COOKING AND BRAAAAPING AROUND THE WORLD: February 2012

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

MEDELLIN, COLOMBIA!!

DAY-113-115

2/25-27/2012

On Saturday 25^th I had a pretty mellow day, I went for a run first thing in the morning. This place is a party city; people were still catching cabs home from the night before while I was out running at 9am. I got some new shoes my fake Head running shoes were done and smelled awful. I got an Email from Nick, another Adventure rider who is also doing an RTW (I met him in Panama City). He had read my blog and knew I was in Medellin, so we setup a time to meet up tomorrow. I, Matt, Ben (Australia) and Scottish guy all went out for the night. We bounced around for a while, before settling on a very bizarre club, Western Cowboy movie/ Hooter + Midgets… hahah yep that was my night. This place is crazy I was the first to go home, everyone was still going on strong when I caught a taxi home around 4AM.

        Sunday 26^th I met up with Nick in the center of town. We walked around traded different stories and headed into a Museum where they had all of Fernando Botero’s artwork up. We strolled around found a good deal for lunch and then jumped on the Metro for Pablo’s grave. We skipped the taxi or bus and had a long walk there, we wandered around looking for his grave finally finding it. I don’t know what I expected maybe something like Jim Morrison’s grave, something flashy, or at least a Guard. We jumped back on the metro and headed to the Botanical Gardens at the University. I don’t know what it is but it is s nice to hangout with another Adventure rider, it’s a lot different from just your backpacker. Trading stories, screw-up’s, good choices, and funny stories, all of them. He is off tomorrow for Bogota to straighten out his work visa for NZ. I headed home hoping for an early night, but didn’t get it had a great time out with a bunch of people from the hostel.

        Monday 27^th, Bike should be ready I will grab it and make my way tomorrow morning for a off the beaten path Border Crossing. I took the cable car to the top of hills surrounding Medellin and had a fantastic view of the city. Met a really nice couple from Texas who have been traveling for the past 4 months and one of them is heading home the other will start to teach English. I had a relaxing day ready to ride bikes tomorrow!! Bikes ready but I will go tomorrow to pick it up and just leave from there.

DAY-116

2/28/2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SISTER WINNIE!!!

        Woke up early, checked out of hostel and grabbed a cab for the moto shop. I got there had a re-adjust my suspension, but other than that she was ready to rip. Before I put the panniers back on I started her up…. Nothing not even an attempt. Alex was very apologetic, no need it happens. He said he was hoping that the batter would be ready to go with a full charge, but it looks like that my battery is done. So he called around town looking for a battery that would fit, I went and got breakfast. I was hoping for the gel not the water batteries. When I got back he had a few prices and one battery there, the one he had there was a $200+ YIKES!! The gel batteries he had that didn’t need a charge were not the right fit, we could jimmy rig them but it wasn’t the best. So I decided on the stock water battery that needed time to charge. So I will just head back to hostel one more night and leave in the morning.

        Right before leaving I asked about the area I have been wanting to head for the past few days, he said it should be fine. Although he did point out that is where most of the guys who own Colombia “plantations” lived in that area. He told me to wait and he would ask his boss who has ridden all over Colombia on a BMW F800GS. They looked at me crazy, that I wanted to ride down there.. What? Well they explained first off just not safe, also there was a just a big gun fight between some cartels and the Colombian Army... haha. Okay then what would you suggest I asked the owner and his friend who rode a ’09 klr. I grabbed my map and they helped me route out a sick loop to the Border. All camping and mostly dirt roads, with a few roads that I shouldn’t stop to long on and defiantly not ride after 4-5pm. So now I wake in the morning fingers crossed and head to Salento a small Coffee and mountain town for the night or two if I like, then over a huge pass to the dessert with a ferry crossing, and then finally to a huge park that I will camp at for a few days.

        Gonna be EPIC!!!

