She's got this crazy idea- exploring the 3 America's solo, for better or for worse...

[GuateRider]

Great pics as always and even more fascinating stories...
Youe experience with gas station not selling you any gas for being a "gringa" reminded me when I was down there for the first time in 1979 and people in the market refused to sell me food because I was a "gringo".
As far as corrupt cops , I'm not surprised . Their supreme boss is a puppet of Venezuelan madman Hugo Chavez

[Merlin III]

Originally Posted by GuateRider

Great pics as always and even more fascinating stories...
Youe experience with gas station not selling you any gas for being a "gringa" reminded me when I was down there for the first time in 1979 and people in the market refused to sell me food because I was a "gringo".
As far as corrupt cops , I'm not surprised . Their supreme boss is a puppet of Venezuelan madman Hugo Chavez

Well, both Chavez and Morales were democratically elected with good pluralities. IMHO, the disconnect between Gringos and Bolivians is mostly cultural with a healthy dose of repression by American Corps and the CIA in the 1960s- Just sayin...........

[GuateRider]

Originally Posted by Merlin III

Well, both Chavez and Morales were democratically elected with good pluralities.

Wrong,wrong,wrong !!! They both committed fraude .
Chavez puts his political opponents in prison,exile or graveyards!! He steals their properties , he destroyed the economy of his own country, he is starving his people to death .
He established a regime of terror and spies, like in the darkest times of Stalinism ...

Anyway, I apologize for having made a comment , that has taken somebodies focus away from this great RR.

[rtwpaul]

give bubbletron a prob and tell her to up date here RR and use your as a templete for excellence ...that should get her fingers typing once she gets the grease off them

glad to see you two hooked up again, enjoying your views, keep it coming

[Hewby]

Originally Posted by rtwpaul

give bubbletron a prob and tell her to up date here RR and use your as a templete for excellence ...that should get her fingers typing once she gets the grease off them

glad to see you two hooked up again, enjoying your views, keep it coming

Thanks Paul. That brought a smile - laughing as we sit in a cafe in northern Chile with grease stained fingers. And now I am taking a call from her, and are still way behind in my RR too. But it looks like we might be riding together for a while more. Lots of fun and remote camping.

[Saralou]

Glad to hear you have a buddy to share the ride with. We have just arrived in Nicaragua. resting up in Leon after a action packed week at Casa Lecha.

Ride safe

[marior97]

Hola Debbie !! gracias por este RR , excelente !!
keep on riding amiga !!

[Hewby]

I ride the long day to Potosi. Getting out of La Paz took forever, the mounds of collectivos (or minivan busses) pilling up and stopping wherever they please to pick up and let off passengers, whether this be in the middle of a three lane road or not! I shudder to think how bad these roads were if these multitudes of fully loaded busses were in-fact people driving their own cars.
I pass a couple on an older BMW from London who have stopped with a flat. They say they don’t need help but give me pointers on a hostel called the Koala’s den in Potosi, where I am to meet them again a few days later.
Finally I am out of La Paz proper and the road is straight and fast, until I am pulled over by the police again for speeding! They show me my speed on their laser guns and I apologies profusely. They ask me about my travels and peruse my international drivers license. They ask me about my travels solo and start pointing at things on the bike asking questions about my iphone, and then they point at the speedo on my bike, impressed that it goes up to 200km per hour. They let me go with a warning and I head on my way, trying to keep below 80km!
I pass through Oruo which is setting up for carnival and head on, finally the road gets a little more interesting as I start to head into the mountains.





It starts to rain, and then hail for good measure. I stop with a break in the weather for a quick lunch of soup at a roadside stand, but further rains leads me to abandon my meal and jump back on the bike and hide under my helmet and heated gloves. It’s sad when you actually get on the bike to escape the weather!


