SUCRE IS OVER... 8/18-24/2012

DAY-289
8/18/2012
        I know my past month and a half updates might have been a little boring for everyone. But for me this past month has been a highlight, so incredible how a group of people who do not know you at first will take a chance and take you in as a long lost family member.
        I took an easy morning just writing a lot and then headed to the shop at 12:30 to meet up with Nicky. Finished off the last part of my bike (the broken U-bolt) and headed for Nicky’s for lunch then to grab my riding gear and meet back at the shop at 2:30pm to head for the track.
        The bike ran nice all the way to the track, felt very strong and solid, although need to go back through and re tighten everything one last time with lock tight. We got to the track and almost everyone was there, Sergio Sr., Sergio Jr., Mati, Bryan and his Dad Walter, Jean Paul, Susan, Tonka, Peter, Nicky, and a bunch other riders from Nicky’s Shop. It was great lighting not a cloud in the sky just and amazing Blue Bird day. We had a great day just hanging out in the sunshine; I took over 120 pictures some really good ones. I had a nice talk with Sergio Sr. Sergio Jr. was testing out his New bike which is a 2011 Crf 250 modded out so awesome, from the way he was riding and fighting off his uncle as they raced I think it is safe to say he loved his new bike. Bryan was riding fast as well, I have only seen him ride three times but every time that kid just keeps getting faster. Nobody wanted to stop riding they all rode until the sun went down and started to get cold. Nicky and Sergio was battling hard against each other but Sergio was holding him off, they came into the last big berm and Nicky’s front tire caught and he went up and over the bars hard. He smacked his head pretty good but was okay and we loaded up the bikes and headed back to Sucre. The ride home was nice and fast, I tried out a new set of Smith V-2 and they were fucking awesome!! I need a pair they fit my helmet and face so much nicer than my Oakley Crowbars. We made it back to the shop and I dropped off my bike after helping to unload the MX bikes into the garage, my new place doesn’t have any parking. They told me they were throwing me a going away party tomorrow at Nicky’s.
        I headed home changed took a cold ass shower and then headed out for a walk, food, and beer. I grabbed some Pizza and some hippy selling some handmade crap yelled at me telling me to share my pizza.. Haha sorry dude I am a broke traveler too, later.. Haha I was walking toward Florin to meet up with a friend for a beer when I thought I heard my name I turned around and it was Nicky’s youngest daughter saying my name and waving. I walked back and met up with her and then we walked to her dads car, talked with Nicky for a while and he said my BBQ was set for tomorrow. I was stoked and went had a few quick beers and was home before 12am.

DAY-290
8/19/2012
        I got up and headed for coffee and to do some writing. I talked with Nicky and he told me BBQ starts at 1pm I talked with Gus and he told me he would pick me up at 1:30pm. I am in Bolivia and here you are on Bolivian time, so everybody shows up late. We showed up at 1:40pm as we were getting there got a call asking where the hell I was since I was late and they were ready to eat. haha The one time I show up late, everyone else shows up on time hahaha.. It was an awesome day of BBQ pork ribs, steak, wine, and great company. It was a lot of fun, but at the same time kind of sad, because it made me realize I was going to have to say goodbye to such good friends and new family. I got invited to my good friend’s houses for lunch over the next few days, going to Jean Paul’s house on Monday and to Ramiro’s house on Tuesday.

 We headed home and I grabbed my computer and headed for internet and coffee. I worked on my photo’s and for a quick second got the chance to talk to a very good friend from home but only for a few minutes but it was nice had not talked with her over a chat since Colombia.

