tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4571400435630511132024-03-08T03:33:57.111-08:00Estoy vagando (I am wandering)1st Leg (Completed): Driving 12,000 miles from Napa Valley, CA to Panama City, Panama; 2nd Leg (In the works): Cycling from Bogota, Colombia to Ushuaia, ArgentinaBliss Wine Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13928053925533260887noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457140043563051113.post-1706940754977364092016-12-08T20:30:00.001-08:002017-12-23T14:13:32.599-08:00Cycling through the Dominican Republic and HaitiUPDATE 12/23/17: I successfully cycled across the Dominican Republic and into Haiti earlier this year and it was quite an adventure. I'm creating DR & Haiti country pages to share my experiences for each and will link them here when I'm finished.<br />
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I've decided to switch it up this winter, getting out of the Andes of Colombia and Ecuador, and take my cycling to the Caribbean. After looking at a map, I decided on the island of Hispaniola, also known as the Dominican Republic and Haiti. I love the beach, sunshine, Caribbean food and can still practice my Spanish. It's also an inexpensive flight from California.<br />
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So I have arrived in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic with my mountain bike and plan on cycling west to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, roughly 300 miles (500km) on Google maps. I cannot find much information about cycling in either DR or Haiti so hope to provide some useful info. I have seen just a few local bikes here and there seems to be no visible road cycling culture like I've experienced in Colombia and Ecuador. That being said, there is still a good bike shop, Bike Zone, in Punta Cana because mountain biking seems to be pretty popular:<br />
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<br />Bliss Wine Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13928053925533260887noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457140043563051113.post-90419058573490525502015-12-11T14:13:00.001-08:002015-12-11T14:16:21.482-08:00Back on the saddle<i>It's 3:30pm and I write this from the rooftop of the hostel, Plantas y Blanco, in Baños, Ecuador. There's a nice breeze coming through and the sound of a waterfall can be heard in the background.</i><br />
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On Dec. 3rd I flew back down to Quito to continue my cycling journey through the Andes Mountains of Ecuador. My bike which I, unfortunately, went sailing down on into a cement drainage ditch back in January 2015, was waiting for me in Tumbaco. Tumbaco is the home of a very welcoming and friendly cyclist house run by Santiago Lara & his family, who have been hosting cyclists from all over the world for the past 25 years.<br />
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Here's Santiago in the middle, Javi from Spain on the left & me on the right, with my newly fixed bike.<br />
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From the crash, the bike needed a new front suspension and rim. I also added a front rack I brought down with me from California, allowing me to put some weight on the front and have 4 cat litter panniers.<br />
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The first day getting back to tour riding has always been frustrating. I was cycling regularly in California before I left, but, here I'm carrying full weight, am starting at about 7,000 ft above sea level, and am a country where I don't know the roads and they're not big on road signs here.<br />
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The first night I slept at the fire station in Amaguana, about 25 miles from where I started. I know this sounds strange, but in the underworld of tour cycling it is known you can stop at any fire station and they will, 99% of the time, let you sleep there for the night. I think it goes back to the Che Guevara days when he took his legendary motorcycle trip through South America and stayed at some fire stations. I have also slept at police stations, churches, truck parking lots, floors of restaurants & anywhere I can put my tent up. <br />
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Anyways, the firefighters in Amaguana had a meeting room upstarts they let me have for the night, so I slept on floor and had a bathroom and cold shower right down the hall.<br />
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Honestly, when cycling I'm happy to sleep anywhere with a roof over my head and an available bathroom. A shower is a bonus.<br />
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I actually slept pretty well and headed out early the next day for a long ride to Latacunga, approx. 70 km (45 miles) south.<br />
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<br />Bliss Wine Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13928053925533260887noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457140043563051113.post-56560410886372676002015-08-03T20:04:00.004-07:002015-11-10T13:40:04.991-08:00Unexpected Occurrence in Ecuador<i>I write this overdue entry from my place in Napa Valley, CA where it's sunny and the grape harvest has started early with all the warm weather.</i><br />
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This was my 4th consecutive year heading down to Latin America for a winter adventure. My first time traveling south was in Dec 2010 - Feb 2011 backpacking in Chile & Argentina. I spent 5 weeks of it volunteering (WWOLF) on an organic farm in El Hoyo, a small Argentinian town in the northern Patagonia region. It was an incredible experience and what got me hooked on Latin America. Here is a photo from Feb 2011 - As a former baker, I was in charge of baking all the bread for the farm so was about to load some challa & whole weat loaves into the homemade, wood-fired oven with fellow volunteer, Justin.<br />
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Back to Ecuador. After riding 1200 miles through Colombia & Ecuador last winter (Jan - March 2014), I had a better sense of what I would be going through. I definitely felt more confident but was also about 20 lbs heavier from when I left Ecuador the year before. Let's just say living in Napa Valley, California can be gluttonous, haha. I was eager to get a new bike, having some clue now as to what I prefer, and start cycling south. I flew from San Francisco, CA to Quito, then spent 5 days there acting as a tourist. (My "Ecuador" page is in the works, including my experiences cycling from the Colombian border to Quito Feb-March 2014 & Feb 2015 in Quito)<br />
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From Quito I took a taxi to Tumbaco, a city of 50,000 about 15 km/10 miles away. Tumbaco is the home of an incredibly warm family, the Laras. Santiago Lara, seen below building my bike, is a long-time, avid cyclist & began hosting cyclists with his wife, Ana Lucia, in a house in Quito 35 years ago.<br />
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They now live with their 2 daughters, Ana Carolina & Micaela, plus other relatives in Tumbaco and always have friends and family stopping in.....plus however many cyclists are camping there, Santiago also runs his bicycle business off the property, fixing & building bikes for customers. <br />
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La familia de ciclistas (Ana Lucia, Ana Carolina, Santiago & Micaela):<br />
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I was getting extremely eager to get moving, being surrounded by other cyclists, talking about their adventures and working on their bikes. Below shows the garage and outside camping space for any cyclists passing through:<br />
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The big day finally came and I was ecstatic. All packed up andready to head off on day 1. (Left to right: Franco from Buenos Aires; myself; Santiago & Mattias from Bogota)<br />
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I would be riding for approx 2 months, making my way into northern Peru. I did not have a final town or city in mind as I don't like to make any real plans, just kind of go where locals recommend.<br />
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My first bike, the Specialized 01 Work Hybrid is back in California and I use it regularly. Here is my new (and improved) bike, built by Santiago. It's an Ice Biker mountain bike with 27.5" wheels, front suspension & 27 gears (all Shimano components). <br />
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I left around 1pm the first day so got a late start and the brunt of the sun. By dusk it was starting to sprinkle and I was ready to be done, though I only rode about 45 km that day, ending with an hour climb up a mountain. I found an hourly hotel which only charged $11 for the night and unloaded my gear. The issue with ending a day on top of a mountain is that it's colder and you get chilly plummeting down the next morning. When it's getting dark you don't have any choice. As such, I had the pleasure of taking an ice cold shower that night before eating a dinner of fruit, granola, tamales & crackers. <br />
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The next morning I was sore, but feeling great mentally. I was back on the road with no obligations and the freedom to roam as I please. I found a little restaurant serving breakfast right before getting on the Pan-American Highway and had a scrumptious meal of eggs, bread, coffee & fresh strawberry juice. I walked out content and ready to start covering some miles. <br />
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I turned onto the Pan-American, staying in the 3 foot shoulder on the side. The road starting going down hill and I started picking up the pace. I was listening to Jack White on my mp3 player. I glanced down at my speedometer - 20mph - I was moving! Then my mp3 player unclipped from my jersey and fell down, ripping my headphones out. I looked down and swiped so they wouldn't get caught up in the chain or my spokes but had no luck, When I looked back up, it was too late. I was riding directly into a 3 foot drop cement drainage ditch that runs right next to the shoulder of the road. I slammed the breaks but still dropped down in the ditch and sailed over my handlebars, skidding along the cement. It all happened very quickly and I remember ending up on my back, looking up at cars passing above on the highway. I started yelling "Ayudame" or "Help me" in Spanish and within a minute there was a police officer. I had managed to crash directly in front of the entrance to a police academy. That was fortunate.<br />
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At first I didn't know if I had broken anything or could even get up. I was still wearing my helmet, which saved me from some serious head damage. I managed to get up and could walk with no problem. The police were helping get all my stuff (my homemade panniers hadn't moved an inch!) and asking me about the accident. They called for an ambulance and got me into their main office. Since I was traveling solo I didn't have anyone to capture my time with the police, in the ambulance and in the free clinic where I got stitches in my cheek, chin & wrist. The nurses were friendly and allowed me to skip the line, and one police officer, also named Santiago, stayed with me while I was getting stitches.<br />
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You might be wondering what something like this costs a tourist.....nothing. It's free, even for tourists. Thank you, Ecuador.<br />
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After the stitches, Santiago drove me back to the police station and got 2 other officers in a truck to drive me to the next town of Machachi and find a hotel to recover in. I found a cheap hotel and they carried my bike and everything up the stairs into my room. Thank you, friendly Ecuadorian police. Now I was able to look in the mirror and view the damage:<br />
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My right wrist had been cut deep and I could barely carry anything in that hand:<br />
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My helmet:<br />
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Jersey (there is also a 12" long hole on the back where I slid):<br />
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and finally, the brand new bike with a slightly bent frame and wheel:<br />
