Motorcycle Repairs

Gear Box:
Full gear set made new in Buenos Aires (300US)
6 Bearings purchased in Buenos Aires (180US)
4 New Shaft seals purchased in KC (50US)
2 New Pawl Return springs purchased in KC (6US)
1 New Pawl Selector spring purchased in KC (3US)
1 New Gear Box Gasket purchased in KC (5US)

Forks:
2 New seals purchased in KC (18 US)
2 New fork cups purchased in KC (32 US)

Cables:
2 New Throttle cables purchased in KC (32US)

Filters:
1 New Air Filter purchased in KC (34US)

Lights:
3 New Rubber Bushings for the light adjustment purchased in KC (9US)

Tire:

1 New Front tire purchased from Dakar Motos (100US)

Parts: (769US)
Labor: (???????)
Time Lost on Road: (35 days)

In times like these, when it is raining outside and the world has not worked out the way you had planned, it is important to stop, breathe and regroup. I was not expecting my motorcycle to break down in the middle of Patagonia, however, in the time ¨lost¨on the road, I have met beautiful people, seen beautiful things and laughed a great deal. It is interesting, when a situation seems to have turned against you, but in reality, it has opened a gateway to an even larger experience; one complete with excitement and joy. In times like these, when it is raining outside and the world continues to rotate, money does not matter, time does not matter, nor do materials...just get up, walk out the door and let the rain pour on your head, look up, breathe in really deep and feel...alive.

Tango house party in BA

With two friends, Julie from Montreal and Emilie from Paris, we purchased wine and desert (chocolate cake with Dulce de Leche), and headed up into San Telmo in Buenos Aires for a house party. A friend of Julie, Serge, had a friend Sophie, who lived in B. Aires, but was from France. The apartment was a one room studio with a balcony of which a traditional Argentine BBQ was being prepared. Wine was passed around with smiles and laughter as the music played Latin Salsa in the background.
Argentine sausage is very high quality. They have Chorizo, which is like a normal thick Polish-like sausage and a Morcilla (know as Black Pudding in the UK). When they are both grilled to the correct temperature, you can add them to a baguette and enjoy a mouth watering, finger licking wonder. Dinner was very nice, and it was nice speaking with new people.
After dinner was finished, and the Dulce de Leche (a soft caramel) chocolate cake was passed around, Tango music was heard from the computer speakers. A couple moved out into the middle of the floor, and without hesitation, held each other closely and intertwined their bodies with incredible passion. The song ended much too early and applause took over the room and balcony. The next couple, Sophie and here partner, moved to the floor. You could tell that Sophie had added a few inches after skipping off into her room to put on some high heels. Sex and sweat took over the room as the Tango filled the air with romance. Talk of how tango is causing the increase in population in Buenos Aires was heard from the sofa.
I walked Julie and Emilie back to their hostel at around 4AM, and was able to catch a train back into Florida where I am staying. Buenos Aires is another city that never sleeps. Walking by kids in the street at 5 in the morning, laughing and smoking cigarettes, I smiled, looking down at my feet moving across the cobble stone and back up at the train station as some were headed home like me, and the others passing by on their way to work. Bliss is BBQ and Tango in Buenos Aires.

Attack of the waddling penguins

Magellen Penguins at Punta Tombo.
Punta Tombo and the Atlantic.
Penguins with a Yanaco in Punta Tombo.

