Lobsters to Llamas, Maritimes to Argentina

I like your style, and believe me I'm not beyond doing that, but I think I'm going to blast out of here tomorrow. No penguins no boat ride. I'm headed for Nazca, Cusco, La Paz, Buenos Aires, Miami and Shediac. Beyond that I don't know

Tranquilo

Wow what happened?

Kedgi - I hear ya, I know a guy like that, fcuking drives our of group friends nuts. Habitual bailer. Tells people he will meet them & then nada. I don't get too crazy about it, cause I'll just go make my own good time. And I just factor that he'll bail out anyway

Stay safe

Dwight:

I would never "bail out" on you. I know I am tardy with comments but I am reliable in that I check into your RR every day to see your lovely photos and commentary. I know it's hard to travel alone to a far away place where you don't understand the language and try to make do and I am sure we all appreciate the time it takes for you to post on here.

I am envious of your trip but I am not an adventurer. I don't think I am capable of riding where you have been so I am content to just read and imagine being right by your side.

I am also not a fan of Winter but I suppose that we are in the best place as far as places to live in Canada. Except for our frost which burns off by noon, you are able to "nearly" ride all year round, just not commute when you leave for work early.

I can sense some frustration in your latest words. You have lots of moral support from all of us and thank you very much for bring us along and showing us "your" way

bob

Excuse my rant. I have had nothing but time on my hands, whether riding or not riding and I have thought about a lot. I ranted about something that ticked me off that's really unrelated to the ride. I'll nuke that post.

I think being in Miraflores made me realize how much I miss my Vancouver life. I hate small town life where there is nothing to do, go see,etc.. People have few interests, don't do much, It kind of sucks for me. Add Winter to that and I can't tell you how much I hate that. If I never saw snow again it would be much too soon.

Riding in Peru gets me down. Crazy drivers. Between Paracas and Nazca I was forced off the road at least ten times today. One was so close I just couldn't believe it. I would have liked to have gone back and kicked the guy's ass.

I am not enjoying the riding in Peru, at all. It is like riding across a gravel pit in staggering heat for 1000's of miles

I am at a low point. I am not enjoying the ride but I don't want to go home. What to do?

I couldn't even be bothered to climb the 100 steps or so on the Observation tower in 35 degree heat to see the Nazca Lines.

If your still in Nazca, I really enjoyed the flight above the lines and if my memory serves me right I found a guide to take me out to see the irrigation tunnels built 500 years ago still in use.
Living in the big city is not all its cracked up to be or maybe its just the one I live in Hang in there.

I may do the flight, but I'm not feeling it right now. I find it hard to "do" things by yourself, especially when you don't speak the language. If my friends had been able to make it to Paracas and wanted to go I would have taken the boat tour to see the penguins but to go by yourself, just not fun. I'd rather not go than go through the hassle to go by myself. I am really not a sightseer at heart I guess. I just like to ride but that has been very disappointing for several days now.

I found that if in Vancouver you could not find something to do, then you weren't trying hard enough. In Shediac if you can't find something to do, then it's very likely it's because there is absolutely nothing to do.

I went to get a meal. I walked around and saw several of the (They call them Familiar) restaurants. They are just the typical little places you see everywhere with standard fare. A lot of fish and chicken and rice because you cannot eat the beef. Consistently like shoe leather.

I couldn't face another one of them. I went to a chicken roaster place.

I ordered a half a chicken dinner. I only want the white meat that's why I ordered half. The girl goes to the serving window and brings a 1/4 chicken to a lady across the aisle from me. I watch as she turns her nose up at it and refuses it. The waitress takes it back to the kitchen. The cook nods toward me and guess who gets a 1/4 chicken dinner all dark meat, obviously quartered with a chainsaw. Torn to crap. I don't know how they do it but everything I get down here tastes off. This smelled slightly like a mixture of Pinesol and mothballs. Disgusting! Soggy fries and the "salad" was shredded carrot, two thin slices of under ripe tomato with cream sauce on soggy lettuce. I do not understand how anyone can say they like the food in SA. This is what you get day after day, place after place. It's terrible. Bordering on absolutely inedible. I skip dozens of meals cause I just cannot face them. The food reminds me of the worst a K-Mart cafeteria ever slopped out.

Just reporting what I see

Kedgi

I'm just looking at the distance from Nazca to Cusco. It's 611kms. Is there a way to break up the trip? Is there a good place to stay between the two cities? It doesn't look like there is much out there.

Kedgi

Dwight:

You have to put this in perspective. You are doing what most of us can't, perhaps out of fear, of self reliance, of not knowing the language and you have no support, only yourself to count on. While it's nice to meet up with others once in a while it hasn't been the case for you this past week so naturally you are feeling a bit frustrated.

I am not an adventurer, I don't think I could follow in your footsteps (wheel tracks) but you are doing better than most of us. You are a long way from home in a hostile environment. I commend you for going on this trip and appreciate the gentle way you express yourself. sometimes there is too much time to think. You are a great traveller. Think of the rest of us who are depending on your thoughts and photos.

