Trip Planning - America to the Panama Canal & Back...

danbrew · 02-10-2005, 04:17 PM

I have two epic trips in mind - Alaska and back, and the Panama Canal and back. I still haven't decided which I will do in 05, but thought it might be a good idea to ping folks here regarding routes. I know about Horizons Unlimited - and am searching there (but man, that's a ton of information!).

My trip through Mexico can be quite flexible - I'm going to route through Mexico City and it's really not much of a stretch to go to the east or west side of Guatemala. Does anyone have suggestions for the best routes at which I could cross the border? Same thing for Guatemala and El Salvador or Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and then Panama.

Any pointers to trip reports detailing road conditions that you may know about would be very cool.

thanks - danbrew

pilot · 02-10-2005, 04:36 PM

I personally don't know why you want to go through Mexico City. That place is just too big.

Crossing into Guatemala is best at La Mesilla, Guatemala. Crossing into Honduras is best at the crossing closest to Copan. That's as far as I got.

Where are you crossing into Mexico? That will determine your route as much as anything.

k7 · 02-10-2005, 05:01 PM

Looks like you're coming from Chicago? If you cross at Brownsville, it can be pretty desolate as far south as Tampico. You might want to cross at Laredo and then head towards Monterrey Mexico and then turn towards the east coast. The southern part of the east coast is pretty plus it puts you towards Palenque and the other ruins in that area. Pretty cool. What months are you traveling?

I've got the same desires... Alaska, Central America and then I'd add Canada to Mexico by dirt.

hava98 · 02-10-2005, 09:30 PM

Danbrew, is there any particular reason you're skipping Belize? These two trips you mentioned are also on my list of things-to-do-before-I-die-or-grow-old and I wouldn't miss Belize if I were you. In fact, I'm planning to stay a week there and have Havawife fly down to meet me for some R&R.

AKBMW · 02-12-2005, 09:50 AM

If you decide to come up to Alaska let me know. I can get you line out on when, where, what.

Barracuda · 02-12-2005, 10:25 AM

Let me know when you think you might be in Costa Rica. IÂ´ll be arriving in March to open our new BMW Motorcycle Importer. ItÂ´d be nice to get together on your way through, and maybe IÂ´ll be able to show you around a little.

Scalzitti · 02-12-2005, 10:32 AM

Come join me and 20 other cycling fools in 2006 when we ride from Prudhoe Bay to Tierra del Fuego. Read about the America's Ride 2006 on the Motorcycle Tourer's Forum.

I rode to Alaska in 2003 and am going back this summer. Let me know if you're interested in any of the legs. Here's the thread about my summer trip. I'd love some company.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showt...ht=circus+tour

I live in Chicago also and ride about 25K miles a year. Give me a holler if you want to put on some miles. Larry

Vance · 02-12-2005, 07:19 PM

Can I be in charge of taking care of your wife while you are away? :-)

V

02-10-2005, 04:17 PM	#1
danbrew ^OP GSAdv.com Joined: Nov 2003 Location: Chicago Oddometer: 1,034	Trip Planning - America to the Panama Canal & Back... I have two epic trips in mind - Alaska and back, and the Panama Canal and back. I still haven't decided which I will do in 05, but thought it might be a good idea to ping folks here regarding routes. I know about Horizons Unlimited - and am searching there (but man, that's a ton of information!). My trip through Mexico can be quite flexible - I'm going to route through Mexico City and it's really not much of a stretch to go to the east or west side of Guatemala. Does anyone have suggestions for the best routes at which I could cross the border? Same thing for Guatemala and El Salvador or Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and then Panama. Any pointers to trip reports detailing road conditions that you may know about would be very cool. thanks - danbrew

02-10-2005, 04:36 PM	#2
pilot Slacker Joined: Dec 2002 Location: Kansas City Oddometer: 29,451	I personally don't know why you want to go through Mexico City. That place is just too big. Crossing into Guatemala is best at La Mesilla, Guatemala. Crossing into Honduras is best at the crossing closest to Copan. That's as far as I got. Where are you crossing into Mexico? That will determine your route as much as anything. __________________ The finishers medal is satisfyingly heavy... Neduro on Dakar The other 10% are sociopaths , serial killers and KLR riders. You wont get much sympathy from them. -Furious D

02-10-2005, 05:01 PM	#3
k7 Ancien Joined: Jul 2002 Location: Right here Oddometer: 16,346	going south Looks like you're coming from Chicago? If you cross at Brownsville, it can be pretty desolate as far south as Tampico. You might want to cross at Laredo and then head towards Monterrey Mexico and then turn towards the east coast. The southern part of the east coast is pretty plus it puts you towards Palenque and the other ruins in that area. Pretty cool. What months are you traveling? I've got the same desires... Alaska, Central America and then I'd add Canada to Mexico by dirt. __________________ Cheers, Gerry PHX AZ Exhaustion and exhilaration are my friends.

02-10-2005, 09:30 PM	#4
hava98 behind the Orange Curtain Joined: Jun 2004 Location: Orange County, CA Oddometer: 605	Danbrew, is there any particular reason you're skipping Belize? These two trips you mentioned are also on my list of things-to-do-before-I-die-or-grow-old and I wouldn't miss Belize if I were you. In fact, I'm planning to stay a week there and have Havawife fly down to meet me for some R&R. __________________ 2005 DRZ 400S mods - too many to list 2007 DL 650

02-12-2005, 07:19 PM	#8
Vance Beastly Adventurer Joined: May 1986 Location: In my pants. In Georgia... Oddometer: 18,239	Can I be in charge of taking care of your wife while you are away? :-) V __________________ Do a pop a wheelie! "I'll leave you to tidy up the woulds and shoulds, wills and shalls, thats and whiches, etc." - Oscar Wilde

02-12-2005, 09:50 AM	#5
AKBMW Studly Adventurer Joined: Feb 2005 Oddometer: 713	If you decide to come up to Alaska let me know. I can get you line out on when, where, what.

02-12-2005, 10:25 AM	#6
Barracuda Adventurer Joined: Jan 2005 Location: North of Barrie Ontario, Muskoka country Oddometer: 92	Let me know when you think you might be in Costa Rica. IÂ´ll be arriving in March to open our new BMW Motorcycle Importer. ItÂ´d be nice to get together on your way through, and maybe IÂ´ll be able to show you around a little.

02-12-2005, 10:32 AM	#7
Scalzitti Adventure Driven Joined: Dec 2003 Location: Lake Zurich, IL Oddometer: 441	Come join me and 20 other cycling fools in 2006 when we ride from Prudhoe Bay to Tierra del Fuego. Read about the America's Ride 2006 on the Motorcycle Tourer's Forum. I rode to Alaska in 2003 and am going back this summer. Let me know if you're interested in any of the legs. Here's the thread about my summer trip. I'd love some company. http://www.advrider.com/forums/showt...ht=circus+tour I live in Chicago also and ride about 25K miles a year. Give me a holler if you want to put on some miles. Larry

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