Dean: It’s real life when a family situation interrupts a life’s adventure. We left you on Day12-Day12-If it’s Tuesday, we must be in Nicaragua!, Fri, Dec 10, 2010, Honduras/Nicaragua Border Crossing #5. Day 14 was our return flight back to SoCal.
The very best of the New Year to all of you. Thanks for all your kind words and support. Sorry for the lack of communications but there is no wifi or internet on the farm and we had to go to a Starbucks or McDonalds for get a connection. The nursing home/hospice had wifi but it was so poor and frustrating that off-site was the better solution.
I was thankful to be able to spend the two weeks with my father before his passing on December 28. He was my roll model, teacher, learn-by-doing example, and hero. He will remain in our hearts forever and be missed all who knew him.
Tomorrow at 12:30 AM, Lisa and I head back to Managua, Nicaragua to continue our All-Star Circus and Expedition through Central & South America and our ultimate turn-around goal of Ushuaia, Argentina.
Let’s get this show on the road!
Lisa: Well this is kind of weird actually. I was happy to get home at Christmas and thrilled to spend time with my family but, after about 6 days, I couldn’t get that Willie Nelson song out of my head “on the road again. Just can’t wait to get on the road again” And now, here we are, putting the finishing touches on packing and getting everything else at home ready and I find myself getting a bit of an anxiety attack. As usual, too much to do and no time to do it. How does that happen every time?
Anyway, after spending some time analyzing the first part of our trip, we have decided to try to be a bit lower key. I know … as if a 6′ tall blonde and a shorter Japanese/Danish guy on freaking ginormous motorcycles could possibly ”blend in” in the land of the Maya. Fat chance. But we’re ditching the hi viz jackets and we’re going to start running dark – no headlights – like the rest of the population. I’ll keep you posted on just how wonderfully *that* works out <eye roll>.
Dean: I’ve even thought about doing an “Eddie James Tape Job” on the V-Strom. Taking a roll of gaffe tape and taping over all the surfaces. This followed by a mud and dirt bath might make me stealthish!
Lisa: When we packed for home, we brought with us an assortment of things we decided we didn’t need. An odd mix of this and that, all of which was too aggravating to pack and re-pack or simply unnecessary. I brought home my helmet liner, a can of plexi cleaner (why I packed that in the first place I have no idea), my WHITE tech sox (look, when I hand wash those things in the sink, the closest I could get to clean was a dark beige. I do NOT need a reminder that I am too lazy to really scrub them so they are being replaced by the black tech sox. Yeah baby, ignorance is bliss and I don’t really care if they are immaculately clean each day.), a shirt I didn’t need and a few other stupid things that clogged up my tank bag.
I don’t know what Dean brought home and I don’t much care. His saddlebags are Dewey Decimal-like and STILL he can never find anything. Sheesh.
Dean: One of us is organized – one is not. While I go through the motions of being organized, I generally rely on the Axiom-1 of General Searching. ”What ever you are looking for will be found in the last place you look.”
Lisa: What a load. OK, so here’s the gig: the “one of us who is organized” is also the one who can’t find anything when he needs it. And then he does one of two things: he pitches a fit and starts throwing his stuff around OR he just saves a step and borrows whatever it is from me. True story.
So what am I bringing back with me: pants, more pants, a bright pink t-shirt just because you can only wear dirt colors for so long, bobby pins – this is not a good hair trip but Alan said NO to me getting a crew cut, pants, more maps, a new camera battery, pants, a new can of chain lube, and pants. In case you can’t tell, I was fairly traumatized by not having any real pants with me. Walking around Central America doing my best imitation of Brian Roberts was ridiculous – LD comfort tights in all their glory.
Dean: Thank god she now has pants!!! She was parading around Central American towns, villages, ancient ruins like Madonna! I had to beat off the hombres with a stick.
Lisa: Shyeah, right….we (mostly me but him too, by association) just looked stupid. What a couple of touristas. Gah!
