May 27, 2013
England – Uzbekistan
The long cold winter stretched all the way to Istanbul. The snowline throughout the Alps was still as low as 600m ski resorts normally looking sad and forlorn by mid-April still had plenty of snow and the car parks were full of eager skiers & snowboarders. Even as far south as Serbia I passed through banks of snow on passes only 1500m high. The only respite was the Croatian coast where despite still being chilly the sun was shining.
Along Croatia’s coast road
For a week my heated grips remained on all the time I was riding. During the night when temperature’s fell to 3°C my new, lightweight sleeping bag felt like it prevented me from dying rather than keeping me warm. In fact the only thing warm during that first week was the welcome I received from Mehmet, Apo & Tylan when I arrived at the Kuzgum Moto Adventures clubhouse on the outskirts of Istanbul. Yoshi was there to having flown his bike from Buenos Aires to Frankfurt last summer.
So what was I doing back in Istanbul anyway???
…read the rest of Chapter 31
15 Comments | 
Chapter 31 - May 2013 | Tagged: Adam Lewis, Adventure, DRZ400, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Motorcycles, Overland, RTW, Russia, Suzuki, Travel, Uzbekistan | 
Permalink
Posted by adamlewis
May 22, 2012
…”we got fun ‘n’ games”. The bugs ate me alive, I broke my speedometer, tent, laptop, sleeping pad and got stuck in Brazilian customs. Oh…and then there were the snakes…Fun ‘n’ games? Oh yeah…
100% Deet!? Hah…the bugs laughed in my face!
What did I find poking around in this Venezuelan swamp?
…Read the rest of Chapter 29
14 Comments | Chapter 29 - May 2012 | Tagged: Adam Lewis, Adventure, Amazon, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, DR650, French Guiana, Georgetown, Guyana, Jungle, Motorcycles, Overland, Paramaribo, Riverboat, RTW, Suriname, Suzuki, Transamazonica, Travel, Venezuela | Permalink
Posted by adamlewis
December 24, 2011
Trip distance and Time trip correct at La Paz, Bolivia on 28/11/11
The motorcyclists amongst you may also like the
Continued from Chapter 27…
After a painless border crossing at Copacabana (I’d exited Bolivia there in 2009 and so knew the system) I rode on to La Paz only to arrive at Hostel El Careterro just as Mark & Claire appeared on foot to take a look at the place. They’d been staying elsewhere but soon moved when they realized how much they could save my moving to El Careterro.
Bolivian policeman Amadeo Condori was impressed with Rosie!
…read the rest of Chapter 28
27 Comments | Chapter 28 - December 2011 | Tagged: Adam Lewis, Adventure, Altiplano, Andes, Andes Mountains, Antofagasta de la Sierra, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, DR650, La Paz, Latin America, Motorcycles, Overland, Parque Nacinal Salar de Huasco, Parque Nacional Lauca, Parque Nacional Sajama, Parque Nacional Volcon Isluga, Paso de Jama, Paso Jama, Paso Sico, RTW, Ruta del Che, Salar de Surire, Salar de Uyuni, Short Way Round, South America, Suzuki, Travel | Permalink
Posted by adamlewis
September 23, 2011
Trip distance and Time trip correct at Peru/Bolivia border 11/08/11
More photos in the Peru 2011 gallery
The motorcyclists amongst you may also like the
Peru
When I first properly looked at the map of Peru I was immediately struck by the potential to traverse it along the Andes, primarily on dirt roads. Despite a government TV advert claiming 10k km of new roads had been built (or should that be ‘surfaced’?) I still rode 3193km of dirt; almost 50% of my total distance in the country. The graph below shows how much of that time was in the mountains.
GPS profile of Peru 2011 route
…read the rest of Chapter 27
22 Comments | Chapter 27 - September 2011 | Tagged: Adam Lewis, Adventure, bike, Cajamarca, camping, Cordillera Blanca, Cusco, DR650, Huaraz, Kuelap, Lima, Machu Picchu, moto, Motorcycles, Overland, Pan American, Peru, RTW, Sondor, Suzuki, Travel | Permalink
Posted by adamlewis
August 27, 2011
Trip distance and Time trip correct at Ecuador/Peru border 16/06/11
More photos in the Ecuador gallery
I was a little nervous as I rolled down the hill to the border, filtering past a long queue of traffic in the rain as my Temporary Import Permit for Rosie had expired whilst I’d been back in GB attending my niece’s 1st birthday and best mate’s wedding. As a result I was hoping to bypass customs, go straight to Immigration and then ski across the across the border to Ecuador unnoticed. Mike at Casa Blanca Hostel in Cali had told me how the border was laid out and so as everyone queued for the customs window I slipped down the outside, around the back to the carpark and walked into the empty ‘Migracion’ office where I quickly got stamped out. For once the rain was probably doing me a favor as no officials were outside wandering around. Once across the bridge I was directed to a parking space by an Ecuadorian Policeman and I relaxed and grabbed a quick coffee outside the photocopy shop.
