Arrived In LIMA-Nov 28 2017

We arrived late in Lima at 2;15 am..........by the time we arrived at the Hostel Iquique it was 3:30am. The taxi driver Ramos pushed the buzzer at the hostel and awakened the operator. It was 4:45 am by the time we hit the sack and up at 6am. Breakfast over at 7:15 am and down the street a 5 minute walk to the Migracion Office to get the Permiso a Firmar Contratos....a procedure that we learned is to be done on line after paying first at any Bank National in the country who issue a receipt with a number to get the printout Permiso on line. Fortunately for me, the chap ahead of me at the Migracion Office, Damian, an English International Student Placement Co coordinator took us through the procedure and we used a travel agency for the on line part.

Taxi Directo, our taxi service just sent me a thank you for using them along with the route we took early this morning.

Ken and I will take a walking tour of the area as we are not scheduled to bus out to Huanuco until tomorrow night at 10pm for an over night trip through the treacherous mountain terrain. Maybe their is a reason to keep you from looking over the side by a night excursion. Toby at http://www.aroundtheblockmotoadventures.com/motorcycle-rentals/ Purchased our tickets, a few days ago suggesting that we should rest a day in Lima before climbing to a higher altitude....until the next post ...adios

      

Welcome Peru Addition-Nov 21 2017

I am a happy adventurer today, as my amigo Ken Wettlaufer, has purchased a flight ticket to accompany me for the 1st 3 weeks of my 3rd South American trip.

Ken and I took a self guided trip with Freedom Tours of Ecuador this past February. Toby Shannon of Around the Block Adventure Motorcycle Tours in Huanuco Peru is prepping a 250cc Cross Triton for Ken with only a weeks notice....big thank you to Toby.

  Toby has also put a suggested route together for us which will take us to Cuzco and the village of Aquas Calientes at the foot of Machu Picchu. If time permits we will visit the Colca Canyon which is the deepest canyon in the world.

So stoked to have company for part of my 4 month journey......Nov. 27th is getting close.....Next report will be from Lima Peru....

k.........the real KEN-standing....the other guy with the reflection of camera on glasses es moi

Around The Block Tours-October 9 2017

Toby @http://www.aroundtheblockmotoadventures.com/moto-purchase-buy-back/
has added to his fleet 3 new bikes which can be rented or purchased for your next trip.

If shipping from Toronto Ontario, Canada....the cost one way to send my VStrom is $ 3000.00 ....does not include special crating, charges at receiving airport and overall hassle plus getting rid of the crate......makes perfect sense to buy 1 of the above with a guarantee buy back.....Your cost as little as $ 2121.00/$1100.00 and no hassle arranging for shipping home,,,,for me it is a savings of over $ 4000.00....and no wear and tear on my bike     

Packing For Peru/Ecuador-Oct 2-2017

40cmx30x20cm deep and fit the side rack....attached with ratchet type/pull straps''''I will bring rain jackets which I had already purchased for the luggage I was planning to take 

I ran into a weight problem in my pre-pack.....I had planned on using the same carry on type suitcases on flights which I used on my previous South American Trip in Chile/Argentina. I am taking my own helmet this time, heavier riding boots, tools and a tool tube pushing the weight up on my checked luggage. This led to me contacting Toby regarding the aluminum panniers. These are still in production and will not be ready but Toby has soft bags and I have purchased the ones above......

Here is a pic from Toby's site of an X-terra with the side bags...mounted

Ecuador Pics @ Canoa

It's Confirmed.....I will be enrolled at the Sundown Beach Resort for January 2018........taking Spanish lessons

 CLICK ON THE PICS TO ENLARGE              This place is just up the Beach from the Canoa Beach Hotel where Ken and I stayed on our trip with Freedom Bike Tours in February

The Pool at the Canoa hotel 

The hot tub

Now I find I have another problem.....Sundown Hotel has sent me an email asking me to pick out a Spanish Instructor

The PROBLEM....I can't see their faces....what the *****  

Ronco X-Terra 258/285 Update-Sept 13 2017

Upgrades completed....pics of bike waiting my arrival at AROUND THE BLOCK ADVENTURE TOURS in Huanuco Peru..CLICK on picture to enlarge

This shows 12 hp @ 7500: however the Ronco site shows

The Ronco engine is a copy of the Honda CRF 230 engine used in the Honda XR 250 and is 18.76 hp@7500rpm....so Toby assures me that the power is comparable and says I can test it against the Honda when I arrive.......

Horizon Unlimited Ontario Meet-Sept 7th to 10th 2017

The Ontario gathering is now in the past with Greg, our host for the event getting together with Susan and Grant Johnson, the founders of this resource organization, to plan for 2018. A big thank you to Greg, and Liz Bamford who arrived on Wednesday to set up for the meet......hours prior went into planning and preparing to accommodate the approximate 200 attendees from across Ontario, Quebec and the USA.......don't think we had any asylum seekers. This was an opportunity to listen to travelers stories riding throughout Central, South/North America, Australia, New Zealand, India,Mongolia and Europe. Various clinics on packing/tire repair/border crossings/general preparation for M/c travel and Clinton Smouts demonstrations on safe handling of your ride were well received. Honda and BMW had 26 bikes for free demo rides throughout the event each test lasting over 1/2 hour. The weather was warm and sunny during the day and biting cold at night.

This was also a time to get together with fellow riders and swap yarns, make new friends and share the love of ADVENTURE RIDING.......this year I counted 3 Harleys' in attendance and these folks had a ball joining in the bike games which were more suited to Adventure type bikes but they enjoyed participating and it was a hoot to watch.....thanks goes out to Michel Levesque for putting this together. The meals prepared by the camps chef were delicious,all you could eat, buffet style with snacks/fruit put out each night along with fresh coffee available 24 hrs. Kassie Tyers a recording artist of country type gospel from Sudbury performed on stage after dinner each night. Though I was not a formal presenter at the event, I was able to promote Freedom Adventure Tours of Ecuador and   Around the Block Tours of Peru. Around the Block Tours was of particular interest to a number of people due to Toby Shannon's offer to buy a bike for you, handle all the paper work to get it in your name,insurance and plates included with a guaranteed buyback at the end of your trip. This is a much less expensive alternative to shipping your bike or renting when you are on an extended trip. Many are interested how my trip goes starting in December on my purchase of the 250 X-Terra built up to a 285cc for I am told close to a 24hp. They will follow my blog and/or hear of my experience at the next Horizon Event

CLICK ON PIC TO ENLARGE                            This is the bike I purchased with Toby upgrading the engine to a 285cc adding 4hp to the stock 18.76 @ 7500rpm

also the racks added,larger wheels to 19 and 21 inch wheels Perrelli 50/50 tires. note the fender changed due to increase wheel height.

A few pictures from the event

Clinton what not to do

scenic venue

all you can eat

Registration

packing lite

hardy campers