Obsessive-Compulsive South American Trip Preparation

in early-january, 2013, myself and my 2012 triumph tiger 800xc will be arriving to Valparaiso, Chile to start a trip i've been dreaming about for a long time. my current plan is to ride to buenos aires, argentina to florianopolis, brazil to visit some old friends, then back-track down to the end of the world - ushuaia, argentina, and then make my way up the south american west coast to bogota, columbia where i'll fly myself and the dirty bike back to portland. i've not yet hammered out many of the waypoints. rather, i'm wanting to collect suggestions from other riders, and in general, go where the bike takes me.

i've been riding street motorcycles since i was 10 or so, but am relatively new to adventure riding and off-road riding. i've travelled the world a good amount, but never on two wheels. in december 2011, after a lot of research, i purchased a 2006 suzuki dl-1000 v-strom, assuming that would be my bike for this trip. with the stroms, you get a lot of bike for your money. however, after spending several months farkling her out, i finally took her off-road in the steens mountain wilderness in southeastern oregon. verdict: too porky! so after a week or two of fighting the inevitable, i spent the next month or so stripping her back down, selling off all the farkles to delighted discount buyers, and then sold the dl-1000.

i knew the roads of south america would be challenging from the research - you can find anything from perfect pavement, to washed out gravel, to potholes the size of a truck. i'm 6' 4" and 225 lbs, and have a bit of a messed up neck with 4 blown cervical discs. i wanted a lighter bike to make it easier on myself, but still wanted enough power to pass authoritatively, and enough comfort to ride 10,000 - 15,000 miles in several months. after test rides at a local dealer, i was about to purchase a used 2009 bmw f800gs - then i was encouraged to test out a triumph tiger 800xc. not sure what happened that, day, but i feel in love with the tiger instantly and within a couple of weeks decided to throw down for a new one at oregon's oldest triumph dealer, cascade moto classics. (great bunch of people!)

so i then repeated the farkling process all over again - *sigh* - made much easier for the fact that triumph has some really well thought-out accessories for the 800xc - and about a month ago, my bike and my gear were all assembled. (see my gear list and gear photos in subsequent posts.) in late august of 2012, i rode a 2,500 mile loop from portland, oregon to british columbia and alberta, canada to test out the bike, my gear, and myself for the "big trip". everything went really well, and i feel prepared. (check out that ride report here, as it is the prequel to this one.)

having spent about 9 months googling, vetting, buying, returning, googling, buying, mounting, un-mounting, returning, buying, googling, etc, etc, etc ad naseum - i feel like an expert in adventure motorcycling gear. (UPS and Fedex are my biggest fans). i used this and many other forums, as well as the thoughtful input of other inmates here at advrider.com and the good people over at horizonsunlimited.com to get where i'm at now, and hope to give back some of that knowledge to riders that follow me. so in that spirit, i'll subsequently post my gear list, photos of my riding setup, useful links, and any reviews or tips on products that i think would be helpful for others.

now that i've got the bike and gear finally all sorted out, i've switched modes into preparation for my actual south american trip. although i speak portuguese fluently, i'm learning spanish to discern the differences. i've been meeting with anyone and their dog locally that will talk to me about their experiences adventure riding (the motobrothers, radioman (fellow portlander), and many more. i've been learning a lot about motorcycle repair and maintenance under the wing of my new friend and and former trials bike rider, damon - we spent a lot of time pulling parts off the v-strom to farkle and un-farkle her.

and so here i am, starting my reporting, although i have 4 months to wait. by starting the ride report early, i'm hoping to document the excitement that comes along with the preparation and the wait. perhaps that can be useful, interesting, or otherwise entertaining for anyone who wants to follow along. i'm also hoping that those who have done this ride, or want to do this ride, will chime in and become part of the conversation. i could use suggestions for places and motorcycling roads not to miss, great spots to stay or restaurants to eat at, people to meet along the way, and more.

i'll take whoever is interested along on the journey, and share as much as i can good and bad, as well as devoting myself to posting great photos and videos along the way. viva la moto!

cheers,

porkandcorn
portland, oregon usa

also find this blog mirrored at: WWW.PORKANDCORN.COM

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porkandcorn by porkandcorn, on Flickr


porkandcorn on the icefields parkway, jasper, ab, canada by porkandcorn, on Flickr

ADVRider: South America, January-June 2013: Route Suggestions??

