33 1/3 N C S + Cuba

[JediMaster]

Originally Posted by bk brkr baker

I know it always looks different in a photo , but , I think I would have picked an alternate line through there !

Keep living the dream for us poor worker bees .

It's not John who chooses the lines, its his fat bastard Beemer...

[Throttlemeister]

Originally Posted by SmilinJoe

Good to hear from you and your status. Sucks about the cush drive, better now than in the middle of BFB (Brazil). Other than that sounds like life is going well for you my friend. Can not wait to read of your adventures! Keep riding my friend and be safe!!

My stop in Bucaramanga was a very successful one, I sourced a few spare grade 12.9 allen head bolts for my shock and linkage just in case I have some more break and I got a total of four of the cush drive bearings and two seals at a nice price, had to put in some C3 clearance bearings instead of the stock C1 but they are a hell of a lot better than what I beat out of there Got me a new knobby rear for the mud too to carry along. Bike is now in good shape and I headed up the road in late evening trying to make it up to Pamploma, Colombia where the fog and rain in the night finally shut me down and I ended up sleeping in a small open garage at a truckstop with enough chicken shit to fertilize a small residential lawn for a year, didn't know it until the morning after when I was packing up, all those guys thought I was bat shit crazy, now I know why

I took a place in Pamploma and did all my smelly ass laundry and relined my last set of rear pads I took off, I was thinking they attached the lining like the factory way of vulcanized lining but instead they used rivots on the pads better than nothing at all as spares. I left out late the next day as I was held up waiting for all the laundry and then made a mistake on finding roads not on the gps or my paper map and took the long way around El Cocoy NP's back side hugging the VZ border mostly all the way down to Arauca staying another night at a roadside tienda before crossing yesterday afternoon after spending most of the day in monsoon-like rain conditions. I crossed the border without incident on old bike papers that where still good and without problem bringing in my new tire I've got just a few weeks to kill here before I must exit before the end of the month to Brazil, so it looks like I'm on a little schedule again in the meantime.

I plan to go down to Puerto Paez area near the headwaters of the Orinoco River, good thing I've got Enya's song downloaded, and find a place SS in Vnzl told me about, a nice jungle slide thing if I can before headed farther East into the country over the next days.

Hopefully the rains will subside slightly and give me some peace, they are something fierce

Originally Posted by SS in Vzla.

Told you so.... I wouldn't eat there even if there was nothing else around! And you know I'll eat rocks and worms, but McD's in Vzla is just too much

If you can't find any bearings or seals drop me an e-mail and I'll probably be able o get them here.

Arauca is still the same as in Easter Week.

It's been raining A LOT in all of Venezuela lately ( a lot more than is normal for this time of the year), so I'm guessing Brazil has gotten it's share of water also... Check on that. The good news is that Angel Falls should have plenty of water for you to visit.

See above Wendy's that I went to with you in the mall was a hell of a lot better than the McDonalds

I feel like a wet rat, I was more than glad to hole up in a shitty hotel to dry out some the other day after a fine roadside prillia, I can barely keep my passport and bike papers dry anymore.

I'm looking forward to Angel Falls and the Gran Sabana

[Throttlemeister]

Originally Posted by JediMaster

It's not John who chooses the lines, its his fat bastard F650...

I took that line for photo op, I can power through any line on that muddy ass road with my big mexican whore

I checked in to it and no way can I afford to fly over to England for the big homecoming party I'll drink one in SA for you man


Take it easy.

I'm going to go find me some snakes in the jungle or something else

[Throttlemeister]

Well today I've got material for my new necklace, a first for me in the road kill department


Amazing how tough these bastards are

[swamp]

freakin right !!

please please paaaleeease safety wire one of those gator legs to your kickstand !

[jimmex]

John,
Did you hit that gator/croc on your bike?

[SS in Vzla.]

Originally Posted by jimmex

John,
Did you hit that gator/croc on your bike?

No way! even with the weight of John's bike, if he hits a "baba" (that's how they are called in Venezuela) he would be sliding on the deck for sure... and the baba would probably be laughing her ass off in the distance...

Was it fresh ? next time chop the tail off... They are great on an open flame, but do not let the National Guard see any of the skin, you will be in BIG trouble, even if it was road kill, they'll just use it as an excuse

[SmilinJoe]

Leave it up to an Okie to stop and play with road kill!

