The Gear

So, after much deliberation, confusion, indecisiveness, and headache... I have decided to go with soft luggage for my trip. There are trade offs which I will have to deal with on the road, but in the end I think I am making the right decision. My routes through Central America include many miles of potentially muddy track which will be a chore with even a lightly loaded bike. I originally wanted to use plastic cases but decided that they may not be strong enough in the event of a spill. So I then opted to buy aluminum panniers. Aluminum panniers are strong, weather resistant, secure and fixable. But because of my route, I also must take into account the major cons. The metal boxes are just plain heavy. Over 15 lbs per box. I would then attempt to fill the boxes with as much stuff as possible, loading me down even more.

My decision to move to soft cases, I and others believe, is the right choice. Hard cases have the potential to break bones if my legs were to get caught under them in an accident or a muddy road spill. I have caught my legs under them several times in my test runs and to me, its not worth the risk. I'd rather deal with the minute problems that I will have with the luggage and see and go to the places I want. In the end I will go with soft saddle bags and a soft tail bag which will be able to carry all of the gear I need and more. All while lowering the overall weight by about 40lbs.

pics soon

Sabine Pass. Gear test run

This weekend (March 1-2) I packed my motorbike to make a test run with most of the gear that I'll be bringing on my trip. Not just the gear, but equipment being used on the bike.



The bike: a 1997 Honda XR650L








Check out the rest on TWTex.com or ADVrider.com

Green, Mist, and Lava

NOTE THIS ENTRY WAS WRITTEN FOR MY CULTURAL GEOGRAPHY CLASS AND I THOUGHT MIGHT BE A GOOD READ FOR SOME OF YOU.

(All photos taken by Scott Brown. Please Ask permission to use photos.)

My ‘Place’
By Scott Brown

Well, hopefully, I can make my place slightly more interesting for you. When I say more interesting, I mean quite different than what I would expect most of the other students to write about. For example, their homes where they grew up, their hunting camp, a swimming hole, all of which are within driving distance of their home. Unlike the others, I chose a place that is very dear to me. Although I have visited it only a few times, I usually don’t attach such strong feeling to anything, especially a place. My place is about 4 hours and 30 minutes from Houston, Texas, about an hour in the airport going through customs, exchanging money, and finding your luggage amongst the other blood thirsty tourist. This place is about 1582 miles from home (says Google Earth). Oh, wait, I didn’t mention that it is also another 5 hours on twisty mountain roads that pass through villages named after saints, cows and goats being herded along the road, and sometimes you will go up so high on the mountain you would be in the clouds and catch a chill from the altitude.

I hope I got your attention. The country, where my place… well, places as you will soon read, is Costa Rica. A country that has filled my mind and dreams since the first time I visited back in 2001, merely two months after the terrorist attack on the twin towers. My first trip was with my parents. They had a few thousand dollars and wanted to go on a trip out of the country to say that they had been. They wanted some place tropical but also safe. After much debating over an “exciting” (Costa Rica) destination and just a “pretty” destination (Hawaii) we had a travel agent make our reservations. Not giving her all the credit, I went online and searched for weeks, read 10 travel guide books, and came up with the best itinerary, found all the hotels, and decided where all to go. We just brought the list to the travel agent, who was a nut by the way and I would never recommend her! This was our first trip out of the United States, so we had a lot to do. Passports, immunizations, malaria (not even a worry in Costa Rica), rain suits, etc. It is difficult to describe the excitement and worry of doing a trip like this… but looking back on it now… I have bigger plans that make this trip look obsolete.

My ‘place’ is more like an area, with several intimate sites around one little village in a valley between volcanoes. Mostly, I have been drawn to the warm weather, the greenery, the people, and… well, a friggan volcano! The village that I am referring to is the town of La Fortuna. With a small population of only about 7,000 ticos (term referring to Costa Ricans), the town is the center for quite a few area attractions. The most notable is its proximity to the Arenal Volcano, hot springs, a beautiful waterfall, and nearby national parks. Volcan Arenal was dormant until 1968 until it suddenly erupted and destroyed a village and killed 80 people. There is now a five star resort that is famous for its hot springs and botanical gardens, located in the place of the destroyed village. Since 1968, the volcano erupts every day releasing steam and gas, shoots glowing boulders into the air and you can watch the lava flowing at night (when it’s clear). This, I guess is a good place to fill in two parts of the title. Here is a good chance to use a term learned in a certain teacher’s geography class. Being in the tropics, there is a massive amount of moisture in the air. The area around the volcano already sits at about 1000 ft. Tierra Caliente. The Volcano rises another 4,000 feet above La Fortuna and is neighbored by mountains to the south and west. The winds blow from the north east, forcing the warm moist air to condense as it rises against the volcano and mountains. This is termed, orographic lifting, which, by the way is not in the Microsoft Word spell checker dictionary. Why this relates, it seems that there is always a mist falling, especially on cloudier days, when there is obviously more moisture in the air. The lava, of course comes from the hot springs, where yearly at least 10 people die from swimming in lava pools. Ok, well, the lava comes from the liquid hot magma that is forced up into the earth’s crust from the plate tectonics which causes Costa Rica to exist in the first place. Where there is warmth and humidity, there is also an abundance of green. So “Green, Mist and Lava” is the title.