DAY-291-295
8/20-24/2012
        Monday I ran around in the morning doing a few things and then I headed for Nicky’s to meet up with Jean Paul to go to his house for lunch. I had lunch with him, Suzan, and Suzan’s brother who just got back from Competing in the Olympics. We had a nice local dish and hung out for a few hours.  
        Tuesday I had lunch at Ramiro house and got to take a tour of his bakery. We had a huge lunch and then they showed me a ton of pictures and let me take some pictures of Ramiro racing in the 80’s.
        All week I ran around getting ready, patching up some of my luggage, working on the bike, Oil changes, and cleaning it up. I have been working on my favorite photos of everyone so I can print out some large photos for Jean Paul, Nicky, and a bunch of small pictures for a collage for Nicky’s office. Weds night went out with Robert and Henry for three too many drinks.
        Thursday night we all went out to dinner for a goodbye at one of my favorite restaurants for some grilled chicken. Then we went out for a few drinks and headed home.
        Friday came and it was go time, I ran around getting the bike ready to shred. Hung out with Nicky a lot. We went to lunch one last time with his family, was sad to say goodbye, I will miss my Lunch times with them.
        I headed into town to grab my presents from the Printer. We hung out for a little longer then around 6pm I saw Jean Paul and gave him his photo. I sat down with Nicky and gave him thirty photos for his wall and one large photo for his house of him spraying dirt everywhere on a berm shot.
        Rorro, Nicky, Ramiro, Esteban, Edu, Edu’s girlfriend, and I all went out to dinner for some chicken and some good conversations. I headed home to pack; I then got a call from Rorro asking me where I was and to come have a last beer with everyone. I went and hung out for two drinks and then said my goodbyes and headed for home. I packed a little more then went to sleep. 

NICKY RIDING TILL DARK, THEN HE RIDE SOME MORE!!!

THATS THE LAST OF SUCRE MX PICS FOR ME!!!! 

LUNCH WITH JEAN PAUL AND SUZAN!!

LUNCH WITH SOME OF RAMIRO'S FAMILY!!!

MY LAST LUNCH WITH NICKY'S FAMILY.......

MY LAST CHICKEN DINNER WITH SOME OF MY SUCRE FAMILY

HAHAHA

RORRO'S PISSED IM LEAVING, HE CANNOT EVEN EAT.. HAHAHHA

\

SUCRE IS COMING TO AN END.... 8/11-17/2012

DAY-282
8/11/2012
        I woke up and headed to the shop, Nicky was very busy for the day he is only opened from 8am to 1pm on Saturdays. There is another motocross race tomorrow so there was a lot of racers their getting their bikes ready. We drove a couple of quads out to the practice area so Rorro and Henry could teach them how to ride and then take them out on a 6hr tour. Nicky asked if I could help me out and we jumped on my bike I let him drive so he could feel the bike and see how it was doing. We rode out to his brother’s brother in-laws house to pick up his wr450 to take it back to the shop and work on it for him. It was about 12km’s each way. The bike is feeling really good and I couldn’t be happier so is Nicky, he is very happy with how it is sounding and feeling as of now. We ran around all day doing small tasks. He got his wife’s parts for her car and replaced a few worn out parts. We were planning on going to the motocross track at 2:30pm but he was so busy he didn’t finish up at the shop until a little after 2pm and we headed for his house for lunch. We walked up stairs trying to decide to go or not and was watching the Olympics when he remembered he had to be back at the shop at 4:30pm for the tour to return the quads. I fell asleep watching the Olympics, now it is a big joke with Nicky because every time I eat and then sit to watch the Olympics and fall asleep. We headed into town I was following them through town as he dropped one of his daughters off at a birthday party. Then he took me to an old ice cream shop that had been in this tiny little building near the park since the 80’s, and it was SO GOOD!! Although I do love my sugar, ice cream, and coffee; and the ice-cream dish he ordered me had all three!!!! So yummy!!

I went and worked on my writing and pics for the rest of the day and headed home. Recca pulled up to me at a stoplight and we headed to his house to park my bike. We went out to dinner for some Calzones and pizza which was good and cheap. I was exhausted so I went into my room and messed around on the internet. Nicky called around 10:30pm asking if I wanted to join them for some drinks I declined since I was exhausted, already in bed, and have been drinking a little too often lately hahaha.

DAY-283
8/12/2012
       
        I woke up and headed to the shop to meet Nicky to go to the MX race. Although I got there and the shop was closed up tight and no Nicky, he had ended up going very early to help out. So I headed to Florin and worked on my writing, pics, blog, and my RR on advrider for 7hrs haha.

I was walking home when I talked with Recca and he told me he had a dead battery and needed help pushing his bike into his house. We then went for a walking just talking, I had him dying laughing telling him different stories of my travels, some good wrecks, others about amazing places, and a lot about different people’s reactions over my beard haha; like getting called Santa Clause, asking if I was a UFC fighter, people just telling me they felt safe when they walked with me because I am so scary looking haha, and others of kids walking up and just reaching up and tugging on it.

