South America and back on a 250 Super Sherpa Minimalist Adventure

[Misery Goat]

Originally Posted by SS in Vzla.

I concur with Trespalacios here... Go to Cartagena, go to Santa Marta, go to Taganga and the rest of the Colombian coast.... Go to La Guajira and then cross into Venezuela, after Carnavales is over.... Carnavales is a BAD time to be at the border since waiting lines will be VERY, VERY long.

+1 on the Colombian coast.

[JDowns]

Originally Posted by SS in Vzla.

I concur with Trespalacios here... Go to Cartagena, go to Santa Marta, go to Taganga and the rest of the Colombian coast.... Go to La Guajira and then cross into Venezuela, after Carnavales is over.... Carnavales is a BAD time to be at the border since waiting lines will be VERY, VERY long.

Good point and good advice. I just looked at google.maps and see there is some great mountain riding heading from Bucaramanga to Cucuta and staying in Colombia over on 70 and 74 before hitting the road north to Santa Marta.

I will defer to your wise ideas and head up north to the coast for some fun and sun before heading over to Venezuela after the carnivale crowds subside.

No need to fight the carnivale border crowds.

Muchas gracias amigo,
Juan

[JDowns]

Originally Posted by Misery Goat

+1 on the Colombian coast.

Hi MG,

Pictures of hot women on the Carribean coast coming up in 5,4,3,2,1.

Glad you are still following along amigo.

Saludos,
Juanito

[JDowns]

Originally Posted by trespalacios

Don't listen to me Juanito. Listen to Silvio though. Actor protagonico in epic rides through Colombia and Venezuela

Hola Ricardo,

Silviu knows what he's talking about. I will follow his advice.

I have no problem riding the Colombian backroads. They are epic.

Saludos,
Juan Trespalacios

[JDowns]

Originally Posted by crashmaster

A year or so ago it was 7 cents a gallon. Must be bad inflation.

Juanito, so glad that you are enjoying Colombia. I love that country. Youre doing it right.

Hola Vincente,

Glad you are still following along. And yes, Colombia is fantastic. I love this country as well.

Saludos amigo,
Juanito

[JDowns]

Originally Posted by Adv Grifter

That's excellent news! Getting a "HOP" out is doable but not sure spoke tweaking will do it. A few accurate hammer wacks may be required. Make certain the front tire bead is FULLY seated into the wheel all the way round.

If the wheel is distorted ... could be its preventing the bead from going all the way in. You should look closely at the tire around the rim ... look for a high spot. There is your Hop.

I had this on a friends bike last year. A wheel guy trued it ... with a hammer! (actually he used a Jig to line it up ... then tapped it into alignment) PERFECT!

Best of luck! Enjoy!

Hi Adv Grifter,

The tire bead was fine. And without getting out the malleta (hammer), Pedro got the rim round in no time. All is well in Sherpa land now. Well okay, I need to snug down the steering head bearings tomorrow. But the bike has risen from the dead. I am a happy zombie bike rider now!

Saludos,
Juan de los Zombies

[Misery Goat]

Originally Posted by JDowns

Hi MG,

Pictures of hot women on the Carribean coast coming up in 5,4,3,2,1.

Glad you are still following along amigo.

Saludos,
Juanito

Cartagena is worth the trip, imo, there's a reason the Secret Service had problems there.

[JDowns]

Originally Posted by Misery Goat

Cartagena is worth the trip, imo, there's a reason the Secret Service had problems there.

Pictures of hot women in Cartagena coming in 5,4,3....

I wouldn't miss it. Everyone who travels through Cartagena has good things to say about it. Have to check it out.

Saludos,
Juanito

[Throttlemeister]

Don't forget the Volcano or Mud, something like Volcan del Tumo in Spanish, right off the road a few kms on the way to Cartagena. Its worth a dip and depending on the timing might be free, it's worth a dip imho, I've been twice and looking forward to the next time.

SS sounds like he got you set up with waypoints for Cucuta crossing, let me know if you need anymore. I've got one for an insurance place in VZ at the border, A year policy was all I could find at it was like $30 US for my bigger bike.

The crossing at the North is not as nice taking long straight hot roads leading to it. I would only take that one if you are really wanting to go to the Northern most point in SA on that pennisula in Colombia or go above Lake Maracaibo and out to Coro in VZ.

