Uros Floating Islands 11:04 PM

A few days ago we visited the Floating Island of the Uros people on Lake Titicaca here are some pictures

Puno, Perú. 11:28 PM

We left Cusco this morning bearing south-east towards Puno. Puno lies on the shores of lake Titicaca and is fairly close to the border with Bolivia. Tomorrow we're going to check out the famous floating islands of the Uros people on lake Titicaca.


View Ushuaia - Cusco - Iguazu Falls in a larger map

Ushuaia to Iguazu Falls 12:17 AM

When it all started back in February, this journey was supposed to end on April 10th in Cusco with a flight back to Colombia on April 12th. Plans have changed, I have decided to stick around with Compass and continue touring South America for a few more tours. Dani flew back to Colombia already and left Leo and I to fend for ourselves.

The next tour will be taking us from Cusco to Iguazu Falls, crossing borders at Bolivia, Chile, Argentina and Brazil. It will be a route filled with gorgeous scenery and some serious altitude shifts!

Since the end of the last tour. We have been working hard on the bikes and Troopy. Not to mention the complete face-lift we did to the trailer. In a weeks time we changed oils, chains and sprockets, re-sprung the suspension on the Troopy, painted the cabin of the Troopy and tore down the trailer and made some major adjustments (pictures soon)

The new group trickled into Cusco over the last few days, they have eaten all the locals treats including guinea pigs and alpacas, we visited Machu Picchu and we are ready to depart tomorrow morning towards Puno, Peru.

Updates should become a regular thing once again!

Last day in Cusco 6:58 PM

Bye bye 9:06 AM

Last night Mick, Emil, Micho and I had a few drinks and dinner at a
nice little pub by Cusco's Plaza de las Armas. This was my last dinner
with the guys and the last day of this amazing trip working with
Compass.

I fly back to Bogotá today while Micho has decided to stay around
until September with Compass. Next stop for him will be the jaw-
dropping Iguazú Falls in Argentina/Brazil riding through the Bolivian
altiplano.

Ta!

Machupicchu 12:35 AM

Back from Machupicchu. Amazing place.

From Cusco... 9:07 AM

After 6 weeks since we started this trip, we're finally in Cusco. More updates soon...

Leo's tired... 6:53 AM

2:47am. I'm sleeping in the hotel room in Arequipa with Micho and Leo.
All of a sudden, in the middle of his sleep, Leo wakes up abruptly,
stands up, turns on the light an says: "Damn, I need some rest, I'm
dreaming of David Hasselhoff again..."
We need some serious rest! Two more days to Cusco!

Border Crossing Aerobics 1:24 AM

It's always good to stretch before you're going to spend 3-4 hours filling out border crossing paperwork



We made it to Peru today, will be spending the night in Arequipa

Arica, Chile. 11:38 PM

View Ushuaia - Cusco in a larger map

This afternoon we arrived to Arica, Chile. About some 80 km south from the Chile-Peru border. The last 3 days we have been crossing the Atacama desert. Which is hot, dry and lacks all sort of vegetation and decently sized or visible animal life. The landscape is a powerful contrast and jaw dropping in it's own right. The pacific has been on our left hand side while the arid Mars-like sand and rocks hug the coast from the right  Daniel and I have had the chance to ride the bikes these last few days and been lucky enough to ride on the twisty roads of Chile's coastal highways 5 and 1.

This morning we stopped by the saltpeter mines of Santa Laura and Humberstone, which are UNESCO worl heritage sites since 2005.

Tomorrow we cross into Peru and have 4 more days of riding until we get to Cusco. This morning we received the good news that Machu Picchu is re-open for tourism again, after being shut down since the beginning of the year due to flooding

Today in Arica, tomorrow Arequipa. 11:25 PM

We're finally in Arica. It's been some long past few days crossing the desert of Atacama. Now I understand why it is the driest one in the world, there's absolutely no life whatsoever in it. We spend a night in La Serena, then Mejillones, yesterday in Iquique (quite nice actually) and today in Arica, the last town before the border with Perú. The landscape, although completely barren, was fascinating to me. 

