Alex's Motorcycle Adventure Alaska, Mexico, Central + South America!

ExpeditionSouth Goes Viral!

2013-05-05T12:58:00.000-06:00

Finally after returning from my trip I finally had a chance to compile all the 600+ hours of video from my trip into one video for all to enjoy. It had 1,500 views in 3 weeks, then one day...today I woke up to 500+ emails from YouTube and over 58,000+ views on Youtube! Its officially gone viral! Its wonderful to see others enjoying this journey as well after all the work, effort and time I put into my life dream. Hopefully this will finally get the exposure I need to possible hosting my own TV motorcycle travel show or movie.

Here's the video

And here's the websites that it's been featured on so far, in one day 50,000 views, imagine what will happen by next week! Thanks to everyone! And if you see this video features anywhere else please email me with the url and where it at so I can put it on this list. Thank you! ExpeditionSouth@gmail.com

National and International Media Coverage !

CBS News

ABC News

Univision America

Peta Pixel

The Awesomer

Live Leak

Wimp

Shock Mansion

Uhull Brazil

Huffington Post

http://fr.sports.yahoo.com/video/il-traverse-22-pays-%C3%A0-114618945.html

http://www.adventure4you.com/ita/news/news-da-adventure4you/le-americhe-in-moto-con-alex-chacon-video.php

http://www.standaard.be/cnt/DMF20130511_018

http://nyheter24.se/nyheter/utrikes/745145-en-man-500-dagar-och-22-lander-alaska-till-argentina

http://www.viikonloppu.com/?p=6072&cat=11&mtype=new

http://www.mybike.gr/topichttp://www.mybike.gr/topic/64671

http://www.forocoches.com/foro/showthread.php?t=3243336&page=2

http://rideapart.com/2013/05/expedition-south/

http://www.dumpert.nl/mediabase/6541900/15fb0fce/motortrip_van_alaska_naar_argentini%C3%AB.html

http://www.wykop.pl/link/1498417/alaska-argentyna-w-500-dni-motocyklem/

http://www.snotr.com/video/11061/The_Modern_Motorcycle_Diaries

http://westcountyexplorersclub.org/2013/05/08/motorcycling-from-alaska-to-south-america/

http://bikepost.ru/blog/travel/34964/Motoputeshestvie-Aleksa-CHakona-video.html

http://laughingsquid.com/the-modern-motorcycle-diaries-alex-chacons-500-day-journey-across-north-south-america/

http://www.motosiklet.net/forum/motosiklet-videolari/116017-motosiklet-ile-503-gunde-alaskadan-arjantine.html

http://www.motosiklet.net/forum/son-haberler/116127-klr650-ile-alaskadan-arjantine-132-000-km-video.html

http://www.meltyxtrem.fr/alex-chacon-en-gopro-132-000-km-de-l-alaska-a-l-argentine-a178648.html

http://unofficialnetworks.com/modern-motorcycle-diaries-503-days-82459-miles-22-countries-122237/

http://cink.hu/ilyen-szepek-amerika-utjai-499564477

http://www.fazedoresdechuva.com/forums/showthread.php/1661-22-Pa%C3%ADses-e-500-dias-em-2-rodas%21#.UZFUmbU-bpE

http://www.fastandpowerfulnews.fr/The-Modern-Motorcycle-Diaries-Le-Recit-en-Video-du-Voyage-d-Alex-Chacon_a897.html

http://www.fastandpowerfulnews.fr/The-Modern-Motorcycle-Diaries-Le-Recit-en-Video-du-Voyage-d-Alex-Chacon_a897.html

http://alkislarlayasiyorum.com/icerik/118279/503-gunde-alaskadan-guney-amerikaya-motorsiklet-seyahati

http://www.blackperfecto.com/roadtrip-moto-alaska-argentine-solo/

http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/alex-chacon-modern-motorcycle-diaries

