An early start for a great day of riding. We continue to climb up into the tropical Andes. Very lush, all the creeks and rivers are full, some small mud slides into the road.
Traffic today as it was yesterday Is thick. It dawns on me that everything in most Latin American countries must move by road so lots of truck and bus traffic. Today's road links the Atlantic seaport of Cartagena to the major interior city of Medellin so it's packed, trucks and buses of all descriptions coming and going. The road is two lane or less due to road maintenance and / or mudslides. It's steep enough that the loaded semis have to use their 1st gear most of the way up which leads to a few stalling out or overheating stopping traffic flow. The switch back corners are tight enough that a semi turning a corner takes up the whole road which stops traffic from the other direction. Thankfully motorcycles can lane split so we ride the center line on occasion and can squeeze by slow moving or stalled vehicles. We may not be able to ride as fast as we would like however we ride faster than the trucks and busses.
We are in the occasional downpour part of the world so we all adjust our clothing. I'm dry but a little cool. Will put my jacket and pant liners in for next week, and hook up my heated grips. I love cool weather even in the rain or as I mused riding through the weather.
Another great lunch stop, thatched palm leaf roof with oriental rope work to tie it all together.
Gabriel and Cynthia from Costa Rico ride bye and wave, planning on catching up with them in Cuzco. A couple of soldiers watching a helicopter operation lend a hand with the KTM after lunch launch ritual. As before nice guys curious about the ride and the bikes.
Our ride continues through rain, clouds, hills and beautiful small settlements scattered on the mountain sides.
The roads into Medellin are very different from those leaving Cartagena, these are wide and well marked. We still run into construction and rush hour traffic but all in all easier than leaving Cartagena. Twice while stopped in traffic people on motorcycles stop to chat me up. The usual where are you from, where are you going, each one ended the conversation with a genuine "welcome to Columbia". I think I'll like this place
Through the efforts of the master navigator Jimi and his assistant Max we find the KTM dealer with no problems.
South Africans and Max discussing the finer points of KTM's
Standing in front are two of the South African riders I met in Portobello while loading their bikes. Seems that three out of the four KTM 990 they're riding are in for work, one simply died about three blocks from the dealer and refused to start.
This leads to another people of Medellin story. When the one bike died in traffic someone in a car cuts across three lanes of traffic jumps out of his car and offers to help any way he can, then a woman walks up and ask if they're looking for the KTM dealer, which they didn't know existed. She gives them directions, it's three blocks away. The guy then offers to park his car and help push the bike to the dealer. Winning over tourist one person at a time.
We drop the bikes off at the dealers, the KTM for whatever it takes to get it running better and my KLR for a 15,000 mile service.
Thomas Pickerel from Skagway meets us at the Palm Tree Hostal where he has arranged a room for us.
Making it to the KTM dealer has lowered everyone's stress level. We'll be here for a few days for sure, looks like there is plenty to do.
LUF
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Planatarioz to Medellin, Columbia
