Around the world on a GS850G for a cause

[BassCliff]

Hi Adrian,

You are a good man. Your help is appreciated very much.

Usted es un hombre bueno. Su ayuda es muy apreciada.

Thank you!

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

 

[BassCliff]

Hola, Soy Eliseo y estoy esperando la llegada de Chris a Montevideo, Ayer le suger? que cruzara para Uruguay en el puente Fray Bentos . Tu tienes una idea de que ruta va a hacer?

Hi Eliseo,

Thank you for your help. It is good for Chris to have a friend when he is so far from home.

Gracias por tu ayuda. Es bueno para Chris tener un amigo cuando est? tan lejos de casa.

Gracias por su indulgencia,

BassCliff

 

[Eliseo Monteverde]

Hi Eliseo,

Thank you for your help. It is good for Chris to have a friend when he is so far from home.

Gracias por tu ayuda. Es bueno para Chris tener un amigo cuando est? tan lejos de casa.

Gracias por su indulgencia,

BassCliff

It is a pleasure to my, can help people from this forum, from this place on the earth in what I can, I have been helped and learnt a lot since I have met this great group called GSR eight years ago.
Cheers.

 

[Eliseo Monteverde]

Chris, If you still have problems with the threading of the #3 plug, when you get access to a machine shop, have them put a helicoil in it. I have used this to cure the problem on a # of bikes over the years. John

I have everything ready to do this work in my machineshop, if Chris wants to do it..

 

[shirazdrum]

Well just a quick note guys as i'm eating lunch and getting back on the road. the Uruguay border crossing went smoothly and i'm already a few hundred kilometers inside the country. I'll get to Montevideo tomorrow around noonish and will know more about the plug conditions. the bike is running fine despite the very hot weather and the ride is a beautiful one. I'll try to check in with more tonight.

 

[LADRI]

Thank you very much for all your comments, mine was just a small part in the whole operation that you made.:clap:

Eliseo, vecino, un gusto, te comento que mi sugerencia fue que cruzara por Fray Ventos, entiendo que lo hizo asi, yo no estaba seguro si el paso esta abierto en este momento pero me parecio la mejor opcion.
Bye everybody!!

Adrian

 

[Eliseo Monteverde]

Thank you very much for all your comments, mine was just a small part in the whole operation that you made.:clap:

Eliseo, vecino, un gusto, te comento que mi sugerencia fue que cruzara por Fray Ventos, entiendo que lo hizo asi, yo no estaba seguro si el paso esta abierto en este momento pero me parecio la mejor opcion.
Bye everybody!!

Adrian

Adr?an, afortunadamente Chris parece ser que ya est? en territorio Uruguayo.....de todas maneras te mando un link con una noticia de ?ltimo momento.
Saludos.
http://www.elpais.com.uy/110127/ult...e-el-puente-entre-fray-bentos-y-gualeguaychu/

 

[Eliseo Monteverde]

Update about Chris in Uruguay

Update about Chris in Uruguay

Just to tell you something;

Chris was with me 5 days in Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay.

We had a fantastic days repairing his bike and mine too.

He knew some of this city, some places were beautiful and others not so beautiful.

We were working on his motorcycle repairing the side stand and reinforcing it, then put on helicoil to spark plug hole # 3, also repair a camshaft thread holder, changed front brake pads, repaired the button to reset the odometer, and some other minor work.

I think tomorrow will be on the way to Paraguay by Argentine routes again.

It was a great pleasure for me,family members and friends have known him.

Christopher is a person that when shakes hands with you, leaves the fragrance of friendship.

 

[Billy Ricks]

Christopher is a person that when shakes hands with you, leaves the fragrance of friendship.

One of the nicest things I've ever seen written. I need to remember that one.

 

[BassCliff]

Christopher is a person that when shakes hands with you, leaves the fragrance of friendship.

Beautiful!

I want to say "thank you" for the friendship you demonstrated to Chris.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

 

[Poncho68147]

Just came across this story for the first time today. What a truly inspiring act of humanity. I wish the rider well in his long journey.

 

[Eliseo Monteverde]

Billy and Bass Cliff , thanks for your comments about the phrase that I put. Many years ago I learned it, but Cris was the first time that I could use.
You are also good guys, years ago you helped me fix some things for my little old Katana, so I helped (and help) as much as I can to a GSR member in my Country.

Thanks friends for all .

 

[shirazdrum]

Hey guys,

I haven't been in a good enough shape to even try to post the blogs here, but here is the run down. The last two blogs are at respectively:

http://www.motorcyclememoir.com/archives/3557
And
http://www.motorcyclememoir.com/archives/3539

They cover my travels to and out of Uruguay and the stories of fixing the bike and more at Eliseo's place. Here's the latest one to be up to date:

FEB 11TH. NO MAN KNOWS MY HISTORY

Is it the struggle towards the goals, which makes mankind happy? Or is the goal the struggle to stay conscious in the midst of ghastly twinges? What is the value of having goals for our own sake? After 30 years of living on this green and blue ball, I know one thing? they all vanish? It is merely a question of time.