HorizonsUnlimited/HUBB: Bike Shipping from Portland to Buenos Aires

HorizonsUnlimited/HUBB: PORKANDCORN: Buenos Aires to Bogota, 2013 (Parallel Discusion at HU)

first of all, i'm a bit of a list nerd. so don't judge me. secondly, i keep this list using iCloud on my mac devices (iPhone, iPad, iMac), so that when i make a change it is pushed/mirrored on all the devices. real handy way to let nothing slip through the cracks. or you could just wing it caveman style and be fine too. i started this list in december of 2011 by searching this and other forums, and reading books such as:

the adventure motorcycling handbook, by chris scott
building the ultimate adventure motorcycle, by robert wicks
adventure motorcycling, by robert wicks
the essential guide to dual sport motorcycling, by carl adams

the photos organized by storage area beneath this list were taken after my canadian trial run and gear test ride, as i was unpacking from that trip.

Note: (*) - indicates an efficient, innovative or otherwise amazing product that i'm glad i found

Motorcycle Gear & Modifications:
2012 Triumph Tiger 800xc, Black - from Cascade Moto Classics, Beaverton, Oregon USA
Triumph heated grips kit
Triumph fog light kit
Triumph radiator guard
Triumph skid plate/sump guard
Triumph lowered foot peg inserts
Triumph larger adjustable touring shield
Triumph center stand
Triumph engine guards
Triumph headlight protector
Triumph oil filter cover
MIVV Suono Stainless/Carbon silencer
R&G Shocktube, rear
ROX 1 7/8" pivoting handlebar risers
Barkbuster Storm handguards
Crampbuster, wide
Kriega front fork seal protectors *
Rick's mirror wideners
Touratech front fender risers *
Touratech kickstand foot widener
AirHawk R inflatable seatpad *
Mini red, white strobe lights for extra visibility *
Rubber duckie on the dash

Luggage & Storage:
Touratech Zega Pro 38L side and top cases, anodized black, w/ matched lock sets
Touratech Zega Pro lid nets (3)
Touratech Zega carry handle/luggage straps (3)
Givi T483 tank bag w/ rain cover
ROK straps, 54" x 1", black (4) *
Mesh gear bags, assorted sizes - REI
Oxford 15" bungee net
Ortlieb 85L waterproof duffle, yellow *
Ortlieb duffle patch kit
2 large, 2 medium carabiners (gear hangers)
3 gallon ziplocks, for duffle clothing organization (10) *
1 gallon ziplock freezer bags, misc storage (10)
1 quart ziplock freezer bags, misc storage (10)
Rotopax 1.75 gallon fuel cell *
4" x 24" custom PVC tent storage tube
Reflective tape strips for bike and panniers
Blog stickers

Security:
Aerostitch 1735 Ultralight bike cover large, black *
REI 72" lightweight security cables (2)
Masterlock Padlocks (3) w/ matched key
The Club 72" heavy security cable
Heavy-duty padlock
Pacsafe Stuffsafe 80L secure dry bag (w/ metal netting) *
Kryptonite disc lock, w/ reminder cable
Dowco Guardian cover alarm
Spare key set (at home to be DHL'ed if needed)

Motorcycle Spares:
Brake and clutch levers
Clutch pedal
Oil filter
Air filter
Headlight bulb
Turn signal bulb
Turn signal plastic lens cover
Fuses, assorted
Rear axle nut
Rear brake pad
Front brake pads
Bolt/washer assortment
Misc bolts, nuts, washers, assorted

Motorcycle & Tool Consumables:
Motorex chain cleaner
Honda synthetic chain lube
WD40, 2 oz.
Tape: electrical, duct, metal, self-adhering silicone
Mr. Funnel AF1CB small fuel filter funnel *
Stainless steel wire
Coat hanger wire
White lithium grease
Gorilla glue
Rapid fix welding glue
Zipties, assorted
2 ft. Zipties
Nitrile disposable gloves (20)
Shop rags (3)
Metal strapping w/ holes, 5 ft.

