u:p:
Back In Rivera, Texas on March 8, 2009
Tierrra Del Fuego 2008/2009
Thursday's ride was great and I arrived back in Riviera, Texas at 4:00 P.M..  A small group of friends were at the gate to greet me.  I suspect this was arranged by my friend, Eileen Patten.  It was great to see everyone.  But it seems strange to not be on the road, to be looking for a hotel each afternoon, to be worrying about whether the Goose was going to spring an oil leak.  Speaking of oil leaks, I have two, but not in any aarea where Ken and Javier made repairs.  I know my right head gasket is leaking and there seems to be a second leak.  Tuesday the bike goes in the shop and high on my list of needs is to get all of the oil leaks fixed.

The trip lasted four months, three weeks and I covered 19,850 miles on the Goose, another 2500 miles by boat and approximately 1000 miles by air.  The trip was all I had expected and more, but there were a number of things that I expected that never occurred.
  • Neither the police nor the military harrassed me in any way.  No request, even a hint of a request, for a bribe. 
  • I never got ill nor suffered what some call "Montezuma's revenge".  I was careful of what I ate and only drank bottled water and it paid off.
  • I only had a couple of pair of gloves pilfered.  Nothing else.  Of course I guarded the Goose like a hawk.
  • I never saw a snake, crocodile or an alligator, even while I was in the Amazon.
  • I never had even one bad experience with the hundreds, no thousands, of people with whom I came in contact.  That is if I ignore their driving behaviors.
Reunited With The Goose on March 2, 2009
Tierrra Del Fuego 2008/2009
Up early this Monday morning, I found that my trusted BMW R100GSPD had indeed arrived at Centurian Air in Miami.  The office at Centurian opened at 9:00 A.M. and I was there soon thereafter.

Meeting with the office person, I was informed of a couple of unexpected fees that brought the total charges to $955.  No problem, except Centurian does not accept credit cards.  For the first time I was informed that payment must be either in cash or by certified check.  Luckily, I had some well hidden cash that I was able to locate. 

But before I could retrieve the Goose, I had to visit the U.S. Customs Office at the Miami Airport and get a release for the Goose.  A brisk and fast walk soon brought me to the Customs Office where I met with a most competent and pleasant Customs Officer.  Within thirty minutes, I had the completed release forms and was on my way back to Centurian.  After an hour of so at Centurian, the Goose and I were reunited.  The bike was in the same condition as it was when I left it at the Centurian depot in Bogota.  Dirty, well worn, in need of work but clearly ready to tackle the next 1500 miles.  By 11:00 A.M. we were departing Miami International Airport and were on our way north.

The excellent roads were a pleasure, but wait.......what happened to the 95 to 107 degree temperatures in which we have been riding the past several months?  Today was cool, no... cold!   Two hours later and I was outside of Naples calling my close friends, John and Teresa Gribbin.  Several hours later and we are still at the Gribbin's lovely home.  Tomorrow will also be cool, but I think I will be better dressed to tackle the long ride up through Florida and then  west through Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and finally back to Texas.

Then, we must visit Mexico since I still have to clear my visa in Mexico and let the officials certify that the bike has definitely returned to the U.S.  If I do not do that I will be subject to import duties of considerable size.
Miami Bound on February 28, 2009
Tierrra Del Fuego 2008/2009

Departing Barbosa early, I was bound for Bogota.  This large capital city of Colombia has a population of approximately eight million people and my destination was the airport and to find the offices of Veronica Mosquero Oviedo (311) 223-7841, the shipping broker for Lyncargo S.A. Numerous bike riders had posted messages on Horizons Unlimited attesting to Veronica's knowledge and skill in shipping bikes to destinations throughout the world at reasonable prices.  As I departed Barbosa I was still undecided about whether I was going to ship the Goose to Miami or to Panama City.

