February 2, 2008
It was a nice morning in Esteli and the temperature was hovering at a cool 68 degrees, perfect conditions for leaving Nicaragua. I was up a little before 7 so I could take advantage of the breakfast included with the room. I had what they call The Americano which is scrambled eggs with ham and toast. It is not great but it is more than enough to get me started for the day. I was on the road by 8 and heading for the border of Honduras. The whole way there I have been going over in my head all the things that can and probably will go wrong.
I arrive on the Nicaraguan side at 9 and I am through with that by 9:15. On to entering Honduras. This border on my way down was the quietest one that I dealt with and this time it was the same, I was the only person there. I walk up to the building and it is locked. I find out that they stepped out to get a bite to eat. I hang around for 5 minutes and he returns. I start of by saying “hello” and asking how he is doing this morning and he seems to be in a good mood. I handed him a copy of the old Honduras permit hoping he will just stamp that one and send me on my way. No such luck! He tells me I need to get a new one and he starts the paperwork. He asks for my Passport and then for the bike documentation. I hand him the cleanest color copy of my registration that I have and continue to talk to him to possibly distract him that it is not the title. 20 minutes later he takes my $30, shakes my hand and gives me the permit. I’d like to think it was my rugged good looks and my charismatic attitude that helped him along but I think he just did not want to be difficult or he did not know any better.
It’s now 10am and I am heading down the hill to Choluteca. As I descend the temperature is climbing fast. By the time I hit the valley floor it is 95 and windy. At that point I headed towards Tegucigalpa the capitol of Honduras. Lucky for me they put it up in the hills where it is much cooler. It is winding roads all the way and they like to pass much more aggressively here. I can not count how many times I came around a left hand turn only to find a semi truck in my lane and heading right at me. There were a couple close calls but I am sure they just felt a lot closer than they were.
I got a little bit lost when entering the city but stopping for directions has continued to work well for me. I even had a guy have me follow him for a few miles so he could make sure I found the right way. Most of the day was heavy traffic and passing many slow vehicles but the last 50 km was great with hardly anyone else on the road and great mountain scenery. I finally pulled into a town by the name of Santa Barbara. I found an OK hotel for the night but all I need is a bed so it will do. I did not take any pictures today but it was pretty the whole day. The first half was all mountain pine trees and then it turned a little bit more to tropical greenery. Tomorrow I think I am going to stop by the town of Copan and see some more ruins. From what I understand they are supposed to be the best around but I am sure I will say, you’ve seen one you’ve seen them all. After Copan I hope to cross the border into Guatemala.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Update Day 23, 312 Miles
Friday, February 1, 2008
Update Day 22, 168 Miles
February 1, 2008
Well it is official my vacation from my vacation is over. The hotel security was very nice and looked after my bike the whole time. They put cones around it and every time we would see it there was a guard either next to it or on it using it to hold the newspaper. Sylvia and I left the resort this morning at 9:15 and returned to her aunts house in Managua. Having the GPS on the bike has been worth its weight in gold. Before we left her house I marked it in the GPS so I could find it again. The map on the GPS does not show the streets so I was guessing at those but somehow we made it to her house without making even one wrong turn. After repacking the bike, eating a little lunch and saying my goodbyes I headed out for my return trip at 1pm.
From Managua I headed towards the city of Leon and it was hot, 95 degrees to be exact. On the way there I passed through a town that looks like its entire economy is based on making bricks and tiles. From Leon I headed east to go to the city of Esteli which is where I am now for the night. The road from Leon was horrible, some dirt but mostly just potholes for 90 kilometers until I reach the Pan American Highway. I did pass through another town where there was the aftermath of a motorcycle vs car accident. Everyone was crowding the street and people were shoveling dirt on the motorcycle because it was on fire. I tried to get a photo but it was too tough. Anyway I found a nice little hotel in Esteli by the name of Hotel Los Arcos, $35 for the night with free Internet and breakfast in the morning.
In the morning I plan on crossing back into Honduras but I am expecting some difficulties. You are supposed to have the title for your vehicle when entering most countries and I have been getting by but I had difficulties entering Honduras when coming down. Wish me luck!
Well it is official my vacation from my vacation is over. The hotel security was very nice and looked after my bike the whole time. They put cones around it and every time we would see it there was a guard either next to it or on it using it to hold the newspaper. Sylvia and I left the resort this morning at 9:15 and returned to her aunts house in Managua. Having the GPS on the bike has been worth its weight in gold. Before we left her house I marked it in the GPS so I could find it again. The map on the GPS does not show the streets so I was guessing at those but somehow we made it to her house without making even one wrong turn. After repacking the bike, eating a little lunch and saying my goodbyes I headed out for my return trip at 1pm.