Motorcycle Tools:
Harbor Freight padded vinyl tool roll bag
Triumph Motorcycle repair manual (PDF)
Channel locks
Needle nose pliers
Vice grips
Harbor Freight L-shaped ball-end metric hex wrench set w/ case
Harbor Freight combined open end/rachet wrenches, assorted
3/8" x 9" rachet handle
3/8" x 4", 2" socket extension wobble end
3/8" x 8" socket extension
3/8" sockets, assorted (mounted on long bolt w/ washer & nut caps)
3/8" to 1/2" adapter
1/2" by 28mm rear axle socket
Harbor Freight mini hacksaw + spare blades *
Picque multi-screwdriver *
Motion Pro front axle hex tool (for 3/8" socket wrench)
Motion Pro spoke tool 6.0mm
Grunge chain brush
Mini jumper cables

Tire & Tire Equipment:
Heidenau K60 Scout dual-sport tires (mounted)
Heidenau K60 Scout dual-sport tires (spares, left at trip mid-way location)
BestRest Bead Breakr kit w/ 3 tire irons *
Slime compact air compressor
Slime tire patch kit
Tire pressure gauge
Front inner tube spare
Rear inner tube spare
Talctube - BestRest Products
(3) Rim protectors - BestRest Products
Liquid Soap/bead goop
Valve cores (2)

Navigation/GPS:
Garmin Zumo 665 (hardwired) + USB cable + case (w/ Basecamp Software for Mac)
OpenStreetMaps South America .GPX maps for Garmin
Mototreks.com South America POI Waypoints download
(1) 64 GB Sandisc Micro SD cards, Class 10 High Speed
USB Micro SD reader
RAM mount (3") for Garmin Zumo (+ handlebar mount)
Maps With Me iPhone app with maps downloaded for South America

Communication:
Scala G4 2-way headsets (2) + charger
Spot Connect GPS tracker/Medivac transponder + USB cable (w/ iPhone App)

Photography & iPhone):
iPhone 5 + DC charger + USB cable
Incase iPhone slim case
RAM mount (6") w/ X-Grip for iPhone 5 (+ handlebar mount)
V-moda Remix headphones w/ mic + case + spare earpieces
Etymotic "Awareness Pro" iPhone app (ambient audio amplifier)
Olloclip multi-lens clip-on for iPhone 5 (fisheye, wide-angle, macro) for iPhone *
Belkin Live Action camera remote for iPhone (w/ iPhone App) *
Tamrac Zipshot ultralight tripod (for iPhone) *
RAM mount Universal X-grip mount for smartphones (a 2nd one for Zipshot tripod)
iPhone apps for Spanish, Portuguese dictionaries

Computer & Misc. Electronics
Macbook Air 11" 512GB laptop
Macbook Air DC charger + extension cable
Kensington 150w inverter (Macbook Air, iPhone,etc)
InCase Macbook Air 11" neoprene sleeve
Lacie 8GB Key flash drive (looks like a key) *
Mixit2 Pocket Audio Mixer
(2) 3ft. patch cables (iPhone, Garmin to Mixit2)
Belkin Mixit 6ft. coiled 1/8" audio patch cable (Scala G4 to Mixit2)
Foreign electrical adapters
(2) Bike Parts Euro to Cigarette socket adapter, 8"
Cigarette socket M to 2F splitter
Lithium ion batteries in all devices + spares
6ft. RCA to 1/8" (for sharing my iPod music with the world)

Riding Gear:
Shoei Multitec flip-up helmet, yellow + chin wind guard + cloth sack
Shoei Multitec spare visor, mirrored yellow + carry case + cycle wipes and cleaning cloth
Alpinestars Scout WP ADV Boots
Klim Badlands Jacket/Pants
Black Gore-Tex Fabric Repair Kit, Waterproof
Warm & Safe Gen4 heated jacket, w/ stuff-sack
Warm & Safe heated gloves
Warm & Safe wireless controller *
Klim Mojave warm weather gloves
Icon warm weather gloves (backup)
Fleece neck tube
Silk neck tube
EVS RC4 race collar
Oakley polarized sunglasses + case + cleaning cloth
Spare Alpinestars boot buckles
Waterproof watch

Utility:
Leatherman Wave + belt case *
Nanolight Streamlight (in Leatherman case R side pocket) *
Fisher Space Pen (in Leatherman case L side pocket) *
Lenser H5 Lightweight LED Headlamp
REI Compass & temperature gauge keychain *
Small sewing kit w/ iron-on heavy-duty patches
Helios butane torch lighter + extra butane fuel
Waterproof, strike-anywhere matches
Dust masks
U-Dig-It Shit shovel *
TP & Wipes
Gerber lightweight folding tree saw *
Sea to Summit Mosquito head gear
100ft. parachute cord'
40ft. climbing rope & carabiners
3 mil yard waste trash bags (2)

