Friday, November 30, 2012

SANTIAGO


DAY-387-389
11/23-25/2012
Last night I met two really awesome English girls who are just starting a 2 year round the world trip Becca. So we went for a walk around Santiago, checked out a few different neighborhoods. It was so nice just walking around and talking a lot, we ended up at the Santiago Zoo. It was actually kind of impressive and depressing at the same time haha if that makes since at all. The only other one I have been to was the one with Nick in Cali, Colombia; where they did not have many animals and the ones they did have were dying. This one had tons of impressive animals, from monkeys, giraffes, elephants, tigers, and so on; the cages were to say the least ghetto but at least they seemed like they had been fed and weren’t all dying. It was also nice because it was cheap, 6 dollars for two hours of entertainment. We found a cheap place for a dirty cheese burger, we had a good laugh. The waiter was ridiculous and made everything so much more difficult, every time you would order he would second guess you and give you other options and so on, in very fast Spanish haha. We finally got our food and it was really good and was back on our way. We hung out all together drinking bottle after bottle of Chilean wine and eating really good local brie. This has been the best hostel I have stayed at in a very long time very impressed by the hostel and the people who pass through.
Woke up early and worked on some pictures. Headed off for a walk with Jonny from England and Jimmy from Australia, we walked for 5 hours or so all over Santiago. Even after two days of very long walks I still do not think I have seen it all and cannot wait to explore more. I really really like this city so far. We grabbed some food on the way back to the hostel and stopped and grabbed a six pack each. We sat at the pool trading stories and guzzling down some beers and then went out for some more beers and an empanada. I had one more beer and as exhausted from not really sleeping the night before, when I drink heavy I only get 3 or 4 hours sleep a night. So I ended up falling asleep at 6 or so slept till midnight got up for an hour and went back to sleep haha.
Sunday was a nothing day, walked around for a bit, made an awesome lunch for me and Jimmy, and topped off the day with writing, editing pics, and uploading.

DAY-390
11/26/2012
I walked outside to take my bike to the shop and took off my soft bags, and checked my chain…. Shit... It was bad so so loose again, my chain is on the way out, and with the suspension gone it has slammed on my chain. I tightened it up and headed to the Kawi shop. Well when I say this I mean rode up and down the street looking and looking, finally saw a Japanese sign for a car and rode a sidewalk, and finally saw a tiny Kawi sign next a to a nice show room. The mechanic was at lunch so I left the bike and walked back to my hostel for lunch and then walked back with Jimmy. The mechanic was super cool and helpful; it looks to be I have blown my head gasket which I was guessing from everything that was going on with the bike. He has been super cool pointing me where to take my bike to an off road guy for my front and back suspension because that is where they would take it and charge me double. He also pointed me in the direction to get a cheap replacement Windshield, tires, and chain/sprocket set.
I got a last minute message on Couchsurfers to meet up with a local for a beer. I met her and a friend at a bar called California, which was nice and really good local beer. We will be meeting up on Thursday for me to cook up some dinner.

HAHA ONE HELL OF A CRAPPER DOOR

POLAR BEAR







SANTIAGO ZOO

SANTIAGO

STREET PERFORMERS

CHILE FLAG

AWESOME FLOWER SCULPTURE


FUN SHOTS



A LITTLE HAZY BUT STILL COOL SHOTS OF THE CITY WITH A LITTLE ANDES

STREET ARTIST

COOL BUILDING

SAN FRANCISCO CHURCH





SAN FRAN CHURCH


BEST SUSHI PLACE EVER, MOTO AND SUSHI HOW CAN YOU EVER GO WRONG!!

HAHA GET YOUR HAIR CUT AND A ..........
__________________
"When in doubt THROTTLE OUT!" "DIE TRYING" "ONE LIFE"
WWW.WHERESFLETCH.COM

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Back track real quick, uruguay rodeo




