD!</strong><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgexCioxyA6Z6rkhkoSu1SGWmujVIMgWmH-FhrFnSGCxVslSmMllQta731qafycIgK6_zJjwPYEo6O-OXWoKq7c8EWQVyOyv4_IweFQVuRmXGrCTcgBDdeM8xCs4__HSoBx37uEdN1IXMSk/s1600/230.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472998841835086738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 284px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgexCioxyA6Z6rkhkoSu1SGWmujVIMgWmH-FhrFnSGCxVslSmMllQta731qafycIgK6_zJjwPYEo6O-OXWoKq7c8EWQVyOyv4_IweFQVuRmXGrCTcgBDdeM8xCs4__HSoBx37uEdN1IXMSk/s400/230.JPG" border="0" /></a>I didn't get a real great picture of it, as was really cold, riding through rain and light snow the last hour before arriving. But there it is, the entrance to the City of Ushuaia.....as the next picture reminds us: "The Southernmost City in the World."<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjhjxvJMaWx6xBPY29Ms55AAppk6yZZe4sSyrFqDyoAwZml8ecmG1GrZiyTulsFJ5OjmMD50yGjliVqoBCeO4xqMPT6yb3yPI1UeYcCoc84GhCj31X59qvBPtST1FK9YbkbeQC7l5l-MOd/s1600/240.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472998841222622962" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 287px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjhjxvJMaWx6xBPY29Ms55AAppk6yZZe4sSyrFqDyoAwZml8ecmG1GrZiyTulsFJ5OjmMD50yGjliVqoBCeO4xqMPT6yb3yPI1UeYcCoc84GhCj31X59qvBPtST1FK9YbkbeQC7l5l-MOd/s400/240.JPG" border="0" /></a>Quite a feeling, I must admit. Looking back for a moment on all the things that have happened to me, and continue to happen since I started on my motorcycle almost 2 years ago, I must admit, life has been pretty amazing to me. <span style="color:#ffffff;">xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx</span></div><div></div><div></div><div>Sungdo and I were actually separated earlier that day trying to get on the ferry (he seriously missed the boat by just a few seconds!) but we met up a couple of days later there in Ushuaia to snap a few photos together. </div><div> </div><div>I guess I should explain: On the last stretch of road before the ferry that morning, I kicked the BMW up a notch, riding around 120mph because I knew I was going to be <em>really</em> close to missing the boat. Sure enough, when I pulled up, they had already closed the rope that stops more cars & trucks from driving onto the boat. I asked the worker "por favor amigo, hay espacio para 2 motos mas?!!?" to see if we could still let 2 more motorcycles on. The guy got permission, opened the rope for me, and I rode my bike 5 meters more to get up the ramp and on the boat. I KID YOU NOT, the second I put the kickstand down, I felt the whole boat shake a bit, and they were already pulling away from the dock. As I turned around.....there was Sungdo....parked there on the pavement behind us, seriously having "missed the boat" by just a few seconds! In more misfortune, they cancelled all other ferry crossings for 10 hours because the wind in the Magellan Straight was too dangerous. So Sungdo sat there waiting all that time, and we had no way of communicating to see how he was going to get across, and I went ahead without my buddy.<span style="color:#ffffff;">xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx</span></div><div></div><div></div><div>So again, we were able to meet up in Ushuaia a couple of days later and snap this shot below with the indicators on the wall in the city reminding us that we're only about 1000 kilometers from Antarctica! And yes, it was cold there in the middle of summer......<br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaZTV7f9hDa5yOkbAo0FqRJRD80KEFOYE9sXtBQrOQK-4LmvwCVLNx5h4LP3fn-yD3GBmxX6_wzcu_97A7MkEGdZQKY5InA6L2YfZpCJTx305QVKBjRrWCE0RFkADxSih697vgMH3hirVV/s1600/250.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472997170367970706" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 306px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaZTV7f9hDa5yOkbAo0FqRJRD80KEFOYE9sXtBQrOQK-4LmvwCVLNx5h4LP3fn-yD3GBmxX6_wzcu_97A7MkEGdZQKY5InA6L2YfZpCJTx305QVKBjRrWCE0RFkADxSih697vgMH3hirVV/s400/250.JPG" border="0" /></a>How's this for a coincidence? Driving around the Port of Ushuaia, checking things out, I had a few flashbacks to another "moment" I've had discovering the names of boats in the past 2 years. (Click back to the final remarks in my February 5th, 2009 blogpost. Still one of the most fun and amazing coincidences I can remember in my life!)<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmBf6U8D-f7z0O9e7x1Oa9bJcLAGQOLSV2i8TpZK6CKJMoOpxniFHAvcgQhfsDf6_UESKIuVbUrU9V9AE_gxQ00m8xESd2JxFcDKXBGKVa5L30KPgoqPeQ7Po38NnZcudPa5YM3BwP2rPn/s1600/260.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472997157974533394" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 291px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmBf6U8D-f7z0O9e7x1Oa9bJcLAGQOLSV2i8TpZK6CKJMoOpxniFHAvcgQhfsDf6_UESKIuVbUrU9V9AE_gxQ00m8xESd2JxFcDKXBGKVa5L30KPgoqPeQ7Po38NnZcudPa5YM3BwP2rPn/s400/260.JPG" border="0" /></a>How about the name of this ship, eh? Is that a sign or something that I was <strong>meant</strong> to ride to Ushuaia? Just sitting there, attached to the dock...........I think if this ship has both first and middle names, they would be "His" and "Royal," right?<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU86hyphenhyphenyMPrV9G5KELjZ1bhljt2ETcoY9lRp2hqwt6sNVxeMYjMw48zpaptsK652rC3kqFaBPl3qVxywmO-763Vtq1NjmeaNj6WQllE3hXVaKrzeAu1J58Zt9m6UD2_5oXCWFHPvcB4erz1/s1600/270.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472997157020365410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 309px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU86hyphenhyphenyMPrV9G5KELjZ1bhljt2ETcoY9lRp2hqwt6sNVxeMYjMw48zpaptsK652rC3kqFaBPl3qVxywmO-763Vtq1NjmeaNj6WQllE3hXVaKrzeAu1J58Zt9m6UD2_5oXCWFHPvcB4erz1/s400/270.JPG" border="0" /></a>I spent 3 nights there in Ushuaia, trying to find new tires for the motorcycle and catching up on some work email and such. But before leaving, I made sure to ride down the road about 20km further to the definite end of Ruta 3, and this sign below. Whether it's the city of Ushuaia, or this actual marker in the National Park that signifies the final point before Antarctica, is not important to me. The fact is, this is a LONG WAY FROM HOME!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbTiaguPu5pg54oroYFrCDVoepceH7lvc-B8Ib5_PMsVlg-zESvjDe-HwJXTN2P6hK6n0tRs9UAUZ6HRnstVkZIZ1owb5WhtPNdM46f8jUSbN9G2pthVbTPS9b5UGDcpl9tHmcGL2VwjDf/s1600/280.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472997144183447122" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 283px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbTiaguPu5pg54oroYFrCDVoepceH7lvc-B8Ib5_PMsVlg-zESvjDe-HwJXTN2P6hK6n0tRs9UAUZ6HRnstVkZIZ1owb5WhtPNdM46f8jUSbN9G2pthVbTPS9b5UGDcpl9tHmcGL2VwjDf/s400/280.JPG" border="0" /></a>And with better weather as I was finally leaving Ushuaia, I did stop to grab a fun moment, celebrating on top of the bike my arrival.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiDDDpe-GkmWH4Bdo87hYyB_dlvkHra3qEIpeRzeRTTYjUf7J7Pd44oGs11fyGaUUKZOEm9TWePT1Sg7qO8ncidbzp9xaUYuYKxtfrZUPQoHI15KZFdGgTo3y6z66Pkst0wa92VW1__8dz/s1600/290.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472997139588537970" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiDDDpe-GkmWH4Bdo87hYyB_dlvkHra3qEIpeRzeRTTYjUf7J7Pd44oGs11fyGaUUKZOEm9TWePT1Sg7qO8ncidbzp9xaUYuYKxtfrZUPQoHI15KZFdGgTo3y6z66Pkst0wa92VW1__8dz/s400/290.JPG" border="0" /></a>Sungdo and I had said goodbye, as he was headed up the east coast to Buenos Aires, and I would hear from him by email about a week later that he had accidentally hit a car on his motorcycle and broke his leg just 3 months before he was set to finish his round-the-world travel. I went north and west, still wanting to back-track and confirm the more westerly routes on my way back to Santiago. (That's right, I had to ride all the way back still!) <span style="color:#ffffff;">xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx</span></div><div></div><div>But you know what Forrest Lange says at moments like this: (Switching to my best Forrest voice:) ".....<em>I rode clear to the ocean. And when I got there, I figured since I'd gone this far, I might as well turn around, and keep on going....."</em><br /><br /></div><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167788727809920660noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208095771200046727.post-14989793706136875672010-03-31T21:48:00.000-04:002010-04-02T09:22:48.310-04:00Adv #7 Continued: The Dakar Rally was here in Chile!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFPhnHAz4RCQXm8g1c7oQllhK6pCssBzopypvDY4TGrqWjw1TJgbqC_6Yj7fGuXQ_yJbdC5G8U2xqrlZa7KiOKyraXyqKTRHCJu7h7L3bqnsjNESUusJQCSbV2-PCJC_OY0AgNzN_5qaD0/s1600/005.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454982462372124674" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFPhnHAz4RCQXm8g1c7oQllhK6pCssBzopypvDY4TGrqWjw1TJgbqC_6Yj7fGuXQ_yJbdC5G8U2xqrlZa7KiOKyraXyqKTRHCJu7h7L3bqnsjNESUusJQCSbV2-PCJC_OY0AgNzN_5qaD0/s400/005.JPG" /></a> (In the picture above, my co-worker Rick and I were invited to do a short day-ride on the private grounds of the "Vina el Principal" vineyard near Santiago. One of Rick's friends is a partner in the wine business, and I thought this was a nice resting spot, overlooking the vineyard on a wooden deck they had built on the grounds.)<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwoRKea2Z1kyI6q7uEdKrP0-qiJNkX23ocwrWfWFaWYoR2TPxu5AW8cow7VKaZwPQ0T7p0yGvb4kQZGKKFsi3owpbMci6lHVaIY4B5az0dTkDHusDxw2eD8CUa8HfhqYHsFxHvQVE5ToYv/s1600/010.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 306px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454981895582202994" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwoRKea2Z1kyI6q7uEdKrP0-qiJNkX23ocwrWfWFaWYoR2TPxu5AW8cow7VKaZwPQ0T7p0yGvb4kQZGKKFsi3owpbMci6lHVaIY4B5az0dTkDHusDxw2eD8CUa8HfhqYHsFxHvQVE5ToYv/s400/010.JPG" /></a> Before I post the pictures from my Patagonia & Ushuaia trip, I have to point out that the Dakar Rally was here in Chile again!<span style="color:#ffffff;">CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC</span></div><div></div><div></div><div>As noted long ago in other blog posts, Peter Fischer and I missed the Dakar's first appearance here in Chile by 2 weeks when we arrived on our motorcycles in February of 2009 from the U.S. Since the Dakar Rally first left Europe and North Africa, its arrival here in Argentina and Chile has really turned up the pride factor with the people of these countries. To have such global attention in the world of motorsports focused here for 17 straight days of racing is quite an event for countries of often tend to think of themselves as being somewhat "forgotten" in the world.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG-z4krzcjlfimxPXtSoix6TpXWpbeWYiK13XJ6A37eYty0OHstCSosC5diXiqCHmRyMv5u0VquuoB4uRqpJYlL9q4cbdFsxDjN7gK45S5thcO37FdFE5c70IIVzVG7kItNEtaAR_xzTMk/s1600/020.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454981883540303122" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG-z4krzcjlfimxPXtSoix6TpXWpbeWYiK13XJ6A37eYty0OHstCSosC5diXiqCHmRyMv5u0VquuoB4uRqpJYlL9q4cbdFsxDjN7gK45S5thcO37FdFE5c70IIVzVG7kItNEtaAR_xzTMk/s400/020.JPG" /></a><br />So Rick and I took a couple of days away from the office to head 3 hours north of Santiago and catch the action as it headed back south into Santiago, before turning east to cross the Andes Mountains on the way back to Buenos Aires. One night of camping, a bunch of beers with other fans, and first thing in the morning, I woke to the thundering sound of race-leader (and eventual winner) Cyril Despres rocketing past our campsite. (Cyril is on quite a streak here in South America! Note he was the winner of the Red Bull Los Andes challenge that I mentioned just a couple of months earlier here in Chile.)<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhbxMBO-YAmJMBWKiHJqg1gszvajCWgGYWpvhvFQXeQ32izjdqx5fQABqQucdcieHlOGSMdpFfe1W18koHN_KIOQHRWte8GQHTyqxqqFwEOxtHk9IdzXimAnUnkRkpasHFYOV1iZ8JcZnP/s1600/030.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 291px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454981869391293570" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhbxMBO-YAmJMBWKiHJqg1gszvajCWgGYWpvhvFQXeQ32izjdqx5fQABqQucdcieHlOGSMdpFfe1W18koHN_KIOQHRWte8GQHTyqxqqFwEOxtHk9IdzXimAnUnkRkpasHFYOV1iZ8JcZnP/s400/030.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx1_jtgVdQIfxke0dt9z__dU8ob-Qj4vtJUydzhPKAni2DZKZpFDiMyngY28o3y9HzzapMk8N8kOQdEXHHVpaWZnhRnKXJaeDjSFba-8oBL2nQ-bbSb-RJB69_dEpxvJSQtwxwAf0NMf-_/s1600/040.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 295px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454981853868789042" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx1_jtgVdQIfxke0dt9z__dU8ob-Qj4vtJUydzhPKAni2DZKZpFDiMyngY28o3y9HzzapMk8N8kOQdEXHHVpaWZnhRnKXJaeDjSFba-8oBL2nQ-bbSb-RJB69_dEpxvJSQtwxwAf0NMf-_/s400/040.JPG" /></a> Another classic example of how pictures can't do it justice, I'm only posting a few pics showing what it's like to stand there as this race goes rushing past. Through mostly sandy terrain, and often over rocks, logs, and any variety of obstacles, one thing's for sure: You don't even attempt to ride in the Dakar Rally unless you are in absolutely TOP physical condition. These riders are covering an average of about 800 kilometers per day, almost completely in the sand, dirt, and nasty terrain. (My fellow riders out there know what a workout that can be, and these Dakar riders do it 17 days in a row!!)<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifeaJ7DWx0aC-5AViw2XsC9drGwHR-JwfjxsxbX4jGaRvmevOhgdhEFEPnb77puYNRkR5g1-zw8uYnF_zpknDczzUREbwF6AqGJZaEClW-h65diB8QCY2ldJWttoBpKvpU50S8OTvFZCcO/s1600/050.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454981849760429346" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifeaJ7DWx0aC-5AViw2XsC9drGwHR-JwfjxsxbX4jGaRvmevOhgdhEFEPnb77puYNRkR5g1-zw8uYnF_zpknDczzUREbwF6AqGJZaEClW-h65diB8QCY2ldJWttoBpKvpU50S8OTvFZCcO/s400/050.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGhrbL0_v-I1Bc3ESkFuxUScbZUeNyR58vuSvlgQstNIQQIJPn1mBEUSWUKAUNGVWfTJqVv1D8f7NwEEtCxxdVALirIb3OQki_av2FuL5reVmqrA8sHW8YVCFg6mZZfGn69x7XfzrIXF4o/s1600/060.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 305px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454981040315057122" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGhrbL0_v-I1Bc3ESkFuxUScbZUeNyR58vuSvlgQstNIQQIJPn1mBEUSWUKAUNGVWfTJqVv1D8f7NwEEtCxxdVALirIb3OQki_av2FuL5reVmqrA8sHW8YVCFg6mZZfGn69x7XfzrIXF4o/s400/060.JPG" /></a> (Above: The fans love to get in and help a rider that has fallen, and needs a little boost to get back up again.)<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCU4idhXR0mOnNzWz_IgtA82ukm6K4bSORYsVuXLCqihKtDW3sokcTWodNPAgte0Vzho6idmcS2_Vy8f-eK03G81O849YAVg8dtmqvRC5n5YIKFnkNSod8BymrRRWKsMr-ZWpiDEB5JxXD/s1600/070.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 272px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454981031921569794" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCU4idhXR0mOnNzWz_IgtA82ukm6K4bSORYsVuXLCqihKtDW3sokcTWodNPAgte0Vzho6idmcS2_Vy8f-eK03G81O849YAVg8dtmqvRC5n5YIKFnkNSod8BymrRRWKsMr-ZWpiDEB5JxXD/s400/070.JPG" /></a> After all the motorcycles came through, the leading cars started zipping by, followed by the enormous trucks that are so famous for rally-type racing. Wish I had gotten better pictures or that my video files were small enough to upload. But WOW is that a site when those trucks go past. THEY ARE HUGE! And it's so funny to see the logs and rocks and stuff that everyone else has to avoid. The trucks just roll right over it all.....<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlRF8Ee1t1fR155AdLPCig4Xf-xz5CKysQJfr_dHN7XF9DekXx230qd4NagzltWE2lNrGLIQui90OMAlpdHOlz8a5jGwJeEOdnEfjHQg6SgziRRKs7FJ8STfYtFHEj6uMhOJsVGjKRO02t/s1600/080.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 295px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454981007912865634" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlRF8Ee1t1fR155AdLPCig4Xf-xz5CKysQJfr_dHN7XF9DekXx230qd4NagzltWE2lNrGLIQui90OMAlpdHOlz8a5jGwJeEOdnEfjHQg6SgziRRKs7FJ8STfYtFHEj6uMhOJsVGjKRO02t/s400/080.JPG" /></a> Another fun part of this event is that we basically get to ride along with the racers as they finish the "Special" (timed racing portion of every stage) and they have to use public roads to get to the camp/biviouac for the next day. As the pictures show, that means I was right there on the Pan-American highway on the way back to Santiago...waiting at the toll booths with one of the race-leading RedBull trucks. SO COOL!<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLOFaS2uGSUBNyGCCzMSlaCff2hGdmKJwwWj5LTc6twXnFp7mBlq3ATtUrS0FbOwQ1W1kpwdrBnI07vei38oy3674C37g7vwOorcsPkKruLFdaV0fiS6IA2eAAGyzf78FgfInArwshDZxh/s1600/090.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 256px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454981005370020642" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLOFaS2uGSUBNyGCCzMSlaCff2hGdmKJwwWj5LTc6twXnFp7mBlq3ATtUrS0FbOwQ1W1kpwdrBnI07vei38oy3674C37g7vwOorcsPkKruLFdaV0fiS6IA2eAAGyzf78FgfInArwshDZxh/s400/090.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9-EGd6-kKHBkHkV8JdV13Xbu2WMlzW2EZiL3NEUSIVtZdkpZZtO2W1q_0yhxnHXmob_BLuBiHp4OJLzLn35rJXkBfxKqWT0v-XtIvi7lPa73rDIVeS1fbSbHvrU_-o_Asgt0D78wAXKE-/s1600/100.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454980995436021090" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9-EGd6-kKHBkHkV8JdV13Xbu2WMlzW2EZiL3NEUSIVtZdkpZZtO2W1q_0yhxnHXmob_BLuBiHp4OJLzLn35rJXkBfxKqWT0v-XtIvi7lPa73rDIVeS1fbSbHvrU_-o_Asgt0D78wAXKE-/s400/100.JPG" /></a> </div><div>Okay, so I gotta get organized, caught up on some work, and then I'll get pics up from my Santiago to Ushuaia trip through Patagonia. Ay, yai, yai..........it was about 6 weeks, 11,000 kilometers, and scenery that YOU HAVE GOT TO SEE!!!</div><div><strong><span style="color:#ffffff;">BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB</span></strong></div><div><strong><span style="color:#ffffff;">BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB</span></strong></div><div><strong><span style="color:#ffffff;">BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB</span></strong></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167788727809920660noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208095771200046727.post-50807101027393170162010-02-08T20:46:00.000-05:002010-04-04T23:03:02.361-04:00Adv #7 Continued: What's my working life like in Chile?