Today was a short 330km ride under the aggressive desert sun and over the scorching martian rock. We rode through what seemed like a mine field of dirt devils (mini tornadoes), one of them swirling just a few meters away from me (there's a video of this). 

On the other hand, work is hard and although Mick (from Compass), Emil and Jordi (a couple of trainees) have been very helpful, for some reason it seems awkward to think that we were able to handle a larger group from Ushuaia to Santiago all by ourselves. 

Besides a few mechanical repairs here and there, the tour is running great and everyone is having an amazing time. We still have four more days before we arrive to Cusco. 

Enjoy some pictures. 

Bahia Inglesa to Mejillones 7:29 AM

The tour from Santiago to Cusco is on it's 3rd day now. The first few days we have been covering a lot of distance to get away from Santiago. Today will be the longest day 600km. Yesterday we arrived to Bahia Inglesa and entered the beginning of the Atacama desert, the driest desert in the world.

Last night we stayed in a small oceanside town called Bahia Inglesa and stayed at a lovely hotel with an amazing view of the sunset.

A few mobile shots 12:50 AM

Enetering the Atacama Desert.

On the way to La Serena 1:43 PM

Quick stop for lunch at a Copec gas station.

Hello From Santiago 11:36 PM

Hello from the Capital of Chile. Tomorrow we continue the journey to Cusco.

Dinner in 'Hey Chalten' 10:56 PM

Check out more videos from our video section!

Drinks in Santiago 9:07 PM

Quick drinks in Santiago. Having dinner shortly with the new group!

"One cruciate ligament please!" 9:10 AM

This is what Steve would say at a ligament store after Wednesday's

event.

No big accident, just a torn knee ligament which unfortunately

ended Steve's riding, three days short of the end of the trip.

This is him making a booboo face at the ER in Bariloche.

Pucón, Chile 8:13 AM

Last night we made to Pucón, after a long 12 hour day. We went through the beautiful twisties of Seven Lake drive, and crossed the border into Chile. Goodbye Argentina for now. Tomorrow we arrive to Santiago.

View Ushuaia - Santiago in a larger map

A month later... 7:57 AM

Just about a month after the earthquake in Concepción, today and tomorrow we will be riding up to Santiago and not far from the disaster area. Should be interesting to see what's going on. We've read about some cracked roads and fallen bridges on our way, hopefully we'll be able to get through smoothly.

A few pictures here and there 9:56 PM

We're finally making some progress in this trip (distance-wise). It took us a while but we're finally in Bariloche, a small touristy town by the Nahuel Huapi Lake in Argentina in the foothills of Los Andes. It is famous for sightseeing, trekking, water sports, skiing and other activities. During the summer, the town is also famous for being swarmed by Brazilians which is why it is commonly referred to as "Brasiloche".

We have basically conquered the Patagonia for it has been almost two weeks of flatlands, guanacos and steppe scenery. However, it was not until yesterday afternoon that we experienced the first real mountain-riding in this trip. Yesterday's ride into Bariloche was quite spectacular and a nice change for the guys who were starting become thirsty for some real curves.

We are staying in the Cumelén Cabins, 14km outside of town. The place is quite and ideal for a non-riding day (today). The owners, Lucía and Manuel, are a young couple from Buenos Aires who decided to look for a better and more unperturbed way of life here in Bariloche. Along with their two gorgeous daughters (Mora 6 and Mayra 14) they're just one of those people you feel like hugging the moment you meet them. I'll try to get a picture of the family and put it up here later.

Today we stay here for a non-riding day and while the guys are out shopping and sightseeing, Leo, Micho and I will stay here working on some cleaning, organizing and basic maintenance.

In the meantime, here are a few pictures from the past couple of days.