From Managua I headed towards the city of Leon and it was hot, 95 degrees to be exact. On the way there I passed through a town that looks like its entire economy is based on making bricks and tiles. From Leon I headed east to go to the city of Esteli which is where I am now for the night. The road from Leon was horrible, some dirt but mostly just potholes for 90 kilometers until I reach the Pan American Highway. I did pass through another town where there was the aftermath of a motorcycle vs car accident. Everyone was crowding the street and people were shoveling dirt on the motorcycle because it was on fire. I tried to get a photo but it was too tough. Anyway I found a nice little hotel in Esteli by the name of Hotel Los Arcos, $35 for the night with free Internet and breakfast in the morning.In the morning I plan on crossing back into Honduras but I am expecting some difficulties. You are supposed to have the title for your vehicle when entering most countries and I have been getting by but I had difficulties entering Honduras when coming down. Wish me luck!
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Update Day 19, 129 Miles
January 29, 2008
The day before Sylvia and I made a reservation to do a Rainforest Canopy tour which we scheduled for 10 am. I got up around 8 and headed out to the Pharmacy to get some Vitamin C. I think I got a bit of a chest cold sleeping at her aunts house because it did not have air conditioning and we slept with a fan blowing directly of us. Anyway I hoped some Vitamin C would help.
Back at the hotel we had a quick breakfast and off to the canopy tour. It was a great time. They put you in a harness and you go from tree to tree on cables strung between them. After that we decided to go to Isla Ometepe, the same Island that the other guys and I tried to do a few days earlier. We rode about 45 minutes to the South and I decided it was time for an oil change on the bike. We stopped at the local gas station and it was done in 30 minutes with some help from the local mechanic and my tools because he had almost nothing. At the time of the oil change my bike was a day short of it’s 3 week birthday and it had 6,220 miles.
With some fresh oil in the bike and us needing some relaxation time we headed for the ferry to the island. We waited about and hour for the boat to get in from it’s earlier round trip only to find that they had a mechanical failure and will be delayed at least an hour They did say we might be able to get on the smaller boat but they will have to ask the captain due to the weight of my bike. We contemplated for a while and after looking at the boat and my bike at the bottom of the lake we opted out. We then decided to head north to an all inclusive resort by the name of 
Montelimar. It took a little bit over an hour to get there but it was worth it. It is a huge resort with a lot of hammocks, beach front and most importantly, an open bar.
The day before Sylvia and I made a reservation to do a Rainforest Canopy tour which we scheduled for 10 am. I got up around 8 and headed out to the Pharmacy to get some Vitamin C. I think I got a bit of a chest cold sleeping at her aunts house because it did not have air conditioning and we slept with a fan blowing directly of us. Anyway I hoped some Vitamin C would help.
Back at the hotel we had a quick breakfast and off to the canopy tour. It was a great time. They put you in a harness and you go from tree to tree on cables strung between them. After that we decided to go to Isla Ometepe, the same Island that the other guys and I tried to do a few days earlier. We rode about 45 minutes to the South and I decided it was time for an oil change on the bike. We stopped at the local gas station and it was done in 30 minutes with some help from the local mechanic and my tools because he had almost nothing. At the time of the oil change my bike was a day short of it’s 3 week birthday and it had 6,220 miles.
With some fresh oil in the bike and us needing some relaxation time we headed for the ferry to the island. We waited about and hour for the boat to get in from it’s earlier round trip only to find that they had a mechanical failure and will be delayed at least an hour They did say we might be able to get on the smaller boat but they will have to ask the captain due to the weight of my bike. We contemplated for a while and after looking at the boat and my bike at the bottom of the lake we opted out. We then decided to head north to an all inclusive resort by the name of 
Montelimar. It took a little bit over an hour to get there but it was worth it. It is a huge resort with a lot of hammocks, beach front and most importantly, an open bar.Update Day 18, 60 Miles
January 28, 2008
Sylvia and I got up about 8 am and were going to do a little tour with her aunt of where she used to live. Of course she does not drive so I get the keys again. This drive was a little bit more difficult because she was doing more talking with Sylvia then she was being a navigator but we made it. Our first stop was her aunt’s bakery. I know what you are saying, "Why do you want to see a bakery?" 
Well, the answer it is simple, because Sylvia’s old house is now her aunt’s bakery. Her neighborhood has changed a lot. It used to be all residential but now it is a commercial area. After a tour of her house we went out to the sidewalk and we noticed that the same people still live next door. We knock on the gate and 
Sylvia’s friend who is the same age as her and who she used to eat dirt with and her mother were home. They had about a 20 minute reunion and then we were on to the next person to visit who was Sylvia’s mom’s best friend. It was another joyful reunion for 20 minutes or so and then it was time to move on. We headed back to the house to saddle up and move on.
We left at noon and headed for the town of Granada with a brief stop in Masaya. On the way to Masaya we drove past the same traffic cops that pulled me over a week earlier. As we drove by I had Sylvia get a photo of them. We then
stopped at the town square in Masaya for a little break where we ended up getting some good tourist info and ate some local Konchas Negras. It is a local shellfish like an Oyster or Clam. Next stop was the Volcano Masaya. It is a active volcano that you walk up to and look in. We were not able to see any lava due to the smoke but we were told at times you can. It was a nice short tour but it was time to get to Granada.