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVytuSN2o4hUnHwvBjGZbAH6DS3_8P2JvsHTLMsX7TNtb3nGOfiNQHF95hUw7u5GVWZ7gcZfiv0h2MLBORPj98WePMrvN9eDK6FTeACU7A_rTnFkDGYDtJ2Gmylr5oYEPKRPnwF_SjNcJ7/s1600-h/003.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436070264632173698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVytuSN2o4hUnHwvBjGZbAH6DS3_8P2JvsHTLMsX7TNtb3nGOfiNQHF95hUw7u5GVWZ7gcZfiv0h2MLBORPj98WePMrvN9eDK6FTeACU7A_rTnFkDGYDtJ2Gmylr5oYEPKRPnwF_SjNcJ7/s400/003.JPG" /></a> (Photo above is quite out of order. My buddy Dan (on left) just came down to visit his son for a couple of weeks here in Chile, and fortunately had time to hang out with the baldest guy in Santiago...your's truly!)<br /><br />So I have to explain: I've been slacking on writing this blog for a couple of reasons. Firstmost, is that I am <u>extremely</u> busy in Chile with work, and after a long day....I have to admit.....the blog just hasn't been a priority. Secondly, it's just been kind of weird to write this now, cause it's just about what I'm doing with my working life down here. When I started this thing, I was traveling constantly, from one end of the U.S. and Canada to the other, and eventually through country after country by motorcycle on my way here to South America. And that seemed worth writing about, right? Well now, I'm honestly a bit more "settled" into the working life again (had to after a while) so it just seems a bit strange to still keep the blog going. Well....I guess.....as long as I'm outside the U.S. and having fun (which I am) maybe I can still squeeze out a blog post here and there. Hope you enjoy this one.<br /><br />This posting will just be a summary of the kinds of things I've been doing since I started work with Moto Rider. As you saw in the last post, I was originally hired to be a tour guide by motorcycle, but the owner had recognized that I come from a strong background in marketing & sales, as well as a good sense for what it would take to make a motorcycle-tourism company successful.<br /><br />So after my "scouting mission" through Bolivia, we thought I'd be down here in Santiago for about 3 weeks or so....then returning north with some motorcycles to start our renting business in Antofagasta. Well, 3 weeks here turned into 6, and then 12, and long story short: I'm still here in Santiago after 6 and a half months! (And that makes a total of about 1 year now that I've been in Chile!)<br /><br />Jaime Roessler (the original manager of Moto Rider) ended up having to leave the company after my first month working, and the owner found another American, Rick Stephen to step in and fill Jaime's role as a manager for us. Rick is originally from Cedarburg, Wisconsin (what are the chances......about 30 miles from my hometown!) but he grew up much of his life in California and spent the last 17 years living in Chile with his wife and 4 kids. He has a long history of work in adventure tourism here in Chile, speaks fluent Spanish, and has been a lot of fun for me to work with.<br /><br />ANYWAY, my job has been absolutely packed with a variety of things to accomplish since I started. What have I done? Well, imagine all that goes into starting a motorcycle touring & renting company, and that might help paint the picture. For example, (shown below) one of the first things I did after the Bolivia trip was to go through some training with the guys at BMW-Chile. That's Pedro Navarro along with me in the shop, walking me through some of the basics on the bikes that I might eventually have to fix while we're out on a tour. (Tough thing down here is that we don't have "Dealer Networks" or shipping infrastructures like back home in the U.S. or in Europe. If I'm on tour with customers in the middle-of-nowhere-Bolivia, and one of our motorcycles has a problem, we're pretty much on our own to fix it!)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSRdm8Pasc9LhI67rEqayMcNWbqrkPxJzV2fOhmvMt4JoFkfWyWBm_9dB6Un5OIZSh6GL1E0q4hf57ht9GjCTvasCOBP3JAQdt3lLzyY6TpkpOIkju3aExeDDvz1Ra464lubS__3p76p0N/s1600-h/005.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 294px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436070254316784114" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSRdm8Pasc9LhI67rEqayMcNWbqrkPxJzV2fOhmvMt4JoFkfWyWBm_9dB6Un5OIZSh6GL1E0q4hf57ht9GjCTvasCOBP3JAQdt3lLzyY6TpkpOIkju3aExeDDvz1Ra464lubS__3p76p0N/s400/005.JPG" /></a> Aside from working in the shop and trying to learn about these bikes, we also have lots of motorcycle races to go to in hopes of promoting our business around "the right" crowd. Enduro races here make for a great atmosphere I just love being around. It's like having the chance to tailgate every weekend!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpZyjaymKkW0klxIoJyWNSIz72KC8Ksyk0oOVADueR91zxhYRLEAjamLpsQzchpLcmYJAwhMyoEG-csVbnRDrijZ6kOpAsVDX5wLlnOWK4x2IJk56AcVFJ4l3ftJqaJoh7MOMh7Ueg3051/s1600-h/010.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 286px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436069578271053714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpZyjaymKkW0klxIoJyWNSIz72KC8Ksyk0oOVADueR91zxhYRLEAjamLpsQzchpLcmYJAwhMyoEG-csVbnRDrijZ6kOpAsVDX5wLlnOWK4x2IJk56AcVFJ4l3ftJqaJoh7MOMh7Ueg3051/s400/010.JPG" /></a> And who was one of the racers I ran into? My buddy Roger, who I hadn't seen in about 6 months made a strong showing this day with his race partner, until the blew one of the engines and dropped out of that 2nd place finish they had locked up. Great to see you though Rodgie Boy!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDJICK5jjuBAxuivNqfy8zdHoQnVAwaoilgWRoTHUdYYQ25TC9O1phjEBWCzv1Qlp7i03jdvFqLJyLvLmXtgvjUZI7otDus1iGhHkzETd5qqax6oIeCbyMFsW4j2xLoSV5g_7t0glnckST/s1600-h/012.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 314px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436069569902469266" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDJICK5jjuBAxuivNqfy8zdHoQnVAwaoilgWRoTHUdYYQ25TC9O1phjEBWCzv1Qlp7i03jdvFqLJyLvLmXtgvjUZI7otDus1iGhHkzETd5qqax6oIeCbyMFsW4j2xLoSV5g_7t0glnckST/s400/012.JPG" /></a> Also shown here is a group shot of all my main buddies from BMW. Claudio on the right (congratulations on your engagement, pal!) has been a constant source of laughter since he so generously lets us make jokes about his sister at every occasion.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYMeaiVu2CAIVXrGpZAJucl0DlE-ZA2Qr1aE63jxSzj14LkFaM8q5JZS7oUS8ZX-P-R1DiZo79rSLY4_Ytm56U3e_OWnrsmZztTI3zKYg0E91Yruq012QnGOc-CarpJpCQGTy0tuCkUvzu/s1600-h/015.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 279px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436069561604178114" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYMeaiVu2CAIVXrGpZAJucl0DlE-ZA2Qr1aE63jxSzj14LkFaM8q5JZS7oUS8ZX-P-R1DiZo79rSLY4_Ytm56U3e_OWnrsmZztTI3zKYg0E91Yruq012QnGOc-CarpJpCQGTy0tuCkUvzu/s400/015.JPG" /></a> Remember Jose from other blog posts, too? One weekend we headed down to the SuperBike races in San Antonio, and the next weekend you'll see us below testing out two of Moto Rider's new F800GS's. Yep, that's a fun part of the job, too. Going to BMW to pickup two brand new bikes is a great experience, and I didn't exactly have to "beg" my buddies to help me put the first 1000 break-in kilometers on them!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtCziccbiZRdLdfTystuTi6oNZSgulSlrZnyxWzhKEi6BOkWVmxHFeNKr4y4PFYPX3az3SC7lajWJu0coYv-3dPj6fPkERuB_S9bVpkAkvdjzANX1rokuu1VN8FHdM6jUR6NZdQteofmeH/s1600-h/020.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 303px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436069552820048754" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtCziccbiZRdLdfTystuTi6oNZSgulSlrZnyxWzhKEi6BOkWVmxHFeNKr4y4PFYPX3az3SC7lajWJu0coYv-3dPj6fPkERuB_S9bVpkAkvdjzANX1rokuu1VN8FHdM6jUR6NZdQteofmeH/s400/020.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi07lUF-TRROS6yqnOcr-JJJzcaXJOFPF_haHZyuIW12lEmTqPvKfhPZ5HlNZJ15yPSthN3fLAaHm8U3baoyleg7LcElAqZlPcPo7edP9gh6X2qoGAlIfI8ANKvpMS6Mso-x2wRz107cmRC/s1600-h/025.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436069543043575922" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi07lUF-TRROS6yqnOcr-JJJzcaXJOFPF_haHZyuIW12lEmTqPvKfhPZ5HlNZJ15yPSthN3fLAaHm8U3baoyleg7LcElAqZlPcPo7edP9gh6X2qoGAlIfI8ANKvpMS6Mso-x2wRz107cmRC/s400/025.JPG" /></a> More work is shown here in the pictures below as I went through BMW's "Rider Training Program" at their Enduro Park just outside of Santiago. Mauricio Vergara (on the right, in charge of the motorcycle operation here in Chile) has been through the same rider training that my buddy Peter Fischer does in Germany, and now BMW offers renditions of that training to their customers here in Chile. So a group of us all headed out of the city on Friday in the springtime (November here) and spent a day going through some basic riding training to enhance our skills. Obstacles, strange hill climbs, balance tests, etc......it's an all-around riding challenge that helps any motorcycle be better an safer out there.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsA9-SwBlxGaEK_d0mRG1XmXpdGccqS1hmu_ljtX-xDy_r5Y97Wl9l7v5cSr-e5a_dJy5Au-8gwtep8D144Gi9FrmrDDw2Ooiitjae5Dzr9ESVfodYGjpNbVfYrloxafn2D_zYNZDQSaX4/s1600-h/030.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 227px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436067551776338610" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsA9-SwBlxGaEK_d0mRG1XmXpdGccqS1hmu_ljtX-xDy_r5Y97Wl9l7v5cSr-e5a_dJy5Au-8gwtep8D144Gi9FrmrDDw2Ooiitjae5Dzr9ESVfodYGjpNbVfYrloxafn2D_zYNZDQSaX4/s400/030.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE3C_U1Dfjsyrn-jU_T5abGgp6lTR23tC7GsfcAWd-qiCPxfnmkFhphUjwwdqtPk40EfQ4KZXwWODvHYTCImgdwQ4-3bfVntIzamhqqzjHno-8zIk5DrjbdDdvjp_hCt1hLiTrpZHURZqk/s1600-h/035.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 271px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436067544424478946" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE3C_U1Dfjsyrn-jU_T5abGgp6lTR23tC7GsfcAWd-qiCPxfnmkFhphUjwwdqtPk40EfQ4KZXwWODvHYTCImgdwQ4-3bfVntIzamhqqzjHno-8zIk5DrjbdDdvjp_hCt1hLiTrpZHURZqk/s400/035.JPG" /></a> (Above, Mauricio helps Rick get over some tough rocks. There were alot of crashes that day on mostly brand-new BMW bikes!)</div><div></div><div>And of course, the end of our training is followed by what? In Chile, it's a catered barbeque of course. A long day's workout followed by a first-class barbeque like this one.....stories and laughs about "who fell" and which guys quit early cause of the heat. What a way to spend a Friday (group shot at the bottom of our riding class.)<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQUTf9LowSGtZm7fu0ndx6sdNssosmLkT4kyR1A0ssY5m_IfFNOUVZ0HKN2mU2jo8XuShG8YV8KoYdi0s85bIdHNVXEFcPXzp1htNzk4-CvjXPkz44gZIJ5-9pUwsJ33qPoAfwMjjaSJVv/s1600-h/040.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 223px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436067536363971362" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQUTf9LowSGtZm7fu0ndx6sdNssosmLkT4kyR1A0ssY5m_IfFNOUVZ0HKN2mU2jo8XuShG8YV8KoYdi0s85bIdHNVXEFcPXzp1htNzk4-CvjXPkz44gZIJ5-9pUwsJ33qPoAfwMjjaSJVv/s400/040.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9QxUKQOZrr5wPCMhYy8ZDCo28NKbk36eQip7maIQiCTGZXJvl3Rhh_w-3tpAwzkCpcjQZy0zBsLzyNqvV-RRh7EvEebxyX4LAVVGtphZmbsAiEYOf8-0pbWmzcn_bhjQFarfdC_M7VJAB/s1600-h/045.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 224px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436067527267352466" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9QxUKQOZrr5wPCMhYy8ZDCo28NKbk36eQip7maIQiCTGZXJvl3Rhh_w-3tpAwzkCpcjQZy0zBsLzyNqvV-RRh7EvEebxyX4LAVVGtphZmbsAiEYOf8-0pbWmzcn_bhjQFarfdC_M7VJAB/s400/045.JPG" /></a> SPEAKING of Peter Fischer.....he finally showed up again in Chile, about 9 months after we said goodbye at the end of our journey through Latin America together! It was absolutely great to see my buddy again as he was traveling through Peru and Chile with another group of tourists en route to Ushuaia. A couple of nights full of laughs and pulling out great memories from out trip was great to enjoy. (Sorry for the dark cell phone picture.)<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnDoxHnIkVG_DNgmtlmTbcdvAFaOoSn2U5NduUXMxBD2XDmguSAUB6KKUElLhN9zOfAuTPH9u512kLNJhr2rBR81PgytIdR-JGuRJ3yXB8DgPmAVEaLKj9M_Oc1yTj7F4n04-mijJ-FVSZ/s1600-h/050.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436067522898190338" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnDoxHnIkVG_DNgmtlmTbcdvAFaOoSn2U5NduUXMxBD2XDmguSAUB6KKUElLhN9zOfAuTPH9u512kLNJhr2rBR81PgytIdR-JGuRJ3yXB8DgPmAVEaLKj9M_Oc1yTj7F4n04-mijJ-FVSZ/s400/050.jpg" /></a> More pictures below show life around the many weekend races we went to, again thinking of exposure for our company. Instead of showing all the motorcycles in action, here's just a few pictures of the characters I get to hang out with. Like Rick's 3 boys and Pedro and Claudio from BMW......(that's Rick's son Augustin jumping over the ditch, and Claudio doing an impression of himself passed out after too much to drink.)<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjheEr2doC9aIXFWRoJ54UPSJwSzirAFdIK6J0EMcSF0ZDK8hOiFnWzDeJlXXI0SPPcD8lHZq_oTV9Muz9Ue2OmKoYgZvzvSsokoh6HC2tsCfwjS6cgtTlisjPi-ZzeNDDJJC1zNQR53cqu/s1600-h/055.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436066264920169698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjheEr2doC9aIXFWRoJ54UPSJwSzirAFdIK6J0EMcSF0ZDK8hOiFnWzDeJlXXI0SPPcD8lHZq_oTV9Muz9Ue2OmKoYgZvzvSsokoh6HC2tsCfwjS6cgtTlisjPi-ZzeNDDJJC1zNQR53cqu/s400/055.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxAYKPMsAgMAxg6WumWyPDEEfZfRU_APHG851puijiScffk54Vr2f-xQHy4xl0_lI10Np2QqtUlpvcpakRxy8C-XDWy8PbxgFhM82vsTu_U6UDEY015Wa1V63wXPLmTKoMNjCAsZPKDn4p/s1600-h/060.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 307px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436066257697356578" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxAYKPMsAgMAxg6WumWyPDEEfZfRU_APHG851puijiScffk54Vr2f-xQHy4xl0_lI10Np2QqtUlpvcpakRxy8C-XDWy8PbxgFhM82vsTu_U6UDEY015Wa1V63wXPLmTKoMNjCAsZPKDn4p/s400/060.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLVSveUaI2j-DlEkWw_ojONjv6OGNV3XuqYBGaoLEWSaqd6O6H0NfyCcP-GxUVUGbE6rZWAglWgqCV1PQQtdqGwutEZAli1R27PZlqiyY3A2axGJkZC7ud8aRKEJFY6oV3yEZM8EeAdX6K/s1600-h/065.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 312px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436066245126321010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLVSveUaI2j-DlEkWw_ojONjv6OGNV3XuqYBGaoLEWSaqd6O6H0NfyCcP-GxUVUGbE6rZWAglWgqCV1PQQtdqGwutEZAli1R27PZlqiyY3A2axGJkZC7ud8aRKEJFY6oV3yEZM8EeAdX6K/s400/065.JPG" /></a>Sometimes we have to move a few bikes around on our trailer, giving Augustin and his brother Mateus the chance to feel what it's like riding the R1200GS BMW (need a couple more years, guys : ) And the other picture below shows us at Oktoberfest at Club Manquehue later that night when Mateus is feeling confident enough to hustle down some beer while Mom isn't paying attention.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF7EsWTl8LlODnwxyPZBjsxXFrac9L-0OYzJRkfhDfAebQJEIjkwRDgbn-Hgg1mj3fW_dnaudY574kwSpwVb3vzovvzL1CvyqEeSK4eLLz91Wu0O4-Hw3NZ355X0bcDDm2-KJrcUgGg8kv/s1600-h/067.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 232px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436066232003627362" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF7EsWTl8LlODnwxyPZBjsxXFrac9L-0OYzJRkfhDfAebQJEIjkwRDgbn-Hgg1mj3fW_dnaudY574kwSpwVb3vzovvzL1CvyqEeSK4eLLz91Wu0O4-Hw3NZ355X0bcDDm2-KJrcUgGg8kv/s400/067.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwVezxlZW3XcIGfPbIzHq7sKG02x-W2M50c5rnvYtyeCfJlawnBP7hHJf1pC0Wck9HbnmNsf6aPr9clUGwt48YO2OEKd-y1HJQraaz0U4-Ljar0Z8RXxr_uYaWfAaOZrm4UsQKD2FALW4H/s1600-h/070.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 238px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436066222253099426" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwVezxlZW3XcIGfPbIzHq7sKG02x-W2M50c5rnvYtyeCfJlawnBP7hHJf1pC0Wck9HbnmNsf6aPr9clUGwt48YO2OEKd-y1HJQraaz0U4-Ljar0Z8RXxr_uYaWfAaOZrm4UsQKD2FALW4H/s400/070.JPG" /></a>Picture of Rick and I below on the company truck.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCTWs8VC7SqmhaKZmJAHxxgdlPRFs8SFp4n5Z94phyphenhyphenppsfdFkbGpcttXgfBlBy5MpkZlYEe8e1nNG3eeafgPkrSsSQXiPfFOWxLJ4XN6LWS7LKthLx0hNI6Mhfc-nelGY66vRy3DrWkbuT/s1600-h/075.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 273px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436063155297663714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCTWs8VC7SqmhaKZmJAHxxgdlPRFs8SFp4n5Z94phyphenhyphenppsfdFkbGpcttXgfBlBy5MpkZlYEe8e1nNG3eeafgPkrSsSQXiPfFOWxLJ4XN6LWS7LKthLx0hNI6Mhfc-nelGY66vRy3DrWkbuT/s400/075.JPG" /></a> What a great event those Red Bull Challenges are! Alfonso Araya (a buddy that works in our office building) and Cristian and I rode up into the Andes Mountains for this much anticipated Red Bull sponsored motorcycle race back in December. The "Red Bull Los Andes" was set at high altitudes in the mountains, drawing a world-wide pool of riders together, and ended up being a blast to watch. The very nature of the Red Bull racing series is that many portions of the 20 or so mile loop might be considered "impassable" by most racing standards. Not even 10 seconds into the race, we saw guys rolling head-over-tire down a hill, crashing and getting stuck and causing a bottleneck of bikes trying to get through.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip_0i_j62A4HHT_5KU_xCFmWNidW6_86ihxw0ag1l4H8Yq0H2GGv5B-AQ_lgtjQrx_90Puax45zflHRvnUiC2P5Rc6UnE5Q18HboWvB8JxQiZ1poTb3uN9BDw-MyZdF35RLTckl_5QAlfK/s1600-h/078.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 314px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436063148909920466" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip_0i_j62A4HHT_5KU_xCFmWNidW6_86ihxw0ag1l4H8Yq0H2GGv5B-AQ_lgtjQrx_90Puax45zflHRvnUiC2P5Rc6UnE5Q18HboWvB8JxQiZ1poTb3uN9BDw-MyZdF35RLTckl_5QAlfK/s400/078.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8lPnbKv06OxvYXMn-leKCmrGqL9Ze77p4MOvbeN_y6osQ1OeQhVLdz3v0c4durJUc56MOlT89vTu1M1CAhBufwbYkAiV99nNstBslLqSbZqeJ-mAuSu1s0lCqw28JwMXmTwoBggZ3-fjL/s1600-h/080.