Monday 07 Sept - Springfield

While the route itself can be a journey of discovery I think it would be a shame to not spend time in this facinating city. The first must see has to be Lincoln's restored house on 6th street.The national park service has purchased a portion of the street and have recreated the area as it would have been in the 1860's. The house itself has much of the original furniture and fittings so you can't help trying the imagine what great events have happened here.

A Small Museum in Troyes

An unexpected find in a Troyes back streetA small Museum in Troyes

One of the delights of being an independent traveler is finding the unexpected. Sometimes it is a small bar, warm on a cold day, where the locals embrace the traveler and tell you their special secrets. Sometimes it is a small museum or local history overlooked by the rest of the world. A visit to Troyes, 200 km east of Paris turned up just such a gem.

I Think An Evening At The Crow...

21/11/08. Pinamar, Argentina.

So it's bye bye C and hello AT. My 10-year-old, 35,000 mile Africa Twin which I bought on eBay and am somehow expecting to get me to Canada, has been nailed up inside a dusty crate for 6 weeks and sea-freighted diagonally across the Atlantic. It starts first time after being crow-barred free in BA, much to the delight of the cheery warehouse fellas and the relief and near-tearful gratitude of myself.

Rocky Mountain High and Homeward?

Getting up in Steamboat Springs, we rode through the Routt National Forest on US 40 over Rabbit Ears Pass (9,426 ft). The road up to and down from the pass was gorgeous, alpine meadows, forested mountains, the whole Colorado kick.

Stopping for gas in Granby before heading up 34 into Rocky Mountain National Park, I found a nail in Dad's rear tire. I stopped him before he could pick it out! We needed it to keep the air in there over the mountain and into Loveland, the nearest dealer I knew of.

More San Carlos

We're enjoying our fortunate situation here in San Carlos and are taking in some more sights and activities.Today consisted of getting up early and installing a ceiling fan in the palapa. It got deathly still last night and we were all just siting about under the palapa sweating like a whore in church. I had discovered they had a fan in a box in pieces so I assembled and installed a fan. So much better now. After that we hitchhiked into town with a nice guy from Tuscon, Juanito, who was on his way into town to fuel up a jet ski.

The mean machine

Baikal

Rain washes away a visit to Lake Baikal, but Mike and Jo manage to service Elephant and fit new tyres before heading to Mongolia.22 June to 29 June 2008

You're My Favourite Waste Of Time.

9.6.09 Colan, Peru

Hang a left (or "turn left" for those of you that don't regularly sport Wayfarers or believe that Teen Wolf is the second greatest movie of all time) off the Panamericana just after Piura, and 30 miles up the road you'll hit Paita, a quite pretty little port. Keep on movin' - don't stop - and you'll get to Colan.

Krakow

I spent two nights in Krakow, moving to a cheaper hotel for the second night. It is a beautiful city with what they say is the largest city square in Europe. Its surrounded by pavement cafes and upmarket shops, but food and drink is amazingly good value. I was told I got ripped off by paying GBP 2.50 for a 10 minute cab ride - but if that is my biggest mistake all trip I will be very happy.

Lumbini

We decide to follow a small road to Lumbini. The ride takes us through small, beautiful villages. Here we see the local life outside the mountain areas. The road is slow and therefore we arrive in Lumbini in the evening time. Here we encounter some Belgians who are interested in our story and we have a nice chat with them. Then we start looking for a hotel and get something to eat.

Day 4-5

my leg is a bit beternow that i am on my moms bike. i have athleats foot and it realy hurts. it is so boring going throu the usa wich is realy boring. we are 50 k from the border of mexaco. i am so exited going into mexaco

<center>A month behind schedule and I haven't even started!</center>