THE PATAGONIA TOUR

Report:

September 1, 2003

UnFAAking believable

First presentation of our Patagonia project to the public together with the new MotherFAAKin' T-shirt collection. Again, just like in the last years, we had BIG fun with our customers at lake Faak during the European Bike Week 2003. See you there in 2004! Pictures

October 9, 2003

Southern Germany Test Ride

The final test and the first ride together before bikes and equipment left for Argentina.
We took off early in the morning from Wuerzburg at Patgonian temperatures and weather
(light rain at 8° C) and headed south towards the Swiss border.
At least this was the plan because after 250 km Volker somehow lost propulsion.
The engine revved but no go at all. Luckily this happened just at the front door of SCS Balingen who we had planned to visit.
A close examination revealed sheared off inner teeth of the transmission chain sprocket.
This was a bad surprise for Volker because he had done extensive riding (12000 km +)
during summer and fall and did not expect trouble like this anymore.
The right sprocket was not available but thanks to the excellent machine shop of SCS we were able to modify a similar one and after 3 hours we wer back on the road again.
Although delayed we still made it close to the Swiss border near Villingen-Schwenningen where we spent the night at a deserted camp ground in our tents but not before we had tested the world famous mountaineer and austronaut travel dinner.
Call this emergency food - you just wouldn't eat it again without being in an emergency situation.
The next day we rode North again to Mannheim where the annual "Veterama" swap meet (Europe's biggest) took place. We put up our tents there at a parking lot, told approximately 3000 people that our bikes were NOT for sale and after that strolled through the thousands of vendors' booths this market has to offer. On the third day our way led again to the North.

The weather had changed the afternoon before and we rode in beautiful autumn sunshine now all the way up to the Rhoen highlands.
There we tested some unpaved backroads to get a first taste of how it would be down in Patagonia where we would encounter 3000 kms of gravel roads. After that we returned home where we arrived safe and sound late in the afternoon.
All in all we had covered 1000 kms with the XL sprocket being the only problem.
The rigid frame bikes had performed flawlessly, not too bad considering that this was the first longer trip for the Knuckleheads.

November 29, 2003

The patagonia riders on W&W dealer day

December 11, 2003

Bikes leave the W&W Headquarter

The bikes of the 4 penguin hunters were loaded on special motorcycle transport pallets and then safely lifted into the SKS-truck.
After inspection by the air freight forwarder, additional wooden crates were built around the pallets right at the airport, to make sure our bikes arrive "complete".

We are glad to have SKS from Ebernhahn at our side, who are giving us excellent professional support for all transport related challenges.

January 6, 2004

Ready for "take off" and "Bad News"

Jan 6 4:45pm We leave Wuerzburg for Frankfurt Airport. Final count of our duffelbags,
last check of the packing lists and off we go. 4 hours before take off we enter the departure terminal and go straight to the Lufthansa check-in counter.

To our surprise the DHL Tradelane Manager for Latin America welcomes us ! DHL is transfering our bikes to Argentina,
but why the hell is he at the Lufthansa check-in counter ??????

"AOG" - "Airplane on ground" is his message. This means that our bikes are NOT YET in Buenos Aires ! Instead they are resting safely ? on board of a freight plane in Amsterdam. Why ? Major technical problems, which seem to keep that bird grounded for some more time.

Since we can't see any "hidden camera", we figure out that this is not for the Saturday Night Show and this is no joke. Today is Tuesday, tomorrow, Wednesday, our tour was supposed to start in B.A. and now we learn that our bikes might clear Argentinian customs on Sunday. What a bummer ! As this is messing up our schedule quite substantial, we are trying to look at the positive side of it : has anybody of us four ever checked out night-life in Buenos Aires?

Perfect time for a drink, we guess. One last Hefeweizen, brewed according to the German Reinheitsgebot (0.5l for €4.20, a bottle of sparkling water 0,75l for €7.20), one last visit of the airport pharmacy, completing our stock of charcoal tablets and right on time 9:45pm CET, LH526 lifts the four patagonian riders from Frankfurt Airport into the sky.

"This flight tonight"

January 7, 2004

Long Distance Flight & First PhoneContact

Jan. 7 07:55am local Argentinian time. 28° Celsius / 82° Fahrenheit.
Touchdown in Buenos Aires after 14 hours NonStop flight. Our satellite phone works perfect. No irregularities during the flight, except a remarkable liquid transfer from the catering trolleys to our boys.

In the meantime DHL shows extreme activity. Our bikes have been fumbled out of the Dutch carrier and sit in a truck on their way back to Frankfurt.
DHL rerouted the bikes and there is a slight chance that we will see them arriving in B.A. Friday afternoon.

