COOKING AND BRAAAAPING AROUND THE WORLD

Sunday, January 29, 2012

PANAMA CANAL LOCKS!!!

AMAZING FEELING TO KNOW I HAVE MADE IT TO THE END OF THE CENTRAL AMERICA!

LOOK MA I MADE IT!!!

PANAMA LOCKS!!!!

THEY GOT MY BACK IN THE GHETTO

SAILBOATS WAITING FOR THE WATER LEVEL TO DROP

DA BOATS

BOATS A DROPPING!!!!

AND THROUGH

TO THE PACIFIC THEY GO!!!

WWW.WHERESFLETCH.COM

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Friday, January 27, 2012

COSTA-PANAMA CITY

ON THE BORDER OF COSTRA RICA AND PANAMA

CLAY IN SEARCH OF THE SHORTCUT

SEA CAVE

DINNER TIME

WAKE UP VIEW

MY TENTS IN THE PALMS

ALL HEADED TO COLUMBIA

BIKE PARKING ON THE BORDER OF PANAMA

Now I head to port to figure out how I am getting to the Columbia for cheap...

DAY -79/80

1/24-24/2012

Woke up to the sound of crashing waves 5ft from my tent door, such a peaceful way to wake up. Had a cruddy instant coffee, but caffeine still does the trick no matter how it taste. We then walked to town to find internet, not realizing our campground had wifi (slow took ages, but none the less they had it). It is ridiculously hot here; we died all the way into town maybe about a mile haha. Found internet about half mile out of town then walked back to the market and bought lunch. We got back to the campsite had beer and tuna fish sandwich, and then just relaxed for a few hours. I am trying to figure out a ridiculous dentist bill I received so I needed to get back online, and by the time I asked if I could sue wifi was told no turned off for the day. We grabbed our computers in search of wifi, no luck but did buy Beans and Rice for dinner. This was the smallest market you have ever seen, all they had was pasta or rice, they were out of soda and beer the second time we went back. Nothing on the shelves but dust. We saw a scorpion walking near our tent, Clay was not stoked to say the least, then we found out Tarantulas by the bathroom, and crocs in the river hahahaha. We headed over the river to a hostel for beer and met a couple new friends. We ended up at a bonfire on the beach for a few and then headed back to the tent not sure if we were leaving in the morning.

We did not leave, both woke up with them same thought “lets stay one more night pack up early the next day and make it to Panama City and sort out our boat situation. We had a relaxed day of hiking over to a beach café, play soccer (football), swimming, reading, and just plain old fashion relaxing. We had chorizo, rice and beans for dinner. A guy rode up today on a brand new 2012 KLR with 1000 miles. First off the guy was a little looney and reminded me dead on of the guy who wanted his stapler back in “Office Space” Mert I think his name was. Supposedly he had ordered and bought the bike in Panama but now because he has it registered here and doesn’t live here they won’t let him take it out of the country. The reason he bought it here instead of in Canada and ride it down was because he refuses to ride through Mexico more than one….?? So now he is stuck here trying to figure out what he will do.

DAY-81

1/26/2012

Had a gnarly night sleep, never sweated so much while trying to fall asleep, this place is HOT!!!! We woke up early and made coffee and started to pack up the bikes. We dropped off the deep sand onto the beach and rode back to the River crossed it and headed back toward the center of Panama near Santiago. From there we headed toward Panama, I have never seen so many cops on the road. They were everywhere with Radar guns just giving tickets out left and right. There were cops cars, bikes, and just people standing on the highway and if they wave you down you are supposed to stop and get a ticket (no thanks). Like out never got pulled over, we rode hard but smart today. Lots of Pan-American Highway today, my back and neck are not stoked.. Too much sitting not enough moving around.

We stopped at a gas station talked to two local gentlemen on bikes and they were from Panama. Every year they do some type of Central American tour, yesterday their other riding partner hit a cow, wrecked his bike, and broke his arm) he is still in the hospital. We got correct directions from them to get to the Kawasaki Dealership and Hostels. We somehow, still don’t know how we did it but ended up at the wrong bridge. Not too big of a deal very tired but we searched around no, no luck too expensive. We then decided to head into the old town, when we asked a local if it was safe he said 50-50, haha oh well lets go for it still day time. We rolled into the most sketchiest place I have been on this whole trip, defiantly the projects where there were tons of apartment buildings stuffed with people falling down in pieces. We made it to this one street where it was taxi graveyard, and Clay was leading, Clay went to stop to figure out where we were when I heard two guys yelling at him. I looked at him as if was crazy for trying to stop here to figure out where we were, I slammed the gas and blasted past him down into the ghetto. He followed after me and I was able to find the fancy neighborhood where the hostels were supposed to be. Today was by far the hottest day I have ever ridden in, the humidity is crazy. My bike was ready to overheat once we made it to the hostel, my body was soaked in sweat, and my mind was exhausted.