http://www.meltyxtrem.fr/alex-chacon-en-gopro-132-000-km-de-l-alaska-a-l-argentine-a178648.html

http://www.hypeness.com.br/2013/05/homem-percorre-22-paises-de-moto-durante-503-dias-e-registra-tudo-com-uma-gopro/

http://www.tuxboard.com/traversee-de-lamerique-en-moto/

http://touron2wheels.wordpress.com/2013/05/16/82500-miles-motorcycle-tour-adventure-alex-chacons-trip/

http://www.lyonne.fr/journal/journal/feuilleteur-pdf.html?dateParution=10/05/2013&edition=24

http://agentlemansword.com/?p=2131

Need helping planning your own Adventure?

2013-01-20T13:16:00.002-07:00

If you would like to achieve an adventure of a lifetime like the one I experienced but are still doubtful you can accomplish it? Will worry no more, I'm no offering my expertise in this unique and specific area of motorcycle travel in Latin America. Check out www.YourExpeditionSouth.com to start planning your own Journey South!

www.YourExpeditionSouth.com

ExpeditionSouth in the Canadian Newspaper!

2012-12-13T01:59:00.000-07:00

My recent visit in Kamloops Canada did not go un-noticed, as I was interviewed for the local paper and my couchsurfing host was quoted as "Alex kind of inspired me". Made my day! Inspiring the world one person at a time!

Check out the full article here http://www.kamloopsnews.ca/article/20121211/KAMLOOPS0107/121219975/0/kamloops/surfs-up-growing-numbers-join-world-8217-s-largest-travel-community

Episode 11 - Arizona to Canada

2012-12-11T14:40:00.002-07:00

ExpeditionSouth is back with the next episode in the Epic adventure. After finally having time to edit and produce this I invite everyone to join me in the continuance of Argentina to Alaska. Enjoy!

A Trip Around the World, I need your help!

2012-10-31T10:20:00.003-07:00

Friends and Family,

As many of you know I have been doing this thing called CouchSurfing recently through my travels. This organization is sponsoring a video contest for a trip around the world, and I need your help to win! Please check out my new video about CouchSurfing and be sure to hit the "Like" button to vote for the video, I greatly appreciate your continued help and support. Thanks!

Episode 10 - Route 66, welcome to the USA!

2012-10-16T00:23:00.001-06:00

It's finally here! Episode 10 of Alex Around the world! Thanks for waiting and enjoy!

Expedition South makes it to Deadhorse Alaska! End of the Pan American

2012-09-27T20:53:00.000-06:00

75,000 miles+/120.700 Km+, 51 border crossings, 20 countries, 3 contients, 3 different motorcycles in 500+days!! Arctic conditions, boiling desert heat, hurricane evacuations, hitchhiking, food illness, corrupt police and borders, crossing flooded rivers/lakes/oceans, bribes, dehydration, starvation, frost bite, hospitals, physical exhaustion, end of the Pan American at the Arctic Ocean, through the most amazing scenery and places on earth, meeting the most amazing people in all the land, the most spontaneous, enlightening and epic adventure of my life! Thanks to everyone I met, those who helped along the way and those who supported me from so far away. Gracias, thanks, obrigado!

A quick look back at the journey to get here

Argentina to Alaska! Here I come!

2012-08-29T11:11:00.001-06:00

Hello Everyone! So its official, I am now currently on my way to Alaska!

Check out my new section of "Where is Alex Today" on the upper tab to see where I am at and to follow my route to Alaska!

Now up is my new video diary of Episode 9---- Be sure to check it out to see exactly what's going on

And if you like what you see and are enjoying the adventure, the donate button is <----- over to the left if you would like to contribute to my on going travel costs! Thanks~

Alaska here I come!

2012-08-23T23:29:00.000-06:00

So after much debate and thinking I decided what the heck, I already drove south, why not north and complete half the world by age 24!

So now I am on my way to Alaska, stay posted for the last of Latin America videos coming soon! In the mean time I invite everyone to check out my favorite video of Bolivia!