…read the rest of Chapter 26
12 Comments | Chapter 26 - August 2011 | Tagged: Adam Lewis, Adventure, Cuenca, DR650, Duke J, Ecuador, Lago Quilotoa, Motorcycles, Overland, Parque Extremo, Quito, RTW, Suzuki, Travel | Permalink
Posted by adamlewis
May 14, 2011
“What do you mean you want the receipt for my tourist visa!!!???…How could I have entered without paying for it!?”
The ‘migracion’ officer was adamant I pay again and gave me a form to take to the bank opposite. I was adamant I wasn’t going to pay again and so began our Mexican stand-off. To let him know I was prepared for a long wait I removed my crash helmet, donned my sun hat and shades but refused to move away from the window.
I’m not sure exactly what changed but after several minutes a different voice asked me for my passport and I handed it to a different officer who stamped me out without question.
Read the rest of this entry »
27 Comments | Chapter 25 - May 2011 | Tagged: Adam Lewis, Belize, Casa Blanca Hostel, Colombia, Costa Rica, Darien Gap, DR650, El Cocuy, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Motorcycles, Nicaragua, Overland, Panama, Punta Gallinas, RTW, Stahlratte, Suzuki, Travel | Permalink
Posted by adamlewis
February 2, 2011
“Mmmm…that was a bit too easy” I thought as I rolled out of the Mexican border in Tecate. No US exit post, no Mexican immigration, no Customs. No paperwork was bound to make things difficult for me later on so I returned to the border and spoke to a security guard who pointed me to the immigration office. I was given a tourist visa form to complete and told to walk two blocks down the hill to the bank to pay the M$262 (Mexican Pesos) and obtain a receipt. Once I had my visa I asked about Customs and the temporary import document for my bike only to be told they couldn’t be issued there; only Tijuana or Mexicali. Both of those were wellout of my way and so I asked about La Paz on the Baja peninsula. “En La Paz tambien”. Great, no detour required. Read the rest of this entry »
13 Comments | Chapter 24 - February 2011 | Tagged: Adam Lewis, Adventure, Baja California, Copper Canyon, Mexico, Motorcycles, Overland, RTW, Suzuki, Travel | Permalink
Posted by adamlewis
January 2, 2011
Back in the USA…
I hit the ‘Update’ button for the blog (Chapter 22), finished loading Rosie and headed out into Vancouver’s late afternoon traffic. An hour later arrived at the border, and 20 minutes after that I was back in the USA.
The same standard of living had cost me 60-70% more in Canada and I was glad to be back in the US. I found a bush camp by the river right in the middle of Skagit River and pitched my tent.
Read the rest of this entry »
16 Comments | Chapter 23 - January 2011 | Tagged: Adam Lewis, Formula Drift, Motorcycles, Overland, RTW, Suzuki, TAT, Trans America Trail, Travel, USA, World Racing | Permalink
Posted by adamlewis
August 26, 2010
It would have been nice to have passed the 100k miles marker on the same bike I’d left home with but it wasn’t to be; and so with Lady P (my BMW F650) taking early retirement the task was left to the newly named ‘Rosie’* (my Suzuki DR650). And so it was on August 11th 2010, somewhere on the Alaska Highway west of Tok, Alaska I rolled over 100,000 miles since leaving home on St.Patricks Day 2006.
And what a 100,000 miles it’s been – 4½ years, 5 continents, 38 countries.
* Why Rosie? DR=Desert Rose. Rose Tyler was Dr.Who’s best ever assistant and was played by top bird and my beautiful niece’s namesake – Billie Piper. So ‘Rosie’ it is.
Read the rest of this entry »
25 Comments | Chapter 22 - August 2010 | Tagged: Adam Lewis, Alaska, Alaska Highway, Canada, Cassiar Highway, Dalton Highway, F650, Moab, Motorcycles, Overland, Pacific Crest Trail, RTW, Suzuki, Travel, USA | Permalink
Posted by adamlewis
May 12, 2010
NB – This update also includes the ‘Suzuki’ tab
There’s something cozy and secure about being tucked up inside your tent, warm and dry, whilst listening to the wind howling through the trees outside. It’s a primeval feeling like a subconscious return to the womb; or am I just rambling on, talking bollocks…?
I’ve spent 27 of the past 31 nights in my 6’ x 3’ home and I’ve finally pitched it somewhere for long enough to write something. So here I am, listening to the sound of the Colorado River as it heads for the Grand Canyon, typing what I hope will be a worthy summary of the past…bloody hell…has it really been 5 months!!?? …Continued in Chapter 21
16 Comments | Chapter 21 - May 2010 | Tagged: Adam Lewis, DR650, Motorcycles, Overland, Road Atlanta, RTW, Suzuki, TAT, Trans America Trail, Trans West Virginia Trail, Travel, Triumph Speed Triple, TWVT | Permalink
Posted by adamlewis