The first one was full, the second one was full except it had on dorm bed left and if we wanted to wait to see if a reservation showed up we might score a double private room for the same cost for a dorm bed $11 each. The second one had two DR 650 sitting out front of it we met one of the owners he was from BC, Canada named Nick. We waited till 5:30 asked again and he gave us the room, nobody had shown up to claim the room. We threw all of our stuff in there realized it was a single bed, but did not care we wanted something where we could lay our stuff out and go through it. We went out to dinner with Nick and found out that there is a crew of bikers 18 of them heading to Columbia on the 31^st, they are full but I still emailed just in case they have no shows.

We sat in the lobby working on the internet looking for boats or a plan. Met another Dr guy from New Zealand, it was a rad night trading stories with everyone. One guy had taken 7months from Oregon to Panama, another took 5months, I took 3months, and clay had taken 2.5 months. Pretty amazing considering I thought I was taking my time.

JUST WATCHING ANOTHER SUNSET WHILE EATING DINNER

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

TO PANAMA WE GO!!!

DAY-78

1/22/2012

We got breakfast, packed up the bikes and got on our way. We flew all day, kept on each other tails changing back and forth ripping through traffic. Down a small highway between Jaco and the Pan American highway. Gas is very expensive right now 5+ bucks for a gallon of regular. It was rad to ride with someone else again, just chasing each other around Costa Rica. We were going down this tiny little coastal road, all of a sudden I realized where I was, what I was doing and all I could do was and stand up and start laughing uncontrollable. It is getting hot and I am not a skinny little guy I sweat constantly no matter if I am cruising at 80mph, walking to the store, or just sleeping; all I do is sweat! Haha.

Nothing to crazy happened; the roads were either amazing or all potholes, I am ready to find some dirt soon though. We were going to head for the coast about 25 km out of the way, then we decided to keep going until the next town Neily where there were places to sleep or we could push it and go into Panama. We made it to Neily around 3:30 Panama time and decided it was a bad idea to try and get through the border crossing then have to drive another hour into panama to make it to the town David to sleep. So we found a place with safe parking. We each paid 15bucks but we got fed some as well, very nice family ran hotel. We will cross the border hopefully by 7:30 or so tomorrow morning now I pass out. I had asked Clay if he ever gets lost, he said yup all of the time, he said that he too had only met people that claim they never get lost. Well I said don’t worry I always get lost so we are on the same page.. we just laughed.

DAY-79

1/23/2012

MY LAST CENTRAL AMERICAN BORDER CROSSING!!!

We woke up around 6am got all of our stuff together and packed up the bikes. We heard if the border is busy then it takes for every this is the main crossing on the Pan-American Highway into Panama. We flew to the border and right through into Panama….Woooops go back to Costa and get checked out and cancel permit, didn’t even see an office thought it was a bus station. It’s only 7:30 we park our bikes in view and get into a huge line with all Costa Rican volleyball high school team. We finally are up, passports stamped and permits cancelled. We head back to panama border, get into a massively slowly moving line and wait, sweat, wait and sweat. Haha. I stood in line while Clay ran around to find the permit office, he came back and I ran around to find us a snack. Perfect timing he is only 3 away from the window that would of sucked. We get our stamps and head to the correct window, nope wrong one we are pointed in the right direction. We are then told we need insurance first so for 15bucks each we have insurance and go back to the window. But before they can we have to go to another office and get a stamp then go back to the window to get our permits. Hand over all the paperwork and copies with my passport, and then we wait and wait. Were sitting on the bench and a guy starts to talk to us he says we can’t seat and wait we have to be in the window bugging them or else they will take their time, so we go back to the window. Just in time the guy before us gets his permit and leaves I hear my name but can’t get in, oh well I will do it like the locals and ram myself through the crowd/line and get to the front. Sweet it worked and I grab my passport and permit, Clay follows my lead and grabs his too and were done..right? Nope. Now we have to find a guard to check us out and check our bikes, we find the guard without looking at our bikes he signs us out and we grab our bikes and make it 20feet before fumigation. After 3 hours, NOW WERE FREE PANAMA HERE WE COME!!!!