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 302px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436063136577102130" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8lPnbKv06OxvYXMn-leKCmrGqL9Ze77p4MOvbeN_y6osQ1OeQhVLdz3v0c4durJUc56MOlT89vTu1M1CAhBufwbYkAiV99nNstBslLqSbZqeJ-mAuSu1s0lCqw28JwMXmTwoBggZ3-fjL/s400/080.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnPWwfp1rxa14g69Q5CaP-fmLHEBDDyxiDbTM6MCVS9pifaCQzFx385i95s0SNNFx6rsS_edzKq33EkKLnuTAdXjkxl0x_xWI0zZAgMK852JL2TM36bnl7gsCG42X2mRM3mS12mNBpz7Rj/s1600-h/090.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 290px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436063130967452962" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnPWwfp1rxa14g69Q5CaP-fmLHEBDDyxiDbTM6MCVS9pifaCQzFx385i95s0SNNFx6rsS_edzKq33EkKLnuTAdXjkxl0x_xWI0zZAgMK852JL2TM36bnl7gsCG42X2mRM3mS12mNBpz7Rj/s400/090.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCLsKmE9Ur-QjfCI_NwYl9QNhQf2FUQJ1GmAlUn6mQyVDzglZ8sYliyooy3qXB_NkWSycGUgvsVz5EKe8AEtkYOSwU5ep2j-tRm85cNe1wtAghIgPWG-Fc8m3iAt28SLK9RWhdGorWy5e7/s1600-h/100.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 284px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436063122192006114" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCLsKmE9Ur-QjfCI_NwYl9QNhQf2FUQJ1GmAlUn6mQyVDzglZ8sYliyooy3qXB_NkWSycGUgvsVz5EKe8AEtkYOSwU5ep2j-tRm85cNe1wtAghIgPWG-Fc8m3iAt28SLK9RWhdGorWy5e7/s400/100.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg29kNg_TqZeYaROvurxIXlSVmpBMGc_uJ96awZeVkjUQZAcqpcm4dmy8MjmU2J0WCFDXSu9yA9cRRJCQ31-PcvbqsyzevBbqfRTk1FHuTKxnLGZeSmJI7rYkLihQ6rM0OKnFd_03rMiClv/s1600-h/110.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436061875498054962" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg29kNg_TqZeYaROvurxIXlSVmpBMGc_uJ96awZeVkjUQZAcqpcm4dmy8MjmU2J0WCFDXSu9yA9cRRJCQ31-PcvbqsyzevBbqfRTk1FHuTKxnLGZeSmJI7rYkLihQ6rM0OKnFd_03rMiClv/s400/110.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-BQqRhoso8v5R8Ei4-sAN1svJBx9dswqmMlqDPczdpcbjaXf1QE0RUKaOs32C0x2f5JUaAx9Bp0AJqzhZg-RoSD4zRRV5I9BlsEhhUqSaDEu39KCHNbSOzkyvlowIQtKjLMKJGySL8yip/s1600-h/120.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436061868134819858" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-BQqRhoso8v5R8Ei4-sAN1svJBx9dswqmMlqDPczdpcbjaXf1QE0RUKaOs32C0x2f5JUaAx9Bp0AJqzhZg-RoSD4zRRV5I9BlsEhhUqSaDEu39KCHNbSOzkyvlowIQtKjLMKJGySL8yip/s400/120.JPG" /></a> The race was actually re-routed at one point because of a portion of hill that no rider could make it up. So the officials had them cut across this mud field, and look at how deep the mess was that every rider got stuck in! (Buried wheels completely.) We saw guys digging their bikes out for over 10 minutes in this extremely physically demanding race. The eventual winner, Cyril Despres from France has won the Dakar Rally in the past (and went on to do so as you'll see in coming blog posts this year.)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpL-VwYELX1KBHXZiVl57HVsp79W7LoIxNaObedHUzRbtb4I1qWKrGY7giiN7GNxVVuy_kmWQHFd4uOHfkFle7K3XOoXKYqGt8xaWO9_LqaNRGGqXlgGTvCtXYC_X25eNgGz4ErhS5vjnl/s1600-h/130.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 286px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436061860539730434" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpL-VwYELX1KBHXZiVl57HVsp79W7LoIxNaObedHUzRbtb4I1qWKrGY7giiN7GNxVVuy_kmWQHFd4uOHfkFle7K3XOoXKYqGt8xaWO9_LqaNRGGqXlgGTvCtXYC_X25eNgGz4ErhS5vjnl/s400/130.JPG" /></a>The photo below is just a quick shot of one of those days in the office when Daniel, Rick, and I were grinding out everything we could think of to make Moto Rider a succcess. All the duties and work-related fun stuff I wrote about above is only one portion of why I like my work here so much. It's an absolutely great experience I'm getting also, learning the business side of not only a start-up company, but one that deals with motorcycles and toursim (thought for the future?)<br /><br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4uriJQCl7YrA_exSY43FC69dP_owu-ioqlzT-EzYsAuv7h5Cv-D_P9w9fI78ckyyzPNPmUebLXtrcTgAvDcIr1mjg_gBITydtt6rsQagiNzgLpPAVM03EFsLiTu3VYgdw15YwTH4h1H6v/s1600-h/140.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 278px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436061845508430242" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4uriJQCl7YrA_exSY43FC69dP_owu-ioqlzT-EzYsAuv7h5Cv-D_P9w9fI78ckyyzPNPmUebLXtrcTgAvDcIr1mjg_gBITydtt6rsQagiNzgLpPAVM03EFsLiTu3VYgdw15YwTH4h1H6v/s400/140.JPG" /></a>And of course, after about 4 month separated, I finally got back up to Antofagasta to bring home my old pal Julius! That's right.....4 months just sitting there, and all I did was touch his start button quickly, and he jumped to life like it was any other day. Sure, these BMW's I'm working with are great bikes. But there's certainly something to be said about the machines KTM is making too.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8UIPQQWJpSo4K3LVTD3qSDuOiuvKxp1TgfNnDf7a09qWnwe9hbJZYYBLxIXeQ9heOhxyyZ3vL4vdYjuiPWOP2qud2hhb5kIPimS0Qjna7rSNWDw6XlI4Q9aLIQ9azCjt7xDgzZB1J7O6f/s1600-h/150.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 294px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436061836797367586" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8UIPQQWJpSo4K3LVTD3qSDuOiuvKxp1TgfNnDf7a09qWnwe9hbJZYYBLxIXeQ9heOhxyyZ3vL4vdYjuiPWOP2qud2hhb5kIPimS0Qjna7rSNWDw6XlI4Q9aLIQ9azCjt7xDgzZB1J7O6f/s400/150.JPG" /></a> The big news of the moment is that I leave for Ushuaia in 2 days. Yep, Daniel and I thought it would be a goode thing for me to get to know the south of Chile, Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego, and eventually Ushuaia. The routes, the scenery, and everything about it is a major portion of my adventure that is still missing. Shortly after I arrived in Chile last year (at this time) the weather turns so bad in the south that I missed my chance to see it.</div><div></div><div></div><div>So the idea is that I'm leaving this Thursday to plan a tour route that we'll be selling for the 2010/2011 summertime here. I'm taking one of the company BMW's down instead of Julius, which actually leaves me with some mixed feelings about how to finish my ride to "The End of the World." Part of me says for sure, I should finish it on the bike I started with. But another part of me can't pass up the opportunity to take a company bike and avoid the cost of using my own. Either way, I'll end up in Ushuaia in a few weeks, and will post pics of this journey soon! (It's about a 5-week trip, so hang tight.)<br /><br /></div><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167788727809920660noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208095771200046727.post-50661161980184775132009-11-04T20:45:00.000-05:002009-11-20T20:57:15.229-05:00Adv #7 Continued: Work, work, work ..... scouting routes and riding "The Road of Death."<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3MGbIxroA7h5CvjlV6mzOUfmHqYUdz9b9FR7WTOHaqOGxMYTNAIHK4b1atflFattHsz0CDstC2jI2KgM_t7PGfiI1OxOwjQLdUDgMPDTmfZ4Ns6HiKGvLUjUUWJWuzY2VSKtDknQ9d1MX/s1600-h/010.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 296px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403389240914425314" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3MGbIxroA7h5CvjlV6mzOUfmHqYUdz9b9FR7WTOHaqOGxMYTNAIHK4b1atflFattHsz0CDstC2jI2KgM_t7PGfiI1OxOwjQLdUDgMPDTmfZ4Ns6HiKGvLUjUUWJWuzY2VSKtDknQ9d1MX/s400/010.JPG" /></a><br />Forrest Lange says: "<em>Now, because I'd been a salesman, an adventure tour guide, a world traveler by motorcycle, and an overall pretty decent guy, the folks at Moto Rider Ltd. got together and offered me a ..... <strong>fine</strong> job."</em> (Cut to Eric riding around in circles on a motorcycle.)<br /><br />So that's where we left off last time, right? After touring Bolivia with Daniel, we agreed on a plan to have me work for his new company: Moto Rider Ltda. Briefly explained, we're a tourism company buying new BMW motorcycles, and making them available for tourists to rent or use on guided tours we'll be organizing throughout Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru. (I've got a job working with motorcycles now?)<br /><br />Aside from these countries having incredibly under-developed tourism potential, the world all over has seen a huge increase of motorycle tourism and travel in recent years. (I guarantee Peter and I are not the only guys that have ridden from the U.S. to South America this year.) Add to this trend the fact that the famous Dakar Rally is now held annually here in Chile and Argentina, and I think Moto Rider has an incredible future as a business making the BMW motorcycles available for people to witness these beautiful countries. Be sure to check out our (unfinished) website at <a href="http://www.motorider.cl/">http://www.motorider.cl/</a> and you'll see more about the company, including a chance to read the "who we are" part about your favorite bald motorcycle rider!<br /><br />Having driven the company truck down to Santiago in late July, the plan was that I'd be there for at least the first couple of months helping to get the company started......and especially from the sales standpoint, that seemed like a good idea for all of us. (At this point, only Daniel and Jaime Roessler were working on starting this. Both Chileans that speak English quite well, but if we're marketing ourselves mainly to English-speaking countries, a native-speaker might be important?)<br /><br />Those plans for me to start in Santiago changed rapidly though when we had a sudden need to give a bike to a customer up in Antofagasta, and after just two days in Santiago, I hopped an early flight back north to coordinate a motorcycle rental. Daniel, Jaime, and I had talked about things, and it was decided that we'd best plan a specific tour route, step-by-step before we go marketing it. So that was my first major assignment on the job: Starting in Antofagasta, I left my KTM parked at the hotel and set out with one of Moto Rider's new 1200 GS's on what was supposed to be about a 3 week journey searching routes and hotels in Northern Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru.<br /><br />(Below is a photo of "my office" for the first month on the job with Moto Rider. Not bad, eh? Getting paid to ride a new BMW through South America and plan tour routes?)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcru0pjrbKlP50pPmoCmXu26fngNeCSyz_72cllJ6ByKIDKf_VR7RaInjKxKR1q6jhZeuKh3ipojA3jvIX8jIZNFqKbOoYC5H-uh1hhzTMjkbFc9IJ3VygsORj4vTJHh3rMzkw02sRaidG/s1600-h/020.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403389230452370914" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcru0pjrbKlP50pPmoCmXu26fngNeCSyz_72cllJ6ByKIDKf_VR7RaInjKxKR1q6jhZeuKh3ipojA3jvIX8jIZNFqKbOoYC5H-uh1hhzTMjkbFc9IJ3VygsORj4vTJHh3rMzkw02sRaidG/s400/020.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZymQsZ3E7Y7vnIp8SYLU9FcBC2RMGE0rrOIaVbTeruEhFYScNVuSxwsKfuPLycmy7AumO5mQD8fu4egMjIwyd4Pk9UG-gDy80LyxwmH3X55MasJxJAWUtqC_WyscsiWA6CU8ssMi84L2v/s1600-h/030.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403388775003388482" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZymQsZ3E7Y7vnIp8SYLU9FcBC2RMGE0rrOIaVbTeruEhFYScNVuSxwsKfuPLycmy7AumO5mQD8fu4egMjIwyd4Pk9UG-gDy80LyxwmH3X55MasJxJAWUtqC_WyscsiWA6CU8ssMi84L2v/s400/030.JPG" /></a><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 308px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403388766441208786" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgraRB-z25LAGgxT8wUolAh7eR4YhAXXAzCZAfMKNWLZtWseQtvWEWAMxfU_7xSM7MUt-7HZgINBmgBY4VYxbhML5DFw9jHZKOoGDeZog8ATVJebfCZWUelxMG06mMc6dRikhzalf9DqnK/s400/040.JPG" /> From Antofagasta, climbing up the western side of the Andes, I spent one night in San Pedro de Atacama and started all my research on which hotel options best fit the types of tours we wanted sell. (That was kind of a nice change, too. I've been camping and living in some pretty down-trodden places for 14 months at this point, and now I'm being paid to seek out and stay in the 4 and 5-star hotels?) I spent one night at the Alto Atacama resort there in San Pedro, having been greeted by my fellow KTM rider and friend Alvaro who is the manager of this absolutely beautiful hotel. Would have gladly stayed there longer, but I had to keep moving onward with my mission by crossing the border at Paso Jama on the way to the stunning Purmamarca, Argentina. See below one small portion of the incredible twists and turns at the finish of that ride over the border!<br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLAL6Gzoj5aCginUpS0qItxWAyMKZen6qtkws_XaR8yb2TTjcJ1yFe7u-IO3Bp2AV0GSoFm7djbQDjFNU49iCVgDtOjs1WlRXxAa5jHBao6yPKf7imJyPFA0Oh6TZquZ4GxUKYFAV9uml8/s1600-h/050.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 293px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403388759381881090" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLAL6Gzoj5aCginUpS0qItxWAyMKZen6qtkws_XaR8yb2TTjcJ1yFe7u-IO3Bp2AV0GSoFm7djbQDjFNU49iCVgDtOjs1WlRXxAa5jHBao6yPKf7imJyPFA0Oh6TZquZ4GxUKYFAV9uml8/s400/050.JPG" /></a> (Below, scenery of the "Mountain of 7 Colors" that surrounds the small town of Purmamarca.)<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ4Sg4S8QzOWvSCF-0VX9Nz_SLBzlo88drhELjIz9Bj2FUGEYGzFq9MLA8xmwEKJBJTZRACJInvaqhx3OTA123sVJ1BjpaA2dWF8IKwdg5gECa2_CefQcLAU5BXiJLRfGKCF9Vp_UbWaMO/s1600-h/060.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 297px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403388756116427778" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ4Sg4S8QzOWvSCF-0VX9Nz_SLBzlo88drhELjIz9Bj2FUGEYGzFq9MLA8xmwEKJBJTZRACJInvaqhx3OTA123sVJ1BjpaA2dWF8IKwdg5gECa2_CefQcLAU5BXiJLRfGKCF9Vp_UbWaMO/s400/060.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwCp-MHLLWOLxUmxUvTVpNZNyF49ePhEr5zcvht1XevFhCI3F61S_wSjHUFYGsnCRvXTcgfGiS-zYH1ykE4uBKSFvSgj-q8IJ__QonLy6GAXYRzPp6AhFCinpFGP46PIVQ_TFKQbid9zx1/s1600-h/070.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403388744164925362" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwCp-MHLLWOLxUmxUvTVpNZNyF49ePhEr5zcvht1XevFhCI3F61S_wSjHUFYGsnCRvXTcgfGiS-zYH1ykE4uBKSFvSgj-q8IJ__QonLy6GAXYRzPp6AhFCinpFGP46PIVQ_TFKQbid9zx1/s400/070.JPG" /></a> The turn north from Purmamarca took me to the border with Bolivia at La Quiaca where another on one of those typical border crossing stories took about half of my day. Keeping in mind that this was still the middle of winter in August and extremely cold at 12,000 feet all the time, I hustled all the way to Tupiza, Bolivia on awful dirt roads and found this neat little town. Pictures show how the city stays alive with people playing tennis and using pool tables outside near the center of town. There's definitely a neat vibe about Tupiza.<br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTTmKKca0bBVu2hur5ED65dGY5xdhLhg6I4lv0U758cw57o5jwpwjza_ABD-FCVlgZwfdjSmlNgdWy5u0O80XDm4IiCUoLEib91iuC4j73NZthkuf2yX1pU3Y9ci05Fi6lwdHbL08Xde1z/s1600-h/080.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401889565547549298" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTTmKKca0bBVu2hur5ED65dGY5xdhLhg6I4lv0U758cw57o5jwpwjza_ABD-FCVlgZwfdjSmlNgdWy5u0O80XDm4IiCUoLEib91iuC4j73NZthkuf2yX1pU3Y9ci05Fi6lwdHbL08Xde1z/s400/080.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBNMRLQcHJW4VXCx1E7u4vqwoSOOzWzZDLl-hTQgHS_WNvfQ2k_YbXNafkBqt0q8lw7bWjfghyphenhyphenY6lmegjCBI79WPXbVMHdhWHhgzzeHOjYDG3aRD7Qpcjo5mis6kns2eKhiKzvTZmK_Gzk/s1600-h/090.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 283px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401889562634867234" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBNMRLQcHJW4VXCx1E7u4vqwoSOOzWzZDLl-hTQgHS_WNvfQ2k_YbXNafkBqt0q8lw7bWjfghyphenhyphenY6lmegjCBI79WPXbVMHdhWHhgzzeHOjYDG3aRD7Qpcjo5mis6kns2eKhiKzvTZmK_Gzk/s400/090.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI1Q7sEkAJvJ3c2rpWFQhzEaFmgdETxs0T6yi4GmsvDsUZFjC6McRwkva7Oas7s2mwk9ZUQ81FOzxmM-qtV5GRgDi2iUlMMrgxjSav_ilwy6U9z_uoXcUah7Jl2pvb6-Ryk7zXpUhzGd45/s1600-h/100.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401889558495621090" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI1Q7sEkAJvJ3c2rpWFQhzEaFmgdETxs0T6yi4GmsvDsUZFjC6McRwkva7Oas7s2mwk9ZUQ81FOzxmM-qtV5GRgDi2iUlMMrgxjSav_ilwy6U9z_uoXcUah7Jl2pvb6-Ryk7zXpUhzGd45/s400/100.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIb4BETq-D1EjeCOFR-iMjc1CN4LKLn5e5udSUlQyTyTXi1St4jOcTfXQr1Naj4xsyudjQXttPIHJGhbzsIpqXda9ZDPtvR1U6p11i6G5mWUdta77USZpjFO6soIA49DLJtYaMZaM4fsyd/s1600-h/110.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 330px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401889546306269842" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIb4BETq-D1EjeCOFR-iMjc1CN4LKLn5e5udSUlQyTyTXi1St4jOcTfXQr1Naj4xsyudjQXttPIHJGhbzsIpqXda9ZDPtvR1U6p11i6G5mWUdta77USZpjFO6soIA49DLJtYaMZaM4fsyd/s400/110.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN82mPJFEhxMYVqqGAqhaj8EIfb52VtihE40qviC14-FcLjssRCnF7-Ky1wevii_0XxKBQjTg7GhWuFB1mbUEelVrhZXoY-Hzw3ug6IRjjwx2b_IaAMQmJCMl8-ocfzrJvcMprlsZfnKYJ/s1600-h/120.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401889549598607730" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN82mPJFEhxMYVqqGAqhaj8EIfb52VtihE40qviC14-FcLjssRCnF7-Ky1wevii_0XxKBQjTg7GhWuFB1mbUEelVrhZXoY-Hzw3ug6IRjjwx2b_IaAMQmJCMl8-ocfzrJvcMprlsZfnKYJ/s400/120.JPG" /></a> It proved important to be seeking out these tour routes and know exactly what to expect before actually taking tourists along for the ride. Does the road exist like the map says? What conditions are the "road" in? Are there river crossings like the one in the picture below? I made it through this washed out road just fine, but that's something to think about if we're going to return with what might be some more "hesitant" tourist-riders.</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigbTjb2Zc9QT44pua1jGxBwGHIk7BJ2n_1wA4cPOS4y2QPuR_6Apf_FzlamMh6VYjcylQOtgjxIcm6HjaxB-TRmrkRNvjZBMwrVdgcoURh8bfbUipjPcTLuKTzKyJ0BS7wQ7x-dNtcBRxW/s1600-h/150.