Lobsters to Llamas, Maritimes to Argentina

[WJW]

Kedgi
I am enjoying reading about your travels, I like the fact that you are putting your emotions and feelings, all your sadness, and enjoyments all of into this report. Keep your chin up, keep on going, remember it will get better. and so will the food, sounds like it can't get much worse.

[Throttlemeister]

There are damn sure going to be some bad days traveling on a bike down South, but there should always be a whole lot more good ones than bad or it's probably time to do something different

You are in some of the greatest high country mountain pass roads in the World, go get off the PanAm and find you some good highs.
The more effort you put into trying to learn the language the more dividends you will earn on your investment. Being deaf and mute is not fun

Thanks for sharing your report, hope things start getting brighter for you


Best of Luck,
John

[Kedgi]

Originally Posted by Tsotsie

There is a consolation to all your current 'trials and frustrations' to look forward too - "its like bumping your head against the wall - it great when you stop!" Soon you will be through it all and into something refreshingly new!

I have been known in the past to kick the door of vehicles that come too close. Gets immediate and amusing reactions from the drivers too!

I threatened to kick a car tonight. One of these morons who tries to squeeze up beside you in traffic. It happened in Cusco. Yup, I made it over 600k today and I'm in Cusco. The streets are cobblestone and they were wet tonight. I'm struggling with a 600 plus pound bike after a 11.5 hour ride and some jerk in a taxi almost got a boot.

[Kedgi]

Originally Posted by BKMLWR

keep going Kedgi, Peru will fade away.
one near miss in a day sets me off for a long time..combine that with the heat and desert and there is good reason to be a little pissed at the current situation...but it will change for the better

long way off but if you need a pit stop in Bangor Maine area...plenty of space here..

I feel better already. I had a wonderful day in the mountains. I had almost forgot how to go around a corner after so many days in the desert. It all came back to me though. I saw everything today from 90 degree heat to Ice Pellets.

I got to Cusco after dark. Tough place to find parking for a bike! I finally found a secure lot two blocks up the street from my hostal. No ideal but it will work. I could ride around on slick cobblestones in heavy traffic looking for a place any longer. I had to settle for what I found. I was on the road at 7am and got here at 8:30PM. Great ride, but enough was enough.

I'll write more later and i took some pictures but that will be Manana, too tired tonight.

and thanks for the offer in BGR


Kedgi

[Kedgi]

Originally Posted by Throttlemeister

There are damn sure going to be some bad days traveling on a bike down South, but there should always be a whole lot more good ones than bad or it's probably time to do something different

You are in some of the greatest high country mountain pass roads in the World, go get off the PanAm and find you some good highs.
The more effort you put into trying to learn the language the more dividends you will earn on your investment. Being deaf and mute is not fun

Thanks for sharing your report, hope things start getting brighter for you


Best of Luck,
John

Thanks John, they are. I had a wonderful ride from Nazca to Cusco today. Good pavement, very light traffic, fun!

I wish I knew more Spanish. Nevr had the opportunity to take it in school. I am going to work on it , for sure. It is so frustrating not speaking the language, especially when you are alone.

Dwight

[Kedgi]

Originally Posted by WJW

Kedgi
I am enjoying reading about your travels, I like the fact that you are putting your emotions and feelings, all your sadness, and enjoyments all of into this report. Keep your chin up, keep on going, remember it will get better. and so will the food, sounds like it can't get much worse.

I took a complete break from eating today. No breakfast dinner or supper, except for three cookies I bought in a mountain village. It was great. I'm not that hungry, I was busy riding all day and I didn't have to face the disappointmnet of more of that crap.

I'll eat breakfast tomorrow. I'd kill for bacon and eggs and a coffee shop that opens before 8:30

Kedgi

[Kedgi]

Originally Posted by Toadride

Dwight,
You have my complete support...and sympathy. I know exactly where you are coming from and love your passion and honesty. If I had been with you I prolly would have packed it in by now. Some people don't understand that as we get on into the 'bucket list' side of our lives most of us can say we have been thru the shyte before. So why the Hell go thru it again. At least in my case.
But you are gettin thru it, brother. Hang in there. Argentina awaits.
Toad

I feel that way too. One thing I can't do is dorm rooms, snoring kids that roll in at 3AM. I have been around too long to put up with that.

I really thought about flying home from Lima and taking a break for a few weeks but when i got up this morning there was marching band and fireworks at 6:08 then 6:19 then 6:23. The racket last night went on til after 1am. Don't people sleep in Nazca? There were at least 6 hotels and hostals in earshot of that racket. I couldn't wait to leave Nazca. I flew out of there determined to get to Cusco and i did.

Kedgi

[Kedgi]

Originally Posted by Reaver

Hey Dwight.

Add me to the list of those supporting you. Right now I have no plans of even going to get the mail in this miserable cold snap here. I too deteste the cold and have plans to retire south soon. Trying to look at the bright side, maybe you need to show them how to prepare a good meal. Say...a small restaurant catering to traveller's stomachs? Turn lemons into lemonade? A place near the beach where the english speaking travellers will seek you out. "Dwight's Done Right Diner" A secure place to park a bike and relax. Maybe someone's trying to tell you something. You've discovered a void. Take a deep breath. Vancouver is awesome I agree, but how long will your nest egg last there vs where you are now (SA)? As I said to my girl last fall while we were touring NS on our GS's and got lost near Larry's River south of Guysborough (Zumo quit!) , low on fuel and stressed..."Who's going to feel sorry for you?" Meaning which one of your friends wouldn't trade places with you right now? Three weeks off, touring Canada at will on a motorcycle. Poor Baby. Dwight's travelling South America on a motorcycle with his wife's blessing and can't get a good bite to eat? All said with good intent my friend.