We decided that we wanted to make it to Santa Catalina even though it was way out of the way to Panama City we are only on motorcycles in Panama one time. So we saw on three different maps that there were two different roads getting to the city of Sona and then one to the tip of a peninsula where Santa Catalina is. We really making good time flying with each other into David and grab a quick bite of lunch we know we have enough time to make it there in one shot so time to move. We are blasting down the road and then realized we haven’t seen a turn off at all for Sona, so we pull over and ask, yup we had missed it about 20km back or we can go another 30km forward and take a turn off in Santiago for Sona and then ride back North. No no we decide to turn around hit the small road and make it. Again this small road is on three different maps. We see a sign for Las Palmas not for Sona but Los Palmas is on the same road says the maps. So we rip up this sweet tiny paved road through the jungle all of a sudden it turns into a dirt road and we still keep flying down it. A dog runs out and starts to attack Clay I am positive he is getting bit but for some reason he slams on his breaks and stops instead of gassing it away. I pass him oh crap BRAKES, dead end. We both turn around with darks flipping out on us, somehow neither one of us got bit I was dying laughing though. We head back to the road, swear we saw another nicer dirt road we head back up the road. Clay asks a guy walking nope doesn’t connect but there is one North. We head north, nothing. We decided it had to be the road it is on three MAPS!!! So we try again ripping down the correct dirt road (which is an awesome radtastic road) I see a truck coming wave it down just to make sure we are going the right way….NOPE YOU HAVE TO GO TO SANTIAGO!! At this point we are both just laughing; it is already past 4pm so we’re not going to make it. We finally make it to Santiago see the road we want to Sona but we need gas now almost out. We go into town get gas, find out that sun sets at 6:30 with the time change, now I am 2hours ahead of home. We then ask how long it takes three hours by bus two hours by bike, it’s five o’clock. We look at each other nod and start the bikes and rally toward the road, the road is newly paved and we fly down it making good timing. Made it to Sona and took our turn off for Santa Catalina. The road goes from new pavement to potholed out dirt, I am having a hard time seeing due to my crappy Fly DS helmet shield keeps coming down on top of my Goggles, won’t stay up (this helmet sucks). We take another turn for the beach and the road turns into an amazing roller coaster ride, rolling hills fast quick turns, brand new pavement all with the sun setting in our faces. We roll into town pick out a hostel/ camping area. We miss it and end up at a river crossing, Clay really wants to cross. I tell him that there is one last hostel on the other side; enough said we splash through the fresh water river detour right and rip down the beach as the sun setting!!! So so so rad!! We pull down a sandy road, find $6 camping on the beach, we pull our bikes to the spot zigzagging everywhere spray rooster tails of sand as we go... just can’t stop laughing.

We setup our tents go grab a bite to eat and a few beers and walk along the beach as we drink and talk about the fun long 12hr day. We pass out and Clay got hit by a huge Coconut falling of a tree over his ten which hit him directly in the arm.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Costa riding with Clay DAY-77

DAY-77

1/21/2012

Woke up to a nice home cooked breakfast, talked to one of the workers and found out that there was a moto shop into and I may not need to go into San Jose. We walked down to the shop to see if they had any tires that would fit my bike. Yup a set of Pirelli for $150 for the set and 12bucks to slap them on. I walked back to our place and grabbed my bike and dropped it off with brake pads for them to change while they have the tires off. Clay wanted to get rid of his crappy Panniers that kept breaking and exploding all of his gear everywhere every time he hit a bump. I remembered the Wolfman soft bag setup and we went in search of drybags. We asked at the front desk of our place and she had someone drop them off within 30 minutes a little big but only had size large so he took them. We then took our Leatherman’s and cut the boxes off leaving one side as a heat shield. Using bungees and a tie down he now has bomb proof soft, water proof, rugged, panniers. I walked back to the shop to find my bike ready to go with sexy tires, although they did not change my brake pads!?!?! I needed them changed BAD!! With bad Spanish I figured out that they could not get the front pads off and was trying to tell me to by a whole new caliper. I said I would ride like this till Panama and then figure it out with a few down days in Panama City figuring out our boat situation. He just told me Poco brakes poco brakes, use my front brakes very little.. Yeah that makes you comfy.

We load up and headed on our way, yup Clay hope you ready for Fletch’s voodoo because we are lost and missed the turn off somewhere.. hahaha After a little driving back and forth we are on the right road and heading south toward the coast and Panama. It was nice to ride with someone again, we came over a bridge and tons of people had parked and were looking at something. So we parked and headed back up the bridge, there were gators everywhere. It was a nice break to get off the bikes, walk around, and check out gators. We pulled into Jaco and on the weekend it def made me think of Myrtle Beach, everyone was there to party and go to the beach. Every hotel and hostel was full. We finally found one after 30+ minutes of driving around. We made dinner drank a few beers and then we both worked on the internet while getting eaten alive!!! Tons and tons of mosquitoes. Went to sleep around midnight. It is just getting hotter and hotter as we ride south, I may pass out wearing my helmet.. hahaha