I plan to buy you a juicy Hamburger when I get to Shediac next July.

bob

Hey Dwight
We are getting a ton of snow again tonight. It has been snowing since dinner time and building up quickly. Fourth snowfall in a week. Been doing lots of shoveling and snow blowing as of late and if the snow wasn't bad enough we had a ton of rain Sunday night . So you know how heavy the snow has been on times. But a reasonable winter in St. John's overall. Look forward to reading your report every day and the pictures and writing are fantastic. No doubt that when you have a lot of time on your hands in the desolated places out of the hectic pace of the big cities..your mind can work overtime ! Don't be discouraged and keep the wind in your face. I'm sure that when we get together again you will have stories to keep us all entertained for hours on end.... You are on a trip of most people's lifetime...you are doing what millions think about, but only a few like yourself actually do! With all the countries,different languages,technical problems ,logistics and the day to day events most people would not be able to even understand actually HOW BIG THIS ADVENTURE IS...ALL ON YOUR OWN ! Take care,be safe and enjoy each day of Kedgi's BIG SOUTH AMERICAN ADVENTURE... A dream turned into reality
Jim
Ps..just received a bunch gear for my KLR...hopefully back to Labrador again late this summer .::

Onward.........

great story of your trip. Both the wonderful and the not so wonderful.......I guess thats what makes it a trip of lifetime

Pulling for you man

That hamburger sounds good. I have tried South American hamburguesa (sp) consistently inedible. So bad I just won't order them anymore.

There is a lot of time to think. Riding or not. Spanish TV holds no interest for me, in fact I could say that about TV anywhere. I am frustrated at the moment by a complete lack of seeing anything redeeming in the ride for a long time, with the exception of Lima.

The day to day struggle with language, getting a meal, at night especially (I have just begun to skip lunch altogether, who needs the disappointment) and then the meal is a huge disappointment at the end of a long day, makes for a long lonely night in the hotel. Then you get to do it all again the next day. The riding overall has been great, just really bad the last ten days or so since entering Peru.

I'm surprised at how many people think it is hard to ride south. I just took it day by day. I cringe at the thought of another Winter in Shediac to me that's unbearable. Dark and absolutely freezing cold and tons of snow. Nothing could be worse in my mind. Riding south has been an escape for me.

I guess I never expected the food to be such a big hurdle. I just can't stand it. I swear when I get home, I will never eat rice again. I stopped eating peas many years ago after an extended stay in Newfoundland where they had canned peas with every meal. I still cannot eat peas. I don't like sugar because at one time I worked in a Sugar refinery. You couldn't pay me enough to eat sugar on anything. I will never likely come to South America again because of the food.

I do consider myself lucky to be able to do this trip. I knew there would be hurdles, but really the last thing I thought was that I would be hungry day after day after day. I have lost at least 20 lbs on this trip.

Thank You for your continued interest and support.



Kedgi

Hi Jim

Glad you're reading and following along. It would be great if we get a chance to ride a bit together in late Summer. I'd still like to take Angele to Newfoundland but would almost certainly make the trip in the BMW.

Having done the Trans Labrador Highway twice last year, I think I can safely cross it off my list. I would love to ride the desert southwest of the USA, see Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon, etc Someday maybe.....

I do "try" to enjoy every day, but it's not possible I'm afraid on a trip this long. There are going to be days that are diamonds and I have had a few of those and there are going to be days that are rocks. I have had a string of them lately.

Thanks for the encouragement. I can use it at the moment.

Dwight

Kedgi,

I'm not sure which route you are planning to ride, but Abancay is just over 2/3 of the way to Cusco (420km) and has a few reasonable hotels. If I recall there is a very scenic canyon you follow along the way, and there are a few smaller towns along the way which may have accommodations.

There will be a much greater variety of dining options when you reach Cusco! There are a couple of really nice Italian restaurants along with Irish, Chinese, etc. Just don't grab a burger at McDonalds; it is very different than at home.

Safe Travels,

I'm truly flattered at all the support and interest I receive in this RR

It keeps me busy. I sure need that tonight.

Kedgi

Thanks Poolman

That's very good to know...600k at high elevation sounds like a moonshot to me.

I had one of those Peruvian Egg McMuffin substitutes in Lima

I have had good luck with Big Macs. I don't normally eat them but I'll take a Big Mac over almost ANY Peruvian meal I've had, any day.

Cusco will have better food choices for sure. I hiked the Inca trail 2 years ago, it was a 4 day hike with porters, cook and a guide..... and let me tell you the food was by far the best in my 4 weeks in Peru the cook on that hike was fantastic!I did find lots of good food in Lima and Cusco.
I have to thank you for the report, it makes staying home this winter more tolerable, first winter in 5 where I couldn't afford to take the bike south. Going to yellowknife in June for a couple of weeks and hope to get back to Mexico next winter.... now theres a country that knows how to cook!!
Saludos Cal

I appreciate it. I'm sitting in my room at the back of the hotel. There is a celebration in the square. Nazca's Anniversary

This is accompanied by ear splitting music. I can hear every word with my door closed. That sort of thing, I understand. It's a different culture. It will end. Some Swiss backpackers in the lobby say it goes until midnight. Wish i'd known that when I checked in.

The bad food of course has no end in sight. I take that back, the end is the Miami airport.

Thanks for reading!

I had no trouble in Mexico finding something to eat. Here is just atrocious. Lima was good, you have choices. The small towns and cities are all the same. It is hard to believe it can be all the same and always so unappealing.

Good luck in Yellowknife. You won't see me there. Mexico next Winter, now you're talking!

Kedgi

From what I've seen of Radioman's posting, it looks like the good beef is in Argentina. I suspect you'd find the food to be an improvement there. I post this pic Radioman posted from Bariloche to encourage you there are better times ahead.



Hopefully you're headed that way eventually. Southern Argentina looks very similar to the Pacific Northwest.

How has the bike been performing? Have you felt the need to rejet, or does the constant velocity carb handle the altitude variations ok?