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All said and done, I feel fortunate to have walked away with wounds that can be healed. I stayed in the hotel for 3 days before taking a taxi back to the casa de ciclistas in Tumbaco. Santiago and his family were so welcoming and comforting, working as a team to make sure I was ok. Santiago inspected my bike, his wife, Ana Lucia, served me pancakes and his brother went to the farmacy to get me more medicine and things to cure me faster. Talk about hospitable people. I've barely spent 2 weeks with them and I am like close family. Thank you so much, Laras. The Sunday I returned to their house happened to be the day before a family friend & fellow cyclist, Henrik from Denmark, was finally flying back home after 4 years of traveling....and it was Superbowl Sunday. The family grilled burgers and we drank some beers. Here is my family away from home:<br />
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The day after that picture, I flew home to California, unexpectedly losing a close friend. It's now been 6 months since the accident and I look back at it as a learning experience. Other cyclists have told me their bad stories of crashes and broken bones and it happens to the best of them. Santiago has broken all sorts of bones over 40 years of cycling. I still cycle regularly back here in Napa, California but am more cautious overall. The crashed bike is still with Santiago in Tumbaco, Ecuador waiting for me to return this December 2015. Santiago is going to fix it before I return and I will set off south once again towards Peru with plans of cycling 2 to 2 1/2 months.Bliss Wine Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13928053925533260887noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457140043563051113.post-30409316188111472292015-01-13T00:14:00.003-08:002015-01-13T00:19:37.317-08:00Homemade Soda Can Camp StoveAfter cycling for 2 1/2 months through Colombia & Ecuador last year, I picked up some great tips. I met cyclists with top of line, expensive gear, like Ortlieb bags, but also met those who had the bare minimum. Those bare bone cyclists taught me to make some key things from scratch with inexpensive materials to save a bundle of money.<br />
<br />
I will share how I made panniers, a handlebar bag & a camp stove for a fraction of the price of what you would pay to buy your own. These will be three separate posts on my blog.<br />
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Third, homemade camp stove:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOZl7nAn-FQEnvrPGHB5HeugwV0Gg6q1IrwhtHoWZKOECl62cflsNyVkqMwvHePisHUjTDt49kq9lqH3_IK1i4JiefdYktY1ayDVeIRfM70UDodtGX2G0u3PjULiAFoXL92CFTu4Pm_1w/s1600/IMG_2041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOZl7nAn-FQEnvrPGHB5HeugwV0Gg6q1IrwhtHoWZKOECl62cflsNyVkqMwvHePisHUjTDt49kq9lqH3_IK1i4JiefdYktY1ayDVeIRfM70UDodtGX2G0u3PjULiAFoXL92CFTu4Pm_1w/s1600/IMG_2041.JPG" height="400" width="346" /></a></div>
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I met a number of backpackers & cyclists who had bought camp stoves for $100+ and had endless problems with them or they just stopped working completely. I then met a cyclist, Leah Manning (https://cyclesouthchica.wordpress.com/) who had a Coke can stove and used rubbing alcohol for fuel.<br />
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There are a million videos and pictures online if you search "coke can stove", "beer can stove" or "soda can stove". You will see all sorts of variations.<br />
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I saw one video with a guy that put a tin can (with the top & bottom removed) over the Coke can to function as both a wind guard & a means to rest your pot or cup.<br />
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Here is everything I carry for my stove:<br />
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1. 70% Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol - this pic shows the 16 oz bottle but I decided to get the larger 32 oz bottle instead<br />
2. Tin Can - used a large tomato sauce can (4" diameter x 4 5/8" tall) - read below what I did to it<br />
3. Soda can - cut the bottom 1 1/2" off to make a small bowl/dish<br />
4. (2) 8" pieces of metal clothes hanger<br />
5. 16 oz Olicamp Space Saver Cup (on Amazon right now for $8.90 shipped) - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001ODH4O2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1<br />
6. Brown Paper Bag - this stuff gets sooty after one use so you don't want to get that on the everything else in the panniers<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibdQK2cntXL7X-sBP0WqWHoVvq_NbMZKgXjlnZkOMLJYD2XnE8b6afAOu9AKwOTJ6m6BPGDR9ieWPu8AXyLhYylWdS5Qg2cvOrNSp50-rZ3ssIrm6ko2QQLsHxU52tG-aPFUu6MAORe_8/s1600/IMG_2037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibdQK2cntXL7X-sBP0WqWHoVvq_NbMZKgXjlnZkOMLJYD2XnE8b6afAOu9AKwOTJ6m6BPGDR9ieWPu8AXyLhYylWdS5Qg2cvOrNSp50-rZ3ssIrm6ko2QQLsHxU52tG-aPFUu6MAORe_8/s1600/IMG_2037.JPG" height="554" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>The Tin Can!</b><br />
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This was the missing component from when I used the soda can stove last year. It's so key, both blocking the wind and acting as the means to rest your pot or cup.<br />
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1. Open the can, eat the contents & wash it out. Then fill it with water and freeze it solid. Freezing it will allow you to punch holes in the can without bending it<br />
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2. Use a hammer & Phillips head screwdriver to knock holes around the bottom for air flow. Also punch out 2 slightly larger holes on each side up top for the metal clothes hanger pieces to slide into:<br />
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3. Unfreeze the can with hot water in the sink<br />
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4, Cut the bottom lid off so you're left with a cylinder (using the same can opener you used to open it). Save that lid! It can act as the lid on your 16 oz Space Saver cup to make water boil faster.<br />
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5. Get a bottle opener and make 4 cuts evenly spaced at the bottom of the can for air flow<br />
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6. Your can is ready to go. You want to do a few test runs to burn the inside. There's a thin plastic film that burns off, lets off black smoke and smells. My apologies to the environment.<br />
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Now you fill the bottom soda can dish with rubbing alcohol and light with a ligher. It can take like 10 seconds of holding the flame to the alcohol to get it to light. Let it burn a moment then place the tin can over it with the air holes at the bottom. Slide the metal hangers through the holes at top.<br />
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Fill the cup with 16 oz of water and place on the metal hangers Put the lid from the tin can on the cup so the water will boil faster. I timed it and slightly cool water was at a rolling boil after 8 minutes with the cup on the flame.<br />
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Pretty damn good for about 10 cents worth of fuel, a tin can & Coke can my roommate put in the recycling, a metal hanger from my closet and a $9 cup. This thing cannot break and can easily be replaced. If I end up cooking more, I'll pick up a pot that can sit on top of the tin can. Right now, 16 oz is sufficient for me traveling solo. I mainly boil water for coffee, tea & oatmeal. I also carry a thermos to keep it warm through the night.</div>
Bliss Wine Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13928053925533260887noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457140043563051113.post-47207376718218036902015-01-12T22:44:00.001-08:002015-01-13T00:19:29.787-08:00Homemade Waterproof Handlebar BagAfter cycling for 2 1/2 months through Colombia & Ecuador last year, I picked up some great tips. I met cyclists with top of line, expensive gear, like Ortlieb bags, but also met those who had the bare minimum. Those bare bone cyclists taught me to make some key things from scratch with inexpensive materials to save a bundle of money.<br />
<br />
I will share how I made panniers, a handlebar bag & a camp stove for a fraction of the price of what you would pay to buy your own. These will be three separate posts on my blog.<br />
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Second, handlebar bag. <br />
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I never actually saw any cyclists with homemade handlebar bags but thought to do it after making the kitty litter tub panniers. I walked through various aisles at the grocery store & Target thinking of what to use. I first thought of using a smaller, laundry detergent plastic tub, then looked at the tupperware options, then hard coolers...then saw this soft lunch cooler (seen below)<br />
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This handlebar bag doesn't require any tools, just attaching stuff you buy. Here's what I used (with costs):<br />
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(1) Soft Lunch Cooler (measures 10" wide x 7.5" deep x 6" tall) @ Target for $8.99 + tax = $9.71<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0orw-n6kE7SXHgQF7IrRign8j-r4274WeBZ4PLI2wWE8wvkD3_9iI3VjnaZ4MRuKoeRNuf9tmCE6RsvLHjWGxhOqra7ckUiBjCQwNRdKieC9aDI3OQAfiDemVtJ5yGfMsxNDXWIApIm0/s1600/IMG_2034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0orw-n6kE7SXHgQF7IrRign8j-r4274WeBZ4PLI2wWE8wvkD3_9iI3VjnaZ4MRuKoeRNuf9tmCE6RsvLHjWGxhOqra7ckUiBjCQwNRdKieC9aDI3OQAfiDemVtJ5yGfMsxNDXWIApIm0/s1600/IMG_2034.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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(2) Coleman Carabiners @ Target for $2.99 + tax = $3.23. These are small, only 2 5/8" long x 1 3/8" at their widest point<br />
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(3) 2 strips of velcro - mine are 10" long each but they can be shorter. I cut mine off my old, crappy handlebar bag so they were "free". You can buy velcro at Home Depot, Target & many other stores<br />
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There are two small loops on the back of the cooler so the carabiners can attach:<br />
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Total cost of this handlebar bag is $9.71 + 3,73 + 0.00 = <b>$13.44</b></div>
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Cost of Ortlieb handlebar bag on Amazon right now = starting at <b>$101.98</b></div>
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This handebar bag is waterproof (I soaked it in the shower), easy to put on/off and inexpensive.</div>
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<br />Bliss Wine Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13928053925533260887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457140043563051113.post-9540584998382843692015-01-12T22:18:00.002-08:002015-01-13T00:19:22.352-08:00Homemade Kitty Litter Tub PanniersAfter cycling for 2 1/2 months through Colombia & Ecuador last year, I picked up some great tips. I met cyclists with top of line, expensive gear, like Ortlieb bags, but also met those who had the bare minimum. Those bare bone cyclists taught me to make some key things from scratch with inexpensive materials to save a bundle of money.<br />
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I will share how I made panniers, a handlebar bag & a camp stove for a fraction of the price of what you would pay to buy your own. These will be three separate posts on my blog.<br />
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First, homemade panniers. <br />
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When I was staying in a casa de ciclistas in San Antonio Prado, Medellin, Colombia with Manuel & Martha, there was a photo book of cyclists with their bikes & gear. I saw some that had kitty litter tubs as panniers and was like, "No way!" So, having come back to the California to work for a bit, I decided to make some for myself.<br />
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<b>Here's what I used to make and attach them to my bike (with all costs):</b><br />
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(2) Purina Tidy Cat 35 lb. Kitty Litter Tubs - $12.90 each + tax @ Walmart = $27.86 total. <br />
(I first asked friends, the animal shelter & Petco to get them for free, but had no luck. Fortunately, my roommate has a cat so the 70 lbs of litter will be used. I saw the tubs @ Target later for $11.99 each, with a $5 gift card when you bought two). <br />
