Radioman Rides the World.......

[ADV Fool]

Really enjoying the RR Radioman. Went and read the back story, very powerful stuff. . . . You Sir, are my "Current" Hero!!!! To be honest though, like most twelve year old boys trapped in a fifty-four year old body my Heros change often. :-)

Keep the RR and pics coming,

ADV Fool

[Radioman]

Originally Posted by stonecold

Radioman this is the first great ride report I can say I have been in from the start.

I can honestly say, I do not think you would be the type of guy I would be drawn to talk to. But the report is simply amazing. I really appreciate your photography and writing style. It is very likable, approachable and in no way do I mean this as a slight but simple. Yet you are clearly very talented.

It truly does feel like an "everyman" sort of thread. You are no super hero...You are not going on a money is no object trip...yet you have enough to have what you want.

I really appreciate how you do share how you are feeling and the emotions that you are working through yet you do not make that the focus.

Thank you for the hours of entertainment and inspiration. I hope to one day sit down and share a beer with you.

Thanks for the very kind comments. Glad that you are along, and appreciate the fact that others can be apart of my ride in this life...... I am just a guy, who has passion for many things including Motorcycle riding and travel. It has been a pleasure to share my life, the caring and heartbreak of losing my lovely wife from early onset Alzheimer's, and Now this new chapter. Let the riding continue

[Radioman]

Originally Posted by ADV Fool

You Sir, are my "Current" Hero!!!! To be honest though, like most twelve year old boys trapped in a fifty-four year old body my Heros change often. :-)

[Radioman]

Was glad to get my bike back and be able to ride again.

Packed up in the morning at the hotel. Bike all cleaned up



Even though Guatemala city is big few million people, I was on the right side of town to be heading south/east. Was able to get onto CA1 and follow it out of the city



Lots of traffic in the city, but was all headed into the city.



once I was out of the city, there were some nice views ....



in one of the small towns this truck had a coffin and they were driving on the main road while 50 or so people walked along the side of the road, in honor of their loved one. The rest of us were just going about are normal day.



More views.... beautiful morning to ride! Bike is running well.



After I decided to change my plan and ride through El Salvador, I connected with Sherri Jo Wilkins again and we decided to ride into El Salvador so that there were two of us at the border crossing to watch our bikes.... We had set a cross roads to meet. While I waited. This guy drove up with a load of Onions. He was off to the market. he was going to get $7.00 a bundle and was very excited about the Price.





After waiting 2 hours.... I headed for the border not knowing for sure if Sherri had bike problems or we just miss connected. She had stopped at a different intersection and waited for me.

I arrive at the border, and get ready for the crossing fun!!



Got a photo with Max crossing into El Salvador.



And as I crossed the bridge, and got to the customs office. Sherri Jo was already there and almost done. Great she showed me the steps.



It was fairly easy as I knew what to expect.. She had made friends with the bike inspectors, so that was easy, Passport across the street was easy. They give you a small white piece paper to had to the border guy up the road. Do not loss this one :) But then I had to wait for the one custom woman to type up my paperwork....... There was a line for truckers there that Sherri told me had been there the whole time she was. Could be hours. They called Sherri up ahead of all the others, but I was thinking that that would not happen for me, so She took off and we planned to meet up at a hotel in La Libertad on the coast.

As soon as she left, the Customs guard, flagged me into the office in front of all the truckers.....



She was a bit frazzled, but I was done in about 1/2 hour and on my way. Border took about 1.5 hours!

As I rode out of the border... Sherri had been stopped by the police for an inspection so i had caught up to her!!



In all of Mexico and central America we see so many people crammed into the back of the "chicken buses", which is just a pick up loaded with people going somewhere. They stand on the road and flag down the Pick up. They barely stop and the person hops on....



or they take the colorful local buses which are also loaded with people and luggage tied on top.



Rolling along, as it is now about 4PM. We decided to keep riding to get to the coast.



We road the CA2 along the coast. There was a section that really reminded me of the Pacfic Coast Hwy, but with no amenities. it was starting to get dark, but we were only a few miles to the hotel.



Had to go through some Tunnels and lots of twisties



and a few times we came around the corners, and there was a fire along side the road where they were burning there Garage. Was an interesting sight to see.



Got to the hotel which was just near the beach, got parked and unloaded in time to go have some dinner

I had some great fish Tacos

Great day. The roads in El Salvador were the best I had since Cancun area. Was fun to ride them!

[Parcero]

Looks like you got the "fancy" Guatemala/El Salvador border crossing--did you cross on CA-1? I did CA-2 and spent a good five-plus hours waiting for a customs inspection.

[Timmer]

C.A. - where old American school buses go to be born again (or die)!

[stonecold]

Excuse my ignorance if I missed anything.

But is Sherri the woman from the Colebatch/Sibersky Extreme thread?

[NAVIGATOR]

Originally Posted by stonecold

Excuse my ignorance if I missed anything.

But is Sherri the woman from the Colebatch/Sibersky Extreme thread?

You just nailed´t, she is the same brave girl!!!!!

[Tall Mike]

stonecold said:

But is Sherri the woman from the Colebatch/Sibersky Extreme thread?

Notice Sherri Jo has her Magadan "Road of Bones" Patch on her jacket! (on her shoulder!)

NAVIGATOR said:

You just nailed´t, she is the same brave girl!!!!!

+1! Respect!