Cooking Dinner 7:49 PM

Leo is making a killer beef tenderloin for the crew. This is our last night in Bariloche. Tomorrow we head towards Pucón. 3 more riding days and we will be in Santiago, where we will say goodbye to the first group and meet the new group that will ride to Cusco.

Cumelen 7:07 PM

Oil changes in Cumelen (Bariloche)

- mobile update

Esquel, Argentina 11:16 PM

This afternoon we rolled into Esquel, Argentina. After the longest ride day so far, 550 km. Doesn't seem like a long distance but with strong head winds all the way it can become quite a tough and tiring ride. The weather was a bit cold and the sunshine wasn't always there.

The Troopy struggled today with a failing alternator that we're hoping to get fixed in Bariloche tomorrow. A failing alternator meant no spare juice to power the radio therefore we found ourselves trying to get entertained in different ways. We tried to name as many things we saw on the road from A to Z, but barely made it to the C. The landscape in Patagonia is barren, due to the constant strong winds not much vegetation grows around these parts.

Tomorrow we follow Ruta 40 straight into Bariloche, it should be a short day.


View Esquel - Bariloche in a larger map

In Perito Moreno 8:28 PM

Hello from Perito Moreno!

We made it today to Perito Moreno, Argentina. We had a long stretch of gravel with strong winds. It was a tough day for the riders. The troopy on flat stretches fought against head winds and struggled to go above 60 km/h. Patience was key. Internet connection is super slow here and uploading pictures is proving a difficult task.

Dinner 7:56 AM

Cooking some dinner outside the hotel with Leo and Micho. Trying to
mix it up a bit.

The last six days... 8:12 PM

Ever since our last post, six days ago, we've had some good fun in this trip. Although we ran into some very cold, wet and windy weather from Ushuaia to Torres del Paine, things seem to have gotten better as we head up North.

So what's been going on? We spent two full days in the Torres del Paine National Park in Chile where we camped for three cold and windy nights. Winds here go well over 80km/h, which is why nothing ever grows on the ground (except for guanacos). During the first day in the Park, Micho, Leo and I worked on some basic maintenance for the Troopy, trailer and bikes. The next day we took a seven hour hike up to the top of the mountain in an attempt to get a glance at the famous Torres del Paine (see pictures). Although it was rainy and cloudy, we managed to see the enormous towers standing at almost 1000m high. At around 4pm we started walking down with our legs pretty much flat from the steep slopes that took us up there (they still hurt btw).

Beagle Channel 10:12 PM

Today we had the first day with the passengers. The guys seemed pretty excited about the trip (hope so). We went on a short catamaran tour around the Beagle Channel, saw some sea lions and flying penguins, struggled against some pretty hard winds and came back into town.

After a much needed haircut, Micho and I had some lunch and came back to the hotel for the first bike ride into the Tierra del Fuego National Park. The guys rode in the rain the entire time as Micho, Pamela, Dorothy and I listened to some music in the comfort of the Troopy (support vehicle).

Agh, it's been a long day, sorry, not in the mood for writing today. Tomorrow we actually start the trip riding North towards El Calafate (Torres del Paine National Park) spending one night in Cerro Sombrero, some 400km from Ushuaia. Check out today's pictures bellow. Cheers.

First ride preparations! 3:40 PM

Leo gives a short speech before the first ride into Tierra del Fuego
National Park. Overcast outside, light drizzle.

Quick lunch 12:18 PM

Quick bite to eat before the clients arrive.

Also, regarding Micho's last post, the iPhone proves to be the best phone ever! Twice submerged in water and it still lives. 

Almost Ready 11:01 PM

Yes, we know we haven't been updating the blog as frequently as us and you would like. We're guilty of online absence, but we have been pretty busy the last couple of days. The customers arrive tomorrow and we still have a few things to get ready before they get here. The lack of time and working around grease and water all day has made carrying a camera around a difficult task. But don't worry, as we finish all the last minute cleaning and maintenance, the updates and pictures will once again become a frequent thing around here.