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(4) Tarp/rope hooks @ $1.19 each = $4.76 + 0.38 tax = $5.14 total (They did not have the right size @ Home Depot so I had to go to a local hardware store in town. They are small - just 2" tall)<br />
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(8) Each of nuts, screws & washers #8-32 x 1/2. $3.56 + 0.28 = $3.84 total<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5DhinNi_5cr6VBoamAbFHDp4WcpufVlSbXR_m9bpm5cgTjAigXQZoKyfZYV7cEO1w5WjJGZGmtID5o0NpjOLCF5m4hX2o7298_sfFdHxJBc4SMzAfh4AOlxwtJU67dr1-Sg5uuzDjtmo/s1600/IMG_1602.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5DhinNi_5cr6VBoamAbFHDp4WcpufVlSbXR_m9bpm5cgTjAigXQZoKyfZYV7cEO1w5WjJGZGmtID5o0NpjOLCF5m4hX2o7298_sfFdHxJBc4SMzAfh4AOlxwtJU67dr1-Sg5uuzDjtmo/s1600/IMG_1602.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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(2) Quick release straps 1" x 45" (made by Liberty Mountain) @ $3.50 each on Amazon = $7.00 total:<br />
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http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001H3V6X4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1<br />
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Cost of everything for homemade panniers: $27.86 + 5.14 + 3.84 + 7.00 = <b>$43.84 total for (2)</b><br />
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Cost of Ortlieb Back Panniers: They are on Amazon now @ $199.65 = <b>$399.30 total for (2)</b><br />
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These homemade panniers are inexpensive, waterproof, durable, dog proof (I met cyclists whose Ortlieb panniers had been bitten through by dogs), less likely to be stolen and double as a seat when you're camping at night. It's a win-win.<br />
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<b>Now the process of making your own kitty litter tub panniers:</b><br />
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1) Cut a small piece out of the 2nd lip from the top of the bucket so the rope hook will sit flush against the side. Mark the 2 holes of each hook with a pen so you know where to drill.<br />
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2) Drill small holes (you see I am going to put the hooks about 1 1/2" - 2" in from the outer edge of the tub)<br />
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3) Attach hooks with screws, bolts & washers:</div>
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Here's what it looks like inside:</div>
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Once done, the hooks actually almost snap onto the rack because of their size. I actually had to apply some pressure to push the hooks down onto the rack, which makes them fit very snug:</div>
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For extra stability and so they don't bounce around I added a quick release strap on each one, which goes through the inside of the rack:</div>
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Outside view:</div>
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I plan on putting reflective tape on the 3 visible sides of each bucket. You can also cover them with bumper stickers or paint them with Krylon Fusion Spray Paint, like one post I found below:</div>
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http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=Sh&page_id=76773&v=Gh</div>
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Low rider bike with painted kitty litter tub homemade panniers:</div>
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Bliss Wine Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13928053925533260887noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457140043563051113.post-89504742387522380972014-03-04T16:16:00.000-08:002015-01-11T21:47:23.553-08:00El Trampolin de la Muerte!For anyone cycling through southern Colombia, I just wanted to give my experience traversing the legendary "El Trampolin de la Muerte" (The Trampoline of Death). This is the 77km (48 mile) unpaved road from Mocoa to San Francisco (Sibundoy Valley). It is considered one of the most dangerous roads in Colombia, with over 500 deaths from drivers going over the edge. <br />
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If you look at Google Maps, like I did beforehand, you will see 2 roads going from Mocoa to San Francisco. One has an insane amount of curves, which is El Trampolin, and the other is named SR10, which must be in the works because it does not exist (when I was finally coming down the mountain into San Francisco I did see construction of what appeared to be another road coming out of the mountains, which may be this SR10 in the future). I asked the locals too and there is only one road you can take, El Trampolin.<br />
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Leaving Mocoa, you have roughly 10km of paved road until just after you cross Rio Pepino. When you cross the bridge over the river, you take a right (there were police there at the intersection):<br />
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Maybe 75 meters after that right turn, the road turns to gravel and you begin El Trampolin de la Muerte...get ready to climb! (Mocoa is at about 600 m above sea level and you will get to 2300 m after the mirador)<br />
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From the point where the road changes to gravel, I climbed roughly 22km over about 6 1/2 hours (with stops for photos) before I reached the mirador. There are some extraordinary views along the way:<br />
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And you will cross about 5 streams going over the road if your shoes aren't already soaked from the continuous downpour in Mocoa:<br />
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When you see a big cell tower (there is a bathroom here but bring your own tp, of course), you are a just few km from the mirador:<br />
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The police station & another tower when you finally reach the mirador:<br />
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Unfortunately, it was too cloudy to see anything when I reached the mirador. There are a few little restaurants and tiendas to get food or coffee and you can choose to camp here if you ask the locals, I talked to one tienda owner and he said I could go about another hour and ask the owners of a little place called Restaurante Loreni to camp there. <br />
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You have to climb another 30 min (a few km) from the mirador, reaching approx. 2300 m before you start your descent. Here are Jon & partner, the owners of Restaurante Loreni (Google map gps coords are 1.070641, -76.774027) - I ended up putting my air mat & sleeping bag down on the floor of the restaurant. I had dinner (5,000 pesos) & breakfast (4,000 pesos) there.<br />
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And the incredible views at sunset from just below the restaurant. Above the clouds:<br />
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After a not so good night's sleep, I thought I had an easier 2nd day...not true. The 2nd day was much harder for me. This is what happens when you have expectations, the worst thing to have when cycling. I figured, well I climbed over 6 hours to reach the top, there must be a lot of downhill. You do to downhill for a little bit to roughly 1850 m above sea level, then start climbing yet again and actually go higher then the 1st day, up to 2750 m above sea level. So don't get lazy that 2nd day!<br />
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Enough altitude talk, here's some more pics of the road:<br />
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And some really cool moss growing on the side of the cliffs:<br />
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Lastly, when you are finally descending towards San Francisco & Sibundoy Valley and you think you're in the clear, you get one more fast-flowing stream to soak your shoes:<br />
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The beautiful Sibundoy Valley:<br />
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All in all, I would highly recommend cycling this "road of death". It's tough, but the views are unmatchable. At no time during the 2 days did I think I was going to fall off the edge or have any close calls with vehicles. There are a fair amount of cars & trucks driving on this road, but almost all with caution. Enjoy the adventure!Bliss Wine Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13928053925533260887noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457140043563051113.post-10384579553606799202014-02-23T14:16:00.004-08:002014-02-23T17:25:18.495-08:001 month cycling through Colombia I set out from Bogota on January 19th, 2014 on my new bike, having no idea what I was getting into...and excited as hell about it!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyFy3Mc9GoGiQNfo-dR1bFkZ-s0pG6HoyPrKVO634YFJQr_wK4be9nLqaWuP_TrduRSzokcn3d0m_AjE4wkAcJRRgM3F2kg3asj-x015AGHZ-J8TkTNZa9ww69hoZXZNl_-3BJdFmJ8cQ/s1600/IMG_4344.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyFy3Mc9GoGiQNfo-dR1bFkZ-s0pG6HoyPrKVO634YFJQr_wK4be9nLqaWuP_TrduRSzokcn3d0m_AjE4wkAcJRRgM3F2kg3asj-x015AGHZ-J8TkTNZa9ww69hoZXZNl_-3BJdFmJ8cQ/s1600/IMG_4344.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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I first went soaring down the Eastern Andes from Bogota (Santa Fe de Bogota) into the Magdalena River Valley, then north along the valley & up the Central Andes to Medellin; then south around Manizales, through Pereira in the Central Andes and back down into the Magdalena River Valley....to climb back up the mountains again.<br />
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After 1250 km (800 miles) on the road, a highest peak reached of 3,250 m (10,663 ft) and a month full of very interesting & hospitable Colombians, I find myself back in the Central Andes, camping in La Finca Maco in San Agustin (a little southeast of Popayan - see map above). The first day here I woke up to my body aching & head hurting, the first I've felt sick since Guatemala, about a year ago. I man-handled my way up the mountain to get here, and the next day barely had the energy to walk to the bathroom. Crazy how the body works.<br />
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The road into San Agustin (absolutely beautiful):<br />
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<span style="text-align: center;"> I met fellow cyclist, Leah Manning, in la casa de ciclistas in Medellin, whom I rode with from there to Corcora Valley (approx 250k/155 miles. She is a rockstar and has ridden all the way from Los Angeles., California, 9000km! I learned a lot from her over the 4-5 days of riding together - keep on rockin, Leah.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">She brought up a very good question one day. If you're home and a complete stranger (a Colombian guy, for example) comes to your door and asks (in broken English) to camp on your property for the night - what do you say/do? I know a lot of people back in the U.S. who would probably say no. Here in Colombia, they don't even think twice about it. They smile and say, "of course". They then offer you coffee or water or fresh cow's milk or whatever they have. Sometimes they even call their friend in the next town to host you the next night. Unbelievable. If I called my friends back in the U.S. to host a complete stranger for the night, I would most likely get the reply "Who is this person?" Or - "I'm kind of busy - tonight's not really a good night". I still haven't figured out what everyone in the U.S. is "busy" doing. Hahaha.</span><br />
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This hospitality is unparalleled anywhere else I have been in the world. From the 2 1/2 months I have spent in Colombia, I am enamored with the people. It's a culture of wonderful people who are easy-going, laid-back, quick to laugh, social, friendly, hardworking, musical and all-around happy-go-lucky. They want to know how your experience in their country has been and how they can make it better. <br />
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Unfortunately there still remains this worldly misconception that Colombia is dangerous and you will be harmed or kidnapped if you travel here. Sure, there were problems more akin to this in the 80s & 90s during the Pablo Escobar days but they were not targeted at random tourists. <br />
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The Colombia I have experienced is one of the most incredible countries on the planet and should be at the top of everyone's travel list.<br />
