Follow me as i braaaap and cook around the world!!!!

Got news that my new friend Kevin Casey, three days after we separated and he headed to Bariloche with Bear and I went to Chile. He got a bee inside his helmet and stung him in the ear, he ended up crashing and breaking his arm and fracturing his foot.. He is okay and healing now with friends in BA Argentina, looks like his bike will be fixable as well.. Moto wishes to you my friend as well as a few whiskey swigs on your behalf.. enjoy Perl Jam in BA..

DAY-504
3/23/2013
ONE BADASS DAY!!!
Alrgith so I was having trouble with the bike all yesterday so I o me some coffee and got into it.. first checking the air filter to see if it was clogged, then the fuel screw, (it sounded better for about five seconds) then pulled the bike apart to check the spark plug..

What that’s not what the sparkplug should look like Hahaha shit… Hahaha that’s what it looks like when u been burning 1 liter of oil ever 300km… haha
Changed that and she purred to life.,.. Alright we grabbed coffee and some empanadas for the day and said our goodbyes.. I was sad and I think Bear was too.. If you ever get the chance ride with that dude, we literally just laughed for the past two weeks of riding and hiking together.. haha not one dull moment for sure..

They went on toward Bariloche I went toward Chile and the Carretera Austral.. I get to the boarder check out of Argentina with ease and then check into Chile, the guy filled out a hand written form for my visa that is weird since all the other times I crossed to Chile it has been a official print out.. With a lot of confusion and talking they said that is all I needed Oh well we will find out… I go to walk to my bike and the guy standing next to the big XRAY machine tells me I need to bring in all my bags for him to scan.. I laugh and look at him and simple so “NO” “not a chance” He just stared at me.. Hahaha “You can come to my bike and look into my bags but I am not taking my bike all the way apart just for you to scan it for food and plants.. I do not have anything on my bike..” He then walked with me opened two of my 4 bags and said okay have a nice day.. hahahha
I made it to Chile Chico and bought tons of food for the next few days big supermarket should be cheaper than the rest of the small places.. Got gas, but could not get cash so this may get interesting..

I was taking my time and just enjoying the scenery changing from Argentina desert to Chilean Patagonia Mountains and lakes.

https://s3.amazonaws.com/advrider-p...ch_CHILE_SOLOSHREDDINGONTHEAUSTRAL32of125.jpg
The road got real dusty and I past this one truck back and forth they kept stopping to take pictures I kept stopping for oil and pics haha.. I came to a long 3km straight away saw one big semi truck with nothing coming our way and it was kicking a lot of dust.. so I got close to it then pulled to the left as I was getting half passed him the whole left side of the road disappeared into a huge pile of fresh dirt.. shit shit shit now I am rubbing against this truck with the chances of going under it and my bags are dragging against the dirt with no chance of stopping.. rub the truck.. screw this!! I lean away from the truck I can deal with wrecking but not getting run over.. I catch and slam into the dirt.. Shit right away I realize my left foot and leg is stuck under my Side back… So the bike is laying against the right side of the dirt piles and I am hanging off the left side with my leg stuck under the bike on the right side.. with no leverage to kick the bike off.. Hahaha the truck just kept going.. haha well shit.. okay well nothing is broken, how you going to get out of this one.. start digging, wait is that a truck coming.. sweet
The truck of the two Photographers pull up asking if I need help I tell them I am stuck and start to laugh and tell them what Happened.. They get it off me and we get the bike up right.. I sit there laughing and shaking my head at myself.. They are worried that I am okay once I swear I am they head off.. As I am sitting there NO JOKING!!!! A TRUCK PULLS UP BEHIND ME AND STARTS TO LAY OUT ORANGE SAFTEY CONES SO PEOPLE NO IT IS A ONE LANE ROAD FOR 1KM.. HAHAHHAA SHIT