RODEO!!!
Quick jump back to the farm Days:
On Sunday we jumped into Pablo’s VW truck and headed to the school which is also the rodeo grounds. We arrived and there was a lot of people standing around a massive field with three poles near the crowd and al the horses at the other end in a coral.
We were right next to the gate and watched as they brought three horses down, two guys and their horses to each wild, angry, pissed off horse.. They would literally drag it down the field and then pull it to the post tying it up and quickly through a blind fold over the eyes to keep it semi calm. Half the time thought they would just go crazy rolling on the ground and pulling, if they did lay on the ground and would not get up. All of the cowboys would start to kick or whip it until it would stand up kind of sad to see.
It was awesome to witness and experience, the rider would jump up on the horse and try to stay on while started to kick and get ready. One guy would pull the rope and horse was free; as he was leaving the post another guy holding the blind fold would pull it off as it the horse started it’s run. Then the horse would sprint as fast as it could kicking and bucking his way down the field. Two horsemen would chase after him on either side of him and try and grab him off of it. This was a very funny part of it, the guys would grab the riders off sometimes pulling them onto their horse; but most of the time the rider ended up on the ground. Sometimes they would pull the rider off, but not being able to hold him dropping him at high speeds to face plant onto the ground. Other times the riders would just crash to the floor, the horse would land on them, they would drag down the field, and other times just bucked off. There were three really good carnage wrecks, first one the guy was close to the fence (which is just a three wired fence) and he came smashing into it and all of the spectators went running and screaming, but he stayed on the horse and nobody was hit… Next was a guy who stayed on the horse as it straight lined it back toward the coral, The horse never stopped and blasted through the wood fence as the rider came crashing off..
The last was one of the last rides of the day, a young man was riding awesome as he headed down the field when the horse took a hard left and was T-Boned by one of the other horseman there to help. But instead he ran over the rider and his horse then body slammed the rodeo rider. He got carried/dragged off but was okay at the end of it.

NICE RAINY RODEO

GOING TO GET THE HORSES AND GET THE RODEO STARTED

TIED AND BLIND FOLDED WAITING FOR A BRAVE RIDER

NOT STOKED AT ALL

AND IT HAS BEGUN

YEEEHAW

MAN DOWN




GIT N' SOME

ASADO.. AGAIN AND AGAIN..

THIS IS WHAT GETS THE HORSES KCIKING

THIS IS WHAT SUPPOSED TO KEEP THE KICKING HORSES IN....

WERE BACK AT IT

IN UR FACE



HOLDING TIGHT
URUGUAY RODEO!!!

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Turkeyday shred to country number 14



DAY 382-385
11/18-21/2012
MENDOZA

Mendoza was nice, not my all time favorite but still very nice place. I stayed for 5 nights, I walked around a lot just taking in all of the nice parks, plaza’s, and markets. But I was ready to get back into the mountains and to go to Chile. Met some nice people had a few beers, I did decide not to do a wine tour, one very expensive but also I have done them before so not a lot of interest.
I did a lot of catching up this week on my writing and picture editing. Cooked up a few good meals and had some good whiskey. Planned out my route down to Patagonia taking the Chilean side as far as possible, and then cutting over to Route 40.

DAY-386
11/22/2012
THANKSGIVING!!!
Let’s shred for Chile!!
The bike all day was dogging with no power on the climb up toward the border, but was not using any coolant do to how cold it was but still burning oil. As well as the suspension going which I will have to get rebuilt again in Chile before I make my run for Patagonia, my Clutch may need to be changed out do to kept skipping, super not to stoked on the bike or all of the work and money I just spent for nothing in BA.. But that’s traveling and letting random mechanics work on the bike, but that’s what I get for not knowing enough about my bike. Although I have learned a lot but still have oh so much to learn ahahaha
Okay enough griping today’s riding even with the bike not running awesome still had me smiling and the heart screaming “fuck yeah!!!” So nice to be back in the mountains oh how much I have missed them!! I started riding in and they were small but I was stopping for pictures and the higher I went the larger they got. I stopped at the base for gas and talked with a couple if nice Argentinean BMW and Harley guys before heading on. I passed an old Sled (Snowmobile) and had to turn around for a picture then decided to stop for some food and to take a break. The road was awesome super twisty with incredible views and massive tunnels some over 2 miles.