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To the people of Colombia: Gracias, gracias, gracias por todo!!!<br />
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From Caro in Bogota whom I stayed with for several weeks to the ladies here at the hostal in San Agustin who prepared me water with lime and baking soda to ease my stomach pain. Thank you everyone.</div>
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I wish I had photos of everyone that has had a positive impact on my traveling here, every person that has let me camp on their property, the hospitable bike mechanics, generous police and everyone that welcomed me with a smile. Here are just some of the Colombians who have made my travels unforgettable.</div>
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Caro in Bogota:<br />
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Lili in Bogota:<br />
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Julio in La Honda:<br />
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Juio's Friend in La Honda:<br />
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Francisco in La Dorada (he's actually Nicaraguan!):<br />
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Manuel & Martha in San Antonio Prado, Medellin:<br />
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Alex & family in San Antonio Prado, Medelln:<br />
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Luis, Edith, Isa, Maria, Sofia in San Antonio Prado, Medellin:<br />
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Dicson in San Antonio Prado, Medellin:<br />
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Jesica in Boquia:<br />
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Julian in Neiva:</div>
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Julian's friends - Cesar, Patty, Fernando & All. BBQ for Patty's birthday!<br />
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Emilio in Tatacoa & El Dorado:<br />
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Esteban & Las Solteras outside of Tatacoa:<br />
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Mauricio & his 2 rugby players in Neiva:<br />
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Who knows what the next month will bring. I should be crossing the border into Ecuador in the about 2 weeks or so. In the meantime, I'll be riding "El Trampolin de la Muerte" in about 4 days, from Mocoa to Sibundoy. It looks fun:<br />
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Bliss Wine Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13928053925533260887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457140043563051113.post-91352331193567165442014-02-09T10:57:00.001-08:002014-02-09T11:00:54.852-08:00US Citizen/American Trying to Enter VenezuelaI'm about 2 1/2 months to late on this, but better late than never. This is my account of trying to enter Venezuela from Colombia at the Maicao border on 11/27/13 by way of bus. <br />
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I had been planning on going to Venezuela for months, but didn't know many people who had been so had little info. When I got to Colombia, I met a few travelers who had come from there and had a fantastic experience with no issues. I had also heard of people getting denied at the border but never actually met anyone first hand who had experienced it...so I was still skeptical. I looked all over the internet and checked the US site for visitors to Venezuela and saw no restrictions.<br />
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As such, I had to see for myself. In preparation, I went to the Western Union office in Santa Marta, Colombia to change pesos to US dollars. At that time the Venezuelan Bolivar (their currency) was suffering extreme inflation and was 60:1 to the US dollar on the black market (versus about 6:1 if you withdrew from an ATM there). I then went to the bus station to buy a ticket from Santa Marta to Maracaibo. The first bus company I spoke to actually had a printed sign that said for all citizens from the US, Canada & England, you need:<br />
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1. Proof of departure - printed copy of bus or plane ticket leaving Venezuela<br />
2a. Documentation of Stay - printed copy of hotel reservations<br />
OR 2b. Notarized Letter from a Venezuelan, explaining the relationship, length/place of stay and contact information of the host.<br />
3. Passport...of course<br />
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The second bus company, Expreso Brasilia, had no such sign and said there were no problems, so I bought a ticket (Cost: 90,000 pesos or ~ $45). There were no other "tourists" on my bus, just Colombians & Venezuelans. We took off and headed for the border. As we got closer to Maicao, I laughed as I saw Colombians on the side of the road selling gasoline from Venezuela in jugs and 1 1/2 liter liquor bottles. <br />
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By the time we arrived at the border it was night time, about 7pm and I was nervous as hell. Everyone got off to get the exit stamp from Colombia and the driver told us that we need to walk to the Venezuelan side for immigration and he would meet us there. When I got to the window for my exit stamp, the official informed me that Venezuela has been denying many travelers at the border without proper paperwork and, if I don't get in, to come back there. All I had was a copy of a hotel reservation for 1 night so crossed my fingers.<br />
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I then walked to the Venezuelan side. Mind you, at this moment, I had $700 cash in my shoe and the electricity was out in Venezuela so it was dark. I was told by several people that this border is not the safest place to be & even met an Italian guy who had money taken from him by the Venzuelan police. I waited my turn in line as the immigration officer handled everything by candlelight. When I got to the window and gave him my passport, he flipped through, then pointed to a similar sign (as the one I saw in the bus station with the requirements listed above) and shook his finger, denying my entry. I gave him the copy of my hotel reservation, then he got up to go get another official. The second official looked at my passport and hotel reservation and also informed me I did not have the entry requirements. <br />
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I went back to my bus and told the bus driver, who then walked with me back to the immigration office to speak with the official. He came out of the office with no luck, saying he could not take me any further and I would have to stay in Colombia. I got my bags off the bus and the driver called some Colombian guy who walked me to a hotel across from the Colombian immigration office. I went back to have my Colombian exit stamp revoked, ate some dinner, drank a beer and watched "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" on TV in my room.<br />
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The next morning I took a moto taxi to Maicao and got a bus back to Santa Marta (for only 30,000 pesos)<br />
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I'm not surprised that I was denied entry into Venezuela but am still bummed because I really wanted to experience it. If you go, just have the proper paperwork and you should be fine. I guess I could have tried bribing the immigration official on the Venezuelan side, but didn't. If you want to be really adventurous, I met a guy from Morocco (while I was in Mica, Colombia) who had snuck into Venezuela because he had lost his passport. He spent a few weeks there and loved it.<br />
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Lastly, if you're wondering where to get Venezuelan Bolivars on the black market, there were money changers literally at the border offering the going rate. I had bought some bolivars from another traveler and exchanged them back into pesos at the going black market rate. You can also exchange US dollars for bolivars at some hostels or just meet some trustworthy locals and exchange with them.Bliss Wine Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13928053925533260887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457140043563051113.post-52604918211532934442014-01-21T18:20:00.001-08:002014-01-30T06:57:53.498-08:003 days into Cycling through Colombia<i>I feel compelled to write a blog entry after 3 days of cycling in Colombia. It's Tuesday, 1/21/14, and I'm writing this from the house of a very generous Colombian men, named Julio, in the town of Honda in the beautiful Magdalena River Valley.</i><br />
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Before taking off from Bogotá to cycle to Argentina, I spent 2 days riding around the city to get my legs warmed up and sort out how my stuff would be attached. It's probably no big surprise that 2 days of training does very little when you're starting 7500 ft (2500 m) abovd sea level and going up/down through the Andes. Needless to say, after 2 days of riding from Bogota, I've gotten pretty good at cursing the mountains as I walk my bike up them.<br />
<br />
Here's a graph of the altitude change. I've learned it fails to portray some 1,000 meter inclines while going down in altitude from Bogota:<br />
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My legs, lower back & butt are quite sore, BUT I've had an absolute blast. I feel like a kid first learning how to ride a bike...with an 8,000 ft. tall mountain in my backyard. The thrill of soaring down these mountains amidst motorcycles, cars & trucks is indescribable. You've just got to try it yourself!<br />
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The first day I rode 90 km from Bogota to Villeta. Why Villeta? Because it was the town I ended up in. That's one cool thing about cycling - you end up in towns you would never think to visit. I would have never attempted 90 km my first day but with the gracious altitude drop of almost 7500 ft, I made it. I was absolutely spent when I finally got a hotel room & took a shower. I laid on the bed for 2 hours just staring at the ceiling thinking, "What in god's name have I gotten myself into? I love it."<br />
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I spent the next day resting in Villeta because I was having trouble walking straight and felt the need for my body to recuperate. The following morning I took off early and thought I was ready to start off with a 1000m uphill ride, fresh at 6:45 in the morning. About 20 mins into this ride, I was on the side of the road debating what to do when a couple from Seattle comes slowly but steadily making their way up the mountain like it's no big deal. I'm thinking, "You're also doing this at this hour...here in Colombia??" <br />
<br />
I managed to go 67 km that day, from Villeta to Honda. For that initial climb, I did throw my bike in the bag of a truck and ride about 12 km up (passing the couple from Seattle who still managed to pass me again about 1 hour after that). I was welcomed very warmly in Honda with the use of <a href="http://www.warmshowers.org./">www.warmshowers.org.</a> This is a site for cyclists to post in forums and find hosts who are offering free accommodation/hospitality. <br />
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This is my first time using the site and I couldn't be happier. My gracious host, Julio, who is also an avid cyclist, gave me a guest bedroom, clean sheets & towel & a delicious dinner of brown rice & beef tongue (it was actually very tasty!). His friend, Carlos, met me in the town square when I arrived, took me to a great local place for lunch & let me into Julio's house before he got home. Talk about hospitality from complete strangers!<br />
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Tomorrow I will be <a href="https://www.couchsurfing.org/" target="_blank">www.couchsurfing.org </a>with a 33 yr old Colombian guy in La Dorada, then staying with another host from warmshowers in Medellin. The world is full of such gracious people. Thank you all.Bliss Wine Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13928053925533260887noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457140043563051113.post-85169164408293944562014-01-08T08:29:00.001-08:002014-01-08T08:33:19.050-08:00Sailing from Panama to ColombiaWhen traveling south from Panama to Colombia, you must choose a method to get past the Darian Gap.<br />
<br />