MY FRIENDS WHO SAVED ME

LAYING OUT CONES HAHAHA
All I could do was laugh and take a picture..haha the guys putting out the cones stare at me and look messed up dirt and my dirt caked bike and self.. haha








So then I am almost in Puerto Tranquila and come around a left turn luckily on the far far right of it.. when a pickup halling ass comes flying around wide and I go as far as I can and somehow by the grace of moto gods we did not touch… I finally made it to town asked around for cheap camping.. Headed to this guys house, was sitting at the driveway trying to figure out if it was there or not.. Went in had a nice chat 5 bucks a night throw the tent up in the back use his shower/ bathroom and kitchen.. sweet sounds good.. I tried to pay him he said no no in the morning.. okay..

I went into his house to cook some poor mans pasta and sauce nothing special but also very cheap and filling.. As I finished up he left for a bit and I was halfway through my big meal of pasta getting full when he walked back in.. He told me the people he invited for dinner was not coming, he walk over looked into my pot that I was eating out of and just walked away. Then he walked back made a big plate of chorizo, steak, and potatoes and placed it at the table and told me to sit there.. He then grabbed another plate made another one and sat down at the table next to me.. Wait what.. your giving me a badass meal.. I don’t care if I am stuffed I will not be rude and eat ur awesome meat filled dinner.. Hahaha So we sat there together just eating and talking a little.. Then cleaned up and went to bed.. what a awesome amazing filled day for sure!!!!!
I LOVE CHILE!!!!


DON MANUEL THE MAN, THE MYTH, THE FREAKING LEGEND!!

IF YOU PASS THROUGH PUERTO TRANQUILA CAMP AT THIS HOUSE.. HE IS THE MAN..

DAY-505-506
7/24-25/2013
Packed up drank my coffee and talked with Don Manuel (the owner of the house/ campspot) AWESOME DUDE GO THERE FOR SURE!!!! Ask for Dan Manual camping/house if u find yourself in Puerto Tranquila. We chatted for a bit and before I headed off he was joking about my music that I would forget that I was riding and would wreck my bike haha.. He then put my headphones in his ears and started dancing around me.. Hahaha this dude is freaking awesome!!! We said our goodbyes with a quick hug and a good luck I was off to get gas and the shred to maybe Cuaihqie if I make it aboiut 250kms I think..


I met a nice couple from Swiss that were rocking a bad ass overlander camper truck.

It was a fun road again mostly dirt until u get close then pavement..









LUNCH BREAK

BADASS SHOT, SUPER STOKED ON HOW THIS ONE CAME OUT



OH HOW I WISHED I HAD MY DANG 'OL CBR1000RR, WITH A LIL KNEE DRAGGIN.. ALTHOUGH I STILL GOT THE BAGS DOWN ON THE TURNS

After a lot of driving around looking for camping at the gas station was told no camping close. I then looked on my comp with my lonely planet files and found one.. checked it out a nice guy Max was there with his family and a massive 4x4 1978 Mercedes Firetruck turned into a badass camper overlander house.. I left and checked out a hostel up in the hills it was $$$$ and not that cool so went back.. I made dinner and set up when Max came over we had a beer and talked for a bit then he had to get his kids into bed.
In the morning the Swiss couple showed up they were just going to stay the morning for showers and keep going Max was leaving as well… I was going to look for a new tire (should of bought one in Puenta Arenas but at that time I thought I would be alright). We sat in Max’s truck house thing and had coffee all of us 5 adults.. Max and I decided to stay one more night for a asado and hang out.. The Swiss couple decided to stay as well.. I went into town found a awesome restaurant. Café Mayo, three course awesome lunch for 10 bucks (out of budget but well worth it), and fast internet with good coffee. Grabbed Chorizo, bread, beer, and headed back to the campsite. Max was snlow cooking a chicken on the BBQ that he had butterflied.. It came out as one of the best chickens I have ever tasted.. amazingly moist and seasoned great..We hung out drinking and sharing stories all night so much fun!! Max and family had been away from home for 5 years but were headed back in a few months to get there oldest son into school and a normal life. The Swiss couple only started a couple months ago but were headed for a few years making their way toward the states.

