Iguazu Falls day trip

This post by Andy

  3:20am My cell phone erupts with vibration and ringing, signaling that it is time to get up.  I roll out of my single sized hotel room bed and make my way into the shower.   2o minutes later I head down to the lobby and immediately into a waiting cab to the airport. 
   Thunder,lightning and the associated heavy rains are the feature of the cab ride, and upon arrival at the airport, we find our 5:10 am flight has been delayed due to weather.  As 6 am nears, we finally board for our quick and cramped 1:50 flight to Iguazu Falls.   We had decided to cheat a little and not ride out to the falls, as it would have added 7 to 8 days total riding and the geography between Buenos Aires and Iguazu isn’t feature laden.  In addition, with Argentina being so expensive, getting out of the country a few days earlier will be nice.
   Arriving in Iguazu, the weather had changed to hot, sunny and extremely humid, exactly what one imagines a jungle to feel like.  Exiting the airport, the tourism folks there help us arrange a cab to get us to the falls and park.  An extremely organized process with a fixed price, our lady driver was absolutely fantastic.  She not only drove us to the park, but helped us with our entrance tickets as well as our jungle and boat ride tour.   Getting into the park just as it opened was also quite the bonus, as our tour was not even close to full and much more comfortable.
   The jungle truck ride was mildly disappointing.   Not much really to see other than the flora.   No animals appeared (and the area is filled with them),  as most of the animals prefer to move about on cloudy days.  I did manage to see something run across the jungle path in front of the vehicle, but I have no idea what it was. As the truck ride ended we walked down a long flight of stairs to a boat waiting by the river.

As we meander down the river, everything seems a little surreal to me.  I’m not sure if it is because I am tired due to the early start, or if it’s more because after a year of planning, I am literally moments away from one of the feature stops on our little adventure.  Iguazu has been called one of the 7 natural wonders of the world.   I also ponder whether it will end up disappointing, as so many things can, and just not live up to the expectations I have for it.   One single turn in the river ends all doubt.  All of a sudden the falls are there in front of me, and they are spectacular.

The boat battles the rapids and brings us up close to one section of the falls.  Everybody snaps pictures and takes in the moment.   After a few minutes, the boat takes us over to another section, this one is named “Devil’s Throat” and is where the highest volume of water descends.   After a moment or so for photos, the boat operators make us put our valuables in dry bags, just in case we get wet.   After we have secured everything, they drive the boat directly under a part of the falls, soaking all of us!  The tour ends with us dropped off riverside, with the falls practically surrounding us.

   As Tim, John and I start walking up the trail, clothing drip drying from our bodies, Cash cruises by us wearing only his bright blue underpants. For the rest of the day, I simply call him “Captain Underpants”.   Even by the time his clothes had certainly dried, he just stuck with his personal fashion statement.  He did get a few looks, but we did see some people walking around in bikinis, so one must think anything goes. 

  After The boat below the falls, we spend the next few hours walking the trails above the falls, taking in the jungle as well as spotting a few animals.  We took the park train to the Devil’s Throat overlook as well, and took photos from there too.  One of the more amazing things to me was how calm the water was, right up until the point that it tumbled over the cliff to the river below.  The falls seem to come out of nowhere. 

_{With our tour of the park coming to an end, and our return flight not until 8:30, we catch a cab into the nearby town for dinner.   After dinner, we return to the airport only to find that our flight back to Buenos Aires is also delayed.   At about 10 pm we board the flight, finally reaching our hotel a little after midnight.   Although a very long day, it was truly an amazing experience.   Being away from family on Christmas day had been quite tough (I think for all of us), so this part of our adventure helped quantify our absence, at least a little.}

Dec 26 in Buenos Aires

Dec.26/16
Boxing Day
Today comes early for some of the group.
Andy, Tim, John and Cash will be getting up at 3 am to catch a flight to "Iguazu Falls" and won't return till late in the evening.  Ed and myself are going to take in the city, by bus tour. We catch the "Buenos Aires Bus". The  system is pretty awesome, double deckers, complete with earbuds for interpretation,  pick your language, sit back and enjoy.  There are designated stops all along the route. You can hop on, hop off, take in the sights. A bus comes every 20 minutes. The upper deck of the bus is open, no roof, so it makes for great photo opps. I would definitely recommend this if you want to get to know the city.
Al Nino

Christmas Day

Dec.25/16

"Merry Christmas" to all our Families and Friends.
May your Christmas Day be filled with joy and laughter.

