Panama.
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Breakfast at Phil´s Pension, La Topaz, consists of a variety of different components, corn flakes,mixed fruit, boiled egg, toast, cheese, ham, fruit drink and coffee, and all for $4. Phil and I had discussed the possibility of teaming up to get to Ecuador the previous evening and today we agreed to do this.
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Axel, the German owner of La Topaz, turns out to be quite the artist...and linguist (about 4 languages fluently !)
Axel dicusses the coffee plantation trip with his guests and I ask if I can join. Yes was the response and before long Phil and I met a couple from Canada, Mike & Loren and we were bundled into the back of an old style Toyota Landcruiser, which resembles a US style army jeep.
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Mike & Loren
The ride was very bumpy and steep, and even more rutted than my ride down to Manual Antonio. Mike had decided to stand up in the end and hold onto the roll bar and looked like he was land surfing. After a further 5 or 10 mins, Loren joined him and Phil and I bumped along on our small metal platform vaguely resembling a seat. Finally we arrive and are introduced to Axle’s native Indian workers. They were a very gentle group and we were welcomed to take photos as long as we gave Axel some copies to return to the Indians. I shot about 10 or 12 images (and Axel copied them a few days later). We were given some basic education as to the coffee bean growth and roasting process and provided with details as to how to return to town.
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The "Indian" coffee workers and thier families.
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Coffee beans on the branch and fresh off before roasting, there are two in each berry as you can see.
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We set off and we all enjoyed the walk back into town where we indulged in the local fruit juices and burger/sandwiches offered by Java Juice.(as advertised in the Lonely Planet guide!
) In the evening we returned to the Bistro and learnt of Mike & Lorens trip, which was taking them through Central America over 3 months.
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A few views we saw on our return walk from the coffee plantation.
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Loren finds herself a new friend and then has to take it back to the owners.
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"Camoflague" trees, a new defence tree being developed in military colours !
John and I had always planned to use Panama City as the point to acquire any additional spares that we needed and perform the next 6,000 mile service. I wasn’t looking forward to the heat of Panama city as I’d heard that it was the hottest point of all Central America. As Boquete was relatively cool and a nice area I decided to stay an extra day or two and service the bike. I already had all the service items I needed with the exception of some engine oil, the later was remedied by a new motor factors dealer across the road from where I was staying. I got the owners, Ana’s, permission to use some of her garage space in case the wind got too strong (as it was always blowing) or that it rained.
I started off my service the following morning and immediately acquired an audience of her two sons and occasionally a friend of the younger brother. I am aware from John and I’s previous experiences that a service can last as long as two days if allowed to and so I set myself quite a decent pace to try and ensure it is all accomplished in the one day, not least of all as I’d promised Ana it would just be the one day.
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Phil captured me working on the service.
All was going quite well, oil, filters and plug were changed and I’d done most of the service by about 15:30. The next job was to check the frame and engine bolt torques. This had already proved to be an invaulable check as on all our services we’d found bolts loose and in one case on John’s bike, a strategic bolt sheared ! As I was trying to tighten one of the sub frame bolts it felt as if it was twisting, similar to a stripped thread, but still offering some resistance, until finally the bolt head came off from the main threaded shaft. It had fatigued ! Horrified I stood there knowing that I wouldn’t be able to ride with it missing,. A quick inspection of access points left me with the realisation that there wasn’t an access point to the remaining stud ! I asked Ana if there was a garage who had mechanics and was pointed in the direction of the local Texaco.
A quick inspection by a Mechanic was followed by a yes!, he would do the job…and now! Amazing bit of luck, however the stud was proving to be very hard to get out. The mechanic used 2 easi-out tools with no joy, and finally mentioned the word welding…which was a little worrying but I assumed he wanted to weld something to the stud to get a purchase on it….however, he brought out an even bigger easi-out, drilled a bigger hole and fitted it, and he got some movement. The whole area was sprayed with something like plus-gas or WD40, left to soak in, and the stud removed. I was delighted and relieved. He fitted a replacement bolt and charged me $10, which he looked like he thought I’d haggle about, but $10 to me was a bargain, and I gave him $2 tip. Back to Ana’s, the bike service was completed…with no loose or broken spokes or wheel rim damage from my many hard-hit pot-holes in Costa Rica (these wheels are tough !). In the evening I met up with Phil, Mike & Loren again and we dined at the Volcan Pizzeria, which was recommended but for me only just about ok.
