Lobsters to Llamas, Maritimes to Argentina

[Kedgi]

Originally Posted by Ulyses

Dwight, good to hear from you! Before I get into Bolivia, make sure that you take the Santa Theresa route if you are going to Machu Picchu.

As far as elevation, if you're going to Bolivia, it's only going to get worse. Yesterday I rode 330 miles and it was all above 12,500 feet. Some of it was over 14,000 feet. If you are going to do the death road, you'll go over a pass that's 15,200 feet tall! At this point, I think the only thing you can really do to help yourself is to lay off the smokes and booze for a while.


Here's the skinny on fuel: Bolivians pay about 3 Bolivianos per liter; all forigheners pay three times that amount! The Bolivian government doesn't want people crossing into Bolivia, buying a bunch of gas on the cheap, then heading into Peru or somehwere else and selling it for profit on the black market.


Now, there's a pretty easy way to get around this. You won't get it as cheap as the Bolivians do, but it won't cost three times as much either. To make this work, you kind of need to be able to speak a little bit of Spanish.


Pull into the gas station (make sure it's a small less devolped one) and ask them how much the gas is. If you are lucky, they'll just give it to you at the normal price. Most likely they won't. If they tell you it's three times as much, just laugh and tell them that you paid 5 Bolivianos at the last gas station.


If they point at the survaillance camera, just tell them it's okay and that nobody will know, it'll just be "our little secret". Also, tell them they don't have to do all the paperwork and they don't need to give you a recipt. This should let them know that your willing to deal and hopefully they'll be in the barganing mood. They may want you to pull out of sight of the camera and fill up your bike using a jerry can or even empty coke bottles, but that's a small price to pay for the money you are saving.


Essentially, you're bribing them. You get gas cheaper than you normally would, and they get to skip the hassle of filling out paperwork, plus they get to pocket the difference in price. I'd say that's pretty win win. This little proccess has worked every time with me so far.

Hope that helps! Just went and rode in the water on the Salar today....epic! You've got to do it! I'll be out in the desert for the next few days on my way to chile, but if you have any other questions I'll try and get back to you as soon as I can.

Excellent!

Thanks Bryce, Ride safe!

Kedgi

[Kedgi]

I only have a couple minutes this morning. While I'm having breakfast I Have internet, but I had to show you these pictures I shot yesterday while riding the Sacred Valley. Needless to say it is an epic road. I love being out of the desert and back on wonderful roads.







I have lots more photos and will post as soon as I can

Stay tuned

Kedgi

[BKMLWR]

certainly is the ride of a life time eh?

[bESS]

Dwight:

glad to see you are happy again. That Sacred Valley Road looks great ! I've never been on a road with so many curves.

You're going to wear out your sidewalls


bob

[agent of orange]

wow amazing road!! to ride that would be amazing on anything bigger than a unicycle :) hope the trip helps with your spirits

[Kedgi]

Originally Posted by BKMLWR

certainly is the ride of a life time eh?

It is, until I do the Africa ride. hehe

Kedgi

[Kedgi]

Originally Posted by poolman

Awesome!!!

It is awesome, thanks so much for your input.

I have a lot of pictures to post but my hotel doesn't have internet. I'm in a coffee shop next door uploading pictures now. Stand by for a picture rich post.

Kedgi

[Kedgi]

Originally Posted by casey sohc

hi i've been following your report from last week to now,it had taken a bit of time to catch up...IT'S FRIKKIN GREAT! you are a real person on an average bike doing a ride of a lifetime,and to go a step further this report has been full of real stuff,fears,disappointment,,and after a day of crap you pull a string of wins!the view the scenery.it's great.
You will get suggestions and advice from all over the place,but from what you are doing and have done...the awesomeness of this ride far outweighs the down days.
As a fellow eastern Canadian,Cheers and ride safe!
all the best JJ.

Agreed, at least everything except the part about "Trusty" being average. haha

I think I left my GPS on yesterday when I parked the bike. I won't be back at the bike until tommorrow. Oh! Oh!

I don't think it will kill my battery. Yikes! It is at Hidroelectrica and there are plenty of vehicles down there. I'm sure I can get a boost if I have to.

Kedgi

[Kedgi]

Originally Posted by bESS

Dwight:

glad to see you are happy again. That Sacred Valley Road looks great ! I've never been on a road with so many curves.

You're going to wear out your sidewalls


bob

I'm doing fine now. being on the road, alone since October is bound to take it's toll on me from time to time, but today I'm back to my old self again. The hiking around Machu Picchu never even left me winded, and MP is freaking high!

That road is awesome and i do it again tomorrow to get out of here.

Kedgi

[Kedgi]

Originally Posted by agent of orange

wow amazing road!! to ride that would be amazing on anything bigger than a unicycle :) hope the trip helps with your spirits

What a road for a small sportbike, or something like the old Yamaha RD 350. You don't need a lot of power, just something lightweight and nimble. The KLR with the load I have on it, is neither, but it was still a hell of a lot of fun.

Kedgi

[Kedgi]

After you ride all that wonderful twisty pavement in the Sacred Valley you come to Santa Maria, then you hit gravel through Santa Teresa to Hidroelectrica. The road gets really high on the side of a cliff with no shoulder and about a 2 or 3 thousand foot drop to the river below. I really couldn't stop at the raelly scary parts and take a picture because of all the buses and mini-vans full of tourists I was competing with but this will give you and idea. not looking forward to that aprt of the ride tomorrow.




Do you see the blue gravel truck in this picture? I'm telling you this road is really really high.



Before that though, back on the Sacred Valley Pavement I took these shots.









sweet like cream soda






















I finally made it to Hidro Electrica and caught the train to Auga Caliente















Agua Caliente








I had this great wood oven baked pizza and a beer and went to bed at 8:30, so I could get up early and be at Machu Picchu for the early morning light and beat the crowds.




Welcome to Machu Picchu






































































Officially "Lobsters to Llamas"



I'm so glad I listened and went.





Kedgi

[eddyturn]

FN sweet Dwight!!

[Bigolechalupa]

Fu#^*ing beautiful man!!!!!!
Good stuff!

[Sandino]

From your map, I see you may not been coming to Paraguay, but in case you change your mind, count on a friend and a place to stay here.
cheers

[Kedgi]

Originally Posted by eddyturn

FN sweet Dwight!!

Thanks

Kedgi