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 279px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401886547312492482" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigbTjb2Zc9QT44pua1jGxBwGHIk7BJ2n_1wA4cPOS4y2QPuR_6Apf_FzlamMh6VYjcylQOtgjxIcm6HjaxB-TRmrkRNvjZBMwrVdgcoURh8bfbUipjPcTLuKTzKyJ0BS7wQ7x-dNtcBRxW/s400/150.JPG" /></a> These were some long, tough days of riding for sure. Riding all day long with GPS, yes I was. But it's GPS here with very little use, cause there's basically no mapping information available on Bolivia in such remote areas. Each time I made it to the next city, I had to hustle around town figuring out which hotels were the best, asking directions, talking with managers, building a profile on each hotel.......and all in Spanish? After that of course I had to unpack everything, organize all the details of the ride that day, organize the profiles on the hotels.....whah, whah, whah....I know. But it was a challenge, I swear.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEZLvU17eVaN9mvsQcHAxrAqMqdOIp_mLwF8f7Kot2lvxvTZojIOP-hoRxEpjrQtIiBu2RHNYSMrMcKxlSACfnJ8iG_4KJOp9QZbWJrVPmcr6cLZ6lmLecrJh9Mcb6a2B5d9qryBKL_mg2/s1600-h/160.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401886545990512706" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEZLvU17eVaN9mvsQcHAxrAqMqdOIp_mLwF8f7Kot2lvxvTZojIOP-hoRxEpjrQtIiBu2RHNYSMrMcKxlSACfnJ8iG_4KJOp9QZbWJrVPmcr6cLZ6lmLecrJh9Mcb6a2B5d9qryBKL_mg2/s400/160.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlLmZ64ucHqwby4HqlR7vE7DfGm2jpIZBInjzK1gFRkDIEWraFHyesm3j2a5chmDdnJ5xSrBcjuNqPsvBvHAzBgFevibYZiMTA6I8elCgQG3wp8pYCe2arKGZdFCby1Z8HFMA1UGOFflH5/s1600-h/170.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 312px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401886538201932594" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlLmZ64ucHqwby4HqlR7vE7DfGm2jpIZBInjzK1gFRkDIEWraFHyesm3j2a5chmDdnJ5xSrBcjuNqPsvBvHAzBgFevibYZiMTA6I8elCgQG3wp8pYCe2arKGZdFCby1Z8HFMA1UGOFflH5/s400/170.JPG" /></a> Arriving again in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Potosi, Bolivia, I again had the chance to spot some more of the city and of course some interesting people and faces (Like this one below)<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiufbCK5pGDMQvctHrQ9q5X-loos5921ojzLLkYO68OEZOqmcw4RHevQ8NWcJBr6Gc3qOgOud_rUPxXcqjTnGh_Kt0gStPhgnt4d0W5un5SKpSbS2cyYaqFMAgVZEGQ0RdCj65uIraKcZCv/s1600-h/200.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 309px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401886531257787106" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiufbCK5pGDMQvctHrQ9q5X-loos5921ojzLLkYO68OEZOqmcw4RHevQ8NWcJBr6Gc3qOgOud_rUPxXcqjTnGh_Kt0gStPhgnt4d0W5un5SKpSbS2cyYaqFMAgVZEGQ0RdCj65uIraKcZCv/s400/200.JPG" /></a> "Ma'am, I don't care how good you looked on those posters 134 years ago, it doesn't make me want to buy your bread." ------------------- "What? That's your daughter? Well.....now that you mention it.......I am kind of hungry.........."<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW44l41j9xJgmvMHyxiHL4ZaoSVhIHjyLtjfKV_QBloqWds-oVRUKTQ2COO6uEh5qslWHkNihxRh3XoCZFji7HY4aM-rQ3ZhJwuztE-sHXBeh4JgYZJcL3jUMGOD8UcspHczKcs4Pi11iL/s1600-h/210.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401885360126201986" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW44l41j9xJgmvMHyxiHL4ZaoSVhIHjyLtjfKV_QBloqWds-oVRUKTQ2COO6uEh5qslWHkNihxRh3XoCZFji7HY4aM-rQ3ZhJwuztE-sHXBeh4JgYZJcL3jUMGOD8UcspHczKcs4Pi11iL/s400/210.JPG" /></a>Headed further up into Bolivia from Potosi to the nation's capital of Sucre, I noticed all these people gathering in what must have been about a 200-person town. Chatting with the locals, apparently I had just stumbled across their annual "Carrera de Burros" (Burro Race) and I arrived right in the middle of the action. Way out in the distance, the jockeys were working away on their burros, as the whole town laughed and cheered them on and I snapped off some action-shots : ) You can see the winner below arriving back at the staging area and folks gather to see the champ. Not to get all sappy, but there was something really heart-warming about seeing such a small town gather and such a simple thing entertaining folks.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX4QS7RX608Wf2gEVCXC8QWYsovYqadUsUiTw0wxgcuoMeoCBFxHsJjh6kzkTWji04py5r3nbFBKzo1EkK83bzN-Ajq3KDBHWrn9-pOoryWOJz1Tms_n3GZsAZ8FJwaY3cILWPGgHDmjff/s1600-h/230.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401885355801295538" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX4QS7RX608Wf2gEVCXC8QWYsovYqadUsUiTw0wxgcuoMeoCBFxHsJjh6kzkTWji04py5r3nbFBKzo1EkK83bzN-Ajq3KDBHWrn9-pOoryWOJz1Tms_n3GZsAZ8FJwaY3cILWPGgHDmjff/s400/230.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5yTWJFOEeBqx3zjAHxAcf_MvQGkKdH-wDPdK1UFJ6peOSto4ESAaY6ZImgvDV9bRIijxGJEF-rJn70XQqb9SY5wqH6XeYT7CaOAAr9GNtqp7O-4vpP6y2UDy2ELyD5ISwPZlvzfn-m0ve/s1600-h/240.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401885350846736706" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5yTWJFOEeBqx3zjAHxAcf_MvQGkKdH-wDPdK1UFJ6peOSto4ESAaY6ZImgvDV9bRIijxGJEF-rJn70XQqb9SY5wqH6XeYT7CaOAAr9GNtqp7O-4vpP6y2UDy2ELyD5ISwPZlvzfn-m0ve/s400/240.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEideBINYLIeEB_y3jDPlqeq6WM3wzIR5uZvDi7_NI3ECkspy1OsekWmiKRY5mWrgeHEisEZxFRNBhu6JYcnreFOtskOSCdNQZGJh0mplisj1PaPNO_UiVFzVm9A8at_fqAJuB509K5DzW18/s1600-h/250.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 307px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401885346793468978" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEideBINYLIeEB_y3jDPlqeq6WM3wzIR5uZvDi7_NI3ECkspy1OsekWmiKRY5mWrgeHEisEZxFRNBhu6JYcnreFOtskOSCdNQZGJh0mplisj1PaPNO_UiVFzVm9A8at_fqAJuB509K5DzW18/s400/250.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1-_hR1rLw5oIsx_jLddkaUCUvtGFlXp-TlqLOQBSVC8Sh2IhT93lxyCwLpf0dF_kJK5Sxjm7D8MedRBTokXsYuD5OcIgpuE0Gkf4MOfJmuryHPN5u40FyjdwTvtt8Z2DjaUG24bRAzXJ0/s1600-h/260.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 281px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401885343694087330" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1-_hR1rLw5oIsx_jLddkaUCUvtGFlXp-TlqLOQBSVC8Sh2IhT93lxyCwLpf0dF_kJK5Sxjm7D8MedRBTokXsYuD5OcIgpuE0Gkf4MOfJmuryHPN5u40FyjdwTvtt8Z2DjaUG24bRAzXJ0/s400/260.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVuC5haZUf02K302MOTFHbAHTvtFiZ9XllPadiJB9bbvBRfQVvOLdBpL5QVbPRDiX_cvimUjgGhFE0dND3g31WGwns-4_AWoSbva7nU43vqJCB0oV3_ctnx0ZLfynI1A5_92KbZu66DU2m/s1600-h/270.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 308px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401881552109677490" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVuC5haZUf02K302MOTFHbAHTvtFiZ9XllPadiJB9bbvBRfQVvOLdBpL5QVbPRDiX_cvimUjgGhFE0dND3g31WGwns-4_AWoSbva7nU43vqJCB0oV3_ctnx0ZLfynI1A5_92KbZu66DU2m/s400/270.JPG" /></a> I continue to be impressed by the scenery in Bolivia and I promise you will not be disappointed if you ever get the chance to visit. So unfortunate though is that seemingly all of the countries down here still don't have any kind of control over waste disposal or any "care" to keep their lands clean of it. Not only to people just toss whatever they want out of their car windows, but you'll also find pits like this one just outside of the cities along the road where people just start throwing their trash. One day after the next, more cars and trucks just show up and dump their trash, letting it blow all over with no control. I mean, it doesn't stop some of the locals (below) from enjoying it.......but come on Evo Morales........your country is too beautiful for this!<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht6NJ6bmqh0MbRN4Th1GrnflRYgryaMt8LwD0HyrtBP6G93jhSn3mlryUdYJUCwUNmBvYKOVt4OSn4FXXrBdVYpl911aNd9cq3fzXZMWZcVarqRZe4fQ1rvO-xjFF4G5NiSyB3DAupq1A1/s1600-h/280.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 304px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401881545544494226" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht6NJ6bmqh0MbRN4Th1GrnflRYgryaMt8LwD0HyrtBP6G93jhSn3mlryUdYJUCwUNmBvYKOVt4OSn4FXXrBdVYpl911aNd9cq3fzXZMWZcVarqRZe4fQ1rvO-xjFF4G5NiSyB3DAupq1A1/s400/280.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyG4BYm-sVdYamRpaqquaLoh6IqA4srbfRaTkG05ClNTHScjJsc65brB8SyqmjeqYO8YB8LGpqI-0hUS3p3H5xmZQqg0s_FX3SRzcFmjAEGZyofsH1hnU4j4OI3b9JcZqt7uEWX8PhayNP/s1600-h/290.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401881544460288082" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyG4BYm-sVdYamRpaqquaLoh6IqA4srbfRaTkG05ClNTHScjJsc65brB8SyqmjeqYO8YB8LGpqI-0hUS3p3H5xmZQqg0s_FX3SRzcFmjAEGZyofsH1hnU4j4OI3b9JcZqt7uEWX8PhayNP/s400/290.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXAyLlw09f5szCAmkOQGg64V_GLMN2oInZgmkRw-dg9eaAxY-2_w2XWgpZVs5f1AVmvPmGWIb3jnE75Heksdagg_Dw-lS49mVgrROGo3a9P4OB4_qZoxSDOp63WDhxg4IQ48YpzZzCqP5y/s1600-h/300.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 291px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401881539415648562" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXAyLlw09f5szCAmkOQGg64V_GLMN2oInZgmkRw-dg9eaAxY-2_w2XWgpZVs5f1AVmvPmGWIb3jnE75Heksdagg_Dw-lS49mVgrROGo3a9P4OB4_qZoxSDOp63WDhxg4IQ48YpzZzCqP5y/s400/300.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju0qB24mHGarFuusC9d2dN5ypSTTvK5D5vmLZ_ClQgVkzdsVUzOUGRlFk7XctxZFyugGIQf6lxCL9BzOiU37pTvDJmmdrBmmVHrhm7dI4epsZ-lr_4WR-egSWPtyEHsjgsdOvcdNR23StE/s1600-h/310.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 296px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401881528271278594" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju0qB24mHGarFuusC9d2dN5ypSTTvK5D5vmLZ_ClQgVkzdsVUzOUGRlFk7XctxZFyugGIQf6lxCL9BzOiU37pTvDJmmdrBmmVHrhm7dI4epsZ-lr_4WR-egSWPtyEHsjgsdOvcdNR23StE/s400/310.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7IS0ZaRr-0wbmmnr1G3cb2LenqwxbMsFVTQFv6djpSxKBPxB3YzGdAEjwV3fUuiNpE9oaKm4Jxt7qkZzoWsw_G30BB7ik4B8ifY2K-ZdtTTWTT9_YeOKK0l-RQnaxsnO83xhjRmV4Sxk6/s1600-h/320.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 290px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400438019919388466" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7IS0ZaRr-0wbmmnr1G3cb2LenqwxbMsFVTQFv6djpSxKBPxB3YzGdAEjwV3fUuiNpE9oaKm4Jxt7qkZzoWsw_G30BB7ik4B8ifY2K-ZdtTTWTT9_YeOKK0l-RQnaxsnO83xhjRmV4Sxk6/s400/320.JPG" /></a> So finally, I got to see La Paz! The largest city in Bolivia is quite a site, described to me once as being like a "giant ant hill." I tell ya, it's about that crazy of a place. Imagine the busiest city you've ever been in and then increase the congestion and chaos about 10 times. (It made NYC look spacious from a pedestrian standpoint.) Taxis, buses, motorcycles, and people running all over the streets with virtually no control by traffic lights or police, and EVERYONE is honking their horns.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI69EdYm7OrflQB-LUpmRAW_TeBCaHijK-YfwJrcaVZpXrBbxNa1wBmtQLlJ1452WcjbfbUS8w7DkkSeFMVlrixQFl5i9CCKxtQO0z66aGedKdclzqHmykNcu_9wTLVNAQGd29PrsD586B/s1600-h/330.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 277px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400438015648971506" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI69EdYm7OrflQB-LUpmRAW_TeBCaHijK-YfwJrcaVZpXrBbxNa1wBmtQLlJ1452WcjbfbUS8w7DkkSeFMVlrixQFl5i9CCKxtQO0z66aGedKdclzqHmykNcu_9wTLVNAQGd29PrsD586B/s400/330.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXmnMwGs9MJkRkI1oEobaSaZyDHyahYRK3hQx420KjY8XkpQWxVT7oWd_tfY9jFdroAS-vMIEum9V9F-BbbtnA71l__cPaedD43kj909dyqQLVN4R8EV2RTYI1V9hwj_ur8XlPlPMEp9Ca/s1600-h/340.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 283px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400438011061362898" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXmnMwGs9MJkRkI1oEobaSaZyDHyahYRK3hQx420KjY8XkpQWxVT7oWd_tfY9jFdroAS-vMIEum9V9F-BbbtnA71l__cPaedD43kj909dyqQLVN4R8EV2RTYI1V9hwj_ur8XlPlPMEp9Ca/s400/340.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYNgc9AAtMMFuXmGWHVbgDiOcDTFapAcC1zs34Obt59GJKsIoab_JKB_2dgb0O1IJi6kewLjHDgvnHMt6tj0JiW75e2iUpj3crONzMfuKUV_DHlHpdiENqbguCF9Gi2qm9O88h1FhAtROA/s1600-h/350.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400438008930989090" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYNgc9AAtMMFuXmGWHVbgDiOcDTFapAcC1zs34Obt59GJKsIoab_JKB_2dgb0O1IJi6kewLjHDgvnHMt6tj0JiW75e2iUpj3crONzMfuKUV_DHlHpdiENqbguCF9Gi2qm9O88h1FhAtROA/s400/350.JPG" /></a> A main reason we want a tour route that includes La Paz is because it allows us to ride the famous "Camino de la Muerte" or in English......"The Road of Death." THIS WAS SO COOL! Do a little Google search for those keywords and check out some of the pictures out there that turned out better than mine (I was there on a very foggy day.)<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimynLIYWI246Jg7HJ29TQxl175wGy1BizIL7mBM6Y6hLk60VwSmsR97S2MqrV_louaJT9q-q0RP2LymzSuq5-wZIuIE_n1vOhpU2wdKbIbbT1m3Z5QbShImx_3GcQYJ0fV9xRCLI4PhywK/s1600-h/360.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400437998714162882" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimynLIYWI246Jg7HJ29TQxl175wGy1BizIL7mBM6Y6hLk60VwSmsR97S2MqrV_louaJT9q-q0RP2LymzSuq5-wZIuIE_n1vOhpU2wdKbIbbT1m3Z5QbShImx_3GcQYJ0fV9xRCLI4PhywK/s400/360.JPG" /></a>Holding the title as "The most dangerous road in the world," this ride starts up at 16,000 feet in the clear thin air, and slowly drops about 10,000 feet over a winding narrow path down into the Bolivian jungle. It's reputation as "the most dangerous" devloped over years because of the extremely high percentage of people that die falling over the edge trying to pass this road. In it's record year, 320 people fell to their death, which is an extremely high number considering the small numbers of people actually trying to pass it. Like I said before, my pictures are few because it was such a foggy day, but you could also check this YouTube link for a good overview of what it's like: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtUaherTC50">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtUaherTC50</a> </div><div><br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqGKkZCM-u_8WX5-nN7vYhwGtFx75mi6sypyDhGGw2X5CPT6YSIJr_3OO0Eenk3tUk-ey7bvk2-vsGFLmzredJQf9YutaSIw1S98dW7FbY6gsqzve-dJUMlNgqOh4neBlzm6jUFWiXId73/s1600-h/380.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 317px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400435062715361746" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqGKkZCM-u_8WX5-nN7vYhwGtFx75mi6sypyDhGGw2X5CPT6YSIJr_3OO0Eenk3tUk-ey7bvk2-vsGFLmzredJQf9YutaSIw1S98dW7FbY6gsqzve-dJUMlNgqOh4neBlzm6jUFWiXId73/s400/380.JPG" /></a>The Road of Death is absolutely stunning with low-hanging clouds and mountain-lined landscapes all the way. Near the start, you'll see mountain bike tour guides briefing their tourists on the rules of the road. Rules like "the traffic flows on the opposite side." Meaning, those of us riding down the mountain actually have to do ride on the left (the cliff drop-off side) so that car and truck drivers have better visibility to keep themselves from running off the edge.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjUxP472tCNiVhsjsXNpo-L9KLWNmuLJKKpJYEaQ3E4YaSpLIEIXuwUFs9FOQdgqRz6J1D_vX4AvtO7O-B1YV2lmO-Qg__GYKDJpdtjZsiuhrtU8P-96cZmIvQCORulx9E2A3Yg1OdMeO3/s1600-h/390.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400435059777190562" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjUxP472tCNiVhsjsXNpo-L9KLWNmuLJKKpJYEaQ3E4YaSpLIEIXuwUFs9FOQdgqRz6J1D_vX4AvtO7O-B1YV2lmO-Qg__GYKDJpdtjZsiuhrtU8P-96cZmIvQCORulx9E2A3Yg1OdMeO3/s400/390.JPG" /></a> Another guideline we have to follow is that you never......<u>ever</u> look off the cliff into the abyss below while you're moving. It doesn't matter how good of a biker or motorcycle rider you are, the natural tendency we all have is to follow where our eyes are looking. (Ex: Don't stare at the rock in the middle of the road, cause you'll end up hitting it probably.) Same was true here, and I admit......I almost got "caught" looking while riding at one point. Not only is this road very narrow to begin with, but with almost no warning it'll lose 1/3 of it's width because of a washout or rockslide, and if you're riding down the cliff-side like you're supposed to.....that means the road before you can pretty much disappear! Did I mention that it's reported to be over a 1900 foot drop straight down in some parts of the road? Again, too foggy the day I was there to see, but wow does that make for one beautiful atmosphere descending down into the Bolivian jungle. </div><div></div><div>(Below, mountain bikers posing for a shot pretty close to "the edge.")<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikXQ-Hs0Pm3YlhahbrmQIJo3QZdqFFOiVcarl4Nn6Dw-mQSzCPol4cU6002TSaICL_26csVBfdn6bt0WAkEXm_Qm7hQqXTFeh3tksWNZKdBA4x5p6ryDsvwwF2qSxsQocwYrkaPK2uiXtM/s1600-h/400.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400435053693729842" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikXQ-Hs0Pm3YlhahbrmQIJo3QZdqFFOiVcarl4Nn6Dw-mQSzCPol4cU6002TSaICL_26csVBfdn6bt0WAkEXm_Qm7hQqXTFeh3tksWNZKdBA4x5p6ryDsvwwF2qSxsQocwYrkaPK2uiXtM/s400/400.JPG" /></a> The next couple of pictures show one of the many memorials for the thousands of people who have fallen to their deaths here. I zoomed in as far as my 18x zoom camera would go, and sure enough........way below this memorial.....you could still see the wreckage of a car or truck that once went over.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0qSqgT8h4HVEejM0_1c6DPx7JvtV7yxYDCk9DJFJ5oUvlxeChPZco5PFwu0hoyEU_9mPBDIljPtzzIpxQQsWxseYy2LCzo27fWCjUH57Pna2hYdBpuCgfLeWLh11FD72zNT6CDAe2hVL4/s1600-h/410.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 279px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400435047530589010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0qSqgT8h4HVEejM0_1c6DPx7JvtV7yxYDCk9DJFJ5oUvlxeChPZco5PFwu0hoyEU_9mPBDIljPtzzIpxQQsWxseYy2LCzo27fWCjUH57Pna2hYdBpuCgfLeWLh11FD72zNT6CDAe2hVL4/s400/410.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi42ESZUmf8twxkL-LsaikLeZ2TLT-QTEqDT6ZziDo5wcw3RbArKY1l9xyBycDQVPafNnNbhac8398sLEYB5lReyDmUTupA0rKGGV3bACUHbat5Ml170gfU7w-e60wlM_PsyjeapMqbCZnH/s1600-h/420.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 312px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400433538617748914" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi42ESZUmf8twxkL-LsaikLeZ2TLT-QTEqDT6ZziDo5wcw3RbArKY1l9xyBycDQVPafNnNbhac8398sLEYB5lReyDmUTupA0rKGGV3bACUHbat5Ml170gfU7w-e60wlM_PsyjeapMqbCZnH/s400/420.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQt1oITm6abd92GPeoLPK8mARW-N2bTCDi4uILLNv01K1AGwdUzP1_ahdsHHady_w5fGk6GSINsoCG1V3k1BkcA0jKFqQSVMqg4ZPua6B6lwa0hq0B9EtqmkgfkyBeSCXj1akWQx5-I0lA/s1600-h/430.