It was only a short 20 minute ride to Granada which is an old Colonial town on the shore of Lake Nicaragua. Once there we located a very nice hotel for $60 with Internet. Now settled into our room we decide to look around a bit. The town is very beautiful with friendly people. We stopped by a tour office and booked a tour of The Isletas and Lake Nicaragua. The Isletas translates into little islands in English. There are 365 of them and many of them have native locals still living of them while other have been sold to wealthy people for vacation homes. It turns out you do not have to be wealthy by our standards as an
island with a house on it can be had for $150,000. The tour worked out really well for us because it was close to sundown and they had a store right by the boats and I bought 7 beers in an ice chest for our 1 hour boat ride. At one point we were by the island called ironically enough Monkey Island because of the monkeys on it. Our tour guide invited Lucy on to our boat and she ate the driver’s leftover lunch.
When the tour was over we were driven back to our hotel where we met a couple by the name of Chris and Connie from Portland, Oregon. They were quite unlike the people I usually hang out with as they were here doing volunteer work building houses for the people who need them. We had a very nice dinner with them and Sylvia and Chris were able to talk a little shop because they work in the same field.
I tried to get some updates done while at the hotel but the power in the city would keep turning off every 10 minutes or so and I would loose all my work so I gave up.
Sylvia and I got up about 8 am and were going to do a little tour with her aunt of where she used to live. Of course she does not drive so I get the keys again. This drive was a little bit more difficult because she was doing more talking with Sylvia then she was being a navigator but we made it. Our first stop was her aunt’s bakery. I know what you are saying, "Why do you want to see a bakery?" 
Well, the answer it is simple, because Sylvia’s old house is now her aunt’s bakery. Her neighborhood has changed a lot. It used to be all residential but now it is a commercial area. After a tour of her house we went out to the sidewalk and we noticed that the same people still live next door. We knock on the gate and 
Sylvia’s friend who is the same age as her and who she used to eat dirt with and her mother were home. They had about a 20 minute reunion and then we were on to the next person to visit who was Sylvia’s mom’s best friend. It was another joyful reunion for 20 minutes or so and then it was time to move on. We headed back to the house to saddle up and move on.We left at noon and headed for the town of Granada with a brief stop in Masaya. On the way to Masaya we drove past the same traffic cops that pulled me over a week earlier. As we drove by I had Sylvia get a photo of them. We then
stopped at the town square in Masaya for a little break where we ended up getting some good tourist info and ate some local Konchas Negras. It is a local shellfish like an Oyster or Clam. Next stop was the Volcano Masaya. It is a active volcano that you walk up to and look in. We were not able to see any lava due to the smoke but we were told at times you can. It was a nice short tour but it was time to get to Granada.It was only a short 20 minute ride to Granada which is an old Colonial town on the shore of Lake Nicaragua. Once there we located a very nice hotel for $60 with Internet. Now settled into our room we decide to look around a bit. The town is very beautiful with friendly people. We stopped by a tour office and booked a tour of The Isletas and Lake Nicaragua. The Isletas translates into little islands in English. There are 365 of them and many of them have native locals still living of them while other have been sold to wealthy people for vacation homes. It turns out you do not have to be wealthy by our standards as an
island with a house on it can be had for $150,000. The tour worked out really well for us because it was close to sundown and they had a store right by the boats and I bought 7 beers in an ice chest for our 1 hour boat ride. At one point we were by the island called ironically enough Monkey Island because of the monkeys on it. Our tour guide invited Lucy on to our boat and she ate the driver’s leftover lunch.
When the tour was over we were driven back to our hotel where we met a couple by the name of Chris and Connie from Portland, Oregon. They were quite unlike the people I usually hang out with as they were here doing volunteer work building houses for the people who need them. We had a very nice dinner with them and Sylvia and Chris were able to talk a little shop because they work in the same field.I tried to get some updates done while at the hotel but the power in the city would keep turning off every 10 minutes or so and I would loose all my work so I gave up.
Update Day 17, 85 Miles
January 27, 2008
Today is going to be a change of pace for me. For the next week I will no longer be going solo.
I start out with breakfast and a good scrub down on the bike then back on the road. My destination is Managua airport to meet Sylvia. I leave at 10:45 and arrive at the airport at 12:20, 5 minutes before she walks out from clearing customs. I greet her at the same time she sees her aunt there waiting to pick her up. We go through all the hello’s and stuff and then head for their house. I closely follow them so as not to get lost it the city. A short while later, at 1:00, we arrive at the house and I am done riding for the day.
Sylvia’s family was very welcoming to us and they even had a nice new bottle of rum, coke and ice waiting for our arrival. Those of you who know how kind hearted I am and not wanting to offend their customs, I dove right in. Once feeling good, it was time for us to make some phone calls and do some updating.
Now that I am on old pro at riding at night we decide to go to dinner with her family but they do not drive at night. Therefore they do the next best thing and throw me the keys, and once again not to offend I accept. As a side note it had been a few hours since my last drink. We end up dining at a nice restaurant that her mother recommended named Los Rancheros. It was a steak house and the food and company was very good. It was an uneventful drive home and an end to yet another good day.