Pointing the bike south, we were off.  Traffic was heavy.  The hotel in which I spent Wednesday night was right on the road and throughout the night I had listened to the steady groan of large diesel trucks on their way to Bogota..  As I made my way south, I was surrounded by large trucks and busses.  The road continued to be curvy, up, down and through mountain passes.  Tight curves with trucks filling both lanes.  Once we were totally run off the road by an oncoming truck passing a bus.  Someway the Goose managed to stay upright.

Forty miles north of Bogota, the road suddenly was blocked with construction.  Heavy machinery filled the road and all that was moving was foot traffic crossing a temporary swinging bridge that had been  built over the river and ravine that lay before me.  A worker pointed to the narrow swinging bridge and I decided to go for it. Crossing over the mud and rock,  I was able to ease my way up on the foot bridge and slowly crossed over the river, reaching the south side, while holding my breath and resisting the urge to close my eyes.

The ride from that point on into Bogota was fast and I arrived on the outskirts of the city at 10:00 A.M.  I did not know how to find the airport but knew that it lay 15KMs northwest of the city.  Taking an exit to the west, in a few miles I suddenly saw a sign indicating "aeropuerto" and within minutes I could see El Dorado International Airport.  Finding Veronica's office was simply a matter of hiring a taxi to go to her address while I followed.

Arriving at Lyncargo's offices, I met Veronica who assured me that shipping the bike to either Panama City or to Miami would be no problem and that the costs were similar.  I decided that Miami was the wiser choice.  Both the Goose and I were tired and needed repairs.  We had completed the first portion of the adventure and had ridden all of the countries in Cental America and most South America that weather and the roads allowed.  While I really do want to return to Costa Rica and spend time with Art Smiley and Gary Pitts, I do not not want to battle the traffic and border crossings of Central America.  I can return to Costa Rica later to visit Art and Gary.

Veronica calculated to the costs to ship the Goose to Miami to be $911 and quckly filled out the necessary forms.  Sending me with a member of her staff to Centurian, the international cargo carrier with whom she works, I spent the next four hours dealing with the  bureaucracy of exiting Colombia and getting the necessary military and police inspections.  No one asked me to disconnect the battery nor to drain the fuel tank.  The Goose was going to be tied down on a pallet and placed on a flight without being crated.  It all seems too simple.

I was driven to the passenger terminal and purchased a ticket to Miami on Avianca, Colombia's national airline.  Morning finds me in Miami.  I do not know when the Goose will arrive so I am anxious, wondering if I may have to return to Colombia to retrieve my mount.  The earliest I can hope to receive the bike is Monday and then I have to clear U.S. customs here in Miami.  Then a 1500 mile ride back to Texas.

It seems odd to be  back in the States.  I can actually speak with anyone I see and they seem to understand me.  Traffic flows at a normal and orderly pace.  Large and beautiful hotels are on every corner.  And prices are high!  Two nights ago, I paid less than ten dollars for a hotel and parking in Barbosa, Colombia and tonight at the airport in Miami, there are advertisements for hotels near the airport at a cost of $150 or more. 

Now I will simply await the arrival of the Goose and then will be off on the 1500 mile ride back to Texas.  The bike is in dire need of mechanical attention.  The last oil chage was completed by Ken Duval in Buenos Aires.  My tires have over 18000 KMs on them and they are normally good for 12,000 KMs.  Ken had left me with a long list of repairs that were needed before the BMW would be back in top form so the next few weeks will find the Goose back in the shop being rejuvenated. 

I will continue to update this blog until I arrive back in Texas and complete this first segment of the adventure.  Over the next few days, the scores of photographs that I took on the Amazon will be posted. 

And we still have to ride to Alaska and the Artic Circle.  New Year's 2009 was spent at Ushuaia, Argentina,  the southernmost city of the world  and it seems approapriate that I reach the Artic Circle sometime in during this same year.  Who knows which of my frends I will run into on that leg of this adventure?