Rest in Peace David Wermuth 1961-2012 - and more travel in South America for free.

2012-07-20T23:18:00.001-06:00

Thanks to everyone who has been keeping up with the adventure, I know I have been out of contact for a bit but there have been some exciting, interesting and sad developments.

First off i will be editing and publishing the remaining videos of the motorcycle adventure soon in the coming weeks. To sum it up, i sold the bike in Paraguay. I appreciate your patience. Second, upon my arrival to the USA i was notified that i was the winner of an world wide international photography contest sponsored by American Airlines! The prize is an all expenses paid trip to South America for two... Lucky me huh?! I get to visit a foreign land..... Oh wait never mind, because i have become a professional tour guide now, I decided to bring along my number one fan... My mom! So we will be traveling South America for a month in style! No more $3 dollar hostels, or tuna and ramen for me! ( at least for the next month) stay tunned for that video as well.) i am currently on that trip as i type this. You can follow me at www.Aprendi.com.

Third is some sad news, my friend and traveling buddy David from my second trip through Latin America is no longer with us. He decided to take his own life this past week in his Arizona home, he left no note. He leaves behind his children and family, my thoughts are with them in this difficult time. david will forever live in my heart, he will always be a big part of my adventure, and he will forever be remembered, not only in the minds of the people he touched, be he will permanently be a part of this web page, where his pictures and video will always be available for others to share. I will do my upmost to keep this web page and history of his life and mine and the time i spent with david living on the internet forever(or as time, money of other influences will permit) so that his friends and family can always see him at some of his happiest, most adventurous and striving moments, through the magic of video

Rest in Peace amigo.....

David Wermuth 1961-2012

David Wermuth 1961-2012

National Geographic Contest

2012-06-27T14:37:00.001-06:00

National Geographic Contest

Friends! After much persuasion by everyone I decided to enter the National Geographic Contest with this picture. Please be sure to "Like" or vote for the picture. Thanks!

Click the Link Below!

http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/traveler-magazine/photo-contest/2012/entries/142007/view/

Episode 8 - Don't Cry for Me Argentina!

2012-06-06T13:15:00.001-06:00

Thanks for everyone's patience on this video, I've had the adventure of a crazy madman as you'll soon see!

This is Episode 8 - Don't Cry for Me Argentina!

Bolivia the Incredible! HD - Episode 7

2012-04-26T10:04:00.001-06:00

It might have taken me a while, but I finally finished editing hundreds of hours of video to make possibly the best, most visually stunning video of my life! This time I navigate the country of Bolivia through some of the most remote parts on this continent.

If you watch any of my 156 videos I have, this is definitely the one to check out! Enjoy and be sure to lave a comment!

(I would recommend some earphones and putting it in HD 720p quality for this one, it'll blow your mind!)

Episode 6 - Chilean Bolivian Trekking Disaster.Getting Lost FAIL!

2012-04-13T11:56:00.000-06:00

The next installment of The Chacón Chronnicles is up!

Again after much demand and support I bring you my EPIC failure at attempting to navigate a random road from Chile to Bolivia, I hope it brightens up your day!

Also I wanted to thank those viewers and followers who have made monetary contributions to me and this journey recently, I truly appreciate and am very grateful and honored. I can assure you that your help will allow me to keep on producing these videos and pictures for your enjoyment.

And if you'd like to make your own contribution to this cause and journey and help produce more videos, be sure to look at the left side of the screen here <<<<<<, where it says Donate, and don't be shy!

Also be sure to visit Alex's Awesome Pictures , for some pretty awesome pictures from this journey for your enjoyment.

Thanks!

Alex Around the World - Episode V - Epic Andean Off Road Adventure - Peru

2012-04-01T08:00:00.000-06:00

So after much demand, here's the next chapter in the Chacon Chronicles! I personally like this one, it took lots of work with music sync and editing hours and hours worth of clips and such, and I dare to say its the best episode yet, but I hope everyone enjoys, be sure to leave a comment please!