Arriving at Puerto Madryn, I had a little trouble finding a hostel. I was to spend one night in a particular hostel and then have to move to another for my second night. All the same, I had a bed, a kitchen, and the Internet. At the same help desk, where I located my hostel arrangements, I also was able to book a few tours around the area. One tour went to visit Punta Tombo, which is a breeding ground for Magellan penguins and then went later to Gaingan, the first Welsh settlement in Argentina for a proper cup of tea. The second tour, was a trip up onto the Valdes Peninsula, where a touring bus took us around breeding grounds of many different species, all unique to Patagonia.
My tour to Punta Tombo (Jan 21, 2008) was absolutely wonderful. When the guide told us, as soon as we walked into the park we will see penguins, I believed him with scepticism. The park itself is around 6 square miles. Within this area, there are about 250,000 couples...all monogamous. Including the chicks, there may be up to 600,000 penguins all on the same location. This was absolutely mind boggling. But sure enough, as soon as you entered the park, there was not one bush or burrow that was not inhabited by one, two, three, or four penguins. They would waddle across the pathway, duck under bridges and fence lines, stretch and flap their short wings, and squawk at the seagulls swarming around the young.
You could see three different stages of the penguins. The young chicks had loose feathers, all grey, and would stumble when waddling back and forth. The older chicks, were also grey in colour, however, their feathers started to come in tighter with their body and they would start to add the oil from their glands in order to provide protection as they started entering the cold Atlantic. The adults were seen often in pairs. The only time the monogamous penguins leave each other is in the search for food. Their feathers were black and white, oiled down and protected from the cold waters (5 to 12 degrees Celsius). They would tend to their young, clean themselves, add more oil from their glands under their bums, and take naps under the shade.
The Atlantic coast was lined in rustic oxidized volcanic stone, with which created a pleasant backdrop for the blue waters and the penguins themselves.
The best part about it, besides being outnumbered by penguins 10,000 to 1 at the park and totally relaxed; was the fact that they have a specific process for defecation.
First they walk around in a circle, much like a dog finding a resting place, in order to view their surroundings and find a landing. When they have found their target, the bounce back and forth from foot to foot, lift the tail, and with one quick expulsion, it flies across the rocks up to two meters in distance. I observed this process with intense curiosity and awe.
The following day (Jan 22, 2008), we left early in the morning on a bus to Peninsula Valdes. The bus was almost full and the skies were cloudy with a light rain. Our first stop after the park entrance was at a museum explaining the history behind the peninsula, the exploitation of it's resources, and the varieties of biological life that can be found there. We then moved onto Puerto Pirimide, where the group went on a whale watching boat trip. I did not go because I had asked before purchasing the tickets if any whales had been seen in the last few weeks. It is usually by this time that the breeding season is over, and the whales usually head back to Antarctica for feeding. The tend to be around Peninsula Valdez from October to December for breeding. Sure enough, none were seen on the boat tour.
The reason behind this area being a primary breeding ground for so many species, is because there are two currents, one from the north and one from the south, that meet at this location along the Patagonian coast. Where they meet, an overwhelming amount of organic material concentrates, which creates warm waters that are lush in dietary resources.
After the groups return, the weather cleared, and we continued across the Peninsula to PuntaNorte. On the way we saw Yanaccos (a kind of llama), Choicos (a kind of ostrich), foxes and armadillos. At Punta Norte, there is a large group of sea lions that had come back to breed as well. The large males had all competed for a hot landing to score with as many available mamas as possible. The best of them could have up to 9 women and the same number of pups. They would fight, play and moan, while sweet music played in the back of my head as the players fornicated.
We moved down the road along the Atlantic cost to visit another breeding ground for Magellan Penguins. Once again, I saw the exciting life of the penguin digestive pathway...which seemed to always go in the direction of an opposing family. I believe we tend to use fences in the US to tell our neighbors that they should stay on their side.
Further down the road, we came upon a small colony of young elephant seals. They are called elephant seals because the adult males grow a large snout that looks like a curled up trunk of an elephant. These young pups, weighing up to 200 kgs in size, did not show this unique characteristic, however, they acted very much like I would expect an elephant to act. Meaning, they sat around the entire time, absorbing the sun, rolling around in water and sand, doing absolutely nothing. You cannot actually blame them, it was a very comfortable 78 degrees outside. The young elephant seals are deserted by their parents after around 30 days. They then starve themselves until they learn how to swim on their own. They stay in the oceans for about 10 months out of the year, and come hear to breed during the time not at sea. They have unbelievable breathing techniques. The can dive to under 1,000 meters below sea level and stay under for almost an hour. Now if only I had these capabilities went I went down under, I could get all the ladies!
We made it back to to Puerto Madryn in time to catch a bite to eat before jumping on my bus to Buenos Aires. The trip was quite uneventful. I have been spending so much time on the bus, that my ankles look like those of a woman seven months pregnant. It was nice finally getting back to a place where I can settle down for a bit.
I am now staying in the back of Dakar Motos, where my bike is being repaired. I ordered some parts from KC today, and they are all in stock. A friend is coming to visit us in Buenos Aires and has agreed to bring them with him. So it looks as though my bike will finally be back in business. I have not decided how I will continue my adventure. The last thing I want to do is run out of money on my bike somewhere and not be able to ship it home. One option is to send it home from Buenos Aires and continue by bus. Only four more countries to go and then I am on my way back home...it seems like only yesterday when I left. No worries though...besides my patchy beard and a few less hairs on my head...I am the same ole Sean Tucker that left you all four months ago. I have aged, and with that has come a bit of wisdom...but as I like to say, "the more you know...the more you know you do not know."