BIG RIG TO SMALL RIG

CAN U SPOT MY CASA
DAY-507
7/26/2013
Woke up cut the beard again quick shower.

Alright we said our goodbyes, traded emails, and then headed out our separate ways.. I took the Austral Norte which was dirt and not the roundabout way with pavement.

I hit pavement again and then shredded onward, the road came to a split I chose dirt and headed into Puayupahi.


LUNCH BREAK...



WHERE THE PAVEMENT ENDS.. HELL YEAH
I saw some awesome rock walls with all waterfalls coming down a whole field of them coming down.







DAMN IM SEXY.... HAHAHA
I ran into a nice guy Jim from Colorado on a small fold up bike was riding around on it headed to Ushuaia.. He told me about a great family and set up for cheap for camping.

I pulled into town and found the family with the camping nice guy set up the tent in his barn and went into a small commons house for the campers with a nice kitchen and wood burning stove. Walked up to the Bus stop for free internet and then hung out making some dinner and chatting with two cool couples one French the other Italian/ Brazilian.. both couples had done the same as I had selling everything and was just traveling.. one couple was hitching hiking only all over South America the other had a small truck setup like a tent on wheels..




LOOKING GOOD AFTER A WELL NEEDED HOT SHOWER!!!!

Awesome updates man!

Love the facial hair! hahah.

Day-508
7/27/2013
Couldn’t decide if I was moving on or if I was going to take a mellow day and check things out.. Then I ran into Max and family again in town they just pulled in. They were going to pass through and then we started talking, I showed them the free internet zone so they pulled their rig up and got some work done. We decided to have dinner and make Salmon… Well we could not find Salmon or any fresh fish at that…. Hahaha So I asked the guy who owns my camping area. I knew he had boat so he should know some fishermen who went out today… He did not but said if I bought him 7 liters of gas he would take me out fishing to catch my own dinner.. um okay sounds perfect….serious? That would be awesome!!!
He came to me and said no gas, I said well I got 5 liters in my extra tank, perfect he said lets go. I waited around for him and then he was ready to go, we walked out to his boat and he told me to start bailing… haha when I say boat I mean a “holy” two person would row boat with a 5hp motor..

Well at least I can swim, so off we went up the coast… We had two tin cans with line wrapped around them and hooks, he also through a huge net into the boat.

OUR "FISHING RIGS" AWESOME!!!

We got up to the first spot and he threw his line in like a pro… I threw mine in and it caught and almost hit him as it snapped back toward the boat.. He busted out laughing and smiled at me.. hahahaha I tried again and finally got it down pat….. I caught the first two fish and was stoked on myself.. (They were not salmon, I actually do not know what they were..) He grabbed the first fish and cut a sliver out of the mouth, putting it on his spinner lure and all of a sudden he just started landing fish like a “Boss” I mean crushing it, he set my rig up like his with a spinner spoon and a piece of mouth.. we both were crushing it..

HAND FISHING

WHAT A RAD RAD RAD GUY
We caught almost 20 fish and called it a day.. he was the coolest 78year old guy I have met on this trip..


So nice, He was just a very happy and content man with his life, he has lived in the town his whole life and has a family there.. We chatted back and forth for a bit then just quietly fish for a while.. at one point I called a massive fish.. haha and he was dying laughing at me as I pretended to reel in a monster and then bring into the boat a gold fish.. haha

THIS THING WAS A BATTLE TO GET IT INTO THE BOAT
It was so peaceful out there on the water, with the smell of salt water, the mist of water as it sprayed through the walls and filled up the boat, we bailed as we headed back, fish flapping around the bottom of the boat, and that is a perfect day of fishing with a 78 year old Chilean dude Chilean style.
On the way back we stopped on the shore he got out and I slowly rowed the boat down the shore while he laid out his net that he would leave for the night and come back to collect his food for the week.
So kind and loving of him to take a stranger out on his boat to go fishing for his dinner then to show me his tricks with breaking down this type of fish butter flying it and deep frying it. We only broke down like 10 fish and took him the bucket of the rest of the fish he was super stoked and grateful which is crazy since he was the one who was the “Man”.
We cooked up a massive dinner and hung out drinking and talking.. they are a real cool family.

