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Published: March 16th 2009
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Gerardo
Gerardo hard at WORK !! Well here we are dirty and dusty from our last few days ride from Chile over the Paso del Negra Pass into Argentina. What a great ride that is. It gave everyone a tast of the altitide, some handled it better than others. We all made it to San Jose de Jackel well before dark this time.
I have tried to up load a couple of videos so we will see how that goes.
Hopefully we will get one also from Geraldine.
Gerardo has sent in a blog in Spanish, those at home best get their little books out, or do as I do and ask my computer to translate it...
Hola, esta es la versión en idioma español de esta nueva aventura, ahora en el año 2009, en que nuevamente con mi amigo y compañero de aventuras Rosco de Nueva Zelanda, amistad que se acrecienta cada vez mas, ya que los buenos y los malos momentos acrecientan estas.
Los días anteriores estuvimos en lugares sin comunicaciones ni telefono, lo que llamamos graciosamente el lado oscuro de la luna, pero que alcanza su maxima cuando entremos a la maxima aventura y oscuridad en el sector de Uyuni en Bolivia.
Rosco and Saint Antonio
Saint Antonio.....Taken in Andacolla Hoy 15/03 estamos en Chilecito, luego de haber alojado en San Jose de Jachal ( Argentina) y haber recibido muy buena atención y desayuno de parte de Ana y su equipo y haber pasado el siempre impresionante Paso Aguas Negras el día anterior, desde el Valle de Elqui, para mi sorpresa muchas motos chilenas que hacen el paso, vi dos grupos todos de Santiago que por el fin de semana hacen este tramo para entrar nuevamente por Libertadores, pero es agradable encontrar por fin alguna vez chilenos en moto.
Hasta aca no hay novedades, lo que es muy bueno, mi moto sin problemas pero este año cambie chaqueta, casco y pantolones, la primera con malos resultados, ya que a pesar que me queda bien lo que no es facil, pero es muy ventilada,para climas frios como fueron los primeros días en Chile, harta garuga, lo cual te mojaba y muy frio, pero ya en Vicuña buena temperatura, para ahora sobre 32 todos los días, lo cual es mucho. El casco Schubert fabuloso, no es compacto como el otro lo que me da muy buena visibilidad y mayor aireación, el pantalón mucho mas fresco.
Hoy llega Kevin de su
Ripper
Realizing that he made the wrong choice of underwear!! viaje de “estudios “ a Alemania, espero poder hablar con el hoy y con el resto de la familia.
No me queda mucho tiempo para escribir, pero tratare de hacerlo ya que muchos amigos me dicen que es puro ingles, ahora hay español, ya que los primeros días hay que coordinar mucho, pero muy bien recibidos tanto en el Ankara de Viña como en Tongoy, en Valle Elqui nos esperaron con una parrillada espectacular, como siempre Rina y su grupo nos atendio muy bien, pero debimos levantarnos 6.45 am ya que el camino estaba cortado por reparaciones y lo cerraban a las 8.30.
Mañana es un día que no debiera ser difícil, ya que en la versión anterior si lo fue porque nos llovio torrencialmente todo el camino y los 120 kms de ripio fueron muy malos, con rios que se habian formado y cortaban el camino, si que si todo va bien, va a ser un viaje muy placentero a Andalgala. Pretendo escribir todos los días hasta llegar a Bolivia, donde todo se acaba, si que hasta la proxima.
Tigger’s Blog Part 3
Rosco having set a time to depart at 8.30am from Tongoy the boys
(some girls) not me, ready for the next adventure were ready at 9.00am. Maybe too many Cevaza (beers) the night before perhaps. We departed anyhow and went to Andacolla were no sooner had Rosco had taken off his helmet all these women came out wanting to hold his hands and be his best friend. Rosco of course took it all in his stride. It turns out he is the spitting image of a Saint, that resides there. What do you think?
As there was some road works planned along our journey that day (with planned road closures we had a schedule to keep). Dogs were booted out of the way, eyes sharply on the road, and not on the road workers, and many trucks which were making the roads clear for us. We travelled down what seemed like a back country road in NZ which is actual fact was like what we would call a secondary road (not even a country road)
We saw raisins drying not sure I would say it was that hygienic, myself. But interesting drying techniques. It’s amazing what will grow in these areas where there is water. Saw the first donkey and Gaucho
Paso del Negra
Brian and Ripper (man) of the tour but will be sure to be many more. The truck support team did help David get his bike upright apparently it was sleeping and was in need of a rest. Evidence in lockup for safe keeping. We passed a copper mine which was huge. You could have put the Waihi mine in it not problems with oodles of room left over.
We sampled the local wine at our Oasis at the end of a long day for the bikers complete with pisco sour and meat cooked on the coals. (The pool did help refresh a few of the weary bikers).The meal was complete with salad, which the boys are almost gleefully scoffed which surprises me as I was lead to believe men didn’t eat rabbit food. Was an early night for most as we had an early start to get through the road works.
Having been fed we left pretty much to schedule. How many boys does it take to change a tyre? 5. That done and on our way the first challenge of altitude at 98000feet is to change David’s tyre a second time. Then altitude challenge at 10500feet is to do
Paso del Negra
Leo and Ripper it all over again. Investigations are under way. : )
Amazing scenery and lots of photos were taken (quota for the next three days so just as well I can down load them). Photos just doen't do it justice, the colours and the magnitude of the mountains was unbelievable, You took a photo cos we weren’t sure we would be able to see it again and around the next couple of corners it just got bigger and better. Unbelievable!!
So with David and the chase truck running 2 ½ hours later than everyone else and Rosco having heard stories of Leo having a nap at 15000 feet (for 1 1/2hours) and the translation from Chile bikers and any other tourists he could glean information out of, he decided to head back to see what was needed. A lot of different reports had been given and some lost in the translation he was worried. But alls well and Rosco found us 10 minutes up the road will Leo leading.
Made it to base camp tired hungry but with cold Cevaza and Vino (wine) and showers we were all happy. Especially with another good meal under our belts we were very
Paso del Negra
Rocky enjoying the ride happy campers indeed.
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Raewyn
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Translation!
Would love to read Gerardo's blog, can you give some clues how to do this??? The video worked okay - and the photos certainly the story! Everyone making the most of their days (and NOT getting dehydrated!)