A Patagonian Fox at Punta Norte on Peninsula Valdes.

A hairy Armadillo at Punta Norte on Peninsula Valdes.

Elephant seals resting at the sea line at Punta Cantor on Peninsula Valdes.

The End of the World

Ushuaia, the end of the road.

I was very lucky to have convinced Alda and Andrea into joining me on a journey to the bottom of the world. Ushuaia, known as the city ¨fin del mundo,¨ or end of the world, sits at the site where the Atlantic meets the Pacific. From El Chalten, it took us around 20 hours to get there, crossing two borders (You pass into Chile before crossing back into the Argentine province of Tierra del Fuego) and weaving between green mountain passes. The majority of Patagonia is covered in shrub, very dull to the eye, powered with drought and extreme winds. However, when you get to the side of the Andes Mountains, lush vegetation and beautiful snow capped peaks unravel the amazing tranquility of the southern Argentine landscape.
Entering Ushuaia, the port town is obvious, filled with cruise liners, touring yachts, sail boats, and cargo ships. The back drop of Ushuaia is a beautiful white mountain side with a glacier sitting right up in the middle. The buildings are of middle European style (as seen in Switzerland and Austria) and the climate is a cool wet 40 degrees...unfathomable, being that it is in the middle of summer and the sun is up from 5 in the morning until 11:30 at night.
We found a lovely hostel filled with lovely people from all over the world...I should admit that 90 percent of them were from Israel. And even though these Israelis had spent multiple years in the military, they have terrible manners and do not clean up after themselves. The hostel was small and crowded, so the noise volume in the evenings was to be dealt with.
Nonetheless, we woke up early the next morning to go on a hike up to the glacier that overlooks the city and ocean to the south. Once again, it was raining on us, and unfortunately, sweet Alda had a sprained ankle and stayed at base camp while Andrea and I walked up to catch a piece of the ice. The weather inhibited any view of the city and ocean below, so after a couple of photos above, we made our decent to base camp to catch up with Alda.
Later that day, I took a boat trip by myself off into the Atlantic. Just as the weather started to pick up, we passed an island filled with penguins, sea lions, and elephant seals. It was a riot, everyone was attacking each other. I could not tell if they were playing or trying to kill. The boat continued on to the lighthouse, the last remaining lighthouse at the end of the world. Its red and white stripes stood out in the dark blue seas and grey mountain scape. The lighthouse is now run off of solar energy and is a ticket into the major port of Ushuaia. On the way back into Ushuaia on the boat, you could definitely feel the current that the oceans bring when adjoined together. The boat rocked up and down, causing more than ten people to vomit, and the rest to sit at the back to avoid the turbulence. The power of the oceans was felt and it could scare any man on a bad day.
The second full day in Ushuia took part in the National Forrest. We hiked around the coastal line of Beagle Chanel, visiting many lakes and rivers that curved through the mountain sides into the two oceans. The shore lines were lined in mussel shells, and the mountainous backdrop of Chile off in the distance gave one the feeling that it was actually a lake rather than the ocean. Yet the water contained salt and life forms were seen on the sandy shore, verifying its reality.
We took off the next morning to Rio Gallegos, where I split up from Alda and Andrea. They went up into the lake district of El Bolson, just south of San Bariloche where I had spent Christmas. I went directly north back to Puerto Madryn to visit the Penguins and Sea Lions. I just want to say, that the time I spent with Alda and Andrea was incredibly special and wonderfully educational. I learned so much about the Latin American culture, the language, and about myself. I learned to be more patient, to understand the differences between cultures and linguistics, and how to absorb the love across borders. I will never forget the time we spent together...dos gardenias para ellas...te adoro.

