Death Valley

Travelling along the Death Valley, Bolivia 

Steep and fast winding

One way road

Watch out for this falling water

Stone reminder of fallen victims

This drop is more than 1 km !

Road Sign

The standard curve

From La Paz take a ride to the Yungus Valley then make a turn  towards a small town of Corioca  using the old road (the death valley); they claimed to be the most dangerous road in the world. Not sure how true it is. But it is sure hair rising experience especially when you have to pass an coming truck.
 The adventure continues.

South America Adventure Ride

Gracious Llamas

Dont mess with me

Naughty goats

Typical Ruta 3 Argentina

Day 45 to 55
                    This is my Northward bound ride back to Colombia. Farewell Ushuaia and hope to see you again later. If I had miss Ushuaia, then it must been the scenic view of its harbour where its water connected to the Antartica.
                From Rio Grande to Rio Gallegos these are some points I have noted:
1.  Two border crossings
2.  One ferry crossing the Straits Of Magellen
3.  Heavy rain and strong wind caused the ferryng crossing to stop indefinitely
4.  The 400km road is still half paved and half loose gravel (rippio)
5.  Cold and wet ride
6.  A small town called Cerro Sombrero is the onlt place where you can get fuel and accommodation.
7.  The border post Chile and Argentina at Monte Aymond is co-located.
8. Animals along the road

The Long Day Ride

Rugged rippio road Tupiza to Uyuni, Bolivia

Llamas and donkeys frequent your track

What a beautiful sight

Long empty dirt road

The day is drawing fast

Me and Daniel

My bike undergoing lung operation

9 May 2012

The longest day ride in this spectacular Bolivian soil was from Tupiza to Uyuni (in April) some 300km of gravel road (rippio) with some unmarked tracks in between passable only through running water and animals.
 I staretd off with another rider (Daniel) from Argentina on his 2011 KLR  and it was a good start although I rode without my faithful computer laptop and others valuable stuffs stolen by some bastards in Tupiza yesterday.
 The scenic view was just awesome. The pics above tell it all (of course there are more pics that I could not post them now, later maybe). Mountains, rivers flow, llamas, donkeys, lambs, desert vegetations and many more, they are  just there! The winding road, up and down curves with passing trucks feel your lungs with complete dust. At times there are only you and the bike in this empty wilderness.
 Halfway, Daniel fall from his ride and broke his right leg with a strain shoulder. He got to to be hospitalised and I was asked by him to continue with my journey. I felt so sorry to bid farewell to him in the ambulance bas my journey contiunues.
 The dust was so thick and the day draws to close fast. Soon, it was darkness all around me and I got some 100km away to Uyuni. This was my longest day ride ever in the dark in the semi desert towards Uyuni. I arrived Uyuni about 10 pm with the bike struggling for air (air filter clog). The air intake took it tolls from the dusty environment and in an average altitude of 4000 metres above sea level plain.
  The look of the garage was not very encouraging but the foreman did a good job for the bike.
My ride continues thereafter.

Memorable pics South America Tour Ride

9 May 2012

Salar Lake, Uyuni, Bolivia

Raise Malaysia Flag - Salar lake, Uyuni Bolivia

Salar Lake, Uyuni, Bolivia

Lake Titicaca, Peru

Machu Pichu, Peru

The Inca Empire, Machu Pichu Peru

Some of the most memorable experiences in this South America tour ride are those places I have read and study during ny school days back in 1970s. I am blessed to have been given the opportunity to see these places in real life.
 More stories follow

The Patagonian Experience

Continue ....

 The most telling stories about the Patagonian are the strong wind and emptiness. I concur that. When I transit this plain, the wind varies from 100 kph to just breeze. You know, the style of riding change when the gust 100kph wind hit you, especialy the cross wind. Like sailing, when you get wind from close haul you just have to do a balancing act - incline riding but when you get wind from stern it just plain sailing. So the stories go..
For miles and miles you see nothing just empty plain, you and your bike. Lonely but this was the time your mind minggles somewhere else. What am I doing here? How small I am compare to this God given land. You learn about yourself.
        Route 40 - the popular route take by the Revolutionary leader Che Guirra was such famous by the South American riders. Hmm..at least I have gone through some parts of Che´s route.
        In summary, the Patagonian is one lonely place to ride and you have to ride there to experience it. Adios!

South America Ride Tour 2012

26 April 2012

 The Patagonian Experience.  This great plain is vast and not many habitant. The Route 40 which I  rode from Villa De Agostura down towards Ushuaia was a mixed paved and dirt track or rippio. Between towns along this route is between 200 to 400 km distance apart. What it means is, your bike must have range singly on it own tank or you can choose to carry extra jerry can hang somewhere on your bike (Many bikers I saw did just this). Mainly the road is straight and up and down fairly according to the land contour. The road is fence both sides to prevent the usual donkey, llamas and wild horses from side crossing to find a better grasing area. However these animals are considerably big in size so as you see from atleast kilomtres away and most you can avoid them even when they do a congregation in the middle of the road. But, they are not the only habitants there, beware of the ostrich like birds which are too stupid to cross thr road even when there is a big truck infront! Simply put, they behave like chicken cross the road.
     Along the paved road you can travel easily at good speed, I mean about 120kph or 160kph if you are on 100bhp bike! I prefer the former. Or to my liking a 100pkh is the best speed. On the dirt track I went as slow as 30pkh to avoid fall and undue strain on the KLR. Check your nuts and bolts after every dirt track if you are on KLR (the weakest point of the bike). 

To be continue
     

Ushuaia and Southern most road

Day 39 to Day 43
Getting to Ushuaia, Argentina at last! Phooi! What a ride in this adventure tour and I felt a sense of personal achievement. Despite the many difficulties and facing the elements I think it is a worthwhile effort. Would I do it again? Yes and No. Yes, if only with another riders and No, lets get to other places first before making another Ushuaia ride.
Oh! ya, I was unable to write and update this blog as often because to find time in public internet is a waste of time ( I rather take a rest). My computer laptop was stolen so thats another reason. Loss lots of pictures along with the computer.
As I was preparing to make a U-Turn back to Colombia, I realise how I would miss Ushuaia and the natural beauty surrounding this town. Adios Amigo and hope many more Malaysian can touch base in Ushuaia.