Othalan's Travels http://othalan.net Traveling the World in Search of Truth Since June 2011 Mon, 20 Feb 2012 20:19:34 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 I Must Be Insane… http://othalan.net/2012/02/19/i-must-be-insane/ http://othalan.net/2012/02/19/i-must-be-insane/#comments Mon, 20 Feb 2012 06:00:00 +0000 othalan http://othalan.net/?p=807 I regret leaving Manizales so quickly, I have a feeling I would enjoy spending time in this town. But I still want to get my luggage problems sorted out so I move on to Cali. It is a beautiful ride through the mountains until I get back down to the plains and the long boring . . . → Read More: I Must Be Insane…]]> I regret leaving Manizales so quickly, I have a feeling I would enjoy spending time in this town. But I still want to get my luggage problems sorted out so I move on to Cali. It is a beautiful ride through the mountains until I get back down to the plains and the long boring highway stretches….

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Ariving at the Casa Blanca hostel I am surprised to see familiar bikes and faces. Doris, Charlie, Anders, and Chris from the Sthalratte are all here! Makes for a fun reunion while I wait for someone to arrive who will admit my package is sitting around waiting for me….

The New Soft Luggage: Enduristan Monsoon Saddle Bags

When I finally do get my package I immediately tear into it and start repacking my stuff. I need to completely re-think how everything is packed and organized. I must consider what will happen to the contents when I crash. I must be certain nothing is getting mangled when the straps are tightened (such as paperwork and electronic devices). Yet the most difficult is fitting everything in. The pelican cases had 36L of storage per side, a 40L small case holding spare parts, and two external tubes that hold dirty rags, chain oil, etc. The new soft luggage is only 30L per side with no other external storage.

After two hours and a dozen tries at re-packing I have only one conclusion: I must be insane!

I could have bought hard luggage and just plopped everything in with the exact same packing layout. But no, I had to get clever and switch to soft luggage. Oh well, lets go through everything again….

Another hour (or more?) and most of my stuff fits. I have gone through and weeded out a few things I am not using (remarkably little in that list) and reorganized stuff to pack more efficiently in soft luggage. The fact that I have fit in as much stuff as I have is a testament to how much extra space I had in those pelican cases. I still need to repack everything a many more times to see if I can get a better layout, but at least I know that most stuff fits.

I am missing a place only for the “dirty items”: Chain lube, dirty rags, etc. There is no place inside the new soft luggage for those items and no external pockets. I must either add external pockets (possible) or find somewhere else on the bike to store them. The tank panniers are a possibility. I think I can find room in those for these “dirty items”. Or perhaps I will add a small tube mounted somewhere else on the bike now that the hard luggage is not getting in the way.

I am also now concerned a bit about my electronics. I am less than thrilled with the thought of what could happen to my laptop if I crash on that side of the bike, but I have no better location. Perhaps I need to move a few things on top of the bike behind me. Strapped on top of the fiddle perhaps? A small bag there would not be crushed in a crash, but would mean yet another bag to deal with every night.

Ignoring all of the above, I do like the new luggage. I chose the Enduristan Monsoon saddle bags because they were immediately available, designed specifically for overland travel, and the company was willing to help me out. (Thank you Enduristan!) There is a lot to like about the Monsoon saddle bags….

They are waterproof, but unlike most soft luggage systems they have multiple layers: The exterior shell is made from 1000D Cordura, the same material that is used in some of the best riding suits. If damaged, this layer can easily be sown together without compromising the waterproof properties of the luggage. Inside that is a U-shaped plastic reinforcement along the bottom. This adds a bit of structure to the bags and minor impact protection. Inside that is a waterproof liner to keep everything dry. Inside the bags there are two baffles which can be used to help organize the contents of each bag. I was a bit dubious about this at first, but as I repack everything again and again (and again and again and again….) I am finding these baffles to be a wonderful addition to help keep everything organized and easily accessed. The weight savings is also significant. Picking up both saddle bags feels not much heaving than a single pelican case. I am guessing I will eventually be delighted with this weight savings once I get back on the road.