We've been in Ushuaia for the last 12 days, that's quite a generous amount of time to spend at the southernmost city in the world. We've had a pretty good mix of weather as the summer days are almost over in this austral city and the winter is slowly seeping through the cracks. Today was particularly cold and both Daniel and I suffered from freezing toes as we washed the GS1150. Something particularly sad happened as we scrubbed mud and dirt off of the motorcycle, Daniel's phone fell from his pocket straight into a bucket of water and soap... the iPhone proved tough and tried to fight this unsuspecting attack for some time, flickering on and off, showing signs of life, hanging by a thread but the laws of physics proved stronger than the iWill and the iPhone finally gave it's last breath never to function again. Sad indeed...

Besides the iPhone's demise we had a few unexpected repairs on the Land Cruiser this afternoon, we had to replace an alternator belt and the power steering belt. We're lucky we caught this today instead of somewhere along the road. Daniel had to run some errands into town as we got closer to wrapping up all the preparations. The day just came to an end with a delicious meal cooked here in with Leo and Daniel.

We're looking forward to the arrival of the customers tomorrow! This means our trip north will begin shortly!

Shot of the day 10:45 PM

Micho and I washing the trailer.

Micho works on the trailer... 7:58 PM

Micho spent all day working on the trailer. This is the trailer that will carry all the tools, spare parts and luggage during the trip. 

Friday updates... 9:10 PM

Not much happened today except some more mechanical work on the bikes. On this picture you can see Leo under the 1150GS which needed some maintenance done. The 'Troopy' (support vehicle Land Cruiser) was in the shop getting some work done as well. On the way back from the dealership, I stumbled upon a beautiful sunset over the Ushuaia. I pulled over to get some pictures with my phone and this is what came up...

Mecaniqueando 9:05 PM

The routine for the last couple of days has been breakfast, work on bikes, lunch, work on bikes, dinner. The last group rode the bikes from Pucón to Ushuaia which is about 2500 km. The bikes arrived to Ushuaia ready for some fresh tires, oil, filters and other small fixes. The idea is to have the bikes in tip top shape for the customers arriving here on March 10th. That means we have from now 'til then to replace anything that needs replacement. Yesterday we started with cleaning air filters, air boxes and chains. Today we replaced, worn out tires, the steering head bearings on one of the bikes and we flushed out brake fluid and put in fresh brake pads on another bike. Tomorrow we will be doing oil changes and taking the support vehicle to the shop for a brake job and tuning.

We are hoping the weather continues to be as amazing as yesterday and today, the locals say it is very unusual to have such sunny days this time of the year. So if the weather trend continues, tomorrow we will be lucky enough to keep working under clear and sunny skies.

Still working on the bikes... 6:48 PM

Working on the bikes 6:33 PM

Vive Colombia, viaja por ella!

"querés un recibo de caja con el sandwich y la factura?"

Micho no puede ver a alguien descansando...

Ushuaia - Puerto Natales 8:23 AM

Yesterday our job was simple enough: riding 2 BMW F650GS from Ushuaia (Argentina) to Puerto Natales (Chile). Total distance: approximately 850km.

We were ready to leave Ushuaia at 7am but our departure was delayed by a minor battery problem on my bike which was 'quickly' resolved. We ended up starting engines at around 9am-ish and were planning on spending the night somewhere in the middle of the way.

Everything was going well, except for the very low temperatures and a malfunctioning heating grip on Micho's bike. We crossed a series of mountain ranges outside of Ushuaia riding through 100 kilometers of twisty roads and suddenly found ourselves trapped in the infinite vastness of the Patagonia. The word flat does not begin to describe how flat this place is. The one detail we missed was the lack of gas stations in the area. At one point, as we crossed the border between Chile and Argentina, the gas station where we were supposed to fill up at was out of order. I thought we could just fuel up in the next 50kms or so. 

