A Travel Story by Chris Smith and Liz Peel
We've finally got the bike now. It took a while ( a week late) but it arrived in one piece. US Customs was a doddle, signed a few pieces of paper, swore to be good and rode off into the sunset!
Well, we didn't expect to writing another update quite so soon but we've seen so much in the last few days that we thought we'd do one before we forgot just what we have done. After waiting out the weather in Jackson Hole, Wyoming we decided to bite the bullet and ride on to the Great Teton National Park and then to Yellowstone. As soon as we cocked a leg over the bike the inevitable happened. The weather got worse. The only reason we know we rode through the Great Teton National Park was the fact that the Ranger at the entrance gate asked to see our National Parks Pass.
It is with extremely mixed emotions that I am able to tell you we have resumed our trip and are now in Florida preparing the bike for the next leg of the trip, to Canada.
Well, we've been in Mexico for just a little under a week (at time of writing this). Without wishing to sound smug I'm writing this sitting with a beer beside me and looking out over the most idyllic bay I have ever seen (no exaggeration). Picture desert mountains of burnt umber and sage leading down to a perfect golden beach encircling almost completely a bay of deepest turquoise blue so still you'd think you could walk on the water. We have a room in a guest house and our door opens out onto that beach. We've been here two days and we haven't seen anyone else on this beach yet.
Its been a while since our last 'group update' and I guess for some people this will be your first update as you were foolish enough to give us your email address when we bumped into each other on the road somewhere! It seems that everywhere we go we keep meeting people, having a few beers or a meal together or on occasions spending several days together. This trip of ours is turning out to be quite a social epic and is all the richer for it.
We have spent the first few days getting used to America and driving on the other side. We left LA virtually straight away and headed over the mountains to Joshua Tree National Park, out in the Mojave desert. The scenery is incredible, I have never experienced a desert before and it is so vast here. The mountains just go on and on. We camped in the NP for 1 night but it was so cold, we had to find a motel the next night. The weather there is so extreme, intense bright days with deep blue sky and very cold nights, it even snowed on the mountain tops.
I never thought I'd say this but we've been feeling a bit 'treed out'. Since Canada we've seen nothing but trees, EVERYWHERE. We're ready for a change of scene and not being ones to do things by halves Death Valley seemed like a place that would be that change. We've ridden through a few desert areas on this trip and love them. Every desert has its own character and mood and the more time we spend in them the more we appreciate them. In Sequoia NP we met Mark, a lone biker from New Mexico, taking some time off work to ride around the country and have a break.
Its only been a month or so since we came back into the States but it feels like an awful lot longer. Since getting a caution for speeding we've completely ignored it and ridden round the country like to people possessed to take in all the sites we can as we head south for the sun. We pretty much rode through Washington State without stopping until we hit Oregon. Oregon must be one of the best kept secrets in the States as no one told us how beautiful it is. The coastal road (Highway 101) is spectacular all the way to California.
After a tough time back in the UK we crossed the Atlantic once again to resume 'The Trip'. Landing in Miami we stayed a few lovely days with Chris's brother and family bringing the bike out of hibernation and doing the Florida tourist bit which was just what we needed. Florida has no shortage of things to do but Disneyland and beaches aren't us so its an advantage having family there who know what we like and came up trumps every time.
We've just spent a month or so in British Colombia and it seems like five minutes. Our time there was packed with doing stuff, seeing stuff and at times seeing absolutely nothing at all through the rain. As we expected it was pretty cold up North but it was worth it. We got there just that little bit too late to get as far North in Canada as we'd have liked but that's life. We just made the most of where we could get to.
In an attempt to be unpredictable we thought we'd send another update before you were expecting it! Since the 'Copper Canyon Update' we've, well, been back to the Copper Canyon. It was so good we decided to visit the Southern end of the canyon chains once we had got our new tire in Chihuahua. The Southern end of the canyons is every bit as fantastic as the Northern end but the canyon walls are a little more shear. We rode the bike along yet another dirt road for 20 kilometres or so to a look-out point in the middle of nowhere.