Monday, February 27, 2012

PICTURES OF MEDELLIN

STREET ART

STREET ACT

PABLO ESCOBAR

WALKING AROUND THE CITY

NICK WALKING THROUGH THE CEMETERY LOOKING FOR PABLO'S GRAVE

STREET BETTING, I LOST

OUTSIDE OF MUSEUM WITH FERNANDO BOTERO WORK

SWEET GUITAR MADE OUT OF AN AK-47

MORE STATUES OUTSIDE

MUSEUM

PW 50 WITH SLICKS, THE SMALLEST STREET LEGAL SUPER MOTO

ARTWORK ABOUT PABLO, BOTERO'S WORK

MORE OF HIS WORK

WALKING AROUND TOWN VIEWS

TAKING THE CABLE CAR UP

CABLE CAR SHOTS

CABLE CAR RIDE

LIBRARY

HEADING BACK DOWN

ALMOST DOWN

RAD STREETART

Saturday, February 25, 2012

DAY 112, MEDELLIN!!

DAY-112

2/24/2012
Woken up to trucks starting around 5am, slept until 6am and loaded up the bike. I got the bike started with help of one of the workers of the hotel. It was low light sun wasn’t up yet, I turned the corner and there she was slowing coming up over the mountains of Colombia I just started laughing and raising my fist so pumped on life. The only vehicles that were on the road were trucks, so all morning I was weaving through trucks. There were 20km at a time that I had the twisty mountain road all to myself and the road was the smoothest newest road I have ridden in a long long time. I realized again that I love nice twisty paved road, but I am really jonesing for some dirt.

It was a pretty straight forward ride into Medellin, got into town and didn’t know where the hell I was going. HAHA. I tried asking a bunch of motorcycle taxi’s where “Africa Motos” was but nobody knew, finally went into a muffler shop and got a phone book. With the address I found a Motorcycle taxi gave him the address and followed him. They got lost getting there and had to ask directions, but we finally made it ten after ten.

Alex is his name, he speaks perfect English went to Moto School in Miami where he lived for 12 years. He is the head mechanic we went through everything I wanted fixed and worked on, they also have a nice chain and sprocket set I will pick up and hold onto for later. I left my gear there, grabbed a small bag and headed for the Hostel. Got a bed for 11 bucks a night at the Black Sheep. I met a nice guy from Finland who joined me on a quest for Santa Fe Park, after looking for a long time we gave up and grabbed a drink. Matt showed up to the hostel around 9pm or so. I had a pretty mellow night with hopes of getting my bike back tomorrow.

HEADING TO WORK

NICE WAY TO START THE MORNING RIDE

NICE TWISTY MOUNTAIN RIDE

NICES VIEWS FROM THE RIDE

SHE'S LOVING THIS ROAD

ENOUGH SAID.....

Friday, February 24, 2012

COLOMBIA!!!

DAY-111

2/23/2012

So I forgot to tell you about parking the bike at the hostel in
Cartagena. I was just going to pull it into the walkway, but instead the owner opened up the abandoned café he used to have and let us park in there. I tried to go but it looked like a car might be just a little too much in the way to make it easy, but of course I went for it. I popped the front tired up and was trying to go slow and make sure I wouldn’t hit the car. (Although it was already a little beat up anyways) Due to going so slow not to hit the car I just spun out on the back tire on the curb, two old guys walked over and tried to help. Although they ended up almost dumping me onto the ground I saved it and told them thanks but no need. I was dying of heat and just sweating and ready to get off the bike; I backed up and gave her hell. I popped up perfectly onto the curb pannier smashing into the front of the car then bounding me into the left side of the door and the right side. Once I was inside I was like crap, and looked at the guy who ran the place and he just started laughing gave me high-five, then he quickly shut the door and locked it. I walked outside made sure no real damage; the right side luckily had already been in an accident, so you couldn’t tell what was new or old.

