Around the World in 800 Days

trust me I have learned by trial and error and I am still learning
At lease I can charge all my batteries and devices from my bike now

UOTE=hankgs;20190728]Great report! It is interesting to see how & what you've packed for these long jouneys- thanks for sharing. I think I need a "tech class" on how all the laptop, blackberry, droid, iphones, wireless international internet, charging systems and how to post pics...!:huh

Looking forward to hearing more- Ride safe and stay healthy![/QUOTE]

i would have thought the wine glass would be in the tank bag . its amazing what real tequila is all about.like wine there is good and bad,and real good tequila is real good.great report.

Right behind what bike to ride is what should I wear. I had a reader ask me about my choice and this is what I said........

I ran across your ride report last night and read it nearly in one sitting, just fantastic and really appreciated your insights and especially your bike's load out. I well imagine your work touring in Baja did a great deal to refine your packing?

I am in the VERY early stages of considering some longer distance rides. I have a variety of riding gear, but like many others, I am seeking that Holy Grail of "One Suit that Rules them All". I noted you were wearing the Rev'It Defender, and I've read and researched a lot of gear. Also noticed photos where you are wearing their rain suit over it...so I imagine that the advertising copy of the Defender implying it is perfectly waterproof on its own is...uhm...marketing exaggeration?

Actually I am really happy with the Rev'It gear I have, some Fahrenheit gloves and a balaclava.

So far I am dealing with "mix n match". I have a Aerostitch 2 Piece roadcrafter that is a bit small...I mean, I can wear it, and it was great motivation for losing weight, but I can't properly layer under it for cold weather, especially the pants. It gets too cold, and it isn't really waterproof anymore, despite using recommended wash-in and spray on products In anything but the coldest weather I have a Hein Gericke Timbuktu jacket, and in the coldest weather I wear a First Gear Kilimanjaro and their HT Overpants. I love the looks I get when it is in the 20s and I am riding! Yes, already being crazy helps.



How is the Defender working out?

And here is my reply........


Thanks for your note and interest
First off, let me say that no suit is perfect
I have been a huge fan of the one piece Areostitch as I have had the same one for 15 years
I also have the Timbuktu which I use is Baja when it gets cold
And like you, I looked in to what suit I was going to wear more than anything else for this trip
First off wearing a new Stitch was out because they are just too warm in hot weather. They need more vents. But I love the way they come off in 10 seconds
There is a Stitch copy call Teiz that is an updated version of the Areostitch with more vents and a zip in thermal liner. But it was too new and unproven. But it is something to watch
Then there was Klim. They are more expensive than anything else and are very good. But again, I feel they don't vent as well but I do like their armour.
Then it came down to the Rev it Defender. It was the best choice for me. It is 3 layer.......the outer layer which does a decent job shedding water in a light rain but is by no means waterproof. Then there is the inner layer of Gore-tex which will keep your inner layers dry. Honestly, I have not tested it is a heavy all day rain as I use my one piece Rev it rain suit for that. But that one piece rain suit will definitely keep you dry. You just need to know when to put it on. If you put it on too late, you will still be wet underneath. But with that gore tex inner layer zipped up, I have never got wet underneath. And then there is the thermal layer which does a great job keeping you warm down in to the 40's. I don't have a lot of fat on me so I get cold easy. That's why I also have the heated vest.
But the trick is to have the right stuff for the right weather. I use the gore-tex liner when there are isolated thunder showers becausse I will stay dry and then when it stops raining a few minutes later, the outer layer dries quickly so it is hopefully never wet at the end of the day. The last thing you want is to bring some wet, dripping riding gear in to your tent at night. And for those days that I know it is going to rain for a while, I put on the one piece rain suit and I don't worry about getting wet.....ever!
The Rev'it Apache boots are great. They will stay completely dry in an all day rain storm. And the Phantom GTX gloves are the same. They some how stay dry. But it is a little clammy at times if it rains all day and then warms up but it is about as good as you could ever expect.
The Gore tex outer layer jackets are nice but they are hot, don't have as many vents and they still get damp in a rain storm and you will have a puddle in your tent at the end of the day.
So yes, for me, the Defender Jacket and Pants are my best choice for a trip like mine. If I had unlimited room, yes, I would want to have different jackets and pants for different situations. But the Rev'it Defender does the best with making the least sacrafices
Hope that helps