As already noted, the one area which is lacking is external pockets. Some other soft luggage systems I looked at have added external pockets that served the same purpose as the tubes I added to my pelican cases. Holding chain oil, water bottles, etc. It would be a useful addition.

I am curious how all this will work out as I travel. Will I love the new soft luggage or hate it? Will I soon be tracking down a set of hard cases? I will just have to wait and find out….

]]> http://othalan.net/2012/02/19/i-must-be-insane/feed/ 2 3.4568551 -76.5224380 Manizales http://othalan.net/2012/02/18/manizales/ http://othalan.net/2012/02/18/manizales/#comments Sun, 19 Feb 2012 06:00:57 +0000 othalan http://othalan.net/?p=806 My luggage rack is deteriorating. I could probably still nurse it along and take my time arriving in Cali, but it is grating on my nerves. As I’ve noted before, I sometimes think there is not much difference between the Phoenix and I, and I don’t think I will be able to rest easy until . . . → Read More: Manizales]]> My luggage rack is deteriorating. I could probably still nurse it along and take my time arriving in Cali, but it is grating on my nerves. As I’ve noted before, I sometimes think there is not much difference between the Phoenix and I, and I don’t think I will be able to rest easy until I get a new rear tire and new luggage. So I head towards Medellin and Cali.

The trip to Medellin is, as expected, a long boring two days riding mostly through plains. Medellin itself is just another big city and I never saw anything to interest me other than the plentiful motorcycle shops. I did find a rear tire (Michelin T63, about the best tire I could have found).

No reason to linger here, so I move on to Manizales. The ride is amazing. Twisty mountain roads with slow moving trucks that are easily passed. Small mountain villages. Beautiful scenery…

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Manizales is the first of three towns of the “Coffee Axle” of Colombia. The region where the best coffee is grown. I do not expect to sit around and enjoy the area this time through, but I will almost certainly be back as I wander around Colombia. However, it is striking how different this town is from most I have visited.

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Manizales has no colonial heritage. It is the modern take on the typical Latin America town. The streets are almost all one-way and difficult to navigate, but they are wide, well maintained, and paved (instead of cobbled as are many small towns and historical places in big towns). The houses are close together and have no yards out front, but the sidewalks are wide enough the streets do not feel tightly crowded. The hostel has some grass in back. Not common I am told, but not so unusual as it would be in most places. The stores are still small and highly specialized, but many are enclosed, instead of the open garage-like design used in older cities.

All of this is more subtle than I probably make it sound. The town still has the same latin American look and feel same as anywhere else I have been, but it just feels like a newer version of it.

Another difference I notice as I walk around town is that there is a subtle familiarity to the general feel of the town. I cannot place it for a long time until I find out this is a university town. I believe that at some level I recognized the attitude this creates, having grown up in such a place. It is adds an oddly comforting bit of familiarity even as everything else remains alien.

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]]> http://othalan.net/2012/02/18/manizales/feed/ 0 5.0511212 -75.4993134 Trying To Swim http://othalan.net/2012/02/13/trying-to-swim/ http://othalan.net/2012/02/13/trying-to-swim/#comments Tue, 14 Feb 2012 06:00:42 +0000 othalan http://othalan.net/?p=804 I need a break from big cities. I have been in them too often for the past few weeks and need visit more in the near future as I go to Medellin and Cali. I am almost tempted to stick around Santa Marta for a few more days first, but the town is clearly not . . . → Read More: Trying To Swim]]> I need a break from big cities. I have been in them too often for the past few weeks and need visit more in the near future as I go to Medellin and Cali. I am almost tempted to stick around Santa Marta for a few more days first, but the town is clearly not all that interesting most of the time, I just got lucky with the festival the day I arrived. Time to hunt around the map and the guide books. Hmm, small colonial town. Must cross a river by ferry or boat to get there. Middle of nowhere. Perfect!

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There are a few mud pits, but there are lots of motorcycles riding these roads, most of which are far less capable in mud than mine. So there is always a way to bypass the mud on a bike.