Woke up this morning had a little more fun last night than I wanted but still was up around 7am. I ran around got some cash and paid my bill for three nights. I went into the café grabbed my bike that had been sitting for three days and started it…. Nope dead dead dead not even an attempt. I rolled it outside and tried to run start it, not enough speed. So I grabbed a kid from the hostel and with him pushing I got it first try. I left it running and loaded up the bike, got directions and went and tried to find Matt to say goodbye. He never came home last night, so I am guessing he had a goodnight, I left him a note and my email and headed off. I made it out of town without a hitch, lots and lots of motorcycle taxi’s everywhere. After about 30 minutes of riding I thought my battery should be fine like the other day. Got gas and the bike wouldn’t start. Ask a random guy working on a car to help me out he did and the gas station attendant joined in and I was on my way. I rode all morning through farm lands, had a nice lunch. I had put around 130 miles on her so I knew she would start up. Nope DEAD Battery, I pushed her 100ft to the gas station got gas and got a guy to give me a little shove, two tries and had her running with a wheelie. Headed off the scenery has changed from farmland to rivers and a few mountains. I stopped to top off some gas didn’t know if I would see a gas station up in the mountains with all the small towns. The gas station attendant gave me a quick shove and I was on my way. All of a sudden I was riding higher and higher above the river, the road was twisting and climbing rapidly into the mountains. Amazing Colombian twisty mountain road and jaw dropping views. I just smiled and laughed, wow not doing any good riding for almost a month makes me realize how much I love it and why I am doing this trip. The road just twisted its way up the mountains, I was racing the sun knew I only had till 6:30 and it was 5:45 when I started wondering if my gamble for this one random town was going to pay off. The bridges alone today that I crossed was worth the day, there was so many of them all over the place big and small. As I peaked out at the top of the mountain I was greeted to a Colombian mountain sunset in my face, just awesome. I saw a temple and a small town nestled into the mountain, agh this must be it. The town came and went quickly, ugh oh its gonna get dark soon, wait did I just pass a gas station/ mechanic shop, restaurant, and hotel all in one?? Let’s flip a Uie and see, yup sweet; okay it’s going to be expensive. Wait did you just say a number equivalent to 8 dollars for my own room? Yup I will take it; it ended up being 10 bucks total and extra 2 for parking. It was a truck stop the place is now full with trucks and truckers; I sat at a table of truckers and myself and had dinner. Soup, an orange drink, and entrée of chicken, rice, salad, fries, and a fried banana for desert all for 5 bucks oh and two bags of water for tonight.

Now I sleep and then wake early and head the last 200km to Medellin to be there by 10am for my appointment at the motoshop, I will leave my bike and gear there and just take a small bag and taxi to the hostel. Perfect timing for the battery or starter to go out since I already have an appointment.

NICE ROAD

WHO NEEDS A COLOMBIAN HAT

AMAZING VIEWS!!!

INCREDIBLE VIEW FROM THE HOTEL PARKING LOT

A NICE WELCOMING PRESENT, FROM COLOMBIA!!!

MY NICE $8 ROOM, GOODNIGHT FRIENDS

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

CATCHING UP PANAMA-COLOMBIA

DAY-102

2/14/2012

Woke up in time to jump on the bus to Colon for last minute things for the boat, and just for something to do. I have been introduced to “Mate”, it is a southern South American Drink with is a plant ground up. They pack a tiny cup full of it and with a straw that is flat at the end with lots of little holes sitting at the bottom of the cup. They pour a small amount of water into one side of it and you drink it until it’s gone, then pass it and fill it up again, and so on and so on. At first taste very bitter and not good, but after two days of sharing it with my friends from Uruguay I am becoming fond of it. We drank it all the way to Colon. Colon is kind of a dump of a port town, ran down and seemed a little sketchy. We ran errands, got groceries for a few days, playing cards, Pina Juice for our rum, and lunch. Was very strange and didn’t really like being in a bus for two hours each way, MISS MY BIKE. If all goes well we will board the sailboat tomorrow night and leave early Thursday arriving in Cartagena on Monday.

DAY-103
2/15/12

A lot of sitting around and waiting all day. Played a lot of pool, walked around stretching the legs. My feet have been getting worse and worse, so I stopped taking the Uric Acid medicine a day ago and my feet are hurting less. Who knows, I stopped eating red meat, beans, and drinking beer (which was the HARDEST!!) We had dinner and were told we would get on the boat around 7pm, 7 came and went, then we heard 8, 8 came and went. They showed up and they sat around and waited finally talking to the owners of the boat, we were told it was time so we grabbed our stuff and headed for the gate. Nope we waited another hour and asked again only 10 more minutes, about another hour and then they said ok let’s go!! We got on the boat around 11:30pm. Hung out for a little bit and figured out where we were slipping. The sleeping arrangements were two double beds (for the couples) a bed for three which we had 2 girls at the last moment that were going to meet us on the boat, and a single bed. On the way to the dock I was hoping for two beautiful women to join us. We arrived at the dock to meet the last two people; they were a very manly lesbian couple.. Haha couldn’t have written it better. The two girls who were a couple were not happy about having to share a bed with a guy, the captain gave up his bed to Matt and everyone was happy. Oh I am pumped I get to sleep in a Coffin, I just fit in and there are high boards all around making a nice tight coffin. So we are off, three couple, Matt, and myself.