If you are driving and need to ship your vehicle, you simply need to send an email to Tea Kalmbach @ tea.kalmbach@gmail.com. She is incredibly helpful, friendly & quick to respond. She will also find a shipping partner for you to share a container with. It will cost you around $1200 to share a container with another vehicle.<br />
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Per Wikipedia, "The Darién Gap is a break in the Pan-American Highway consisting of a large swath of undeveloped swampland and forest within Panama's Darién Province in Central America and the northern portion of Colombia's Chocó Department of South America. It measures just over 160 km (99 mi) long and about 50 km (31 mi) wide."<br />
<br />
Though people have successfully crossed through the gap by foot & vehicle, it's not something you just do. If interested, here's a crazy story of 2 Range Rovers making it through this intense jungle in 1972:<br />
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<a href="http://www.range-rover-classic.com/Home/range-rover-darien-gap">http://www.range-rover-classic.com</a><br />
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Us more sane people must choose another method of travel:<br />
<br />
1. Take a flight - unexpectedly expensive, other travelers I met paying in the ballpark of $330-$380 for one-way from Panama City to Cartagena or Bogota.<br />
<br />
2. Take a speed boat or ride in a shipping container - one of the cheaper options I heard, more in the ballpark of $50- $100. If you get dropped off right at the border, you will have to take another boat to make your way past the Darien Gap. I never met anyone who actually did this but have spoken to travelers who tell me it's possible.<br />
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3. Take a speed boat with a stop in the San Blas Islands (4 days; 3 nights total). The company is San Blas Adventures ( http://sanblasadventures.com) and you sleep on the islands in hammocks at night. Please note with this option you are dropped right at the Panama/Colombia border and walk into Colombia. You then say at a hostel the owner of the company runs on the Colombian side that night. Price was $350 but you then have to take another boat and buses to get to Cartagena or the other main cities, which could run another $80-100 in costs plus a few days travel.<br />
<br />
4. Take a ferry - I finally heard of a ferry actually running while I was in Panama City. It's $250/person & takes 24 hours. You can take bicycles, motorcycles & cars on this ferry as well. All the info can be found at www.sanblasferry.com.<br />
<br />
5. Take a chartered sailboat - A more expensive option with most charging $550 for 5 days/4 nights (food included) though a few were $500 or $530. The plus to this option is that you get to spend a few days in the San Blas Islands of Panama and all food/accommodation is included. (You can get it cheaper if you contact the captain of the boat directly! See below!)<br />
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I went with option 5 because I wanted to experience sailing on the open sea and visit the incredible San Blas Islands (Kuna Yala). Now, choosing this option opens brings up another big question - which boat? <br />
<br />
I was given a binder of 30+ sailboats when I asked the owner of my hostel for a recommendation. While hanging in Panama City, I heard stories of boats sinking, some captain getting drunk while sailing, some boats with great food, some with dorm-style beds, others with private rooms. You ask everyone - but which is the BEST??? You can find a few reviews from past travelers, but there is no one stop shop website to make this decision.<br />
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By recommendation of my hostel (Villa Vento Surf Hostel), I ended up emailing a girl named Stef, owner of I Travel By Boat (Estefanía Gamarra, www.itravelbyboat.com<br />
+507 6088-4815) in Panama City, Panama who provided me a calendar of all the boats leaving Panama that month:<br />
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<a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/dnubmwq67mcl378/Calendario_Barcos.docx">Sailboat schedule from October & November 2013</a><br />
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The way it works for Stef as an "agent" is that she gets $50 of the $550 you pay (Some agents take $100 of the $550). PLEASE NOTE YOU CAN SAVE MONEY BY EMAILING THE CAPTAIN DIRECTLY. MY CAPTAIN SAID HE WOULD HAVE DONE IT FOR $450 IF I EMAILED HIM DIRECTLY (SEE BELOW FOR HIS CONTACT INFO) I asked her what boats she recommended leaving in the next few days. Here was her email response:<br />
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"Hey! Swala on the 28th is a great catamaran. French captain Bernard is super experienced and is a really really nice guy. He has endless stories of the many lives he's lived all over the world. He departs from Portobelo and the trip costs $550. He'll take up to 10 guests. It costs $5 to get to Portobelo by bus.<br />
<br />
On the 29th you have Corto sailboat, I also like it a lot because the captain is young (27) and super nice. He has his dog onboard and the ambiance is always cool and chill. His boat is a monohull and he takes 8 guests. He charges $550 and departs from El Porvenir which costs $47 to get to.<br />
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These are my two best recommendations for departures before the 30th!!"<br />
<br />
I went with Swala and had a phenomenal experience. There were only 5 passengers so we each had our own bedroom, which is unheard of on these sailboats since most have 8-15 passengers. You can contact the captain of my boat, Bernard, through his website:<br />
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<a href="http://panamasailingcharter.com/2012-10-12-14-57-11/frontpage/beautiful-design-and-flexbile-features">http://panamasailingcharter.com</a><br />
<br />
Or by searching "SWALA sailing" on Facebook.<br />
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For more information and pictures of the sailing trip, please visit the San Blas sailing on my blog, coming soon...<br />
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<br />Bliss Wine Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13928053925533260887noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457140043563051113.post-13235277112671935222013-11-09T06:24:00.003-08:002013-11-09T06:24:19.178-08:00Car is sold, now traveling by bus in ColombiaNow that I have sold my car in Panama City, Panama, I am on foot here in Colombia and getting used to traveling by bus and moto taxi (1st I've seen of this on my travels). I'm in the small town of Taganga in the northeast of Colombia on the Caribbean coast. I'll be heading to Minca, Parque Tayrona, Playa Costeño & La Guajira before crossing over into Venezuela. <br />
<br />
I have no time frame for Venezuela, but will be traveling there for at least a month before crossing into Brazil and taking a boat down the Amazon back to Leticia, Colombia, which is right on the border of Colombia, Peru & Brazil. From Leticia, I will fly to Bogota and purchase a bicycle to continue the Pan-American down to Argentina.Bliss Wine Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13928053925533260887noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457140043563051113.post-50138731340700161362013-10-25T14:50:00.003-07:002013-10-25T14:50:40.631-07:00Selling a Vehicle with USA Plates in PanamaI've successfully driven all the way from Napa Valley, CA to Panama City, Panama. Though my original plan was to ship my car to Cartagena, Colombia, I decided instead to sell my car in Panama City and buy a bicycle or motorcycle in Colombia. <br />
<br />
It took me 8 days to sell my 1999 Toyota 4Runner in Panama City. I posted it on the following websites:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://panama.es.craigslist.org/">http://panama.es.craigslist.org</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://drivetheamericas.com/forums/vehicles-salewanted">http://drivetheamericas.com/forums/vehicles-salewanted</a><br />
<br />
The third one (below) is very popular in central/south america (the site is in Spanish) and costs $14.98 to list you car for 60 days with 18 photos & a video. All the emails I received from this site were in Spanish so speaking some Spanish is very helpful.<br />
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<a href="http://m.encuentra24.com/panama-en/classifieds">http://m.encuentra24.com/panama-en/classifieds</a><br />
<br />
<br />
I ended up selling it on Craigslist to a Costa Rican guy who lives in Panama City, Panama and buys/sells cars for a living. I was originally asking $4500 but soon lowered it once I learned how high the import taxes are for foreign cars, which you can see here:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://boquete.ning.com/profiles/blogs/new-panama-car-import-tax">Panama Vehicle Import Taxes</a><br />
<br />
For example, the import taxes for selling a $3,000 car would be around $1,700...a lot. I did sell my car for $3,000 cash and the process was quite easy. I gave the buyer 4 copies of my passport photo page & 4 copies of the page with my entry stamp into Panama. The buyer also took all of my paperwork (Panama vehicle import paperwork, Panama insurance and original California title, which I signed over to him) and gave me a stack of cash...transaction completed. I didn't have to go to any office or do any paperwork.<br />
<br />
So, what do you do with a big chunk of cash while in Panama City? Get it into a bank as fast as possible! I went to Western Union the next day (yes, walking through Panama City with $3K in my backpack made me a little nervous), gave them all the cash, and they transferred the money into my AmEx savings account. I just needed the account # and a photo ID (license or passport). The transfer is supposed to take only one day and it cost $16.05 for the transfer.<br />
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Now I am car-less and even more free. Off to Colombia via the San Blas islands...Bliss Wine Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13928053925533260887noreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457140043563051113.post-67204212594679566072013-10-22T13:58:00.003-07:002013-10-22T13:58:23.516-07:00Receiving and paying for a speeding ticket with foreign plates in PanamaI was able go to through the exciting process receiving and paying for a speeding ticket in Panama with a foreign license (US driver's license) and US plates. <br />
<br />
Beware Panama is the only country in all of central america where I have seen police with radar guns. I received a speeding ticket about 20 minutes over the border, clocked at 94 km/h in an 80 km/h zone. If you have driven in Panama, you probably noticed the speed limit often changes from 80 km/h to 100 km/h and back, not necessarily with signs telling you. Regardless...<br />
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If you are stopped for speeding in Panama, BRIBE THE POLICE, again, try to pay the officer off. It will be cheaper and save you several hours of time. $20 appears to be the going rate to pay an officer if you are a gringo, but you should try $10 first to see if they'll take it. I personally did not bribe the officer because I had no intention of paying the ticket anyway. The problem, known after the fact, is that they do a police check on your car if you are shipping your vehicle to Colombia.<br />
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<b>PAYING A SPEEDING TICKET IN PANAMA CITY</b><br />
<br />
So, I finally decided to pay the ticket (you have 30 days) while I was in Panama City. On the back of the ticket it lists a few places you can pay...I went to Los Pueblos which is a commercial shopping area with many, many stores, a cinema and a mall (I believe) on your way out going towards the airport in Panama City. The office of Autoridad del Transito y Transporte Terrestre is also here. <br />
<br />
The office is located at GPS coordinates 9.047201,-79.451306 on Google Maps (across the street from a Rodelag)<br />
<br />
This office is across the street from Rodelag and directly behind a large store named Campeon, which is next to another large store clothing/households store, named Conway. You can park in the parking lot here because it is a huge shopping area. When you go around the back of Campeon, you will see red signs for a Claro store. The ticket office is to the right of this Claro store when you are facing it.<br />
<br />
You will need only 1) your speeding ticket and 2) a copy of your passport to complete the process and there is an office to make copies for $0.15 each two stores down to the left if you are standing in front of the transportation office.<br />