"Office":
Lightweight shoulder bag with secure close ("Office") (located in duffle)
Maps (Nelles, Borch)
Document organizer/filing system/file folders
Sharpies (2)
Pens (2)
Wax pencil, red (2)
Small notepad
Triumph motorcycle owners handbook
Electronics manuals, misc.
Passport photo page copy (1 laminated thick for use as I.D.)
Passport copy (10 good color copies of inner front, inner rear page, 1set laminated)
Motorcycle title/registration copy (10 good color copies, 1 laminated)
Motorcycle insurance copy (10 good color copies, 1 laminated)
Vaccinations copy (5 good color copies, 1 laminated)
Passport original (never let out of sight!!)
Motorcycle title/registration original (never let out of sight!!)
Motorcycle insurance original (never let out of sight!!)
Vaccinations original (never let out of sight!!)
Spare passport photos (4)
Airline tickets
Visa documents

Wallet & Cash:
Passport wallet
Passport
Cash ($100s, $50s, $20s)
Credit cards
USA Drivers license
Business cards
Custom biography/contact info postcards (en español)
Spare credit card & cash (hidden somewhere else)

Fake Wallet:
Old wallet (easily accessible)
Expired drivers license
Expired credit cards
Misc cash

Clothing:
-----Head-----
Rayban polarized sunglasses + case + cleaning cloth
Stocking cap
Outdoor Research ultralight collapsable sun hat *
Ball cap
Swimming goggles
-----Uppers-----
Underarmour HeatGear fitted top - long sleeve (2) *
Underarmour HeatGear fitted top - short sleeve (2) *
V-neck t-shirts (2)
Triumph t-shirt
Portland Trailblazers! t-shirt
Nice shirt - long sleeve (2)
Nice shirt - short sleeve (2)
Lightweight zip-up hoodie
REI lightweight rain shell
-----Lowers-----
Underwear (7)
Underarmour HeatGear compression tights (2 pair) *
Jeans
Cargo pants (2)
Cargo shorts
Swimsuit
Belt
-----Feet-----
2 pair Underarmour HeatGear ultralight low socks *
4 pair Underarmour HeatGear ultralight crew socks *
4 pair extra tall boot socks
Flip flops
New Balance Minimus ultralight running shoes *
Timberland City walking boots

Personal Items & First Aid:
Sea to Summit Large hanging toiletry organizer
Wipes
Hand sanitizer
Coppertone Sport SPF
Small re-fillable liquid soap bottle
Deodorant
Cologne
Gum
Floss
Toothpaste
Toothbrush + case
Eye drops
Chapstick
Nail clipper
Scissors
Sink drain plug
Prescriptions
REI small quick-dry camp towel
Tweezers
Pepto Tabs
Plastic shaving mirror
Goldbond powder
Antiseptic cleaning singles
Thermometer
Bandages, band-aids, tape, gauze, ace sport bandage, superglue
Sleeping pills, ibuprofen, aspirin, antacid, Neosporin, cough drops
Dayquil softgels, Nyquil softgels, Immodium AD, laxative
Deet bug spray
Antifungal cream
Other items&#8230;.

Camping:
Exped Wall Creeper 30 degree sleeping bag *
Thermarest NeoAir ultralight sleeping pad
Cocoon hyper light inflatable pillow & pillowcase *
Mountain Hardware Skyledge 2.1 ultra-light tent
PVC-coated 5x8 tarp/footprint with grommeted straps
Packstool collapsable tripod chair
Black Diamond 45 lumen LED camp light

Cooking, Drinking & Eating:
REI mesh gear bag, assorted sizes
Aquamira chlorine dioxide water treatment drops *
MSR Pocket Rocket ultralight campstove
MSR Isopro camp fuel canister(s)
Snopeak 2-piece Titanium Ultralight cookware set
MSR 0.4L insulated cup w/ lid
Light My Fire heavy plastic sporks
Aluminum foil
Starbucks VIA/Trader Joe's instant coffee packets *
Mountain House freeze dried meals (assorted)
Clif bars
GSI Outdoors plastic flask
Eagle Rare or Woodford's Reserve whiskey (critical)
Camelbac All-Clear UV water treatment system
MSR 3L anti-microbial dromedary bag
Hayze-E e-Cigs!


everything but the bike by porkandcorn, on Flickr


the ortlieb duffle contents by porkandcorn, on Flickr


the office bag contents by porkandcorn, on Flickr


the toiletry bag contents by porkandcorn, on Flickr


the tankbag contents by porkandcorn, on Flickr


the left pannier contents by porkandcorn, on Flickr


the right pannier contents by porkandcorn, on Flickr


the toolkit contents by porkandcorn, on Flickr


the top box contents by porkandcorn, on Flickr


riding gear by porkandcorn, on Flickr

Enjoy the trip and go slow.... soak every sight in!