Weve been in Mexico for a week today. In some ways it feels like weve been here for ages and in others its like we just got here yesterday. Crossing the boarder from the US was really easy. We were even made to feel welcome, unlike US immigration! It was a real culture shock for us when we got here though. We knew it would be but even so it was supprising just how different Mexico is from England or even the bits of the US I/weve seen. The towns are something else. Its a bit like a really busy city imediately after a bomb blast.
On the 28th November we came back into Mexico south of Tucson and it was like coming home. The Mexican Immigration Officer sat and chatted to us for a while and showed us good places to stay on the map in his office. Stamping our visas came second to giving us a warm welcome. That's Mexico. Since crossing the border by and large its been hard riding south to get to the Yucatan and then on to Belize for Christmas. Even though for the most part we've just been riding rather than exploring we've still been having a great time.
We only plan to spend eight days or so in Belize. Yeh right!!!!!!!!!! having come into Belize on the 3rd January we were looking forward to nothing more than seeing Camille and Alex (our friends from England) and seeing a little of the country before riding onto Guatemala in a little over a week. Boy has that all changed. We did indeed meet Camille and Alex and had a fantastic time with them seeing and doing so many things but one of those things has lead to an unexpected outcome.
Having seen several Maya ruins and loved every minute of it we moved on to the coast for Christmas. We were going to go to Belize for Christmas but as we got closer and talked to more and more people about where to go we soon realised that Belize could be more expensive than our budget would allow so we made other plans. Again having asked around for recommendations and with time running out we found ourselves in Mahahual on the Costa Maya a little above Belize and right on the coast but still in Mexico.
At the time of sending our last update we had just arrived in San Christobal Del Las Casas having ridden 2500 miles in a little over a week. We were riding hard so we could spend Christmas in Belize but still have time to take in the sights of Southern Mexico and the Maya World. On reaching San Christobal Del Las Casas we couldn't believe our luck. We'd arrived just prior to the weekend celebrations of the Pilgrimage to the Virgin of Guadeloupe.
It hasn't been too long since our last update but it feels like a lot longer than it actually is since we temporarily parked the bike up, adapting to being in one place for a while has taken a bit of effort. No longer getting up every morning and packing our gear onto the bike to ride off round the next unknown bend feels odd. Instead we find ourselves planning a different form of logistics for each day. Are the machetes sharp? Is GPS working and will we be able to carry enough water for our next foray into the jungle?
The situations we find ourselves in on this trip of ours never ceases to amaze us. There we were, all geared up for a leisurely ride round Central America only to find that within a week of actually entering the first of the 7 Central America countries we find ourselves being hijacked by a conservation organisation called Wildtracks. Upon arriving here we found ourselves reeling somewhat from the abrupt change in our situation but it hasn't taken us long to settle in and feel at home. Wildtracks consists of a select motley crew of volunteers and staff.
Well, life remains surreal for us in Belize. Our work completed for Wildtracks (the conservation organisation we were working for) it was time to move on. We were both ready to move too. Despite all the good times and the worthwhile work we were feeling the need to crank up the bike and ride again.
We've been on the road for nearly one and a half years now which obviously makes us experienced "overland motorcycle adventurers". We're no longer "wanna-be's" or the people who need to ask the questions of the inexperienced. We've been there and done it all! So, here we are in Guatemala riding to Antigua on tires that are once again bald and in need of replacement. Every mile counts. We ride into a lovely town as we get closer to Antigua, the streets are cobbled and the builldings are Colonial and unmolested.
501 days on the road is a long time by anyones standards. Does it feel like we've been traveling for that long? In some ways yes, in others no. When we look at the bumps and bruises on the bike or the huge number of photos we've taken we know we've been on the road 501 days. At other times we wonder where the time has gone. Have we really been in Central America for 6 months and ridden over 36,000 miles. Its nearly a year since we were in Canada but it seems like yesterday.
