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Central and South American Adventure


Eric Hall

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Welcome to my ride report!  My plan is to ride from SoCal through Central and South America for roughly 6-9 months, stringing together a series of water projects with local volunteers of Motorrad Angels.

Many people simply travel for travel's sake and there will certainly be plenty of that but I think being able to share these service project experiences with locals will really enhance my adventure.  Getting to see the world through the eyes of local riders, staying with them, learning all the best places to see, etc...

I am self-funding this trip and while I will be raising funds for Motorrad Angels, I'm also creating a Patreon page to help me offset any unexpected expenses like maintenance/repair, lost/damaged equipment, etc...  I'll have plenty of photos there as well as some first-person video accounts of this adventure.

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Sounds awesome Eric.  I'll be there for you as I can.  For the AV/Photo/Documenation check out ItchyBoots and Races2Place (Poskitt) videos for samples of things people have really engaged with.  While it might be a PITA, what about inviting "sponsors" to accompany you on segments?  Working with a local tour operator…  In any case I'll check out the Patreon link.  See you in the Sierras.

 

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Thank you so much Steven for the support and suggestions.  I've been watching ItchyBoots for a while.  Not sure if I want something that slick and produced but it gives me some good ideas.  I have a good GoPro style camera, my phone and was going to get a drone and perhaps a point and shoot.  I have a tripod somewhere.

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Got the tires on finally!  Tractionator RallZ by Motoz.  Had to wait for some tools to remove the wheels since they weren't in the tool kit

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Got some great gear from Klim including their Carlsbad jacket/pants, Baja S4 gloves, Krios Pro helmet

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Racks came from MotoMachines (US distributor for Hepco & Becker)

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And then Sena got me a new 10C Evo which is the next version of their 10C

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Got a new camera!  Canon EOS M50

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And a drone!  DJI Mavic Mini.

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Yup.  The reality is sinking in for me and it's giving me anxiety.  It's not easy to just put everything on hold and take off but I guess that's all part of the adventure.
So just generally it's kind of weird to have no particular destination.  Once I can get my place sorted out here and stuff stored I'll be free to ride around a bit I figure here in CA in the Sierra Nevada and maybe get up into OR and WA before heading back down for High Sierra near Mammoth Lakes Sep 3-6.  After that I'll head south and down the Baja peninsula to Cabo and stay a few days at a friend's there before taking the ferry over to Mazatlan and then another friend's place near Puerto Vallarta and my first water project.  So the reality is I have quite a few destinations already planned so what am I anxious about?  lol
Cleaning out the house has been interesting.  I've wanted to do this trip for a long time but I just didn't ever want to leave my kids when they were small.  So part of that is like that empty nester feeling parents get when they send their kids off to school.  Saying goodbye to the past and looking forward to the future.  I'd be doing that whether I was going on this trip or not.
I sold my son's dresser and now the bunk beds my kids used since they were old enough to leave their cribs.  All the bed time stories...  And sure enough I find old candy wrappers stuffed behind the bed on the floor most likely left there by my daughter a few years ago.  Getting rid of some old toys, Indian Princesses and Guides stuff, an old model rocket we built together.
Bittersweet.
Had a great camping trip with my boy this past weekend.  We were supposed to have gone to Kauai Jul 23 but Hawaii extended their covid restrictions until the end of July.  American Airlines simply cancelled our flights like two weeks earlier (think they knew in advance?).  I re-booked on United but now can only get a voucher and not my money back.  Same with Westin.  Oh well I guess we can go next year then yeah?
But knowing he's going to school and I'm off on this trip gave the trip a certain special meaning.  I really savored every moment.
Life sure is great though!

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Coming up to being homeless would give me anxiety too.  

Sounds like you will spend time living on just what you carry on your bike for a couple months before you head south.  That should help you decide what you need and don't need.  

It hot as hell here, but if you need to crash in my Toybox  you can.  Its got AC.  (loud AC,  you will need those ear plugs)  

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Thanks!  I am planning to do that van/storage thing out of Yuma.  I'll drive out, get the truck, drive it back here, load it then drive it back to Yuma, unload and then drive my car back to CA.  I'm sure I can count on your for your unloading skills, right?  Right?!.... 🤣

 

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1 hour ago, Eric Hall said:

Thanks!  I am planning to do that van/storage thing out of Yuma.  I'll drive out, get the truck, drive it back here, load it then drive it back to Yuma, unload and then drive my car back to CA.  I'm sure I can count on your for your unloading skills, right?  Right?!.... 🤣

 

Ugh, yes!

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So move completed about two weeks ago. Cut my hand and got 5 stitches but turned into a good thing as I hired two guys to help with the bulk of it. I found a storage place in Riverside that was reasonable so that’s good.



Been at my sister’s place since then and just waiting on parts. Installed the upper bars and mounted the led lights but waiting on some wiring plugs from Cyclops to connect them. Side stand foot print is on the way but not the skid plate or hand guards yet.



I’m doing a shakedown ride Friday to Montana for a week. It’s a Starbucks ride; all pavement but also all camping. I’m riding to Vegas Friday and then trailering to Idaho Falls with Justin.



The bike is packing very well or I’m just not taking that much stuff. Lots of extra room but then I haven’t packed food or change of clothing yet.

