I met a few guys at the BMW service centre; a Canadian on a 10 month trip down from Toronto hoping to reach Ushuaia - I think he will be very cold if he makes it at all this time of year. A Chilean rider arrived and after a brief chat gave me his number as I will be passing his town sometime next week. Bikers really are a nice bunch of people.
I even managed to get the bike back through the Santiago traffic without being mown down by their buses.
I have Bolivian & Peruvian maps, my malaria tablets so now all I need to to is work out which way to go! There are already some comments on various websites that the high passes are closing due to snow! I hope the ones I need are far enough north to get past otherwise it will be a coastal journey north which is not in my plan. I am sure it will be fine but I am very glad to get going. Will probably leave Santiago on Saturday.
Word must have got around as I just received this invitation:
Dear Kevin
We thought this might be of interest to you.
Over the last few years BMW Motorrad have been
running an international competition for GS riders that culminates in an
all-expenses paid final event run, on this occasion, in South America.
Last year a team sent from the UK to South Africa won the event.
If you are a capable rider that may have used your
bike for some off road riding then you will find this a very enjoyable
challenge. The selection process
will take place at the BMF show in Peterborough at the end of the month.
Delighted that you have got the bike back and that you will be back on the road tomorrow. Looking forward to future blogs about your exploits on the open roads
ReplyDeleteGood to have you back in the saddle, so to speak and ready for the open road. Life has been a trifle duller without the regular updates from our champion.
ReplyDeleteGood to catch up, albeit briefly, during your visit to the city with the chance to share a beer or two (nothing of interest Henry).
The party exploits sound suitably sedate but based on your fresh faced complexion you were obviously tucked up in your cot at an early hour and have the stories on a third party basis only!!!!!!!!!!!!
Make sure the Vaseline is rubbed in well for the first few days on the road and travel well.
Nothing less than expected David - I am sure the call would have reached the woolly extremeties of the Cotswolds had an interesting selection been available.
DeleteI would like to echo the other comments, Enzo, that it is indeed good to have you back "on the road again". We look forward to continuing our appreciation of your "Derring do" and asume you have been given a team BMW place without the need of a Peteborough test ride. You would qaulify on photography alone to say nothing of your Spanish ability.
Do take care, dear boy, that the Vaseline comments dont get misinterpreted.
Photography & Spanish............I have had the piss taken out of me by better people than you, you know!
DeleteNo vaseline but i do have some wet wipes, just in case of an emergency.
Are all you plans set for LMC? When are you travelling down & back?
It was indeed good to catch up with a few old soaks from the market. No vaseline on board - I would not want to have to explain it going through the various border crossings!
ReplyDelete