I don't see many more episodes coming up soon after the next one due to money contraints so enjoy while there still are! Unless you'd like to click the Donate button to the left <<<---------

Episode V

Alex Around the World - Episode IV - Peru the Almighty!

2012-03-27T07:28:00.000-07:00

Alex Around the World - Episode III - Into Peru

2012-03-25T06:46:00.000-07:00

Alex Around the World - Episode II - Ecuador

2012-03-14T12:13:00.000-07:00

Alex Around the World - Video Episode I - Colombia

2012-03-11T11:50:00.001-07:00

Friends and family,

Thanks for those of you who have been expressing convern over the updates, I really appreciate it. I have been traveling through some pretty remote areas the past few weeks.

So instead of a normal blog entry I want to try something new, something I like to call my first Web Episode of Alex Around the World!

soI hope you enjoy, please leave me some comments to let me know what you think. Thanks!

Colombia- Underground Salt Cathedral, Draculas Castle, Tallest Palm trees in the World! Welcome to Ecuador!

2012-02-27T19:47:00.001-07:00

I'm back baby! My sincerest apologize to all the followers for the huge delay on the next chapter of the Crazy Chacon chronicles! I have been extremely busy hauling ass and covering lots of ground.

So after a quick break at home I got into Bogota Colombia where I went to pick up the bikes after a nice clean up and tune up. Gracias a Camilo for all the help and kindness!

Thanks again to my wonderful sponsor of Kawasaki International. Although they weren't involved in the tune up, I again thank them for all their previous help in the past.

In my time in Bogota I stayed at Fatima Hostel. I've stayed here a grand total of 14 days in total throughout my life, and will say this is the cool place to be and visit in the old historic center of Candelaria. Its a super fun atmosphere with new faces everyday and the constant distinct smell of green burning organic matter fills the air with free spirit and hippies!

Met some fellow bikers Clark and AT there.

Great guys!

Me trying to get my stuff from under a bed that had a couple sleeping in it...needless I failed and woke them up

Spent some time with the llamas in the center square

The square

Random church

We then took a drive to the salt Cathedral in Zapiruia. About 2 hours north of Bogota. On the way we saw what looked like Disney World. More like Epcot center with little Russia, a giant Mosc etc.

Got to the city

Saw the salt mine Cathedral

In my opinion it looked like a mine with lots of fails excavations turned into a religious thing. Still it was extremely unique and awesome

That's the worlds largest Cross I was told

Chacon the miner!

Some cool carvings

More stuff

Surfing the Pick Ax

We headed out of Bogota to the Coffee reagion and trail close to Salento

We encountered a crazy road block due to a giant boulder in the middle of the road and truck that caught on fire. It was interesting to say the least

Saw some awesome Palm wine!??

THe view in Salento was amazing! Definitly reccomend to anyone

Got a chance to visit the Cocora Valley home of World's tallest palm trees

Headed down after than to Armenia where we got some nice parking next to a bus terminal

Next day had some great Desayuno! Breakfast!

Complimentary with my breakfast was the interesting sight of two creatures in synchronization

Homeless dog meets homeless guy

And some good Lunch

And saw this badass dog riding on the back of a Chiva bus

Before crossing into Ecuador we passed by this amazing place called Las Lajas near Ipiales

Or as I would call it, Draculas Castle

Funny enough it was Ash Wednesday when we arrive, so everyone was walking around with black smudges on their forheads.

We finally crossed into Ecuador with no problem. Customs in Colombia is as easy as handing over your Dian paper, they give you a smile and say thanks for visiting. I love you Colombia!

We then made our way to South America most famous market in Otavalo

Saw some cute babies

Again I say that this market is awesome and has some neat things.