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When I reach the river crossing, the locals point out my rear tire is flat. Hmm, not completely flat, so I will just go across, add a bit of air, and ride to the hostel at Mompós before fixing it. It is probably about another kilometer at most.

Crossing the river, the bike must be loaded in a dugout canoe. In is easy….

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But coming out, they find it is a bit more difficult to ride out on a fully loaded 650cc touring bike than the 125cc local bikes. The Phoenix tries to take a swim, but is stopped by the many people at the landing and carefully lifted back onto land:

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If you happen to pass this way, I recommend you ride the bike off the boat yourself. At the very least you will be wearing shoes! For those wondering about the tire: The tire pressure was still at about 12 psi when I filled it up before the ride to Mompos. That is a perfect pressure for maximum traction and did not contribute to the above attempt at swimming, though it did risk the tire spinning on the rim (which did not happen).

Fixing the flat tire at the hostel is quick and easy. Being in town, I just take the tube over to the local tire repair shop and get a professional vulcanized patch applied (makes the tube look almost like new). The cause of the flat was a staple, probably from the last town I rode through right before the boat crossing.

Mompós is every bit as relaxing as I expected. Lots of tourists stop here for a night before scurrying back to a big city (this is helped out by a big ferry elsewhere on the river). I am not certain if this is actually an island, but as the only access requires a boat ride, it might as well be such. There are a few cars around town, but most people are on motorcycles. It is strange to see a town where motorcycles are running around everywhere and cars are rarely seen!

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Exactly what I was looking for.

]]> http://othalan.net/2012/02/13/trying-to-swim/feed/ 4 9.2356501 -74.4192657 When Good Ideas Go Bad http://othalan.net/2012/02/12/when-good-ideas-go-bad/ http://othalan.net/2012/02/12/when-good-ideas-go-bad/#comments Mon, 13 Feb 2012 06:00:54 +0000 othalan http://othalan.net/?p=802 I imagine they were excited when the picked up a book titled something like “How To Mug Someone” and found it started off thus: “Here is an example…” Too bad they missed the next part: “…of what not to do.”

Perhaps the list would read something like this:

Cultivate the ruggedly handsome look. Being threatening . . . → Read More: When Good Ideas Go Bad]]> I imagine they were excited when the picked up a book titled something like “How To Mug Someone” and found it started off thus: “Here is an example…” Too bad they missed the next part: “…of what not to do.”

Perhaps the list would read something like this:

  1. Cultivate the ruggedly handsome look. Being threatening is so last century.
  2. Get an accomplice. Be certain he is graceful and good looking but slow of wit.
  3. Do nothing to prepare. Hey, this is supposed to be easy money, not hard work!
  4. Pick a location. Be certain it is well lit with lots of witnesses and the potential for police walking by.
  5. Find a target. He should be taller and stronger than you and, ideally, looks like he may be good in a fight.
  6. Demand something. But be certain not to look threatening, you wouldn’t want to frighten anyone. And whatever you do, don’t even think of using a weapon!
  7. (optional) If no loot is presented, take something! By now the target should be terrified at your dashing good looks.
  8. Take the loot and run. Be certain you are headed towards a police officer or, if that is not possible, a crowd that looks annoyed at what you just did.

They had this process almost perfected. Too bad messed up on step #3. I admit, this kid was slick in his move: Dig something out of a pocket and toss it to someone 20 feet away.

I almost feel sorry for those two. Mugging someone and they can’t even get a rise of adrenaline nor any loot for their trouble. I hope I didn’t crack his head against that wall as hard as I think I did. My only regret is that my brain did not catch on to the reality of the situation fast enough to prevent those last two steps. Too many years in friendly fights where we carefully empty our pockets….

The people here in Colombia really are amazingly friendly, even in a “bad neighborhood” (which is remarkably close to the tourist zone). The crowd that helped out was outraged at what was done and very friendly. After all, we tourists probably provide the majority of money spent in this particular city! Can’t have one of them spreading tales of woe!