Pan American Riders

Christmas Eve

Dec.24/16
"Christmas Eve Day", means that we all have to be punctual as we go about our tasks today. Most shops and services will close early, just like back home in Canada. Andy, Ed and myself decide to check out an area of town called "La Boca" one of the first Port areas in Buenos Aries. Rich in culture, it is an artistic paradise. Brightly colored buildings, painted with murals, have statues that adorn the balconies and doorways of an era gone by. Many restaurants line the streets, and feature the erotic "Tango". Watching the men and women dancing the "Tango" is a wonderful experience. Many a souvenir can be purchased here as well. Even in this busy part of town, the shopkeepers are winding things up early, by 2:00 pm we decide to hail a cab, and check out a bookstore that used to be an Opera House. Simply amazing. The streets are starting to empty, time to pick up groceries, off we go. Tonight Tim, John and myself have decided to take in a theatrical dinner show. Called "Madero Tango Valver Magial", It was spectacular, three course meal, endless vino, stunning stage show, and complimentary pick up and drop off at the hotel. Ed and Cash rode the empty streets, and Andy decided to do more film editing. "Christmas Eve", Buenos Aires style.
Al Nino

Buenos Aires Day 1

Dec.23/16
Up and at it early, our appointment at the bike shop is scheduled for 9 am. All hombres accounted for, here we go. Weaving through the traffic, and arriving at our destination on time, amazing, nothing like a white knuckle ride to start the day. There were at least another half dozen motorcyclists waiting for service as well. Apparently this is an everyday occurrence, with so many moto's in the city, and being the quickest above ground mode of transportation. The shop was well organized, bustling, the mechanics had our bikes up on the lifts in no time. We were told to come back around 1:00 pm. Seis motos, Doce tires to change, fresh synthetic oil, chains cleaned, lubed and adjusted. They were àll done by 12:00pm, talk about excellent service.
Thanks to "Avant Motos" Servicio Tecnico and Repuestos-Acceserios for there help with getting our bikes road ready in such a "Pequena" time frame.  Now  the thrilling ride back to the hotel. All accounted for and safely tucked away underground. Time for laundry detail, and some downtime. I can catch up on the blog, while Andy filters through video footage. The group will meet later for dinner and beverages. Outside dining at it's best, as there is an endless supply of outdoor eateries.
Al Nino

Dec 22–into Buenos Aires

Our ride today is short, takes us about an hour to get from the campground to our hotel. The traffic is mind boggling. The only way to get through is to lane split, weave your way through traffic, like a snake. Quickness is the key here, no second guessing your move, or you will be cut off, and find yourself suddenly riding on the sidewalk. Best bet is to ride like the other motorcyclists. Insanely crazy, they are the true masters of the road. If we rode like that at home, we would all lose our licences. I often wonder what the road test must be like to get your license here in the first place. Check in at the hotel was smooth, very helpful staff. We are allowed to put the moto's underground in a secure area. This was most interesting, as you must operate a lift, very similar to an elevator. Three bikes max at a time. You call the lift, a gate drops, you drive on, gate closes, and  down you go. Lift stops, gate drops and off you go. Reversing the process on your way up. Our rooms were a welcome site. Clean with real beds and fresh linen, no more air mattresses for awhile. Showered and clean, everyone goes their seperate ways for most of the remainder of the day. Tim, John and Andy scout out tires, we need to replace them, and make arrangements to have that done tomorrow. Taking advantage of this downtime, to service the bikes is a must, new tires, fresh oil, chains cleaned and lubed. Later we meet in the lobby, set out to eat and discuss tomorrow's plans.
Al Nino

Bariloche south to the Carretera austral

From Valparaiso to Bariloche

Getting warmer

Dec.21/16
One more sleep till we hit the city of around 14.2 million people. With only about 350 kilometers to pull off over the next two days, should be a breeze. Off we go, onwards to the coast. Here we will camp just outside of Buenos Aires, then a short ride in the next day. We have a reservation over the holidays at the "Riva  Urban Lofts". After a fun filled short 300 kilometers we stop at the Campground Bahia. The owner gives us all lapel pins and tiny Argentinian flags. We trade him stickers and cards as well. He seemed most anxious to follow our journey. Nice quiet campground with a store to replenish supplies and next to a wonderful beach. Tomorrow," Buenos Aires" for some well deserved rest and relaxation. Over 8,000 kilometers on the bikes in three weeks of riding. Ouch!!
Al Nino

La Posta, Azul

Dec.20/16
Today the ride will still be around 500 kilometers, not too bad with an early start. Our drive was slightly delayed, we went to fuel up, but no gas. Three stations later, no gas. Lucky for us we found gas about 40 kilometers up the road, good thing, as we were all on our reserve tanks at this point. Arriving in Azul later in the day, we drove through the town to find a house where the owner will put up motorcyclists for the night. He has been doing this for 20 plus years. We found our haven,  called "La Posta del Viajero en Moto". It was absolutely fantastic, nice place to pitch your tents, secure, quiet too. They even had Flamingos in the yard. We were treated wonderfully, and would like to thank Jose and his wife, as well as their daughter Penny for making us feel most welcome. They have a book for people to sign and write a note, most interesting reading. Motorcyclists from all over the world have stopped here. I definitely recommend it.
Al Nino

Closing in on Buenos Aires

Dec.19/16
Leaving at noon today gave all of us some extra shut eye. We would like to put on as many kilometers today before we camp. Probably ride till almost dark and take advantage of the cooler temperatures. This will make the following day a shorter ride to Azul. Then two shorter days of riding to Buenos Aires.  After 600 kilometers we arrive at the campsite in the town of "Rio Colorodo". Quickly setting up, getting food and off to bed. Tomorrow an earlier departure time is slated, again to beat the temperatures, it is starting to heat up quite dramatically as we head north.
Al Nino

