The following blog posts include a great hike we did across the Andes in Ecuador in 1988 and followed by the 16 posts from our 6-month, unsupported bike trip we did over the winter of 2018-19. We started in Ushuaia, the Southern most community on the continent and headed north, destination Cartagena, just shy of the Northern tip of the continent. We traversed 6 countries and pedaled almost 9,000 kms but also used alternate transport as needed. We reawakened our Spanish after almost 26 years out of practice, greatly adding to our connection with the locals. We had lots of adventures, saw some spectacular nature, had a few hardships (persistent cold sores that wouldn’t heal, for one!) and, most importantly, many wonderful personal encounters. Travel by bike, though not for everyone, remains a very special way to travel.
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Ecuador: A Hike from the high Paramo to the Oriente (May, 1988)
We were working in Nicaragua at the time. I was working for CARE Canada as Project Coordinator for a rural potable water and sanitation project in the north of the country. Claire was doing some consulting for CARE USA, a tricky undertaking given the US government was funding the Contra guerillas at the same time.… Continue reading Ecuador: A Hike from the high Paramo to the Oriente (May, 1988)
1. On The Road Again (Oct, 2018)
What have we talked ourselves into? Yikes…another six month bike trip! We leave October 30 on the long, 2 day flight to Ushuaia, Argentina, a town at the very southern-most tip of South America, truly the end of the road. From there we plan on riding north, more or less following the spine of the… Continue reading 1. On The Road Again (Oct, 2018)
2. Tierra del Fuego
It was an inauspicious start to our trip. The flight from YVR to Newark, NJ was uneventful but things went array on the next leg to Buenos Aires. About 45 minutes into the flight, when we well over the ocean, there was a loud bang and the plane shuddered violently. Immediately after the plane continued… Continue reading 2. Tierra del Fuego
3. Winds of Patagonia
We left the Argentinian border post at San Sebastián, Tierra del Fuego early in the AM on the 14 km stretch of ‘ripio’ (dirt road) for the distant Chilean border post. We departed in a stiff breeze that was gusting to 50 or 60 by the time we reached the border. A brief rest and… Continue reading 3. Winds of Patagonia
4. Calafate to Chalten
We might as well face it. We are going the wrong bloody way! Our plane tickets to Ushuaia were purchased awhile back, shortly after deciding to ride South America instead of Southeast Asia. Leaving in November, usually so wet and dreary, made sense in terms of our own schedules plus it would be late spring… Continue reading 4. Calafate to Chalten
5. The Crossing
Welcome to Laurel and Harvey’s (sic) Travel Blog. We just lost our awesome MSR tent! It fell offthe back of my bike as we bumped along a stretch of rough dirt road. Don’t ask how, it is all too embarrassing (not in my mind – the dirt road was a harsh replacement to the winds;… Continue reading 5. The Crossing
6. Carretera Austral and Ruta 40
We’ve switched adversaries. Our daily struggle Is no longer against the wind. We’re riding the Carretera Austral (CA) and we now contend with loose gravel, dust, potholes and hills. We’re not sure what is worse. Combine all these, which has happened too many times, and it is admittedly demoralizing. The CA (Highway #7) of Patagonia,… Continue reading 6. Carretera Austral and Ruta 40
7. To The Coast
After our Xmas break in the pretty little town of San Martin de los Andes, we left for the Chilean border early in the morning of the 27th. It had been a much needed rest, more for our on-going lip issues than our legs. Claire was especially anxious about the stretch of ripio (gravel road)… Continue reading 7. To The Coast
8. A Hop, Skip and a Jump
If one looks at a map of Chile you realize that it is almost 6,000 kms, tip to tail and after almost 9 weeks of riding, plus an occasional hitchhike and short bus ride we had covered only 2,800 kms. If we are to get to Columbia in 6 months we will need to cover… Continue reading 8. A Hop, Skip and a Jump
9. To Bolivia; the Easy Way
Our last stop in Chile before crossing the Andes to get to Bolivia was the small, dusty, rather dishevelled tourist town of San Pedro de Atacama on the edge of the driest desert in the world. Upon arrival we started checking out the campgrounds. The first two (5,000 peso/pers/night) were packed with young travellers on… Continue reading 9. To Bolivia; the Easy Way
10. Bolivia: Getting our Feet Wet
Ever since crossing into Bolivia our preconceived notions of the country keep falling by the wayside. In contrast to La Quiaca on the Argentinian side, the Bolivian border town of Villazon was a hive of activity, full of Argentinians looking for a bargain. The constant changing of currencies, both physically (bills and coin) and rate… Continue reading 10. Bolivia: Getting our Feet Wet
11. Bolivia: Ups and Downs
We left Tupiza for the fabled city of Potosí with the expectation of four tough days of riding. Our ride planning app, MapOut, indicates the elevation gain/loss on our proposed route, and the ride to Potosí had one big climb after another, each to a progressively higher elevation. Can’t believe it but my lips are… Continue reading 11. Bolivia: Ups and Downs
12. Bolivia: Sucre and La Paz
We ended up staying four nights in the lovely town of Sucre. We found a funky hostal (once a wealthy family’s villa), with a good vibe in the historic centre of town just a couple of blocks from the main plaza. Plaza 25 de Mayo, laid out in classic symmetry with statues, flower beds and… Continue reading 12. Bolivia: Sucre and La Paz
13. To Cusco: Capital of the Incas
There is something I think we should clarify. It seems to us that many people have the impression that we are doing something particularly difficult. It is not the way we feel. We read the blogs of bike tourers that do longer distances, higher passes, in tougher weather, camp more often and survive on instant… Continue reading 13. To Cusco: Capital of the Incas
14. Machu Picchu
The ride into Cusco was a bit intense. The nearer we got to the Centro Historico the streets became busier, steeper and narrower. I flatted on a busy street and had to use a bucket in the toilet of a nearby restaurant to locate the pinhole in the tube. We arrived at our AirB&B frustrated… Continue reading 14. Machu Picchu
15. Colombia: Cali to Medellin
As a builder/designer I can’t help but note the construction standards of the places we stay in (i.e., pretty cheap). I have seen some pretty abysmal plumbing and flimsy structures that one marvels are still standing but the ‘piece de resistance’ was certainly our shower in Pitumarca. The electric shower head (aka. Suicide shower or… Continue reading 15. Colombia: Cali to Medellin
16. Homeward bound
We left Medellin for the 5 day ride to the coast at 6:30 AM hoping to avoid the chaos of rush hour traffic. Following the location-indicator on our GPS app with the phone mounted on the stem of my handlebars, when on a multi-lane road, with on/off ramps in rapid succession, in fast moving traffic,… Continue reading 16. Homeward bound
OVER THE HILL AND BEYOND 