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 296px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400433533418275570" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQt1oITm6abd92GPeoLPK8mARW-N2bTCDi4uILLNv01K1AGwdUzP1_ahdsHHady_w5fGk6GSINsoCG1V3k1BkcA0jKFqQSVMqg4ZPua6B6lwa0hq0B9EtqmkgfkyBeSCXj1akWQx5-I0lA/s400/430.JPG" /></a> For sure though.....the stunning scenery combined with a bit of fear makes for one great experience.......and if you're going to be in Bolivia, don't miss the chance to ride The Road of Death!<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE32k60kpB19BmXxcy0bPLD2rYeUGBtXvji-xfdjCMMjPoph74G2ebEGFBuRAQHwTpKuO-8ZrPi9lGROED_SiHR560yx1bxNamHvFPS2QmBdg5xf9FzkqBWG5PMQi9wbClrWJzBLiTMWkY/s1600-h/440.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 318px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400433524068578850" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE32k60kpB19BmXxcy0bPLD2rYeUGBtXvji-xfdjCMMjPoph74G2ebEGFBuRAQHwTpKuO-8ZrPi9lGROED_SiHR560yx1bxNamHvFPS2QmBdg5xf9FzkqBWG5PMQi9wbClrWJzBLiTMWkY/s400/440.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuQK9BW9cNMgSyPFkt9dTaiP03PUoYi7RMFNU8UctsxpAR_J6c9AfjslA30Fmw8cnL90uPH7m_OuJDkUZY-2_qGXc9UFZNBsNhHkBpG4vjIk88FP85JySQ2xFrhSF_bkUo03EMiNeP90vF/s1600-h/450.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 314px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400433519430071938" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuQK9BW9cNMgSyPFkt9dTaiP03PUoYi7RMFNU8UctsxpAR_J6c9AfjslA30Fmw8cnL90uPH7m_OuJDkUZY-2_qGXc9UFZNBsNhHkBpG4vjIk88FP85JySQ2xFrhSF_bkUo03EMiNeP90vF/s400/450.JPG" /></a> (Near the bottom of the Road, a Dad is taking his girls to school in the town of Yungas.)<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivzPDftXh0d0DjByNRzbnnMuI-cVB3pARqZZRF42mbcn7EPYfsylh1Z5jk-UJCWrJFRiCgnCB3k_uPagKLiPigCZo5Tek6B9xNsOKJmvE87l3D5aHsuWJMb50IOuMNIibN03DvwTg8GxK5/s1600-h/460.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400433517641742946" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivzPDftXh0d0DjByNRzbnnMuI-cVB3pARqZZRF42mbcn7EPYfsylh1Z5jk-UJCWrJFRiCgnCB3k_uPagKLiPigCZo5Tek6B9xNsOKJmvE87l3D5aHsuWJMb50IOuMNIibN03DvwTg8GxK5/s400/460.JPG" /></a> So after La Paz, I needed to head further westt to Copacabana, Bolivia .... right on the shores of Lake Titicaca. It's a short half-day ride, and part of that time is spent on a lake ferry that is the only way of reaching Copacabana. Costs about one dollar, takes about 20 minutes, and sure is a fun way to continue all this travel. Guess I haven't been on a boat at this point since the Cap Blanche (aka Jeanne) all the way back in January?<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj8sTOBESAIuo1v3wG0Q6zFwG16HyuYkq3rL3RgcT8iGmvMJ0kDL5DImEzOlw3Lt56XTHihk6HOUCrXlb3dDVIa81y0diumY_JwujPGt05Wc4_ysd76Qbe7iGoM4Yv36UQqu3AMjux7OlO/s1600-h/470.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 274px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400431968702470866" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj8sTOBESAIuo1v3wG0Q6zFwG16HyuYkq3rL3RgcT8iGmvMJ0kDL5DImEzOlw3Lt56XTHihk6HOUCrXlb3dDVIa81y0diumY_JwujPGt05Wc4_ysd76Qbe7iGoM4Yv36UQqu3AMjux7OlO/s400/470.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXydgVpA-UYuFkRGKF2__3QFs7IM9VjHNU0HtVVg2K4v9xmQPNrEGzMe_4eF2vyeQMofqGr2ynpB4Cc3jARmh64F99q91jYrMCwnC1-mb8bB7uqyAlZuZfh1E3Gy-a7q-o3ZOPhRgTNi47/s1600-h/480.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 257px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400431965682409650" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXydgVpA-UYuFkRGKF2__3QFs7IM9VjHNU0HtVVg2K4v9xmQPNrEGzMe_4eF2vyeQMofqGr2ynpB4Cc3jARmh64F99q91jYrMCwnC1-mb8bB7uqyAlZuZfh1E3Gy-a7q-o3ZOPhRgTNi47/s400/480.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Vipkmq23yNNc9BcxYJEeCavYVXgVvLphaTrg6YFOKGU4O-OZGAeNT5SjDUzy7no4ViimmjFSJyvpnLArOXld_I628UTj30phuswIPUTFyWP7Kv07DMhpIm1UgsQI1U4YURMCPoNrUaKl/s1600-h/485.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 295px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400431962116915266" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Vipkmq23yNNc9BcxYJEeCavYVXgVvLphaTrg6YFOKGU4O-OZGAeNT5SjDUzy7no4ViimmjFSJyvpnLArOXld_I628UTj30phuswIPUTFyWP7Kv07DMhpIm1UgsQI1U4YURMCPoNrUaKl/s400/485.JPG" /></a> Anyway, more hotels and research was in store for me there in Copacabana, and I had yet another incredible sunset to watch from a balcony looking over Lake Titicaca. Sure have seen alot of these since I started travelling. Never gets old to me......<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkJCi5hB2LzUy7iPUTFnWuwp0pDz6Hk8KdYIgZy2HcVpNXv6I82rnKD0v40cYUixFGyFBCE2q67I9Zg0d8eYYlUnHCDM-kpdHlo-L8Y3cqv7S10GbvPB7x5h7CtLUtU4CaTBsX_-iQsbfx/s1600-h/490.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 274px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400431958654350898" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkJCi5hB2LzUy7iPUTFnWuwp0pDz6Hk8KdYIgZy2HcVpNXv6I82rnKD0v40cYUixFGyFBCE2q67I9Zg0d8eYYlUnHCDM-kpdHlo-L8Y3cqv7S10GbvPB7x5h7CtLUtU4CaTBsX_-iQsbfx/s400/490.JPG" /></a> So after Bolivia, I needed to head back to the northern edge of Arica, Chile before crossing into Peru where I would search routes for Cuzco and Macchu Piccu. I knew that because of registration and ownership of the motorcycle, we needed to return to Chile for paperwork reasons before going to Peru. In a funny coincidence though, just a few hours before I crossed the border into Peru on a Friday morning, a story came out in the newspapers. The story detailed how 800+ cars had left Chile in the year prior and never returned from Peru. (An obvious concern for importing/tax reasons.) Because of this news, all the border officials for Peru were immediately reminded of their own law that nobody had been enforcing, and requires some extra paperwork steps to prevent the illegal importation of vehicles.<br /><br />Anyway, after sitting around a few more days there in Arica, (waiting for the weekend and a holiday to pass) Daniel, Jaime and myself eventually said it was too much paperwork trouble for me to get into Peru at that point, and there were plenty of other things I could be doing in Antofagasta. The tentative plan was for me to end up living there in Antofagasta and start getting business going for us while it was still winter time and very cold in Santiago and places further south.</div><div></div><div>So the final picture below shows how I ended up back in Antofagasta, getting our office situation straight and doing things like getting our motorcycle storage container positioned at the rail yard near our office. Ana Maria (back to us in the picture) had just been hired to act as administrative support for us there in Antofagasta, so at least I wouldn't be working alone.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxM_B_JLelHxNMSHf8wvbSE66MPIls9iw5g5R-qNjjkjTn_6Ih581ceNkIs3efSth_S2fFx_ssaRxSvKiHdshVNeURh6GuuFcYlCwH8HoQPTJ8zC6v3eMX_ekTj-do0INNbMXCX180VWI/s1600-h/510.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 296px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400431952289781858" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxM_B_JLelHxNMSHf8wvbSE66MPIls9iw5g5R-qNjjkjTn_6Ih581ceNkIs3efSth_S2fFx_ssaRxSvKiHdshVNeURh6GuuFcYlCwH8HoQPTJ8zC6v3eMX_ekTj-do0INNbMXCX180VWI/s400/510.JPG" /></a> Well this has been another long post, but hey........it's been over 2 months since I updated this! And of course, more has changed since this final picture with regards to where I'm living and I'll have to explain more of that soon. The delay in the blog post is partially because of technical issues Blogspot seems to be having, but also because it's weird for me to just write a blog about my working life and career instead of all the travel I'd done up to this point. Well then again....I guess my job still fits into the same category of "travel and adventure," and as long as I'm living outside the United States, I'll consider my life exactly that : )<br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167788727809920660noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208095771200046727.post-84743709516523013312009-09-04T22:06:00.000-04:002009-09-08T23:13:56.370-04:00Adv #7 Continued: Did someone say "Bolivia?"<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik3DkUoFhwh81Eyx6GZ-Jg2xgRIqWAPsFJ3GD6TxJJZrX3HdvpOmpV7BVSbYqWio9RK50OggWP_Uk4P4hmjQXU60iSXp9n2bZB9509DJqOagkcx2GTYCqwcfdYhqrhweZvDQzxOi58aPyC/s1600-h/001.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 300px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377830990256004930" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik3DkUoFhwh81Eyx6GZ-Jg2xgRIqWAPsFJ3GD6TxJJZrX3HdvpOmpV7BVSbYqWio9RK50OggWP_Uk4P4hmjQXU60iSXp9n2bZB9509DJqOagkcx2GTYCqwcfdYhqrhweZvDQzxOi58aPyC/s400/001.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />(Again, in the voice of Forrest:) <em>“And would you believe it? I got to go to Bolivia.”<br /></em><br /><br />It was actually a real debate I had going on about whether or not to go to Bolivia. I’d heard so many good things about it, missing this country sounded like it would be a mistake. On the flipside though, while in San Pedro I was meeting many people that reminded me we’re in the middle of winter here, and the altitude in Bolivia would make it even colder than where we were in San Pedro (where it was -8 celsius pretty much every night.) Anyone that knows me knows that I absolutely despise cold weather, and word was that -26 celsius was pretty regular every night in the parts I'd be traveling through at this time of year.<br /><br />About a month before I was in San Pedro, I had met with Daniel Larrain, a business owner from Santiago and we had talked about me working for his new motorcycle touring company, “Moto Rider.” My timing to be in the north was perfect because Daniel, his nephew, daughter, and her boyfriend were all coming north with a couple of the new BMW’s to tour Bolivia. I was asked to join for the week-long tour….giving us a perfect chance to talk further and understand his plans for this company he’s starting up. Great for me also, cause now instead of having to travel alone through Bolivia, I’d have a crew to travel with in case something happens. (It can be very hard to find fuel in Bolivia, if the bike breaks-down, chances of finding parts or help are extremely unlikely, etc.)<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyJHignvfUurcynFvIh4B5mT0ornh1YJ9NsITutLLrTZkTjurE1dfn0LeNc6EPdNO74u5A-agRSaMoVTpGLKH0z_uFNxHQvA3DruP5A742liw3VDveNsHjS47QntEkr5_V7WGXZ8fDbUow/s1600-h/005.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 300px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377830983458612242" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyJHignvfUurcynFvIh4B5mT0ornh1YJ9NsITutLLrTZkTjurE1dfn0LeNc6EPdNO74u5A-agRSaMoVTpGLKH0z_uFNxHQvA3DruP5A742liw3VDveNsHjS47QntEkr5_V7WGXZ8fDbUow/s400/005.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo_gL2M1ankKLUXBJqxI3Q6-hpi1JY6cdeF64jb6zIFJn28-HWMG6I4j3GEeRqVSXUtBeoF4EM5z5evPc78VwRhyDrU9HWR-EQmKO5WZKAd81wcfZpW-LHISM2S2Kmhwzl8Ouy6Dc145KE/s1600-h/010.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 300px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377829819003808898" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo_gL2M1ankKLUXBJqxI3Q6-hpi1JY6cdeF64jb6zIFJn28-HWMG6I4j3GEeRqVSXUtBeoF4EM5z5evPc78VwRhyDrU9HWR-EQmKO5WZKAd81wcfZpW-LHISM2S2Kmhwzl8Ouy6Dc145KE/s400/010.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi699CgxcjK5pQ6K4fld_xPllT7JnY3lfm6arl4JP6zYel_RmXsBLlMb39K1NVDVkhxBEDiDyfestnaNWM27k-cAGk_JdtM5L_GWw0dfd1EmUrWvNnQoUrnFhKMOsk0XRLU8uf2OBx8gjLR/s1600-h/020.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 301px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377829815478450546" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi699CgxcjK5pQ6K4fld_xPllT7JnY3lfm6arl4JP6zYel_RmXsBLlMb39K1NVDVkhxBEDiDyfestnaNWM27k-cAGk_JdtM5L_GWw0dfd1EmUrWvNnQoUrnFhKMOsk0XRLU8uf2OBx8gjLR/s400/020.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrpyUACdOpklz8vBiPgJPk0MfuP1luEszaZsqsSxoOBDFPDsDk0wmRj9-AtTkMVqAI8NIRXf5Qg1E2qRToIqGb8LbbP8vo8EBnmIBXeE3RO5SkPuh5Cd32enABTeML0IWgqX9d7pT6sl-/s1600-h/030.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 284px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377829808340612274" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrpyUACdOpklz8vBiPgJPk0MfuP1luEszaZsqsSxoOBDFPDsDk0wmRj9-AtTkMVqAI8NIRXf5Qg1E2qRToIqGb8LbbP8vo8EBnmIBXeE3RO5SkPuh5Cd32enABTeML0IWgqX9d7pT6sl-/s400/030.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />So Daniel and the family and I met up in Calama in northern Chile, and immediately headed for the Bolivia border, staying in Ollague for one night. (That's Daniel and I in the first photo above. No, I haven’t put on that much weight….just stuff in my pockets.) The scenery in those northern Andes Mountains is just outstanding! Like on my trips around San Pedro, the natural colors in the mountains are absolutely incredible.</div><div><br />After the always-long process of getting through the paperwork to finally get into Bolivia, (Daniel in the Customs office below) that great “rush” hit me again that…….”I’m in Bolivia!” Another new country…..it never gets old.<br /></div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt9q_bnpYT9Fz2DqjOU3mmdrApkgGUmIoMxMJqGnIXrfjd3qHnLOiElfs8qH_zL4vHBlH1Kw8ttODdVFBynBKjdE6tjhEOWt3WY4bX5J3Qxabo3CfrU9Iuh8U6gbaPWD48F_YSmvMxQJ3b/s1600-h/040.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 281px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377829798064535954" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt9q_bnpYT9Fz2DqjOU3mmdrApkgGUmIoMxMJqGnIXrfjd3qHnLOiElfs8qH_zL4vHBlH1Kw8ttODdVFBynBKjdE6tjhEOWt3WY4bX5J3Qxabo3CfrU9Iuh8U6gbaPWD48F_YSmvMxQJ3b/s400/040.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Shortly after crossing the border though, my motorcycle had its first significant break-down in what is about 23,000 miles of riding since Atlanta. Just riding along, the engine quit completely, and I knew fuel was not the problem. Didn’t take me long to figure what had happened though…… the roads were so bad and bumpy (riding “washboard” we call it) that the positive battery cable just completely broke near the battery post from all the vibration and pounding. You can see us working on the bike in the background while Nico walks across a small bog. With a little more time, I certainly could have fixed the cable and kept riding, but it was already quite late in the day, and with still a few hundred kilometers of riding left to get to Uyuni, we decided we’d just put my bike on the trailer, and fix it once near a workshop. (Not so bad….that just meant I had to ride one of the new BMW’s instead.)<br /></div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSStLO43okJx4EHkxAd1vZlkX8J63SD0Xxl7eQhZpuwSOGfwmFZsby1hUO7zrYeDlbzzSMsvcqe61RRvf3obCco9_FQ2HMJ4ej8QMqWIewmcBbgTpWoC6SISjcIn7aG9QyS9bMbY_5KJ6Z/s1600-h/045.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 302px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377829792179747026" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSStLO43okJx4EHkxAd1vZlkX8J63SD0Xxl7eQhZpuwSOGfwmFZsby1hUO7zrYeDlbzzSMsvcqe61RRvf3obCco9_FQ2HMJ4ej8QMqWIewmcBbgTpWoC6SISjcIn7aG9QyS9bMbY_5KJ6Z/s400/045.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />So we finally made it to the town of Uyuni in the dark, after a pretty long and tough day of riding. Took us quite a while to find this hotel that some friends of Daniel’s had recommended, but what a great surprise the Hotel Luna Salada hotel is! In the middle of all the dirt and nasty roads, right on the edge of the Salar de Uyuni, (Uyuni Salt Flat) is this great hotel……entirely made from salt. Dario, the owner (in the first picture below) explained how every brick that this hotel was made from was hand-chopped with axes from the Salar, just about 1km from where the hotel stands. Check out the pics below. The registration desk there in the hotel? Made from salt. The entire floor of the hotel? Loose salt grains and pebbles. The walls? Salt. Furniture and tables? Made from salt. Except for some obvious items in the bathrooms and kitchen, they really made a beautiful hotel here entirely from salt, and I highly recommend staying here for anyone going near Uyuni. There are two other hotels made from salt in the area, but this one is the best by far.</div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5jwkLZoq9HXIMrDnlYjTGT0B8HE1fnHp1EM1sTQFIkB8QUeA31PxIehLx-By4snyjFA6v3OV_iWTe7c2WHuf-L9qKkpBYt1Qv_j2hWZsnmclALX68uonxT9rYzeZFt_zyHwXZmQw2CnbB/s1600-h/060.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 300px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377824704675841122" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5jwkLZoq9HXIMrDnlYjTGT0B8HE1fnHp1EM1sTQFIkB8QUeA31PxIehLx-By4snyjFA6v3OV_iWTe7c2WHuf-L9qKkpBYt1Qv_j2hWZsnmclALX68uonxT9rYzeZFt_zyHwXZmQw2CnbB/s400/060.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTaxkq-u77XZZ2IOerNg8OIhyphenhyphen8-esyysBQzhqnhzUp4RgKPXHfK-E8eVQ1lTCD1BaFgaIKKkSjId4zuNeyYIUNy-JrXoGFK9IDJCQ91MD2C7qJEsF5t3TWfDgZSh8x1I56cPbntHtxb64h/s1600-h/080.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 298px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377824699792377314" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTaxkq-u77XZZ2IOerNg8OIhyphenhyphen8-esyysBQzhqnhzUp4RgKPXHfK-E8eVQ1lTCD1BaFgaIKKkSjId4zuNeyYIUNy-JrXoGFK9IDJCQ91MD2C7qJEsF5t3TWfDgZSh8x1I56cPbntHtxb64h/s400/080.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPiNbvvOKeB-MghSR3MOaK0OijPk10LaOOP2rxCZeemMYcxLLphdR1CKE9ih8La-xbWl97KFi376zcJbhpehv7GlBClXK4CRSegb7OW43TNWGkze4xvPHnkOLb-3l-UXuxJ3CU2_Lg8ygk/s1600-h/085.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 300px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377824692229596610" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPiNbvvOKeB-MghSR3MOaK0OijPk10LaOOP2rxCZeemMYcxLLphdR1CKE9ih8La-xbWl97KFi376zcJbhpehv7GlBClXK4CRSegb7OW43TNWGkze4xvPHnkOLb-3l-UXuxJ3CU2_Lg8ygk/s400/085.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCevHi_oi7lVxoqdEVhu8MAoU90k15izct3wkzZsRqatP-zAAZzs0iY_DOhTP-gYDysv3DU8QZws8ofG_sFBK5wG3WTw22iKRTNzWv8brS-HzRVdE6-PS7h5N6anoWb_OVpxNHXvJmq7C8/s1600-h/090.