DAYS 73 - 76 THE TRIP HOME

When I got to the airport Friday afternoon I had my bags wrapped.  I had been told by a local that it really keeps the workers from getting into your luggage and stealing stuff.  For $12.50 per bag I figured it was cheap insurance - it worked.

I forgot to mention that I found a stick of salami I had forgot about during final packing; I decided to leave it behind.

The 10 hour flight to D.C. was cramped since I was in the "packed like a sardine" area but on the next flight I was moved to the very front of the economy area so I had lots of leg room on the 6 hour flight to San Francisco.

What we didn't find out until Monday morning was that the bikes flew to Houston but were put on a truck to San Fran.  Fortunately they showed up at 1:00 PM and we were able to get them cleared thru customs without them even inspecting them - we should have loaded them with Cuban Cigars - Ha.  We got to Joes' place around 6:00 PM.  What was funny was that even though we were driving in rush hour traffic it didn't seem that way after the crazy drivers we had encountered along the way.

I left Joes' Tuesday morning in 45 degree temps, turned up my electric jacket liner and headed for Las Vegas.  I finally got home at 5:00 PM after a nice ride on good roads shared with sane drivers. 

This is a picture of the GPS when the bike was sitting in my garage.  12,892.5 miles with 288 hours and 55 minutes of riding time.

Was it worth 2 and 1/2 months of my life?  Absolutely.  Would I do it again?  I doubt it - there are too many other places in the world I haven't seen.  I saw some beautiful country, sad living conditions, different ways of life, used up at least a few of my 9 lives, rode higher than some planes can fly, met some really nice people and showed a number of people along the way that 2 guys aged 67 & 73 can still enjoy life.

I have to say that I am really glad that Joe wanted to do this trip for a 3rd time because it would have been much harder without his knowledge from his first two trips. Thanks Joe!

I take no credit for the following quote but I do believe it is a fitting way to end this segment of my blog - Thanks for riding along with me.

The purpose of life’s journey is not to arrive at the grave with a well-preserved body, but rather to Slide in Sideways, completely used up, yelling and screaming, what a ride!

DAY 70 - 72 -- LEAVING BUENOS AIRES

On Wednesday we went downtown to pay for shipping the bikes - it was raining so I wore my Frog Togg top and my sandles (not my best decision of the day).  The top is so tattered I looked like I would have to be given money to raise to the level of a street person.  I had received an estimate for shipping the bike and I was  wondering how close it would be - Sandra hit it within $1.00 - she is good.  It cost $1,611.27 US to prepare and ship the bike to San Francisco and hopefully I can pick it up Monday so I can ride home on Tuesday.  No pictures today due to the rain.

Thursday was kind of a lazy day, we didn't want to go downtown again so we got on the train and rode it to the end of the tracks just to see what there was to see.  Not much but I snapped a few pictures anyway.

It is now Friday and I am sitting in Dakar Motos by myself since Joe went to the airport at 8:00 PM for his 6:30 AM flight - by now he is probably sitting in the Lima Airport waiting for his flight to San Salvador where he will connect to a flight that will get him to San Francisco around midnight.  Since it is a National holiday here there is nobody working and Brian Ross (AKA Rossi) left yesterday - it was a very quiet night - just me and the cat.  Rossi is a 22 year old from Australia that is riding by himself and camping most of the time and intends to make his way up to the US before heading to Europe.  I think I did this travel thing all backward - what a great experience at the age of 22 - I hope to see him if he passes through Las Vegas.

I leave for the airport at 4:00PM for a 9:00 PM flight to Washington DC then tomorrow morning I connect with a flight to San Francisco and should arrive around noon - Joe will have just enough time to get home,   catch a little sleep and drive the 60 miles back ot the airport to pick me up.  We took seperate flights because I used United flight miles - 55,000 points were required but it saved me from buying a $900 ticket.

Now, a few pictures:

This is the menu from a pizza place close to Dakar Motos - I said I wanted a pizza and he brought me a Pepsi - no communication problems on this trip - Ha.