Thanks alot Quinn!!! Hopefully seeing you soonish...
What city u live in again??
Laters Fletch

I think it's listed in my location, but if not Calgary, Ab. Just east of Banff Naitional park and straight north of Waterton on the Montana / Alberta border.

DAY-509
3/28/2012
Woke up, had coffee with my new family, packed up, and paid my new friend..

I gave him a little extra as thanking for taking me out fishing and such an amazing experience.. We shook hands and then I pushed my bike outside.. I turned around to say goodbye and he put his arms out wide and came in for a huge hug.. Freaking awesome old man.. So lucky the people I have met and get to meet on my trip…
So I gassed up and headed North, the road was fun a great Patagonia Dirt Road. It was a overcast rainy day, although as I rode the weather got nicer. I made it 50km to the next town got some food for camping asked a few questions and then back tracked to the tourist info to check out some national parks.. I then took off and raged with my head down not really looking around, but the weather was getting worse and started to rain. All of a sudden I ended up at the town I had just spent the last two nights in.. shit how did that happen. Hahaha I just started laughing at myself.. Wow that is the biggest bone head move of the trip.. hahaha I just laughed and laughed.. I must of never turned back around after I turned around and checked the tourist info booth.. Hahaha I AM IN IDIOT!!!! BAHAHAA



RAD BRIDGE


PANARAMA WITH OLD CAMERA
Finally I got turned back around and made my way.. I was kind of tired and was looking for a good camp spot.. I made it to a very popular fishing town for tourist fishing lodges. Was told to keep going another 30km and will get to a small town with camping. I arrived and there was no camping, but a local told me there was a park Pumalin, which was closed but no gate. So I headed in, and when I arrived at the end of the road there were my Dutch friends with their massive camper. I rode over and threw up my tent and hung out with a few beers and at some good pork sandwiches with them.



GOODNIGHT FROM PATAGONIA!!!

DAY-510
3/29/2012
Packed up and rode through the park.




The plan was to help them change one of their tires.. (each tire ways over 300lbs) we changed it out and to get it back up on the truck to its spare mount was a pain in the ass so hard but we did it… While we were doing this a ranger rolled up asked us what we were doing it was a closed park. We told him we did not know it was closed, there are no signs. He asked how much longer we would stay, the Dutch said one more night I was not sure for me. The ranger said no worries you guys can stay one more night but no parking on the grass.. okay sounds good.

I ran to the store on the way out of the park since I was so much faster than the Dutch. I met them up at the Thermal Baths which were interesting two hot pools to hang out in for a bit. We hung out for a few hours and then headed back to the town, before we went back into the park for the night we ran to the grocery store for PIZZA SUPPLIES!!!
We got back to the campspot and got his South African oven going which is called a COB stove.. awesome car camping stove.. so amazing!!! We made pizza; which was actually the best pizza I have had in 17 months!!! Since I left home!!



We drank sum great rum and coffee with fresh whip cream.. mmmm yum.. In their nice camper we watched Django.. That movie is badass.. by the way.. and then I headed into the woods to my tent..
I got to my tent and needed to walk across the camping area to the bathroom area to brush my teeth.. It was kinda of creepy out there walking through a closed empty park.. call me sissy but I walked across the park with my bear spray in hand.. for some reason I could see the headlines now.. American eaten by a Puma while illegally camping in Parque Pumalin.. hahahaha.. None the less made at and passed with a good night sleep, Even with a leaky mattress that I have to blow up periodically throughout the night.