Just did the South of South America last November. Sounds like you are ready. My only advice is don't carry too much speed into corners you cannot see through. There were big surprises on a regular basis. Have fun.

i would like to see your bike fully packed up ready to go with everything on it, sounds like you are carrying a lot of weight, if it was me i would get rid of the top box in lieu of a soft bag or reduce down enough so its not needed at at...just my 0.02

i did SA last year and i'm headed down there again in october, currently i'm at a HU event in NC and have multiple people coming to me asking about packing light, if you check my current thread (post 160) you'll see what i mean, you'll appreciate it once you get rolling

rtwpaul

windypoint: thanks, that's not the first time i've heard that advice. i'll ride with the fear of death around every bend as i always do.

rtwpaul: yes, i was at 138 lbs. for everything i took on my canada test trip, including my riding gear. basically like having a passenger. i will cull some of the fluff for the SA trip. the real question is: to camp or not to camp. i know that i won't need to, as affordable accommodations will be available 99% of the time, but i LOVE to camp off the bike, and really think i would like that option on the road. i talked with dan, one of the motobrothers about this - he said they took camping gear, and out of several months only camped a few nights, and not because they HAD to but because they wanted to. admittedly, that's about 25 lbs. of luxury that one does not need. if i jettison the camping gear, i don't need the top box (or the weight of the top box.)

i felt really good about my setup on my canada test trip. i didn't feel like i was heavy, i got off road a bit, everything seemed pretty good. especially having the duffle, as i could lock the 3 boxes, throw the duffle on my back (backpack straps), grab the tank bag, and i had everything important, valuable, and that i needed for overnight on my person. this would be ideal for SA border crossing, etc. also, with my crappy back and neck, the duffle makes a pretty nice backrest (which i didn't foresee).

i'm a novice, and i'll take more crap than i need and learn that lesson the hard way. TLS! (take less shit!) is the ADV way. i'll get there eventually.


everything but the bike by porkandcorn, on Flickr

that list is nuts.

thank you. i don't watch TV, so that is how i spend my desperate housewives time.

Camping gear...100% yes unless you have an unlimited budget

yes cheap places to stay are available everywhere but that means going into towns when its not necessary when you could wild camp or go to a site and it increases your budget exponentially and shortens your riding day

nice to see your set up the way you laid it out but when you do a border crossing solo you will need to take in your duffle and your tank bag as well and your helmet so you'll be carrying 3 things

porkandcorn - looks like you are about ready to role. You're going to enjoy the ride

porkandcorn looks like a great trip and your excitement is very evident.

I'm guessing I will be hitting Colombia about the time you get to Argentina so we may well cross paths somewhere along the way. Will keep tabs on your trip.

Ride safe.

Classic.

Thanks for the detailed list. I guess some people my find overkill but man for me this is really reassuring! I will be following closely!

i really should be doing important things like researching visas, planning waypoints, making contacts, learning spanish, etc... but this right now is of critical importance to me: modifying my scala G4 comm set so that it doesn't suck so much.

GISdood turned me onto an ADV inmate who is an electrical technician. she has a thread advertising her mod to bypass the hardwired earphones that come with the G4 so you can use your choice of earbuds.

but i'm going to see if she can perform this addition mod for me that i thought up during the last trip. in combination with the etymotic hf3 headset i just ordered, and etymotic's "awareness" iphone noise-isolation app (which will allow me to push outside ambient noise into my earbuds - great for talking to people outside my helmet), this should make for a pretty handy in-helmet audio system. also considering the final addition of belkin's bluetooth music receiver to make the helmet wireless again - depending on how the sound quality compares to the G4's native bluetooth...