The Argentinian DHL office in B.A. already contacted the local customs office and they are trying to prepare the documents so we can start immediately after the bikes arrive
(whatever this may mean in South America).

Wait, just wait a bit ...

January 7, 2004

Good News from DHL

Jan 7 2:00pm CET. It looks like DHL is taking it serious now. They are coming up with a new route which should bring the bikes to B.A. on Friday 9:55 EBT (Eastern Brazilian Time) with Swissair LX94.
This would mean that we now do not have that much time as we thought for testing Argentinian Quilmes. Quilmes beer, which we get served in 0.33l bottles, is named after the Buenos Aires suburb Quilmes. Brewers praise it's "bread-taste", to us it tastes more like an old baguette out of a plastic bag.

WE WANT OUR BIKES ! ! !

January 8, 2004

Where are the bikes ?

09:45 CET We are waiting for the DHL Managers call and more precise information about WHEN our bikes will leave Europe and WHEN the bikes are scheduled to arrive in Buenos Aires!

January 8, 2004

Swiss Performance

Jan 8 11:00am CET. The bikes are on their way via air plane from Frankfurt to Switzerland. Scheduled departure from Zuerich to South America is tonight 10:30pm CET with Swissair LX94. Scheduled arrival is 9:55am EBT in B.A.

We sent the bikes on their journey in Wuerzburg on December 11, 2003.

After a 4 week Odyssey through Europe they will be in Zuerich tonight.
365 Kilometers away ? ! ? ! ? :-(

That's a "driven" average speed of 12.5 Kilometers per day.
I bet we will beat this "average"
in South America.

January 9, 2004

Bikes approaching

The bikes left Zuerich last night (Thursday) at 10:50 pm CET According to internet tracking all "parcels" were loaded without problems.

January 9, 2004

DHL shows commitment

After initial problems with that grounded freight plane, the DHL crew now really shifts into high gear. They show first class commitment and professional competence.

Special thanks to Jochen Lepper (DHL Frankfurt), Andreas Oetje and their Argentinian
DHL-colleagues Daniel Rodriguez and Hector McLoughlin in B.A., who were available for us around the clock during the last two days.

January 9, 2004

First Asado (barbecue) and "Hot Nights"

The hospitality for the Patagonian Riders in B.A. is overwhelming. Our customer "Alberto", member of the B.A. based Argentinian motorcycle club "Epidemia", whom we knew only from the phone so far and whom he had informed about our tour, lodged his family elsewhere and put his apartment to our disposal. Everywhere are helping hands and it seems that a small herd of Angus cattle had to donor for the feast.

The riders switched to a different brand of beer in the meantime.

The daytime temperatures range between 31° and 37°C (88° to 99°F). Humidity reaches 99%. The nights are too hot to sleep. Scorching heat (Paul) that you find in Europe
only in a steam Sauna.

January 9, 2004

The bikes cleared customs

After the freight plane touched down at 01:55pm CET (9:55am EBT) the bikes cleared customs at 12:00pm CET (8:00pm EBT) after 10 hours of waiting and "pushing boxes".
The stamp-pads need a refill and all kinds of attestations and statements are sealed.
In between the customs officers disappeared for their usual siesta.
The insurance formalities were already prepared yesterday, as the European policies are not valid here.
During that whole process the bikes were guarded by a large crowd of vigilant policemen and alert security officers, while the fan-community of the "Epidemia" motorcycle club and Alberto's relatives were waiting eagerly and impatient behind the barriers.
What kind of (strange) bikes did these "Los Alemanes" bring ?

January 9, 2004

Full "Fuel" Service

8:00pm EBT DHL staffers with spare cans were getting gas to fill up our bikes,
which are now, finally, leaving the customs warehouse.

DHL also booked a hotel for the team where the bikes can be parked safely. Safely - we hope !

The spirits are high. Flags are getting unfurled, photos are beeing taken,
addresses exchanged. It's partytime ! :-)

The Motorcycle Club Epidemia had invited us for dinner tonight to their Finca and prepared a huge Asado with "CHIMICHURI" (home-made Argentinian salsa).

let the good times roll...

January 10, 2004

Countdown

The team is still waiting for the Argentinian insurance agent to hand out the insurance policies, but as soon as this is done, the Team will take off south.

The motorcycle club "Epidemia" spontaneously decided to escort the team on the first 400 Kilometers down south on Ruota "3".

January 11, 2004

Spending the night in Pedro Luro

Today the W&W Team rode from Azul to Pedro Luro, onehundred and fifty Kilometers
south of Bahia Blanca and spent the night there.

The weather got nicer again and the shorts can get unpacked during lunch break.

What a climate.