The following day Phil and I re-trace a walk that was recommended by his host and that he’d walked with Mike & Loren the previous day (whilst I was servicing my bike-keep up !). The last bit of the access road is quite tough and I am loaded with almost full luggage, we cross a stream and I ground out on a few rough sections until we come to a safe parking spot. That done we embark on a decent walk through the forest and see some huge trees, apparently some of them are over 120m high. We’re not sure they’re that big but they are big ! The trunk of one of them must have been about 12-15ft across (see photos).
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This butterfly apparently drinks in the stream water and almost simultaneously emits it in drops now scented to attract the female.
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How Old do you think? ... The tree !!
Phil is employed for perspective !
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Tree vines, unfortunately Tarzan wasn´t available for a demonstration.
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We discovered a lot of plant life growing on live or dead tree branches.
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Doesn´t get much greener than this !
Eventually we come to the end of the canyon and I climb to an area where two waterfalls come crashing down. They are very beautiful and deceptively large when standing close to them. In the evening Phil and I return to the Bistro again and discuss our plans for Panama city.
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The waterfalls.
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Panama city
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One of the many brightly painted buses that pass through the city and pour out diesel smoke with a very racey exhaust note to boot !
The Lonely planet guide book offers a number of choices to stay in Panama city and we whittle down their selection to three of our own. The following morning we get up, have our breakfast, pack the bikes and set off for Panama City, 300 miles away. During our walk yesterday we met some Americans who advised us of a route onto the Pan American highway without going through the busy town of David-Phil was fortunately paying attention (whereas I wasn´t convinced the chap was ever going to get to his point ! ...pay more attention Giles ) and so he led us to the Pan-American 
. The ride was largely uneventful overall barring some very high winds (where I’m almost back in Mexico again, fearing about being blown off…again!) We arrive in the City at about 6pm and after a brief chug around our three choices, settle for the Lesboa, which is apparently the Spanish name for Lisbon ! The rooms were great, large, air conditioning, remote cable TV, and quiet. All for $20 per night. Not bad for the city.
I rang Edwin, a contact I’d been given in Tuscon, to let him know we‘d arrived. (He’d very kindly let me use his address for some maps to be sent out whilst I was travelling down.) He asked if we’d sorted a shipping company out yet for Ecuador to which we replied we hadn’t. He said he’d look into it and that I should ring him the following morning.
We went out for dinner and were surprised and shocked to see some very young girls standing on the street corner dressed to draw attention. We found ourselves a restaurant and had dinner. On the way back to the hotel we were accosted by a chap calling himself “Fredoom”. He was a very colourful character and was from Brooklyn originally. Phil was interested to hear his story and so we heard a long story about his eviction from the States on what appeared to be trumped up charges. Freedom calls himself a poet, and demonstrated 2 of his poems in an almost Shakespearien manner. The poems themselves were ok although not really captivating but his delivery was very good and so he was rewarded with $2....which he was obviously looking for.
The following day we visited the Panama Canal and spent some time watching a large container ship travel through one of the Lochs.
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One of the bridges over the Panama...captured by Phil.
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One freight ship loaded to the gills passing through the Miraflores Loch,
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The ships are drawn through by land "tugs" which travel along a semi-sinusoidal path by a toothed cog interacting with a toothed-type rail.
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The double gated lochs. Note how the middle section is only half flooded whereas the ship area is flooded.
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A few minutes later and the middle section is also flooded.
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How much stuff ??
On Monday morning I rang Edwin who said that Giraig was the company people normally used to ship bikes to Ecuador. The only problem was that if we wanted them to catch the Wednesday flight, they needed to be at the airport no later than 12:00 today, it was 10:35, we weren’t packed and the airport was quite a long way away….further more, the next flight was Friday. We hurried ourselves along and managed to leave at about 11:15. It was very hot and the traffic was slow, and we weren’t sure how to get to the airport. We managed to find the right road by a combination of GPS and asking people and arrived at 11:58 !!