All I remember is the screech of the car tires behind me trying to avoid collision, and the sound of metal scraping on the wet asphalt in the Paraguayan tropics. Just moments before the slide, I tried to pull over to the shoulder to wipe off my visor, and that?s when I went flying to the middle of the road.

When I left Argentina for the beautiful Uruguay, I was happy with no worry in the world. The bike was fixed, the hospitality of the locals was top notch, and the weather was glorious if just a little hot. But my mind quickly tuned into the ever-changing state of this expedition, and with that came the thoughts, and agonizingly hurtful memories of my recent relationship. Explaining the causes and details is not something I?m willing to do, but the outcome was devastating nevertheless for both of us. And with every mile, this pain became more tangible to the point that it was unbearable to carry on. Somewhere in northern Uruguay, I got sick. I started to vomit few times a day and eating became a chore. I tried to force-feed myself, but I couldn?t hold anything down, and the burning fever skyrocketed to compound my misery in the already hot weather. But my deteriorating physical condition was no match for the despondent mental state I was in.

I rode day after day with no real destination as my compass pointed north towards Paraguay and Bolivia. The perpetual fights and indecisions went on with Cynthia via emails and phone calls, and I hoped against hope just to have something to cling on to. I met amazing people on the road and they all showed me nothing but the greatest care and love, but I failed time after time to even take out my camera to snap a photo of them to remember them by.

For two thousand miles I hallucinated. So when I found out that I washed my passport inside my riding jacket in the washing machine for two cycles, I wasn?t one bit surprised. My only identity and my ticket out of this land now looked like a watercolor painting of a ****y story as my stamps resembled the famous painting; ?Persistence of Time? only more incoherent. My importation papers for the bike looked like a wet clump of toilet paper, and I didn?t even notice that until I reached the border of Paraguay.

I spent hours at the border going from one office to another to beg the apathetic officials for mercy, and at last I succeeded. This was a true test of my Spanish limit and, I was exhausted when I received my entry stamp and stepped foot in Paraguay.

I rode towards Asunci?n, with nothing on my mind but Cynthia, and I lost my focus on the road and my surrounding. For the first time in my life I hit the ground while riding a motorcycle. I spent years perfecting the art of alertness in traffic, but I succumbed to what I knew too well. I let my guard down, and I simply didn?t think of what any idiot would already know. I pulled into a muddy shoulder after heavy tropical rains at speed, and the rest is history.

I have to get my focus back, and this country is going to be the place to do it. Paraguay is beautiful, but also is one of the poorest countries in South America with a real grip of poverty, and malnutrition chocking its population. Countless skinny and dirty innocent little faces made me realize once again that nothing in the world is ever worth fighting for than standing up for those who can?t. I?m here to stay and I?m here to do what I set out to do. I tried to take a trip, but the trip took me.

We find after years of struggle that we do not take a trip; a trip takes us.- John Steinbeck

 

[four_shot]

rest, rest, rest! I get that you're stir crazy seeing as you've been holed up for over a month with the engine problems, but you can't get your message across if your too ill to tell it. Believe it or not I worry about you...lol.

Keep the faith, your mission and purpose are good.

 

[Guest]

Chris,

As someone who has travelled for months on end, one thing always rings true.

Keep your mind in the moment and do not let yourself think you are pointed towards home. As soon as you point "home" wherever that may be and whatever that may represent, the rest of the journey disappears in a flash and is only represented by miles, not experiences. I don't know what your direction is from here, but slowing down, absorbing your surroundings, and stilling your mind is the only way to keep going, and avoid making a bee line toward "home".

Rest up, make friends, including that new intestinal parasite (like the locals do), and all will be well in time.

 

[shirazdrum]

Thanks guys, i'm getting much better, thank to my fearless ability to give myself injections in the ass.

"Keep your mind in the moment and do not let yourself thing you are pointed towards home. As soon as you point "home" wherever that may be and whatever that may represent, the rest of the journey disappears in a flash and is only represented by miles, not experiences."

How true that is. i'm stealing this one.

Btw Sean, have you got a little package in the mail yet?

 

[shirazdrum]

FEB 15TH. BACK TO TROPICS, PARAGUAY

With every fall we learn something new, and with every rise we stand taller. This only holds through if we accept the reality and move on. And best of all, it gives us a chance to evaluate who?s a friend, and who?s a foe, and who to keep and who to let go. My friends list is much shorter now, but more realistic.