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 300px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377824683091383858" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCevHi_oi7lVxoqdEVhu8MAoU90k15izct3wkzZsRqatP-zAAZzs0iY_DOhTP-gYDysv3DU8QZws8ofG_sFBK5wG3WTw22iKRTNzWv8brS-HzRVdE6-PS7h5N6anoWb_OVpxNHXvJmq7C8/s400/090.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Next morning, Daniel, Jacinta, Alfredo, and Nico went out into the Salar to look around with the motos and start taking pictures to be used for the Moto Rider website, and I took my bike into town to get it fixed. There in town, I could not resist taking a picture of this little munchkin with her mom’s permission. If you think this picture is cute, you should have seen the look on her face when I turned the camera around and showed her the picture of herself. An expression and feeling I’ll never, ever forget.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUq7Au71BUzhOzQFvnCaaM8z7ZoMOGCjyQxBs48PPqfgQwFw-bw6WtRnJMB-AenENIS6Wnhw9GXy8cVX3wN4L7o5BvJdvtwE-oC8r-Ao1yuyPMyCk1p44jLN8YwIfNgpOGVjcYhRRSAcWV/s1600-h/100.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 304px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377824677175183170" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUq7Au71BUzhOzQFvnCaaM8z7ZoMOGCjyQxBs48PPqfgQwFw-bw6WtRnJMB-AenENIS6Wnhw9GXy8cVX3wN4L7o5BvJdvtwE-oC8r-Ao1yuyPMyCk1p44jLN8YwIfNgpOGVjcYhRRSAcWV/s400/100.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCgWkMKnIhVIxTIJx6C3FWJzzziz-Rpos-ERsa24WSqsX5bYq2lk-kM_su6GnJ3yeCFEUFTysEKpS9X36X-n261oW7I8NF_4ORwLNv3jAJ3pw779uJkZc2tt4Gv_UV5Do5Z7BU-4vtZu73/s1600-h/110.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 300px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377822758149766770" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCgWkMKnIhVIxTIJx6C3FWJzzziz-Rpos-ERsa24WSqsX5bYq2lk-kM_su6GnJ3yeCFEUFTysEKpS9X36X-n261oW7I8NF_4ORwLNv3jAJ3pw779uJkZc2tt4Gv_UV5Do5Z7BU-4vtZu73/s400/110.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAh12aHliErPLEeWfUzFJK4FnbIQBWDwAuxAKmCge51ei2Cm3ywJLoRZmo4c4KjCq4J_D1xXR7zlCowKcgxtrCUdx534kympWZbohErOiz1W3pEFQX0DOGWu3a_Bz-SYIv5IRKp1_DrSly/s1600-h/115.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 316px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377822755954292674" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAh12aHliErPLEeWfUzFJK4FnbIQBWDwAuxAKmCge51ei2Cm3ywJLoRZmo4c4KjCq4J_D1xXR7zlCowKcgxtrCUdx534kympWZbohErOiz1W3pEFQX0DOGWu3a_Bz-SYIv5IRKp1_DrSly/s400/115.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />So “Nelson” was the guy in the picture helping repair my battery cable (cause there’s no way you’ll find a similar part like that in a small town like this.) Following the repair, I quickly hustled out to meet the crew, finally arriving for my first time on the Salar de Uyuni! Adventure motorcycle riders all over have seen pictures of this place for sure, so it was really exciting to finally be out there myself. It’s the largest salt flat in the world, measuring 4,085 square miles at an elevation of just over 11,000 feet. Interesting to note is that the salar supposedly holds over half of the world’s lithium reserves, and there’s a lot of talk about companies like Mitsubishi and others starting to build hybrid vehicles here, the lithium obviously being used in the batteries.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZst1u93VXw_iPs_Ytc92VoELvdpZSktKwcUD2o42GBw4YCYzPMyRYh1Yfi0oyenW06UX_cYPaUnrfJeSKfEBfUK0pp6Y8YUl8TKXEBQ3cZ18lyHWe5VWt7aKTCCcHWW510-Zh82ac5ln9/s1600-h/120.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 281px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377822747122203842" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZst1u93VXw_iPs_Ytc92VoELvdpZSktKwcUD2o42GBw4YCYzPMyRYh1Yfi0oyenW06UX_cYPaUnrfJeSKfEBfUK0pp6Y8YUl8TKXEBQ3cZ18lyHWe5VWt7aKTCCcHWW510-Zh82ac5ln9/s400/120.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Taking potential photos for the Moto Rider website, all the fun ideas using the illusion-factor come into mind (below.)<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Mj8WD4HXlUwuFZbNWm5-GCh9lskOOSuqgYqknl7yJLt8S_S-MYwTg26W9yzIG1GBfyC0FEvwImldSNY4dl1tT-JQG5encEeep8yyInGEXjs8rfsExXbAdjppkgMwwxyX6-TOBD6eoHuv/s1600-h/130.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 286px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377822742045229650" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Mj8WD4HXlUwuFZbNWm5-GCh9lskOOSuqgYqknl7yJLt8S_S-MYwTg26W9yzIG1GBfyC0FEvwImldSNY4dl1tT-JQG5encEeep8yyInGEXjs8rfsExXbAdjppkgMwwxyX6-TOBD6eoHuv/s400/130.JPG" border="0" /></a> (Daniel, above, muscling up a couple of bikes; Alfredo, so casually holding two BMW's below.)<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip3XkKMk-mm_J0OBghDzzl-m6w1URFLdIjuUV5nkn6nNzbk1ytErSkUzD1JkVN46kSghabvlrVAdkZlagsHTaN6ep62Y5JCCeSnAjuRO1cajpEwfwwrXvZtbx0Hko8zm_-UIxpWskKP-Xs/s1600-h/140.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 285px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377822732636844258" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip3XkKMk-mm_J0OBghDzzl-m6w1URFLdIjuUV5nkn6nNzbk1ytErSkUzD1JkVN46kSghabvlrVAdkZlagsHTaN6ep62Y5JCCeSnAjuRO1cajpEwfwwrXvZtbx0Hko8zm_-UIxpWskKP-Xs/s400/140.JPG" border="0" /></a> (Jacinta, Daniel's daughter with her cousin Alfredo. No doubt, traveling down here is much for fun for me when I have good company to spend time with.)<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCQRa3TcwWtBbSe-MqnAULSHNdcvCdkk4uQlqNGSBZCkNNtNb8jYfnB9aNiFP6VZLaJOugKpGKrNG1pR3ghA3ADhw8G4_hO0-OvgjRY2ShG32n6wxfwCUBuT-B8utZF8_IsyNNwTez6hGZ/s1600-h/150.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 269px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377820307950056658" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCQRa3TcwWtBbSe-MqnAULSHNdcvCdkk4uQlqNGSBZCkNNtNb8jYfnB9aNiFP6VZLaJOugKpGKrNG1pR3ghA3ADhw8G4_hO0-OvgjRY2ShG32n6wxfwCUBuT-B8utZF8_IsyNNwTez6hGZ/s400/150.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBnpB5AfvIDbKGebfsRoVcZ2hdy8vcZ9b98HL8xwlp0KrJj-ljkJxUhOb_05EaO8-ZGpnc5Kgqv6hjVYtn0xSY15VJXYQaXEs82ktZ3ZDKGleyYbMupi1QZDfglzPpVaCm36mMyDhzA8o4/s1600-h/160.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 300px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377820296915524786" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBnpB5AfvIDbKGebfsRoVcZ2hdy8vcZ9b98HL8xwlp0KrJj-ljkJxUhOb_05EaO8-ZGpnc5Kgqv6hjVYtn0xSY15VJXYQaXEs82ktZ3ZDKGleyYbMupi1QZDfglzPpVaCm36mMyDhzA8o4/s400/160.JPG" border="0" /></a>So along with being absolutely beautiful……very clean and absolutely wide open, the Salar is obviously a great place to satisfy that need for speed! See a picture below that shows how there are some worn-down pathways formed by tourist traffic going to see the major sites in the Salar. It's actually much, much smoother than I thought it would be, but if you go off those roads into the natural grooved pattern shown..........yea, you’ll feel the vibrations. But on the worn-down roads, you just have to watch out for a few rough spots, and other than that, go as fast as you want. Julius managed to get up to 195 kph (about 120mph) and kept that pace for around 10 minutes at one point. I know he can go a lot faster, but with the sidecases on causing more wind-drag, and the 11,000 foot elevation, there’s not a lot of oxygen to help him be his strongest. Still fun though! And you have to make good time traveling out there, cause there’s nothing around for like 90 miles in any direction once you’re in the middle.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0fA9yefENu7ePRKdQ1Uw0oB2XceGyn14Y0l75hk4s04AWbrDRFJk-iAPqsXWVHTlG0JjSWq2iqlXUHbyqZPXLXgFqmB3YoFOakwSpbihScVGHKRjMwjWGP-OFzuLy0Z64m85koIMF9GgB/s1600-h/165.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 299px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377820294477382034" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0fA9yefENu7ePRKdQ1Uw0oB2XceGyn14Y0l75hk4s04AWbrDRFJk-iAPqsXWVHTlG0JjSWq2iqlXUHbyqZPXLXgFqmB3YoFOakwSpbihScVGHKRjMwjWGP-OFzuLy0Z64m85koIMF9GgB/s400/165.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiljSMcwBr_JuiqN7OKdMECOF1qrRR7HfE0NXHJpnWghFY799GBjR4G3vGxBdr-xdKKDn59WdJT5wPkGAAEweZzM96o9SjnAT6o6kPHcshsZctgM7n1Hp4xdrCSU2khsO7M_cQO6SXgegQZ/s1600-h/170.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 300px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377820285976772706" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiljSMcwBr_JuiqN7OKdMECOF1qrRR7HfE0NXHJpnWghFY799GBjR4G3vGxBdr-xdKKDn59WdJT5wPkGAAEweZzM96o9SjnAT6o6kPHcshsZctgM7n1Hp4xdrCSU2khsO7M_cQO6SXgegQZ/s400/170.JPG" border="0" /></a>Except for Isla Incahuasi, and Isla Pescado of course. Eventually out there in the middle, you’ll run across these cactus-covered islands that just pop up out of the salt for what appears to be no reason. I guess Isla Incahuasi even has a restaurant on it. <span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM</span></div><div></div><div>Also important to mention here is how tough it’s been…..living on a planet full of dark-haired beauties the past 9 months. </div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnBXvn3I1CaGNqmD1qigsS5KDcp0l7UPaDi3epcJL5IMv87ft8-5lsLoIHDfI_K8j4ahh3XRtVKD220luYRYfjFHMRi5HH4VD6KjYotLFyeyrgMhEVElMYgzwDXhfPu8f667lmHzzyGk5z/s1600-h/190.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 300px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377820278083344130" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnBXvn3I1CaGNqmD1qigsS5KDcp0l7UPaDi3epcJL5IMv87ft8-5lsLoIHDfI_K8j4ahh3XRtVKD220luYRYfjFHMRi5HH4VD6KjYotLFyeyrgMhEVElMYgzwDXhfPu8f667lmHzzyGk5z/s400/190.JPG" border="0" /></a>Yep, I did run out of gas in the salar as the sun was falling and it was getting pretty cold, pretty quick. Fortunately Roberto from Spain and his family were riding by and offered a bit of gas to get me back to the east edge of the salar and the Hotel Luna Salad once again. Thanks Roberto! See you around Antofagasta….<br /><div><div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiycFfwpM6eZRTlHLlrwdsAu2ZlHB9pR78AkcMifUtZoCxqCtfkBgPauUmT_u6SNMiUdJ7llEsPKM4H4yJ06tbCkWgy1RiUMqhxhEcQZkC4aY4pSD8ma9OjBqAE5BU3nd7MjaAJi4yCrzLv/s1600-h/200.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 300px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377811375676099330" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiycFfwpM6eZRTlHLlrwdsAu2ZlHB9pR78AkcMifUtZoCxqCtfkBgPauUmT_u6SNMiUdJ7llEsPKM4H4yJ06tbCkWgy1RiUMqhxhEcQZkC4aY4pSD8ma9OjBqAE5BU3nd7MjaAJi4yCrzLv/s400/200.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><div><br />Done with the salar for now, we headed up toward Potosi and then Oruro, making our way through what might be the most beautiful scenery I’ve seen in 15 months of traveling. The final 60 km from Uyuni to Potosi is absolutely jaw-dropping, especially if you catch the late-afternoon sunset light. I was on the BMW, not own bike, so my camera was not as quickly available, and I missed a lot of photo opps for the remainder of this trip. (My bike was back on the trailer again, cause leaving Uyuni, one of the bolts that holds the handlebars on rattled out and left me with barely-attached handlebars.)<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq4wK5oq7wkou2PC4yF-EMrk6WDWPHc1fIMDT4EmV3xAi5IwIQSkKsp-oUVOqMgsXAkqJDc4-KBna6chgfmf2gjsGTWn3JWwMNseg32BLVUeL_5RkNcY18LPNqzz311luHK5yl9z4peClU/s1600-h/210.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 300px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377811370776098338" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq4wK5oq7wkou2PC4yF-EMrk6WDWPHc1fIMDT4EmV3xAi5IwIQSkKsp-oUVOqMgsXAkqJDc4-KBna6chgfmf2gjsGTWn3JWwMNseg32BLVUeL_5RkNcY18LPNqzz311luHK5yl9z4peClU/s400/210.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF7I7kaJ1B7zIyoAnA9XwKSAdAYRXxrVJ9EVjbDNlV3bp5HAQiYUCqb_LzVcMjOkMkNQ__6Dvmrc-Dee7DFZYISJp-TlnbejFpaQVQJeRDLfi9wLeH_yWaEw2F-gC5W19n-npbxMlBAjmO/s1600-h/220.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 293px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377809125964006418" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF7I7kaJ1B7zIyoAnA9XwKSAdAYRXxrVJ9EVjbDNlV3bp5HAQiYUCqb_LzVcMjOkMkNQ__6Dvmrc-Dee7DFZYISJp-TlnbejFpaQVQJeRDLfi9wLeH_yWaEw2F-gC5W19n-npbxMlBAjmO/s400/220.JPG" border="0" /></a>One of the reasons for this trip was to test the truck and trailer that would be used for Moto Rider tours. (To carry a spare motorcycle for our tourists in case a motorcycle breaks down.) Glad we put this thing to the test! Cause after two initial problems with parts bending or breaking, one of the leaf-springs finally broke, leaving us on the side of the road with tires that were being chewed up by the low-hanging trailer. The truck had its fair share of electrical problems, too, but we were able to still finish with it.<br /><br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXZLL4OjXHqQhs5gBUCAX1vPKPugnLZj0YW0mEX1fXqh8zoxr1AfAziSkDwHzr8IAwsQoB3lR2slcuH1gpllaY9TfXyKjnqd4B8b1sQ6hr_4ZLmHFjMOwdlXB_Jzu-3TjN_49jrapIQbvI/s1600-h/240.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 295px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377809112246107250" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXZLL4OjXHqQhs5gBUCAX1vPKPugnLZj0YW0mEX1fXqh8zoxr1AfAziSkDwHzr8IAwsQoB3lR2slcuH1gpllaY9TfXyKjnqd4B8b1sQ6hr_4ZLmHFjMOwdlXB_Jzu-3TjN_49jrapIQbvI/s400/240.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFPonaEvYUN2lvFbrfbmFlV3D1m9af7OrEoTefHpeDdyr1ycomosdGOIzZMJLLkD46rDSR-ktYkllmLuSwwbtkSGnKOCeeKhs4kVJ7tWEschmJKcf0l2FEsRr64si3eScoQC0dicOHT14f/s1600-h/250.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 289px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377809104348941138" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFPonaEvYUN2lvFbrfbmFlV3D1m9af7OrEoTefHpeDdyr1ycomosdGOIzZMJLLkD46rDSR-ktYkllmLuSwwbtkSGnKOCeeKhs4kVJ7tWEschmJKcf0l2FEsRr64si3eScoQC0dicOHT14f/s400/250.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoE62tbUaLFn5mPm2-z-XfBy7dvJNFGJ8YfFAuMzIXrcFmSZYWNLGgZ_00e6tyKbF9x_VZZadbc4D0OiBpDAhX-5uWOV-mC3LQU5VM_OjrO8_0ihan8iyao4B98jZy_oKAbMrEV_L4MpUq/s1600-h/260.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 300px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377809102400409186" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoE62tbUaLFn5mPm2-z-XfBy7dvJNFGJ8YfFAuMzIXrcFmSZYWNLGgZ_00e6tyKbF9x_VZZadbc4D0OiBpDAhX-5uWOV-mC3LQU5VM_OjrO8_0ihan8iyao4B98jZy_oKAbMrEV_L4MpUq/s400/260.JPG" border="0" /></a>Thoroughly disappointed with the issues with the trailer, Daniel decided we’d just dump it on the side of the road in Bolivia, and make the manufacturer build us a new one. Tough part about that was, I had to do some “mending” to my motorcycle with the handlebar situation, because without the trailer….I had to ride my bike. Which brings us to another reminder for all people riding motos long-distance: Good strong tie-down straps, and plastic zip-ties can fix so much stuff! I rigged up the bars just right so it wasn’t an issue, and riding slow and easy would be no issue. Sure enough…..all the way to Iquique, Chile…..it wasn’t a problem.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5DCTqayoFP6Fl3IrfB0QAVYXapWtV-03kZfygkwEv4-BFu0jCclc8yBUvSam0M4xS60O0VvStwQeUys7PJBdSdLwQ10cWXbLvfoIwztzpKn8WecdoO_7rNNhrkHzGY9ObJ-1wwQHm6Yr9/s1600-h/270.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 262px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377806532132339218" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5DCTqayoFP6Fl3IrfB0QAVYXapWtV-03kZfygkwEv4-BFu0jCclc8yBUvSam0M4xS60O0VvStwQeUys7PJBdSdLwQ10cWXbLvfoIwztzpKn8WecdoO_7rNNhrkHzGY9ObJ-1wwQHm6Yr9/s400/270.JPG" border="0" /></a>(Some small town of like 100 people, and Nico's giving this kid what might be the thrill of a lifetime on the BMW for a quick spin around the town. His expression was priceless.)<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJpqxlEfn9fB9jZE04LWzulQCgeUqCpJYUC3Bkch-5cCBmzjMPdwYb4tR_JPQjy5P9yb8Oxe9xS8vhxYAEP3W3ilgaftmmBugxhzy1tZUtJqgKdMG56V5U80IGLfZB1gfeoOzj-ZN19vFL/s1600-h/280.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 300px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377806525266085730" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJpqxlEfn9fB9jZE04LWzulQCgeUqCpJYUC3Bkch-5cCBmzjMPdwYb4tR_JPQjy5P9yb8Oxe9xS8vhxYAEP3W3ilgaftmmBugxhzy1tZUtJqgKdMG56V5U80IGLfZB1gfeoOzj-ZN19vFL/s400/280.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_xCH_LsoDBGbfnDBOf07rt_VYLFE5wjg_ViNlhuhtHItMK6m2I38IzVhmGqkIlzfGCpqFvYkldjxUwTVbvoJ9p9Yw75dRgc6vqrsNPesh_fuJZKVQuRAWHuCn-ZyCqQ2dXbAzRYYWtxNY/s1600-h/290.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 300px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377806512158905570" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_xCH_LsoDBGbfnDBOf07rt_VYLFE5wjg_ViNlhuhtHItMK6m2I38IzVhmGqkIlzfGCpqFvYkldjxUwTVbvoJ9p9Yw75dRgc6vqrsNPesh_fuJZKVQuRAWHuCn-ZyCqQ2dXbAzRYYWtxNY/s400/290.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-lRKOz_B5TtYhqqgf23tGMb6_a7qmDtNBYjF9DtYFhFdFtVPMMd1EZYRWA6HmxpxveQGbYJ8ByQrCualffaTaPvCbKNoFLJL-_atwtgE2orMfXNymyMs31Vb5SqssLa7UNqjY_tjYD1J0/s1600-h/300.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 316px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377806501447846594" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-lRKOz_B5TtYhqqgf23tGMb6_a7qmDtNBYjF9DtYFhFdFtVPMMd1EZYRWA6HmxpxveQGbYJ8ByQrCualffaTaPvCbKNoFLJL-_atwtgE2orMfXNymyMs31Vb5SqssLa7UNqjY_tjYD1J0/s400/300.JPG" border="0" /></a> Above is a good example of how the roads in Bolivia sometimes just "disappear," and you're stuck trying to wiggle over to another path that might still work. And below shows pretty well the ever-present sand storms on the east side of the Andes Mountains. I've actually had to buy goggles to wear under my helmet now, cause the shield on the helmet doesn't do enough to keep sand out of my eyes.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvCLkxGfqxu-6fK1VPA73hR3HAlSr-FLzY9hYZEdC279Oyg0MmtBghBIKFMvlUrnMKztnpGnyniypUQf2YlRj85klU2ja_kB4xqKdq-AhKOOPbpK_PeZGbj7dYnb5tDadO7afO88F_Rx9_/s1600-h/310.