Valdez Peninsula

Dec.18/16
Another beautiful day is unfolding before us. All seem to be well rested, and it will be nice not to have to pack up and go. Today will be a day of leisure, time to relax and take in the surroundings. Four of us are going to travel the 190 kilometers, to see the Penguins, Whales and Seals. The others are going to hang out in the town  and we will catch up with each other later in the day. The road  was gravel, pretty good shape and took us about 3.5 hrs to do the loop and witness the sights, We didn't see any Orcas, but saw lots of  Penguins, and Seals.Back in town we met at the beach, went for a swim and just enjoyed our downtime. It was a very hot day, so the swim was refreshing, and the salt water felt good on the skin. Nice and clean and refreshed, everyone just relaxed at the campground, did some laundry and reorganized the gear. Andy also was practicing with the drone. Tomorrow we break camp and are heading north  as we will be spending Christmas in Buenos Aires.
Al Nino

Trying to beat the winds

Dec.17/16
Today, Cash and Ed pull out around 6:00am.John, Tim, Andy and myself about 7:00 am. Our friend was ahead of us already, but blowing mildly at this point. Priority today, put on as many kilometers as quickly as possible. The further north we go, the winds begin to die down, what a pleasant thought. Our plan seemed to be working. Within a few hours we all met at another fuel stop, so far so good. Everyone was grinning, positive,and most eager to ride. Compared to yesterday's  Road from Hell, this is a welcome change. The winds are slowing, the warm desert sun soothing.
After brief discussions, our goal will be to reach "Peninsula La Valdes", Chubut, Argentina. It is a total of 700 kilometers to ride, and under the current conditions totally possible. We arrived at our destination early evening. Here we will enter the National Park and camp at the seaside village of "Punta Piramide". On the way we stop at the visitor center, we acquire maps and get a brief orientation. Tomorrow we will ride through the park to "Caleta Valdes" and onto "Punta Delgata", and will witness "Orcas" that beach themselves to grab seals off the beach before sliding back into the water. There are also "Penguins" so it should make for an interesting day. We pitch our tents on the sand, all is good. The stars are shining brightly tonight. Everyone is looking forward to tomorrows adventure. It has been a great day.
Al Nino

Battling wind

Dec.16/16
We wake to the calming sounds of our new friend. The Wind, never have I experienced  so much of it. Non stop, day in , day out, and wears you down quickly when riding. Our goal today is to reach Caleta de Olivia, a small coastal town, looking forward to it, off we go. Not  long into the ride the winds pick up with great intensity.  We struggle forward for about two hours, and pull into a fuel stop. Parking the bikes was a challenge as they can fall over in the gusts. Ed's bike was blown over the day prior, broke his clutch lever. Thankfully it was duct taped back on until we found a replacement lever. The group grabs some food and drink, and relief from the wind. The area we are going through is considered to be one of the most windy places on the planet. They are called "Lazonda Winds" and usually are most intense  between 12 to 6 pm. Speeds can reach up to 200 kilometers per hour. Looks like it is goung to be a white knuckle afternoon of riding. Back on the bikes conditions worsen, side winds hammer us, dust and sand blow across the highway, sometimes making the road vanish. Progress is slow, a struggle to keep the bikes upright. We are riding at about a 60 degree angle constantly,swaying back and forth. There is no place to stop, you just have to keep going. After the 400 kilometer mark and many hours of riding we pull into the small village of  Fitz Roy. We get three Cabanas and seek shelter, tomorrow's plan. Leave early, try to beat the winds.
Al Nino

Heading North, final Chile exit

Dec.15/16
Check out noon, nice to sleep in for a change. Everyone went out to buy groceries for camping, and pick up their bike. Now we burn it to the Border, hope all works out. The Memo vs Law issue explained in an earlier blog concerns the group. If they do not let us through, we will have to backtrack hundreds of  kilometers. Following Andy's lead, everyone pretended to not know a single word of Spanish. The frustrated guards, were trying to explain that foreigners are not allowed to take the moto's out of Chile. Even though this was our fourth time on this trip of doing just that. Makes no sense. "Hurray" off we go ...Adios Chile, we will not be crossing back again on this trip. We will adjust our plans accordingly. Heading north, and putting in just over 500 kilometers this day, we pull into the small town of Comandante Luis Piedra Buena, Provincia de Santa Cruz. Here we camp for the night at the Camping Isla Pavon. This campground is located on an Island  surrounded by the river on both sides. Nice and quiet  as there were only a few other campers there. Everyone chows down, then off to bed for some well deserved rest.
Al Nino

The bottom of mainland South America

Dec. 14/16
Today our goal will be to make to Punta Arenas, furthest city south on the South American mainland. Ushuaia is still further but is actually on an Island and one must take a ferry to get there, then travel by road. Today's ride through the National Park is spectacular, full of twisty corners, hills, and beautiful scenery. After many stops to take photos, we are through. Now the fun begins, wind, wind, and more wind. The road to Punta Arenas can be a challenge. Headwinds slow our pace, side winds continuously push the bikes from left to right it is indeed a workout, exhausting. On a couple of occasions when parked, the gusts blew a bike over. We need to make it to Punta Arenas today, our bikes will be serviced there as part of the warranty. Arriving around 4 pm. We checked into the Hotel Diego de Alfaro, nice place, pricy, but most others were full. Unload the gear, and off to the Honda shop. We need all the bikes serviced if we want to catch the ferry in the morning. We were told that is was not possible, but with some persuasive tactics a deal was made. Unfortunately they were not ready in time for us to commit to the ferry. This would put us behind another day. We were already two days behind already with mishaps, border delays etc. With that in mind the group decided unanimously to eliminate Ushia. On the bright side we made it to Punta Arenas. The next day we decided to cross back into Argentina at the Rio Gallegos Border crossing, and continue north.
Al Nino

