Andrea and I in ALASKA !

On june 7th, and for a week, Andrea and I will be in Alaska. This is a special adventure we wanted to do for a while, and it could be an official goodbye to the US.

We will be heading to the Denali National Park, north of Anchorage, which hides amazing fauna (such as the well known Alaskan bears), and high mountains. Mt McKinley is the highest mountain of northern america, at 20,000 ft. We intend to go hiking and camping wild in this beautiful area, hopping bears wont be crossing our path from too close.

At the solstice of June, which is just a few days after we will have left, Alaska sees 24hours daylight.

We are so excited by this trip.

En francais :

Andrea et moi partons le 7 juin pour l'Alaska, pour une semaine. C'est un projet que nous avions en tete depuis un moment, et ce sera probablement notre au-revoir aux US.

Nous irons au Parc Denali, au nord d'Anchorage, ou se trouve la faune exceptionnelle d'Alaska, a compter les ours bruns et noirs. Nous y verrons aussi la plus haute montagne de l'Amerique du Nord, McKinley, qui culmine a 6100 m. Pas aussi haut que le Mont Everest, mais d'une hauteur relative bien plus importante car si l'Everest a une hauteur de 3350m depuis le plateau tibetain, McKinley offre une grimpette de 5480m.

Au solstice d'ete, qui est quelques jours apres notre retour, le jour dure 24h, ce qui va etre un peu confus. Je suis curieux.

A bientot pour les photos.

Back in Portland OR

Yo. It took just a few hours by plane for what took me 2 and a half months riding.

Andrea and I spent christmas on the San Blas island, with moderate weather but very interesting culture there, in the Kuna tribes. We had to take a jeep through the mudd (got stuck several times and took 6 hours for 150 km) and a canoe to reach the islands. Amazing adventure.

I am now back in portland with time to look back on what I have achieved. It has opened many doors.

A big load of my mind : bike sold

Bye bye baby. Thanks for your help along this trip... 9300 miles.

Shipping the bike back to the US costs and awful $1200 minimum, with some crappy papers and logistics. Well, it is saved by selling the bike to an employee of the BMW dealership in Panama City. Still have some papers to do with the immigration in the next days, but still that is a big load off my mind.

I have been in Panama City for 4 days now and I have only visited the city, nothing around. i was way too busy and consumed by understanding and processing the options for the bike. Andrea joins me in 2 days and we will spend a very relaxing christmas in Panama. Maybe on the San Blas islands.

I am very much looking forward to it. We have been 3 months apart, and despite she has been my greater supporter in this adventure, it has been hard on us. time to make it up for it.

Panama City - Goal reached !!!

That´s it ! I am in Panama city ! After 9000 miles = 14000 km, I have reached my final destination.

I dont think I realize the achievement yet.

I have actually been here a couple of days already, but was to busy trying to know what to do with the bike. I have 2 options . selling it locally, or shipping it back which costs quite a bit. I cannot leave the country withut having the bike sorted, as here is a stamp on my passport saying I imigrated with a bike.

So I´m trying to sell locally, and the BMW dealership in PC is being very helpful. But I have to prepare myself to the expensive costs of shipping.

I havent visited anything yet, it will be for tomorrow. Andrea joins me on the 19th, and we will go touring here or there until we fly back on the 28th.

Yo ! Portland - Panama ! Done.

Spare Parts

Of course I left with a few spare parts. Cables, spark plugs, levers, seals, bolts and nuts, etc.

What about brake pads ? Well I did take some spare front brake pads, which I will change in Panama. But i didnt take rear ones, as I usually use only the front brake, or so little of the rear.

Miscalculation ! With the bad trails, gravel and sandy roads, I had to use the rear a lot. I actually fell once because of stupidly using the front in the sand. As a result I worn off my rear pads completely. There is not one tenth of millimeter left. It is still against steel.

No bueno.

That means I cannot touch the rear pedal or I will damage the disc. But most importantly, I will not find new pads before Panama City, end of my trip. I have another good 1000 miles before that. no big deal on the main road, but before I reach it I have roughly 200 miles of crapy trail, where the rear brake is so useful.

I will have a taste of it tomorrow as I pass the border to Panama by Sixotala. On the map the road doesnt even exist passed Boca del Toro. There is something though, hopefully not too bad.

Spicy !

Costa Rica - Cahuita

Costa Rica is very touristic, packed with Americans. As I like more natural and quiet wonders, I have been struggling to find my destinations in the country. Monteverde was a good choice, despite many tourists, but after that ?

2 main options, the pacific coast or the carribean coast. I would prefer the first one, for a change, but there is nothing really away from the crowd. I am told those places become polluted and actually not so worth it anymore. The carribean coast is probably rainy, but Cahuita sounds good, and the border crossing to Panama is known to be easier. Choice made.

Indeed, it's rainy. I got soaked wet on the way.

Cahuita is the typical laid-back carribean village, with nothing else to do but swimming or have a drink. The national park next to it is attractive. The weather turned from bad to partly sunny, and that makes me optimistic for my departure tomorrow morning.




Ants going asll the way from the top of the tree, cutting leafs, to bring them down to some gallery. impressive.






Blue crab ! The resolution is bad, it was difficult to get close.

Policia - Pay them off ?

I have been stopped by a police officer in Nicaragua, near Leon, for speeding on the wrong side of the yellow line. I suppose I got used to the mexcian habits and never lost it. The ticket was a 100 bucks total. I kindly suggested another option and he accepted 50 bucks.

This happens often in Central America. They cannot touch the cash directly from your hand, so I put it in my French driving license, which is foldable, and gave it to him. After that he was all friendly and curious about the trip, the bike etc. We shook hand and off I went.

I was warned that Costa Rica would be different, very hard to pay them off. Well, not really. I can only blame myself for another speeding. It's hard ! well this times they offered themselbes to be bought off, by suggesting that it was difficult to write a ticket under the rain. They told me that inside the police car, well protected from that rain. Got away with 29 bucks.

I hope I have learnt my lesson.