I'm like you in a lot of ways. Live in the moment. Your RR will make you wish you were still there when reading it years later.....


"Just remember, I'm pullin' for ya. We're all in this together. Keep your stick on the ice!" Red Green

I was in Larry's River on the KLR one day last Summer. i was lost too.

I saw a place called Surfer Burger in Huanchaco. It said real USA style burgers. I only saw it open once, late, after I had eaten. I thought it was a good idea.

My biggest complaint in Shediac is winter. Shediac gets Winter...BIG TIME. Tons of snow, breathtaking cold (there is a windchill warning tonight for temps reaching minus 30C) Who needs it? Not me. I've seen enough Winters to last a lifetime. There is a reason no one lives in NB

[poolman]

Kedgi,

Congratulations on completing the long run from Nazca to Cusco! This is what it must feel like to complete a Dakar stage.

You are clearly missing familiar food, so I highly recommend you find Paddy's Irish Pub in the morning and enjoy an amazing breakfast or brunch. Paddy's is adjacent to he Plaza, and I found their morning offerings to be unmatched in the region. You mention you lost 20 lbs on this trip; you can easily regain some of this back here!

Ride Safe,

[DRRambler]

If terrible drivers and lousy food aren't bad enough, how's this? The Leafs won a hockey game now that's depressing.

Thanks for your honesty, I suspect things will look up from here on out. I'm looking forward to your Bolivia reports.

Ride Safe

[Scottishman]

Hey man, all of Canada is behind you.

I love your posts, and is inspiring me for my trip later this year.

So, my thought is, forget about the food for a couple of days. Go to thebest bar you can find tomorrow, drink pails of the best beer you can find and enjoy yourself. Whatever happens, happens. Just don't ride, and always remember how much you love your wife. All willbe cool inthemorning!!

Sorry for the typos. My PlayBook was acting up.

[Kedgi]

Originally Posted by DRRambler

If terrible drivers and lousy food aren't bad enough, how's this? The Leafs won a hockey game now that's depressing.

Thanks for your honesty, I suspect things will look up from here on out. I'm looking forward to your Bolivia reports.

Ride Safe

That's funny. I am one of the few Canadians who you couldn't pay to watch hockey. I think I shoul have been born in Miami instead of Toronto, something went wrong there. When I was a kid I liked the Leafs and I think that's the last time they won anything.

One thing I never mentioned about the bad drivers is, when you're riding across the desert like from Paracas out to Nazca. Opposite direction tractor trailers will come across the yellow line and point their trucks right at you, like to make you think maybe they are not paying attention or have fallen asleep. I had 4 or 5 do it. I'm sure they do it for "sport" Frighten the crap right out of you!

[Kedgi]

It's 6:30. I'm in the lobby working on my ride report. It's freezing. There is no heat in any of these buildings and it about 8 degrees, but to top it all off they are playing Gansta Rap behind the front desk and i have to sit here to use the internet. Lord dyin'

I have to find another Hostal. I damn near froze last night and all they have is a cold shower. Yikes!

I booked two nights here because i knew I would need some time today to find a better place.

It funny two of you mentioned the Irish Bar but that was definitely in my plan to find something to eat.

I left my friggen down jacket on the bike and it's two blocks away. I gotta go get it. Too cold to type anymore. I have uploaded my pictures from yesterday, my plan was to post them now before I went in search of something to eat. I'll have to do it later.

[Kedgi]

I went for a walk looking for Paddy's and i found it located on the central square. Not open yet, maybe they do a breakfast later. In the meantime I saw a Starbucks and had a good coffee and a big cookie. That will hold me over for now

The Square is impressive. Very beautiful. I sat on Starbuck's balcony and just watched the traffic and the people. I was immediately struck by how quiet it was. They have a law against blowing your horn in Central Cusco. Everywhere else you go the horn blowing is constant. Surely they must see they can still drive without constantly tapping the horn.

I also saw a Scotiabank machine. I have to start taking money out daily because my bank card expires soon. I'll take my wallet and do that later today.

[Kedgi]

They day started early, when I heard the marching band I couldn't believe it, I got dressed and ran to the front of the hotel to see.

I caught them just after they passed by the front door



It was 6:25



Talk about a different culture!


I got up and got the hell out of Nazca and was soon riding roads like this. Absolutely wonderful! This is the stuff motorcycles were made for. As I climbed the temperature dropped and most of the way up except for about 30 miles at the very top where it was freezing and showering ice pellets, it felt like a wonderful Spring day






Up at the top of the pass the landscape begins to look like this. You do get very close to the clouds. This is a long way up, maybe 15,000 ft



You soon begin to see these guys. My ride has truly been Lobsters to Llamas.





Trusty worked really well, no significant loss of power. There was very little traffic anyway, not much to pass. I noticed at one point my odometer read 44444.4. There was just under 25000k on the bike when I left home, so I have ridden 20,000kms or 12000 miles



Somewhere near the top of the pass Outstanding scenery






Then you descend into amazing valleys

Check this road out. Really fun to ride.








As you get closer to Cusco, maybe 200kms away you come to this canyon/River Valley and follow the rivers gentle descent for a very long way, maybe 100 miles or so. Sweeping turns in the road, good pavement, warm Springlike weather, A fantastic ride.















So like I say, parts of a SA trip are outstanding. Some parts, not so much. All in all it's a fantastic ride.

Kedgi