Ahh, the never ending joy of travel!

]]> http://othalan.net/2012/02/12/when-good-ideas-go-bad/feed/ 4 11.2469349 -74.2125168 Life On The Road: Free Again! http://othalan.net/2012/02/12/life-on-the-road-free-again/ http://othalan.net/2012/02/12/life-on-the-road-free-again/#comments Sun, 12 Feb 2012 15:36:48 +0000 othalan http://othalan.net/?p=798 After a month of ever increasing pressure to reach the Stahlratte on 30 January 2012, I finally get to travel again as I prefer: No deadlines, no schedules. A continent to explore and weather is my only limitation. It is amazing how relaxing and invigorating it is to be free again!

Of course, I say . . . → Read More: Life On The Road: Free Again!]]> After a month of ever increasing pressure to reach the Stahlratte on 30 January 2012, I finally get to travel again as I prefer: No deadlines, no schedules. A continent to explore and weather is my only limitation. It is amazing how relaxing and invigorating it is to be free again!

Of course, I say I feel free “again”, but it would be more accurate to say I finally feel free for the first time on the entire trip. If my entrance to Mexico felt like the time the trip truly began, leaving North America feels like the point of no return. I cannot just turn north and ride home. I know intellectually that it would take no longer to fly home from Colombia than from Panama, that I am have traveled only a few hundred kilometers from Panama City. Yet I feel a separation that never existed before.

This sense of separation has again changed my mindset on how I travel. In North America I was driven to keep moving towards Panama (if sometimes indirectly as I rode north to the Arctic Circle). No matter how relaxed I was, backtracking or riding in circles annoyed me. Now as I consider possible routes through Colombia, the possibility of revisiting roads and cities sounds appealing. I spent a week in Cartagena before I got the itch to move on one morning but I would not mind returning. I am skipping Venezuela for now because I must get a new tire in Medellin and my new luggage in Cali, but after that is done I may retrace my route to ride through Venezuela before I continue south to Ecuador.

Yet again, I find myself settling ever deeper into the life of the nomad. I already noted that “home” is no longer a place to go back to, but I did not realize I was still being limited by the notion that I must keep moving south. I find myself now wondering, what other limitations I have I placed on myself?

]]> http://othalan.net/2012/02/12/life-on-the-road-free-again/feed/ 5 11.2469349 -74.2125168 Pre-Carnival Fiesta? http://othalan.net/2012/02/11/pre-carnival-fiesta/ http://othalan.net/2012/02/11/pre-carnival-fiesta/#comments Sun, 12 Feb 2012 06:00:08 +0000 othalan http://othalan.net/?p=800 NOTE: I am conducting an experiment with photographs. Instead of my normal processing, I am using a JPEG image created by the camera. Most images will probably look about the same (or slightly worse), but night pictures should look much brighter. Let me know what you think, or if you notice any obvious problems. If . . . → Read More: Pre-Carnival Fiesta?]]> NOTE: I am conducting an experiment with photographs. Instead of my normal processing, I am using a JPEG image created by the camera. Most images will probably look about the same (or slightly worse), but night pictures should look much brighter. Let me know what you think, or if you notice any obvious problems. If everything looks good in this post and in those for the near future, this will probably become permanent.

After a week in Cartagena it was time to move on. I still found the city interesting, but it has been close to two weeks since I was on the road last. I need to ride. So I decide to move on to Santa Marta, north-east along the Caribbean coast.

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The view from my 4th-floor hostel room

I arrive late Saturday afternoon and immediately head out looking for a new tire. I don’t hold much hope of success, but I need to try. Turns out I have no hope at all today, there is a big parade and the town is feeling far too festive for anything as boring as selling motorcycle tires.

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As best I can tell this is a pre-carnival festival. Costumes, dancers, salsa music, and white foam being sprayed everywhere.