 There is one story I was telling him that I realized was not told to you guys; Nick, Ian and myself were riding toward Sucre when we came upon a town to get gas. We headed up a very steep and slick cobble stone street I was in the middle, nick stopped at the top for a car and I stopped. Well with it being so steep and slick I start to slide backwards picking up speed with locals watching, I had a choice keep sliding backwards picking up speed and crash into Ian or lean to my right and crash into a wall. I chose the wall; I leaned in and wedge myself and the bike into the wall stopping myself. A local came running laughing but running to help, I was dying laughing as we un wedged myself from the wall and bike and got the bike straight… haha we all had a good laugh about it after I made it to the square.

We sat at this fountain watching water show linked to music which was entertaining, the fountains soaked the crowd haha... We walked to the square so I could get dinner (Ice-cream) haha and then headed back home; I went to my room and passed out.

DAY- 284-287
8/13-16/2012
        I ran around and printed out my favorite MX shot of Rorro and gave it to him as a thank you for everything he had done for me; He drove me many times all over the city figuring out my immigration and my moto permit and would never take gas money or anything. He was going to La Paz and I wouldn’t see him before I left. We went to lunch to his favorite sandwich place, had Sucre Chorizo and ham sandwiches. He owed me a meal because we had made a better and I had said the USA would win the gold In Men’s basketball he disagreed. Nicky had told him not to get the chorizo because I would be able to handle it and I would get sick, but when I asked what he had told him he said I just wouldn’t like it..haha.. When we got back Nicky asked me what I had, told him what I had eaten. He was oh no people that are not from Sucre cannot handle it and they got server Food Poisoning, he kept warning me I would get extremely sick in two days.. Haha nobody else agreed saying I had been in Bolivia eating the food long enough to handle it. Had a pretty easy rest of the day, until I went to tighten my U-Bolt that holds my skid plate in place. I being an idiot sat there wrenching it tight, until I snapped it in half and sliced my knuckle up from the bolt exploding off.. hahaha Rorro and I ran around Sucre looking for another U-bolt with no luck, but were told where to find it but it was too late so we would look tomorrow.
        Tuesday nothing to crazy helped out at the shop and hung out with everyone, said goodbye to Rorro and he headed off for the Bus station. We were at the shop late hanging out with Ramiro and his son Esteban (which I have been spelling his name Stephen.. haha) whoops sorry buddy. Nicky asked if anyone wanted to have a BBQ at his house, so we all headed out of the shop ran some errands and met up at Nicky’s. It was great and Rorro showed up because of a road block he couldn’t leave to La Paz. We hung out until 12am and then headed home.
        Wednesday I was not feeling so great, haven’t felt great since Friday or Saturday. Just feeling super tired, my stomach was fine haha I say this because when I missed lunch with Nicky and told him I was not feeling good and going to bed. He told me he told me so that I would not be able to handle the Chorizo, no no my stomach feels fine I am just exhausted so I headed home and slept for a few hours. Headed back to the shop and just took it easy all day.
        Went out to dinner with Robert and Henrry for some Lasagnas, with some nice wine and then I headed home.
        Nothing to crazy today, helped out Nicky at the shop in the morning, went to Nicky’s for lunch and just relaxed at his house. Then Recca and I ran some errands for his bike getting it ready. The first test ride of my bike had a little ticking but went away, but then it came back again and was getting worse so Nicky wanted to take a look tomorrow morning. Nicky stayed late at the shop for me letting him interview him on a possible Bolivian Motocross article I am attempting to write if I cannot find a small magazine back home to publish at least it will be a nice trial run and learning experience for me.

I met up with Henrry and Robert at Florin for a beer and met Bruce who is riding a ’68 Guzzi down from Canada the guy was awesome very funny and had some intense stories. We just hung out sharing stories and talking about places to ride all over the world, he has ridden quite a bit in Asia.  I called it a night and headed home.