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 300px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377802385431726962" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvCLkxGfqxu-6fK1VPA73hR3HAlSr-FLzY9hYZEdC279Oyg0MmtBghBIKFMvlUrnMKztnpGnyniypUQf2YlRj85klU2ja_kB4xqKdq-AhKOOPbpK_PeZGbj7dYnb5tDadO7afO88F_Rx9_/s400/310.JPG" border="0" /></a>I met Jose, known as "PPS" at his workshop in Iquique and we worked on my handlebars to secure them better until I found the right parts. Known as "PPS" for some reason having to do with "GPS," Jose is famous for knowing every road, trail, and site in northern Chile, so as I'll soon explain, we might be working together soon. Nos vemos pronto, amigo!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7sj_g5NDrz96d9Pfa2rj2p1yRrlKSwLqzyryHtqRz-vWqDc6N-xlIHl72yJCqqTn1XMSBAH_dcj23O3xMwjrmfmNmMdBuIY5TXTXrwwAG6Vw3utIYKlXXSZPdtekhCLiW_lZ0tRAHZBhq/s1600-h/320.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 300px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377802375428452930" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7sj_g5NDrz96d9Pfa2rj2p1yRrlKSwLqzyryHtqRz-vWqDc6N-xlIHl72yJCqqTn1XMSBAH_dcj23O3xMwjrmfmNmMdBuIY5TXTXrwwAG6Vw3utIYKlXXSZPdtekhCLiW_lZ0tRAHZBhq/s400/320.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />The rest of the ride down the coast to Antofagasta will be a great finish to any tour. Sun on your back, those beautiful coastal mountains and dunes to the left, and clear blue water to the right…..it’s a great 400 kilometers.<br /></div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsi8n6j_BFcqlYrWzWQXxylAhOoRTkTNADxJWjziE-ZEYGcpeyreGf-U_rv5MApS91rOJElJ7cCDFDZAQ1mUpp-ctFdmYr_SruO8NCCMnxx-xyB8XR6i3QcIfxl4o4ov3f5CNUuWvJKr6i/s1600-h/330.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 300px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377802364874898962" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsi8n6j_BFcqlYrWzWQXxylAhOoRTkTNADxJWjziE-ZEYGcpeyreGf-U_rv5MApS91rOJElJ7cCDFDZAQ1mUpp-ctFdmYr_SruO8NCCMnxx-xyB8XR6i3QcIfxl4o4ov3f5CNUuWvJKr6i/s400/330.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3TiF3LRemiVdN6KfqQT8o57Z_HmoNpunmYU9WvjtZ-ZU89t3zhOWL4-ZFFuhcU_ga0OvjFycVEdmOa3-PzZZPLUXNPPRXnz3WWba5irofnEVvXjYuLNDbzI-UTf23rqLh9P4Z-AcQzqZF/s1600-h/340.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 300px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377802358859803250" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3TiF3LRemiVdN6KfqQT8o57Z_HmoNpunmYU9WvjtZ-ZU89t3zhOWL4-ZFFuhcU_ga0OvjFycVEdmOa3-PzZZPLUXNPPRXnz3WWba5irofnEVvXjYuLNDbzI-UTf23rqLh9P4Z-AcQzqZF/s400/340.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Amazingly, I wasn’t able to feel the damage to Julius’s front wheel even when riding on smooth pavement, but finally back in Antofagasta, I noticed he’d suffered some damage probably somewhere on the nasty roads in Bolivia. (Fortunately, I’ve been able to get a repair to this in Santiago for about $50, and it looks like it will hold up just fine.)</div><div><br />The good news is, this tour ended with Daniel and I making some specific plans for me to start working for him, and just like that……for the first time in about 10 months……I HAVE A JOB! The ultimate idea is that I’ll be leading folks on Moto Rider’s motorcycle tours once the company is up and running, but in the meantime, I’m really kind of a “jack of all trades” worker. (More on that in the next email.) My first job though was to get the truck and a bunch of gear back to Santiago on a two-day drive.<br /></div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbJdNSLwxjz2ARjWcvjI3AoKdEl7DK8roGeg67MseoSSsE6MpQniLhqBflQ_mKQiybkSC2N_Z9c8kbpYIzET8rlziKx5oCZTOJLXWQ5wTg9V5BC4_yzOXQnf-OR3e7b0nJSrHwKTMQ7DLg/s1600-h/350.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 300px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377802352666235746" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbJdNSLwxjz2ARjWcvjI3AoKdEl7DK8roGeg67MseoSSsE6MpQniLhqBflQ_mKQiybkSC2N_Z9c8kbpYIzET8rlziKx5oCZTOJLXWQ5wTg9V5BC4_yzOXQnf-OR3e7b0nJSrHwKTMQ7DLg/s400/350.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div></div><br /><div>So with Julius’s front wheel going with me to Santiago for those repairs, I parked him at the hotel where we are opening another office, had a little talk with him about what a good boy he is, and said goodbye to my pal. Initially, the plan was that I’d be working in our Santiago office for a couple of months, so it was to be a pretty long time apart!</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8wt7vtJrgICN-4e1h6PBv1np6wYTGecLLENVCSGKHFXLlGaBpLjosKhAq2WJQou1Qw1I8ux40ZKKAHKEJSYwmB-t21LXMePo3eKJWt_iPkaQVXNEJ8UCkbcunToeW8DaNC4T2b-UdsDB0/s1600-h/360.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 300px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377799781935909522" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8wt7vtJrgICN-4e1h6PBv1np6wYTGecLLENVCSGKHFXLlGaBpLjosKhAq2WJQou1Qw1I8ux40ZKKAHKEJSYwmB-t21LXMePo3eKJWt_iPkaQVXNEJ8UCkbcunToeW8DaNC4T2b-UdsDB0/s400/360.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIN19EqodKYI6pl3spTtnNKdPkF119Wlf6K5LmQOrl1huN0mNedysA9tcDVA7ZMDR5b-r_JQRxmWKmGQGT8lAF3aWPuDifhcpOmHtyfAv6Ts1dZcSDX4GEQZBvfOOz9xq-drFMIJnJP7Kh/s1600-h/370.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 296px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377799777684957506" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIN19EqodKYI6pl3spTtnNKdPkF119Wlf6K5LmQOrl1huN0mNedysA9tcDVA7ZMDR5b-r_JQRxmWKmGQGT8lAF3aWPuDifhcpOmHtyfAv6Ts1dZcSDX4GEQZBvfOOz9xq-drFMIJnJP7Kh/s400/370.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div>The drive south with the company truck from Antofagasta to Santiago s a pretty simple 18 hours or so, and it gave me the chance to see “El Mano del Desierto” one more time. People are always comparing their hand-size to mine, so it was interesting to be on the other side of that comparison for once. But what is that thing this time on the thumb of the hand? Wasn't there last time I visited....</div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmgzSy9rLpB3tWRi5-0c8tM6HvF7SPIwByeziU6cl-PbAo4Hf6nKWThaHhXjTa7JtJ3KTvb2V-IiDM-1Oe4Qz4HhzAUsrU5RONhFAYywXmYbbQK9LT9VmMOqVcHlCPx-4JXNDwYNC9sgdn/s1600-h/380.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 302px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377799768309142322" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmgzSy9rLpB3tWRi5-0c8tM6HvF7SPIwByeziU6cl-PbAo4Hf6nKWThaHhXjTa7JtJ3KTvb2V-IiDM-1Oe4Qz4HhzAUsrU5RONhFAYywXmYbbQK9LT9VmMOqVcHlCPx-4JXNDwYNC9sgdn/s400/380.JPG" border="0" /></a> Why............or what .......what is that..........I can't tell quite.........<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2SsOgsRgyjjfxvCJ7JpmtZmkT2EsKEUWgCLseRrWEMWruyZ18PRc_nKIWUSzinpQEUKaER31jD4Zi43MMbIzNNag7uGHPIauQW8bdu7p5p_B_929Sk2r82TB6QTpHiW6YpBuXB0bp0dOa/s1600-h/390.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 264px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377799758975748082" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2SsOgsRgyjjfxvCJ7JpmtZmkT2EsKEUWgCLseRrWEMWruyZ18PRc_nKIWUSzinpQEUKaER31jD4Zi43MMbIzNNag7uGHPIauQW8bdu7p5p_B_929Sk2r82TB6QTpHiW6YpBuXB0bp0dOa/s400/390.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><div></div><div></div><div>Is that...........is that who I think it is?</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1AWqsQkA9SppYh9BcT4TgSha6_rbiAGz3zkt-6SEMfM7jg3m2eQRqKJfZz77FSOTapH_KlwUC00AyX9bnsUwAKLxX6yUJ2WWKoIuDHeHhn4AJaLm_zX-chV5vapI_5BG-TdHDpi4SfZiD/s1600-h/400.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 300px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377799757498985090" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1AWqsQkA9SppYh9BcT4TgSha6_rbiAGz3zkt-6SEMfM7jg3m2eQRqKJfZz77FSOTapH_KlwUC00AyX9bnsUwAKLxX6yUJ2WWKoIuDHeHhn4AJaLm_zX-chV5vapI_5BG-TdHDpi4SfZiD/s400/400.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><div>Are you serious? Ladies and Gentelmen........it's Greg Matzek! What's he doing here in Chile? I tell ya.......that guy gets around. Radio shows.....television shows.....Brewer's games........what a star. <span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM</span></div><div>Ha, ha.....miss ya pal. More updates coming soon, and I'll explain more about this job with Moto Rider. It's pretty amazing all the great things that have happened, and continue to happen to me in the 14+ months since I left my home in Atlanta. More in store, for sure. </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br /><p></p><p></p><p></p>Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167788727809920660noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208095771200046727.post-81752285736901963722009-08-06T21:11:00.000-04:002009-09-05T19:30:43.249-04:00Adv #7 Continued: Finally....making it to the famous San Pedro de AtacamaOkay, the last posting finished with me rolling into the beautiful area of San Pedro de Atacama in northern Chile. Life has been extremely busy since then, and the reasons for that will be evident as I explain what’s going on (I finally have a job!)<br /><br />My time here in San Pedro as shown in these pictures below was just entirely for my own experience and exploration. San Pedro itself is just a tiny community of about 2000 people, but it’s a real hotspot for tourism as the scenery surrounding is just incredible. Here in the Atacama Desert at an elevation of 8000 feet, the desert known as the driest place in the world, some amazing geological phenomenon all come together to form this amazing landscape.<br /><br /><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifHKItpwaruoCt8CFR07MRijxl-AQM5yXnGFsk0Bw4tdO5IxkSKVe3-MYUs3IsqeDF_0OaH8gYsNvQavKeENcuNvx384tL_1XtWRMO1S5BeukanNToB4o0ZzD_fNwSaHmT8T7Oq2r1fwzW/s1600-h/10.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367045172622162482" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifHKItpwaruoCt8CFR07MRijxl-AQM5yXnGFsk0Bw4tdO5IxkSKVe3-MYUs3IsqeDF_0OaH8gYsNvQavKeENcuNvx384tL_1XtWRMO1S5BeukanNToB4o0ZzD_fNwSaHmT8T7Oq2r1fwzW/s400/10.JPG" /></a>Just after having chosen a hostal to stay at, a guy named Orlando (from Rio de Janiero) and his friends asked if I wanted to join for a horseback ride for the afternoon. I guess I hadn’t been on a horse since the beaches of Oregon, about 1 year earlier? </p><p>The scenery we saw headed out through valleys in the area was fantastic, as shown in the pics. It’s so funny though, the differences between the U.S. and Latin America when it comes to physical activities and adventures with tourism companies. In the U.S., of course there’s paperwork to sign, questions to answer, probably a brief overview on what you should know. Here in Chile? The guide asks “have you ridden before?” Everybody nods “yes,” and we’re off and riding, just like that. No paperwork. No preparation. And the terrain they took us on was quite extreme considering we might have all been liars with friends that are lawyers......ha, ha. I couldn’t manage the camera and the horse at all times, because the terrain was so difficult. Couple of the photos show the trail we took, and how much of a test it was.</p><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh29eq4kJP_749sJl-ETYsacLGbxvP2ijxYf3IjT-FiQzGLP92oM7gc_wqXvfKrpnpuc-gDnCMY2i2gjKyh5e29ecnYcLCdx_uA3lOP89CtPcp6Yi2UaoNDlhN9jWISFmCFEOfkEVTBHvin/s1600-h/15.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367045170905725266" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh29eq4kJP_749sJl-ETYsacLGbxvP2ijxYf3IjT-FiQzGLP92oM7gc_wqXvfKrpnpuc-gDnCMY2i2gjKyh5e29ecnYcLCdx_uA3lOP89CtPcp6Yi2UaoNDlhN9jWISFmCFEOfkEVTBHvin/s400/15.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS3dkVE6uaYNvwcDlG9OVfB9F7O4EzTlvvtzASBHQiTTW5gcPJ9BdMzgxC07SCYnFzcbNcR92ow7rf6QUWkS8JbJljoPVDWo_-pOso3jyiarleTFw_iKUXJKBwY2spFgrP55LgvznRyzjq/s1600-h/20.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367044228568102930" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS3dkVE6uaYNvwcDlG9OVfB9F7O4EzTlvvtzASBHQiTTW5gcPJ9BdMzgxC07SCYnFzcbNcR92ow7rf6QUWkS8JbJljoPVDWo_-pOso3jyiarleTFw_iKUXJKBwY2spFgrP55LgvznRyzjq/s400/20.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgAdUvQPi17TOJA5Sr3XPqm2R00cpZ-qvv2-evjVmHgkYgJ_WhKOeu4ihwSrXLwb48Kr4KydbzTK3iiy0PDrdtZ-5bzKhvbiA-M41mA0-Q4eIxmllEhSmXKKN39FYe8XAd-tgIjvevA3x9/s1600-h/30.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367044227415336274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgAdUvQPi17TOJA5Sr3XPqm2R00cpZ-qvv2-evjVmHgkYgJ_WhKOeu4ihwSrXLwb48Kr4KydbzTK3iiy0PDrdtZ-5bzKhvbiA-M41mA0-Q4eIxmllEhSmXKKN39FYe8XAd-tgIjvevA3x9/s400/30.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGOhyphenhyphen866syupWFbuf2tyKQuNQx6iIFWWo_9BM0h95AIDPqh0MmpaCQc4pQvf-RiF1BL_c1Nll4cpY7Yfb3tN_WYG6GgaiQdZ50yYolnkz4-IVD8gJn-sMx09v9oZQBwM07QWxv5YsNWSp_/s1600-h/40.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367044216309503922" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGOhyphenhyphen866syupWFbuf2tyKQuNQx6iIFWWo_9BM0h95AIDPqh0MmpaCQc4pQvf-RiF1BL_c1Nll4cpY7Yfb3tN_WYG6GgaiQdZ50yYolnkz4-IVD8gJn-sMx09v9oZQBwM07QWxv5YsNWSp_/s400/40.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOyecd4LJKBxSrBBbXq5lIp7mn2vP_tKaBX-5c70lthtZ8oFZ5cnLMyxYp-LOYMZUC_BKzIlxaiDzAheXko6p0eW1544EMXaX2_z8OL-l14eQKTfuKlbsQ2pMVtTJH7-3fcEEsoYaT3-aj/s1600-h/50.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367044214351794898" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOyecd4LJKBxSrBBbXq5lIp7mn2vP_tKaBX-5c70lthtZ8oFZ5cnLMyxYp-LOYMZUC_BKzIlxaiDzAheXko6p0eW1544EMXaX2_z8OL-l14eQKTfuKlbsQ2pMVtTJH7-3fcEEsoYaT3-aj/s400/50.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL7maEIhSR6b0rKWqGwBN-LVmjA2TUWSP-N2S5hZMfILkYxiZ1iUF-fk-o62DQWavmdXdgT0ZArU8xV2pT4ToFdpWH79mrwB6s3jDdS5BGqgMODJ6EuKWTE_JdFUqX3ozis6UIEypTlmKM/s1600-h/60.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367044209173940066" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL7maEIhSR6b0rKWqGwBN-LVmjA2TUWSP-N2S5hZMfILkYxiZ1iUF-fk-o62DQWavmdXdgT0ZArU8xV2pT4ToFdpWH79mrwB6s3jDdS5BGqgMODJ6EuKWTE_JdFUqX3ozis6UIEypTlmKM/s400/60.JPG" /></a></div><div></div><div></div><div>The next day, I had time to myself to check out the Aldea Tulor Ruins that were only discovered about 60 years ago, having been buried in sand for about 3000 years. After that, I went to the famous Valle de Luna (Moon Valley) named appropriately, cause it really does make you think you’re on the moon. Not a minute after entering the park, you start to see these sand dunes and textures and colors that really do resemble the moon. (Not that I’ve been there. Yet.) Everywhere you go though in this National Park, there’s beautiful scenery and sites that I just couldn’t seem to capture perfectly on camera. To compliment the colors and rock formations on the ground is the most blue sky I have <u><strong>ever</strong></u> seen in my life! Again with the camera, trying to capture that color….it’s just something you have to see in person. I almost killed the battery on my motorcycle cause I was stopping and starting every 200 yards to take another photo!<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNpgINqlYn4izXKHS2KcROxm4-BQiDT6z830w8YPPbf8FMN_WUVxaja3D4XOhO1_en7gRUfr5su3_6Ukj7E85X2U76AI-IdEUkfRpoyMQlGhUqlw7dBuqy4cExxIqNxr_fhEIFzA_DSpGa/s1600-h/70.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367042910997181842" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNpgINqlYn4izXKHS2KcROxm4-BQiDT6z830w8YPPbf8FMN_WUVxaja3D4XOhO1_en7gRUfr5su3_6Ukj7E85X2U76AI-IdEUkfRpoyMQlGhUqlw7dBuqy4cExxIqNxr_fhEIFzA_DSpGa/s400/70.JPG" /></a>(Yea, these mine fields are no big deal. If you ride your motorcycle fast enough, the mines can't explode fast enough to bother you It works......Julius is so fast : )<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4nrAnDsHDuhfxH7g97cWo6G1wi4AAeNaPLnucsMXprifZbLzFeLX56PymWKycfuRmh0p1GJirIweaqQbkX-jTP_eC8QPKi2We7P9rXbfpHaCVjI08qdvy-6EUiMc_HbXh8BraHSEOQg2y/s1600-h/75.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367042906852240034" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4nrAnDsHDuhfxH7g97cWo6G1wi4AAeNaPLnucsMXprifZbLzFeLX56PymWKycfuRmh0p1GJirIweaqQbkX-jTP_eC8QPKi2We7P9rXbfpHaCVjI08qdvy-6EUiMc_HbXh8BraHSEOQg2y/s400/75.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9aGgZFFASPOjAkivvJb1my3eILHJkGBW214pRViSk4d6ZQUGNAGtJFmbevFzNiJoNlGJlY6ui6ObzHIAxytL9HnFr2U9OjKkQTykYf9rmNdsSo9xdFraPQZ8BJV4fS8I-keMLMyBaVtK9/s1600-h/80.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 301px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367042896282573730" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9aGgZFFASPOjAkivvJb1my3eILHJkGBW214pRViSk4d6ZQUGNAGtJFmbevFzNiJoNlGJlY6ui6ObzHIAxytL9HnFr2U9OjKkQTykYf9rmNdsSo9xdFraPQZ8BJV4fS8I-keMLMyBaVtK9/s400/80.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6x6jnyS4WOWh5UuEgJmnWsKLtOEWkW3-Is2bR9GcvHwTlubaX6lsfvZiuyeV7Au5u7dgX2OQbzw9C7sjA-EZ7lYPvCo6nglWbjMO_fAqkMoWXx7LEUb9TzkxVn6FEkzPvFXlN5-ePnFNL/s1600-h/90.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367042892527495090" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6x6jnyS4WOWh5UuEgJmnWsKLtOEWkW3-Is2bR9GcvHwTlubaX6lsfvZiuyeV7Au5u7dgX2OQbzw9C7sjA-EZ7lYPvCo6nglWbjMO_fAqkMoWXx7LEUb9TzkxVn6FEkzPvFXlN5-ePnFNL/s400/90.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWcytOIJkmyDI1fD8S2HulHE0wIHb9NEUVjszmySdCI9mZpAkg-bAE4hEIKy1Nag1GAk2v9-IFzbhBxYquolEYTTqssuMpd13d46Et-oRHhY-FyUGCxx6I45T80RtYs3SY8TiyG1SHqUoI/s1600-h/100.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367042889190986434" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWcytOIJkmyDI1fD8S2HulHE0wIHb9NEUVjszmySdCI9mZpAkg-bAE4hEIKy1Nag1GAk2v9-IFzbhBxYquolEYTTqssuMpd13d46Et-oRHhY-FyUGCxx6I45T80RtYs3SY8TiyG1SHqUoI/s400/100.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7vkapchbpRvrwAriFxdhYd_p_575yKZPLACVJC1jk8i1ByDKPf-l1WmckNtZN0b6ICp7SW7dJhfdoiHUHNxaRxMiE_ZK5FvkuiqmHb48Hgp70xCEVDS5kaMzSv-sKl1Sq7h8Kk0Z2IGmQ/s1600-h/110.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367041436241084338" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7vkapchbpRvrwAriFxdhYd_p_575yKZPLACVJC1jk8i1ByDKPf-l1WmckNtZN0b6ICp7SW7dJhfdoiHUHNxaRxMiE_ZK5FvkuiqmHb48Hgp70xCEVDS5kaMzSv-sKl1Sq7h8Kk0Z2IGmQ/s400/110.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCtYGOGvzeyy-wWBL1oSnsLqUQqMzglPf05YD-vYVW-HB4EDtiysHo0LxJsxQSC4YfIKW3xtQz9Bskgn0ZwDcap0Y4eKdcTuB33rALLJA87SnZCyk7VpGkuDIA-ltdwCcwshMTT9oKakBj/s1600-h/120.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367041428154205810" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCtYGOGvzeyy-wWBL1oSnsLqUQqMzglPf05YD-vYVW-HB4EDtiysHo0LxJsxQSC4YfIKW3xtQz9Bskgn0ZwDcap0Y4eKdcTuB33rALLJA87SnZCyk7VpGkuDIA-ltdwCcwshMTT9oKakBj/s400/120.