Back in Buenos Aires

Caught the late ferry from Colonia, Uruguay to Buenos Aires Tuesday night, October 14th.

Summary: Rode 8,247 miles = 13,272. kilometers

Orange is the route of Brazil 2014 trip.

Brazil 2014

North of Florianópolis - Fire the afterburner

Twisting the throttle - heading south.  Even with significant road work and delays I still made 725 km today. After 30 minutes of lane splitting I took to the dirt and rode around another ~10 km of traffic backups. This will be an amazing road when it is finished - but stopping at toll plazas every hour sucks - sell me a disposable RFID pass good for a day/week/whatever...

Holambra Brazil

Bypassed Sau Paulo and headed inland to meet Melissa's cousin Jerry and his family - great people, fun and very welcoming.  Touring a wonderful little piece of Holland in southern Brazil.  

Cheers,
Nick
from my phone.

I Lied

Búzios is the best of Santa Barbara and Carmel surrounded by amazing beaches for 300 degrees -  it's the 60 degrees of Compton/Tijuana that you have to drive through that's the killer.   

There's a little housing development just down the street with a heliport and a lethal electric fence that suggests there's an alternative. 

Did I mention the beaches are amazing?

Cheers,
Nick
from my phone.

Armação dos Búzios

Arrived Búzios. 

Now I understand why helicopter are a part of urban Brazil. 

60 + kilómetros of bumper to bumper traffic with stop lights,  large speed bumps from hell, and speed cameras (a hundred plus) to get to...  paradise (?).  

I was expecting a semi-tropical Carmel... a closer approximation might be driving through downtown Tijuana without the benefit of Mexican food.  I'll reserve judgment on Buzio until tomorrow and a fresh day because after 7 hours to travel 250 miles (in the rain)  I'm a little cranky...
I'm planning to stay for a few days.

Salvador de Bahia, Brazil

I've rounded the curve of the horn of Brazil. 

I finally saw a fellow Adventure rider after 3 weeks -  he was riding an almost identical v-strom no less., but traveling North,  the wrong direction.

Later in the day I met and rode with a local Brazilian on a Triumph 1200.  Unfortunately he was ending his ride in Aracaju.  We ended up riding the rest of the day and then sharing  a late lunch and beers with friends - I got a room, and later that night was invited to dinner with the family. Like I've said - I've never met a bad adventure rider.  

A nice  bike!

 He's planning a big trip South in March and I hope to host him on his way through BsAs.
Natal to Salvador could have been done in a day but beer intervened and Aracaju was very nice.
I've checked into a place right on the waterfront in Salvador and tomorrow I'll go play tourist.

It's Brazil,  there's a beach,  it's evening  -  ergo futbol.

Natal, the best by far!

Kids playing futbol on the beach at night. 

Spent the day in Natal yesterday -  the nicest place I've visited.   Beautiful setting on the coast with beaches stretching for 12 km; an amazing mix of old and new with huge swaths of natural vegetation integrated into their development and an actual traffic plan. I could live in Natal.
Today I traveled South jumping over Recife and then cut over to the coast and drove secondary roads along the water most of the afternoon.   I ended up in Maceió arriving after dark so no clue except for the HUGE new mall I passed coming into town.
Did I mention that Natal was pretty special -  a 9 compared to Fortaleza's 7.

Natal from southern most point.  The old district,  with interesting and less sterile places to stay. 

Beach from 19th floor at dusk,  near northern point looking South. 

Cheers,
Nick
from my phone.