Riding the Northern Andes In Colombia on February 25, 2009
Tierrra Del Fuego 2008/2009
Mondaý night´s dinner with Ana Cecilia and Philippe was delightful.  Great company and superb food.  Such great hosts and ambassadors for Venezuela!

Tuesday  morning I crossed the border from Venezuela into Colombia, entering at Cucuta, Colombia.  It was my most difficult border crossing of this adventure.  First, it took me two hours to clear Venezuela, that and having to walk about two miles to purchase stamps for my exit fee.

Then, I found it very complicated to complete the temporary importation of the Goose into Colombia.  I was sent into the border town of Cucuta, some twenty KMs from the actual border crossing to the Adian (Customs) but no one there spoke English, and I speak about thirty words of Spanish.  Suddenly a young man stepped forward to help. In very good English he took charge and two hours later I had successfully entered Colombia.  The entire crossing took almost five hours.

Off to Bogota, I decided to at least try to travel 200 KMs into the country.  Not to be.  I had not factored in the Andes mountains, curves, the tightest I have ever ridden.  A road that was narrow, full of pot holes, sometime asphalt and sometimes rock, then dirt and after it started raining, mud!  Trucks with no etiquette, no conscience and all out to run me over a clift.  In three hours I managed to travel 107 KMs and stopped at the high mountain college town of Pamplona, a delightful city full of very nice people.  A city of 70,000 people at 2500 meters altitude.  It was cold and bleak but it turned out to be a nice evening.

The English professor at the University of Pamplona saw me, introduced himself and spent a couple of hours showing me around last night.  He encouraged me to stay for a couple of weeks and study with him and his students.  I should have met him when I started this adventure.

Up early this morning, I found the mountains cloaked in clouds and fog.  Trucks filled the road.   Diesel smoke belching in every direction.  But I was off, passing when I could, dodging the scores of trucks that simply were  in the wrong lane.  One actually forced me off the road and I had to duck my head to keep from getting struck by the truck´s mirror.  The first three hours I found I had traveled only 100 KMs.  However as the day progressed, the roads improved and the fog lifted.  I finally covered about 350 KMs today before rain forced me to stop in the small town of Barbosa, Colombia. 

This is one beautiful country.  High, steep and green mountains.  Crops growing up the  mountain sides.  Animals everywhere.  Goats and horses grazing on the sides of the road, without restraints.  Today I passed through Bucaramanga a city of  some 600,000 people and saw several herds of goats grazing in the parks and beside the streets.  How does anyone know to whom they belong.

Two hundred KMs from Bogota but it could take me all day tomorrow to get there.  I would like to visit the airport in Bogota tomorrow afternoon to firm up my plans but right now I have no idea how I will find the airport.
Dinner With New Friends in San Christobal, Venezuela on February 23, 2009
Tierrra Del Fuego 2008/2009

The decision is made.  I am on my way to Bogota and am now in San Christobal, Venezuela.  I should cross the border into Colombia tomorrow.  Last night found me in San Carlos, a nice city but I had no internet access.

Today, on the way to San Christobal I met Philippe and Ana Cecilia Latil and their nephew, Jesus Henrique  I had stopped for lunch when they pulled up in a new Renault. Within miinutes, Philippe and his family had introduced themselves and inquired about my ride.  Philippe is the owner of Latil Auto, S.A. in San Christobal and studied and lived in the U.S. for eleven years.  Both he and Ana Cecilia speak perfect English, which is good given my lack of Spanish proficiency.

Philippe has spent the afternoon with me helping me get some needed tire repairs on the Goose and also bringing me to his office so I could access his internet.  Delightful folks who have gone out of their way to help me, a total stranger.  Tonight I have the opportunity to have dinner with Philippe and Ana Cecilia which I am sure will be a delight.