Somehow life on the road just keeps on getting better. In our last update we said that we were craving a little adventure. Well, since then we've certainly been having adventure! Panama began for us with endless discussions of entering the Darien or not. The Darien is a pretty impenetrable jungle steeped in legend, myth and ruled by Columbian guerillas in the border area. Guerilla activity varies almost on a week by week basis but they are always around.
When the subject of Colombia comes up its all too easy to talk of
guerrillas, kidnappings and danger. Yes, Colombia has all that but there's another side to the country, a side that never seems to be given the justice it deserves. Without a doubt Colombia is the friendliest country we have ever had the pleasure of traveling through. With one exception we received nothing but hospitality and friendliness.
We came to Ecuador with 3 things on our minds - To meet our good friend Ricardo Rocco, rebuild the bike after 19 months of rough roads and rough riding and to go to the Galapagos Islands. We have seen very little of Ecuador so far as we rode straight to Quito to meet Ricardo. Ricardo is known as the South American Ambassador for motorcycling with just cause. His life is Motorcycling and anyone who passes this way generally stays with him. When he's not traveling himself he spends his time doing whatever he can to smooth the way for people like us.
We left the South American Ambassador for Motorcycle Travelers two weeks after returning from the Galapagos Islands having undertaken 52 separate repair and overhaul jobs on the bike. Ricardo Rocco is a friend we shall remember dearly and think of whenever Ecuador comes to mind. With a seemingly new bike we rode off through the Andes for the Quinoloa Loop. A 200 mile loop of dirt roads meandering through the extinct volcanoes and indian villages of the Andes. Ricardo had told us that this was one of his favorite rides so, for us it wasn't to be missed.
Peru, Llama Land. Its a country which conjures so many images, Inca ruins, snow capped mountains, rich indian cultures, and of course the llamas. Everyone thinks of the same things when thinking of Peru and we're no exception. However, we've added a few extra images to our list since we've been here. Robberies, terrifying mountain roads, freezing nights and insane bike chasing dogs. There's no question that we love Peru but either we've made it hard for ourselves or its just hard full stop.
A sand storm is just beginning, we're at 5,000 metres and still hundreds of miles from any settlements. The sun is dropping behind the mountains and the temperature will soon be below freezing and will continue to fall until the sun rises again in the morning. We've just come off the bike and petrol is pouring out of the hole in the tank where the tool box has just gone through. Once again we've made it tough on ourselves!A sand storm is just beginning, we're at 5,000 metres and still hundreds of miles from any settlements.
It was a long and cold ride across Tierra del Fuego to Ushuaia all in one day but upon reaching Rio Pipo campground it was like coming home. We pulled up at the gate to be greeted by old friends. Alec, Martin and Katya, Martin and Siliva and others. Hugs and warm welcomes were exchanged as we tried unsuccessfully to get of the bike with sore backsides. It was the 23rd of December and despite the best efforts of fate wed bloody made it!
Christmas is long gone, as are the chills of Tierra del Fuego and for the first time in 2 years the compass is reading due North. In less than a month Tierra del Fuego was over 4000 miles behind us and we were back in the North of Argentina fighting off the mosquitoes again. These last 4000 miles had been an odd mix between enduring howling winds, the boredom of endlessly straight roads and the enjoyment of experiencing a vastness of flat landscape like nothing weve ever seen before.
Well once again we find ourselves diverting from our own personal travels to work for a while. Although this time it does involve motorbikes. We are well into ur first tour as guides for Globebusters and already lots of adventures and new friends. I am not going to repeat it all here but provide a link to the site for our Travellers tales.
Hope you enjoy the stories. The site is updated every few days so keep looking for the next installment.
Just click below and look for the Tales from the Road section.
Ive just finished mowing the lawn and Liz is cooking tea. How quickly social conformity takes hold once again it seems. On the surface anyone looking at us would think life has always been like this for us, but theyd be wrong. For two hand a half years weve had the time of our lives, experiences we will never be able to share or explain to anyone, even those people closest to us. To say we lived life to the full would be a huge understatement; we lived a lifetime every day and came to know ourselves and each other like never before.