Today is going to be a change of pace for me. For the next week I will no longer be going solo.
I start out with breakfast and a good scrub down on the bike then back on the road. My destination is Managua airport to meet Sylvia. I leave at 10:45 and arrive at the airport at 12:20, 5 minutes before she walks out from clearing customs. I greet her at the same time she sees her aunt there waiting to pick her up. We go through all the hello’s and stuff and then head for their house. I closely follow them so as not to get lost it the city. A short while later, at 1:00, we arrive at the house and I am done riding for the day.
Sylvia’s family was very welcoming to us and they even had a nice new bottle of rum, coke and ice waiting for our arrival. Those of you who know how kind hearted I am and not wanting to offend their customs, I dove right in. Once feeling good, it was time for us to make some phone calls and do some updating.
Now that I am on old pro at riding at night we decide to go to dinner with her family but they do not drive at night. Therefore they do the next best thing and throw me the keys, and once again not to offend I accept. As a side note it had been a few hours since my last drink. We end up dining at a nice restaurant that her mother recommended named Los Rancheros. It was a steak house and the food and company was very good. It was an uneventful drive home and an end to yet another good day.Update Day 16, 144 Miles
January 26, 2008
At dinner the previous evening we were joined by the two Canadians who are also traveling on bikes. Darryl is on a BMW 1200GS like David and my old bike and Andy is on a 78 BMW 100RS is believe. It is a bike he bought new years ago and decided to ride it because he knew how to work on it which just happens to come in very handy later in the day. Over dinner and beer we decide to do a group ride to the island of Ometepe the next day at 10.
It is up early again for no apparent reason and it is time for breakfast and more coffee for me. I will never admit this in person but it is not half bad. A few of us have Frank the hotel owner drive us into town to get some money while some others go and inquire about the boat schedule. When we get back we get the news that the ferry could get us all over there but getting us all back tonight is not guaranteed. After a little discussion an alternate plan is hatched. We will now drive North toward Managua and then head West to the beach for lunch and return. Everyone is in agreement so we are soon on our way. We ride for about 45 minutes till we hit the town of Jinotepe where we need to go west. Riding down a little side street we come to a block in the road. It turns out the driver of a small truck pulled a gun out and pointed it at some lady and everyone around surrounded the truck so he could not move until the police got there. Paul who was in the lead and speaks fluent Spanish was able to talk them into creating a wide enough gap 
for us to squeeze through and be on our way. We now headed down a very potholed road for the next 10 miles or so and shortly before noon we were in the town of La Boquita looking for lunch. The town was pretty empty and we found a place that said they had food and beer. We all sit down and ask for the menu and his reply was "We have fish". Alrighty then, 7 orders of fish it is! Oh and beer. I think that he actually must have grabbed his fishing rod and ran to the water 200 feet away because it took at least an hour for the meals to arrive. When they finally did we found out it was worth the wait.
While we were there we spoke to a few locals and asked them about the condition of the road out the other direction. We were told that it is about the same as the one we came in on. With this information in hand and full bellies we were now heading south towards the town of Veracruz. The road immediately turned into dirt yet we continued on. Before we knew it we the road was getting worse and worse. It would have been fine if we were all riding dirt bikes and had a lot of off road riding experience, but it was not the case. As it turns out Paul and I were the only ones with dirt experience and some of the bikes have no business being in a dust storm much less riding of dirt. And let’s not forget about Norm riding the 800+ lb motorcycle. Now we find ourselves over an hour into these roads and feel we have reached to point of no return, we must continue. Paul and I were having a fun time as was Darryl but the others were not prepared for this and the fun stopped as soon as they swallowed their last bite of fish.
At this point everyone is tired but the terrain just keeps getting worse and people are going down. We come to a few river crossings and deep sand sections and given the fact that I have off road experience and the lowest on the totem pole as far as age goes, I get chosen to ride some of the other bikes across as well. The one bike I refused to ride was Norms monster but I never needed to because he never gave up. This continues on for a few hours and we are loosing the sun. We break off into groups of two and just keep on moving. It is now dark and David and I are being the sweepers of the group when we come to the last obstacle of the trip. I see Andy and Darryl on the other side of a wide river so it must not be that deep. What I did not realize was they could not get Andy´s bike started and it is that deep. I go first and make it 10 ft from the edge and the bottom drops out from underneath the bike. The water is up to the bottom of the gas tank and I think the air intake for the engine is an inch below that. I make it 2 feet from getting out and the bike dies. I crank it for a few moments and it starts to show signs of life again. With it now running I ride out the rest of the way and turn around to see David already walking across the river. I guess I am not done yet. I walk back across and put David’s bike through the same punishment mine just had. Now we all have made it past that I find out that Andy’s bike will not start. I look for my flashlight which of course is dead and I have no extra batteries. We rob 
Andy’s camera of the batteries and we now have light. We then decide that David and I will continue on to catch up with the others and I will come back for the other two so they do not have to ride out alone. A few miles later we catch up with the rest of the group and it is now 7pm. We come to the conclusion that they will all go back to the hotel and I will go back to be with the other two. Just as we were separated Andy and Darryl come along. I guess his ignition got some water in it and it just needed some drying out. Now we are all one group again so we ride back to the hotel arriving at 8:30.
