I left El Calafate after 11 today.I rode up Ruta 40 through the area that was too wet on the way down.I rode through the spot I got stuck and where I crashed.Looking at it dry,I wonder how I could have had any troubles.I rode 400 miles.Most of it was gravel and dirt.I seldom went over 50 mph.And never went into 5th gear.I am thinking the bike may make it to Buenos Aires.And I seem to be loosing less oil. There was not much to see today.I wanted to stop at a small community named Bajo Caracoles.The hotel and hostel were full.They had camping.But it was so windy,I thought I would rather ride 2 more hours and into the dark,instead of fighting to put a tent up. I wanted to stop earlier to work on finding a way to ship the KLR to the states.Hate to spend more on shipping than the bike is worth.I should have good roads from here on.I think I should be in Buenos Aires in 3 days.
Yesterday should have been a boring day.There is nothing to see.I rode a lot of dirt,gravel,rock road.I stopped at Sarmiento to get gas and eat.The town is about a mile off the route.After stopping for a red light,I turned right.In the middle of the turn my rear wheel almost caught up with me.If I hadn't jammed my right foot into the pavement,I would have been laying on the ground.It was close anyway.I stopped and looked for a slick of oil.None.Then I looked at the other possibility.Yea, my rear tire was flat again.I had run with low air pressure for gravel riding and then when I hit some big rocks,it pinched the tube causing the flat. While in the town,I tried to get some cash.The 2 machines weren't working.I got something to eat before changing my tube.I put my new tube in.It is not the correct size.It is smaller and for a front tire.But it is new.The old large patch I had put on was still holding.But the edges were coming up.I patched the new hole with some new German patches.Hope I don't get to test them.These were the only pictures I took.Although there were great opportunities later. A man that watched and talked to me while doing my dirty work offered his car air compressor when I couldn't get the bead to set.My little cheap air pump would have done it eventually.It was just too painful for him to watch.I use WD-40 on my beads as lubricant.Seems to work well and doesn't dry so fast.Now with my bead seated,I get gas and head towards a coast city. Comodoro Rivadavia. On the 2 hour ride in 4th gear,my transmission sounds noisier.I think I may need to find another way to get my bike to Buenos Aires.But after getting there I decide to ride till it breaks. I rode through this big city to miss morning traffic since I ride way slower than the average slow poke here. The map showed a town 2 hours north.I got there about 9pm.They said the next hotel is 100 miles north.I thought about setting up my tent.But 2 hours closer to Buenos Aires isn't such a bad idea.So we go.Nothing to see again.But in the night there are some amazing views of the stars.I decide to stop and gaze before I have a wreck trying to look up while riding.There are gravel pull off every 20-25 miles for trucks.You don't see them till you pass them.I finally pass one and decide to turn around and go back.I need to check my oil and put some chap stick on too.I make a "dead stop and look back.These cars scare me when they pass from behind me while riding.They go 80,90,100 mph.Scary. While it looks like I can U-turn safely,I cut my wheel sharp and start forward.My pannier hits my left leg and I have to awkwardly re-position it.That also caused the bike to go off its balance point-falling left.With my foot re-positioned and the bike and pannier falling inward,my left foot is pinned between it and the road-in a u shape.Now i can't support the bike.And all the weight of the bike is on my knotted up foot.The bike is facing east-west on a north-south road.I wonder if anyone going 80-90 mph can see me at 11pm.I can't lift the bike.I can't get my foot out.I twist and pull and nothing changes.While doing this I hear noises in my foot.I feel certain I have broken it.And it was hurting bad before that.Never mind that.I have a life to save. Here comes the first car.I put my hands in front of the head light to reflect a little more light.He zooms by in the other lane.Here comes another.It looks like he is stopping. And the first car is way past me,but he is backing up as fast as he went by. 2 guys from each car come over and pick the bike up and move it off the road.I limp/hop off the road. Sorry to say I am slipping. I should have had someone snap a couple pictures before moving the bike. After talking and thank everyone for 10 minutes,I said I would be OK. I rode on to Trelew with all shifting done with my heal.I wasted a hour hobbling into 8 hotels.They were all full for some car race.I went to Rawson 15 miles away.Same thing.The last place said he was full but later said he had a double room at a higher price.So I am at Sampedros Hospedaje-$44.I parked the bike in the lobby.It's 3am and I am telling my unhappy wife I am OK. It's 3:45 before I am in bed.I took my boot off.Then i put it back on-fearing I wouldn't be able to put it on for a week.Then I thought when I went to a hospital they would cut it off.So I took it off again (no it didn't hurt,much) and I put Gorilla tape on over my socks.I thought it might keep the swelling down.I also slept with my foot raised on a table by the bed. In the morning the Hospedaje owner wanted to take me to the hospital in his car.His vacationing son came to interpret for me at the hospital.This family lived in Utah for 3 years.I was in and out of the hospital in 1/2 hour. Medical and schooling are all free in Argentina.Lucky me.The x.ray showed no bones broken.They wrapped my foot and gave me a shot for pain and swelling.Maybe Gayle won't divorce me now.I got the room for another day to see how the pain goes.But in the morning I will try to go north again.I think there is still more ADVENTURE out there waiting for me.But it will be hard to one up the trapped under the bike act.It was like a chicken waiting on the chopping block feeling.But it topped the Yungas Bolivia road of death.
Sometimes you just have to call it good, its not about the destination but the journey. Glad you've got no broken bones and the KLR is still hanging in there. Goodluck with the rest of your journey.