At noon it's almost too hot now and the suntan lotion is getting passed round.

The still asphalt covered road leads alternating through endless grasslands and swamps with rare "Roseate Spoonbills" (Ajaia ajaja) and crowds of storks
(Mycteria americana, Jabiru mycteria).

The herds of cattle watch the team with frightful apprehensions.

January 12, 2004

I brake for nobody

Tommy's PanamaPan now follows this W&W bumper-slogan.
It seems that the 2000 Kilometer test ride just wasn't enough.

The rear brake caliper disintegrated into pieces and both seat springs broke.
Riding a rigid frame without seat springs means real funnnnnnnnnnn :-)

The first parcel with spare parts to Argentina leaves Wuerzburg via UPS express today
and might reach the bike 2000 Kilometers further south.

January 10, 2004

Ready to go ... to an underwater ride (let's go diving !)

6:00am EBT. 18°C (64°F); 97% humidity. It's raining cats and dogs.
We havn't ever seen a rain like this in Europe. Wow !

The departure has to be delayed until noon.

1:00pm EBT. 27°C (81°F); 95% humidity. The rain got weaker and the bikes are ready to go. The carry-on luggage found it's place in the saddle bags.

No escort vehicle. No shuttle service.

Everything has to be stowed on the bikes. The photo equipment, consisting of 4 cameras,
a number of lenses and more than 100 films weighs more than 50 Kilos (110lbs).
Various battery chargers for the countless accumulators, three tents, four sleeping-bags, insulating-mats, plenty of spare parts (tires, regulators, batteries, chains, wheel bearings, cables), tools and some extra food. Candy bars and dry soups in all variations.
Plus clothing for the next five weeks "on the road", which has to withstand all kinds of climates from "sunny" to "icy" to "extreme windy".

The team was escortet by two members of the "Epidemia" Motorcycle Club on a Kawasaki. As the Argentinian friends are not equipped with rainwear but know their weather,
the escort understandably dwindled.

After a twohundred Kilometer heavy rain ride, which almost lead to hypothermia for the Argentinians, the group separated at night in Azul, wishing farewell to each other.

Even the otherwise perfect Aerostich equipment of our riders turned out to be not exactly 100% waterproof in this downpour and unluckily could not prevent "cold bones" for everybody. The dinner though tasted the better !

January 12, 2004

A ten hour ride with one right turn

8:00am EBT The team started in Pedro Luro. Today a good distance on asphalt roads was covered.
After five hours on the road heading south at last a right turn showed up near Carmen de Patagones followed by a another five hour ride straight ahead, heading west.
In the evening the team reaches San Antonio Oeste in the Gulf of San Matias.
The time that had been lost by the delayed bike transfer is made up again.

But now it's getting serious.

Straight ahead of us lie 3.000 (three thousand) Kilometers (1.860 miles)
of g-r-a-v-v-v-v-v-el road.

From now on the expected average daily mileage at an average of eight hours of "slow-riding" equals the distance of a relaxed German Sunday-afternoon ride.

8:00pm EBT Instant coffee from the spirit stove, prepared with mineral water from the water bag, served with a small piece of dry ham sausage - that was today's ration except the breakfast.

Today only one photo can be transmitted. The transmission of this one photo took 45 minutes. Nobody has got the nerves to send ten more pictures tonight, after ten hours on the bike.
The local Internet cafes are still using Knucklehead-age antennas.
With 30 plug in's this creates funny transmission times.

Tomorrow the journey goes on to Peninsula Valdés - to "Penguin-land".

January 13, 2004

Puerto Pirámides at the Golfo Nuevo

After having spent the night in San Antonio Oeste the journey continued further south today.

The team reached Puerto Pirámides Tuesday evening.
The night will be spent here.

We reached the eastern part of the Peninsula Valdés on the Carlos Ameghino Isthmus,
which separates the San Jose gulf in the north from the Nuevo gulf in the south.

January 14, 2004

Sea Lions and Elephant Seals at Valdés

12:00am EBT. Communication via Sat-phone was very difficult due to extreme wind-noise
and was interrupted several times.

The Peninsula Valdés lies between 42°05'-42°53'S and 63°35'-65°04'W on the Argentinian Atlantic Coast and is a paradise for nature freaks.
If you decide to spend your vacation in Argentina, the most practical thing is to start in Buenos Aires - that's what the W&W team did also - and to continue the journey to Fireland or to the Andes in Patagonia, towards Chile. Luckily we scheduled five weeks for this adventure trip. The stop-off in Valdés is the big highlight.