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That evening I head out to the beach with some other travelers from the hostel. The heat of the day has been replaced by a refreshing cool breeze coming in off the coast. We spend the evening drinking and playing music (One woman is a German singer/songwriter living in Argentina teaching kids, currently traveling around Colombia with her guitar). I get enough money thrown in the hat to pay off most of the beer. Yay, free beer!

]]> http://othalan.net/2012/02/11/pre-carnival-fiesta/feed/ 2 11.2469349 -74.2125168 North America in Numbers http://othalan.net/2012/02/10/north-america-in-numbers/ http://othalan.net/2012/02/10/north-america-in-numbers/#comments Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:09:09 +0000 othalan http://othalan.net/?p=797 Before I left on this trip I had no clue how expensive it would be to travel. I had some vague ideas and hopes which I had a lot of faith in, but they were called “impossible” by most people I talked to. For those wondering how my planning matched reality, this post is for . . . → Read More: North America in Numbers]]> Before I left on this trip I had no clue how expensive it would be to travel. I had some vague ideas and hopes which I had a lot of faith in, but they were called “impossible” by most people I talked to. For those wondering how my planning matched reality, this post is for you. Yet beware if you are planning your own trip: These numbers are relevant only to me, you may spend far more or far less than what I did!

All numbers quoted below are averages. All daily expenses averages include everything, including motorcycle maintenance, motorcycle shipping, buying personal stuff irrelevant to the trip, and big repairs (new luggage).

The Original Plan
Miles Traveled Per Day: 100
Cost Per Day (USA/Canada, Everything Included): $50 – $80
Cost Per Day (Mexico/Central America, Everything Included): $40 – $60

14 June 2011 – 29 October 2011: USA and Canada
Miles Traveled Per Day: 143
This Segment Cost Per Day (Only daily expense + maintenance): $40.20
Cumulative Cost Per Day (Only daily expense + maintenance): $40.20
Cumulative Cost Per Day (Including big one-time expenses): $43.12
Notes:

  • Big expenses include: motorcycle modifications made in September based on experience so far
  • Most nights were spent camping in RV-Park type campgrounds (both private and government owned) at a cost of $15 – $40 per night.

30 October 2011 – 11 December 2011: Mexico to Oaxaca
Miles Traveled Per Day: 93
This Segment Cost Per Day (Only daily expense + maintenance): $26.95
Cumulative Cost Per Day (Only daily expense + maintenance): $37.04
Cumulative Cost Per Day (Including big one-time expenses): $40.84
Notes:

  • Big expenses include: Language Lessons.
  • Most nights were spent at hostels, but a tent was used at the hostel when permitted.

12 December 2011 – 2 February 2012: Mexico from Oaxaca through Central America
Miles Traveled Per Day: 148
This Segment Cost Per Day (Only daily expense + maintenance): $34.68
Cumulative Cost Per Day (Only daily expense + maintenance): $36.50
Cumulative Cost Per Day (Including big one-time expenses): $46.82
Notes:

  • Big expenses include: New motorcycle luggage, Stahlratte transit, and personal items purchased from the USA.
  • Most nights were spent at hostels, but a tent was used at the hostel when permitted.
  • Separated from the rest of Mexico because this is when I realized I was running out of time to reach the Stahlratte and started traveling a lot faster.
I have never felt constrained by money. I am careful of the amount I spend, but I have never felt like I am suffering for it. I feel I could easily decrease my cost of living by a significant amount if I needed to travel cheaper. It is always possible to spend more money, but I never felt the need to do so to be comfortable.

Those who have been following my blog may remember I worked for two weeks in October. That time and income has been accounted for in the above numbers and removed from the calculation. I also had some income in early February from my income tax refund, which again was accounted for and removed from the calculation.

An interesting point of all the above is how the cost of travel relates to speed of travel. The numbers above are only partially related to the cost of living in each country. A portion of the difference is simply from the extra expense of traveling faster. More miles on the motorcycle each day means more money spent on gas. Long days on the motorcycle leave less time to look around at food and lodging choices, again leading to more money.