Not so neat is the giant stone dildo some weirdo was selling

In Otavalo my engine was having some problems and left me stranded without warning! So had to find a nice guy to put it in the back of his truck and drive it to Quito

Had to prevent it from falling

So now in Quito and waiting to see what the deal is with the bike. Until next time adios amigos!

The Google Maps Street View car doesn't like it when you follow it! Piss off Google, check!

2012-02-02T13:21:00.005-07:00

Hello everyone, so I thought I'd share what I think is something pretty funny and quite curious that has happened to me.

As you know there's a neat little Google maps car that looks like this, that drives around the United States and elsewhere taking pictures and such for its street view application.

Well lucky me was home a few months back when I saw it pass by in El Paso Texas and decided to hop on my motorcycle and chase it down. You can see my post about it if you click here! Well they just finished uploading those pictures to their street view.

I was curious to see if it would take pictures of me while trailing behind it while making silly faces and dancing around like a dumbass, and it did to an extent. Of course it blurred my face according to its private policies.

What I don't understand is why they replaced only some of the pictures and left the old ones. The next two pictures are taken at the same location, but with one click to go to the next picture takes you to the old pic they have.

Again I'm pretty sure its because when I was behind the car, I was doing stupid and silly things like taking my helmet off and smiling at the camera, waved my arms in the air like a dumbass, did some dancing, stuck my tongue out and my have made a peace sign with my fingers.

Again the strangest thing was that they didn't post a lot of the route they were taking pictures of in which I was behind them waving my arms, standing up on the bike and smiling for the camera being a clown.

You can click here http://maps.google.com/maps?q=5230+hunters+glenn+el+paso+texas&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x86ddf96d79009bdb:0xbc88d716019a364f,5230+Hunters+Glenn+St,+El+Paso,+TX+79932&gl=us&ei=8_0qT6SRKOPi2QXgrPHuDg&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CDMQ8gEwAA

and put the little orange person where it has the marker and look around the area, you'll see what I mean


This pic was taken in Winter many years ago and the one below is the recent one,


Why google didn't use the new pics they took at the location above is, weird and confusing

So I'll take this time to apologize to the people of the El Paso Country Place community for pissing Google off enough to cut them out of Google street view, my bad!

So half the route I was following them for they just threw away and left the old pictures as you can see, when I was doing something silly to the camera they just left the old winter picture from a few years back, and when I was behaving they put up the new ones.

They also for some reason decided to selectively take me out completely of some pictures as you see by this sequence, where I am invisible in every other picture!

Now you see me, now you don't! Crazy huh?

You can click here and get the street map view where it has the marker to see for yourself, just click up and down the road to watch me magically disappear!

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=5550+upper+valley++el+paso+texas&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x86ddf9691495d433:0x265c7a9e1d73e4b1,5550+Upper+Valley+Rd,+El+Paso,+TX+79932&gl=us&ei=KP8qT6nmC6bK2AXZtaTxDg&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CCEQ8gEwAA

Thought it would be funny to share and give you a better idea about how the street view car does its thing.

So things to do in life, get photographed by the Google street view car, check! And perhaps bother the billion dollar company of Google Inc. a bit, check as well!

On another note, I'll be returning to Colombia in the next week or so to continue on the amazing adventure.

Lots of new and amazing things are planned, so stay tuned! If you can't wait then I recommend checking out the blog archive for full list of awesome posts and adventures!

Snowboarding for the first time, New Years party! Back in the USA for the Holidays!

2012-01-22T18:21:00.001-07:00

So as I mentioned David and I flew back home for a few weeks for the holidays and to take a quick break.

The flight back for me provided some pretty cool scenery going over the ocean and stuff.

Again I had time to reminisce on my life map of driving.

That's quite a lot area covered is all I could conclude.

Once back home I got a chance to see my friends

And celebrate New Year's!

My favorite cousin Mike at his party that somehow ended up with a broken wall.

And even got a chance to go snowboarding with my friends with a quick road trip to Ruidoso New Mexico

We had some fun at a cabin we rented.