Sorry for the long post as I am sure it is a boring read. I know I have not been able to convey a lot of the things that happened but it was still one of the more exciting days.
At dinner the previous evening we were joined by the two Canadians who are also traveling on bikes. Darryl is on a BMW 1200GS like David and my old bike and Andy is on a 78 BMW 100RS is believe. It is a bike he bought new years ago and decided to ride it because he knew how to work on it which just happens to come in very handy later in the day. Over dinner and beer we decide to do a group ride to the island of Ometepe the next day at 10.
It is up early again for no apparent reason and it is time for breakfast and more coffee for me. I will never admit this in person but it is not half bad. A few of us have Frank the hotel owner drive us into town to get some money while some others go and inquire about the boat schedule. When we get back we get the news that the ferry could get us all over there but getting us all back tonight is not guaranteed. After a little discussion an alternate plan is hatched. We will now drive North toward Managua and then head West to the beach for lunch and return. Everyone is in agreement so we are soon on our way. We ride for about 45 minutes till we hit the town of Jinotepe where we need to go west. Riding down a little side street we come to a block in the road. It turns out the driver of a small truck pulled a gun out and pointed it at some lady and everyone around surrounded the truck so he could not move until the police got there. Paul who was in the lead and speaks fluent Spanish was able to talk them into creating a wide enough gap 
for us to squeeze through and be on our way. We now headed down a very potholed road for the next 10 miles or so and shortly before noon we were in the town of La Boquita looking for lunch. The town was pretty empty and we found a place that said they had food and beer. We all sit down and ask for the menu and his reply was "We have fish". Alrighty then, 7 orders of fish it is! Oh and beer. I think that he actually must have grabbed his fishing rod and ran to the water 200 feet away because it took at least an hour for the meals to arrive. When they finally did we found out it was worth the wait.While we were there we spoke to a few locals and asked them about the condition of the road out the other direction. We were told that it is about the same as the one we came in on. With this information in hand and full bellies we were now heading south towards the town of Veracruz. The road immediately turned into dirt yet we continued on. Before we knew it we the road was getting worse and worse. It would have been fine if we were all riding dirt bikes and had a lot of off road riding experience, but it was not the case. As it turns out Paul and I were the only ones with dirt experience and some of the bikes have no business being in a dust storm much less riding of dirt. And let’s not forget about Norm riding the 800+ lb motorcycle. Now we find ourselves over an hour into these roads and feel we have reached to point of no return, we must continue. Paul and I were having a fun time as was Darryl but the others were not prepared for this and the fun stopped as soon as they swallowed their last bite of fish.
At this point everyone is tired but the terrain just keeps getting worse and people are going down. We come to a few river crossings and deep sand sections and given the fact that I have off road experience and the lowest on the totem pole as far as age goes, I get chosen to ride some of the other bikes across as well. The one bike I refused to ride was Norms monster but I never needed to because he never gave up. This continues on for a few hours and we are loosing the sun. We break off into groups of two and just keep on moving. It is now dark and David and I are being the sweepers of the group when we come to the last obstacle of the trip. I see Andy and Darryl on the other side of a wide river so it must not be that deep. What I did not realize was they could not get Andy´s bike started and it is that deep. I go first and make it 10 ft from the edge and the bottom drops out from underneath the bike. The water is up to the bottom of the gas tank and I think the air intake for the engine is an inch below that. I make it 2 feet from getting out and the bike dies. I crank it for a few moments and it starts to show signs of life again. With it now running I ride out the rest of the way and turn around to see David already walking across the river. I guess I am not done yet. I walk back across and put David’s bike through the same punishment mine just had. Now we all have made it past that I find out that Andy’s bike will not start. I look for my flashlight which of course is dead and I have no extra batteries. We rob 
Andy’s camera of the batteries and we now have light. We then decide that David and I will continue on to catch up with the others and I will come back for the other two so they do not have to ride out alone. A few miles later we catch up with the rest of the group and it is now 7pm. We come to the conclusion that they will all go back to the hotel and I will go back to be with the other two. Just as we were separated Andy and Darryl come along. I guess his ignition got some water in it and it just needed some drying out. Now we are all one group again so we ride back to the hotel arriving at 8:30.Sorry for the long post as I am sure it is a boring read. I know I have not been able to convey a lot of the things that happened but it was still one of the more exciting days.