Oh and arriving in the night I notice they did the worst possible plastic jobs on our bikes. They just laid a tarp on the top the engine and all was exposed to the salt elements. Nothing we could do till tomorrow morning.

Shane an English guy made a bet with his girlfriend and me that five bucks to the last to puke from sea sickness.

DAY-104
2/16/2012

Matt woke me up telling me if I wanted to rewrap my bike the time was now. Quickly got up and tried to rewrap, very hard with them all ready tied down to the side of the boat. With me hanging off the boat by one hand I was able to wrap the bottom of the bike pretty well, at least covering from getting salty splashes. We will see. Fingers crossed and a nice fresh water bath when I arrive.

After only 45 minutes of sailing four out of the eight of us were sea sick and puking over the edge. Shane and his girlfriend were the first…I WIN!! We sailed for 8 hours wasn’t to rough but nobody felt great we all slept as much as possible and finally arrive to the San Blas Islands, BEAUTIFUL!!!!! All of these little islands everywhere covered in Palm trees, full on out of a movie. A few of us swam for the island and the rest took the dingy. We walked around for awhile as our captain dealt with our passports and our moto permits. We headed back and had lunch, local Kuna people paddled up in dugout canoes selling fish and we bought one. We had a few drinks and just relaxed for the day letting our bellies get used to the constant movement. We had an amazing fish dinner with salad. Everyone had a relaxing evening and headed to bed around 9ish.

DAY-105
12/17/12

We pulled anchor this morning and headed for Captain Isreals favorite Island, and let me tell you he wasn’t kidding hands down one of the prettiest islands I have ever seen. We swam over and walked around ran into the French family who had been at the other hostel who had invited me to stay with them when I make it to France. We stopped for a swim on one beach and everyone joined, the English decided to do a sweet front flip off of a tree. (Which was actually a ¾ flip and landed straight on his back we all fell over laughing) We swam for awhile and then headed to the boat for lunch. Been very relaxing, I got a little bored and swam back to the island and walked around it twice (about 10 minutes). We hung out for the evening having a few drinks and just good time. I really enjoyed talking with the Uruguay couple Mearison and Anna; I will defiantly go and visit them in May. The Lesbian couple are from Northern California and are very spiritual hippies; we will leave it at that. The other couple started off okay, ended very crazy. They were both international teachers, he had been fired from a school in Mexico and after being fired he had marched around when the parents were picking up their kids with a Hitler shirt on saluting. (Yeah he is also clean shaven bald)… I hadn’t talked to her much and then one morning he accused me of flirting with his girlfriend, I thought he was joking…he wasn’t. It was a very strange situation. Matt who I wasn’t sure of in the beginning has turned out to be a pretty good friend (teach me to judge by the cover).

DAY- 106/107
2/18-19/12

We got yelled at for being messy and had to clean the boat. (But don’t forget the Captain had a rooster on board crapping everywhere…) We pulled the anchor and headed for the last island; we arrived and were giving well used snorkeling gear. The reef cool we swam for awhile and walked around the island. Then got back on the boat for lunch and then started our 30hr sail for Colombia. It was pretty rough and we just had sandwiches for dinner, I slept wasn’t hungry. I was woken at 12am to do a two hour watch guard shift for lights with Matt, so we just stayed up till 2am talking about his Navy experience and private security times in Iraq. We raged through the ocean sometimes hitting 4 meter waves, pretty crazy at times. Was weird the whole time we were out “sailing” he had the engines running. We arrived into the port of Cartagena Colombia around 11pm. Without too much words, the Captain and first mate jumped on the dingy told us they would see us in the morning and left for shore. Haha

DAY-108
2/20/12

My Dads Birthday, HAPPY BIRTHDAY POPS!!!