As I have been blessed many times, I managed to meet some of the best people I could wish for in Paraguay. I met a cute and very down to earth girl in Asunci?n named Leticia. To my delight, she spoke very good English, and showed me much of the city. We became friends and by the time I left, she was like a little sister to me that I never had. I stayed at a flat all to myself, and recuperated. I spent the next few days getting back to shape by force-feeding myself and trying to get a grip on reality, and Leti did her best to cheer me up. It was nice to have a friend to talk to and fight like teenagers about music and travel. Leti and her mom looked after me, and I?m very gracious for their hospitality.

While I was still in United States, a friendly biker named Robert Rolon from Paraguay sent me an email, and told me to count on a friend when I get there. Robert is a civil engineer and economist who studied in the states, and one hell of a genuine guy. I called him up in Asunci?n and we all went out to dinner joined by his beautiful wife, and his good friend Christian. Robert works at a sugar mill in a beautiful country town of Teibcuary, and of course he invited me to go visit.

Paraguay is landlocked between Brazil, Argentina and Bolivia and it truly is a lovely country. With only 6 million inhabitants, it?s a wide-open country with miles of nothing especially in the north. Most of Paraguay?s economy comes from agriculture, and farming and it?s no surprise. Everywhere you look, there?s an exotic tropical tree with shiny, and delicious fruits hanging from it. The people are amazing, the weather is almost perfect with a permanent chance of rain, and it?s nice to know that Paraguay is the only bilingual country in South America. Spanish is spoken everywhere, but the native language of Guaran? is predominant in rural areas. Guaran? is nothing like Spanish, and the first time I heard it, I was like what?!! I don?t have a chance in hell in learning it but it?s beautiful.

Although something?s are similar here to Argentina and Uruguay, Matte is definitely not. The tea is almost the same, but they drink it with cold water, and it?s called Terere. It?s a refreshing drink in the sub tropical and hot Paraguay, and I honestly like it better than hot matte in this kind of climate.

When it was time to leave Asunci?n, I headed out on the open country road to central Paraguay with clear mind, and started to see the country the way it was meant to be seen. I started to notice every cow, every blade of grass and the amazing skies again. Robert welcomed me at his beautiful home and I settled in. As every South American I met, he?s the master of the grill, and he showed his talent the very next day by grilling some serious meat. For the time being I?m enjoying their company, and will get on the road soon for eastern Paraguay to visit a local office of Action Against Hunger, then head to the field for some serious work with children.

Life is what we make it, love is what we give with no reason, and travel is what we do to challenge no one, but ourselves. To give up exploring is inconceivable to me. I?m back. And I?m loving it. Stay tuned.

 

[shirazdrum]

FEB 21ST, THE BEAUTIFUL PARAGUAY

All the struggles, up and downs, and self mutilations finally found me in an emergency room. High fevers and not being able to breathe didn?t leave me much choice, but to listen to Robert and see a doctor. Robert generously put all the medications on his company account as if it was for himself, and I started medicating with colorful pills and drops.

The doctor urged me not to get out of the bed, but the prospect of staying still was too much to even consider. So we loaded up and headed out to the countryside to have a look at the beautiful Salto Cristal water fall, joined by Leti, her mom and grandma. The climate was tropical and very hot, but equally beautiful. Lush vines and green trees obscured the path down to the fall, and we trekked down for a good 45 minutes to get to the bottom. The route was almost 90 degrees down with class 5 scrambling, so we had to leave Roberts?s 8 months pregnant wife Sandra, and grandma at the base camp.

I?ve seen a lot of waterfalls, but Salto Cristal stands out because of its secluded location, and climate. The water was cold and it was a welcoming relief to my fever. We spent a few hours swimming, and laying in the sun before leaving the heaven. Now that I look at the pictures, I look whiter than Casper himself, and all the weight I lost concerns the hell out of me. So the next step was to fatten up.

The next day I made some Persian Kababs for the family, and although I couldn?t taste anything myself due to being sick, I devoured as much as I could to get some needed fat back. I visited the fascinating sugar factory with Robert, and we did some riding around Tebicuary. This town is very clean, with almost no garbage anywhere. The people are laid back, friendly, and always ready for a good fun. As most of South America, Dirt rallies are very popular in Paraguay and we had a chance to go and see the first race of the season. Although it rained a lot before the race, people pushed through the flooded roads on bicycle, motorcycle and small cars not to miss the race.

With Subarus and Mitsubishis being the predominant race cars, these amazing drivers cut through hard corners, and mud with unbelievable speeds and managed to keep their wheel on the ground. It was an exciting race and the locals did everything in their power to make it more fun, whether throwing their shirts on the track to have the tire mark as a trophy, or by jumping after the cars.

My stay at Robert?s house was a great experience and I got to know him and his beautiful family. He?s an amazing guy, with high hopes for his country. He welcomed me to his home and showed me nothing but good times. Paraguay is not a tourist destination by any means, and for no good reason. It is safe, beautiful, relatively cheap, and quiet. It?s a perfect getaway. Don?t miss out on this country, you?ll love it.

 

[shirazdrum]

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[shirazdrum]