DAY--288
8/17/2012
        I have been hearing a ticking sound coming from my engine and it was getting worse so last night we decided we would open it up and figure it out in the morning. I got to the shop and hung out for a little while, Nicky said we would open it up after lunch. We ran around picking up a ton of parts for an Aussie who just bought a KLR in La Paz, Bolivia and is planning to ride to Mexico and then back. We dropped off two bolts to the welder so he could remake my U-bolt I had broke being an idiot. I left my bike in Nicky’s shop checked the key and headed for lunch with Nicky and his family. When I got bike I have no idea how it happened but my key was on and my battery was dead. So we laid the bike down and opened up the bike and checked my Balancer Chain and it was loose so it was tightened up. We did a slow charge on my battery hoping it was fine. While we had the bike on its side I notice on of my welds on my muffler was cracks so I pulled it off and Nicky took it to into his shop and welded it for me. We put it back together using another battery just to make sure it sounded good and it was just my dead battery causing the problems. It started right up and sounded good, Nicky was very happy.
        Recca and I grabbed Nicky’s car and headed to his Mom’s house where we had been staying, I loaded up all my stuff into his car and grabbed a mattress. We drove over to his new apartment which his buddy owns and is letting him stay for a few months while he finishes up his new garage and apartment. Where his new mechanic garage will be, where he will be working on automatic cars since nobody does in Sucre.
        We got back to the shop and I grabbed my battery and stuck it in the bike and tested it out, perfect!!! Awesome!!! Sergio, his son Sergio, and his other brother Matti were at the shop working on Sergio jr. new bike which is a 2011 modded out CRF250. Nicky had invited me over to his mother’s house for coffee and Sonas.
        We locked up the shop and headed to his house to pick up his kids and then go to his mom’s house. We arrive and the house was packed, his parents and six out of the seven kids were there with partners and kids. We sat around talking and drinking coffee for a few hours. Nicky busted out his laptop and a few of us watched the new AMA MX 250 class race. I caught a ride with Nicky back to his shop so I could walk home. He wanted to give me a ride back to the city center, I declined due to the fact I wanted to stretch the legs and walk. Nicky then told me not to go my usual way not safe on Friday night; a couple a weeks ago there was an incident with a neighborhood local kid walking home. He told me to go another way, but then insisted for me to catch a ride. I accepted and he drove me toward the center a few blocks away I jumped off of his bike and made my way. There was a concert going on and I ran into Gus, we headed for a few beers.  I walked back to our new apartment and slept on the floor. 

BBQ TIME AT NICKY'S WITH FRIENDS

JUST GETTING STARTED

IT'S DINNER TIME!!!

HAHAHA NO CLUE WHATS GOING ON... 

LAST FINAL TOUCHES

ALL CAUGHT UP, WILL THE BIKE OR NOT

DAY-281
8/10/2012

        The big day has arrived!!!! I had a slow morning today, drank some coffee and wrote some more. I headed to the shop and Nicky was stoked he had just started up the bike, we did a few last minute things started it up and I rode around the block to test her out. I then followed Nicky home for lunch and the bike felt really good, although when I got to his house it was making a small ticking noise. He listened and said it would go away and was normal when you do a bore. I hung out at the shop for a little bit longer until Recca showed up on his KLR and we went for a quick ride. I told him I didn’t have a license so no check points, we headed off. The bike felt great all I want to do is open her up and haul ass, but was told to keep it under 4k RMP’s for the next  4-500 km’s at least. We hit a check point and they wanted to see my license, well like I had to told Recca no license. So he argued with the cops and they let us through. We put around 50km’s on it and headed back to the shop, so he could go pick up his tourist and take them to Potosi. I hung out at the shop helping out where I could and just enjoying my friends. I headed back to town and went to Florin for a cup of coffee and check my emails, Henry was there and invited me to dinner with him and Robert. We went to our favorite restaurant Nuevell Cuisine, I have eaten way to much red meat since I have been here so I opted for Chicken; a huge plate of chicken fries, rice, and a salad bar for $2.30 so awesome!!! I went home dropped my computer off and met up with Robert, Rorro, and Henry for a few happy hour drinks. They wanted to show me a high end bar called Mooey, it was a roof top bar that was dead at 12:30am we hung out and more and more people started showing up, by 1:30 it was half full and people were still pouring end. Right before 2am I was exhausted and people were still pouring in, but I was exhausted and headed home.