Southern Argentina

Dec,13/16
Today's agenda is to make it to National Park "Torres Del Paine" Region de Magallanes y Antartica Chilena. To do this we will again have to leave Argentina and re enter Chile. Nothing like a border crossing to make your day, maybe we should pack a lunch. All that standing in line makes a guy hungry. Again cold and windy, kinda reminds me of the Bob Seger tune "Against the Wind"  the wind never stops. We make it to the Argentinian border later in the day, was actually a breeze getting through. Then you travel about 12 kms of gravel and get to the Chilean crossing. Now to enter Chile, papers, papers and more papers. After about an hour we are through, but not until they brought out a dog to sniff the bikes and gear. The dog was actually better looking than the handler.Green light, thumbs up let's go. Soon we enter the park, we must register to camp. The girl who does the registration, asked us where in Canada we were from. Thrilled to know we were from Vancouver Island, as she spent a summer in Campbell River, working in the hospitality industry. So with that we felt obligated to give her a hard time, all in good fun.
The ride in was a fantastic experience slow, winding, scenery to die for, keep your eyes on the twisty gravel road or that just may happen. We made it to the "Camping Pehoe" campground.It was awesome, beautiful private remote sites, hot showers and shelters to put your tents under if you wish. No fires are allowed here. Breathtaking Scenery!!
Al Nino

Dec 12, 2016 Back into Chile “again”

Up early the group meets in the hostels eating area. Fresh Croissants, and Nescafe await. Really can't figure out the coffee situation. It would be a pleasure to indulge in a cup of fresh brew. We make use of the wifi, we have been out of touch with no cell service and wifi for days, time to catch up. Our target is an 8:30 start. Packed up, of we go, it is cold and windy already. You have to dress for the cold here or you will freeze on the bike. Today we will hit the town of El Calafate, then on to Perito Moreno Glacier. During this leg, three riders run out of fuel, we have all been on reserve for quite some time. John at 30k, Andy at 10k
and Tim at 4k from town. Ed gives his fuel up to Cash so he can make it. Miraculously I make it in, most likely on fumes. I run into a nice couple from Germany, the same couple we keep running into at gas stations everywhere we stop. They offer to help by putting fuel  bottles in their car and giving me a lift to replenish fuel to everyone. Saving the day. I was dreading carrying fuel and reversing my steps in the cold and wind. Riding in the vehicle was almost euphoric, as I was frozen to the bone. Our heartfelt thanks goes out  to Ralph and his girlfriend  for their kindness and support. Hope they visit us in Canada someday. Our doors are open to them.The group is together again at the fuel stop. Then off to the Glacier, we are humbled by the size, sounds, and beauty, of this amazing living ice flow. "WOW"
Al Nino

Dec 12, 2016 Argentina

Up early the group meets in the hostels eating area. Fresh Croissants, and Nescafe await. Really can't figure out the coffee situation. It would be a pleasure to indulge in a cup of fresh brew. We make use of the wifi, we have been out of touch with no cell service and wifi for days, time to catch up. Our target is an 8:30 start. Packed up, of we go, it is cold and windy already. You have to dress for the cold here or you will freeze on the bike. Today we will hit the town of El Calafate, then on to Perito Moreno Glacier. During this leg, three riders run out of fuel, we have all been on reserve for quite some time. John at 30k, Andy at 10k and Tim at 4k from town. Ed gives his fuel up to Cash so he can make it. Miraculously I make it in, most likely on fumes. I run into a nice couple from Germany, the same couple we keep running into at gas stations everywhere we stop. They offer to help by putting fuel  bottles in their car and giving me a lift to replenish fuel to everyone. Saving the day. I was dreading carrying fuel and reversing my steps in the cold and wind. Riding in the vehicle was almost euphoric, as I was frozen to the bone. Our heartfelt thanks goes out  to Ralph and his girlfriend  for their kindness and support. Hope they visit us in Canada someday. Our doors are open to them.The group is together again at the fuel stop. Then off to the Glacier, we are humbled by the size, sounds, and beauty, of this amazing living ice flow. "WOW"
Al Nino