]]> http://othalan.net/2012/02/10/north-america-in-numbers/feed/ 1 10.4233685 -75.5447464 Stahlratte Voyage in Video http://othalan.net/2012/02/09/stahlratte-voyage-in-video/ http://othalan.net/2012/02/09/stahlratte-voyage-in-video/#comments Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:41:44 +0000 othalan http://othalan.net/?p=796 Here is a video summary of the Stahlratte voyage made by Anders, traveling on a KTM, which shows a lot of detail about the Stahlratte and how motorcycles are handled.

Click here to view the embedded video.

]]> Here is a video summary of the Stahlratte voyage made by Anders, traveling on a KTM, which shows a lot of detail about the Stahlratte and how motorcycles are handled.

Click here to view the embedded video.

]]> http://othalan.net/2012/02/09/stahlratte-voyage-in-video/feed/ 0 10.4233685 -75.5447464 Things I Take For Granted http://othalan.net/2012/02/08/things-i-take-for-granted/ http://othalan.net/2012/02/08/things-i-take-for-granted/#comments Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:14:05 +0000 othalan http://othalan.net/?p=794 Cartagena is an interesting city. Lots to see, many friendly people. If only it were not so incredibly hot!

As I walk around the city, it strikes me how many sights seem normal that I once would have found strange, exotic, or inexplicable:

A fort that once protected the city from invasion….

Riding motorcycles into . . . → Read More: Things I Take For Granted]]> Cartagena is an interesting city. Lots to see, many friendly people. If only it were not so incredibly hot!

As I walk around the city, it strikes me how many sights seem normal that I once would have found strange, exotic, or inexplicable:

A fort that once protected the city from invasion….

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Riding motorcycles into hostels for the night….

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Narrow crowded streets filled with more pedestrians than cars…

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Kittens at the hostels… (where one can go, the other can too!)

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Working on motorcycles inside hostels… (and teaching kittens how to change oil!)

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Horses wandering around town, both for tourist rides and for use in every day life…

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Street vendors selling food and drinks…

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Small corner stores selling snacks and a few basic necessities. There is one on almost every corner…

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All these sights, and many more, have become an expected part of every day life. Stores are very small and anything can be found within walking distance, though tracking it down might be difficult at times. Food is plentiful and delicious. People are friendly, helpful and patient, even when I don’t understand them. Everyone has freedom to live how they want, limited only by ingenuity and money instead of by laws and regulations. Will I miss all this when I return to the USA? Or will it be a relief to return to “civilization”? Will it be easier or harder to adjust to a first-world country when I reach Europe?

]]> http://othalan.net/2012/02/08/things-i-take-for-granted/feed/ 2 10.4233685 -75.5447464 Castillo San Felipe de Barajas http://othalan.net/2012/02/05/castillo-san-felipe-de-barajas/ http://othalan.net/2012/02/05/castillo-san-felipe-de-barajas/#comments Sun, 05 Feb 2012 21:00:39 +0000 othalan http://othalan.net/?p=795 Construction on Castillo San Felipe de Barajas began in 1536 to protect the port city of Cartagena from attacks by land or sea. This is a fortress designed purely for defense, not as a place to live. The tunnels are narrow, short, and filled with alcoves to hold supplies, but there are no rooms inside.

. . . → Read More: Castillo San Felipe de Barajas]]> Construction on Castillo San Felipe de Barajas began in 1536 to protect the port city of Cartagena from attacks by land or sea. This is a fortress designed purely for defense, not as a place to live. The tunnels are narrow, short, and filled with alcoves to hold supplies, but there are no rooms inside.

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Wandering through the small dark tunnels was the most interesting part. I could imagine myself an adventurer from one of the role playing games I’ve played for so many years. It would be easy to miss a small tunnel than appears from across the room to be nothing more than another alcove. Having missed one of those side passages it would be easy to miss out on entire levels of the fortress (dungeon), or get hopelessly lost trying to find the exit. And these passages are well lit for the tourists with portions blocked off to make it more difficult to get lost. One can only imagine the difficulties those adventurers would face in a real dungeon!

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