Giraig doesn’t inspire confidence in you. As part of our pre-confirmation discussion we asked about the bikes getting damaged (as we have read a number of reports to that effect)-their response was not to re-assure us of their care but to let us know they have insurance for damages! Wonderful! We book as there appears to be little competition and set about draining the fuel and disconnecting our batteries. Unfortunatley we expected to be able to pay by VISA but this was not an option so we have to hire a Taxi to take us to the passenger terminal about 10 miles away. I had all sorts of problems accessing my money as a result of my cards being stolen, including waiting at a bank counter for about an hour only to be told they didn’t accept cards !!, and so, after returning in another Taxi to Giraig, end up paying about three quarters of the fee (of which $200 I borrow from Phil) and leave my log-book as guarantee for the rest .(As the bikes would have flown before I could arrange anything else.)
We get back to the Hotel, both pretty drained.
The following day we go into some of the shopping Plazzas to try and get our own flights sorted out and for me to try and find some walking boots for the treks I anticipate in Ecuador and Peru. It is very hot again and we are almost rendered immovable due to the consumption of two of the largest Ice creams we’ve ever eaten. They were Hagen Daas’s, and first rate ! I manage to finally find some boots which will amaze John (as I’d been looking since England !), we book some plane tickets for ourselves and meet up with Edwin in the evening. We enjoyed some good long chats about biking adventures over dinner and retired for the day.
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Edwin and I during dinner.
Today was D-day and after submitting some more web-updates for you guys, got busy packing. We got ourselves a Taxi pretty quickly and I paid the balance of the bike freight costs to Giraig. Another Taxi got us to the passeneger terminal, and despite the driver trying to rip us off, and the wrong gate number being printed on our tickets, managed to get on the plane smoothly. We arrived in Quito at about 23:00 and were surprised to see a sign requesting us to walk slowly from the first air-craft corridor. We Didn’t understand why until we started walking….Panama is at sea level, Quito is at about 2800m. We were both out of breath very quickly and shocked at the effects. I’d booked a room in a hostel, Deju Vue, but they’d messed up the booking (feel like you’ve been there before ?) and after visiting a few more hotels and hostels, settled on one which was clean, not thread-bare and secure…at $17/night, about double what we’d hoped to pay but accepted for the city.
Mike
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Breakfast at Phil´s Pension, La Topaz, consists of a variety of different components, corn flakes,mixed fruit, boiled egg, toast, cheese, ham, fruit drink and coffee, and all for $4. Phil and I had discussed the possibility of teaming up to get to Ecuador the previous evening and today we agreed to do this.
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Axel, the German owner of La Topaz, turns out to be quite the artist...and linguist (about 4 languages fluently !)
Axel dicusses the coffee plantation trip with his guests and I ask if I can join. Yes was the response and before long Phil and I met a couple from Canada, Mike & Loren and we were bundled into the back of an old style Toyota Landcruiser, which resembles a US style army jeep.
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Mike & Loren
The ride was very bumpy and steep, and even more rutted than my ride down to Manual Antonio. Mike had decided to stand up in the end and hold onto the roll bar and looked like he was land surfing. After a further 5 or 10 mins, Loren joined him and Phil and I bumped along on our small metal platform vaguely resembling a seat. Finally we arrive and are introduced to Axle’s native Indian workers. They were a very gentle group and we were welcomed to take photos as long as we gave Axel some copies to return to the Indians. I shot about 10 or 12 images (and Axel copied them a few days later). We were given some basic education as to the coffee bean growth and roasting process and provided with details as to how to return to town.
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The "Indian" coffee workers and thier families.
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Coffee beans on the branch and fresh off before roasting, there are two in each berry as you can see.
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We set off and we all enjoyed the walk back into town where we indulged in the local fruit juices and burger/sandwiches offered by Java Juice.(as advertised in the Lonely Planet guide!
) In the evening we returned to the Bistro and learnt of Mike & Lorens trip, which was taking them through Central America over 3 months.<IMG SRC="http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL784/4062504/8448420/134167459.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosting by PictureTrail.com">
A few views we saw on our return walk from the coffee plantation.
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Loren finds herself a new friend and then has to take it back to the owners.
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"Camoflague" trees, a new defence tree being developed in military colours !