December 11, 2016 Argentina Pampa

                         Sun rises, we break camp early, best to hit the road before the winds pick up. The Argentinian Desert gets very windy by early afternoon, so we want to get as many Klm's in quickly. We leave route 40 and go onto route 20, as we will be heading to the Puerto Moreno Glacier tomorrow. Again we run into more gravel, I know how the group is feeling, a little discouraged as we were hoping the gravel would be behind us for awhile. Oh well, our choice is simple, no choice, push on Amigos.  After a long day in the saddle we get to the small town of Tres Lagos, the skies darken, rain starts to moisten this baron landscape. We decide to stop and check into the "Hosteria Tres Lagos", good move on our part. First thing is shower detail, again another good move. Smelling like humans again we hit the town. Finding a quaint little establishment complete with a Foosball table, Pool table and a Television, with a match being played. We are entertained by the crowd of about eight Gouchos. Cowboy Argentinians, really nice  guys, as well as the owner, who was the bartender,his wife who was the chef. With a seating capacity of about 16, it was basically a packed house after we arrived. We had a wonderful time, great home cooked fare and many laughs despite the language barrier. We said our farewells and hit the sheets for some well deserved rest.
Al Nino

Back to Argentina Dec10

Gravel, potholes, high winds, that is the menu of the day. Enthusiastically onwards we go, today will be another test of motorcycle skills. It is very windy, at one point in the high mountain pass, Tim and myself almost get blown off the road. Gear down, high revs, look where you want to go, made it. A few hours later we come to a fork in the road. Left to Chile Chico or Right to Cochrane Chile. Right it is, as today we will once again cross into Argentina. We travel beside a river so blue in color, amazing. We will soon be entering Valle Chacabulco,
a vàlley untouched by humans, except for a tiny single lane road. Here we witness wild herds of Juanaco's grazing. They look like Llamas, occasionally they run across the road in front of us. Condors fly overhead amongst the rocky peaks, wild flowers scent the air, wow. Now we approach the Cochrane Border. The Border Guards, were the best ever. As they made the group fresh Nescafe while we were being processed. A very remote outpost, think they enjoyed the company. We even had a photo shoot. Onwards to Argentina we go, we breeze through and continue on. After about 4 more hours of the worst road ever, we pull off at a gas stop, store and hostel. With the Hostel being closed, actually derelict, we make arrangements to set up camp in the owners yard for 50 Argentinian Pesos. It is very windy and cold. Darkness sets in, we quickly set up, cook and crawl into our tents, for some well deserved rest.
Al Nino

The Southern Road

Today we ride a short distance from the lake camp to a small village to gas up and ride to Coyhaique, and wiil continue  on to Puerto Rio Tranqillo. Couldn't ask for a better day, blue skies, no winds, and the best part no rain in sight. Three years earlier we were hammered with winds, rain and very cold temperatures. We must travel approx 325 km of gravel today, On our arrival to Coyhaique, the group splits up to do their own thing for about  an hour. Then we meet back at the bikes and  start the second leg of our journey. The winds have picked up now, and the first part of the gravel road to Puerto Rio Tranquillo, has become treacherous to say the least. Bad enough driving on gravel, but the side winds want to push us around like small branches on a tree. After about 45 min  we get into more protective
surroundings, everyone is relieved. We push on, up and over the mountain pass. Rain starts to fall, but once we started our decent it stops, we press on, soon we will be in the tiny hamlet,and home of the famous Marble Caves. Exhausted, we check into a Cabana, take showers to wash the dust off our bodies. Light the woodstove, yes, nothing like wood heat to warm ones body. Some of us get caught up on our laundry as clothing is limited. Others reorganize their gear. Another big day ahead of us tomorrow, as we will be riding another 300 km of bumpy gravel roads and crossing back into Argentina at the Cochrane Border  crossing.
Al Nino

Border attempt 2 Dec 5

Ferry docks, ramp comes down, we are the first off, this is a good thing as there are many other cars and a bus. If that bus makes it to the border crossing before us we will be waiting forever. It has a soccer team on it and will take hours to process. Really rough gravel road, we are out in front on our bikes which are made for these conditions. Shortly we arrive at the border crossing.
In we go, processed and out the door, can't believe it. Andy had researched this, and was dead on. Depends on the border can you believe it. Now we head down the road a little ways to enter Argentina, You must exit Chile at one crossing and enter Argentina at another  We were delayed as Ed did forget to bring his reciprocity paper with him. This is a paper you need to enter into Argentina with and we also charge this fee to Argentinians when they come to Canada. You can only get this online with your payment. Don't offer them cash, won't work. He is told he must go back to Chile and get the paperwork. Cash offers to go with him which was a comfort , he speaks the language well. Andy and I offered to wait, while John and Tim continued on to San Martin de Los Andes, we will meet there. Ed and Cash return, paperwork done, Ed is now allowed to enter, let's go boys. Hold it, not so fast Gringos. The authorities inform Cash he must exit Chile and re enter Chile before he is allowed to enter back into Argentina. See you Cash, Ed  had offered to wait. So Andy and I head to town.
  We all eventually meet up in San Martin de Los Andes. All our delays had really put us behind, so Bariloche Argentina will have to wait until tomorrow. Tired and hungry we check into the Hotel Caupolican. This hotel was absolutely beautiful, definitely dated, but was rich in character. Elegant in her day with spiral stairs , huge common areas on each floor, even an elevator that you had to open a wooden door to access, then close, as well as another door inside to make it work. Max 3 persons. This night was short, a quick meal, off to bed. Tomorrow Bariloche!!  And away we go, the ride to Bariloche is stunning, winding roads, beautiful lakes, high mountains, scenery to die for. We arrive in Bariloche early as we only had to pull off about 200km. Nice short ride, gives us time to get some laundry done
and acquire our insurance for Argentina,  Paraguay,  Bolivia, and Peru. We need to do a few bike repairs and then we will treat ourselves tonight at a great steak restaurant After today we head to Futaleufu,  there we will check out of Argentina and back into Chile, to ride the Carretera Austral, one of the most beautiful roads in the world. Rough and enduring, but well worth it. Riding to Futaleufu was challenging for the group, as we took a short cut through the mountains, pretty rough. We made it, a little shaken, but safe. Tonight a river side campground, perfect.
Al Nino