----------

hi eileen,

heard about you from a buddy on ADVrider.

i use my scala G4 in-helmet intercom set pretty much as designed when riding with a friend or passenger as a helmet to helmet comm set. it works fine for this. GPS connected via bluetooth seems to behave and cut into conversation as designed. however, when i'm riding alone, my main audio priority is using my iphone to listen to music (straight from my iphone to earbuds), and secondarily to listen to the bluetooth feed for the GPS (which i still sort of hear despite the earbuds). i don't use the MP3 button on the scala for listening to music via bluetooth, because as everyone knows, the GPS priority always cuts off the music and it doesn't start back up. this is supremely annoying! (not to mention the diminished quality of listening to music via bluetooth through the scala in the first place). i don't understand why one of these companies can get one of these headsets right... it doesn't seem that hard to me! anyway, so i was thinking of this the following modification to my scala G4 headset to:

1. get a hardwired AUX
2. a toggle to select for A) original function or B) AUX function
3. and finally, also bypassing the hardwired headphones that came with the set as you have done many times before.

thoughts? other ideas?

-porkandcorn


scala g4 modification idea? by porkandcorn, on Flickr

-------------

eileen's response (shortened) -

You are starting to think about these things and getting frustrated just like I did a couple of years ago. When riders start asking for more from their onboard audio than any of the helmet comms can accomodate they finally turn to a real wired onboard system so they can have all the possibilities and hear things the way they want them. You need to start looking into Autocom and Starcom, or even just a mixer you can put in your tankbag to combine everything (I've done that as well with a Mixit2).

I will tell you about my Mixit2 setup. I wired a tankbag for power with some doo dads I got from the Powerlet website. Such as grommets and connectors that screw onto holes through the bag to make them water resistant and permanent. USB power distribution so you can plug your ipod and phone into the bike power and not drain any batteries, as well as a power connection for the Mixit2 that will route and prioritize sound from GPS, iPod, radar detector, and your G4 (more on this later). You tuck the Mixit2 in an inner pocket in order to expose the connector for your earbuds and the volume control. You make a dual cable out of two of the coiled mp3 cords from Cardo and at the helmet end you replace one of the ends with a jack to plug the earbuds into (this one plugs into the Mixit2 output). The other cable plugs into the G4 modded clamp where the earbuds would normally go and runs the G4 output down to a mixed input in the mixer.

With this setup you can ride all day, hear and speak to your G4 buddies while you are also listening to your tunes, gps, and radar detector.

Hello. Nice to read all your preperations for the trip.
I was planing to start my travell end of this month from Toronto, but due to my jobb has asked me stay on until the end of this year I have to change my route.
Planing to ship my bike from Toronto, where it´s stored whit some friends,to Nathal in northern Brasil and start the
trip from there,beginning of januari -13, going down to Ushia and then upp to Chile, Peru, Colombia. Havn´t decided yet.
For how long time will you be travelling. From where and how will you ship your bike ? Estimated cost of shipping ?

GSSwede:

hey thanks man.

i think starting in natal, brazil is a great idea. but i've heard many times brazilian customs is a nightmare and that the import taxes can be up to as much as 200% your bikes value! (i haven't confirmed this), so you'll probably want a brazilian on the ground to help out if you go that route and research the truth of those claims first before you set that plan. but the brazilian officials love to torture americans as the US state dept. has made it annoying for brazilians, so perhaps it would be different for a swede coming from canada.

natal is small. i travelled the brazlian coast north to south 10 years ago starting there. you'll have to come into a bigger city, then arrange another transport to natal in northern brazil.

i am flying my bike into buenos aires to avoid brazilian customs, likely using shumacher cargo, then using javier, the owner of dakar motos in BA to help me get it through argentinian customs. then i'll pop up into southern brazil for a bit before i head to ushuaia. (already have seen the brazilian coast). the current estimate from schumacher (LAX to BUE) is about $2,700. i hear it's slightly easier and less expensive shipping back home. i'm also considering using air canada in vancouver, BC to avoid USA air regulations that don't let commercial airlines ship motos. planning on just calling up and seeing if that will work for an american. you should do the same.

i have another forum thread regarding the bike freighting topic over at horizonsunlimited, so feel free to pop over there and join that discussion.

the brazilian coast is AMAZING. the north is paradise beach after paradise beach. in january in brazil is HOTTTTT... so be prepared for 100+ F temperatures and high humidity. i strongly recommend catching a charter flight from natal or recife, brazil to fernando de naronha (a federal park island about 200 miles off the coast.) it is absolutely beautiful. is speak portuguese, and know brazil and the brazilian coast well, so feel free to PM me if you have more questions about brazil.

i'm starting mid january in BA, will be in ushuai around mid to late february before it gets too cold, then heading north to chile, argentina, peru, bolivia, ecuador, and columbia with a finish date of mid may. i'll use mike at motolumbia.com in columbia to help me arrange shipping back out. stay in touch! great minds think alike!

this list will change wildly in the next couple of months. trying to collect info from as many riders as i can, then document who told me what so i can PM them later or on my trip for more detail. a bit disorganized... will clean up as i go. i also have this list on iCloud on my apple devices so i can edit it from anywhere when i have an idea or heard some advice. great way to keep on top of your planning.

some of this was culled from another thread i have going here at ADVrider, South America, January-June 2013: Route Suggestions??