The little things about Ushuaia you didn't know... 4:09 PM

We missed the earthquake in Santiago by less than 14 hours. Lucky. It's been now two full days since we landed in Ushuaia. To be honest, it feels like we've been around for a couple of weeks, not because we're bored, but because days here are so long. Sun sets at around 10pm, and Argentineans start eating at that time. 

During the daytime we've been exploring the local municipality. We've seen the ugly parts of Ushuaia and the nice ones. We know the bus routes, we know the shortcuts, I can confidently say we could be tour guides in this town. 

As of right now we're staying at a Camping Hotel a few kilometers outside of town in a place called Rio Pipo. Yesterday, as you were able to see through Micho's post, we hiked up to the Martial Glacier (not a lot of glacier, mostly rocks). Before the hike, we spent some time around town and I bought a winter jacket (nobody told us it was going to be this cold in summer here). Finally, in the afternoon, we met up with the Compass group as they arrived to the hotel after 16 days of riding from Pucón (Chile).

Martial Glacier 12:03 AM

While we spend some time in Ushuaia, before the tour starts, we've decided to take in the sights and get to know the town as much as we can. Today we took a short hike to the Martial Glacier. Not as imposing as the name makes it sound but still beautiful and it provided some breathtaking views of Ushuaia.

In Ushuaia 3:14 PM

After 26 long hours, 3 different planes, food poisoning, mid air u-turn and several naps we landed in Ushuaia.

We're gonna be staying in Camping Rio Pipo for the next few days, waiting for the first tour to arrive. They should be getting here this afternoon and leave on Sunday. Monday we'll be returning two rental bikes in Puerto Natales. After that, we come back to Ushuaia to start preparations for the tour to Cusco leaving Ushuaia on March 10th.

Walking around Ushuaia 1:40 PM

Survived the earthquake! Just a few shots from this morning walking around town...

Daniel (mobile)

Finally here 8:59 PM

Exactly 26 hours after leaving Bogotá, we're finaly flying into Ushuaia!

Not yet... 6:43 PM

Due to some technical difficulties, about 15 minutes away from Ushuaia, we turn around to Punta Arenas.

Corral doble con queso por favor? 9:59 AM

After a bad burger at the airport in Bogotá, Micho found relief puking in the airplane all the way to Santiago (via Lima). Things appear to be improving though. 

Ushuaia 5:59 PM

It must have been...wow...21 years ago, I was seven, living in Paris. Nicolas Hulot became one of those inspirational characters in my life. He hosted a French TV show on TF1 called Ushuaia. It quickly became a portal to the most colorful and exciting adventures. I also learned quite a bit from him, whether he was swimming with white sharks in South Africa, flying a hot air balloon over the Gobi Desert or scuba diving in German super-high-tech drysuits somewhere in the middle of the Arctic Ocean. Ushuaia became one of those shows my dad, sister and I couldn't miss for anything.

So, this is how I first heard about Ushuaia. Although I don't remember the show ever taking place in the town of Ushuaia, I had always wondered what it would look like. Oh, 4pm already, gotta go catch my plane to Ushuaia :)

Stay tuned for more daily updates!

The Route 9:01 PM

National parks, UNESCO sites, glaciers, deserts, high mountains, ancient ruins, coastlines. big cities, small towns, paved roads, dirt roads, border crossings, high-speed cross-wind, high temperatures, low temperatures. These are all a few of the places and situations we'll be experiencing over the next forty-something days as we make our way up north from the "end of the world" to the ancient Incan city of Machu Picchu. Thursday February 25th departure day from Bogotá, Colombia. Stay tuned!

And remember if you want to send something to someone along our route this is your time to speak out and tell us who and where you want us to take your shipment!

Oil filters 7:47 PM

Just purchased some oil filters for the bikes in Ushuaia!