From Puerto Pirámides a very rough g-r-a-v-e-l-r-o-a-d, consisting basically just out of potholes, leads us to the northernmost point of the Peninsula - Punta Norte. It took the W&W Team almost two hours for 75 Kilometers. Potholes as big as cement buckets.
Taking your eyes off the "road" for just one second could be fatal.

The rugged g-r-a-v-v-e-l road leads along the edge of the cliffs and offers a terrific view of elephant seals (Mirounga leonia), sea lions (Otaria flavescens) and colonies of
Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus).

There are no open trails down to the beaches, all accesses are blocked to minimize disturbance of the colonies, but guided tours are offered by the park rangers.

With the friendly help of the rangers we will try to get a little bit closer with one or two of our bikes, to get some nice group photos with penguins for our W&W family photo album.
Down at the beach we can see sea lions with their new born pups everywhere.

Despite beeing so close to the ocean the lagoon offers good shelter for the penguins, as the hungry orcas (Orcinus orca) avoid their shallow waters. The penguins are standing in the cliffs, crapping garish green mucus and are nesting in numerous caves. Knucklehead on the penguin-rocks.

You would expect mild winters, hot summers, pine trees, palm trees, vineyards and inviting bathing beaches.

That's not the case though. A cold Antarctic sea current is predominant which results in low water temperatures and the almost ever blowing Patagonian wind is desiccating the hilly landscape.

This created a semi-arid climate with it's corresponding vegetation. These contrasts and the isolation of this area led to an extreme diversity of plants and animals.

Most interesting should be the annual arrival of large groups of the southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) or Ballena Franca Austral, as they say in Argentina.
The animals reach the gigantic length of up to 18 Meters and a weight of up to 100 tons. Their lifespan is estimated between 50 and 100 years. They are distinct peaceful and feed on small plankton including pelagic larval crustaceans and copepods. They gather for mating in spring in Golfo Nuevo next to Puerto Pirámides where they perform their "dances". From the coast they can be watched jumping, maneuvering and chasing each other. "Whale-watching" boat cruises are also offered, which make it possible to watch the huge animals from close distances, a sight which will stay in one's memory probably forever. These cruises are not undisputed for protection reasons though. Ballena Franca Austral was declared as a Natural Monument by the Argentine National Congress in 1984.

January 15, 2004

UPS parcel 01 with Replacement Parts

14:00am CET The parcel with spare parts (brake caliper, DOT 5 brake fluid, teflon gaskets)
for Tommy's PanamaPan currently is in Buenos Aires.

This is how the UPS tracking route reads on the internet :

17 Jan . 2004 12:50 A.M, BUENOS AIRES, AR DELIVERY
15 Jan . 2004 17:00 A.M, BUENOS AIRES, AR REMOTE AREA DELIVERY
15 Jan . 2004 07:55 A.M, BUENOS AIRES, AR OUT FOR DELIVERY
Jan.15, 2004 05:24 MEZ, BUENOS AIRES, AR MPORT SCAN
Jan.15, 2004 03:04 MEZ, BUENOS AIRES, AR IMPORT SCAN
Jan.14, 2004 08:36 MEZ, MIAMI, FL, US DEPARTURE SCAN
Jan .12,2004 21:23 MEZ, DE BILLING INFORMATION RECEIVED
Jan .12,2004 20:35 MEZ, GERBRUNN, DE ORIGIN SCAN

The shipping charges for the 1.2 Kg (2.7lbs) light UPS parcel from Wuerzburg
to Bariloche/Argentina were € 125.45

The parcel was picked up at the W&W Headquarters in Wuerzburg on Monday afternoon and is expected to arrive in Bariloche Friday afternoon.

Our Argentinian internet-friend Ricky Holler from Bariloche will take the spare parts for Tommy's Pan.

But it's a long way to Bariloche.

If you ever get stranded in the midst of the pampa and the local mule peddler can't really help you out, don't give up - we are sending parts worldwide.

January 15, 2004

The Valley of the Martyrs

After having spent another night in Puerto Pirámides this morning the journey continues in bright sunshine. After a 145 km (90 miles) quite uneventful ride, in Trelew the junction to Routa 25 is coming. Routa 25 crosses Argentina from East to West.

From now on the temperature is rising every minute and reaches 40°C (104°F) around noon, while stopping for gas in Las Plumas. Speaking of villages, Las Plumas, like most of the here named places, is more like a gas station with a few Quonset huts around it.
The road continues along the Rio Chubut through a spacious valley scenery, similar to what you find in North American Utah. The land turns more and more into a desert, not even the famous cattle can survive in this meager vegetation. The scorching heat continues. The whole thing is called "Valle de los Mártires", valley of the martyrs, characteristically enough. It's clear, whoever had to pass that valley in former times on foot ...
About afternoon Los Altares, today's final stop and night quarter, with 200 inhabitants a village of quite considerable size, is reached. Alas, there is only one bar, where the only choice of food is either scorched escalope or burnt french fries. Available as a combo-pack on special order. Anyhow, as nobody had eaten anything during the day, due to the enormous heat, the endless vibrations and the quadrazillions of pot holes, the "scorched escalope and burnt french fries" supplies of Los Altares are beeing "decimated" without mercy.