[Radioman]

Originally Posted by stonecold

Excuse my ignorance if I missed anything.

But is Sherri the woman from the Colebatch/Sibersky Extreme thread?

The one and only :)

[Radioman]

Originally Posted by mwillia

Looks like you got the "fancy" Guatemala/El Salvador border crossing--did you cross on CA-1? I did CA-2

Wait for it..........

[petefromberkeley]

Woo hoo!

Libertad is OK. I stayed right on the beach in a place run by great folks. Can't remember what it was called, but it was nice. Great swimming and we bought a whole hammerhead shark at the night time fish market. The people who owned the hotel cooked it for us.

The border from El Salvador to Honduras was the biggest pain in the ass border I have ever crossed in my whole entire life. I suggest you pack a lunch . It's not dangerous or anything, it's just more BS than normal (much more).

Having two of you will help a great deal.

[Radioman]

Originally Posted by petefromberkeley

The border from El Salvador to Honduras was the biggest pain in the ass border I have ever crossed in my whole entire life. I suggest you pack a lunch . It's not dangerous or anything, it's just more BS than normal (much more).

Will post up soon! Feliz Navidad! Mark

[Radioman]

http://sendables.jibjab.com/view/7kyBWUGHZfj3slIpZIbe

[Radioman]

La Libertad, El Slavador. Beach town. We rolled in late. Lots of Gingos here. Stayed at this place for the night.



We were up early to get started on yet another border crossing.



Lots of women carrying there loads on there heads. Never see Men doing this? Have seem many men hauling wood and other heavy loads with a strap around there forehead.



And as we head off..... Animals in the road.



All along Central America are Volcanos jutting up around you. El Salvador is no exception



El Amatillo Border crossing into Honduras. Had read ride reports and knew what to expect. It is a circus of insanity as you start rolling up to the border with "Helpers" runinng and waying for you to stop and they will help you. Actually we stopped for gas jsut at the junction before the border and "William" came running..... He would help with crossing just $5.00 he would meet us there. I said "No Gracias" he was pushy.... but finally got the message. Then a ton of trucks all lined up. We rode right through the trucks and thanks to Lars and Harriettes posts knew to lokk for the first custom building.



Then a few more showed up, waving etc. This guy Rene....stuck with us and really was helpful in telling us what was next. .... I said No Gracias. We would be OK without.



Got the initial El Salvador Paperwork done, but we needed Copies, then back to have them Signed off. Rene.... was helping all along but really nice.... Then we geared up and he ran ahead to a Tuk Tuk to get the 3 KM to the border....



He was clearing a path for us to get by.



Sherri and I were looking at each other and laughing about all the help.....

We get stamped out of El Salvador which was fairly easy. Other than all the money changers, and people wanting to watch our bikes, that we had pulled right up near the counter per Rene's Advice.



Ok. Now we are over the river on the Honduras side. Rene now has Osmin his Honduras helper with him and one other guy. they direct us to park, and we are just ....... So he walks in with me to the Aduana Office to meet Idas, and start filling out the Bike customs stuff. It is $35 USD for each bike. Idus is great. She asks if I speak spanish as I am doing the paperwork while Sherri watches the bikes (she did yesterdays paperwork). I say Un Pocito.... She say "por Que?" and I tell her in spanish I am learning Spanish slowly as I am old. She laughs...

Here is the friendly Idas!! She was great!! the other guy is doing Sherri's paperwork, and it is around lunch time. Osmin now is in charge of helping us. We had not agreed to having him help either but he was helpful.



Took all my copies and filled out paperwork to the Passport Customs window with Osmin at my side. Paid 3 dollars each (but Osmin had already collected $3 from Sherri which i did not know). watched the guy put a wad of cash in his pocket but we did get a receipt.....not sure if that is his commission or? Get that stamped right away.



Then Osmin says, look you need copies of the passports (with the stamped pages), licenses, passports etc. $2 and I will do it all. Ok i walk with him.

Then he says we can have lunch in the air conditioned Pollo place while he finishes all the paperwork and gets us out of here before everyone takes lunch. Sherri is over heated as it is 90+ degrees. We move the bikes to right in front of the chicken place, and order lunch and watching our bikes.

Osmin comes back. Says All paperwork is done. Let's go get you out of here. Osmin, Rene and one other guy were in the Tuk Tuk....



Heading out of the border.



Here is Rene and Osmin with Sherri.



we ended up giving them 10 bucks each..... They spent the whole 2 hour crossing with us..... They said they had to pay the police for not checking our bikes and etc. We felt good about what they had done. We certainly could have done it on our own, but it took less time in the heat of the day and got us riding into Honduras earlier. Everybody has to decide what they want to do as I have not paid any other money for the other crossing helpers other than $1 in Belize when the guys watched my bike.

As I was told, Honduras has some really big potholes..... some were almost a foot deep..... had to really pay attention. And the trucks swerve to avoid then and end of in your lane all the time.





Then there is the sugar cane stocks in the road



Just a few police checkpoints but they never stopped us.....



Got to Choluteca, Honduras and were looking for a hotel. This nice traffic Cop, was really helpful and got us on the right track. The hotel he suggested was $60+ USD. so we used Lonely Planet and found one in town for $38 USD for a double. But we needed to rest after the hot border crossing.



We eat at a local place. The woman was really kind. Food was great! Just a couple Dollars.