Park outside of our hostel in Ushuaia.

Last remaining lighthouse on the southern end of the world.

National Park in Tierra del Fuego, outside of Ushuaia.

Black Lake (lago negro) in the National Park in Tierra del Fuego. Only molds and bacteria grow in and surrounding the lake for the first 50 meters because of the stealthy organic mixture that has always grown from the lake.

make up work (b. aires a el calafate y el chalten)

Glacier National Park on Lake Argentino outside of El Calafate.
Glacier National Park on Lake Argentino outside of El Calafate.
Glacier National Park on Lake Argentino outside of El Calafate.
Glacier National Park on Lake Argentino outside of El Calafate.
Glacier National Park on Lake Argentino outside of El Calafate.

Hola amigos. So it has been a while since I last wrote in my blog, and I have quite a lot of make up work to do. First I want to apologize for my inconsistent communication. However, I have been traveling in the southern parts of Patagonia, very distant from electronic communication.
I was sitting at the computer in Buenos Aires checking the old emails, when I read a message from my friend Alda, of whom I met during the New Year's celebration. She was asking me to come meet her and her friend Andrea (both from Bogota) in Puerto Madryn on their way south to El Calafate. So randomly one day, I left everything behind in the Capital and took off south by bus to meet up with them. It ended up being a 40 hour bus trip to El Calafate. However, the bus system in Argentina, much like many of the South American countries, have very comfortable liners...many steps ahead of the chicken buses we saw in Honduras.
Meeting Alda and Andrea again was fantastic. We connected very well, as if we had known each other for quite some time. The fact that they speak perfect English did play a major factor in our social interaction. Colombians have this amazing presence about them, controversy to all of the terrible publicity received in the US. Colombia remains one of my favorite countries on this trip, and definitely is made of some of the finest people in the world. It is terribly wicked what the US press contributes to the misinterpretation of this beautiful country.
We arrived in El Calafate in the afternoon and only found camping available. It is now high season in Argentina, and everywhere seems to be booked full. However, the campsite was perfect besides me forgetting my water proof cover for my tent in Buenos Aires. I tried to cover my tent with zip lock sized garbage bags, ending up to be a disaster, nonetheless, very amusing. The following morning, we went on a day long boat tour in the National Glacier Park just off of Lake Argentino. The day was cloudy and cool, however the glaciers continued to melt and break off into the cold lakes. We must have visited seven glaciers stuck between mountain sides falling into the lake. The blue colours of the ice reflecting off the water was mesmerizing, and created an ambiance of purity and perfection. It filled me with joy and sorrow at the same time...knowing that they are all being destroyed at an unbelievable rate. That evening, I went on to prepare the BBQ of wurst, beef shoulders, shish kabobs and salad. As the successful meal wound down and the clock turned over to midnight, the sweet Colombians pulled one out on me and surprised me with a chocolate torte and candles. A wonderful Feliz Cupliaños song sung loud for the entire campsite to endure ended with me smiling immensely and making a wish.
The day following the glacier expedition, we traveled north to El Chalten, north of Lake Viedma off of Ruta 40. El Chalten is known for its majestic peaks and glaciers, also being part of the National Glacier Park in Argentina. After arriving and finding a hostel for the night, we went on a short hike to the overlook of Mount Fitz Roy, a peak created by the gods and for the gods, it soared into the clouds with white peaks and praise. To its sides lay glaciers, frozen for thousands of years, keeping the rocky soil cool and uninhabited. It was the perfect birthday present. Un vista muy linda.
Waking up early the next morning, we took a day hike to another part of the park where glaciers and mountains surrounded a pale blue lake, bringing unbelievable gusts of wind. I thought Kansas was windy, until I came down to Patagonia, where they could produce the energy for the world with wind turbans alone. The site was amazing, and the journey there and back was even more amazing; filled with birds (including parrots) and waterfalls amidst the mountain scape was a site that brought tears in the inter-mix of the sweat dripping from the forehead. El Chalten is a place incredibly special.