Got this hilarious picture, it got everyone in a funky moment.

None of us had ever snowboarded, so we made it a point to all go snowboarding for the first time together.

Rented our gear.

I love my friend Greg that to the right, reaction to taking a spantaneous picture

Got up to the mountain

My friend Andrew and I

Like I said, this was my first time snowboarding, I have sand boarded one time before you can click here to see that post, but I'll say it was very different than that.

I even made a pretty awesome video of all the times I fell and crashed. As you can imagine it was not easy!

Awesome video!

Once back home I enjoyed a beautiful desert sunset with my friends.

And did some jumping on my trampoline. Here's a first person perspective on doing a back flip

I'm back home for another 2 weeks, and headed to Austin Texas to visit with my father for a bit before I depart back to Colombia to meet up with David again to continue on to the tip of South America, almost sounds like a World Record of some kind...mmmm... makes me think...time to research.

Bogota Colombia, Motorcycle towing, Home for the Holidays!

2012-01-18T10:02:00.002-07:00

I'm back baby!

So after a nice vacation I"m back to typing and sharing the adventure again, it was nice to have some time off. Keep updated on the page because there's lots to come!

So last we left off we were on our way to Bogota from Northern Colombia.

Our route to Bogota

Ran into some accidents on the way

Along with some cool scenery

As we were in close proximity to the Venezuelen border we saw the sale of cheap gasoline on the street.

People typically cross to Venezuela for the 7 cent a gallon of gas and bring it to Colombia to sell at $4 a gallon.

Had a nice crowd again looking at me strangely.

After David’s nice hospital visit, we were faced with yet another issue. My motorcycle’s carburetor kept flooding, meaning that every time we wanted to start the bike, David would have to pull me, and I would have to pop the clutch to jump start the bike.

The carburetor would then flood at stop signs or lights, so along with towing the bike for many miles I also had to run lots of stop lights and signs as carefully as possible.

We finally made it to a decent town with a mechanic.

We had to take apart the entire motorcycle to figure out the problem.

Once we thought we fixed it we put it back together, only to find out that the fix didn’t work!

So this went on the entire day and had to spend the night.

Here’s a neat video of the process it is to take apart and put back together the bike.

We finally patched up the bike for the last 300 miles it would take to get to Bogota.

Our mechanic was super nice

I will say I don’t know how we made it to the Kawasaki dealership in Bogota, but I will say that as soon as I stopped the motorcycle it died on the front parking lot at the dealership, what luck!

We dropped off the bikes and went exploring.

Saw a cute coffee cart

As it approaches Christmas time David and I agreed to go home and visit the family for a few weeks, then come back and finish the adventure.

I didn’t tell my family I was going so it was a surprise.

I spend my last few days in Bogota designing and buying more business cards than I know what to do with.

Had some traditional colombian christmas dish

Visited my favorite motorcycle alley to buy some custom made stickers that say "ExpeditionSouth"

This area will also give you access to any stolen and makeshift motorcycle goods you can think of !

I also ate some amazing pizza!

Went christmas shopping on the streets of Bogota with all the other people, it was ridiculous!

Tried some agua panela, something very Colombian

Got a $1 dollar shoe shine

A $2 hair cut, with a very nice and gay guy who decided to fondle my hair in a very gay and weird manner.

And every day I got my $1 cup of exotic fruit.

Went to the motorcycle alley for my $1 chicken and potatoe combo

Along with my 50 cent peanut and chocolate treat.

And ended every night with some "aromotica", a COlombian tea mixture that's absolutely amazing! Even ade friend with the cart guy

This made me happy as I used my beautiful laptop I broke a few months ago riding through the rough roads of Bolivia!

SO David and I will be back home for the Christmas holidays, we know our families will be happy to see us.

Personally I'm looking forward to relaxing and doing nothing. A well deserved break after being on the road for over a year!