Brazil:
Floripa
Porto Alegre

Uruguay:
Punta del este, beach town (a local told me)
Montevideo

Argentina:
See Gotan Project concert!
Buenos Aires
Ushuaia???
Road J to Ushuaia (bush pilot - adv)
Back Route into Chile (bush pilot - adv)
Ruta 40, 68, 9
Salta
Cafayate
Chalten (bush pilot - adv)
Patagonia W. of Bariloche
Valle de la Luna
Paso los Libertadores (Chile)
Puerto Bertrand - Jonathan Leidich/Patagonia Adventure Expeditions
(56-67-411 330), contact@adventurepatagonia.com
------------
Rotten Cops: 25-50 miles N of Buenos Aires (jeff smith) *ask Javier/DakarMotos
Dakar motos, Buenos Aires are good people (clemens)
Ruta 9 north of salta is great road (clemens)
Ruta 68 south of Belen, like sw USA canyons (clemens)
Rio Gallegos, sw moto, nice people (clemens)
Patagonia hotel, rio grande (clemens)
Paso san francisco, ok to chile mid to late february (hubb-duval)
boat trip through sounds (radioman)

Chile:
Mano del Desierto, Near Antofagasta off pan-american (hubb-duval)
Paso los Libertadores (Argentina)
Atacama desert
Paso de San Francisco
Carretera Austral - 770 miles (Routa 7 Chile)
El Calafate (glacier perito moreno)
Lago Buenos Aires
Porta del Paine national park (bush pilot - adv)
Punta Arenas (bush pilot - adv)

Peru:
Atico to Camana, Peru, 150 miles of beautiful coast road like NorCal (clemens)
Lake Titicaca
Machu Picchu, little town before to stay, a day for machu picchu
Nasca lines
Huacachina desert oasis
Sillustani, watch towers moat (Miriam)
Puno to Pucara to Cuzco: piquillacta (house of gold), templo de viracocha, ollantiltambo, moray (miriam)
Pisco to Trujillo, + Chiclaya! (beautiful beaches) (miriam)
Cape north of chiclayo boring (miriam)

Bolivia:
http://www.theadventurebrewhostel.com/, la Paz (clemens)
La Paz to Potosi, beautiful paved roads (clemens)
Salar Uyuni
Sucre
Santa Cruz (Sylvia)
Do not enter Bolivia via San Pedro de Aticama to Uyuni!, very difficult sand riding (brian dublin/HUBB)

Ecuador:
Puerto Lopez, hostel, gladis, http://www.hostalvillacolombia.com (clemens)
Ecuator-Peru border crossing easy, no fees, exchange $ for Soles at the border (clemens)
Cuenca, US expat town, nice (clemens)
National parque cajas, 14,000 ft nice roads (clemens)
http://freedombikerental.com - ecuador, advhandle: (CourtRand - adv)
-------------
Galapagos costs - http://www.angelitogalapagos.com
insurance required at border (dan clemens)

Columbia:
Carlos, fixer?
Girag cargo?(clemens)
ship out of bogata (radioman)
Mike, motolumbia adv tours in cali, nice guy (clemens) (radioman)
-------------
insurance required at border

Thanks for posting this, porkandcorn. I hope you'll provide details after the ride as well. This is on my bucket list of rides as well but will likely not happen for me until 2014-15 at the earliest. So, really looking forward to your report.

I am a little intimidated by your writing and your sense of organization so I will be quick. I am leaving for Ushuaia for Christmas or New Year on October 1st and will be driving north afterward to meet my father in Buenos Aires in January 15.

Your dates seems to coincide with mine at this point so maybe we could meet for a beer.

I will be shipping my bike back to Miami from Rio afterward, somewhere around Feb 15th, 2013.

Best regards,

Claude