I would hit the coast and head down to Cartagena and then head back down South on the West side of the Magdelena River and cross back over to Cucuta. As mentioned earlier, Pamplona is a nice little college town with a good pizza shop. Getting to and from Cartagena you have to make some flat ground riding but hey it's Colombia and the people you meet along the way even make it better. Cartagena is worth the look, beautiful old city.

The Tres Cordilleras are the three nice mountain ranges you get to pass through in Colombia. It is also the shared name of one of the good independent beers of about three or four nice microbrews in Colombia

Looking forward to more pictures

[JDowns]

Originally Posted by Throttlemeister

Don't forget the Volcano or Mud, something like Volcan del Tumo in Spanish, right off the road a few kms on the way to Cartagena. Its worth a dip and depending on the timing might be free, it's worth a dip imho, I've been twice and looking forward to the next time.

SS sounds like he got you set up with waypoints for Cucuta crossing, let me know if you need anymore. I've got one for an insurance place in VZ at the border, A year policy was all I could find at it was like $30 US for my bigger bike.

The crossing at the North is not as nice taking long straight hot roads leading to it. I would only take that one if you are really wanting to go to the Northern most point in SA on that pennisula in Colombia or go above Lake Maracaibo and out to Coro in VZ.

I would hit the coast and head down to Cartagena and then head back down South on the West side of the Magdelena River and cross back over to Cucuta. As mentioned earlier, Pamplona is a nice little college town with a good pizza shop. Getting to and from Cartagena you have to make some flat ground riding but hey it's Colombia and the people you meet along the way even make it better. Cartagena is worth the look, beautiful old city.

The Tres Cordilleras are the three nice mountain ranges you get to pass through in Colombia. It is also the shared name of one of the good independent beers of about three or four nice microbrews in Colombia

Looking forward to more pictures

Hola TM,

I need a mud bath. Volcan del Tumo. Check chief. I'll do a google search and find it. I'll be in Pamplona tomorrow on the way to Cucuta. Almuerza de pizza sounds good to me. More pictures coming to whet your appetite. Wish you were down here amigo. It sure beats winter in the midwest.

I like your idea of cutting back south to Cucuta after Carnivale for some Venezuelan mountain riding. Not that I have anything against Maracaibo and oil refineries with lots of straight boring roads. Well okay, maybe I do.

Saludos,
Juanito

[trespalacios]

The ride bucaramanga-pamplona-cucuta-ocaña-codazzi-villanueva-riohacha will take you near the northern border with Venezuela. Heading west from Riohacha you'll go by the parque denlos flamingos and later Parque Tayrona. For regular tourists this stop is a must but it might be a bit pricey for a minimalist Adv rider

Continue to Santa Marta and consider doing Taganga If you do it, please take a pic at the top of the hill before descending into town. From there you're less than 2 hours away from Barranquilla and if you do this loop you'll manage to go around La sierra Nevada and Colombia's highest peaks

[airdale7]

Now following your ride J, good luck

[JDowns]

Many people have been wondering how to paypal gas money since the admins pulled the pointer in my sigline last week. My understanding is that it's okay to handle these things by PMs. Just not in your ride report. The owners of this site want to keep ADVrider spam free. Nothing wrong with that.

So send me a PM and I'll send you the link.

Kindest regards,
John Downs

[JDowns]

Originally Posted by trespalacios

The ride bucaramanga-pamplona-cucuta-ocaña-codazzi-villanueva-riohacha will take you near the northern border with Venezuela. Heading west from Riohacha you'll go by the parque denlos flamingos and later Parque Tayrona. For regular tourists this stop is a must but it might be a bit pricey for a minimalist Adv rider

Continue to Santa Marta and consider doing Taganga If you do it, please take a pic at the top of the hill before descending into town. From there you're less than 2 hours away from Barranquilla and if you do this loop you'll manage to go around La sierra Nevada and Colombia's highest peaks

Wow! Thanks Ricardo. Sounds fun. I'll report back what I find. Pictures of the roads less traveled in northeastern Colombia will be forthcoming.

Muchas gracias amigo,
Juanito

[JDowns]

Originally Posted by airdale74451

Now following your ride J, good luck

Hi airdale74451,

Thanks so much. Nice to have you along for the ride.

Kindest regards,
John Downs