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Published: January 24th 2009
The Moto Adventurers have loaded their motos into the container that is heading for the port of Valparaiso, Chile, and is expected there during the first week of March, with the adventurers flying in on Monday 9th March to begin their 2009 High Andes Adventure.
The route will be similar to last year, but of course there will be different dynamics. We have a smaller group than last year, with a couple of riders dropping out for various reasons, so we will be 9 in total.
We have Leo Harris, from Christchurch, who will be riding a Kawasaki 650 KLR. You may recall that Leo was booked in for last year, but unfortunately fell off a log splitter and broke his back, well he is back in the saddle and ready to go !!
We have three riders from the Taranaki region, between New Plymouth and Wanganui, on the central west coast of the North Island.
Brian Hill, is a builder from Okato and will be riding a KTM 990. Brian just loves anything óff road'. He supports his son's with their Moto X events most weekends. He was the catalyst for introducing me to Tiny and Rippa....
New KLR
New graphics for KLRPeter (Tiny) Campbell is a farmer out from Waverley and will also be riding a KTM 990. Again he is one that seeks out all the back roads to anywhere.
Russell (Rippa) Campbell, yes they are brothers, is also a farmer out from Opunake. He will be riding a BMW 1200 GSA. He tries to find a way, even if there is no road, so he should love Bolivia !!
David Lees is from Auckland and will be riding a new RED 2008 Kawasaki 650 KLR. David rides most weekends with his son off road, and is a keen Geo Cache'st (if thats a word?)
I will also be riding a 2008 650 KLR, but a black one. I was keen to take a lighter moto this year , as the 1200 GS was a bit of a handful in Bolivia. The BMW 800 was high on my list, but with world wide demand for this moto, I could not be sure of delivery before shipping. Thanks to the generosity of my good mate String, he has lent me his new KLR for this adventure, and he even knows where I'm going to take it !! good
mates like this don't come around often.
Back up crew this year will Murray Goss and our daughter Geraldine.
Murray and I go back many years in the Emu industry and was responsible for introducing me to Gerardo (refer Blog#1) He currently lives in Wellington, but comutes to his 'Touch the Sea' Aquarium Sea Cave in Mapua. He will be the driver of the chase truck and along with his guitar and off road driving experience, we hope he doesn't set a new record for destroying tyres!!
Geraldine, lives in Hastings and is our elder daughter. She will be a reserve truck driver and dogs body, and will be equiped with the video camera, but on many of the days she can ride pillion with me, so we can experience the sights, smells and dust together.
Last, but of course not least, we have Gerardo from Punta Arenas pulling the whole thing together in South America. He will be riding his BMW F650 GS now that all the bits that fell off in Bolivia have been replaced.
This year we have an extra day, as we will start the customs process on the Monday to take
Geraldine
Geraldine with Briana, being the aunty she is... the pressure off the ride to Tongoy on the first days ride.
We have created an extra day in La Paz, so we can ride the 'Bolivian Road of Death' or as Raewyn prefers to call it the Yangas Road to Coroico, where we will have lunch and return to La Paz the same day.
All the motos will be fitted with the recommended Continental TKC 80 tyres, we will also be using the preferred Spectro oils.
Well I only have six more Fridays and will be well and truly in Adventure Land.....
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Michael
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Good luck guys....hope you have agreat time. Can't wait to see more of the guys on their big trip.