Foggy Birthday view of Mount Fitz Roy at the Ntl. Glacier Park in El Chalten.

Nice view from the hike to Glacier Grande outside of El Chalten.

Glacier Grande and lake Torre, five hour hike from El Chalten.

Mount Cerro Solo off of Lake Torre outside of El Chalten.

A New Year Feast

I made it safely into Buenos Aires and found a hostel by the Congresso Plaza in the theater district. It just so happened to be around 5 blocks from the two Norwegians I met in Machu Picchu...this was no coincidence, we were planning on meeting. The two guys from Norway, Henrik and Colin introduced me to two Colombian girls they had met in Salta, and we planned a dinner for New Years at their hostel. 30 people had signed up for the meal, and it turned out to be a crowd of around 40...but no worries, because if you know me, I always cook plenty of food. I teamed up with one of the Colombians Alda, Christian from France, and Santiago the owner of the hostel, and we prepared a feast for kings and queens. The table was covered in wine and happy faces as we indulged into a meal prepared with love and lots of sweat. The weather has been in the upper 90´s the entire time I have been in Buenos Aires.
At midnight, we followed a Colombian tradition, eating 12 grapes and making a wish for each one. Then we put on something old, something new and something borrowed (nothing blue, however), and ran around the block. A sweet girl had a dress malfunction and ended up giving a show to some of the Argentinian men on the street corner. Luck was brought into the new year for all!
We danced in the streets throughout the night, to salsa and merenge, watching fireworks explode in the air, and sloppy drunks parading around singing. I ended up getting lost and roaming to a strange part of down as the sun was coming up. I went into a very nice hotel and asked to use the restroom. Following my hygienic recovery, I asked the front desk where I could find breakfast in the area. They pointed at the staircase and told me the buffet was down stairs. Still a little out of it from the previous 12 hours, I made my way down the stairs to white linens, polished silverware, a buffet from heaven and exquisite service. My luck has turned around in only five hours into the new year!
After my third cup of coffee, a nice lady came to me with a clip board and asked me for my room number. I looked at her with a Sean Tucker look of curiosity and told her I was on the third floor. She asked for my name, and in a movie star voice I told her, ¨Mr. Johnston.¨ She
looked through her clipboard and walked patiently to the back room. It was at that moment, I took one more sip from my coffee and proceeded to move very swiftly back up the stairs, thanking the security guard at the door, and hopping into a Taxi. I made my way home on a full stomach and with the smile of a mischievous little boy who just put a frog into his mother´s purse.
New Year´s day consisted of napping and Fredo ice cream, the best in Argentina. My friend Mario from England and I competed in the 1 kilo competition where I had chosen Banana, Espresso, and Dulce de Leche (Caramel). He went with a mixture of cream and sorbet...a smart choice. By the end, I was at the edge of regurgitation, however, I had enough caffeine from the espresso ice cream that I was doing cart wheels back to the hostel. My kick has just recently come down, two days later.
So I am about to cook dinner yet again with some friends at the hostel. So I must cut this one off, however, I want to wish you all a very happy new year. Mucho besos!


New Year´s feast at the hostel in San Telma.

My two chefs, Alda and Christoph

The Colombians, Alda and Andrea
Marius and me in the kilo eat-off.
Me after the kilo eat-off, getting ready to do a cart wheel.
Henrik, Colin (Norway) and Anna (Brasil) in the streets of B. Aires.