Stay tuned for more breaking news coming up tomorrow January 18, 2004

January 16, 2004

Ruta Quarenta

This morning our boys are leaving Los Altares and are heading to Esquel, north-west. Unfortunately there is no breakfast, as the only bar for miles around ran out of scorched escalope last night.

Via Paso de los Indios and Pampa de Agnia the four are approaching the notorious Ruta Quarenta. The villages named here, by the way, more often than not, are no villages. They are either gas stations (see report of January 15) or just private ranches. Nevertheless they have been put into the maps, as they are the only connections to civilization in case of an emergency. Gas or similar luxury is not available there, however.

Thank's to Mikuni, the gas consumption of the bikes keeps within reasonable bounds, so the next gas pump is always reached. Just Paul, the only one battered with a 3.5 gal tank, has to take a sip from the gas can once in a while.

50 km before Tecka the first snow-capped summits of the Andes come in sight already, a little foretaste of the coming weeks. At noon the time has come finally. In Tecka our boys are reaching Routa 40. Actually they would have to turn south here, towards the "End of the World", but before that they have to pick up the UPS parcel, which was sent on it's journey January 12 in Wuerzburg.

The parcel is supposed to arrive at Ricky, a friend of Volker, in San Carlos de Bariloche any day now. To his place it's another 400 km, in the wrong direction, though. Ricky kindly volunteered to drive towards our men as soon as the spare parts arrive. For the time beeing Tommy's motto remains: "I brake for nobody".

North-bound Ruta 40, thank god, is still asphalt-paved, so the 90 km (56 miles) to Esquel, the rendezvous with Ricky, are made fast.

Celebrating the end of another great day, the four again are doing their best to reduce the Argentinian livestock this evening. Hopes are high that the UPS shipment arrives tomorrow, at last. We'll find out.

January 17, 2004

Big Fix

Big Fix Saturday. As our men are staying in Esquel today, waiting for Ricky, they get a good long sleep. After breakfast they decide to use the time for maintenance and service work. Even without too many gravel roads so far, the bikes have already been thoroughly shaken up. Tightening spokes turned out to be of the utmost importance.

The innumerable pot holes and the high additional load are stressing the wheels considerably, particularly the wheel bearings and the spokes.
It will be interesting to see what will happen on the next 1000 km (621 miles) on Routa 40, that are not asphalt paved anymore.
While Joe and Paul are checking and tightening a total of 320 spoke nipples,
Tommy is going and searching for a welding set.
Relatively quick he finds Alvaro "repairs-all-that-has-wheels-or-wings",
who "solders together" his broken seat mount skilfully. It looks like it should last the next 200.000 km (124.277 miles).
As the rear tire on Volker's Sportster, which does have to carry the highest load,
is slowly turning into a slick, it gets changed on this occasion.

1:00 pm EBT, good news from Ricky. The UPS shipment arrived at last, today,
Saturday !!! He already set out from Bariloche for Esquel, a 340 km (212 miles) distance, one way, to deliver our parcel. That's what we call Full Service !
A thousand thanks for his help and his commitment to Ricky ! THANXXXXXXX !
4:00 pm EBT, Ricky finally arrives. Immediately the boys start to work on the bike, to get Tommy's rear brake functioning again.
Good heavens ! The fitting for the brake line does not fit !! O.K. - current production brake calipers are using a banjo bolt, on the old old caliper, which already survived Panama in 1996, the brake line is boltet straight into it. The only cure is to take both calipers apart and to make one caliper out of two.
It works !
At dinner, having beef, we went through the route ahead of us with Ricky.
After a solid barbecue dinner - what else could you eat here ! - in Argentina you really can only choose between meat and Angus - we are hitting the hay early.

From tomorrow on the team will be using only the notorious 40, heading south, which asphalt paved part is supposed to end soon.

If the satellite phone works, we will know more tomorrow.

January 18, 2004

Gravel Road or Pot Hole Rallye ?

Sunday morning. The team gets up early.
They say goodbye to Ricky and the journey finally continues heading southwards.

At noon the four W&W riders have covered 200 km (125 miles), reaching Gobernador Costa.

The road surface changes between :
A. Gravel road
B. Asphalt with pot holes

Unbelievable, but we prefer "A", as on "A" we know what we are facing.