[Throttlemeister]

Originally Posted by swamp

freakin right !!

please please paaaleeease safety wire one of those gator legs to your kickstand !

I knew I could could a rise out of a wild man like you I sealed them all hermatically in one of my old water bottles before I prep the smelly things for their new roles.

Originally Posted by jimmex

John,
Did you hit that gator/croc on your bike?

No I was just the mutilater after the impact It had already been well dead by the time I passed, I think he was a victim of the previous night. I was passing tons of flooding habitat and that was the only one I saw near the road.

His teeth weren't big enough to mess with so I settled for the claws

He was just starting to smell a little funky, but it didn't really matter as I was way past that stage myself already having been riding in the rain mostly as of late

Originally Posted by SS in Vzla.

No way! even with the weight of John's bike, if he hits a "baba" (that's how they are called in Venezuela) he would be sliding on the deck for sure... and the baba would probably be laughing her ass off in the distance...

Was it fresh ? next time chop the tail off... They are great on an open flame, but do not let the National Guard see any of the skin, you will be in BIG trouble, even if it was road kill, they'll just use it as an excuse

SS knows Venezuela well If he would have been a little fresher the thought crossed my mind but he was a little too far on the rancid side for even me

Originally Posted by SmilinJoe

Leave it up to an Okie to stop and play with road kill!

After all the stuff I've done, there's not too much that bothers me any more, these hands have been in and around lots worse places and things, remember I'm a medical professional

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Update as of late:
I got crossed over into the next country with little problem and headed down to near the head waters of the Orinoco River, I just had to play that Enya song a few times laughing about it all.

Spent some time at a really cool jungle slide taking all the hardest routes down giving the people some quality entertainment and taking a beating myself in doing so but I survived well enough and had a damn fun time doing so. I've had good relations mostly with the military so far and gotten a few nice perks being the friendly motorbiker I am I sailed the orinoco twice on ferries, nearer the headwaters took maybe 30 mins, and farther down took 1:30 time, I bet this river flows more water than the Mississippi River, it is amazing. It is a nice time to drink beer and relax off the bike.

I headed back up to Caracas yesterday to hangout with SS again as he makes it such a nice place to be as has a great set of good friends and a super family

I'm getting things organized for the two big trips I want to do while in country while here in the big city and may finally check the valves on my poor old girl after more than a few thousand miles over do Problem is no since and tearing in to measure if I can't get the correct shims to rememdy a problem. Just by feel the bike seems to be running great and it loves the ultra pure and cheap fuel of Venezuela

Now I just have to see about getting that extension for the bike's papers

John at my favorite hangout in Caracas

[Throttlemeister]

Been a hell of a good time since leaving Caracas except for losing some of my luggage, well I guess it's not so bad since I have so much stuff At least now I've got more room for beer and food
The bag last seen on the bike outside the hotel at Chacopata, VZ:



I drove back over 40 miles hoping to find it but ended up all in vain now without my black sealine bag having a nice pair of Arterex pants, my ADV synthetic long sleeve tshirt, my nice green Cubano helmet, my charcoal water fiter, and about a couple hundred 33 1/3 stickers
Someone is set up nice out on the pennisula heading out to Araya, VZ
At least they know where their good fortune came from since the bag also had my a luggage tag with my address, I'm doubting I'll ever see it again but oh well, nice not having to 'try' and strap it down every day. I'm going to miss that little green helmet, nice memories

I went ahead and skipped out on Margarita Island as I'd heard it wasn't worth the time and effort and instead spent some nice time on some very nice mainland beaches and found some really good riding in the North of the country, one spot I even had to drop down to 13 CS, it was some interesting riding to say the least, like a new bike with the tractor gear on












I am just about ready to wrap up my confirmation that there are more pretty women in Venezuela than Colombia, I might just have to go back to compare once more but the last few days riding have just about gotten me convinced- it is just amazing and the price of fuel is unbeatable during this search. I will add that the Colombian women seem more outgoing and overall more friendly than their Venezuelan counterparts but once you warm up to the Venezuelans all is good just takes more time I am from the Empire after all, but I feel like I have the full support of Hugo behind me on this one



Been having a run of good weather until today after the bird cave when the rains came back to me and I left out of the mountains looking for drying weather and found it here in Maturin at a freezing cold Papa John's Pizza of all places I've been wearing my riding gear for the last few hours after devouring some tasty pizza and cheese sticks enjoying the wifi



Still working on arranging the first of the two big off bike trips to Angel Falls and trying to figure out which side of the Guri Dam I need to show up to get to the tour. Looks like I might be having a few good traveling companions for a week or so coming up so I'm looking forward to the good times.

