Today started early, I was on the road at 6;30am...stopped for fuel and directions then set my sights on Tarapoto....a little overly ambitious destination. In the early part I made good progress but rain would slow me down for a couple hours. I am nervous, after yesterday's spin out.....my rear tire is worn and seems to slide easily on the yellow center road markings. The scenery has been fabulous, with the early part twisties going down into a fertile valley.....with rice patties for 50 plus kilometers....then it was climbing back up into the mountains......I had to stop and ask or confirm directions a number of times and even with my limited Spanish was able to find my way.....the police have been extremely helpful and friendly. At 8 am I stopped at a bike shop in the country and had my oil changed with 100% Motul......also fixed my bent shifter lever damaged in my slide on the pavement late yesterday.......my body armor and pannier bore the brute of the damage. It was getting late and I had just come off of 2 1/2 hours of harsh stone and washboard gravel....rounding a corner leaning left, a little too fast I crossed water cascading onto the road and the wheels went out from under me....I saw sparks as we slide up the pavement and spun around......needed help to lift the bike from a passerby....somewhat embarrassed...should have taken a picture but I was in a hurry to get off the road.
This afternoon I came upon what I thought was an accident...turned out to be a Trucker protest and dozens of tractor trailers had parked sideways....blocking passage for 10 k. I explained to a fellow biker that my Spanish was poor and limited...showed him my hand drawn map and asked if there was an alternate route....a couple fellows riding to up stopped and talked to the 1st biker who I think explained my wish to detour.......they said to follow them and a 25k detour through the ditch and many back roads got me around the trucks. I did have another mishap and did a face plant on a muddy section.....at 5k no less....this time I was hurt and stopped early as my left leg is swollen and right wrist sprained....the helmet saved my head......I tried to pay....even used Spanish to explain my desire but the chap only wanted to shake my hands and happy to be of help......he wasn't even going my way and had to ride that shitty road back.....again I cannot express how great all my interactions have been with the South Americans I have encountered.......especially when they have to work so hard to understand my problem......I love South America.
PICS FROM YESTERDAY 60k of rough road but fantastic scenery
pee break but it's a 100 foot drop if I slip
water crossing
my ride waiting for permission from HEAD OFFICE ADUANA apparently I left Peru without proper documentation on the bike...same problem for Ecuador which they fixed at the Colombia border....in the end they relented and let me in.
TODAY
Running along the valley at 7 am
In for repairs to the shift lever and oil change....this shop was in the country side...no homes nearby and more new motorcycle parts than I have seen before in any store 
The chap in the red shirt is the owner and his helper
do I go R or L....no bloody signs....showed my hand drawn google map to a passerby ...Left
the rock ahead is like a half tunnel...and rocks do fall from it.......glad I am wearing a helmet
here I was fortunate to get help and followed another moto on a 10k detour to Naranjillo but once there, the moto operator inquired if I could continue on...answer no....truckers have that blocked for many K.......they said could take a 25k detour....he dropped his passenger and led me to Nueva Cajamarca. Here he told me how to get out of the city and I spoke Spanish telling him I wanted to pay him for helping me...he refused and said he was happy to help a Canadian......and just wanted to shake hands. Here he turned back to return 25k on that dirt road. 
Don't drive with one hand taking pics on mud....I went down and almost into that drainage ditch........shortly after taking this.
fixing my newest crash....wouldn't take any $ but I insisted ...5 soles
My digs for tonight
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