This is Rossi getting ready to leave.

His hat is his traveling companion.

What we would call subdivision.  The tanks on the roof hold water and give them steady water pressure.

One of the endless peddlers on the trains.  Everything from magazines to soda, hot dogs, candy, pastry, fingernail clippers, socks - you get the picture.

 Just a few bikes.

This was as it "started" to get crowded.

I probably won't post to the blog again untill I get home although I will be running my SPOT Tracker on Tuesday or whatever day I ride home.  Then I think I will try to get an idea of how many gallons of fuel I used and a ballpark cost for the trip.  I think I will take a nap.

I just checked on my bike and it is in Houston.  That means it might be in San Francisco today which would mean I could pick it up for sure on Monday.

DAY 68 - 69 BUENOS AIRES

Yesterday we went donwtown again so I have a few more pictures.  Today was a good day.  We left Dakar Motos at around 9:30 to go to the airport; we were supposed to be there at 11:00 AM.  Even with Joe running out of gas in the middle of a toll station and siphoning gas out of my bike into a bucket we made it right on time.  Sandra had the entire process set up for us and everyone was ready to start the packing process as soon as we got there.  Joe and I had to disconnect the battery, remove the rear view mirrors and let some air out of the tires; then the customs person came over and checked (kinda - mostly asked) to see if we had anything on/in the bikes that we were not supposed to ship to the US.  On to the pictures.

This is the train we take downtown.

Some of the sad areas we pass on the way.

Another of many statues.

This is the large tree from a few days ago, it looks like it tried to eat someone.

This is an electronics maul - a geeks paradise.

Really big Burger King.

A little more Tango.

They are now strapped to the pallet.

The 2 guys we worked with - they made everything go very smooth.

He is actually shrink wrapping the bike - notice the heat gun.

Ready for shipment.

There go my Baby - First time we have been seperated since we started - I am now officially on foot.

Not sure when the bikes will ship or arrive in San Francisco since the entire communication system for flights in Buenos Aires went down for several hours yesterday causing a bit of a backlog.  I have a reservation for 9:00 PM Friday getting into San Francisco Saturday around noon.  Joe gets there around midnight Friday night.  I am using flight miles so we are on different flights and airlines.  I actually route thru Washington DC.

Tomorrow I find out how much it will cost to ship the bike - the final number.  Now we wait.

DAYS 66 - 67 - BUENOS AIRES

Yesterday and today we took the train to downtown Buenos Aires.  A round trip ticket costs 45 cents.  Because the US has changed the rules recently, we will not be able to ship our motorcycle riding gear with the bike so we had to each buy another suitcase.  It is a metro area of about 12 million people and is a pretty neat city.  It is referred to as "The Paris of South America".  On to the pictures:

A few of the stickers found at "Dakar Motos".

A couple from Finland that spent a day here at Dakar Motos.

Joe modeling his newly vented "Frog Togg" after his little fire experience.

The Tango is everything here.

Harrods didn't seem to do too well here.

This is "Florida" street - (pronounced "Flor e da")  A pedestrian shopping street - lots of neat shops.

A maul on "Flor e da" street.

 This old tree was in a big park we had to walk thru to get to "Flor e da" street.

Pretty neat roots - huh?

See how the giant branch is supported.

One of several statues scattered around town.

The vendor market we went to today.  I wish I had more space so I could buy stuff. 

The entrance to Recoleta Cemetery - right downtown.

Lots of people visiting - a real tourist attraction.

Must not have any family left.

The crypts go way underground so there are stairs to get the caskets down there.

The most famous of the"Residents"

The family Resting place.

A map of the cemetery.

Some street guy that found a Tee shirt from the Los Angeles to Barstow to Vegas ride.

   This is Catholic Church - the "Basilica of El Pilar" which is right next to the cemetery.

Jut a street we walked down.

A Tango street performer.

Hope you enjoyed the pictures, I enjoyed taking them.