Ed

Hummmmm, Maybe I need to make room in my tank bag

Finding a place to camp in Mexico is harder than it was in Alaska. You see, most of the land here is privately owned and there are people everywhere. Just when you think you are all alone, some Mexican guys pop out of the bushes to say hi and check out your motorcycle. I have had to get more clever about finding my camp spots. In cow country, everything is fenced in. And in the mountains, most little roads lead to someone ranch.
So just outside of Colima, it was getting late so I pulled off the main road and started to look for a place to set up camp. Here I saw a sign for a property for sale. I pulled up the driveway and found this flat pad that was not visable from the street. It was perfect for the night. It even had a view of the volcano. And if someone came by and asked what I was doing, I would just tell them that I was interested in buying the property and wanted to see how it felt staying there for a night

Here's the view of the Volcano just outside of Colima

South of Puerto Vallarta this is this beach called La Ticla. The place was amazing. Friendly people, dollar beers and great surfing. I asked one couple staying there what they were paying for their room on the beach and they said $100 a month
Think about that
$100 a month for a room on the beach in paradise..............trust me, I have been thinking about La Ticla a lot lately

Hwy 200 starts just south of San Blas and runs down Mexico's Pacific coast to about Guatemala.
I was very excited about taking this road as it is their Pacific Coast Hwy. But sadly, I can probably count on one hand how many times you actually see the coast and most of those are just peek-a-boo shots. So Hwy 200 was kind of a let down when it comes to scenary as compared to California's PCH which is one of the best in the world!!!
But there are some nice beaches to stop at along the way. Some I had all to myself. I went out bodysurfing in to the 83 degree water and post card perfect 4 foot surf. I caught about 20 waves and got back on the bike with a big smile on my face knowing that I could always come back to these secluded beaches and that it was all mine for the day

here is one of the few view points of the coast on Hwy 200
The road is like a rollercoaster thru some sections. It is a lot of fun for the first hour but after that, you wish the road would straighten out a bit so you can average more than 35 miles an hour. And those who know me know I go at a pretty good pace

Here is another scenic view point with a restaurant build on the top of the cliff. I had to stop for a taco, drink and a little rest here

I put in a long day riding from Colima to Alcapulco. My goal is to always find a spot to camp before dark. But this day, I had trouble finding the right spot. I found some places but I was afraid something better was just right up the road........so I kept going. It was an hour after dark and I was almost to Alcapulco and I was getting tired and concerned. I asked someone and they told me about Playa Pie de la Cuesta. And it wasn't exactly a camping spot but I was able to find a spot I could sleep right on the sand and take a swim the next morning

Going for a swim the next morning
And I found a fisherman and his catch on the beach

There is this little town about 30 miles south of Puerto Escondido Mexico call Puerto Angel. A friend of mine has a place there. He told me about a year ago if I ever made it down that way, I would have a place to stay.
So my GF QHFAN2 needed a break from work so she flew in to Huatalco and I picked her up on the GS and we are staying a week in paradise!

My firend's place is INCREDIBLE!
It is built on this rocky point that junts out in to the ocean
I am going to have a hard time leaving here and going back to my tent

The town is really cool
There are al kinds of restaurants on the beach and no one is here.
Too many stories of banditos and drug cartel violence I guess has scared everyone away expect for a few brave souls that know better and some neo-hippies that look like hippies from the 70's
Here's QHFAN2 and I eating dinner on the beach at sunset. and the food was awesome!!!!

Here in Puerto Angel you can dinner for 2 for less than $4
That is some good tacos off the many carts in town
Or since we have a kitchen, we went to the meat market (carneceria) ad bought some filet mignon. We had to buy the whole roast tenderlion. It was about 2 kilos (4 pounds) and it cost $16. We BBQ it up and it was one of the best steaks I have ever had.......And I am a steak snob like I am a wine snob

Buying tortillas straight from the tortilla guys. Hot off the presses!
You can't believe how good these are fresh like this

Since I learned all about Tequila a few days earlier, I thought we would have a little tequila taste-off
The Cava de Oro Extra Anejo was the clear winner here

Another day in paradise
I broke a rule and opened a beer before noon
Is that bad?

awesome pics, and looks like a wonderful place to stay!

what's the weather/temps like down south right now?