Monterrico

I didn't want to spend too much time in Guatemala because I had visited the main attractions previously. However, I met two other riders who let me tag along and I was tired of riding alone.

Travelling without a bike

I have just had a fantastic month with my sister Abi and my nephew Claudio (aged 5 and my biggest fan). They arrived from England armed with family-sized bags of Salt and Vinegar Chipsticks and also 96 Jaffa Cakes (English biscuits) - a welcome taste from home.
So this BLOG entry is not about biking really as we took to the buses - it has made me appreciate travelling by bike all the more now -16 hours on a bus and I was pleading to be let off.

Update

Fab twisty tarmac road over to Cuzco, even the usual cow, sheep, alpaca, pig, dog, hole in the road or person (or all of the mentioned) thats usually round each corner in the middle of the road didnt spoil it! Cuzco is definately worth a visit. It has some amazing cathedrals, churches, and old buildings, it has a really good atmosphere about it. Went to the Norton rats biker bar and met Wolfgang, a German biker on a transalp. We had a really good day with him out on the bikes visiting some of the Inca sites, all similar to Machu Picchu but much cheaper!

13. Caraz to Huánuco

I left Caraz on Sunday, November 16-08, heading to Chavin de Huantar, an archaeologically important site because the influence it had in central South America. Its development starts since 2.500 years ago when Nazca Lines were also drawn.I’m sorry to say the Callejón de Huaylas (Huaylas alley) didn’t fulfil my expectation, at least up to the point I rode it: Catac. It’s a narrow valley that gains wideness up the river. Neverftheless, the vistas of the Cordillera Blanca are interesting, though the season is not the best because the clouds.
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On the road again....

I finally got my act together and was on the road again. The bike was heavy, shifting hurt, and getting on and off the bike was downright painful. But, it is a great feeling to ride out in the morning and leave everything behind.My last breakfast in the U.S. I told the waitress it would be my last good meal for a long time, but I was totally wrong.

Mama Espinosa`s in El Rosairo has been serving great food to travelers before Route 1 was paved.

Leaving Japan

I took Thelma to the shipper's warehouse, this involved a ride through Tokyo's finest traffic jams. Lane filtering alongside the scooter boys and generally being first away at the lights meant I got through in just one and a half hours. I was pleased to find that the warehouse was expecting me - in fact they had a picture of me in A4 on the desk and held it up to show me- I was relieved to see it was one of the more flattering ones. I had a minor "discussion" with the shippers about removing my front wheel. And for once I lost the argument, unfortunately this means the wheel stays on.

Episode IX: A brief sojourn in Bolivia, part II

The end of our episode in Bolivia.
The final few days, reaching the salar - a very surreal place. Harsh and unforgiving, I am not sure I can survive there for long. I think it´s even worse than the desert.

8. Chiclayo and arround

I stayed 2 days in Chiclayo (November 5 - 6), visiting Túcume, Lambayeque, Sipán,and Chongoyape. Next day, I left for Caxamarca, 286 km in 8.5 hours. The first 100 km, Panamericana in perfect conditions. But after that, a very bad road heads for Caxamarca, an important mining center.In Caxamarca I visited Cumbe Mayo (Narrow or Fine River: canal), This canal is about 9 km long and was used for pre-Inkas as irrigation system.

2006 August: Baja Crash

I was so happy to have made it up to Mike's Sky Ranch I figured it could only be easier on the way down, but I got a little surprise.I met two guys the night before and asked them to follow be down the road out because I was still worried about the road. I could handle to rocks, but that sand was something I never experienced before.

A Pillion Rider's First Day

A traumatic start to Annie's journey with me and here is how it unfolded-
Day One - only 30 mins later leaving the hotel than planned - the reception machine bounced back Annie's husband's credit card (nice gesture Terry, but we ended up having to pay cash).

Atlas Mountains

Week 10 - Taghazoute in Morocco to Fes in Morocco

Monday we got up early for a long ride to Marrakesh. The Mom and Dad support wagon said they would catch us up so we set off on our own. Back down the coast to Agadir and then turned north for the road to Marrakesh. We started climbing into the Atlas mountains almost immediately and the scenery was lovely.

The road to Wudu

"life is made of choices.
YOUR life is MADE OF YOUR choices".
"life is made of choices.
YOUR life is MADE OF YOUR choices".

...and today it has been one of my choices to take me in a very eventfull, scary and yet unique day.
Would I have known what my choice would have taken me into I would have taken a different one, but hey!, this is another topic worth a debate.

From the map and the available roads, I knew that this was to be one of the most difficult parts to cross and one in which crossing was not the only problem, choice was the other.