Slowphil gathers momentum

[C-Stain]

Originally Posted by Slowphil

good lord your demanding,

Hey! Since you stood in my kitchen and thanked all of us for paying our taxes because you were now retired, I figure I'm bankrolling part of this trip, so I want to get my money's worth!

Originally Posted by Slowphil

I managed to get better than 29,000km out of them, the front was gone and I could have gone further on the rear but decided not to end up in the middle of nowhere (and you really can be in the middle of nowhere in Bolivia) with no tire left so changed that as well
Cheers Philip

Good to hear on the K60s. I've been thrashing mine on the Vee and just can't seem to wear it out. If you got 29K out of the rear with a fully loaded bike, then one of those should last me a couple of years...

[Slowphil]

Originally Posted by C-Stain

Hey! Since you stood in my kitchen and thanked all of us for paying our taxes because you were now retired, I figure I'm bankrolling part of this trip, so I want to get my money's worth!


Good to hear on the K60s. I've been thrashing mine on the Vee and just can't seem to wear it out. If you got 29K out of the rear with a fully loaded bike, then one of those should last me a couple of years...

I didn't realize at the time that that statement would come back to haunt me but seriously I think I could have made it to Santiago on the back tire but just didn't want to take a chance up in the Aticama

Take care Philip

[Farndale]

Hey Philip, we don't comment much but we are eager readers. Sorry we don't expect to be able to join you in S.A. in winter. Say hello to the rescued miners!

[Nsman]

Looks like your having a great time.
Keep the pics and reports coming.

[Slowphil]

Since the road to Uyuni runs through mountainous desert again I won't include many pictures, spot the dust devil







one of the reasons to visit Uyuni is the old railway museum there, wnen they stopped the train service to the area they just parked the rolling stock and walked away, anyway as you go sifting down the road to Uyuni and go around one of the curves whoa there's the sign for the museum















The museum seems to be important enough they have military personnel guarding it.

arriving in Uyuni and the first priority is gas, since Bolivia is in the midst of a gas shortage and the gas stations don't have any the next best thing is the black market





Next: the salt hotel and Salar de Uyuni

[Slowphil]

The Salt Hotel de Luna is a snazzy hotel sitting right on the edge of the salar with prices to match but as per usual Guillermo was up to the job of getting us a bargain so we decided to stay





with our room being done up in excellent taste



of course when you have expensive accomedations something has to give so here was supper for the night, fresh prunes and a can of tuna but as always accompanied by a bottle of good wine, try that and see what happens in the morning



but what we were there for was the salar (salt flats), we met a young guide who really wanted a ride on the salt on a motorcycle so we got a free tour of the easy to get to parts

Claudia giving us a tour



the salar is huge, it is really hard to describe what it is like







when your out in the middle you can see the curve of the earth but here is the pattern in the salt repeated endlessly



We rode out to the islands in the salar and turned south and made our way off the salt flat, when we did this we ran into 2 days of hard hard slogging through single track of soft deep sand, no pictures I'm afraid it was just too hard trying to get to the Bolivia/Chile border

[fredgreen]

So, how fast can your bike go Phil. I won't believe you if you say you don't know!

[Slowphil]

I just announced that there were no pictures of riding to the Chile border from the salar, I lied so sue me it's my ride report and I'll do what I want

actually I want to show you one of the lonelier places I have visited on this trip













It was beautiful out there but we were really glad to see this, the Chile border



the posting for the border personnel must be an extremely lonely thing, all there is is a tiny wind blown settlement on each side of the border. Again we were down to buying gas from the black market but at least it was gas, more abandoned railstock

[Slowphil]

I'd like to jump to the present right now, I bought a pair of really good riding boots specifically for this trip, a pair of sidi adventure goretex to be exact, I noticed after coming off the salar in Bolivia that the top seam over my instep on the right boot was coming undone, being





where I was there was nothing to be done but keep using them. In two days the seam came completely undone except where it actually ripped the leather. Just contacted the store where I bought them

DUAL SPORT PLUS

and they were more than helpful and so was Sidi agreeing to fix or replace it but the problem is Sidi wants me to ship the boot back so they can see it first. I think my foot would get really cold with no boot for a month so

DUAL SPORT PLUS

has stepped up and will be sending down a pair of boots with my wife and then I can return the old ones. Now that is service above and beyond, they have a fan in me. So remember

DUAL SPORT PLUS
www.dualsportplus.ca

for all your motorcycle needs

[Slowphil]

Well we managed to get to the Chile border where I again had to go to the corner store to buy my gas,

waiting to get my gas



headed off down the road expecting to see some changes in the countryside or at least the road----nope---



as someone on advrider said the adventure really starts when the going gets tough









finally rolled into the town of Calama, my friend Lenny who made the trip last year warned me to expect culture shock when I finally arrived in Chile, man he wasn't kidding, pulled into town and into the gas station I must have stood there for 5 minutes with my mouth hanging open, it was just like we had arrived in Europe somewhere. The difference between Chile and the rest of South America (what I've seen so far) is extreme



not many pictures until a little later I'm afraid

went to San Pedro de Aticama to see what was there, a hot,sleepy little tourist town much too expensive to stay in







so off to Antofagasta and a glimpse of the ocean while sitting in a waterside cafe sipping delicious coffee



this is where we finally found a power wash to get the salt off the bikes from the Salar de Uyuni (plus 4 months accumulation of dirt grease and oil)



work, work, work



there be a lot more pictures of Chile coming up, I promise

[Slowphil]

Well today was a special day for me, ever since I started checking out riding to South America one thing usually came up and that was the hand in the desert just south of Antofagasta




for some reason it was one of the major things I had to see







but eventually you have to move on, stopped for a break at a little stand and discovered this, not sure what fruit it was but it was delicious




now I know you must be getting tired of desert shots but this one was to try and show the wind, it was really hard and gusty, it twisted my head and helmet so often and violently it wore some skin off the top of my head



all days have to come to an end and ours ended in Los Vilos



a pretty little well maintained fishing village, as a matter of fact we liked it so much we stayed an extra day

[Slowphil]

I'll start with the hotel we stayed at, really nice place











and let the town speak for itself as well

we'll start with the cautionary part first

















Next: going to Santiago and finding a beautiful vibrant city

[Slowphil]

While sitting enjoying breakfast we came to the corporate decision we would visit Valparasio on the way to Santiago, as it turns out I wish we had time to stay there as well

on the road again



they drilled a hole through the mountain to eliminate about 2 hours off the trip but oh how it hurts the pocket book



arriving in Valparasio









but it's not buildings that make a city by themselves, the people count for a lot, the people here are friendly, happy, easy going. A good description for Valparasio is it's a happy contented city

having lunch this little guy showed lots of interest in my helmet so I put it on him



everybody around thought that was great so I had to have my picture taken with all their hats

here's a goof that should have refused this offer



this one not so bad



the Dad asked if he could take his sons picture on the bikes



and Guillarmo doing his bit for public relations



here's two really good friends, one speaks no english the other no spanish but they get along fine



once again: heading to Santiago!

[acejones]

Most excellent !

[BluNozr]

Great report Phil. Enjoy the rest of the ride. I'm looking forward to reading and seeing it all.