Tomorrow I am off to the border.  I am told it is a two day ride from the border to Bogota.  I have not decided to where I will fly the bike when I reach Bogota..  My options seem to be Panama City or Miami.  I had planned to ride back to the U.S. through Central America but I first want to research the costs when I reach Bogota.  And to tell the truth, I am exhausted.  The heat, the latin drivers and my lack of language skills have all taken a toll.  That and nding ten hours every day in this heat.

Tomorrow will probably bring new thoughts!  But first, dinner with my new friends tonight.

Santa Elena to Ciudad Bolivar, Venezuela on February 21, 2009
Tierrra Del Fuego 2008/2009
Six O´clock this morning found me in the back lot of my hotel helping a Venezuelean man push a large truck in an attempt to start it.  Quickly realizing that I could not push it alone, I went out on the road stopping people on their way to...to seek help.  I must have seemed strange to the folks in this lonely outpost on the edge of the Amazon.  Eventually we got the truck started and I chalked that up to my exercise for the morning.

Santa Elena de Uairen, bounded on one side by the Amazon and on the other by the Gran Sabana.  Ah the Gran Sabana, beautiful, stark, green at times and rocky at times.  Immense with few people inhabiting this unique territory.  Literally thousands of square miles of beautiful undulating grasslands, scores of unique flat topped mountains called tepuis and some 300 small thatched villages housing the 15,000 indengenous people who make their home here.  And today, they allowed the Goose and me to join them for much of the day.

Five hours of riding rapidly through the Gran Sabana and I was finally in the low but challenging mountains that surround the Sabana.  Curvy and fast roads, beautiful forests, water falls....remember this is the home of Angel Falls, the highest and steepest dropping water fall in the world.

And then out of this natural beauty and suddenly into small towns, throbbing with noise, smoke, grease on the streets and trucks and cars belching smoke and fumes.  Military checkpoints were frequent today.  I must have passed a dozen but was only actually stopped three times.  And the young soldiers were entirely professional and friendly, quickly checking my documents, wishing me well and sending me on my way.

Venezuela is a major oil producer and the Venezuelean people have benefited from that.  Gasoline is almost free.  It cost me less than 50 cents to fill up my tank.  In Brazil it had cost in the area of thirty dollars.  However the filling stations are very basic, even crude and are far apart.  I suspect it will be difficult to find gas for the next three days as the people celebrate Carnaval.

Riding 432 miles today, I have stopped for the evening.  And with the night comes a need to make a decision.  Do I proceed onward to Caracas where I am now led to believe shipping the motorcycle will be challenging  and expensive or do I simply turn west and head for Bogota, Colombia, where they have much experience in shipping motorcycles both to Panama and to Miami.  By morning, I have to decide. 
Santa Elena, Venezuela on February 20, 2009
Tierrra Del Fuego 2008/2009
Leaving Boa Vista at 8:30 A.M., I arrived at the border at 10:30 A.M.  The road was good most of the way, however, the last thirty miles was a bit challenging.  Once again, the road was filled with pot holes.  the first 100 miles was a beautiful road, through dry and beautiful plains, filled with herds of cattle and horses.  Then suddenly I was in a low mountain range with curvy and very hilly roads.  However, the ride was pleasant and somewhat lonely.

Last night was a night filled with concern.  Everything I had read or heard indicated that the border crossing leaving Brazil would be difficult and I was led to believe that I may not be able to gain entry into Venezuela.  The night passed slowly with little or no sleep.  If I could not cross the border into Venezuela then I would have no choice but to turn back to Manaus,  take the boat again down the Amazon and ride another ten days or so back to Buenos Aires.  Sleep was impossible.

I had no cause for worry.  Arriving at the Brazilean border, I cleared the Brazil border in less than five minutes and was on my way to attempt to cross into Venezuela.  Arriving at the border with Venezuela, I was cleared to enter Venezuela in 45 minutes.  Everyone was very helpful and soon I was on my way.