Border attempt 1 Dec 4

Although the Border crossing at Paso Manuil Malal is not far from Pucon, we are on the road early as rain is in the forecast. We arrive at the Border after about a 40 minute ride. Crossing is quite a process, lots of paper work, not like at home where you jusr breeze through with your passport. After about an hour there, we are told we can't bring our bikes out of Chile and into Argentina as we are foreigners. Apperantly a Government Memo had been sent out to the crossings, and even though it is not an actual Law, it is how they interpret it. Disappointed we are turned around. Plan #2 comes into play. We will try another more remote crossing further south. Heading that direction we are caught in severe weather conditions. Raining so hard at times, we have to exit the road and seek shelter under whatever we can find. After several hours of this we arrive at the town of Panguipulli and check into Hostel "La Casita Del Centro". We were greeted by Lucy Berrocal Urra, a very pleasant lady, who made our stay there an enjoyable experience. Warm, well fed and rested, we are off the next morning to a Ferry at Puerto Fuy that crosses a lake, takes about 1.5 hrs. Soon we will try the remote border crossing on the other side. If rejected there, we will have to camp on the beach area as no other ferry will arrive till the next  day in the afternoon. We have prepared ourselves for this, all is good and spirits remain high.
Al Nino

Onwards to Pucon Dec 3

We break camp early, on the road by 8am. This will put us into Pucon around mid day, and give us time to set up in another campground and enjoy the lake. The way we omit odors, time for a swim, freshen up is the key here. As we all blast down the road we loose Tim, maybe he just pulled over to adjust his gear. Our rule is pull over and wait. The rest of the group continued, Cash and myself waited for about 20 min. Still no Tim, so Cash road his bike over a pedestrian walkway to go the other direction to see if he could locate our friend. I stayed put, that is the rule, do not leave the road. Soon I saw Andy , John, and Ed heading the other direction. The search is on. Still waiting for about an hour by now, Cash returned. The news, Tim has a flat, picked up a big nail. We all agreed to meet at the next fuel stop. Andy and Ed were going with Tim to get his tire fixed. Apparently they loaded his bike on a truck to go to a repair facility, Unfortunately for Tim he left his helmet in the truck that drove off, oops!  The rest of us rondivoud. The truck driver returned his helmet to him about 20 minutes later. Big relief, two hours later and a 100 extra kms or so, they met up with us, all is well. Onwards we go to Pucon. This turn of events put us into Pucon quite late, no time to swim with my stinky Amigos. Let's set up camp, go to town and get some food, and rest, tomorrow we cross into Argentina at the Paso Manuil Malal Border crossing.
Al Nino

Salto De Laja Dec2

The group was at it early today, we all met downstairs for our breakfast which is included with your stay. We quickly load our gear and off we go. Today's ride is shorter, which will give us time to find a campground and do some exploring. Meandering through the  country roads,  it is a very relaxing, scenery is bountiful with wild flowers and lush fields of green grass. The temperature just right, what a great day to ride. We pull into Salto de Laja and have a to make a decision where to stay. Cash volunteers to go check out a second  campground. Minutes later he is back and seems most excited, so off we go. Pretty sweet little place down a hill off the main road. We all get our own sites, for 3,000 Chilean Pesos around $6.00 cdn. comes with running water and power also has a pool and a beautiful river. Wow this is camping. Everyone sets up and goes to check out the falls, which are spectacular and you can see them from the road as well, but the hike in is a must. I stay behind as someone has to watch over all the gear. I will go in the morning, and take some footage. While the group is gone, I eat and continue to blog. Peaceful and alone as there are no other campers I take in the moments of tranquility. After a couple of hours, the pack comes back,  and we settle in for the night. A few other campers showed up late, and on went the Latin music till 3 am. That is what they do, you have to roll with it. Viva la Chile. Tomorrow we head to Pucon.
Al Nino

Leaving Valparaiso Dec 1

When traveling by moto, it always best to make a plan to leave early. Attaching the gear, takes a few days to master, do it efficiently and quick, but our group has nailed it, impressive and the eagerness to ride prevails. Our destination today is Talca, we have decided to camp there for the night. We are using "IOverlander"a free app anyone can upload to check out camp sites and reviews posted by other traveller's. Today we travelled on secondary roads, a nice switch from the busy toll highway. The drive is approximately 361 km.  Hunger sets in and we stop in Santa Cruz Chile, a beautiful town about 3 hrs into the ride. With all the bikes lined up in the street, the people are curious and friendly. Many wish us safe travels. John (aka). Juan Alberto, does his magic of letting the masses know what we are up to, he
also gives a few children Canadian Souvenirs.Always nice to see children smile what an Ambassador he has become, "go Johny go". Time to leave." Giddy up poco moto's". On our arrival to Talca the group followed the coordinates to the spot.We all thought this must be it. On a hill, big property, cool, made it. So Ed went through the big solid gate. The big gate that closed behind him. Guess he didn't hear us saying Stop. Now locked in on someones property and a  gigantic dog about to head out to great him. I was pushing buttons to release our friend but no such luck. Ed, put your bike against the 8' gate, stand on the seat, jump, save yourself.