We woke up no sign of the captain, we made breakfast and then he showed up on a ghetto little speedboat. He told us yesterday we would unload the bikes on the dock nice and easy. Well he showed up and I was still half asleep and was told to load my bike onto this 8ft long speed boat…WHAT!?!? Screw it I called dibs on going first, Matt was pissed he did not want to put his bike on the boat. He told the captain that he didn’t like it and the captain told him to find his own damn boat because this is what we get. Let’s talk about this boat, 8ft, three dudes having hard time standing in it without almost flipping it, 1/8 of its full of water, seats they didn’t come out, and we were going to balance the bike on the seats and take it to shore. Haha Oh well I made it this far, we swung the bike over the boat and dropped her in. My bike teetered on the engine guard on the seat the front and back wheels were in the air. (To sketchy no time for picsL) I got into the boat and head the bike as tight as I could if it leaned either way it was going into the water. Making it to the dock they basically grabbed the rear tire and dragged it onto the dock. I got on it and started it…… nope nothing notta just a little weird electrical noise. Matt showed up not happy with his back and I helped lift it onto the dock (not drag it). He helped me push start it and got it running, wouldn’t hold a charge. We met the boat at the dock and had to balance on a single piece of wood about 10ft above the water for about 100feet to get to the boat. Grabbed our stuff and headed to put the bikes back together.

I had only gotten one Pannier on when I was told to follow a random car to the Bike Permit building; I asked if we could wait till I have the bike back together. Nope now or at 2pm, so we raced over with him leaving all of our stuff with the captain at the docks. Ran around got all of the paper work done and just needed inspection, nope not till two. So we headed back loaded up our bikes and headed into town for lunch and cash. We found a hostel and dropped our gear off. We went back to get our permits and sat there for two hours finally getting an answer of that we had to come back at 5 when they close or in the morning. So we headed off and lost each other but both found a place to wash our bikes off with fresh water and soap. We met back up at the permit office and around 5:45pm kid walked out with our permits, said thanks and walked away… We went and asked if we needed inspection nope just leave, ugh what about insurance nope you are all set. Okay weird and a little shady. There was a huge pool party and BBQ at the hostel I hung out for a while met some nice people but was tired and went to bed around 1am when everyone headed out. After keeping the bike running for about an hour, she now holds a charge and is ready to rage SA!!

Over all I would say that the sailing experience was not a bad one but nor was it a good one. I am glad I got to see the San Blas Islands they were amazing to say the least. Just is a downer and left a bad taste in your mouth when you pay so much for something and treated pretty poorly. The captain knows we won’t be returning with him so he just acted as if we were supposed to be grateful for the chance to sail with him. I fell bumbed at myself for not being more stoked on the passage, but it really was a bumber. My advice to anyone else traveling with a bike, take the FERRY that is “starting mid March” From Colon to Cartagena, and supposedly it will be half the price. You don’t stop at the islands but if you want that just take a 3 day trip there and camp with launcha boats for cheap.

DAY-109/110
2/21-22/12

I ran around trying to find out if I did or did not need insurance, everyone here says no but all of my information and internet says yes. After talking with other riders I decided I didn’t and will just use my home insurance or bribe if I have to. I also realized I lost my old beat up board shorts sometime between leaving the boat and getting to the hostel. So I found the black-market area and boat a pair of Stretchy Ripcurl shorts $70 at home for $20 here. Went for a nice run and then walked for 4-5hrs all around town and up to the fort. Trying to feel normal again after being at sea for 5 days. I have notice my attitude has change in the past month, but it will be back to normal once I start ripping some South American DIRT!!!

Met another Biker from Sweden, who is absolutely crazy!! But he is very nice and helpful; he traded me his $40 Colombian map that he had gotten off another guy for a fresh squeezed juice. He suggested for me to check out a moto shop in Medillen called Africa Motos, he claims its best shop in all of South America. I will go there on Friday have them check out my suspension (starting to sag bad) Also see what parts they have, grab a chain and sprockets for later. While walking around with this guy I notice he doesn’t move for anyone he just plows through everyone men, women, and children. He had some insane stories. He has ridden all over the world, he also hooked we up with every lonely planet book I might need via thumb drive. He is so crazy and interesting I would love to ride with him knowing full well we most likely would go to jail, but he is heading north for Panama.

Well I think that sums it up for now, I am going to go tear down my bike and see what I need from the shop. On the road tomorrow.