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So turns out that side stand footprint enlarger is the wrong one!  There are two different side stands for the Tiger 900 and the Rally Pro's is a bit larger.  Touratech made the same error so they're busy making a Rally Pro one now but doubt I'll have it in time.  I'm told my skid plate and rear rack will get here sometime next week.  I saw them post photos of a truckload of new stock the other day so I'm betting that's it.  Fingers crossed.

Also have hand guards on the way finally!  Also have a new wiring harness from TrailTech on the way.  I didn't want to rip out the one on the 990 because I'm likely to put it back on when I get back.  I also have a mount on the way for the Voyager Pro to my cockpit area that was NOT cheap at all ($210).  It's from some specialty accessory company in the UK and $58 of that is shipping.

I got the second left mirror/clutch clamp part and yes, that's positively threaded too!  (It's supposed to be reverse threaded).  Hope Triumph fixes that issue soon but I'm just going to screw in my DoubleTake mirror and use loctite as that one happens to be positively threaded.  Worked on the 990.

I have a few niggling details left like printing out my AZ title for the bike, buying and printing out my Mexican insurance.  I hear Tim Burke and his gf (nattplu) are headed south soon so all signs are green now.

Still not sure of my route.  I kind of want to head down the Baja peninsula because I've never ridden south of BDLA before.  I want to hug the Pacific coast to mitigate heat even though the highway does cross over to the gulf side a few times.  I'll ferry from La Paz most likely to Los Mochis/Topolobampo and then ride south to Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta where I meet my first Motorrad Angel volunteer, Gustavo.  There are other volunteers on the mainland north of there suggesting I take a mainland route but it's super hot still and that route from Yuma to Hermosillo isn't going to be fun this time of year.  There's a cool hotel in Banamichi all the adv riders go to but I've stayed there before and it's over priced for Mexico.  I hear it's like $70/night when $30 is closer to the market rate.  Hotels with other gringo travelers are not why I'm doing this trip.

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Ready to leave finally (I think) on Sunday. Hand guards and Zoleo tracker should come tomorrow. Insurance is printed out along with registration and title.

I’m gonna head East to Tucson then cross the border Monday and hopefully be in Chihuahua that night.

Got my gps mount set up and it seems to work well

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Sunday came and went but pretty sure the tracker will show up any minute now and I can finally take off!  It may be around 10-11 am so not sure I can make it all the way to Bisbee like I planned but I'll figure out a place.  Overnight lows look like 66 which is nice for sleeping.  Next day I'll cross the border but not sure I can make Chihuahua that day.

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Day 2 update..


Really good first two days but covered a lot of ground. 500 miles yesterday from RSM to Tucson and VERY hot (106).
Rolled into Tucson at 7 and found a cool campsite even though it was technically closed lol. There was room to get by on the bike so I guess that means open to bikes?
Rolled out early so I wouldn’t get caught then onto Bisbee where I got coffee and breakfast and stopped in at the Jonquil Hotel run by Sterling Noren and Eva Rupert. Great people.


Crossed border with no drama. There was construction with miles long backups but I was able to ride to the front and they let me ride through the construction area (dirt) without delay.
Then a long 7 hours more into Chihuahua. Elevation is just over 5k’ so it’s a high of 80 and 52 now in the am.

I was tired, hungry and dehydrated but will rest today. Maybe 450 miles yesterday. Won’t be doing days like that for awhile.

Today I meet Gustavo Scheremberg who is a Motorrad Angels volunteer. He offered to let me stay at his shop which has a cool loft with a bed.

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1 hour ago, Eric Hall said:

Day 2 update..


Really good first two days but covered a lot of ground. 500 miles yesterday from RSM to Tucson and VERY hot (106).
Rolled into Tucson at 7 and found a cool campsite even though it was technically closed lol. There was room to get by on the bike so I guess that means open to bikes?
Rolled out early so I wouldn’t get caught then onto Bisbee where I got coffee and breakfast and stopped in at the Jonquil Hotel run by Sterling Noren and Eva Rupert. Great people.


Crossed border with no drama. There was construction with miles long backups but I was able to ride to the front and they let me ride through the construction area (dirt) without delay.
Then a long 7 hours more into Chihuahua. Elevation is just over 5k’ so it’s a high of 80 and 52 now in the am.

I was tired, hungry and dehydrated but will rest today. Maybe 450 miles yesterday. Won’t be doing days like that for awhile.

Today I meet Gustavo Scheremberg who is a Motorrad Angels volunteer. He offered to let me stay at his shop which has a cool loft with a bed.

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Pretty sure thats not Gustavo.  😃  That's the lady on Overland instagram all the time.  

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My REVER rides day 1 and 2




I got into Chihuahua late ish last night so just stayed at a hostel called Paqui b&b.

This morning I came over to Gustavo’s “clubhouse.” Holy crap it’s huge! It’s basically a big garage with work area and upstairs has a fooseball and pool tables, bar, couches, TV and a room with two twin beds for people like me passing through.







Gustavo and his crew are doing a big ride Monday south in Oaxaca and invited me to join. I’d love to but want to come back so I can still do Copper Canyon and the Sinaloa coast into Guadalajara.

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