XLADV Viaje Por Agua

[fudgypup]

I will continue this report here rather than where I started it in the Tiger forum.  My bad. 

Six months into my Central and South American journey and I’m in Costa Rica currently.

I call this a ride for water because I am with a charity called Motorrad Angels which does a lot of clean water projects around the world by riders like you and I.  I do projects where I can but this is mostly about the ride.  I do fundraising for them with some moto rallies in California too.

So I’m glad I took my time getting down here because Costa Rica’s land border finally opened April 5.  I was kind of stuck in Nicaragua for about 6 weeks but that might have been longer had I rushed my way down.

Colombia’s neighbors are still closed too but it’s my hope things will open up more in the next few months.

Got into CR yesterday and have been staying with a good friend, Chris White with Elephant Tours.  CR has been open to flights this whole time and they still have plenty of tourists.

That steak was a5 Wagyu! [emoji7][emoji108]

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[TVB]

:spitcoffee: This is gonna be a good one!

 

[fudgypup]

So the covid trends here are good but spiking further south in Colombia, Brazil, Ecuador, etc.  that makes me nervous about them closing and me having to turn around.


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[Ian in Great Brak River]

Sub!

 

[fudgypup]

So, I was supposed to be in Panama by now but my friend recovered from his covid, tested negative and then got a ticket to fly here last weekend.

But....  turns out his gf was told she needs a yellow fever vaccination to fly to Costa Rica.  They got one but they said she had to then wait a week or so.  So they get here Monday and we'll do a bit of touring for about a week and then I'll cross into Panama on the 4th.

Since my last post I stayed in Jaco for two nights in a hostel then rode south to Quepos to visit an immigration office to extend my visa past the 17th.  When I got there they said all I had to do was purchase more of their "health insurance" and then email that with a photo of my drivers license to an email address.  I had already booked an airbnb there for two nights so that's what I did for the next two days.

My friend had booked an airbnb for three nights in Jaco and he was unable to cancel it after he had to cancel his flight so he told me to just use the nights myself, which I did.

After that I came to check out San Jose and have been here three days now.  I got a cold back in Quepos which is gone now thankfully but everyone is so covid-panicked that I am very self conscious when I cough.

Regarding the rest of my trip, I really need to consider what my next move will be.  I met this other rider, Taran from Oregon, and he's down in Panama City now saying flying the bike is his best option because the covid test he needs to get into Colombia would otherwise expire if he took a boat.  Oh, and it's now $1800.  Two of my friends had paid $1100 a few years ago but that was before covid.

The reason I need to ponder my next move is that while I can get into Colombia, their neighbors' land borders are all closed and while I thought they'd open pretty soon, a third wave of covid is spiking there now and so it's likely those borders will stay closed for at least a few more months.  So the question becomes do I want to spend about $4,000 to go in an out of a country I've already seen seven times?

Obviously the plan was to see just about all of South America but given the current covid situation (very much worse than the USA right now), that doesn't seem as likely.  Tracy Charles (rider from Toronto) has been back in Colombia for awhile now and is essentially stuck there too.

I really like Colombia though and there's so much of it I haven't seen yet.  Doing that on my own bike would be nice.  And I have a lot of friends there too.

And then as far as returning the US, Mexico's southern border with Guatemala is now closed so I'm not even sure if they'd let me through if I were to come back.

This medical device project I've been working on for five years is heating up as well and there's a decent possibility I can do that work remotely and was even considering applying for residence in Colombia and working from there.  This investor is in Canada and doesn't need me or want me there and all work is now done via Zoom due to covid and all the medical conferences are also shuttered.  I don't really *have* to be in the US and living here vs there will save me a lot more money.

So there you go!

That being said, I'll still be back in August to take my boy to Hawaii (cancelled last year due to covid) as well as for a moto rally I plan each year.

 

[TVB]

Seems you got it all worked out, Colombia makes sense yes!  :thumleft:
This Civid thing is madness 
You got to post pictures sir, that's what we want to see all together with your story  :deal:

 

[fudgypup]

Pics pics pics! 

Pics of chicks? Lol

This was me before I set out last September at a rally I host near Mammoth Lakes, California we call “High Sierra.”  Great food, beer, riding, raffle prizes and we raise money for this clean water charity I work with, Motorrad Angels.

My other ride: 2011 KTM 990R

Started out in 1984 on a Vespa

Cañón de Namurachi in Chihuahua, Mexico

Church in Durango, Mexico

Angel of Independence via my drone in Mexico City

Alejandra from Queretaro.  Super nice lady. [emoji3590]

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[TVB]

Yes to that, all great pictures and will spark this thread alive!!  :laughing4:

 

[fudgypup]

Had a nice introduction to Manuel and Karina at Triumph Costa Rica yesterday.  He told me they have seven more 900’s arriving next week that are already sold!

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[Wolzac]

Following , that Pic of you on your Bike is a Winner.

 

[Hinksding]

Sipscraaaipd :ricky: :ricky:

 

[TVB]

Had a nice introduction to Manuel and Karina at Triumph Costa Rica yesterday.  He told me they have seven more 900’s arriving next week that are already sold!

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Beutiful, and the bike not bad also  :lol8:
Good to see Triumph on a roll in the America's, sadly not doing good in South Africa and mainly because of dealerships.

 

[big oil]

:headbang:

 

[fudgypup]

Had a great day riding with some locals to a volcano then chilling at a practice course and bbq. 3432 meters

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[TVB]

Great stuff. On Marion Island I've also been to these old volcano lakes as we called them, some of the brave expeditionists even swam in the 5degree Celsius waters!!

 

[fudgypup]

Riding around Costa Rica with a friend this week.

San José, Jaco, Tamarindo, Arenal, San José.

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[TVB]

Looking good!!  :laughing4: :thumleft:

 

[fudgypup]

**** show getting out of Costa Rica and into Panama.

Had to pay $8 exit tax.  Okay, here’s $8.

Nope!  It has to be paid ONLINE.

And the system was down.... for three hours.  Missed my ferry.

Then on Panama side they say I have to insure my moto.  Okay, let me buy it.  But there’s no one at the insurance window.  Wait all day.  Leave for hotel and return in the morning.  Finally find another guy at 9:30 to sell me insurance.

10 min down the road the police stop me and look at EVERYTHING.  Good thing I got it sorted earlier.

20 min down the road and some locals have blocked the road protesting the covid aid that was cut off.  I’d had enough so I just jumped the small logs and made it to the ferry finally.  In Bocas del Toro now.

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[fudgypup]

That right side is much deeper than it looks

Hanging the suit and gloves to dry

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[fudgypup]

In Panama City now.  Was in Bocas del Toro for four nights then Santiago one night.

Booked a flight for the bike Friday to Bogota and bike is in shop to fix a blown left fork seal and some brake pads.

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