<br />
Enter the office of Autoridad del Transito and go to your right, to the last window on the left labeled "Departamento de Infracciones Menores". Give the lady your ticket and passport copy. She will process it then hand the paperwork to another woman behind her and ask you to wait. When the other lady feels like finishing your process, she will print out a piece of paper for you to bring to the "Caja" to pay your fine. $50 for my ticket (mier<br />
<br />
You walk to the other side of the office where there will be a line of people waiting to pay. Wait your turn, then hand the lady the new printed piece of paper you were given and the money. She will print you a receipt and you are on your way. Have fun trying to beat the traffic in Panama City.<br />
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<br />Bliss Wine Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13928053925533260887noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457140043563051113.post-42736165784424254822013-10-21T16:06:00.000-07:002013-10-21T16:06:05.520-07:00Hanging out in Panama City, Panama and working on the blogI am currently in Panama City, Panama, selling my car so that I can finish the Pan-American, Colombia to Argentina by bicycle. Panama has very high import taxes for vehicles so it's generally cheaper to buy vehicles already registered in Panama. My fingers are crossed. Once I get a buyer, I will book a sailboat to Cartagena, Colombia, with a 3 day stop in the San Blas Islands. The cycling culture appears to be much stronger in Colombia so will purchase a bike in Bogota.<br />
<br />
Check out my latest travel update: Costa Rica:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.estoyvagando.com/p/costa-rica.html">http://www.estoyvagando.com/p/costa-rica.html</a>Bliss Wine Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13928053925533260887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457140043563051113.post-35993575202215859682013-08-01T12:37:00.000-07:002013-08-01T12:37:31.580-07:00It's 8/1/13 and I have been back on the road for about 3 weeks. I'm currently volunteering at a tree house hostel just outside of Granada, Nicaragua. Check out my latest entry about my last days in Guatemala:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.estoyvagando.com/p/guatemala.html">http://www.estoyvagando.com/p/guatemala.html</a>Bliss Wine Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13928053925533260887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457140043563051113.post-48832155738895769392013-06-26T09:12:00.001-07:002013-06-26T09:12:36.596-07:00Back on the RoadI will be flying into Guatemala City from San Francisco on July 8th and continuing on my Pan-American adventure. The next stop is Honduras so please check back in mid-July to see what's next.Bliss Wine Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13928053925533260887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457140043563051113.post-68023056233233625622013-03-19T14:22:00.001-07:002013-03-20T20:33:27.108-07:00Hangin' in Guatemala for a whileIf you would like to see the entire route I took down from Napa Valley, CA to Quetzaltenango, Gautemala, here is a link below to Google Maps with all that business:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=202855435421175181487.0004d8617f91fac6d6872&msa=0&ll=33.578015,-93.779297&spn=41.964574,79.013672"><span style="color: yellow;">Click Here to See My Entire Route Thus Far on Google Maps</span></a><br />
<br />
I've been in the city of Quetzaltenango, Guatemala for almost 1 month now and will be here until May 7th, when I have to fly back to the U.S. for 2 weddings - my brother's in Boston, MA & my friends' in Napa, CA. After the weddings (sometime in June), I will fly back to Guatemala, get my truck, and continue the drive southward to Tierra del Fuego.<br />
<br />
Please click on the Guatemala link above to see what is going onBliss Wine Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13928053925533260887noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457140043563051113.post-44875089941185936822012-12-28T21:25:00.003-08:002012-12-28T21:30:02.681-08:00The 2nd Ammendment at it's Finest<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">It’s now 9:25pm on 12/28/12 in Guaymas, Mexico,
and I am knocking out some serious blogging to catch up for the almost week of
no posts.</i></div>
<br />
Ahhh…the great state of Arizona and the freedom to carry guns
wherever you please.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not a gun owner
myself but will not pass up a chance to fire off some rounds with an expert,
like James.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaH29FdBJPSE5AR-Y9ntOSGpu5AEZD3Rn2Rl_yzErhxFBjBZx0GsoCKA5Zd1JZ12Rh1pY6qLwo4XDhOK1aimD9EpVOWgMH6kR5VUvDMV0RL3oz8r1T49niS4wukcfuP1hYtvQof2H2uSI/s1600/IMG_2235.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaH29FdBJPSE5AR-Y9ntOSGpu5AEZD3Rn2Rl_yzErhxFBjBZx0GsoCKA5Zd1JZ12Rh1pY6qLwo4XDhOK1aimD9EpVOWgMH6kR5VUvDMV0RL3oz8r1T49niS4wukcfuP1hYtvQof2H2uSI/s320/IMG_2235.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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James is a helicopter mechanic in the military and lives near Tucson in the little town of Red Rock, AZ. Despite his fierce look holding an Ishipor 76.2 x 51 NATO (308) he is a hell of a nice guy. He took me to a ghost town, Sasco, about 5 minutes from his house. SASCO (Southern Arizona Smelting Company) was abandoned in the early 1900's with around 600 people at it's peak. There are remains of a few structures:</div>
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The Rockland Hotel (they were somehow booked for the night):</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN6LQyRvD7saQbrrbxF8sTL4Z0aTgVmnxnTGkhmS5YlsGTATxfrKuP4aWsIZVuFoqAEQ_n9HuZB4ojqAd14zAp9S3PmWhpzuG1Z-BuX3Ks39UmNXoYuSAhS75Op8y_ouldLw5YjgqT7Ok/s1600/IMG_2225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN6LQyRvD7saQbrrbxF8sTL4Z0aTgVmnxnTGkhmS5YlsGTATxfrKuP4aWsIZVuFoqAEQ_n9HuZB4ojqAd14zAp9S3PmWhpzuG1Z-BuX3Ks39UmNXoYuSAhS75Op8y_ouldLw5YjgqT7Ok/s320/IMG_2225.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The foundation of the smelter and the base of the smoke stack in the background:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoJHMJQ9mYLPvnGaJ1BfcuQVuyJgrfNJO8qOMcv0ftnBu3KWRz6mPbHxB7ZBh64r7w6JHVZ8mJtRRfu8TuMKPPg7HGzuEpB2TF3b7XGiW2-L1F1xMrSfkeoZY9gz0bA_noqI_83UbXP8s/s1600/IMG_2227.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoJHMJQ9mYLPvnGaJ1BfcuQVuyJgrfNJO8qOMcv0ftnBu3KWRz6mPbHxB7ZBh64r7w6JHVZ8mJtRRfu8TuMKPPg7HGzuEpB2TF3b7XGiW2-L1F1xMrSfkeoZY9gz0bA_noqI_83UbXP8s/s320/IMG_2227.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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To make your way into this ghost town, you need it to be very dry or need a big truck to get through this water:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNqtzSFoq_u5T_hnV4M3QJ1AQVLLjVFXNlRrJpLdwsTnUXBGtv-bW1Idh7aNuKol751iC2VMKQD3ToKp9V9m_J90DB3EnkPvi_dGoicf9jjVgymFWPkvVL_edd9EXO2kg3LaUqqTGYa14/s1600/IMG_2221.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNqtzSFoq_u5T_hnV4M3QJ1AQVLLjVFXNlRrJpLdwsTnUXBGtv-bW1Idh7aNuKol751iC2VMKQD3ToKp9V9m_J90DB3EnkPvi_dGoicf9jjVgymFWPkvVL_edd9EXO2kg3LaUqqTGYa14/s320/IMG_2221.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I was surprised to see 2 other groups of very friendly, gun yielding Arizonians out for a little practice shooting. Every single of them had a pistol strapped to their thigh. I need to note here that James, during his time up in a helicopter, has seen a few smugglers from Mexico come peeling out of the desert onto this dirt road...thus the reason why everyone is armed.</div>
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We went to one of his favorite spots where there was another group of 3 knocking out some pistol rounds. This may all seem a little unsafe and crazy to anyone not from here, but these folks are extremely careful and communicative with each other so as to not to have any problems.</div>
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James spends a fair amount of time restoring old guns and I got the chance to shoot 4 of about 30 he owns.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhugO7G8l1QEinxx321806F7DnVjsqAmTVeYkAg9IGUT1bLFSfD5PlfI1lAei3Xguu-8vUpG06PmRSglTtApdLwqD17CyKovBYny2nfYACT3kNjlavKWIR5DNyfvSG_FwArlSuNEfBaEXE/s1600/IMG_2245.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhugO7G8l1QEinxx321806F7DnVjsqAmTVeYkAg9IGUT1bLFSfD5PlfI1lAei3Xguu-8vUpG06PmRSglTtApdLwqD17CyKovBYny2nfYACT3kNjlavKWIR5DNyfvSG_FwArlSuNEfBaEXE/s320/IMG_2245.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here's the gun lineup:</div>
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1. 22 LR</div>
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2. Ishipor 76.2 x 51 NATO (308)</div>
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3. M1 Garand 30-06</div>
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4. Schmidt Rubin 7.5 x 55 K31</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Avaj4DRsWnwpkyVclwBsQ53q-iwG_3_X75Wt0LFL4f8BDShxps6QSgR-AR4dJEEdbAnmkIiuaNwxTezs75UXUJ1jQQI1J8OqOQq2oVhdKL12JYswTMCkK5U2dKjReMI1FrT2bPT2C8w/s1600/IMG_2249.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Avaj4DRsWnwpkyVclwBsQ53q-iwG_3_X75Wt0LFL4f8BDShxps6QSgR-AR4dJEEdbAnmkIiuaNwxTezs75UXUJ1jQQI1J8OqOQq2oVhdKL12JYswTMCkK5U2dKjReMI1FrT2bPT2C8w/s320/IMG_2249.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I honestly don't know what any of the above means as I've only shot guns about 2 times prior to this, but I do know that I felt like a bad-ass firing them. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAfGybJbXg12_uEn8rotTvCcmLYt4M9Ox_h6C8CsBm3HUjjB0C8aj0BMbSyxo85JiiN33_950BF7rHIFo18rUdN2Rr45JFccIUD8PHTRv0Kx4P-Htoq3E62dmvq4LoZTKfP5bqiyTAXyg/s1600/IMG_2241.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAfGybJbXg12_uEn8rotTvCcmLYt4M9Ox_h6C8CsBm3HUjjB0C8aj0BMbSyxo85JiiN33_950BF7rHIFo18rUdN2Rr45JFccIUD8PHTRv0Kx4P-Htoq3E62dmvq4LoZTKfP5bqiyTAXyg/s320/IMG_2241.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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James in action:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4GXGb1AjyEwSvYbQhnrhfga9CMpZ_5_AYGvE9DNotlFtOHgxWIwWcUu7YxcrIXrb_scE5Y0mn0Pc3clLuOg5kqgZ84rmKJu7Hq7F2HNr0J4UkziIFRM41V68r7mHRuMcaOC0tTNQ8PEs/s1600/IMG_2253.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4GXGb1AjyEwSvYbQhnrhfga9CMpZ_5_AYGvE9DNotlFtOHgxWIwWcUu7YxcrIXrb_scE5Y0mn0Pc3clLuOg5kqgZ84rmKJu7Hq7F2HNr0J4UkziIFRM41V68r7mHRuMcaOC0tTNQ8PEs/s320/IMG_2253.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The other group trying out one of James' guns:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK8OOtyXtz89bzAVEjjwjl0x47Xg5Ri3ZBYhEauLZRhZs4GSwMo88SVN5TM6Vkf7pUfak197j22dhGlBRbsT2tbzv9HbvxhNxW4OE1zVCDYg0_wW6BHEJiLHeMgl9WtO7Kh8Bewn9LI20/s1600/IMG_2243.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK8OOtyXtz89bzAVEjjwjl0x47Xg5Ri3ZBYhEauLZRhZs4GSwMo88SVN5TM6Vkf7pUfak197j22dhGlBRbsT2tbzv9HbvxhNxW4OE1zVCDYg0_wW6BHEJiLHeMgl9WtO7Kh8Bewn9LI20/s320/IMG_2243.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Don't take a knife to a gun fight around here:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwHBjgdrr-QqDTcbjZopJZFgbBVfEhqnx5zbdoLla0ro4zLfeea6w1GvIgBmsUZGqgsGw5NXrIhLNmn_wk2Nkh8Df8ea_WTFzsZ7h7y6mojFyD1ZOJJJ5rS2pXXZadwCkDfI_up4Me64o/s1600/IMG_2234.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwHBjgdrr-QqDTcbjZopJZFgbBVfEhqnx5zbdoLla0ro4zLfeea6w1GvIgBmsUZGqgsGw5NXrIhLNmn_wk2Nkh8Df8ea_WTFzsZ7h7y6mojFyD1ZOJJJ5rS2pXXZadwCkDfI_up4Me64o/s320/IMG_2234.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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You can see we are standing on a rocky bed of empty shells.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpCG3lXSMiVie6eQExWSVoz_yWSbTD8wp6Q5QUJsfZOxJMmhpLs2583ogcXD15PpOj3ozPb3y2J-lgHSRAmES79-zB94uENPmM0x8IvgPw9aif9Vlf3bRN_YjMYW3SdLygMaDVClvL0n8/s1600/IMG_2233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpCG3lXSMiVie6eQExWSVoz_yWSbTD8wp6Q5QUJsfZOxJMmhpLs2583ogcXD15PpOj3ozPb3y2J-lgHSRAmES79-zB94uENPmM0x8IvgPw9aif9Vlf3bRN_YjMYW3SdLygMaDVClvL0n8/s320/IMG_2233.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I started that day in shorts..then the rain and wind came in, making it feel like it dropped 30 degrees. Off to lunch....see my Food & Wine section for the best Mexican hotdogs I have ever eaten at El Guero Canelo in Tuscon.</div>
Bliss Wine Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13928053925533260887noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457140043563051113.post-87155230055845221312012-12-28T20:42:00.000-08:002012-12-28T20:42:13.971-08:00Flat Tire & Christmas with Friends in Phoenix, AZ<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<i>It’s 6:51pm and I am in the cheapest hotel, </i><i><i>The