I keep thinking I might stop for the day, but there is nowhere really to stop. I arrive on dusk into Potosi, and spend a while going round and round in circles on the strangely uneven one way streets until I pull into the hostel at 8pm. The entry is horrible, five Argentineans try and help but I am exhausted, cold, and they keep trying to get me to sit on the bike and ride it up a slope while its on a precarious wooden ramp that keeps getting caught in the bottom of my bike. I know its not going to work, but they don’t want to listen to me. I drop the bike shattering the corner of the windscreen. I am in tears. It’s just one of those days. I check into a cheap dorm, but it crowed and horrible, so I change my mind and get a private room. I need space and time for me.
For the first time in ages I have fast wifi, a blessing when I need to hide from the world for a bit. I spend the next day tuning out as the rain pounds down overhead. The hostels bathrooms are horrendous, and I don’t really want to stay longer, but the thought of getting my bike out, and the brilliant wifi keeps me another night.

I venture out only briefly; the town is starting to celebrate with parades and water bombs and shaving cream.




One old lady starts decorating the side walks with flower petals. She hands some to me and tries to explain what she is doing but sadly I cannot understand enough. I spread the flowers along the wall like she shows me, and then she heads on her way, brightening the sidewalk as she went.





The town is one of the highest cities in the world at 4090m , and the altitude is making me breathless.

Alison’s bike is taking its time to get better and I decide to head to Sucre. It’s only a few hours away on a good road, but the drop in altitude is brilliant, both for my body and for the climate.

The weather brightens up and I feel sun on my back for the first time in ages. I pull the bike into the San Francisco hotel’s lovely courtyard, and head across the market over the street.

I love markets and this one is wonderful. I peruse the rows of beautiful fruits and vegetables and talk to the sellers. I cannot cook at the hotel, but I am surprised how happy this place makes me.

The dogs seem to always find their way to the food

Sucre is also enjoying the festivities of the carnival, bands and dancers continuously passing the hotel, drowsing out any other sound in a cacophony of cymbals, drums and brass. I am bombarded with water bombs and shaving cream attacks each time I step out the door of the hotel, drunken people wander the streets struggling at times to stand, and lots of things are closed.



People love to drop water bombs on unsuspecting passersby
So I decide to take it easy, studding the route that Alison and plan to take in the Salar de Uyuni and lagoons route, fix my camping gear, enjoy the sun on the balcony, and occasionally nipping down to the market. Finally I get the all clear from Alison that she and the bike are better, so I head to Potosi to me her again.

[bESS]

Hewby:

I feel so bad for the damage to your windshield but the main thing is that you are okay. You were also lucky to not get that speeding ticket.

It's nice to have company and I am glad you are going to meet up with Alison for a while. You are so brave for riding solo without knowing the language

take care
bob

[Hewby]

Originally Posted by bESS

Hewby:

I feel so bad for the damage to your windshield but the main thing is that you are okay. You were also lucky to not get that speeding ticket.

It's nice to have company and I am glad you are going to meet up with Alison for a while. You are so brave for riding solo without knowing the language

take care
bob

Thanks Bob, I spose the windshield is just a windshield, I have broken three now, totally - not counting the shattered sides I glued back. But when I am exhausted and pushed beyond what I think I can do those times are tough. Traveling brings so much joy so many awesome things but there are also times of feeling so stretched its time to take time out. Just how it goes for me. And yes. Loving traveling with Alison now. Love solo travel, but to find a good travel buddy is also fun.

[Hewby]

Just a little update fron Bariloche, as I leave to head south. Moving rapidly as my time is ticking by, with long days, little internet, camping, ripo roads of routa 40, high winds and cold expected ahead. Traveling with the lovely Bubbletron and trying to tag Ushuaia before I have to be in BA in 2 weeks. So for all those following along at home, I am excited to see the goal insight, and enjoying the company of a good friend! 'Till later....

[skibum69]

Bariloche is a great town, wave to Esquel for me on your way by. Lots of wide open country ahead of you. Safe travels, have a great run south.

[Hewby]

And now the drum roll..... An estimated three hours drive and we reach Ushuaia, the end of the road, and my goal for this trip. Happy to finally have almost completed the journey. Met a friend from the boat at a border crossing who has helped a few people sell their bikes in Punta Arenas in just a few hours for good prices, legally! So I have decided to slow down, enjoy the south and punt on selling rather than shipping and breaking my back by entering the iron butt to BA! Huge sense of relief - fingers crossed for me!

[GuateRider]

I'm happy for you , "slowing down" increases the quality of the journey immensely .
Ride safe and keep that smile on your face

[Hewby]