Update Day 15, 275 Miles
January 25, 2008
Today was an early start. The night before I had spoke with a few of the guys who were planning on riding to Guatemala and then returning to Panama and I decided to tag along with them. We met for breakfast at 7 am in the local town square where we reintroduced ourselves. The ring leader of the group was Paul on a KLR 650, a resident of Panama for the last 15 years, I think. He is a transplant from the States who at one time was in San Diego and a desert racer. Next up was Norm he is originally from England and has been in Costa Rica and Panama for the last 6 years or so and he is riding a Honda Valkyrie 1500. Norm´s bike will play a neat roll in the days to follow. Then there was David who is on a BMW 1200GS who has been living in Panama for the last year and a half. Last but not least is Ken from Missouri. He has flown down to buy a 92 BMW 100GS from Paul and Paul has agreed to give him a tour of Central America as part of the deal. And now there is me as the fifth wheel.
After getting acquainted for a bit it is time to ride. It is a nice 30 minute ride over the mountains to the ocean. This is the same road that we did last night but it is much better when you can see the surroundings. Once we regroup at the Pacific we break off into three groups because we are going on a dirt road and the dust is bad. First to go is Norm. We gave him a bit of a head start because he is riding a cruiser bike which weights in excess of 800 lbs. Next are Paul and me. We went together because we would be riding at a faster pace and then it was David and Ken. The road was crowded with cars and trucks so there was a lot of passing to do but Paul and I had a good time anyway. At the other end we had planned to meet up at the gas station which we thought everyone knew. As it turns out Ken never got the info. We waited at the gas station for an hour before Paul went to find him. Of course soon after Paul leaves Ken pulls up. He said he had ridden past where we were two other times before he saw us or we saw him. Shortly after Paul arrives and we are all together again.
Now that everyone is refreshed we go on. We make it about 2 miles and we come to a bridge we have to cross. It is small so we have to wait for traffic coming the other way to go first. We cross with no problems and move on. Another mile down the road David is slowing down. As I get close to him I see his rear tire it flat. It turns out he had something puncture his tire when crossing the bridge. Lucky for us, or planned for them, there is a tire repair shop 100 feet from where we stopped. 10 minutes and $2 later we are rolling again. We stop once for lunch and then we make it to the Nicaraguan border with plenty of daylight to make it to our destination for the day, or so one would think. We all get through with ease except for Norm. He is having problems exiting Costa Rica and has to wait until 6 pm for the shift change to get some paperwork filled out. $60 later and at 6:10 he is in Nicaragua and the border is getting ready to shut down for the evening. He makes it thorough at 6:50 with 10 minutes to spare but it is now well after dark, again. When leaving the border area you have to show your paperwork to another person before leaving. Paul has done this many times and has found out that there are many things they charge you for with no authority. He tells us this when we go past the last inspection because they want you to pay a $1 local tax and will be waiving at you to stop but then tells us to keep on going. Sure enough as soon as we cross they are waiving us down and running in the streets trying to block us but we keep on moving and saved ourselves a whole dollar! Another 30 minutes goes by and it is 7:45, we are now at The Hotel California in San Jorge Nicaragua. The hotel is owned by another former US resident by the name of Frank, a nice guy who just got tired of the rat race and is living a nice quiet life running a hotel. We also met two Canadian brothers who have been traveling for a few months named Andy and Darryl.
Today was an early start. The night before I had spoke with a few of the guys who were planning on riding to Guatemala and then returning to Panama and I decided to tag along with them. We met for breakfast at 7 am in the local town square where we reintroduced ourselves. The ring leader of the group was Paul on a KLR 650, a resident of Panama for the last 15 years, I think. He is a transplant from the States who at one time was in San Diego and a desert racer. Next up was Norm he is originally from England and has been in Costa Rica and Panama for the last 6 years or so and he is riding a Honda Valkyrie 1500. Norm´s bike will play a neat roll in the days to follow. Then there was David who is on a BMW 1200GS who has been living in Panama for the last year and a half. Last but not least is Ken from Missouri. He has flown down to buy a 92 BMW 100GS from Paul and Paul has agreed to give him a tour of Central America as part of the deal. And now there is me as the fifth wheel.
After getting acquainted for a bit it is time to ride. It is a nice 30 minute ride over the mountains to the ocean. This is the same road that we did last night but it is much better when you can see the surroundings. Once we regroup at the Pacific we break off into three groups because we are going on a dirt road and the dust is bad. First to go is Norm. We gave him a bit of a head start because he is riding a cruiser bike which weights in excess of 800 lbs. Next are Paul and me. We went together because we would be riding at a faster pace and then it was David and Ken. The road was crowded with cars and trucks so there was a lot of passing to do but Paul and I had a good time anyway. At the other end we had planned to meet up at the gas station which we thought everyone knew. As it turns out Ken never got the info. We waited at the gas station for an hour before Paul went to find him. Of course soon after Paul leaves Ken pulls up. He said he had ridden past where we were two other times before he saw us or we saw him. Shortly after Paul arrives and we are all together again.
