I gotto Girag at 10min.to eight. they gave me the papers and said to go to D.I.A.N.customes it was on the other side of the airport about a half mile.
got there 35 minwait Customes guy looked at my papers and said to meet him back at Girag.
Back at Girag he looks at the bike, hands me the papers and said to meet him back at his office. Back I go. I wait for him he gets back gives me another paper that he just filled out.,and said to go back to Girag and have it signed and bring it back to him. Back I go boy if I was a type A personality this would begin to piss me off.
Girag signs the paper and back I go across the field to DIAN again. The guy stamps the papers and said I was done and could get my bike out.
This took four hours and was a record for crossing a boarder, but I hadn´t been to Venezuela yet. The loading dock has no ramp so I road the bike down the front steps finished packing and was on my way. Got lost right after leaving the airport While I was studying a map two police stoped and asked where my vest was everyone in Colombia has to wear an orange vest with theirnlicense number on the back of it. I told them the customes guy said I didn´t need one because I was north americano and in transit. They agreed and then they led me out of the city to the road to Tunja, pronunced like the fish, on the way out of town I saw a mcdonalds so stopped to eat.



I always have people walk over and visit. the one guy has a motorcycle vest on.
The road to Tunja was 3 lanes and fast also good news motorcycles don´t pay any tolls in Colombia or Venezuela. there is a seperate 4 foot lane on the side that we use







It´s on the right side in the picture.
There are a lot of old cars on the roads down here 55 ford chevys, etc.















Bob I thought of you when I saw this coupe it was in good shape.
This was near the hotel in Tunja.
I left on tue morn and headed toward Cucuta, the boarder, the shows on the AAA map as a paved road all the way. the map is wrong about half way it turns to gravel and stays gravel for 65 miles. On this stretch a dog ran out of some bushes and took out my front tire fliped the bike tore my boot cut my foot and knee all healed by the time I write this. I took out the dog(japanese dog) Ispent three days above 8,000 ft these Andies are big and high not cold though.
















Thats a corn field growing on the side of the hill. The picture below is of a statue on the very top of the dirt road mountain it points toward Venezuela.


I got to Cucuta at 9:30 wed morning and started the boarder crossing I got out of Colombia fast cleared by 10:30 and started into Venezuela. It took 7 hours , 8 if you count the time change. It´s better to be pissed off than pissed on. I stayed in San Christibol wed night and would get a fresh start thur.


Venezuela is a beautiful country but I wouldn´t drive down here with a Bush sticker on the bumper. The first guy I met after crossing the boarder was at a money change place. He put his fingers on his forehead like horns and said Bush devil. I agreed and ounce he found out I didn´t work for the CIA or DEA he changed my money. 240000 boliviares equal 100 dollars 8 litres of gas cost 511 do the math gas is cheap here. thats 95 octane .

2/10/6 Fri

Left San Carlos and drove toward Caracus the roads are great and fast. I went through two big cities today Maracay and Caracus then spent the night outside of San Mataeo. heading south again at last. It is not possible to drive at night because of the pot holes everywhere.

2/11/6 Sat

I only made 258 miles today pot holes stopped at Apapt adjusted chain and got ready for the trip across the Gran Sabana.

2/12;6 Sun
Glad I stopped early no more hotels for a long way today. Beutiful road and no pot holes I got to Santa Elena at 2:30 and found a room at the Mitchel hotel. Met two treckers from England, they were going to climb in the Sabana for a week starting mon. we had dinner toogether. A third guy was from Venezuela spooke three languages. Spanish,english, french.




2/13/6 Mon

Up early to leave but couldn´t get my bike out of jail till 7 when the desk clerk opened. then went to get gas and station didn´topen until 8
got gas and went straight to the boarder crossing. I was done and into Brazil at 9:45 Am one of the best yet. And best yet no one charged me any thing. This has happened several times, I don´t know why but being old and stupid must have something to do with it. I got to Boa Vista at 12:00 noon and decided to keep going. there were no gas stations between Santa Elena and Boa Vista 120 miles. I drove 180miles before I saw the first hotel so stopped for the night . This left about 300 miles to Manus. Also there is a full moon and I didn´t want to see any Chupacabras. I don´t think they are this far south but didn´t want to chance it.
2/14/ 6 tue
I crossed this thing today. It's nice to see that other countries have graffiti just like the USA or maybe this is just done by tourists.




















My GPS at the Equador on the road to Manaus 7512 miles so far.











This turtle was in the middle of the road
so I moved it to the side. Pretty heavy for only
being about a foot long


I got to Manus at 2:30 and found the dock got ticket for boat trip Me and bike 900 their money about 450 ours. Boat leaves at 4PM Wed However they loaded my bike tue and I slept on the boat last night. I payed extra for a cabin that locks and I can put my stuff off the bike in.
You can't see it in this picture but the boat was rocking and the fail safe was a guy on the deck above with a rope on the bike, which I knew he couldn't hold if it fell. Anyway they got it loaded. and I relaxed.












I saw thius sign on the way to the boat dock.
These guys are everywhere.


I took this to show how there was no wind.