So there ya have it. Tonight I get to sleep sitting up, spend 3 hours in the Houston airport and then fly into muggy Managua in hopes that my bike and the rest of my stuff still belongs to me. Perfect. I re-read what I’ve written and get a clearer picture of why all my normal friends give me that quizzical and somewhat pitying look as I describe what I’m doing. Ayup. I never raised my hand to stand in the Normal line.
Take care people and please do drop us a line. It gives us something to do other than talk to each other because, believe me, that grows old pretty darn fast.
Hey guys, good to see you back on the road again after your short break. It’s a good feeling, isn’t it? I’ll be back on the road on 24th March in UK/Europe, then down into Africa end of May. Can’t wait to get down there, too! Have you found that “WetOnes/BabyWipes” are absolutely essential down there yet? Wonderful for taking off all the diesel fume grime, several times a day. Take care, ride safe, have FUN!!
Living vicariously through your adventures. Safe travels.
Hey Folks,
Let’s see…two Iron Butt veterans trying to be low key…should be interesting.
Have Funs Amigos!
LL, did you remember to pack some pants?
Dean, might I suggest the Bobb Todd shelf paper camo job?
Goes on much faster than the EJ tape method.
Y’all be safe and have fun.
Have fun, be safe and try not to pummel each other to much.
Hello Intrepids,
So glad you are ditching the hi-viz jackets and considering doing a “beater camo” job on the bikes – you might consider some duct tape patches on the jackets also. Consider it a stage set project. Down south, the better you look, the more you look like $$$$…
Yayyyy! Glad to see you back on the road again. Now, I can, once again, live my life vicariously through you two. I hope you have a great send off (read, I hope your bikes are still there and running with all the parts still attached). Good luck and Godspeed you on your journey.
Please try to take in 3 things near Managua:
1. The Masaya Volcano (you can ride right up to the edge of the crater and also hike 100+ steps to a lookout)
2. Granada (Old Capital) and the boat ride to feed the monkeys (not us! )
3. Coyotepe Fort at Masaya Great vistas, sobering history. Now owned by the Boy Scouts.
Have a great rest of the trip. I’m sure the pair of you will blend right in really well.
Safe Travels!
The start of every trip (or re-start) is always the same. What did I forget, why didn’t I do that yesterday and where the hell did I put that? That and the nerves/excitement of anticipation. Nothing like the night of fit-full sleep before the adventure (any adventure
begins. Wouldn’t miss it for the world! Hope everything goes relatively smooth, and safe enough.
The helmet liner can be used as a very durable wash rag. It also fits nicely into a pocket. It can also wrap up and hold pearls and gold coins. If coffee is ground course….well, never mind. Thanks so much for sharing your adventure. Big Hugs…ô¿~)
Good to hear you’re hitting the road again. As many have said, we enjoy these vicarious travels. Be safe and have fun.
Travel safe my friend. Im so glad you got to come home for the holidays. I so enjoy reading your daily adventures. I’ll keep an eye on your hill!
OH, NO! Roger will not be getting anything done at work- again! Glad you remembered decent clothes, Lisa. Bright pink is a must for any trip. Good thing God is big enough to take care of crazies,too! ( I must admit that I will be checking neary as much as Roger).
“Axiom-1 of General Searching. ”What ever you are looking for will be found in the last place you look.”
Well of course – because once you find it, why would you still continue looking? Sheesh!
“Walking around Central America doing my best imitation of Brian Roberts was ridiculous…”
At first I thought you were talking about his old man socks….but not it was worse, no thanks to you for reminding me of his LD comfort tights!
see if you can find a place down there to get a good philly cheese steak. let me know.
God speed to you both. So very glad to see you are outbound again and maybe a little better prepared from lessons learn. Bonnie and I wish you both a very successfull and safe adventure. We look forward you your daily posts.
Excited about your trip.
Would have gone too if I had known.
Please put me on your List.
Dennis
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Using the term coined by Herbie Saint, “Sufficient Pants” are all you need. Overpantsification would dishearten too may hombres. Underpantsification should be saved for the IBA Calendar Shoot{tm}.
On the Road Again…… Will be following your continued adventure – wishing you continued success.