I don´t want anyone getting worried or anything. We are alive and well. But have had some computer and internet difficulties. I am in a little internet place now. My computer is toast, don´t ask too many questions, yes it is from something stupid that I did. I have about 150 pics stored on my camera that I can´t download yet also. I may have to get that done when I get back. I will be back in Utah in a few days.



19-Dec-2009

We got another lesson in map vs. reality today. The map showed a 4 lane superhighway from San Agustin to Poypayan, wrong. 6 hours of dirt, mud, gravel, 30-40 degree grades, way cool. It felt really good to be up on the pegs really riding and getting a workout. Lots of trucks to dodge on roads almost as wide as the trucks. The country was amazing though. It was very high so the temp was cool, upper 50´s lower 60´s. That was a good thing cause the workout still made me sweat. For over 4 hours of this leg we were over 10,000 above sea level, amazing. Once we hit the pavement after about 80 miles, the bikes seamed to breath a sigh of relief, maybe it was me. I have run out of adjectives to describe this country. I will have to learn several more languages just to have enough. Even "Wow"just isn´t getting it anymore. We end up in Patia, Colombia, in a hotel next to a tire place. The hotel costs 12 bucks and the tire place charged me 4 bucks to mount my tires. Sweet. They were so helpful too, gave me a ride on a 100cc Suzuki to go get parts. Pics coming I promise.
Met a frenchman on a Yamaha 1000 taking it to Brazil. He bought it in California and would have to pay a 100% import duty to ship it to Brazil, so he was riding it. Interesting guy named Erik.

20-Dec-2009
We leave our new friends and head south again. Drizzling and cool and after a while it starts to rain. We rode hard and fast in more beautiful country in the rain gear. The new tires feel great. I rubbed off all the little knobs, all the way around the tires in the first couple of hours. These tires should last a long time cause we use all of them. The only time I am on the middle of the tire is going back and forth from one bank to the other. Got to the border about 2 in the afternoon. Erik is there, he has had a flat and looks a little rough for wear. It was after dark when we got through to Ecuador. Cool, a new country. Goodbye Colombia. If anyone ever asks me to come back for a trip I am all in. Tomorrow we head for Quito, hopefully Nicks part will be there Monday and we can find a place to store my bike for a while.