The danger on "B" is that you ride too fast, getting caught by pot holes,
big enough to sink a calf.
In case you fail to notice a crater like this, sinking your front end into it,
the only cure is a tow truck, which might be somewhat difficult to find here.

This means : keep your eyes open !

A spare gas can came loose on Joe's bike and was ground through on the road.

One spare gas can less.

January 19, 2004

Just Gravel Roads ahead

The W&W Team spent the night on a campsite in Perito Moreno,
after a rough ride through Pampa Verdún.

The road conditions are remaining hazardous.

Roaddust is literally everywhere, so a shower is on top of the list. Eat my dust.

January 20, 2004

Flying Stones

9:30 am EBT. Departure from Perito Moreno. The weather is pleasant.
18° C (65° F), sunny and no strong wind.

The roads still consist of gravel, the bikes are running smoothly.
The average speed lies between 40 and 50 km/h.

One gets used to let the bike just run on the gravel, carefully avoiding any spontaneous attempts to steer the bike or to force it abruptly into the desired direction.
There is almost no traffic here anyway, so one can ride "straight, halfway bent".
Yesterday, for example, only two cars overtook the team.
Oncoming traffic consisted of four cars.

Whirled up gravel is hitting the bikes, stones are banging into the fenders.
Now the riders with floorboards are the lucky ones. A lot less stones are hitting their shinbones. Bad luck for Tommy on his Pan and for Volker on the Sportster.
Stones of all sizes are flying through the air.

3:00 pm EBT. The W&W-Team covered 130 km (81 miles) today and reaches Bajo Caracoles.
Luckily there is a gas station in this desolate village.
The lady attending it, is pumping the gas still manually.

This night will be spent in Bajo Caracoles. There is a hotel which even is equipped with a bathroom (one for all guests etc.). This means standing in line.

The bikes need some maintenance. Paul's rear chain has to be shortened by one link and all bikes have to undergo a routine check.
The fenders already show some remarkable dents, coming from whirled up stones.

January 20, 2004

New pictures

January 21, 2004

Tooth loss

9:00 am EBT, after breakfast, departure from Bajo Caracoles, towards south.

10:15 am EBT, 50 km (31 miles) on extremely rough gravel roads are covered,
when all of a sudden the rear wheel of Tommy's rigid Pan is blocking.
Luckily the road was not permitting higher speeds.

The brake again ?

A pick-up truck with two German mountaineers, passing the site coincidentally,
stops and these boys are very helpful. For the moment Tommy's bike is beeing transported back to Bajo Caracoles, after the almost 350 Kg (770 lbs) have been heaved onto the pick-up.

There, first of all, the W&W team has to search for a place that is sheltered from the wind,
to take a closer look and to determine the full extent of the damage.

N-O, this time it's not the brake caliper.

The transmission of the Pan is torn in two from top to bottom.
A further examination quickly foils all plans to repair the tranny by welding.
Massive case of tooth loss.

What's the cure ? ? ?

Wuerzburg stays in contact with the team via satellite phone, developing a plan.

January 22, 2004

The team has to separate from one another

11:30 am CET Wuerzburg. The parcel with the replacement transmission is beeing packed at this minute.
Stefan doublechecked the partslist, to make sure nothing is missing for the installation.
All locktabs, snap rings, pushrods and gaskets are there. Also the oil is not missing.

The Patagonian riders have to separate from each other today.

There is no time to wait five or six days for the UPS parcel with the spare parts.
It wouldn't be possible to recover the lost time and to meet the schedule.

A. Tommy and his broken down rigid Panama Pan will be brought to El Calafate,
400 km (249 miles) further south, on a pickup truck, that will be chartered today.

The new tranny will be sent from Wuerzburg to El Calafate via UPS today

B. Paul, Volker and Joe are continuing the route on their bikes, as scheduled
and will arrive in El Calafate early next week, provided that no other problems occur.

January 22, 2004

Salto Mortale

9:00 am EBT, 13° C (55° F). Paul, Volker and Joe continued the journey on their bikes.

Tommy is sitting in the pickup truck in low mood, with the Panama Pan in the back.
Also for him a dream came true with the Patagonia tour and he positively did not want to do it in a pickup truck.

Snow-covered mountains. The further south the teams advances the colder it gets.
An atrocious wind is blowing. Meanwhile the Wolfskin outdoor clothing became essential and the zippers of the Patagonia-blue Aerostich jackets are getting meticulously done up,
up to the top stop.

Today 270 km (168 miles) were covered in 8 hours riding time.
That's an average speed of about 34 km/h (21 mph). Wow.

The gravel roads are gradually getting worse.