Luckily for Ed the big beast was friendly, legs intact he managed to make it to the house where a servant greeted him. No camping here she said. Maybe the camping spot is next door, we know we were close. In the end we all turned around on the driveway very carefully as on one side it was a sheer drop of about 50 or so feet. Driving to the top of the hill you get a spectacular view of the city. There is a large statue of the Virgin Mary, beautiful site indeed. Darkness was setting in, so the group decided it would be best to hotel it for the night. Luckily for us we found accommodations at the Hotel Stella. The person at the check in was very nice to us, her name is Victoria, and made us feel most welcome. Off to bed as tomorrow we are off to camp at Salto de Laja.
Al Nino

Valparaiso

Santiago days

Check in and  bikes.
Check in went well, the staff at the hotel were very helpful. They let us store all of our luggage in their office, as we needed to hit the Metro, to get to the bike shop. I think right now most of us are running on fumes. Down we go into the Subway  Station, a total underground  hub of activity. The system is very efficient, quite impressive as the volume of people coming and going is incredible. Amazing how warm it is underground, probably due to all the people, trains and limited ventilation. Six stops later and we will be once again seeing our friend Juan, manager and the go to guy at Pro Circuit Moto. When we arrived at the shop all the bikes were ready for us to work on them. With all of our electronics and cameras etc, installing 12 volt power outets  and  USB ports is essential. Also flatproofing our tires, there will be times when no services are available especially power sources. Juan and his staff were a great help to us, letting us use the shop,and giving us a helping hand when needed. After several hours at the shop, we all went back to the hotel to get some well deserved rest.

Paperwork
Getting your paperwork done, is a process, and usually takes 3-4 days, with couple of repeat visits to the Government Offices. Fortunatley for us, Andy had made arrangements for us, to have two local people, do all the ground work for us. Which is a huge help. They made the process seem like a breeze compared to our previous experience of doing it ourselves, three years earlier. There is a charge for the service but, well worth it., when you want to hit the road quickly. We most certainly appreciated all the help from, Noam and  Cecelia. Realy nice people. License Plates and Insurance were handled by our friend Juan, he made the arrangements to have it taken care of, so on our return to the bike shop," Muey Bien"  everthing was done. With that, we geared up and said our farewell. It was certainly emotional as  it is always hard to bid farewell to friends who live so far away.  Next stop Valparaiso .
And away we go all "Seis Amigos". The ride to Valparaiso is beautiful.
Once you leave Santiago, you begin to wind your way through the hills and valleys of wine country. Many Vineyards dotted along the route, simply beautiul. Between the scenery and the fact that we are all riding, spirits are up indeed. Our bikes seem to be performing well, comfortable and not underpowered. Amazing little machines considering the gear we are all carrying. Soon we will be in the Port City of Valparaiso.

 

Valparaiso
We stayed at the IBIS Hotel, located on the waterfront in the downtown area. Nice clean accommodations, friendly staff, and even comes with a buffet breakfast for a reasonable charge, around 3,000 Chilean pesos.
We all went to our rooms, to get cleaned up and meet over a meal to discuss the day, and what tomorrow may hold. Valparaiso is such a beautiful Architectural City, we all decided to stay for one more day and do some sightseeing and imerse ourselves in the culture. Also a great city to ride the hilly cobblestone streets. Graffiti lines the walls on certain buildings, but it is really awesome, true artistry.  If you like stairs, then this is the place to be. Built on a hill, another mode of transportation is to take a "Funicular" which are elevators on rails to take you up and down. Truly an a experience one should not miss.. Being the kids we are at heart, we did it twice at two different locations. That evening we were all doing our own thing. Andy and I went to check out some of the stairs and to locate the Piano Steps, stairs painted like the keys on a piano then we set out to buy dog food to for the" Street Perros"
They usually come out at night, so we decided to go find a couple of friends we met on our last trip. We went to the Restaurant/Bar where they might be, but the waiter who remembered us said they moved North to another port city as they are Long Shoremen. Then we ate,said our goodbyes and left. Hounds to feed. Early start "Minyana"