I am not sure I´ve ever seen a million af anything but the road to Manaus has at least a million potholes. I am going back to the boat now and will sent more in five days from Belem. Joe.






































l

2-6-6 Mon
I am waiting for a cab to take me to Girag air freight terminal and get my bike out of jail.
Iam going to try to get to Tunja tonight and then Venezuela tomorrow Vern I'm going to take more pictures. I promise. Sorry to hear about Joe's sister . See everyone in a few months.

I'm going to go back a few days and catch up since I have time before the game starts.

On tue I crossed into Nicuragua I think this must be spainish for BAD ROADS. Really bad and trash everywhere. If anyone that throws trash from their car could see this they would stop.
After it piles up so high someone throws in a match and they start over.
Dajon there are also lots of carbques all over C. A. once a car sits along the road for a while someone sets it on fire.
Besides the roads being bad they arn't marked so anywaye I got lost went 132 miles out of my way then got lost again trying to get out of Managua, Nicuragua. try saying that three times fast.
I finally found a room in Masaya parked the bike in the cafe part for the night.

I drove 419 miles by GPS to cover about 260 miles south. ended up driving at night(not Good)

Wed 2-1-6

Drove to the boarder of Costa Rica and met three guys going south to see some volcano. Two had GS and one had a KLR nice guys fromm colorado and texas, Joe M the guy from texas did the 3 flags in 2002 he knew you. The one guy spoke Spanish so I went through with them, a lot easier, however it still took just as long as always about 2 hours.

I stopped in San Jose at a you guessed it Mc Donalds had a chicken salad and adjusted my chain

You may notice I am eating in the parking lot. I adjusted the chain while I was there.

By the time I was done it wat 3:30 so I decided to drive to San Isidio any about 70 miles away.

I didn't realize there was the highest mountain in central america between the two towns. 11500ft. Traffic was heavy and slow and it started to rain and got real foggy I couldn't see maor than 15 feet in front of me. One of those crazy buses passed me on the right. I thought I was on the right side and I was on the left. I got behind the bus and followed it to a hotel. I was glad to get off the road alive.

2-2-6 Thur

Ate breakfast, included, at hotel and left for the Panama boarder. I got there at 11:15 and they were closed until 1:00 So I went to Panama and checked in then went back to CR and checked out.

The roads are four lane and fast I stayed the night in Santiago, it will be a short ride to Panama city tomorrow.

2-3-6 Fri

drove to Panama, crossed the canal 3 times two different bridges. nice town. Found the airport and Girag air frieght. got set up for Sat shipping then went to airport and bought ticket 241 dollars for me 451 for the bike.

2-4-6 Sat

got bike loaded and went back to the hotel, left for the airport at 2.PM and got on plane at 7:30

2-5-6 Sun

I went for a walk around town this morning. the town sits in a bowl with hills all around it.

there was a lot of bikes riding on the street that was open only for them it's a sunday thing I guess.

This is the hotel I am in untill Mon when I get my bike out of jail and head to Venezuela.

All the boarder crossings are like this vendors on each side of the road. I drove through this to get to the place to check out my motocycle. Now this looks hard but there was a semi that came through right behind me. You can start to tell when you are getting close to a boardew when all these venders are starting to show up.
This is an average scene along the highway, also throw in a couple of pigs some goats, people, and lots of bicycles.








It is just amazing that you don't see more of this.

These black birds are some kind of vulture they are everywhere, like crows only not as smart.
They are bigger, about three times bigger and dumber, about three times dumber. they get hit by traffic because they don't move. These are along the road but most are in the road eating the road kill. That a steer they are feasting on.


















A few reflections of Central America
Almost everyone knows how to drive. In Mexico everyone drives on the right and passes on the left, then gets back over so people can pass them. I did spot one bad driver that was staying in the left lane and making everyone pass him on the right. When I got behind him I noticed that the car had California plates. I know why other countries don't like us too well. I've been here less than a week and I hate us already.

Honduras and Nicuragua have the worst roads
pot holes everywhere and I've seen swimming pools smaller than some of these pot holes. They don't need speed bumps like Mexico, and Guatemala. Thinking of speed bumps. Mexico has taken it too an art form, Even if you can take them pretty fast because of the way the bike is set up, the car stopping in front of you will get you.
There are Buses everywhere in C.A. every third vichacal is a bus, The way it seems to work is there is a driver and a ticket taker( door Man) the bus in front gets the people at the stop so as long as he stays in front he gets the fares. This is where the fun starts, he has to let people off and pick up people and never loos his lead. How does he do it ,Stop in the middle of the road,actually he doesn't stop he does go very slow but you better get off and on fast. fun to watch.
Panama has the best roads four lanes and fast, lots of construction going on. Housing is cheaper than U:S about 150 sq. ft also there is no property tax for the first 15 years of ownership if you are from America.

I crossed the Canal three times today it is big at this end like the bay, you seen one Panama Canal you seen them all. Personally I'd trade three canals for one rad thru the Darian gap.

These guys are everywhere down here and I'm glad. They came into the parking lot as I was packing to ship the bike to Colombia. they ride double on a Suzuku 650 the guy with the 47 is on the back. They keep the roads safe for tourtists










My new friend.













This is the bike being packed

I am now in Colombia, Bogota will head for Venezuala on mon. after I get the bike thru customs. Pop of Bogota 7 million elev 7,000 ft.
big town some crime but hell 7million people.

Thanks for all your comments I do get them here and the show up on my email.. Thanks. Joe