Sometimes the ruts in the track are getting so deep
that riding in the ditch or off the road is making much more sense.

A particularly mean rut, halfway filled with push-away-gravel soft as butter,
gave Volker (experienced off-road and dirt rider) the occasion to perform
a Salto Mortale on his Enduro-Sportster.
After a quite elegant descent, the XL's fairing and the frightful expensive xenon light were smashed up.

We're sorry, but we have no photo of this stunt, as Volker is the photographer ;-)

The Aerostich jacket with it's integrated protectors and impact padding served it's purpose well - all bones ok.
We might get to see some photos of his bruises soon.

H A V E F U N

5:30 pm EBT, the night will be spent on an Estancia. Tomorrow the journey will be continued !

Today the team had put the hardest riding day behind it.
The boys are dead-beat and the strong wind is also dragging them down.

January 23, 2004

Eat my Dust

Keeping distance and breathing as little dust as possible.

Eat my Dust

January 23, 2004

Against the wind

one leans forward . . . against the wind in an angle of 20° ...

Gravelling to the bones.

The night is spent on Estancia Santa Margarita. The last 5 kilometers to the estancia were covered in (just) half an hour. In first or second gear, alternatively.

We could have fried steaks on the motors.

January 24, 2004

Rio La Leona

Saturday: during the last three days the W&W team has seen three accidents.
All of these guys they knew from gas stations or hotels.

The roads are beyond description and the bikes are raising clouds of dust.

North of El Calafate we are riding along the river Rio la Leona, a snow water river coming from the Andes. Icecold water which is greatly refreshing for everybody.

30 more kilometers (19 miles) to ride to El Calafate. After seemingly endless kilometers on gravel roads at last the team has reached an asphalt road again.

The night is beeing spent in E.C., exhausted by the physical exertion of the last days.

January 25, 2004

El Calafate

6:00 pm EBT, 11° C (52° F). At last, after two days without any informations, contact with the Wuerzburg headquarter. Informations were exchanged and many photos were sent.

The team has spent another night in El Calafate. As there was no reservation
for the hotel, the location had to be changed today.

Hopefully the UPS parcel with the transmission finds it's way to the current whereabouts.
The last entry on the UPS tracking page is dated January 22, 2004 and says something about Cologne, Germany. :-((

This Sunday is beeing spent relaxed, after the intense activities of the last days. The Argentinian tourist town of El Calafate offers some nice cafes on main street.
Unluckily the mountains and Fitz Roy (3405 m) are hidden by clouds.

Relax ...

January 26, 2004

Servicing

12:00 EBT, 18°C (64°F), rain. For breakfast strong coffee and the typical "pasteles"
(sticky sweet pastry), that makes one think of our European croissants.
Just much much sweeter. Oddly enough without meat.

Argentinian main dishes almost always include grilled meat - never cooked meat.
No matter if mutton, poultry, pork or beef - everything goes on the grill. The grilled meat typically is served unmarinated. On the side, salad or bread is beeing served.

The typical local drink is maté tea, almost everywhere and almost always.
Half of the population is carrying a cup with a straw, sucking on their maté tea, anytime.
Traditionally maté tea is beeing imbibed together with bombillas from one pot (mate).
A pot, that is always handed round to the right.

Food is inexpensive, by the way. A four person menu, including plenty of drinks,
accounts for US $ 30.- even in the most popular tourist areas.
The further away from the cities, the less expensive life gets.

Besides "copy-shop-jobs" (faxing the log to Wuerzburg), today's routine includes
servicing the bikes.
The gravel rides took their toll on the bikes. Every nut and bolt has to be checked and tightened. Paul's rear chain is getting shortened by another link. After 100 to 150 km
(62 to 93 miles) on gravel roads, the primary and the secondary chains have to be adjusted
on the rigid frame bikes. The chain lube supply had hissed away many miles ago,
replacement had to be found today.

Other than that, the W&W team is eagerly awaiting the tranny,
which is supposed to arrive on Tuesday.

One of Joe's saddlebags received some quick restiching.

When everything is done, the team hopefully can take off again, doing a quick side-trip to the glaciers surrounding the Fitz Roy group, to Mount Torre glacier
(Glacier Grande) and Viedma glacier.

January 27, 2004

Problems with the customs office

6:00 pm EBT, 11°C (52°F) rain.
Since three days, the W&W team is waiting for the replacement transmission for the PanamaPan.

The UPS express parcel has been located, after some research work.
It is not in El Calafate, but in the UPS bonded warehouse in Buenos Aires, though.

Argentinian customs officials are claiming :
the address labels are not showing the recipients name,
the proforma invoice was made out incorrectly,
and the shipping charges would have been paid only as far as Buenos Aires.