John and I had always planned to use Panama City as the point to acquire any additional spares that we needed and perform the next 6,000 mile service. I wasn’t looking forward to the heat of Panama city as I’d heard that it was the hottest point of all Central America. As Boquete was relatively cool and a nice area I decided to stay an extra day or two and service the bike. I already had all the service items I needed with the exception of some engine oil, the later was remedied by a new motor factors dealer across the road from where I was staying. I got the owners, Ana’s, permission to use some of her garage space in case the wind got too strong (as it was always blowing) or that it rained.
I started off my service the following morning and immediately acquired an audience of her two sons and occasionally a friend of the younger brother. I am aware from John and I’s previous experiences that a service can last as long as two days if allowed to and so I set myself quite a decent pace to try and ensure it is all accomplished in the one day, not least of all as I’d promised Ana it would just be the one day.
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Phil captured me working on the service.
All was going quite well, oil, filters and plug were changed and I’d done most of the service by about 15:30. The next job was to check the frame and engine bolt torques. This had already proved to be an invaulable check as on all our services we’d found bolts loose and in one case on John’s bike, a strategic bolt sheared ! As I was trying to tighten one of the sub frame bolts it felt as if it was twisting, similar to a stripped thread, but still offering some resistance, until finally the bolt head came off from the main threaded shaft. It had fatigued ! Horrified I stood there knowing that I wouldn’t be able to ride with it missing,. A quick inspection of access points left me with the realisation that there wasn’t an access point to the remaining stud ! I asked Ana if there was a garage who had mechanics and was pointed in the direction of the local Texaco.
A quick inspection by a Mechanic was followed by a yes!, he would do the job…and now! Amazing bit of luck, however the stud was proving to be very hard to get out. The mechanic used 2 easi-out tools with no joy, and finally mentioned the word welding…which was a little worrying but I assumed he wanted to weld something to the stud to get a purchase on it….however, he brought out an even bigger easi-out, drilled a bigger hole and fitted it, and he got some movement. The whole area was sprayed with something like plus-gas or WD40, left to soak in, and the stud removed. I was delighted and relieved. He fitted a replacement bolt and charged me $10, which he looked like he thought I’d haggle about, but $10 to me was a bargain, and I gave him $2 tip. Back to Ana’s, the bike service was completed…with no loose or broken spokes or wheel rim damage from my many hard-hit pot-holes in Costa Rica (these wheels are tough !). In the evening I met up with Phil, Mike & Loren again and we dined at the Volcan Pizzeria, which was recommended but for me only just about ok.
The following day Phil and I re-trace a walk that was recommended by his host and that he’d walked with Mike & Loren the previous day (whilst I was servicing my bike-keep up !). The last bit of the access road is quite tough and I am loaded with almost full luggage, we cross a stream and I ground out on a few rough sections until we come to a safe parking spot. That done we embark on a decent walk through the forest and see some huge trees, apparently some of them are over 120m high. We’re not sure they’re that big but they are big ! The trunk of one of them must have been about 12-15ft across (see photos).
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This butterfly apparently drinks in the stream water and almost simultaneously emits it in drops now scented to attract the female.
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How Old do you think? ... The tree !!
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Tree vines, unfortunately Tarzan wasn´t available for a demonstration.
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We discovered a lot of plant life growing on live or dead tree branches.
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Doesn´t get much greener than this !
Eventually we come to the end of the canyon and I climb to an area where two waterfalls come crashing down. They are very beautiful and deceptively large when standing close to them. In the evening Phil and I return to the Bistro again and discuss our plans for Panama city.
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The waterfalls.
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Panama city
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One of the many brightly painted buses that pass through the city and pour out diesel smoke with a very racey exhaust note to boot !
The Lonely planet guide book offers a number of choices to stay in Panama city and we whittle down their selection to three of our own. The following morning we get up, have our breakfast, pack the bikes and set off for Panama City, 300 miles away. During our walk yesterday we met some Americans who advised us of a route onto the Pan American highway without going through the busy town of David-Phil was fortunately paying attention (whereas I wasn´t convinced the chap was ever going to get to his point ! ...pay more attention Giles
) and so he led us to the Pan-American . The ride was largely uneventful overall barring some very high winds (where I’m almost back in Mexico again, fearing about being blown off…again!) We arrive in the City at about 6pm and after a brief chug around our three choices, settle for the Lesboa, which is apparently the Spanish name for Lisbon ! The rooms were great, large, air conditioning, remote cable TV, and quiet. All for $20 per night. Not bad for the city. I rang Edwin, a contact I’d been given in Tuscon, to let him know we‘d arrived. (He’d very kindly let me use his address for some maps to be sent out whilst I was travelling down.) He asked if we’d sorted a shipping company out yet for Ecuador to which we replied we hadn’t. He said he’d look into it and that I should ring him the following morning.