Fortaleza

I rolled into Fortaleza on Saturday morning and checked into an online booked beachfront hotel for the weekend. When I hit the beach I was bummed to see they were nearly vacant. It turns out there's a north-south oriented beach crosstown everybody uses in the mornings and afternoons (better waves and beach services) - but in the late  afternoon and into the evening the beach in front of my hotel is the place to be.   Snack vendors,  guys with ice chests strapped to bikes selling single beers,  families,  teenagers,  everyone comes  out and weaves around one another on bikes,  blades,  skateboards and rented station wagon bikes,  all at speed among the pedestrians on about a mile and a half of boardwalk -  and it works marvelously..
This morning I was at the happening day beach,  nice but way too many people missed the memo about old people wearing speedos and thongs -  Brazilian beaches have always been home to curvaceous women who push boundaries and today was no different,  except more than a few don't seem to realize that when your percent  body fay exceeds your age,  and you're wearing a thong,  civilizations begin to break down.  I'll include a foto of a minor violation -  there were several that would likely violate Google's terms of use agreement.
This evening they were playing  beach futbol under the lights and setting up beach volleyball (it's just too hot during the day).
Brazil has traffic cams EVERYWHERE -  I've seen at least 25 a day and probably set off 20 or so.  Some creative use of nail polish remover and strategically sprayed WD-40 will hopefully alleviate any potential problems.  Send me a note if you can read the plate.

I'm continuing South tomorrow,  no definitive destination.

Beach futbol. 

Fortaleza at dusk. 

Tasty Street food.  Right out of boiling water, just add cheap salty margarine.

Wide sand beaches.

Wide beachgoer.

Plate number,  please. 

Belèm, Brazil

I wandered the old working port and market early this morning.   People were coming and going,  transporting burlap bags of beans & provisions, small appliances and palates of fruit using proverbial tramp steamers (but diesel) and powered river canoes (like in Bangkok,  an  engine welded to a 3 meter long shaft with a bare prop on the end - that whole setup swivels at the stern and must be legend among its victims).  I got a deal on some almost-Chanel sun glasses today,  only 10 reals.

I spent the rest of the day exploring a jungle preserve.  It was lovely and let me see creatures and the jungle up close -  the Yosemite Valley of Belém.   Next stop: I'm going to hop on the bike and try to find some unspoiled forest.

The Amazon Basin, Belém, Brazil

The estuary of the Amazon

Busses have ticket sellers riding along.

I'm happy to have arrived at the bank of The River. 
It's exciting,  still rustic and has a rusty edge and earthly scent to it,  and then you wander past the real people down to the waterfront which has been converted into... wait for it, upscale Restaurants, a happening micro brewery and (drum roll) Shopping.   Then,  50 meters past the retro-piers,  the Franciscans are feeding the hungry in a public plaza at dusk.
Meanwhile,  I'm booked into a four star hotel again for less price than some of the lesser establishments I've been finding on the road -  turns out Brazil has over built these (thanks World Cup and Olympics) and they're cheap if you book online (hotels.com) This one is 112 reals a night (US$ 50), garage and nice  breakfast included.
Tomorrow I'm going to check out Amazon excursions but I'm skeptical of the advice which tells me that I must go up the river to Manaus (population 2.5 million) to begin exploring the Amazon.   I suggest you overly the area using Earth -  they're cutting and burning up there just like around here.   I'm not realistically expecting to spy on a panther stalking it's prey or a tribe of semi-naked indigenous people dancing and shoot g monkeys for a group dinner to which I've been I've been invited - so I might just try to find a group of hikers with a guide familiar with this area.   
Having driven through this terrain for days it's increasingly obvious that the deforestation is completely sanctioned,  proceeding at 100% capacity and with no sign of abatement.   Want proof,  come up here and look at the multiple  government road crews working 12 hour days; then follow new road development and look at the huge swaths of denuded and burning jungles that branch off of these new roads.  Also,  Brazil has more federal police than anywhere I've ever been; they are  highly respected/feared,  there are lots of them and they have modern equipment stationed at check points every 100 km along every road I've traveled throughout Brazil.  They could stop the logging in a day if given the mandate.   Perhaps policy will change with a  new president (yes,  I'm guessing, based on people I pseudo-speak with).
Cheers,
Nick
from my phone.
PS.  When in Rome... Try to take the local bus.   This got me several new friends. They have ticket sellers at a gate on the buses.