Leaving Valparaiso
When traveling by moto, it always best to make a plan to leave early. Attaching the gear, takes a few days to master, do it efficiently and quick, but our group has nailed it, impressive and the eagerness to ride prevails. Our destination today is Talca, we have decided to camp there for the night. We are using "IOvetlander"a free app anyone can upload to check out camp sites and reviews posted by other traveller's. Today we travelled on secondary roads, a nice switch from the busy toll highway. The drive is approximately 361 km.  Hunger sets in and we stop in Santa Cruz Chile, a beautiful town about 3 hrs into the ride. With all the bikes lined up in the street, the people are curious and friendly. Many wish us safe travels. John aka does his magic of letting the masses know what we are up to, he
also gives a few children Canadian Souvenirs.Always nice to see children smile what an Ambassador he has become, "go Johny go". Time to leave." Giddy up poco moto's". On our arrival to Talca the group followed the coordinates to the spot.We all thought this must be it. On a hill, big property, cool, made it. So Ed went through the big solid gate. The big gate that closed behind him. Guess he didn't hear us saying Stop. Now locked in on someones property and a  gigantic dog about to head out to great him. I was pushing buttons to release our friend but no such luck. Ed, put your bike against the 8' gate, stand on the seat, jump, save yourself.
    Luckily for Ed the big beast was friendly, legs intact he managed to make it to the house where a servant greeted him. No camping here she said. Maybe the camping spot is next door, we know we were close. In the end we all turned around on the driveway very carefully as on one side it was a sheer drop of about 50 or so feet. Driving to the top of the hill you get a spectacular view of the city. There is a large statue of the Virgin Mary, beautiful site indeed. Darkness was setting in, so the group decided it would be best to hotel it for the night. Luckily for us we found accommodations at the Hotel Stella. The person at the check in was very nice to us, her name is Victoria, and made us feel most welcome. Off to bed as tomorrow we are off to camp at Salto de Laja.
Al Nino

3 Days in Santiago

more flights

Oh yeah after a great rest in Houston Airport , some food, a couple of cold ones, and a lot of laughs, probably induced by a tremendous lack of sleep, we have boarded our flight to Santiago.  Great aircraft, and not completely full . Andy and Tim were a little further back on the plane. I was in another section and as chance would have it, I met a fellow who is running rafting tours in Southern Chile for their summer months. Well and on top of that he is from Medford Oregon, can you believe it. Told him about Beatty Oregon , how Andy has property there and about all the friends we have there. His name is Tyler and also runs tours in  Oregon.  Bang on with our upcoming Tour Company. We exchanged cards and I told him I would introduce him to the group when we land. An announcement came on saying the cabin doors were locked so, I scoped out the plane seating arrangement.
Yes there is room to move. Just to be clear the move was a go,I turned and gave Tim and Andy the signal, they smiled so I took that as acceptance. Really must go to the Dr. when I get back and get my middle finger looked at.  Tyler was for the move, now he has two seats to himself , so do I, cool. Gonna be a good 9.5 .  Things are pretty quiet , not surprising , later flight and American Thanksgiving as well. Glad to be on the final leg of  our flights. Been a long day, but also a fun day. We are all pretty good at making the best of everything we come across. Adaptability and positively are the key.

Santiago Flight
We were served a very nice meal, Chicken, Rice,  Vegetables, and a free beverage of our choice. Nice touch to the evening. Everyone seems to be settling in for the rest of the flight, pretty quiet, lots of sleepy passengers, hopefully I will be able to sleep soon pretty exhausted. Long day still ahead for us. Adrenaline is definitely a factor here. I managed to get a little sleep, perhaps in and out of consciousness for about two hours, hard to get comfortable enough to fully rest. Lots of passengers doing laps in the Isles, stretching their cramping bodies.The pillow and blanket I had was a bit of a comfort, but 9.5 hours in the same seat is enough to do anybody's ass in.  Bring on the coffee, still 3.5 hours to go, sun is coming up and we are  just off the coast of Peru, heading into Chile. Bring on the breakfast too, all this flying makes a person hungry.  Most passengers are waking from their dormant state, sleeping isn't an option anymore at this point. Have to laugh to myself when I see  people sporting their United Airlines hair styles, pretty wild stuff. They must laugh when they see  themselves in  the lavatory mirror. Preparing my Immigration Form. Address of the Hotel we are staying at is so long, had to get another form from the steward. Write smaller lefty, swear it's the angle of the pen. Best get an opinion from the other lefty, Andy.  Think I will play a little chess on my tablet, nothing like an exciting game  of strategy to kill time
By Al

The First day

24/11/2016

Up at 3:30 am Load van and off we go to the airport. Arrived at the Airport at 4:30 am, Andy his wife Carolyn, Tim and his wife Annette were already there. Even my sister Laurie showed up to say farewell  We all chatted for a bit then said our goodbyes. Gave my wife Jan a big hug and told her not to worry. Easy for me to say I guess, not so easy for the girls as we are the ones leaving for 3 plus months. Flight to Vancouvet was good,a little rough, pretty Stormy. We grabbed a coffee, at the Airport then headed to our connection to Cowtown. Pretty bumpy ride and a bit of a delay because of winds, but who cares when time is on our side. New Terminal in Calgary was a delightful experience.  The check in Kiosks and Customs were a real treat. Very impressed . Quick and efficient. We breezed right through. We had a bit of time to waste so Tim and I had a few cold ones and Andy had a pop as he was the designated driver. That is what he said to our server and was not charged for it. Too cool The young lady was very interested in our journey, hell even the security check guy was so interested that I wonder if he was even focused on our gear. Handed out a bunch of cards to Security staff and the Bar staff. We may see them on a Vancouver Island Tour someday.  Next stop Houston
Entry by Al