We went out for dinner and were surprised and shocked to see some very young girls standing on the street corner dressed to draw attention. We found ourselves a restaurant and had dinner. On the way back to the hotel we were accosted by a chap calling himself “Fredoom”. He was a very colourful character and was from Brooklyn originally. Phil was interested to hear his story and so we heard a long story about his eviction from the States on what appeared to be trumped up charges. Freedom calls himself a poet, and demonstrated 2 of his poems in an almost Shakespearien manner. The poems themselves were ok although not really captivating but his delivery was very good and so he was rewarded with $2....which he was obviously looking for.
The following day we visited the Panama Canal and spent some time watching a large container ship travel through one of the Lochs.
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One of the bridges over the Panama...captured by Phil.
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One freight ship loaded to the gills passing through the Miraflores Loch,
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The ships are drawn through by land "tugs" which travel along a semi-sinusoidal path by a toothed cog interacting with a toothed-type rail.
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The double gated lochs. Note how the middle section is only half flooded whereas the ship area is flooded.
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A few minutes later and the middle section is also flooded.
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How much stuff ??
On Monday morning I rang Edwin who said that Giraig was the company people normally used to ship bikes to Ecuador. The only problem was that if we wanted them to catch the Wednesday flight, they needed to be at the airport no later than 12:00 today, it was 10:35, we weren’t packed and the airport was quite a long way away….further more, the next flight was Friday. We hurried ourselves along and managed to leave at about 11:15. It was very hot and the traffic was slow, and we weren’t sure how to get to the airport. We managed to find the right road by a combination of GPS and asking people and arrived at 11:58 !!
Giraig doesn’t inspire confidence in you. As part of our pre-confirmation discussion we asked about the bikes getting damaged (as we have read a number of reports to that effect)-their response was not to re-assure us of their care but to let us know they have insurance for damages! Wonderful! We book as there appears to be little competition and set about draining the fuel and disconnecting our batteries. Unfortunatley we expected to be able to pay by VISA but this was not an option so we have to hire a Taxi to take us to the passenger terminal about 10 miles away. I had all sorts of problems accessing my money as a result of my cards being stolen, including waiting at a bank counter for about an hour only to be told they didn’t accept cards !!, and so, after returning in another Taxi to Giraig, end up paying about three quarters of the fee (of which $200 I borrow from Phil) and leave my log-book as guarantee for the rest .(As the bikes would have flown before I could arrange anything else.)
We get back to the Hotel, both pretty drained.
The following day we go into some of the shopping Plazzas to try and get our own flights sorted out and for me to try and find some walking boots for the treks I anticipate in Ecuador and Peru. It is very hot again and we are almost rendered immovable due to the consumption of two of the largest Ice creams we’ve ever eaten.
They were Hagen Daas’s, and first rate ! I manage to finally find some boots which will amaze John (as I’d been looking since England !), we book some plane tickets for ourselves and meet up with Edwin in the evening. We enjoyed some good long chats about biking adventures over dinner and retired for the day.<IMG SRC="http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL784/4062504/8448420/134165991.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosting by PictureTrail.com">
Edwin and I during dinner.
Today was D-day and after submitting some more web-updates for you guys, got busy packing. We got ourselves a Taxi pretty quickly and I paid the balance of the bike freight costs to Giraig. Another Taxi got us to the passeneger terminal, and despite the driver trying to rip us off, and the wrong gate number being printed on our tickets, managed to get on the plane smoothly. We arrived in Quito at about 23:00 and were surprised to see a sign requesting us to walk slowly from the first air-craft corridor. We Didn’t understand why until we started walking….Panama is at sea level, Quito is at about 2800m. We were both out of breath very quickly and shocked at the effects. I’d booked a room in a hostel, Deju Vue, but they’d messed up the booking (feel like you’ve been there before ?) and after visiting a few more hotels and hostels, settled on one which was clean, not thread-bare and secure…at $17/night, about double what we’d hoped to pay but accepted for the city.
Mike