Close to Belem

850 km (500 miles)  yesterday.  

Alianca do Tocatins, on highway 153, in the middle of Brazil

I feel like I've finally arrived in Brazil - real people, real prices (as opposed to 17 dollar subway sandwiches). I pulled over at a wide spot in the road as the sun was going down after running the afterburners all day.  I made 700 km (420 miles) on a 2 lane highway heading north towards Belem.  Dinner was boiled mystery meat over rice - at least partly chicken because I could make out the feet in the mix.  There was a pan of something that looked like ginormous Lima beans but when I tried to eat one a woman hurried over and abjectly forbade me.  I still don't know what it was or how to eat it...
Its hot with nothing to do so people (and hungry pets) sit around outside chatting (hoping food will fall) while watching the road. 
Today I passed hundreds of miles of what had been sub-tropical forests that has been clear cut and burned; some still burning. 
I'm going to get up early and do it again tomorrow - I might try to sit out the hottest part of the day as the sun is brutal.  The plan is to get to the amazon region soonest and then slow down. 

Brasilia

I rolled into Brasilia yesterday and checked into a 4 star hotel,  as compared to the frightful dump I found last night.   I spent 1/2 the day cleaning up and getting new set of (pricey) Metzler Tourance tires installed; all I  could find.
What a strange and interes city,  I can't decide if it's a 20th century architectural wet dream or nightmare.   Either way,  it's HUGE and impressive.    Trip adviser listed the Number One attraction as a church; I swore I'd never visit another Cathedral in South America,  but I have to admit it was worth the visit.   I arrived as the sun was going down and Saturday evening mass was beginning so I experienced it as it was designed.   The entire building is constructed of blue stained glass -  360 degrees.
After a week I've finally begun to develop an ear for Portuguese, admittedly my Spanish sucks but I get bye -  it's a bummer having to travel as a deaf mute again.
My Zumo died a final death so I picked up a cheap substitute -  my bad -  going to have to hunt around eBay for a replacement Zumo. 
Argentinos: I haven't been commanded to present my "Documento"  since I entered the country,  not to check into 5 different hotels,  not when using my credit card to buy US$ 512 tires,  never.   And they don't constantly honk their horns,  at all,  never.
I'm probably going to press on via the center of the country despite the fact that it is BORING - I had hoped to see more jungley stuff but they've  logged and burnt  all the forests and are turning the forests into the Imperial Valley - I'm pseudo-committed now (literally in the middle of nowhere) and speeding North will give me more time cruising the coastal route when heading  South.
Brazilians are happy people (but they don't all look like the pictures you see from Rio de Janeiro,  got to work on that )

Cheers,
Nick
from my phone.

Maringa, Brazil

I hadn't considered that riding to the northern reaches of Argentina was much of an adventure given that I have done it before, and crossing into Foz do Iguazú, Brazil, although easily the simplest EVER, still didn't rate as an adventure.  Now I'm in Maringa and its more attuned to driving through Georgia in the summer.   I'll post again when something interesting happens.

Trip Summary - Northern Argentina and Chile

Trip Summary:

Moving Average: 80.3 km/h

Moving Time: 83:28 hours

Total Distance: 6670.4 km = 4002 miles 

Travel time: 14 days

Travel per day: 476 per day

Flat tires: 2 (both within 30 minutes of each other)

Accidents:1 (rear ended on the road by a truck that was driving too fast on a mountain road)

