South American Adventure - 2 up on a R100GS

[Popey]

Originally Posted by G.Kennedy

WHEW.......

Exactly...what a relief. From to

Now the real journey begins...looking forward to tagging along.

[Motocirca]

What a relief, can't wait to hear the story!!Tuesday came then Wednesday then Thursday, then Friday and now your off.
Ride safe
Dennis

[Flyingavanti]

This is getting good. Can´t do pictures yet (no high speed), but we have now stepped back at least 75 years. Town square in a jungle village in the eastern side of Ecuador. Met an oil guy, who is negotiating with the indigenous. But the locals keep kidnapping the employees, and then say they want to develop Eco-Tourism. He told the locals that the kidnappings may slow down the building of the tourist trade.

As we rode down the asphalt, it finally hit me how fortunate I am to be able to experience what is now starting. The trip today feels like a trip to a completely "foreign place". We have been all through Central America, but this is different. Hard to explain. I guess driving down the road and having roadstands roasting "Hampsters", with their teeth smiling at you, tells you that you are no longer in "Kansas".

We drove down the Andes, in a valley, but rarely dropped below 10,000 feet. On the left and right are huge, snow capped volcanos. Surreal.............. Then we headed east, and dropped into the jungle, quicker than driving from Disneyland to Newport Beach. People have sent us notes saying that this is a trip of a lifetime. It has finally hit me that that is completely true........

Will upload pictures as soon as possible.........

[YOGOI]

AHHH YAAAA!

[Two Dot]

Sound like the start of a great adventure. Wonderful pictures... Keep us posted.

[richard cabesa]

[Luciano_SR]

Any idea whem you'll be in Brazil?

Hope to help you out, at least when you were riding near Minas Gerais state.

Rgds!

[k7]

I'll be in Sao Paulo for just a few days in mid-Oct and then for two weeks at the end of the year. Let me know if you'll be in the area or need some (smaller) items brought down.

[sandgroper]

[Global Rider]

Originally Posted by Flyingavanti

[center][b]Hope you don't find this journey too boring, but it will take time. We have planned on approximately 1 1/2 years to travel slowly, but completely through South America.

Boring? Anything but. Refreshing to see you're taking your time to really experience your adventure instead of racing through just racking up the miles and getting the T-shirt.

Originally Posted by Flyingavanti

[center][b]We left Los Angeles on Monday, the 28th of August, 2005 and arrived in Quito, Ecuador on the 29th. The BMW is not yet here.

Is there a reason you chose not to drive down to Panama and ship the bike from there to Columbia?

[Flyingavanti]

I have a slow connection, so I will respond to the emails and questions when I get High Speed back. Thanks to all for the offers of help. We drove to Panama last year, and should posts some pictures, but we did the drive in a airport beater car (after the airplane crash).

On Wednesday, the 14th of September, we are still waiting to get the bike released. We now have 2 complete days tied up, with no results. We decide to make the best of it, and visit the old section of Quito, again, and attend another concert. This is a jazz concert held in the plaza in front of Theatre National Sucre. I have never attended a concert with a backdrop as beautiful as this in Quito.

The concert was covered by the local TV station.






Ended up buying the CD....






No, the smoke was not caused by a passing bus... It was a REAL disco smoke machine...







On Thursday, the 15th of September, we finally hit pay dirt, and the bike is released.

We have been looking at this "Mission Statement" for the last 3 days. Can anybody tell what Exactly their mission is, as I do not have a clue. One letter which customs produced for us, was typed three times until they got the content correct. If this mission statement has anything to do with efficiency, they are not living up to the Mission!

And finally the bike is extracted from the secure area.








The bike came out fine... Not a scratch!






I was wondering how I was going to de-crate the bike, but as soon as it appeared, I had 10 helping hands.

[Flyingavanti]

It was less than 2 minutes to get this far.







Put the front wheel on and connect the battery.






Insert gas....






Install the wind screen, mirror and hand guards.

And, COMPLETE! Now it was time to take the bike back to the Hostel, and install the alarm and luggage.

We almost hated to leave Quito, as the owner of the Hostel became a friend.....







And we are now 100% ready to start the trip! I think.......





And THIS is what is ALL about!

So off we go, heading south through the Andes. The ride for the next 80 to 100 miles is in a wide valley, but our altitude rarely drops below 10,000 feet, and we rise as high as 11,500. But we never felt high, as this is known as the "Ruta de Volcano's". The peaks are in the 16,000 to 18,000 foot range.

[Flyingavanti]

Every way you turn has views like this. Scenic overload!







Another volcano....

Cotopaxi...... 2nd highest in Ecuador.

Washing huge carrots

It was lunch time, but Sandy wanted to RIDE!

This is called COY in Ecuador...









A church in the valley.








When we get to Ambato, we turn east for Banos and the Amazon Basin.








We drove 12 miles total, to get to an "Adventure" resort.
At $220.00 per night it was too adventurous for us









The view obtained for $220.00 per night.
That is the city of Banos, in the bottom of the canyon.







Our $40.00 Hostel, in Banos.







On Saturday, the 17th of September, we leave Banos, to head northeast to drop into the western edge of the Amazon Basin.

One last photo of Sandy and our Hostel, in Banos, Ecuador.

[Flyingavanti]

Notice the way the Ecuadorians farm on the steep mountain sides.

Even the greenhouses are built on 45 degree slopes.








A waterfall in Banos drops right into a hot springs.








They have real horses and mules, but for pictures they use mockups....









The picture does not do this waterfall justice. It was very tall. We are about 1,500 feet above the river bottom.







The road in this area had 1,000 to 1,500 foot sheer drop offs into the canyon below.







This 30 mile ride is through the "Ruta of Waterfalls". Every mile or so, there is another fall. Sorry about the wires....








Because the walls of the canyon are as steep as they are, they built this section of road with at least ten tunnels, some of which were VERY long.








Then the day gets good. We encounter our first dirt road.........

[Flyingavanti]

Neat old swinging bridge across the river.









Another view of the bridge....








The bridge tips easily, as you cross it. I guess that is the allure of "Swinging Bridges".







Roadside flower stand.

Here we are, nearly to the floor of the Amazon Basin. According to the GPS, we are slightly over 2,000 miles, straight line, to the mouth of the Amazon, yet our altitude is down to 1,700 feet.

It had been a long day, so we starting thinking about FOOD!

Note to self, again, we are no longer in Kansas. Sandy now has a change of mind, and seems that she is no longer as hungry, as she had earlier stated. Any guesses on the weights of these things?

So I stop again, knowing Sandy will get grumpy if she does not eat soon....
Again she passes up another meal.

Maybe Sandy is getting sick?









We were in the village of Puyo, where Sandy seemed to have lost her appetite.
So, in an attempt to lure Sandy to go farther, I suggest that maybe Tena might have some excellent dining opportunities.

I did not realize when I took this picture, that the balance of the distance was dirt and rock road...








The modes of transportation vary in the Amazon Basin. This mode of transportation is relatively fast....








This mode is slow....
The colors of the following pictures are very washed out, as the skies were overcast. Sorry...