I check on you now and then.Looks like you won't get here till winter-if you are coming.Hope you got your parts.You are right.The journey is the trip.But the destination makes it possible to be satisfied without having to do it again.Not that that would be a bad thing.But Gayle is ready to put hand cuffs on me.And I like that too.
IMHO too many people think a SA trip is all about just going to TDF. I've already made choices in my trip South that will keep me from going to TDF this season but I am none the less satisfied. I'm glad you found your satisfaction man I'll be needing a do over for TDF...
Mine was more than a sampler.But I could do a do over on the east coast.It's all been good.Even the bad has been good.Do you have a time table for going home?
Yeah more of a money table than time I will be going to Bolivia before I leave this contient again unless I get really screwed over here in Colombia
I'm in General Conesa,Argentina.My riding time is over.I stopped here for gas,then rode north.Heard some new noise from down under.I stopped and looked.My rear brakes didn't work-covered with oil.My chain is covered with oil.I added 1/2 liter of oil and thought maybe we would make it to the next large town.More worrisome noises 2 miles later.I stop and add the other 1/2 liter of oil.I have come 16 miles from the small town where I got gas.I am hoping I can make it back there before total failure.I still have another liter of oil.8 miles with noise off and on and I add 2/3 liter of oil.4 more miles and I add the last of my oil.And that doesn't bring it up to level.The whole time I am going about 15 MPH.I made it to the station.But never checked the oil again.Why?I am hoping I can get it transported the last 700 miles to Buenos Aires to ship home.Since it was still running,I will be able to maneuver it where ever that is.I almost made it there.What else can happen?
When I was in Ushuaia, somebody told me that more people die coming down Everest than going up. I wish I could say something funny about your wife making you wear handcuffs, but it would be funnier if you post up a pic once you get home.
My realization that I had a bad problem started here.Kind of a lonely spot. After getting to the station and parking the bike for 2 minutes,this is what was under it. I am waiting for a flatbed trailer to possibly hitch a ride with.A motorcycle cop comes in.I ask him what I should do.He says go up the road a 1/4 mile to the police that check through traffic. Before I get there,he is explaining to that cop what my problem is. About 20 minutes later he stops a north bound truck. The driver gets out and comes to me.Next thing I know,we are loading the bike into the back of his empty trailer.This was a very scary load job. And pictures of my 2 new heroes.The driver and the cop that nabbed him for me. It was probably 2-3 hours drive to Bahia Blanca.The trucker found me a hotel at a YPF gas station and used his 20% discount to get the room for $48.It's close to the truck terminal where he says I can get a cheap haul to Buenos Aires.Then we unloaded the bike.Not quite as scary as the loading. He told me everything is closed for the next 2 days.I didn't ask why.But I need some time to have an exact delivery address.He said foreigners should not ride bikes in BA.You will be robbed at gun point.I don't know about that.But I do know I cant put oil in fast enough to go more than a couple miles.So I need it delivered anyway.Boat or plane.
Deliver to Dakar Motos, everyone's favorite spot in B.A. Call ahead and tell Javier and Sandra that everyone told you so. Sandra will help with the shipping, and Javier will tell you what you needed to know several thousand miles ago about your bike....if you let him. The address turns up easily via Google search. Bring mosquito coils/net if you're going to stay there. Good luck. Mark
I emailed Dakar mid-week and never got a response from them.I was hoping to container ship with 5 others I met in Couhaique,Chile a couple weeks ago.But they don't have anything specific yet.Just plan to ship at the end of march.I'll email Dakar again.I need to get home.Thanks Mark.
I've seen Javier's inbox, and it would not comfort you--full of hundreds of un-answered emails. Don't email: phone them, allowing for the usual long lunch break. But in any case, they've learned how unreliable overland riders are, and tend not to take you seriously until you actually show up. Good luck! Mark
I am on the outskirts of town-about 5 miles from centro.I am out of cash.So I limped to an ATM about 1/2 mile away.They don't honor my debit card or credit card.I walk a mile the other direction and ask about another machine.The women tells me there is one about 1 mile towards town.I hobble on.I see nothing.I ask 2 men closing up a shop.One says it is about another 4 miles and offers to take me in his old Peugot.Why not.The first machine won't accept them either.So we drive on.Finally get some money.He drives me back to my hotel.I tell him to pull up to the gas pump so I can get him some gas."No,no,no.Mucho gusto."I keep insisting.I say I used your time and gas.Let me buy you some gas.He won't accept anything.He tells me to use the money on my bike.Tough people to deal with down here. I probably won't be leaving here till Wednesday.Today and tomorrow is Carnival festival here.They tell me it's not such a big deal.I know it's a big enough deal that the restaurant isn't open today.It's been 3 days since I had something other than gas station food.Ice cream,chips,Coke,sub sandwich,and finally a Snickers.And I finally got hungry enough to finish my old Pringles crumbs.
Doug, welcome to my world, where motorcycle let you down close to where you are heading! It is all good, as you already know this is when you meet the most amazing people. Good luck, Y.
I'm glad you convinced me to not bring a lot of cold weather clothes.Sure wish the bike would have gone 100 days instead of 99.Well it's close to that.
Just learned that Javier and Sandra have been on vacation but screwed up their email autoreply. They'll be back at the shop/hostel tomorrow.
doogle.. i just saw your post, and I sent you a pm with my cell number. I live on Buenos Aires and i hope I can be helpfull. Just call me tomorrow and I'll try to help with sthe sipping.. I had to much experience with that,,,, Hache