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh82bIXfTurf5iuku4RK7PmOUvPWXJCFaNZ7O4QyV-FSPzVvFri4DcUeNHDS9SIJlrfkco9JnH-90tZ1MPbp6osCTlofsMrnrZJ1yJyM2YJssP6WJrbopDj5RupJzJMjPy0ImcuLD8KSUBr/s1600-h/130.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367041424508489090" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh82bIXfTurf5iuku4RK7PmOUvPWXJCFaNZ7O4QyV-FSPzVvFri4DcUeNHDS9SIJlrfkco9JnH-90tZ1MPbp6osCTlofsMrnrZJ1yJyM2YJssP6WJrbopDj5RupJzJMjPy0ImcuLD8KSUBr/s400/130.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXvm_6kdKZH3gHv7Ih2bGW-CDdgycRH-nwjS3JE_neDIVJaavqrgMtOxEISkPB4ZTAhBAyGdDu1py8IW08J3ldhiXiu_vzMQ6H7eA_1LHQcUzc1-KZbD1G3vi9HE_oy4m5btw3VjvdLAKW/s1600-h/140.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367041414975968018" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXvm_6kdKZH3gHv7Ih2bGW-CDdgycRH-nwjS3JE_neDIVJaavqrgMtOxEISkPB4ZTAhBAyGdDu1py8IW08J3ldhiXiu_vzMQ6H7eA_1LHQcUzc1-KZbD1G3vi9HE_oy4m5btw3VjvdLAKW/s400/140.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifM2_mE3I3PCa2lbkXJQ_38azN8SmIqZXAnG4-ZylFHatA9REhN2GJV8HrUWlzdxNCqLjZThDI_ZppBGzd3z58HTA8LmJ2J0naqsucqm4bepW3eYu_JJkunTy1iiNdagMhrnbtzO9lhyphenhyphenNS/s1600-h/150.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367041411063911730" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifM2_mE3I3PCa2lbkXJQ_38azN8SmIqZXAnG4-ZylFHatA9REhN2GJV8HrUWlzdxNCqLjZThDI_ZppBGzd3z58HTA8LmJ2J0naqsucqm4bepW3eYu_JJkunTy1iiNdagMhrnbtzO9lhyphenhyphenNS/s400/150.JPG" /></a><br />As I had been told, tourists show up by the dozens to watch the sunset from one particular dune. Here in the driest desert in the world, beneath what must be the clearest sky in the world, the best part of the sunset was actually turning around and watching that full moon rise behind us. So crisp and so clear….ya gotta go to San Pedro!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_rvrGbCm0roUBiIVPv3xkVTK2ZrRCZ_nZ8voxFBoaiL6uuxmeXgvtsBgKCsn83zyIgpsSMSI01zacXFsXG2Bvgj94-0bf_LbBP_b3S0EbiJqagoAkmmTuEfcOszPI2ULHXRDVj5uhZZnB/s1600-h/160.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367035340651876050" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_rvrGbCm0roUBiIVPv3xkVTK2ZrRCZ_nZ8voxFBoaiL6uuxmeXgvtsBgKCsn83zyIgpsSMSI01zacXFsXG2Bvgj94-0bf_LbBP_b3S0EbiJqagoAkmmTuEfcOszPI2ULHXRDVj5uhZZnB/s400/160.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGHsHNj-QGzJAXgkxc9A0O26t4XIf4wXQPhuEHlbdG0zcjuL4xz8pTptdR84Xq9tr0jBJM1P6On5-Uq82rR8POiNRw3kZO6z2aIze5SFX7P6eyArYStp3dWAU7De0vEimKw293gpHn7Ro8/s1600-h/170.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367035335500450370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGHsHNj-QGzJAXgkxc9A0O26t4XIf4wXQPhuEHlbdG0zcjuL4xz8pTptdR84Xq9tr0jBJM1P6On5-Uq82rR8POiNRw3kZO6z2aIze5SFX7P6eyArYStp3dWAU7De0vEimKw293gpHn7Ro8/s400/170.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL8DmR4m7lTHN9uTP0LDTZ04gk7pLsq3do9DQaANyN8MsyUdqaZg7vK1dxk63fz8wMGY2Im-ZZltgzeXU1ntGqPdPPel2yPjDTdPK7IDMzu_x95YBQ1EYUZVlyVt1_OpgfF9dH571EMqDa/s1600-h/180.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367035325685226242" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL8DmR4m7lTHN9uTP0LDTZ04gk7pLsq3do9DQaANyN8MsyUdqaZg7vK1dxk63fz8wMGY2Im-ZZltgzeXU1ntGqPdPPel2yPjDTdPK7IDMzu_x95YBQ1EYUZVlyVt1_OpgfF9dH571EMqDa/s400/180.JPG" /></a>Funny how the combination of a digital camera and a moon-rise like this can have you firing off so many pics. I bet I took about 30 pictures.....finally settling on these few...<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX9RmgMg4BLhXcQaMMEEqmPmERWYIyEzQCMJV8VEYKI5IY8TkoOJmPoirrB4hF0e4X3dLYXIlZQyPGHhojLDlkNsb_qjdYhMrBj7tAUcMkyjg05O_scVCzf7gPSbETvGnlfMPguErHG7km/s1600-h/190.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367035321775679122" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX9RmgMg4BLhXcQaMMEEqmPmERWYIyEzQCMJV8VEYKI5IY8TkoOJmPoirrB4hF0e4X3dLYXIlZQyPGHhojLDlkNsb_qjdYhMrBj7tAUcMkyjg05O_scVCzf7gPSbETvGnlfMPguErHG7km/s400/190.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGHCcH2faUCMhV5JEcA5ZsMBDZNYBLeMouzYXoWN3OtEKgVKIoZK0n1poCbCo3dH33Xz4amoDOR5tojIRSCf_ec8drTbY9OGtm1T7x6c6kwxKTsE3JHORqrg-ZMhAoAcclCzYZaX0NcCie/s1600-h/200.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367035317650160738" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGHCcH2faUCMhV5JEcA5ZsMBDZNYBLeMouzYXoWN3OtEKgVKIoZK0n1poCbCo3dH33Xz4amoDOR5tojIRSCf_ec8drTbY9OGtm1T7x6c6kwxKTsE3JHORqrg-ZMhAoAcclCzYZaX0NcCie/s400/200.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj58FFBjFpJQsI3dQmc0YEpoP6ZurYI22HmjvyMkbafRu2vysQF1qG5Kel5HSonUWe7r4RIv1nI9dGExYAwocO3O5SwN6sTV_0clTgKKOGWJyLKwKZuCrDOJBa7Glv2QuSm-ROmZraON67L/s1600-h/210.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367032223184034738" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj58FFBjFpJQsI3dQmc0YEpoP6ZurYI22HmjvyMkbafRu2vysQF1qG5Kel5HSonUWe7r4RIv1nI9dGExYAwocO3O5SwN6sTV_0clTgKKOGWJyLKwKZuCrDOJBa7Glv2QuSm-ROmZraON67L/s400/210.JPG" /></a><br />A few weeks of speaking only Spanish was finally broken up when I had the chance to meet Woody, Grace, and Adam, all from those beautiful United States of America! Seriously, I have not met many Americans on my trip, so when I get to speak English as such, it can be a real relief. Woody had ridden his KTM Super Enduro all the way from Grand Marais, Minnesota, and Grace and Adam….riding 2-up on a Kawasaki KLR 650, rode all the way from the Seattle area. They had all met on the boat crossing from Panama to Columbia, and then over the course of Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia, just coincidentally crossed paths again. Dinner out was a treat with my fellow Americans, and it’s too bad they all had to head south to Buenos Aires quickly for other commitments.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK29V7tLhLKU5S7nnrqcb44BoPBG39jq6GaxRK8D5ydJGJwNsXwpsp3pRrr9mEWhKoSFVwTWuWO2Joj_FfgE8uBd3PyGKX1oAIrMJhs9godDj8A6DJQZlHpsSQQx7U9NkELK_gDuO7vXki/s1600-h/220.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367032219626658754" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK29V7tLhLKU5S7nnrqcb44BoPBG39jq6GaxRK8D5ydJGJwNsXwpsp3pRrr9mEWhKoSFVwTWuWO2Joj_FfgE8uBd3PyGKX1oAIrMJhs9godDj8A6DJQZlHpsSQQx7U9NkELK_gDuO7vXki/s400/220.JPG" /></a></div><div></div><div></div><div>El Tatio Geysers are supposed to be an amazing site about 100km north of San Pedro, and most tourists there are getting into jeeps at 4 am to see the geysers in the morning light when they are at their peak eruption. Well, San Pedro is one extremely cold place (-8 Celsius overnight when I was there) so I decided to wait till mid-day and go with my motorcycle in the warmer weather. Okay, I messed that up, not realizing that the geysers are only really productive in the morning, but look at the scenery along the way on the ride there!<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsuJz__dY45zabIxjzvaF_CLM0IgRm0a29pmChcw6dGZa2QK9RZZGCMctKdXAlCOvPRF-kgJ_XD_VkCvjHIWCTPlOAJ3Z_QT_YEmVFmx6RSvScBxsENQ8c3ADVwonaa0hoDi6fJL_ECeuT/s1600-h/230.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367032213539729362" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsuJz__dY45zabIxjzvaF_CLM0IgRm0a29pmChcw6dGZa2QK9RZZGCMctKdXAlCOvPRF-kgJ_XD_VkCvjHIWCTPlOAJ3Z_QT_YEmVFmx6RSvScBxsENQ8c3ADVwonaa0hoDi6fJL_ECeuT/s400/230.JPG" /></a>Alright, Jim C....what kind of a cloud is that?<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCrl6aiZMfs84UQnH17qQItVJtzkERsyL86cNCklnpooiUohAfusF1FyJHdI-E3vciS_GJEWJTpPT0viZ4O9Z9bGccTFumOHQSlRalh5_CMXV4UwByNMqQOBRBqEbJfgnDKBH7H_CAiptz/s1600-h/240.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367032208462542002" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCrl6aiZMfs84UQnH17qQItVJtzkERsyL86cNCklnpooiUohAfusF1FyJHdI-E3vciS_GJEWJTpPT0viZ4O9Z9bGccTFumOHQSlRalh5_CMXV4UwByNMqQOBRBqEbJfgnDKBH7H_CAiptz/s400/240.JPG" /></a><br />The awful dirt road quickly shoots up from about 8000 feet to 15,000, and still in this amazingly cold and dry place, I passed a couple of frozen ponds with some of the natives out trying to feed (I think?) The colors in this rugged, totally natural terrain are amazing. The word "raw" comes to mind when I see the landscape. Completely untouched terrain, no signs anywhere....barely a dirt road, and no pavement......it's really something up there.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Wk-40CrjHph2ziXEZA1WDRbR2gdKOYoPOP8QHkR8z5DgKHoRPMjTnD8xvIOnsLuoOfUL2i9nkiIc5J-wYadeFp8HhSOzi3zb-d520HoNloRckxXxCT-Eu03iu0QVT5W2k4mP1m3TzElH/s1600-h/250.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367032199271314274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Wk-40CrjHph2ziXEZA1WDRbR2gdKOYoPOP8QHkR8z5DgKHoRPMjTnD8xvIOnsLuoOfUL2i9nkiIc5J-wYadeFp8HhSOzi3zb-d520HoNloRckxXxCT-Eu03iu0QVT5W2k4mP1m3TzElH/s400/250.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAbY2M4a_ozEkBHdfNPVflqoBAp3PnftQwznCT7JsMr3dQ0SkKCdKfVQ7i13r8H-p3N1VHTBJCcW2JsFye3VjZ6A8Vk9qGAW2RSUdkz9aUwkWIuId2hcmL0lXIaQ5LHiHnj9cCoJ0N0aMv/s1600-h/260.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367028542077341026" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAbY2M4a_ozEkBHdfNPVflqoBAp3PnftQwznCT7JsMr3dQ0SkKCdKfVQ7i13r8H-p3N1VHTBJCcW2JsFye3VjZ6A8Vk9qGAW2RSUdkz9aUwkWIuId2hcmL0lXIaQ5LHiHnj9cCoJ0N0aMv/s400/260.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Psny39GphQMUa6AIdCQyqEn9QA2B1e1GQ9R1Dg1j54DZZH1frrlwiF4GbowUmvUX0CZXX_1mwbCxE1FWDs7Ze9qsRNIay_VzSoIho5iRdlMt8J5N8wjxd3Tu9wdmfGgAJwL9Bk_4p8XD/s1600-h/270.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 302px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367028534382390882" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Psny39GphQMUa6AIdCQyqEn9QA2B1e1GQ9R1Dg1j54DZZH1frrlwiF4GbowUmvUX0CZXX_1mwbCxE1FWDs7Ze9qsRNIay_VzSoIho5iRdlMt8J5N8wjxd3Tu9wdmfGgAJwL9Bk_4p8XD/s400/270.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWOwU2BjP7wGrR9cNngi3oU3g7DVSv4905V0Z114_zOuyyT7kJy5IwTuJ79hXKgabcL1qWAnDi1pcIgdJrqeooGwEMs3l3vu8UkiwQio48Q5S0kvFp-ZUP1L5iVP45IVYF658qRmTTJUEl/s1600-h/280.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367028530283799570" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWOwU2BjP7wGrR9cNngi3oU3g7DVSv4905V0Z114_zOuyyT7kJy5IwTuJ79hXKgabcL1qWAnDi1pcIgdJrqeooGwEMs3l3vu8UkiwQio48Q5S0kvFp-ZUP1L5iVP45IVYF658qRmTTJUEl/s400/280.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLOwmrIxACKiyRJ0Wj_jfGbWSwqbIqZOdSwJX6FQAM5xuqiz6HIGSsQElT_WyN80C6ugYCEkbCJYJqxB7xmvzHmO0J5CNsdN8FYBTN6UHhRrNaUCtbLUCNTLSRZqlMv6z2sqggL51HjN56/s1600-h/290.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367028526814733874" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLOwmrIxACKiyRJ0Wj_jfGbWSwqbIqZOdSwJX6FQAM5xuqiz6HIGSsQElT_WyN80C6ugYCEkbCJYJqxB7xmvzHmO0J5CNsdN8FYBTN6UHhRrNaUCtbLUCNTLSRZqlMv6z2sqggL51HjN56/s400/290.JPG" /></a>The colors......the natural colors in this landscape are incredible! The ride to the geysers hugs the Bolivian border the whole way, and it's hard NOT to stop and take pictures every few hundred yards.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-3T63Q5q5lHgXe-L9QPwkEUVocJvAELkWhGMyN26D4R2uKyEjfSydU9tRr9vPK9xC41caII5g2Ynj9nWzcLBB8YAb_y_UUNeJNsZqGrFg3_68ZQrKdJmGAq3_TaVf7tnl07mvRANoSrsE/s1600-h/300.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367028519254392370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-3T63Q5q5lHgXe-L9QPwkEUVocJvAELkWhGMyN26D4R2uKyEjfSydU9tRr9vPK9xC41caII5g2Ynj9nWzcLBB8YAb_y_UUNeJNsZqGrFg3_68ZQrKdJmGAq3_TaVf7tnl07mvRANoSrsE/s400/300.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFdQ4ZjzTn2PgH4biUC4ssVa07q0qybS1vMFVn6LQqZtfjJUH1Trrw8lF3u23ICApfDq0oFa6iMZAATcx7sC39Y6ZlyGEZhz4kjKwlSN3ykYgrwHvOdXQ_IkNDJB1ns5hZdQJZYI2k8BsP/s1600-h/305.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 278px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367026334577628738" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFdQ4ZjzTn2PgH4biUC4ssVa07q0qybS1vMFVn6LQqZtfjJUH1Trrw8lF3u23ICApfDq0oFa6iMZAATcx7sC39Y6ZlyGEZhz4kjKwlSN3ykYgrwHvOdXQ_IkNDJB1ns5hZdQJZYI2k8BsP/s400/305.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiAzbtOfe7QDnCVN4uXdwqgidWneZr75cMdjY5M5hSFgxips0wpmezQTao7EfAMgDWNtUM0DRlZbIGTDKHss9SHU5fi1drURPF6C8OsGUWAcvHuMkk0OqF6b5wWoUasGEjAcfbMfwQH4kn/s1600-h/310.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 296px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367026321810927730" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiAzbtOfe7QDnCVN4uXdwqgidWneZr75cMdjY5M5hSFgxips0wpmezQTao7EfAMgDWNtUM0DRlZbIGTDKHss9SHU5fi1drURPF6C8OsGUWAcvHuMkk0OqF6b5wWoUasGEjAcfbMfwQH4kn/s400/310.JPG" /></a><br />So the next day, Divina from England invited me to join her and Kari from Philadelphia (another American, finally?) for a first-time adventure of <u>sand</u>boarding. This opportunity had caught my eye a couple of times since arriving in Chile, but somehow it never worked out before this. Divina had found a good deal for us to rent bikes, and carry the boards on our backs about 5 miles to the designated boarding area.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCYvWX_Knmnpg4toP4-MH18BgAzbKr_-aAJ-YN7Ywnqkts77EvCAeSAzrtw__b2mtFtSAV4cUFj1c2laqmIslHjsYYL0A9i2uOOVSnQ4jEAoNpbywZ4k4lMJsyz0vYja18DeAmuYMhkmrW/s1600-h/320.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367026320767427618" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCYvWX_Knmnpg4toP4-MH18BgAzbKr_-aAJ-YN7Ywnqkts77EvCAeSAzrtw__b2mtFtSAV4cUFj1c2laqmIslHjsYYL0A9i2uOOVSnQ4jEAoNpbywZ4k4lMJsyz0vYja18DeAmuYMhkmrW/s400/320.JPG" /></a> (Seriously, does the picture below help capture how blue that sky is in San Pedro? It's a good picture.....but still, not even close to the real thing.)<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQffJZ-6GJ-O7EdtcUQTtkw8jUrAUpGrfjRBjX1CSuxCoLAmeFr7P3HAnvp7AKH0mFhs5pyoZC1M7qqcXryxx5W4JppZY-IEEAXQg2FZXoe7Zj7rUylhfLIOdRbzhIAzFvmRnOhgjWFN5i/s1600-h/330.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367026316101745586" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQffJZ-6GJ-O7EdtcUQTtkw8jUrAUpGrfjRBjX1CSuxCoLAmeFr7P3HAnvp7AKH0mFhs5pyoZC1M7qqcXryxx5W4JppZY-IEEAXQg2FZXoe7Zj7rUylhfLIOdRbzhIAzFvmRnOhgjWFN5i/s400/330.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN0SqrzpSlgRgjFNT2BPf8Nb1QCJThZKpVnd7RhU7MDrjhu01-Elr4vETij8n2Ov1VLcmpLdEU4HlBQAy2ZDzIkEi3DZnZYedEO9CM_KDExRSfBGRgYy7VqZzx6ZKJzjGCxdXQcrTmXHQJ/s1600-h/340.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367026304809067106" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN0SqrzpSlgRgjFNT2BPf8Nb1QCJThZKpVnd7RhU7MDrjhu01-Elr4vETij8n2Ov1VLcmpLdEU4HlBQAy2ZDzIkEi3DZnZYedEO9CM_KDExRSfBGRgYy7VqZzx6ZKJzjGCxdXQcrTmXHQJ/s400/340.JPG" /></a>I hadn’t been on a snowboard since I toured the Alps in 2003, so it was quite a rush to finally feel that again. Okay, <em>sand</em>boarding is actually much slower than actual <em>snow</em>boarding, despite the heavy amount of candle wax we were instructed to apply. Point straight down the hill though, and you can get moving pretty fast. Of course at this elevation, we each only managed the climb to the top a few times following a pretty significant bike/hike to get there. (No oxygen, no chairlifts…..no way!)<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggyvcVldJtAvd7cohv5NoofjwU9BtgZ5TUTOnhKFP-uNsYzn1FiIBIq2JI2uhwRNdWfYmwbPrTyelddxdD0iYnSxNWrGqKIUNXak4k4qSjscokSZa2KTDEnt9C6xn8wNqd4a_PBEV8ZP4o/s1600-h/350.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367024892536517858" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggyvcVldJtAvd7cohv5NoofjwU9BtgZ5TUTOnhKFP-uNsYzn1FiIBIq2JI2uhwRNdWfYmwbPrTyelddxdD0iYnSxNWrGqKIUNXak4k4qSjscokSZa2KTDEnt9C6xn8wNqd4a_PBEV8ZP4o/s400/350.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho5s9Dwgh-t1QvImgJRzpPeEprjc-MCpofczUYr8BFYqefNsYFglnIeJY7fU0DpJFZH9QCUDygQMVKhiaiJqxYTp0yugipCw5zNWWcnLdkmbai6AOcfYtkIx_1jn3woumyqoAVidYH7M_A/s1600-h/360.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 294px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367024888369829458" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho5s9Dwgh-t1QvImgJRzpPeEprjc-MCpofczUYr8BFYqefNsYFglnIeJY7fU0DpJFZH9QCUDygQMVKhiaiJqxYTp0yugipCw5zNWWcnLdkmbai6AOcfYtkIx_1jn3woumyqoAVidYH7M_A/s400/360.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTySEELm5gwiYxZEIIZRKWYsavXgvZ6G1VtnMEKUiDZYSDaIIsPO6_HeyraSrGhckE3JAl6fOjTYUWYbR7T891gDFXnsIsXzSoZTI3yP9-ljl-1UK-XRe1dJHF6fD0ch0tUcajNcQH6T6j/s1600-h/370.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367024884016836434" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTySEELm5gwiYxZEIIZRKWYsavXgvZ6G1VtnMEKUiDZYSDaIIsPO6_HeyraSrGhckE3JAl6fOjTYUWYbR7T891gDFXnsIsXzSoZTI3yP9-ljl-1UK-XRe1dJHF6fD0ch0tUcajNcQH6T6j/s400/370.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIpN7jR2kZ_zDXUSukXSRiequLOlWY03D8NbaYjoxKLPGlQLcQDT2hL5IQCepo0d6ZKXL-U8fBELd5hpPVOLBXaLAcDneoz6CLgPtRbNr0RqVy1amB4FSoC9hBsoPL3Gxpu-s0DrgVhXl0/s1600-h/380.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367024880978975682" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIpN7jR2kZ_zDXUSukXSRiequLOlWY03D8NbaYjoxKLPGlQLcQDT2hL5IQCepo0d6ZKXL-U8fBELd5hpPVOLBXaLAcDneoz6CLgPtRbNr0RqVy1amB4FSoC9hBsoPL3Gxpu-s0DrgVhXl0/s400/380.jpg" /></a><br />So I finished my time in San Pedro by quickly seeing the Quitor ruins as I was leaving town. (They are the remains of what was essentially a fortress protecting the community long ago.) Aside from wanting to get out of the extremely cold weather every night, San Pedro is also a very expensive place to hang out. Add to that the fact that I needed to meet up with Daniel, the owner of Moto Rider in Calama, and my time in San Pedro was finished! Well, for now….<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoQ0ug7g3iRWr5IGvQhpktDIU995Lhd_PygYkd8oDIq-0rMtF9V1jpjgYpA2AURfudzEt67WUxXmDSLZKiiPkOWlT-qYoOpTtI8j4V-3FhxO7mIMOAZEAFkPpozqsuVtOLamVuYORsIqfm/s1600-h/390.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367024866425817810" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoQ0ug7g3iRWr5IGvQhpktDIU995Lhd_PygYkd8oDIq-0rMtF9V1jpjgYpA2AURfudzEt67WUxXmDSLZKiiPkOWlT-qYoOpTtI8j4V-3FhxO7mIMOAZEAFkPpozqsuVtOLamVuYORsIqfm/s400/390.JPG" /></a><br />I'll explain more about the job situation in the coming posts.....it's pretty cool though..... : ) </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167788727809920660noreply@blogger.com4