Day-511
3/30/2013
We headed into Chaiten to check the ferry schedule and cost.




They were closed for the day opening tomorrow morning at 6am. So we set up camp at the beach cooking up some cheeseburgers and drinking beer as the sunset.. another crappy day…bahahaha With a nice walk along the beach..

We had a visit from a Canadian who lives in Chaiten, he told us the history and explained everything that had happen after and during the Volcano Eruption like 6 or 7 years ago.. crazy for sure.. They wanted the locals to give up and move out of town did not give them electric or water for two years after the eruption.. Locals pushed through and would not leave, the government gave up and finally turned water and electric back on. Houses were filled with ash, others crushed out with ash but still had tables set.. super crazy and kind of creepy.


DAY-512
3/31/2012
Got up and checked the ferry schedule and prices; there is a nice ferry over to Chiloe on Monday for 60 bucks or so… I think I will take it.
Woke up made some scrambled eggs and ate a lot of chocolate for good ol Bunny Day.
My friends are heading north to catch a few cheaper smaller ferries to Puerto Montt, they need to yell at a Mercedes repair shop that screwed up their injectors and to find two new tires for the bike (which will cost them 600 each) haha . Crazy.. We had a couple of beers to say goodbye and they headed North, I packed up and grabbed a hostel for the night with some internet to try and upload a few hundred photos and to do some writing.

SMOKING VOLCANO IN THE BACKGROUND

LITTLE BLURRY BUT STILL COOL

I do not have many photos for the next few post, due to my Canon breaking due to a "Lens Failure" Hopefully will get it working again, do still have my beat up old camera but still works so will see..
Still a few more post to get all caught up been working on it the past few days..
Thanks for following along..
Fletch

SUCK! Maybe you can get it fixed?

I have the Sony NEX-5 and it is pretty sick. you might think about the NEX-7. Nice and small and powerfull. Might not be fun for you to step back from an SLR to an "almost SLR" though.

Haha.

One of the nights Nick and I spent at Tikal I got up to go to the washroom. I couldn't find the light switch so I just decided to go for it. I opened the door to the stall by the washroom door (had the most light), and something snarled and hissed at me. I ran out the washrooms banging the stall door open. Nobody heard it apparently in the morning. I was scared shitless. haha. I didn't have my contacts in and didn't see what it was. I may or may not have releived myself in a flower pot near the restaurant... Desperate times... I didn't want to walk off the tile sidewalk.

Well I guess the Latin American Adventure is not quiet done yet... Made a mad push for my last 1000km's today (600 miles) and then my Latin American part of this trip was over... Well with two small break downs I was 300km's outside of Santiago when A Semi Trucks tire tread came off and I had nowhere to go... I hit it at 75moh was able to keep the bike up and straight riding it out...Stopped to get gas and add alot of oil.. now she is burning a liter every 150km's or so hahaha.... I rode another 200km's (with another oil stop) and all of a sudden at 70mph my back started to slam back and forth.. shit flat tire..I was able to keep it upright and got to the shoulder.. Gas station right there sweet!!!!
I pulled my tools out to change the tube.....SHIT... The tire is the small problem my FUCKING RIM IS BROKEN AND MY TIRE SIDE WALL IS SLICED UP BAD!!!! 100km's out and I am stuck for the night at a gas station hahahahaha I just started laughing hysterically.. hahaha
Shot some emails to my friends in Santiago looking for a truck to get me to my friends house and shop...
And I thought I was just going to ide back to Santiago stay a few days then head North to hand over the keys to the new owner.. haha surprise!!
Instead ate a microwaved pizza, drank a tea, and slept on the patio in my tent... hahahaha
Just gotta smile and laugh...
Fletch

Damn dude... It just doesn't let up....

Broken rim?!

I hope your next bike (640ADV?) will treat you a lot better!

Edit: That being said, I'm VERY impressed with how well it seems to run burning that much oil.

Whoa, dude, you have put up with a lot from your KLR.