Malibu (mall-ee-boo en espanol),</i> I could find in Guaymas,
Mexico.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m polishing off a liter of Tecate (litros
de cerveza son uno de mi favorito cosas en Mexico!) and listening to some
random Mexican drama on TV.</i></div>
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Upon leaving Joshua Tree Park I headed East on I-10,
straight to Phoenix, AZ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Though most people in California know me as a Tennessean, I was actually born in Phoenix and moved to TN when I was about
5.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have not been back in 20 freaking
years so was excited to see my godmother, Linda, and my friend, Joe, and his
family that was close with my parents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
was making fantastic time (everyone is flying on this road) when I hear a
“BOOM” and I feel one of tires go out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
pull off on the side and see my back driver’s side tire is toast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9LIp7Xb4owd90CAoA3VMC3bcGJHgurfoyrTYbXxrkDBqPgW1uoEFoUt5onBAUUKCKZpE5PqRlIefe_6NamRXJsTUmkQUukRu86ocFh4F2ctyZwu5DqTMHgiM46D54skD9-Z_jOnYVPFw/s1600/IMG_2201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9LIp7Xb4owd90CAoA3VMC3bcGJHgurfoyrTYbXxrkDBqPgW1uoEFoUt5onBAUUKCKZpE5PqRlIefe_6NamRXJsTUmkQUukRu86ocFh4F2ctyZwu5DqTMHgiM46D54skD9-Z_jOnYVPFw/s320/IMG_2201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Given that I still have about
20,000 miles left on my trip, I’m thinking, “No big deal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can handle a little flat.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I get out and am all business.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything’s cool and I jack up
the back, when I notice the tire is not going up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It appears the axle has fallen down or
something along those lines – crap.</div>
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I call AAA, which only takes 2 ½ hours to finally get to
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was amazed at the fact AAA would
not take my GPS coordinates…the most exact location I could possibly give
them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After 2 agents having no idea
where I am (even though I’m telling them the cross road I just passed under AND
my GPS coordinates) I get a woman who was actually competent and confirms my location and that a tow
truck is coming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During this time a highway
patrolman pulls over a speeder (the car was clocked at 99) right behind me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When he was finished with the ticket he takes
a look at my truck and says, “It looks like your back suspension has come
un-welded” and also calls AAA once again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
tow truck dude finally shows up, gets out, and looks under my truck where I have it
jacked up. He says, “You have the jack in the wrong place.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC0FgdB8EvAYJfsKMOV8K86mkxbilaaA8jQXrLdAtD9vEGzFNZ4cUJNjAFIHZOOQ4LzpYlNGMwHPomWlKXMq0eN9K4rlRAsm2RfmPFyt_mVcOW9yw-J3iMV4xY5wDr2-TlgPmwNrNYK3s/s1600/IMG_2198.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC0FgdB8EvAYJfsKMOV8K86mkxbilaaA8jQXrLdAtD9vEGzFNZ4cUJNjAFIHZOOQ4LzpYlNGMwHPomWlKXMq0eN9K4rlRAsm2RfmPFyt_mVcOW9yw-J3iMV4xY5wDr2-TlgPmwNrNYK3s/s320/IMG_2198.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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At that point I didn’t know whether to laugh
or cry and my masculinity was completely lost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I don’t know if anyone has ever looked at a manual for directions as to
where to place the jack – it’s a very generic black & white drawn picture...drawn from space.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will never, ever forget where to put that jack. Needless to say, the
new tire was put on in minutes and I continued on to be late for Christmas Eve
dinner with my friends, the Carras's. </div>
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That night I stayed at my childhood friend, Joe's, house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Joe & Amanda's family (from left to right): Norm, Joe, Amanda holding little Leighton (3 months) & Leo (6)</span></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Amanda's Mom, Sandie, who didn't want to be in the picture - tough luck:</span></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Amanda's</span> twin sister, Ashley, her husband, Nick (Dang it, I'm so sorry if this is wrong) & their little guy, Darwin. (I told you
I would put you in the blog!)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </div>
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All of them
were incredibly welcoming and as nice as can be – such a treat to spend
Christmas with some friendly folks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Thank you, everyone!
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I also had the pleasure of visiting my godmother, Linda, who
was so generous, and a pleasure to catch up with and share stories after 20 years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>I ate like a king (beef roast, croissants,
green beans, corn, turkey & gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, beans…bacon, eggs
& hashbrowns for breakfast – yowsers!) and watched an episode of 24
with her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you so much, Linda!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(I finished off the rest of the turkey on the
drive through Mexico
& am eating the beans right now – yum!)</div>
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I was also able to get a short visit, with Linda’s sons,
Rick & James.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I only spent a little
time at Rick’s and wish I would have gotten a picture of him & his
family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did meet back up with James at
Linda’s house and he invited me to shoot some guns in a ghost town outside of Tucson…see next post!</div>
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Bliss Wine Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13928053925533260887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457140043563051113.post-9663106124922487252012-12-28T18:33:00.002-08:002012-12-28T18:33:16.930-08:00Elephant Seals, Santa Barbara & Joshua Tree National Park<br />
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<i>It’s Thursday 12/27 @ 8:11pm and I am writing this from my truck (it's cold out there!) in the <st1:placename w:st="on">Patagonia</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Lake</st1:placetype>
<st1:placename w:st="on">Start</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Park</st1:placetype>
in <st1:city w:st="on">Patagonia</st1:city>, <st1:state w:st="on">Arizona,</st1:state>
just about 10 miles north of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Nogales</st1:city>,
<st1:state w:st="on">AZ</st1:state></st1:place> and within 12 miles of the
Mexican border.</i></div>
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After leaving the <st1:city w:st="on">Monterey</st1:city>
area, I headed down the coast on Hwy 1. I passed through <st1:placename w:st="on">Los</st1:placename>
<st1:placename w:st="on">Padres</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">National
Park</st1:placetype>, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Morro</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Bay</st1:placetype></st1:place>, saw signs for Cal
Poly and drove through grape vines in Nipomo.
The entire day showed grey skies and constant mist/rain though still a
pretty nice drive.</div>
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I made an unexpected stop when I saw a beach full of
elephant seals drawing the views of many tourists.</div>
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Now these bad boys are monsters with the
males weighing up to 5,000 lbs and the females up to 1,600 lbs. According to the sign, December and November
are the months in which males battle for dominance. Unfortunately, it appeared
all of them, both male & female, were competing for laziness. And everyone was tied for first! They occasionally squirmed around and let
out some sighs. Look at the caballero below!</div>
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As darkness was coming on, I decided to stop in <st1:city w:st="on">Santa Barbara for the night</st1:city>. After grabbing dinner combined
with Wifi (my food stops coincide with who has free Wifi) I drove
along the main ocean strip until I came across a safe side street adjacent to a
baseball field/park and near a number of hotels. This would be the first night sleeping on the shelf I installed in the back of my truck. I was happy to see a small camper about 20 yards ahead of me with 2 people also sleeping there for the night.</div>
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I walked down the main strip for
about 1 ½ hours, listening to the waves crashing until I decided to call it a
night. I crawled up into the bag,
worming my way into a sleeping bag and thought to myself, “A week and a half
ago I was sleeping on a California King memory foam bed and now I am on the side of
the road on a piece of carpeted plywood.
I guess I am a little nuts.”</div>
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I actually slept pretty well in my truck and awoke to see
the beauty of <st1:city w:st="on">Santa Barbara</st1:city>. I was just about 2 blocks from the beach so
grabbed an avocado, a turkey sandwich (my staple at that part of the trip, even
for breakfast) and my camera. I found a
nice picnic table looking out over the ocean and watched a number of 4 person
teams playing volleyball. </div>
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Nearest to me
was a woman teaching her son of about 6-7 years how to hit the ball. What a cool environment to grow up in. I finished my brunch and went for a nice,
casual walk along the beach for about 2 ½ hours – pure relaxation.</div>
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At this point I had made a change of plans – I was going to
pass over the <st1:country-region w:st="on">Mexico</st1:country-region> border
at <st1:city w:st="on">Nogales</st1:city> in <st1:state w:st="on">Arizona</st1:state>,
not in <st1:city w:st="on">Tijuana</st1:city>
as originally planned. The nice thing
about traveling by yourself is that you can change plans whenever you
want. As such, I drove south until
seeing signs for <st1:city w:st="on">Los Angeles</st1:city>
and passed along the northern part of LA on 101. I have never been to LA before and was told
about the horrendous traffic. Low and
behold – traffic!</div>
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I looked at my GPS and saw I would be passing by <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Joshua</st1:placename> <st1:placename w:st="on">Tree</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">National Park</st1:placetype></st1:place> so decided
that would be my target for the day. It
is amazing how much the landscape changed to full desert as I made my way east
out of LA. I passed hundreds of those
huge, white propellers harnessing solar power with the mountains as their
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By the time I reached the southern entrance (off I-10) to
Joshua Tree it was 5:30 so the rangers at the gate were gone so I just drove
along the curvy 2 lane road into the deep of the park until I realized I had no
idea how far this road went, so called it quits and turned around. </div>
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Near the entrance I had passed a VW bus and a
van that appeared to be parked for the night.
I went back to where I saw them, and with a quick Internet search,
learned there were a few lots for free camping.
I pulled in to where I saw the VW bus and realized this was the spot,
with about 4 other RVs nearby. Looks
good to me. That 2<sup>nd</sup> night in
the truck I slept like a rock, about 11 hours of deep dreaming.</div>
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Mornings are exciting when you have entered an area at
night. That desert sunrise on that
Christmas Eve morning was pretty spectacular.