I pull up to the border and there was a massive lineup of cars waiting, so of course I rode passed all of them toward the front of the line. I jumped off the bike and walked up to the police asking where I can park and where to go to get the show on the road. The police were actually really helpful and awesome, they told me to skip through and go and park in the back area. So I walked back to my bike and the guy who I had just passed gave me a thumbs up and waved; but as I got back to the bike there was a guy standing there checking it out. I smiled and said hi… You always run into people wanting to chat and find out your story... yeah not in this case......... (This is the first time this happened to me)..
“Do you think your special” –Old Man
“Ugh what”
“What gives you the right to skip in front of everyone, just because you’re on the bike?”
“Yes and I just got waved through by the cops, So obviously it is not a big deal”
“Oh so you’re just going to go and skip more people?”
“Yes yes I am, have a good one, great talk”- haha
“Figures so common of you guys”
So then I headed in and a police gave me a walking escort to a safe parking area for me to leave the bike and do my paper work. I walked in and was standing in a massive line; a guy who had helped me outside walked up grabbed me and told me to follow him. We skipped the line; he gave me some papers to fill out, and then walked me into the auto area where there were no lines. As I was standing there filling out the paper the old man was back!!!
“You think you can just skip everyone!” Old man
I was over him at this point...
“Whatever you say”
“You think your special”
“The cop gave me permission, go yell at someone else”
“You guys think you can drive however you want just because you’re in Latin America, would you drive like this in Colorado?
“Yes”
And then he turned to the immigration officer and told him I had skipped the line out side
“The police waved me through go yelled at them”
He then walked and whispered something else into his ear and walked away... Just in time to walk outside and watch 5 other bikers skip the line and park their bikes and walk inside, he walked away pissed... hahaha

I filled out my paper work and smashed through quickly, walked outside to get checked out. (I had been warned they x-ray all of your bags and so on) I was a little worried since I have my full Knife kit, Bear spray bottles, and a bunch of muscle relaxers from y friends Sister who is a doctor (due to an old injury flaring up.
The first lady walked up asked me to open all my bags and show her everything. You serious all of them? Then we opened my tank bag, she moved my hat and then pointed at my duffle, I opened that she saw my dirty boxers on top and said I was good to go… hahaha
The next guy came up and shook my hand looked over the bike asked a few questions, and then asked about my stuffed animal. Animal from the Muppets that is Zip tied to the front crash bar. He said I was all done, but then caught his eyes on my other crash bar that has Rabbit ears zip tied on that Pablo gave me for good luck. He asked if I had the rest of the Rabbit in my bag?? I thought he was joking, he was not. I told him they were good luck; oh cool I need you to take those off. I cut them off and went to hand them to him... ugh no thanks he pointed at the lady who had done the first search, she put out her hand with her head turn.. hahah not stoked I put them in her hand and she walked to the trash barely holding them..

I was off again and was so stoked pulled off at the first ski area took a few pics and then headed down. There was this one section of 30 switch backs broken off in two stages dropping over 1000meters or so. 3,000ft or so. So much fun and smooth, the views were incredible. I love the mountains it is just where I belong I think. The rest of the ride was smooth, until I pulled into a toll booth with no Chilean money. They would not take Argentinean peso, they would take a US dollar I didn’t have one. So I just sat there arguing with the lady, the guy behind was nice of enough to offer and pay my toll. I pulled off at the next stop to find an ATM. As I pulled into Santiago my direction I got off line were wrong, I also asked a cop and after a long time of explaining they realized I had no idea, so they told me to follow. They kicked their lights on and we headed off, got me on the right road and waved me through. I stopped after awhile after I had passed through Santiago. Finally after a phone call and a lot of driving in circles I was (A) wishing I wasn’t such a bad ass/ idiot and used a GPS hahahah (B) new better Spanish I finally found it with a quick riding down a sidewalk and going the wrong way on a street I made it to an awesome Hostel with safe huge amount of parking for bikes called Ventana Sur Hostel, also one of the cheapest one’s in Santiago. On a top note also just got voted tope three hostel in South America by hostel bookers.
I had been lost in Santiago for almost two hours haha.. Pulled in met great people and walked to the grocery store to find something Thanksgivingish. I bought a chicken, can of corn, beer, and M&M’S haha
Happy TURKEYDAY EVERYONE!!!!




HEADING INTO THE ANDES

THROWING DOWN A SIDEHILL ON NEXT YEARS POLARIS RMK PRO FOR MY CB HOMIES



RAD CLOUDS


START OF THE ANDES

INCREDIBLE VIEWS ON THIS SMOOTH ROAD


CHILE IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS 2+MILE TUNNEL


ON THE OTHER SIDE

AVALANCHE TUNNEL



WELCOME TO COUNTRY 14 WITH ME.. THANKS FOR RIDING ALONG!!





WELCOME TO CHILE MY FRIENDS

FOR SET OF THIRTY SWITCHBACKS DROPPING DOWN 1000 METERS

SECOND SET OF SWITCHBACKS

YUP, IT OFFICIAL I AM JUST HAPPIER IN THE MOUNTIANS!!

ANIMAL ON THE OTHER HAND NOT SO STOKED TO BE BACK IN THE ALTITUDE

ONE LAST SHOT OF THE ANDES FOR NOW

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!