Consequently the parcel is beeing held up by Argentinian customs officials.
THAT'S INSANE !

We will have to trust in Tommy's wealth of ideas, who beeing "half a Spaniard",
has learned ways of dealing with respective mentalities.

Anyhow, without a new transmission, Tommy won't be able to continue the tour.

January 28, 2004

Argentinian Bureaucracy

3:15 pm CET. No definite delivery date for Tommy's tranny in sight.

UPS-Germany is taking care of this matter now, working together with their Argentinian UPS colleagues. Our shipping documents were O.K., after all.

According to Argentinian customs regulations, used transmissions can not
be imported to Argentina, though.
In case you still want to import a used tranny, UPS can't do it. You will have to use a freight forwarder.

O.K., we found a freight forwarder. After a number of faxes
(copies of documents, passports, driver's licenses, titles and multilingual statements)
waiting begins (continues).

Statement of the freight forwarder :
There is no trifling with customs officials - least of all in South America.

Statement of UPS : customs-time isn't UPS-time

Alright Tommy - it seems like you've got to wait. Take a mate and keep on sipping.

January 28, 2004

UPS Parcel with the replacement transmission

And this is how it reads on the UPS tracking page on the internet :

29.Jan . 2004 13:30 MEZ, US TRANSFER NOTIFICATION FOR INFO FOR DELIV;
EXCEPTION RESOLUTION NOTIFICATION-CLOSED; UPS INTERNAL ACTIVITY CODE
27.Jan . 2004 13:00 MEZ, BUENOS AIRES, AR COMPANY OR PERSON UNKNOWN,
NOT DELIVERED, EXCEPTION RESOLUTION NOTIFICATION-OPEN
27.Jan . 2004 12:54 MEZ, BUENOS AIRES, AR HOLD FOR FUTURE DELIVERY
27.Jan . 2004 10:39 MEZ, BUENOS AIRES, AR DESTINATION SCAN
27.Jan . 2004 10:38 MEZ, BUENOS AIRES, AR
HOLD FOR PREPARATION OF BOND PAPERWORK
27.Jan . 2004 10:00 MEZ, BUENOS AIRES, AR DELIVERY
27.Jan . 2004 05:56 MEZ, BUENOS AIRES, AR IMPORT SCAN
27.Jan . 2004 01:07 MEZ, BUENOS AIRES, AR IMPORT SCAN
22 Jan . 2004 23:56 MEZ, KOELN (COLOGNE), DE ORIGIN SCAN
22 Jan . 2004 23:55 MEZ, KOELN (COLOGNE), DE EXPORT SCAN
22 Jan . 2004 23:42 MEZ, KOELN (COLOGNE), DE EXPORT SCAN
22 Jan . 2004 21:20 MEZ, DE BILLING INFORMATION RECEIVED
22 Jan . 2004 20:53 MEZ, GERBRUNN, DE ORIGIN SCAN
22 Jan . 2004 20:52 MEZ, GERBRUNN, DE ORIGIN SCAN
22 Jan . 2004 17:35 MEZ, GERBRUNN, DE PICKUP SCAN

The shipping charges for the 24 kg (53 lbs) heavy UPS-Express parcel
from Wuerzburg to El Calafate/Argentina were Euro 417.60
A few Euros more and we could have bought a regular flight ticket.

The parcel was shipped Thursday afternoon, January 22, 2004, from W&W headquarters Wuerzburg.

January 28, 2004

Perito Moreno

12:00 am EBT. 11°C (52°F). Sunshine. Paul, Joe and Volker "graveled" with the bikes to Perito Moreno.

The coach tourists were pretty amazed, when our W&W team arrived on their roaring motorcycles and for a moment the Patagonia bikes were the main attraction.

The impression, Perito Moreno leaves, is overwhelming (Paul) and uncomparable with any glacier in Europe. The ice shines brightly blueish under the radiant midday sun.
Again and again hunks of ice break away from the 60 meter (197 feet) high wall
and tumble thundering into the lake.
It's the world's only still growing glacier ending in a lake.
An excursion boat, with about 100 tourists on board, is sailing in front of the glacier, thunderous booms and the sounds of crunching ice are in the air.

The size of the boat, compared to the height of the glacier frontage, seems like a pinhead.

The team will spend this night on a camp site, surrounded by snow covered mountains and Joe will prepare one of his famous instant soups.

January 29, 2004

Iceberg climbing

The transmission for Tommy's Pan has been released by customs in Buenos Aires today
and is supposed to be delivered in El Calafate on Monday.

In the meantime the team is heartily climbing in the mountains. The photos are phantastic ...