USA here I come!

Friends and Fans! I need your help please!

2012-01-12T18:50:00.003-07:00

Friends and Fans,

Thanks for enjoying and following along so far in the adventure. Now is time for me to ask a favor of you.

I’m currently a finalist in a contest from American Airlines to win an all expenses trip to South America as their official ambassador. I promised I would take my mom as it’s a trip for 2, and I need your votes to win!

Please take the time to click here http://aprendi.com/ambassadors/sudamerica

Then click “vota por mi” (vote for me in Spanish). You can quickly create a new account, or you can log in with facebook (you’ll have to install the application to vote but you can remove it easily after you vote)

I would appreciate this very much, thank you!

Alex Chacon

[In Spanish]

Amigos y Fans:

Gracias por su apoyo en ésta aventura.

Quiero pedirles un gran favor: Soy actualmente finalista un Concurso de American Airlines para ganar un viaje con todos los gastos pagados a Sudamérica como embajador oficial de ésta compañía. Le prometí a mi mamá llevarla ya que es un viaje para dos personas y necesito sus votos para ganar.

Por favor tomen el tiempo de oprimir aquí

Agan click aquí! http://aprendi.com/ambassadors/sudamerica

Pueden crear una cuenta o votar directamente con su cuenta de facebook.

¡Muchas gracias por su ayuda!

Panama to Colombia - Motorcycle transport, Captain Chacon, Fritz the Cat, moto accident and 23 stitches later, and the most Random Encounter in all the World!

2011-12-31T13:48:00.003-07:00

First off my apologies on the time it took for these next posts coming up. Been very busy as you’ll soon find out.

So after our nice visit to the end of the Pan America highway in Yarviza and the adventure that was in itself we headed back to Panama City where we spent 2 days.

Here a visual of our route for this post

I continue to love my shopping basket from Nicaragua, best idea ever!

We then headed to Portobello to catch a voyage from Panama to Colombia by boat with motorcycles on Fritz the Cat, a catamaran we hope will help not move too much with the sea sickness thing.

When we arrived in Portobello, famous for what Pirates of the Caribbean shows us in movies, it was raining pretty bad.

We also ran into some Costa Rican’s on a KTM that were also on the boat. Gabriel the driver was nice enough to give me some grease to put on our chains and sensitive areas of the bike to prevent rusting.

My suggestion for the fellow riders is that everything will rust on a sea voyage, but it’s no big deal except for the electrical stuff that you play a game of chance with whether or not it will be severely damaged. My last voyage I did nothing and things rusted, but had no issues after I starting riding and the rust basically worked itself out. Same with this voyage.

Rained a bit

Saw the last of the cool Panama buses.

Getting the bikes on the Catamaran was a job only for the crazy and those with nerves of steel!

Oh boy here we go again!

I was a veteran on unloading and loading motorcycles onto and off ships, so I took control of the situation with directing people on what to do and where to go, assuring the other riders not to worry that I would take care of their precious cargo. Captain Chacon at your service!

The other bikers from Alaska were scared out of their mind after a slip up on the board connecting the dock and the boat when they over accelerated the bike and made it slip, that’s when I stepped in translating for everyone and I loaded every bike after they saw how efficient and safely I did it.

Here's some video of the loading process

After some nice stress and huge responsibility and relief I did some surfing to celebrate my success of getting 6 bike on board coordinating the massive language barrier and chaos.

I drove my motorcycle over the ocean to Colombia, call the Guinness World book of Records! its a first!

Next time I’ll be sure to charge for my services. But I just wanted to get on the ocean as fast as possible.

So to make our 5 days voyage from Panama to Colombia short I’ll just put up pictures and say a few things.

The first two days are great at the islands, but the last 3 days you’re on the open sea and most everyone was sea sick. My last trip I was sick all 5 days including being sick from food poisoning and it was one of the most extreme and suffering experiences of my life. I will say I love Scopolamine! Which is a sea sickness medication, it worked and I didn’t get sick. And my voyage as awesome! I was able to enjoy the sea and sailing instead of lying down the whole time or over the edge of the boat puking.