I'm currently reading this at Palmer Station, Antarctica. I moved here from the 81224 at the beginning of March. And my 2009 red KLR is waiting in Denver to be shipped down to Santiago when I am done. Lots of similarities.

You've had a wild ride. Glad you didn't eat it with that tire mishap.

Rock on, and good luck as you move forward!

Wow...just wow

Made it back to Santiago thanks to the help from "KLR CHILE" hanging out with "Young James" Met him in Baja over 16 months ago and we just met up again... So awesome to catch up and trade tons of stories..

Now looking for a used tire and hopefully a weld on the rim although the guys I have talked to are skeptical if it will work since pieces are missing as well.. But need to fix her up a bit so I can get rid of the bike.. before flying out in a few weeks..
It doesn't look that bad but couldn't find any welders or tires since it shredded the bead for about 12 inches.. so the tire would not stay on the rim...


will finish up the RR for Latin America over the next few days..
Thanks fletch

Hahahaa.

I love how the bike is falling apart on you, but you still bother to lube the chain..

Glad you made it! See if a bike shop can lace a cheap hoop on it. Won't be TOO cheap, but I would think it's your best option. Make sure the job is well done so the wheel remains centered and circular though.

Give us details on it's replacement when you find out!

Thanks brother.. I have been very impressed at how well it does run even blowing straight black out the back and burning like 150km to every liter.. wooops

Thanks for following along from the 81224 and ANTARTICA!! CRAZY
I will say without all the trouble I have had with the bike this trip would not have been half as awesome and defiantly would not have met such incredible, loving, and badass, people along the way.

HAHAHAHA I got off the bike started to grab my tools saw the rim.. just started to laugh, grabbed my laptop, walked into the gas station, had a Tea, sent some emails, and then slept out on their patio for the night.. hahaha
One more epic event with the Ol' "Animal" hahahahha

thanks for following me Dusty..

I was writing an email to a good friend who is about to set off on his first trip.. Which is to Mexico with no deadline, so maybe catch the bug and head south toward Panama. It's a massive email.. But I thought this section might help out some other riders or maybe just an interesting read.. hahahaha

Attitude and Mindset.....

No matter who you meet start with a "Como Estas" and a smile!! it will get u so far!!

When shit hits the fan don't get caught up in it and let it ruin your day.. Because no matter what, you still have to deal with it; so might as well laugh it off and get it done/ through it.. like a flat tire, bribing, getting cut off, bike breaking, accident, dropping bike, getting robbed, taken advantage of, and so on..... If you get mad and angry and lose your shit,. well your still in the same situation but now in a shitty mood which never helps anything.. I learned this the hard way.. before this trip if I got a flat I would get all pissed kick the bike and all that does is leaves you in the same situation of changing the tire but now you have a hurt foot.. hahaha

I rode with a guy that when anything would not go as he planned he would get so angry and let it ruin his day even though we were riding some of hte best Dirt roads with amazing scenery.. There is no reason.. Just laugh it all off and chalk it up as an experience.. period and move on..
Don't let anything get you down it is not worth your time or energy.. just remember that you are truly living out your dream and a once in a life time bike shred!!

These kind of trips I personally think are all about a positive, up for anything, and a little bit of FUCK YEA attitude!! As over used as the saying is.. truly just live, ride, and experience everything as if it is your last day on this earth.. it will make your experiences that much better.
No matter if it is a good or bad experience without you knowing it is slowly creating a total experience.
Also I am one that can vouch for this one first hand and full hearted.. "Without the low's the highs wont be as awesome!!!!"
And of course when all else fails.. have a little whiskey!!! hahaha

BUT OF COURSE YOU WILL HAVE SOME SAD DAYS.... HAHA

Basically at the end of the day just be FUCKING STOKED YOUR OUT RIDING AROUND BADASS PLACES ON YOUR MOTO!!! END OF STORY.. HAHA

Well thats my two cents...
Fletch