Now that everyone is refreshed we go on. We make it about 2 miles and we come to a bridge we have to cross. It is small so we have to wait for traffic coming the other way to go first. We cross with no problems and move on. Another mile down the road David is slowing down. As I get close to him I see his rear tire it flat. It turns out he had something puncture his tire when crossing the bridge. Lucky for us, or planned for them, there is a tire repair shop 100 feet from where we stopped. 10 minutes and $2 later we are rolling again. We stop once for lunch and then we make it to the Nicaraguan border with plenty of daylight to make it to our destination for the day, or so one would think. We all get through with ease except for Norm. He is having problems exiting Costa Rica and has to wait until 6 pm for the shift change to get some paperwork filled out. $60 later and at 6:10 he is in Nicaragua and the border is getting ready to shut down for the evening. He makes it thorough at 6:50 with 10 minutes to spare but it is now well after dark, again. When leaving the border area you have to show your paperwork to another person before leaving. Paul has done this many times and has found out that there are many things they charge you for with no authority. He tells us this when we go past the last inspection because they want you to pay a $1 local tax and will be waiving at you to stop but then tells us to keep on going. Sure enough as soon as we cross they are waiving us down and running in the streets trying to block us but we keep on moving and saved ourselves a whole dollar! Another 30 minutes goes by and it is 7:45, we are now at The Hotel California in San Jorge Nicaragua. The hotel is owned by another former US resident by the name of Frank, a nice guy who just got tired of the rat race and is living a nice quiet life running a hotel. We also met two Canadian brothers who have been traveling for a few months named Andy and Darryl.Update Day 14, 418 Miles
January 24, 2008
Today I decided to sleep in for a little bit, I figured I earned it. After laying in bed and thinking on what to do in Panama City I came to the only logical conclusion that seemed right for me. Go home! I packed up and was on the road by 9:45 Eastern time. There was not much to see on the way down and I was heading back the same route so I knew I would make good time. Halfway out of Panama in the city of Santiago the local law enforcement thought I was making too good of time and pulled me over for speeding, which I was. He clocked me doing 90kph in a 50kph hospital zone but how was I to know that, I don't speak Spanish anymore. Again there were a lot of hand gestures which would only draw an even blanker look from my face. He told me I would have to pay the fine in the city of David which of course got the response of, nice to meet you David my name is Mike. Another few minutes goes by as his frustration sets in and he asked if he was the first police officer that has pulled me over and I replied yes. With that he gave me all of my documents back and sent me on my way.
Stupid American 2
Police 0
All of the acting really made me hungry so I decided to stop for lunch before pressing on. When done with lunch I figured I could make it to the border and into Costa Rica before the sun went down. It was a nice fast ride to the border and having been to this border before it was much easier. Just a quick stamp in the passport and turn in the bike paperwork, 5 minutes max. Next was to enter Costa Rica. It was a quick stamp in the passport and then I needed to pick up the bike paperwork that I dropped off when I left. This took about 30 minutes and while in line I was talking with a guy from Panama who was with 12 other bikes heading to a rally in San Jose. They were going to stay the night in San Isidro and offered for me to ride with them. I knew we would be riding after dark but if I went with them I would be that much further ahead to start the next day. Since it was a big group I decided to go with them. The guy that I was talking with was named Neil and he was the last one of his group to clear customs after 5 hours at the border. The rest of his group was a mile down the road at the local bar waiting for everyone to regroup. When we arrived some had already gone and Neil needed a few beers before moving on. When I ordered a Coke I got some strange looks but I was planning on arriving alive. By the time we left the bar it was almost dark and we had a long way to go. We started out as 7 riders and when we finally got to San Isidro we were split into two groups but everyone made it. We found the others and now it was time to find a room. It was kind of fun riding around the town late at night like we were some outlaw biker gang. By the time we finally found a room it was 11 pm Central time. It was a long day but fun none the less.
Today I decided to sleep in for a little bit, I figured I earned it. After laying in bed and thinking on what to do in Panama City I came to the only logical conclusion that seemed right for me. Go home! I packed up and was on the road by 9:45 Eastern time. There was not much to see on the way down and I was heading back the same route so I knew I would make good time. Halfway out of Panama in the city of Santiago the local law enforcement thought I was making too good of time and pulled me over for speeding, which I was. He clocked me doing 90kph in a 50kph hospital zone but how was I to know that, I don't speak Spanish anymore. Again there were a lot of hand gestures which would only draw an even blanker look from my face. He told me I would have to pay the fine in the city of David which of course got the response of, nice to meet you David my name is Mike. Another few minutes goes by as his frustration sets in and he asked if he was the first police officer that has pulled me over and I replied yes. With that he gave me all of my documents back and sent me on my way.