I am now in Santa Elena de Uairen, Venezuela, where I have already found a hotel for the night and plan to get some rest.  I expect to depart tomorrow morning for Cuidad Bolivar.  I could be in Caracas by Sunday  night, however Monday and Tuesday are Carnaval, official holidays, so I am not in a hurry to arrive in the large city.  I am certain that I will not be able to find a company shipping motorcycles to Panama or even to Miami until after Carnaval.
Manaus to Boa Vista on February 19, 2009
Tierrra Del Fuego 2008/2009

The two days I stayed in Manaus were nice.  Ramayana Menezes and Lucio Ferreira, the two members of Brazil Riders, spent more time with me than I could expect and introduced me to members of their club.  In fact, Tuesday night we went out for pizza with their wives and several members of their club.  Then last night, they hosted a barbeque in my honor.  Attending were members of Brazil Riders and also members of Legion Phoenix Motorcycle Club. The president of the the club presented me with their club shirt, so I am now an honorary member.

This morning Lucio met  me at my hotel at 6:00 A.M. to guide me out of Manaus and on my way to Boa Vista.  By 6:30 we were on the edge of Manaus and I departed these delightful riders, striking out through the tropical rainforest to Boa Vista.  785 KMs, mostly good road, however there were times when the road was terrible.  Potholes, gravel, broken pavement and then several times when the road simply turned to mud.  About two hours traveling through the Indengia Reserve, an area where you are not allowed to stop and there are many warnings posted about the animals.  I have no idea what the warnings said.

The day was nice, no rain and not too terribly hot. Highway 174 is the only road out of Manaus and it runs north to Boa Vista and eventually to the border.  About half way, I crossed the Equator.  Just about three months ago, I crossed it in Ecuador as I was heading south.  Now, I crossed it heading north.  I am back in the northern hemisphere.

Today's ride was beautiful.  First the rainforest, then several low hills and finally a savannah type terrain filled with beautiful farms and ranches, all with large and beautiful herds of cattle and horses.

Arriving in Boa Vista, I am checked into the Hotel Uiramutam Palace.  Tomorrow, north to the border.  I expect this to be one of my more difficult border crossings but hope I am in Venezuela by mid morning.

Arrival In Manaus, Brazil on February 17, 2009
Tierrra Del Fuego 2008/2009
The Riverboat Rondonia finally departed Belem February 11 at 9:00 P.M. and  we arrived in Manaus last night at midnight.  Hot, humid, the occasional rain with slightly less than 500 passengers all crowded on the Rondonia.  At least 400 sleeping on the semi open decks in hammocks, shoulder to shoulder.  Hot, humid and somewhat boring, but I did not hear one complaint nor one cross word spoken the entire voyage.  Of course, I don´t understand five words of Portuguese, but I still was surprised at the graciousness of the passengers, all looking out for each other.

Six days and six nights, traveling at 10 to twelve knots per hour up the Amazon some 1400 KMs.  Passing many riverboats, literally hundreds of small canoes or Amazon boats and the occasional ocean going vessel.  Manaus is a major seaport despite being over 1500 KMs from the Atlantic.

The shoreline was not what I expected.  Many small farms and several nice herds of cattle, horses and sheep broke up the tropical forest.  Houses on stilts, without glass windows, but all housing families, provided the occasional change of scenery from the tropical forest.

The boat, to my surprise, stopped some ten times to load and unload cargo and to take on passengers.  Watching the men unload the heavy cargo by hand was our entertainment.  That and the constant loud Brazilean music that blasted day and night from speakers placed throughout the boat. 

The towns on the Amazon are surprisingly large, considering there are no roads connecting them.  Only the Amazon.  It is amazing to watch the natives ply the waters of the Amazon in their small boats.  Fast and so graceful.  Often small children, some as young as four or five, all making their way up or down the river.

Food was served right on time each day.  Breakfast at 6:00 A.M., lunch at 11:00 A.M. and dinner at 5:00 P.M.  Rice, noodles, beans and chicken or beef for lunch and dinner.  Cafe and bread for breakfast!  Not gourmet meals but nutritious. 