DAY-282
8/11/2012

        I woke up and headed to the shop, Nicky was very busy for the day he is only opened from 8am to 1pm on Saturdays. There is another motocross race tomorrow so there was a lot of racers their getting their bikes ready. We drove a couple of quads out to the practice area so Rorro and Henry could teach them how to ride and then take them out on a 6hr tour. Nicky asked if I could help me out and we jumped on my bike I let him drive so he could feel the bike and see how it was doing. We rode out to his brother’s brother in-laws house to pick up his wr450 to take it back to the shop and work on it for him. It was about 12km’s each way. The bike is feeling really good and I couldn’t be happier so is Nicky, he is very happy with how it is sounding and feeling as of now. We ran around all day doing small tasks. He got his wife’s parts for her car and replaced a few worn out parts. We were planning on going to the motocross track at 2:30pm but he was so busy he didn’t finish up at the shop until a little after 2pm and we headed for his house for lunch. We walked up stairs trying to decide to go or not and was watching the Olympics when he remembered he had to be back at the shop at 4:30pm for the tour to return the quads. I fell asleep watching the Olympics, now it is a big joke with Nicky because every time I eat and then sit to watch the Olympics and fall asleep. We headed into town I was following them through town as he dropped one of his daughters off at a birthday party. Then he took me to an old ice cream shop that had been in this tiny little building near the park since the 80’s, and it was SO GOOD!! Although I do love my sugar, ice cream, and coffee; and the ice-cream dish he ordered me had all three!!!! So yummy!!

I went and worked on my writing and pics for the rest of the day and headed home. Recca pulled up to me at a stoplight and we headed to his house to park my bike. We went out to dinner for some Calzones and pizza which was good and cheap. I was exhausted so I went into my room and messed around on the internet. Nicky called around 10:30pm asking if I wanted to join them for some drinks I declined since I was exhausted, already in bed, and have been drinking a little too often lately hahaha.

DAY-283
8/12/2012

        I woke up and headed to the shop to meet Nicky to go to the MX race. Although I got there and the shop was closed up tight and no Nicky, he had ended up going very early to help out. So I headed to Florin and worked on my writing, pics, blog, and my RR on advrider for 7hrs haha.

I was walking home when I talked with Recca and he told me he had a dead battery and needed help pushing his bike into his house. We then went for a walking just talking, I had him dying laughing telling him different stories of my travels, some good wrecks, others about amazing places, and a lot about different people’s reactions over my beard haha; like getting called Santa Clause, asking if I was a UFC fighter, people just telling me they felt safe when they walked with me because I am so scary looking haha, and others of kids walking up and just reaching up and tugging on it.

 There is one story I was telling him that I realized was not told to you guys; Nick, Ian and myself were riding toward Sucre when we came upon a town to get gas. We headed up a very steep and slick cobble stone street I was in the middle, nick stopped at the top for a car and I stopped. Well with it being so steep and slick I start to slide backwards picking up speed with locals watching, I had a choice keep sliding backwards picking up speed and crash into Ian or lean to my right and crash into a wall. I chose the wall; I leaned in and wedge myself and the bike into the wall stopping myself. A local came running laughing but running to help, I was dying laughing as we un wedged myself from the wall and bike and got the bike straight… haha we all had a good laugh about it after I made it to the square.

We sat at this fountain watching water show linked to music which was entertaining, the fountains soaked the crowd haha... We walked to the square so I could get dinner (Ice-cream) haha and then headed back home; I went to my room and passed out.

MY BROKEN OEM RACK

MY NEW BOLIVIAN RACK

REDOING THE RACK

RAFA IS ADDICTED TO COCA-COLA

NICKY FIXING A WELD ON MY RACK

THE SHOP THAT DID MY CYLINDER BORE

MY CYLINDER BORED AND READY TO GO

MY NEW PISTON

HANGING OUT AT THE SHOP AT NIGHT

NICKY WORKING HARD IN THE OFFICE

HANGING OUT WORKING ON MY BIKE WITH MY NEW FAMILY

MY GOOD FRIEND RORRO

MI PADRE NICKY WORKING ON MY BIKE

NICKY'S AWESOME BBQ STATION!!!

THIS GRILL IS AWESOME!! IT IS FULLY ADJUSTABLE UP AND DOWN, SO SO RAD!!

NICKY'S AWESOME FAMILY I HAVE LUNCH WITH EVERY DAY

VERY NERVOUS BEFORE MY FIRST TEST RIDE

SEPER STOKED AFTER MY FIRST RIDE!!!

THE "ANIMAL" WASHED AND READY TO SHRED!!!

Thank you for following along with the adventure of my life!!!

Fletch