It's not so bad even with the rain

[SmilinJoe]

Damn John good to see your still with us. Thought maybe Hugo found you and locked you up! Dont need no American contaminating the Venezulan women!! Good to see you are having a great time and enjoying life to the max. The beaches look awesome. Cant wait to hear the story about Angel Falls. Be safe my friend and always stay thirsty!!

[SS in Vzla.]

Noooooo not the Cubano Helmet!!!

I had just asked my friend with the printing business to make a decal with the "We're not gay, he is my brother" logo to put on your "passenger helmet" (Which is the helmet he wore all the time he rode bitch on my bike through Caracas )

I'll guess you'll just have to go ahead and put it on your regular helmet now

Sorry to hear about your lost bag, but I'm thinking you can now carry a full case of beer on top of that pannier the way you do on your 1150, so it's a good thing right?

Ride safe amigo!

[crashmaster]

Originally Posted by SS in Vzla.

Noooooo not the Cubano Helmet!!!

That's exactly what I was thinking, damn. Screw the rest of the stuff, that helmet was priceless.

[Throttlemeister]

Originally Posted by SmilinJoe

Damn John good to see your still with us. Thought maybe Hugo found you and locked you up! Dont need no American contaminating the Venezulan women!! Good to see you are having a great time and enjoying life to the max. The beaches look awesome. Cant wait to hear the story about Angel Falls. Be safe my friend and always stay thirsty!!

I've been riding like a fool and living like a savage way too much I've found a new set of homes camping at the National Guard checkpoints along the route, get free spot to camp, plus free shitter and asswipe in the morning and usually a free cup or two of coffee when we BS in the mornings Viva Venezeula, they are damn lucky my Spanish is not so good or no telling what might happen down here

I go to the falls in the morning at 7:30am leaving out of Cuidad Bolivar and take 3 days and 2 nights to see an assload of waterfalls and the biggest one in del mundo Had to get me another hat as my new Poker special I traded a shirt for in Colombia was also part of the causuality of the dropped seal line bag on the pennisula



Got me a junky knockoff Quicksilver to protect my most perfect head from the dangerous sun over the next few days since I will be sans helmet

Those beaches are unreal, this women strut there stuff around here, at least the one's that really have it

[Throttlemeister]

Originally Posted by SS in Vzla.

Noooooo not the Cubano Helmet!!!

I had just asked my friend with the printing business to make a decal with the "We're not gay, he is my brother" logo to put on your "passenger helmet" (Which is the helmet he wore all the time he rode bitch on my bike through Caracas )

I'll guess you'll just have to go ahead and put it on your regular helmet now

Sorry to hear about your lost bag, but I'm thinking you can now carry a full case of beer on top of that pannier the way you do on your 1150, so it's a good thing right?

Ride safe amigo!

After taking stock today having gone through my gear, it was by far the worst loss of the bunch. Also added up in the loss was my good 4 liter water bag and a nice hoodie with my newish Pokers hat. Whoever found the bag is going to be set to continue on with the 33 1/3 moto trip It is nice to not have to deal with that bag and ever since coming back to Cali this year I've thought I should be without it and now I got what I wanted, just hated losing that little green helmet, it's protected a couple of nicer heads along the way besides mine




Oh the memories...

I'm sure I will manage okay...I would think the extra beer space can't hurtLooking forward to the party in the Sabana InShaLa

Originally Posted by crashmaster

That's exactly what I was thinking, damn. Screw the rest of the stuff, that helmet was priceless.

It look good as part of my load, at least it showed I was willing for the right passenger Going to be hard to find a replacement for it thou


My last memory of the thing, the day after an exciting day riding the dangerous streets of Caracas when the prisoners got into a gunfight with the military more less shutting down the main autopistas of Caracas, what a time, and damn if I wasn't last riding a big Ktm at that


Will not be forgotten