Stops in San Luis (province of San Luis), Uspallata (Mendoza), Las Flores (San Juan), Vinchina (La Rioja), Tinogasta (Catamarca), crossed into Chile at Pasa de San Francisco (4,730 meters altitude = 15,470 feet) in the Andes before coasting into the immigration/customs office on fumes where we spent the night and were happy to be fed toasted rolls with spam by the janitor, Juan Carlos.  The next day we fired the afterburners (after Juan Carlos arranged for the water truck driver to bring us 20 liters of fuel) and made it to the coast and stayed in Taltal, Chile.  The following day we decided that driving through the Atacama Desert was like driving through most deserts so we skipped Antofagasta and made it to San Pedro de Atacama, where we spent two nights.   We crossed back into to Argentina at Paso Jama (Chile ruta 27 & Argentina ruta 52) and dropped down to San Salvador de Jujuy(Jujuy) with two flats en route and were assisted by a fellow adventure rider (thanks Gonzalo) who had just the parts we needed while changing a flat on the highway in the dark.  The next day we traveled to Cafayate (a good place, in the province of Salta) and finally Frias (a not-so-good place in the province of Santiago del Estero).    We ended the trip with flaring after burners traveling from Frias to Buenos Aires arriving Thursday, ‎April ‎17, ‎2014, ‏‎12:43:10 AM - a very long day.

Trip Summary, April 2014

Matt's done; he said he's "Rode-Out"

Packing it in.

Arrived Buenos Aires at 12:43 AM

Impact zone, fortunately, the bags took the brunt...

Road Rash

After 6,745 km in 13 days of some seriously rough roads through Argentina and Chile with lots of dirt and several passes over the Andes at 16,000 feet and Matt finally admits he doesn't want to see a motorcycle for a while...
Never mind a few flat tires and getting slammed into from behind by a truck in the mountains with no serious injuries - you know you're extremely skilled (LUCKY) when the truck that kissed my moto had to be towed down the mountain while we were able to ride on.  Too bad my luggage, their mounts and most of my cloths are toast.  Armored cloths , real boots and a good helmet are good things.

Cheers,
Nick, from my phone.

Crossing into Argentina at Paso Jama and route into Jujuy

Matt with wild alpacas in the altiplano.

 In the high desert at 15000 ft with alpacas.

An amazing twisty road north of Jujuy and vistas south of Salta.

The route down from the altiplano where we dropped from 13,800 feet to 7,100 feet in about an hour.

Flat number 1

Flat number 2

While fixing flat number 2, Gonzalo, a fellow adventure rider (returning from the Bolivian border) stopped to help and had the correct tube - we were trying to cram a 19 front tire tube into the back rim... Later we all went out to dinner later.  

Dinner with Gonzalo 

Cheers,

Nick

Saturday 2

Panoramic of the high desert with volcano in the distance

Watering hole for the alpacas

Cheers,
Nick, from my phone.

Saturday, just touring in the mountains at San Pedro de Atacama, Chile

Twisty

Update

Cheers,
Nick, from my phone.

Dirt road twisty above San Pedro de Atacama

Panoramic

Cheers,
Nick, from my phone.

OUT OF GAS in the middle of nowhere, Chile!

4,726 meters elevation

Aduana Marriott, in the Andes of Chile

Matt and Juan Carlos

Juan Corlos hospitality, which was warmly appreciated.

McTasty

Tea and crumpets

Got gas and ready to roll

Riding riding riding... like the energizer bunny, we just keep going.

We ran out of gas at the border of Argentina to Chile at altitude 15000 ft and ended up spending the night in the emergency shelter of the immigration office on top of the mountain in the middle of NOWHERE!!! It's all part of the adventure (or so they say, I just want to know who "they" is?). The janitor (Juan Carlos) took us in and fed us spam-ish sandwiches and sweet tea then gave us 8 blankets to use on a couple of box springs they had laying on the floor.  The next morning Juan got a hold of the water tanker driver who brought fuel from 180 km away (on dirt road down elevation of 11,000 feet).  Then he made us scrambled eggs and toast in his little camp stove - delicious!   He was the only one willing to graciously offer any assistance while the 3 border officials ignored us.  Juan Carlos received our sincere gratitude and an early Christmas present.