Hot, humid and very noisy for the full six days and nights.  I was one of very few in a cabin, but I still could not sleep because of the noise.

Luis Paulo Augusto, a member fo the Brazilean Navy, became my friend during this voyage.  He was the only passenger who spoke English.  A most remarkable man, Luis had self taught himself to speak English, studying from books and watching English language television shows.  Luis was 43 years of age and had been in the Navy 25 years.  A man of African descent, he has a wife and daughter who are joining him at his duty station some 1000 KMs further up the river.  I would have been miserable without Luis´ company..

Arriving in Manaus last night late, I suddenly heard someone calling my name.  Ramayana Menezes, a friend of  Alex Reis de Menezes  had come to the port to meet me.  I had decided to spend the night on the Rondonia, so Ramayana agreed to return back this morning to help me get the Goose off the boat and to find a hotel here in Manaus.. 

This morning Ramayana and Lucioo Ferreira, also a friend of Alex, were both there to help me find lodging in Manaus.  Tonight they have invited me to meet with several of their friends for dinner and refreshments.  They all are members of  Brazil Riders, the same motocycle club as is Alex.  Motorcycle clubs continents apart, taking care of fellow motorcycle riders!  All with a common interest!

I had planned to depart Wednesday morning for Boa Vista and ultimately Venezuela but my new friends have urged me ot stay here in Manaus for a few days.  Tonight I will decide, but I am anxous to get across the border before everything shuts down for Carnival.

Éager to get to Venezuela so I can make plans for my return to Texas.  Remember, I still have to cross the Darien Gap and I am hoping I can fly my bike directly from Caracas to Panama City.  I really do not know how to determine that except ot go directly to the Caracas International Airport and visit with cargo carriers and shipping brokers. 

Tomorrow I will explore Manaus.  I particularly want to see the Teatro Amazonas, the beautiful theater built during the rubber boom days when Manaus was known as the "Paris of the Tropics".
The Goose Is Safely Aboard The Rondonia on February 11, 2009
Tierrra Del Fuego 2008/2009
Unable to sleep, I was up early preparing to depart Belem.  I was partcularly concerned about being able to find the right dock and wondering how I could possibly ever get through all of the officials and guards to get the BMW on board the Rondonia.

However, at 8:00 A.M., into the hotel walked Alex Reis de Menezes (alexreisxt600@hotmail.com), my fellow Horizons Unlimited colleague and the owner of a motorcycle repair shop here in Belem.  Alex has made it his mission to come to the assistance of motorcycle travelers who are  in Belem.  With his aid, everything went smoothly and the Goose is now in the cargo hold of the Rondonia.

I also was able to visit my cabin briefly and found it to be adequate.  Small, with no window but it did have a nice bed, a shower and a small refrigerator.  Now if the air conditioner truly works, I should get some rest during this river trip.

Alex is really a great guy.  He has already contacted fellow bike riders in Maunus and asked them to help me upon my arrival in that city.  Later this afternoon, I will board the Rondonia with my baggage and we  will sail shortly after dark.  Yesterday, I bought the supplies that fellow riders have indicated I needed.  Bottled water, sunscreen, mosquito repellent, hammock, extra batteries for my camera and flashlight, medications in case of.........and of course toilet paper. 

Alex and his wife are coming to the Rondonia at 4:00 P.M. so we can visit a great restaurant on the dock.  It surely will be my last good meal for a week.  Now the big challenge will be to convince Alex to let this be my treat.

The gracious Portuguese owner of Hotel Unidos, here in Belem, just came down to wish me safe voyage and her daughter, Chrstina, presented me with gift of a local candy.  For those of you traveling through Belem, you must stay at Hotel Unidos.  Christina is fluent in English and both she and her mother are fabulous people.

Now this truly is my last posting for a few days.  Bon voyage!