Much better than my last experience which you can read about if you click here!

Captain chacon!

Saw the Kuna and their islands

Caught some stuff and had some fun with our captain

The gang

I was also Super Medic again on this voyage, Fritz went fishing and caught a Poisonous LionFish, which on the way back stung his hand.

So Chacon the medic stepped in, put his hand in hot water to denature the proteins that the poison carries to create pain and swelling to prevent their spread an causing more damage. Cleaned, disinfected, and gave him some medication to relax. I need to start getting paid for these things, I’d be rich!

I would definitely recommend taking a Catamaran, and Fritz the Cat, it’s much more stable than anything I’ve ever been on and made my sea sickness almost nonexistent along with the medication.

Fritz had plenty of food, water and fruit at all times. Last time I was starving for food. Thanks Fritz!

Arriving in Cartagena the unloading was a pain and stressful again, regardless back on dry land!

But we had some help

We looked around the place

I missed my favorte Moto taxi's!

Mobile food van!

Later on we got out passports back at a local bar from Fritz

And since I was the official professional adventure rider and border and customs guy according to all the other bikers after they heard about everything I’ve done, including this being my second journey, I took the liberty to import everyone’s bikes with customs, all 6 of them! It was an entire day of sitting in line and getting documents and such passing my way through lines my flitering wit hthe nice Colombian ladies to do my paper work first and quicker.

What sucked was that the guy who stamped our passports into Colombia messed up on the date of our entry so we had to look for him all over Cartagena to Void our stamp and give us another one, which took most of the day. Just keeps getting better and better right?

Finally I finished all the paper work, got there at 8am and left at 5pm!….I would again give another list on how to do this when you arrive in Colombia but it’s pretty long and lengthy, if you would like some consulting,

I’m available for hire!

After our permits were ready and got our mandatory insurance, all the bikers split off their own ways.

We headed to the volcano El Totumo, where you can enjoy a nice mud bath.

You can even get a massage.

And it looks pretty cool when you let the mud dry.

We then headed to the national park Tyrona, where we stopped to take off our rain gear and had a 40 minute conversation with the family selling drinks at the speed bump. Well more like we were hassled about our trip and enacted to buy some drinks for 40 minutes.

So get ready for the something amazing, remember how 6 months ago I was in the Patagonia, on some random road with a water fall... I didn't think so, you can click here to read about it.

But anyway, I met a random Colombian girl going up hill on a bike, in the middle of nowhere! we talked and said our good bye's. I tried contacting her later on but wrote down her information incorrectly and never saw her again.

Well at the entrance of Tyrona, guess who I saw? that right the same Colombian girl! this is the craziest encounter I've ever had. Never in my life would I have guessed I would ever see her again. Life is amazing sometimes, the chances of ever seeing her again is greater than the lottery I estimate, it was amazing! We both couldn't believe it!

The picture I took of her last time

Alright so here goes some fun stuff.

A huge disclaimer and warning to those reading this, ahead is some very very graphic content, lots of blood and flesh, if your squeamish, skip this part, you have been warned.

So as we passed through Tyrona, the roads were pure mud, and riding was quite difficult. Unfortunately David had a pretty bad crash and seriously cut up his leg, so much in fact we had to visit the local emergency room an hour away back in Santa Marta at the hospital.

David had to get 23 stitches, luckily we got there quickly, and I also had my first Aid kit to patch him up nicely until we got there.

We were attended very nicely and quickly and David was very thankful. Of course I didn’t mention I had to lie that we couldn’t stop the bleeding and David was anemic and needed help ASAP, so we got attended to immediately.

All for a total cost of $60 dollars! And another $50 for medications and antibiotics. Another day another adventure.

To Bogota we go! Limping foot and all!