Stupid American 2
Police 0
All of the acting really made me hungry so I decided to stop for lunch before pressing on. When done with lunch I figured I could make it to the border and into Costa Rica before the sun went down. It was a nice fast ride to the border and having been to this border before it was much easier. Just a quick stamp in the passport and turn in the bike paperwork, 5 minutes max. Next was to enter Costa Rica. It was a quick stamp in the passport and then I needed to pick up the bike paperwork that I dropped off when I left. This took about 30 minutes and while in line I was talking with a guy from Panama who was with 12 other bikes heading to a rally in San Jose. They were going to stay the night in San Isidro and offered for me to ride with them. I knew we would be riding after dark but if I went with them I would be that much further ahead to start the next day. Since it was a big group I decided to go with them. The guy that I was talking with was named Neil and he was the last one of his group to clear customs after 5 hours at the border. The rest of his group was a mile down the road at the local bar waiting for everyone to regroup. When we arrived some had already gone and Neil needed a few beers before moving on. When I ordered a Coke I got some strange looks but I was planning on arriving alive. By the time we left the bar it was almost dark and we had a long way to go. We started out as 7 riders and when we finally got to San Isidro we were split into two groups but everyone made it. We found the others and now it was time to find a room. It was kind of fun riding around the town late at night like we were some outlaw biker gang. By the time we finally found a room it was 11 pm Central time. It was a long day but fun none the less.Monday, January 28, 2008
Update Day 13, 353 Miles
January 23, 2008
I am not entirely sure of what it was that got me out of bed at 6:15 in the a.m. but I am pretty damn sure it was the rooster that they put directly outside my window.
I was on my way to the Panama border by 6:45 and it was a nice 73 degrees but it would not last long. I was checking out of Costa Rica 7:30 and the temp was already at 85. It was an easy check out of Costa Rica and then on to entering Panama. I hired another helper and he did most of the leg work. All I had to do was stand in line to get my immigration entry stamp. While in line I struck up a conversation with a guy from Whitehorse Canada in the Yukon Territory, a town I passed through on my trip to Alaska. He was taking 6 months to make his way to Argentina by way of a backpack and buses. There were only about 15 people in line but it took 45 minutes to get to the front. When done there I had to make a stop in another line to get a signature only to find out I had to wait in the same line as before to get another stamp. My helper pushes me to the empty window next to the guy doing the paperwork and stamping then tells me to push my paperwork in his face. As soon as he is done processing the other person’s paperwork I stick my hand in the little window and he takes my paperwork and processes it like nothing is out of the ordinary. By the time I get my stuff back there are another three people behind me waiting to do the same. All in all it was a good border crossing.
I am not entirely sure of what it was that got me out of bed at 6:15 in the a.m. but I am pretty damn sure it was the rooster that they put directly outside my window.
I was on my way to the Panama border by 6:45 and it was a nice 73 degrees but it would not last long. I was checking out of Costa Rica 7:30 and the temp was already at 85. It was an easy check out of Costa Rica and then on to entering Panama. I hired another helper and he did most of the leg work. All I had to do was stand in line to get my immigration entry stamp. While in line I struck up a conversation with a guy from Whitehorse Canada in the Yukon Territory, a town I passed through on my trip to Alaska. He was taking 6 months to make his way to Argentina by way of a backpack and buses. There were only about 15 people in line but it took 45 minutes to get to the front. When done there I had to make a stop in another line to get a signature only to find out I had to wait in the same line as before to get another stamp. My helper pushes me to the empty window next to the guy doing the paperwork and stamping then tells me to push my paperwork in his face. As soon as he is done processing the other person’s paperwork I stick my hand in the little window and he takes my paperwork and processes it like nothing is out of the ordinary. By the time I get my stuff back there are another three people behind me waiting to do the same. All in all it was a good border crossing.
The next few hours are spent speeding towards The Panama Canal, my final destination. The roads were in good shape and for a good part of the way it was a four lane road. There was nothing interesting as far as scenery and it was well into the upper 90s for most of the trip. As I get closer to the Canal I am starting to get a little excited to be so close to the destination. Finally it is in sight and I cross the bridge. One would think that I would be overwhelmed with joy but it was actually a little bit of a let down. Knowing that I made it all the way there I came to the sudden realization that I am a long, long way from home and this is barely the half way point for me. It was just like when I went to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska and jumped into The Arctic Ocean. I got out of the water looked around and said I guess it is time to go home. The thought crossed my mind to just snap a quick picture and turn around and head south. That is right I said south. If you look at the map Panama actually swings back up to the north as you get closer to the Canal. It is kind of bitter sweet knowing you are heading towards home yet getting further away. Anyway I opted to look around a bit.
After about an hour of searching for where the locks are located I find Miraflores Locks which is the first of two locks on the Pacific side. I get there at 4:30 in the afternoon and they close at 5. I run in take a few photos and head out the door as they are pushing me out of it. It turns out they could not care less what it took me to get there, they just want to go home. I head into Panama City to try and find a room. Unfortunately for me it is rush hour. I am stuck in traffic moving about 20 ft per minute going along the waterfront. Out of nowhere comes a man walking up to me. He was a 69 year old man who looked to be in his late 50s who used to ride bikes when he was younger. He saw me there and just wanted to talk and give me directions to the local BMW dealer. I ask him where to find a hotel and he directs me to a nearby hotel in the opposite direction. With his guidance I find the hotel, check in and take a much needed shower. Then it was off to the local internet cafe of which I spoke of earlier. I had hopes of getting up to date that night but it was not in the cards. After that fiasco it was time to eat and then off to bed. Ironically enough, as most of you know my life revolves around motorcycles and beer and not necessarily in that order, there was no beer involved the entire day! Yet it was still another good day.
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