I ended up falling back asleep for a few more hours before packing up
and driving to the ranger station. I
wanted to do a short hike before heading to <st1:city w:st="on">Phoenix</st1:city>,
<st1:state w:st="on">AZ</st1:state> so decided on a 3 mile loop to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Mastodon</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Peak</st1:placetype></st1:place> with an old ore mine along the
way.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXfPE3pZjqYN4doBK1ZhnRIi_YebOPDxU43ZimXHKBSCVYG5RQaVb7ys9kPsQnGtpYX7_M5HlNT4zcXrDfKyVtFkVxUdCRbdZ4Mi1ckqvp5XDTu6ZIjXxdAWC9ofzY5Q-4_h63U-e0zY0/s1600/IMG_2178.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXfPE3pZjqYN4doBK1ZhnRIi_YebOPDxU43ZimXHKBSCVYG5RQaVb7ys9kPsQnGtpYX7_M5HlNT4zcXrDfKyVtFkVxUdCRbdZ4Mi1ckqvp5XDTu6ZIjXxdAWC9ofzY5Q-4_h63U-e0zY0/s320/IMG_2178.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Such a beautiful park</div>
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Bliss Wine Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13928053925533260887noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457140043563051113.post-36554888069077647902012-12-22T18:43:00.000-08:002012-12-22T18:44:20.236-08:00Pebble Beach, Point Lobos, Miah-nnaise<br />
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I have spent the last 2 1/2 days visiting my buddy,
Jeremiah. I originally met “Miah” while working in
the kitchen in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Napa</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Valley</st1:placetype></st1:place>. He moved down to <st1:city w:st="on">Pacific
Grove</st1:city> (<st1:city w:st="on">Monterey</st1:city> area) to cook at
“The Bench” restaurant on <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Pebble</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Beach</st1:placetype></st1:place> golf course, with
the dining room overlooking the 18<sup>th</sup> hole and the spectacular
Pacific coastline. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhna5x-D4kPH67rQHHjvVCDyAu3MI1efOOtAaoiVx4Hsgy4uAqMaFVBPP_DgWV9p00Nmkw-2r_reRsaFsa8Zn2ICPZXkTcsy3SUKpgVLRlAyawdzAdeHDBnuxd5VmVx9EgLojPeeg_eFRg/s1600/IMG_2097.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhna5x-D4kPH67rQHHjvVCDyAu3MI1efOOtAaoiVx4Hsgy4uAqMaFVBPP_DgWV9p00Nmkw-2r_reRsaFsa8Zn2ICPZXkTcsy3SUKpgVLRlAyawdzAdeHDBnuxd5VmVx9EgLojPeeg_eFRg/s320/IMG_2097.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Upon getting into town, we headed straight for the beach. A few surfers were walking around and a small handful were in the water. Miah seen below is one of the best chefs I have met and it is always a treat to catch up with him.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHd0ZXbLpYtsPSWPif5mUaDEfdvj1AYXTmn-eubUcXTwbv9QsDwRnBeuLH21Sq5vwTsD305Zm_77YvMtYgL9V5-ByhzVtNFwEk1vkQGRzbWmWk7_NarrDAXjxDzLM2ICdJvLAmxmyXKco/s1600/IMG_2084.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHd0ZXbLpYtsPSWPif5mUaDEfdvj1AYXTmn-eubUcXTwbv9QsDwRnBeuLH21Sq5vwTsD305Zm_77YvMtYgL9V5-ByhzVtNFwEk1vkQGRzbWmWk7_NarrDAXjxDzLM2ICdJvLAmxmyXKco/s320/IMG_2084.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I'm always game for the beach, which is why I'm staying on the coast most of the drive down</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ZnjdiXg4qK-ZX0in0315Dh1tPwx5D0isHSwx7toC7epNvz57tcaMNx1ZJl6pVOHZ651fl-qThE6OVNJTw6O12iLWjSe9zQty9Ant5Lne9iU1znJxKimKbC0cELOKx8SaeIRkF37bST0/s1600/IMG_2086.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ZnjdiXg4qK-ZX0in0315Dh1tPwx5D0isHSwx7toC7epNvz57tcaMNx1ZJl6pVOHZ651fl-qThE6OVNJTw6O12iLWjSe9zQty9Ant5Lne9iU1znJxKimKbC0cELOKx8SaeIRkF37bST0/s320/IMG_2086.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The day time was the real highlight of my time in <st1:city w:st="on">Pacific Grove (just north of Monterey)</st1:city>. This coastal area has some of the best
mushroom foraging, hiking, surfing & golfing in the country. On Thursday we walked the beach and took a
drive along 17 mile rd., lined with mansions taking in amazing views of the
ocean. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6pmuYQn9xZmOov9rexPz4-YLki7LQFv3ABYtrRqksTvr7hQd9GgaRKCCwIx16M6dUIk8w4-fX0Vg2T0JeDQPLLFpvFtVMJsKwLSBgA9yiGUmX0jx6Zy7BueqUiToemTsDU-R-ztFWPdc/s1600/IMG_2093.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6pmuYQn9xZmOov9rexPz4-YLki7LQFv3ABYtrRqksTvr7hQd9GgaRKCCwIx16M6dUIk8w4-fX0Vg2T0JeDQPLLFpvFtVMJsKwLSBgA9yiGUmX0jx6Zy7BueqUiToemTsDU-R-ztFWPdc/s320/IMG_2093.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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If you are familiar with the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Pebble</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Beach</st1:placetype></st1:place>
logo with The Lone Cyrpress, here it is:</div>
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Since Miah works at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Pebble</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Beach</st1:placetype></st1:place>,
he showed me the restaurant and the golf course – pretty amazing history
here…and lots of high-rollers. I timed my visitation perfectly with <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Pebble</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Beach</st1:placetype></st1:place> having their</div>
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company holiday party the 1<sup>st</sup> night I was there….and I got to be Miah’s plus one. It was held on property in multiple massive conference rooms, with probably 1,000 people, and a full buffet. The one bummer – it was a dry party. Still a great time with carved turkey, prime rib, roasted tomatoes, mashed potatoes & more.</div>
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Friday morning started off with an espresso (if you don’t
have an Aeropress, you should consider getting one), a couple of egg sandwiches
and smoothies. We then headed out to
Point Lobos park, just south of <st1:place w:st="on">Carmel</st1:place>,
and hiked through the cypress trees. Please take note of the giant golf visor Miah is sporting, and no he is not an 80 year old Asian woman on the golf course.</div>
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Miah has gotten very interested in mushrooms while living here so was
telling me the details of all the fungi we spotted. We saw tons of amanitas (shown directly below), which are psychedelic,
but not the ones people refer to as “magic mushrooms". No, we did not eat them. </div>
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a
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The walk through the park was nothing short of awesome. As you make your way in you see trees with
rust-colored moss making them look like they were spray-painted.</div>
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The oldest tree in the park is a funky cypress, named Old
Veteran, hanging onto the edge.</div>
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As we got out on the edge of the coast, a strong wind came whipping along. The sea was angry that day, my friends, like an old man trying to send back soup in a deli. (Is anyone here a marine biologist?!) </div>
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<span style="text-align: start;"> The waves, some upwards of 10-15 feet, were smashing against the rocks. There is plenty of surfing along the coast and a notable area just north of here called Ghost Tree, where waves get up to 40+ ft.</span></div>
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Bliss Wine Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13928053925533260887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457140043563051113.post-45921166434879969782012-12-15T20:45:00.002-08:002012-12-19T18:53:47.208-08:00The Big Day Has Come - Departure<br />
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The big departure day, Dec. 13th, came up quick, a little too quick. I was not finished building the shelf/bed frame in the 4runner and still had a load of stuff to get rid of. Luckily, time is what I have plenty of, so I departed Friday, Dec. 14th instead and successfully made the first trek of my journey - 600 miles north to Portland to visit my bro, Martin.<br />
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For anyone that has not driven in northern California, it is one of the most beautiful places in the world. The picture below is the view from my driveway in Napa Valley. This was how the valley looked the day I was taking off...not so easy to leave this behind.<br />
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After my final drop of clothes & goods at the homeless shelter & Goodwill, I drove east out of Napa on Hwy 128, passing along Lake Berryessa and out to Winters, CA (small agricultural town growing nuts & fruit, among other produce). Along the way, I passed handmade signs of locals selling persimmons, oranges, walnuts & more; packs of sheep grazing; stacks of beehive boxes; and endless rows of barren apple, pear, peach and everything else trees. How does anybody go hungry in this area??</div>
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Once I got on I-5, I passed Lake Shasta, Mount Shasta & Shasta River. Shasta!!<br />
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I spotted snow for the first time as I came up on Mt. Shasta and was about 5 miles out from Weed, CA. Yes, there is a town in California called Weed. I've heard that there used to be a sign at the T-intersection off the exit that had an arrow pointing left saying "Weed" and an arrow pointing right saying "College". Needless to say, this sign was stolen over & over again.</div>
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So....with the darkness coming on once I hit the Oregon border, my scenery was taken away. I made a stop for gas in the small town of Canyoneville, OR, where the high school gas attendant (in Oregon you can't pump your own gas) had just been given a small flyer talking about the end of the world with a picture of Mayan ruins on the front. The attendant says to me, "There are some strange people around here. If the world wanted to end, it would just do it itself". His unexpected philosophical beliefs threw me for a loop so I just laughed and agreed with him. I made it to Portland at 10pm, happy to have completed the first day of my trip.</div>
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Unfortunate event: Cruise control stopped working about 1 1/2 hours into the trip. My quick research tells me it is likely a blown fuse or faulty vaccuum tube...will check tomorrow.</div>
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Fortunate event: Gas is the lowest I have seen in years! I filled up in Canyonville, OR for $3.15/gallon - say what??</div>
Bliss Wine Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13928053925533260887noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457140043563051113.post-47443180861528045742012-11-17T18:04:00.003-08:002012-11-18T19:05:25.582-08:00Marking things off the list & making chicken saladThe days are rollin' by and I am less than a month away from departure from Napa Valley, CA to the southern tip of Argentina. I have adjusted my plan since my first post, wanting to see as many countries as possible, so am upping the total to 18 (including U.S. & Canada - I'm first driving to Vancouver) and making my way to Antarctica too...hoping I'll have a few bucks left over to get there. I just assume if I think I'll get there, then I will get there, like in that movie, "The Secret". Yeah, yeah, that's the ticket<br />
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The month just before heading out on a big trip is always very low key for me. I get caught up in everything trip-related and try to spend as little money as possible on dining out, drinks, etc so am not too social. I am racking up tons of time on the computer: researching the countries, reading other travelers' blogs, buying lots of gear on Amazon & eBay and updating my spreadsheet. Yes, plenty to buy for the trip and even more to get rid of. I have made a massive dent in the amount of stuff I own, with my ultimate goal having 2 tubs of personal stuff & some clothes for when I return from the trip. No matter how much I sell & donate, there is always one more little drawer of random items. Poco a poco.</div>
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The 4Runner is all tuned up and ready to roll. I have a few modifications to make before I am officially on the road: installing a beefier security system, power inverter, lockbox, laffy taffy dispenser & 2 shelves in the back to create a sleeping platform for a full-sized air mattress. First, a week in Michigan with family, starting Tuesday, 11/20. I only see my family one time a year anymore (all 5 kids live in different states) so am very excited to get a full week to catch up and play with my nieces & nephews. Plus, lots of good food & wine.</div>
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I knocked out a tasty batch of chicken salad this afternoon. Hells yeah. <br />
I have my new tent setup outside in the rain tonight. I hope it stays dry. </div>
Bliss Wine Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13928053925533260887noreply@blogger.com36505 Washington St, Yountville, CA 94599, USA38.4015781 -122.360810538.3766906 -122.4002925 38.4264656 -122.32132849999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457140043563051113.post-25413131865825515372012-11-06T20:34:00.000-08:002013-04-02T14:07:57.152-07:00On The Road Again...I'll be driving approx. 25,000 miles through 17 countries in Central & South America. I will primarily be driving along the Pan-American Highway but honestly don't have any real plans past Guatemala so will be talking to travelers, researching and figuring out my path as I cruise along.<br />
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Some of the sites I have used in preparation for this trip:<br />
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<a href="http://drivetheamericas.com/">http://drivetheamericas.com/</a><br />
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<a href="http://liferemotely.com/">http://liferemotely.com/</a><br />
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<a href="http://wikioverland.org/">http://wikioverland.org/</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/">http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.wandaroundtheworld.com/">http://www.wandaroundtheworld.com/</a><br />
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<a href="http://fromatob.org/">http://fromatob.org/</a><br />
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<br />Bliss Wine Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13928053925533260887noreply@blogger.com0