Ok, enough blabbering about the importantly unimportant stuff. My specific ‘places’ are located around La Fortuna and Volcan Arenal. I have three spots which I have visited several times during my trips to Costa Rica. I just go back to those spots… I can’t help it… that’s why they are my ‘places.’

The first ‘place’ that I want to describe is maybe the least moving, but most beautiful. Six miles down a road whose base is baby head sized volcanic rock mixed with a little dirt, is a developing tourist attraction. The first time I visited, I enjoyed it more. Now there is a large gate where you must buy wrist bands and then several gift shops selling typical Costa Rican souvenirs that say “Hecho en Nicaragua.” Anyways, you walk down the path, which has become better, but still extremely steep. For example, a set of steps take you down about 30ft while only gone about 40ft in a straight-ish line. The difficult stair stepper hike is worth it, for at the bottom is a striking waterfall that cascades down the side of a steep canyon into a pool filled with jagged rocks. There are hiking trails in the area that are worth a stroll down. I have gotten up close and personal with a troop of howler monkeys and seen the little red and blue poison dart frogs. I’ve also seen a creature that reminded me of Golum jump from a rock into the river. I never figured out what it was, but it was no animal I have ever seen. The hike out of the canyon, is nothing less than a work out. Total height from Nicaraguan made gift shops to the river below, 200 meters. Total trail length, 500 meters. It is fun sitting along the bank on one of the rocks or in the volcanic sand, watching the gringo tourists splashing in the water… which comes from the summit of the volcano and is freezing.

‘Place’ number two requires a drive away from La Fortuna, around the volcano to a hill that overlooks Lake Arenal and to the north east towers Volcan Arenal. This little spot is a little restaurant at a hotel, which obviously sports some awesome views. The view is just awesome. Apparently the views are great here. You can see the active side of the volcano where the lava flows. From here, is a good place to watch the volcano erupt on a clear night. You can watch the lava flow down the face of the mountain in random pulses… like a dieing heart. You can see huge glowing boulders bounce down breaking into smaller chunks as they descend. I want to save the detail from this one for the next place… but the views are awesome.

Place number three. Retrace the road from the place with the amazing views and then take a right. Here is the entrance of Parque Nacional de Volcan Arenal. There are several hiking trails, but the one I will be describing here goes across a lava flow and through a secondary forest. Now you’re in the danger zone. Remember, earlier I said you can view the active side of the volcano from the buena vista spot? Well, now I’m taking you along a trail that is literally on the slopes of the volcano. The trail goes through mutant grass fields, mutant meaning the “grass” is 12ft tall and thicker than sugar cane. You then go through the secondary forest, where “umbrella” ferns (tree ferns, but I call them umbrella ferns for a reason) and trees covered with vines. All of a sudden you the ground gets dark and you make sort of a corner and then there is a wall of hardened lava. Literally 15-20 feet high of solid lava from an earlier lava flow. From here you climb up and take the trail which is jagged and strewn with loose abrasive lava rocks. In other words, don’t trip and fall or twist your ankle. You’re a couple miles away from the ranger’s station. The ‘place’ is merely an even taller pile of lava rock, which I thought might have a nice view above the tree line. I was right. From here, I can see the length of Lake Arenal, well, except for the mist that was coming down now. Wait, the rain coming down now…. I didn’t have a poncho so I scrambled back down the trail to the forest section where I sat beneath the “umbrella” fern. Rain here is sporadic at best and in a few minutes it stopped raining. So, I meandered back down the trail and was walking back to the ranger station when the sun came out. Big whoop-T- doo, the sun came out. Wait, the sun came out! I turned around and behind me the mist was lifting from the volcano and its peak shown while I was closer than ever! And if I wasn’t excited enough, God must have wanted to put my heart in overdrive because there was a slight rumble in the Earth and then the sound of a steam engine of a train starting off. “choooga chuuuga….” More rumbling and then steam and gas began to spew into the air along with bolders kicking up dust as they bounced down the mountain! Awesome! A friggan eruption!

Although not really on assignment, I think I wrote an at least entertaining paper that shares a few of my experiences with the ‘places’ at which I have attached feelings to and will visit again and again. I am taking a short motorbike ride from Natchitoches to the Darien Gap in Panama. A journey that will cover over 6000 miles in six weeks and take me through eight countries (most twice). I’m sure I’ll find new places to attach meaning to and I’ll be sure to revisit some day. Thanks for reading!

Photos to match commentary to come soon

Round the world trip for two guys from Switzerland

Yesterday afternoon, after I picked up my daughter, I noticed in the (Natchitoches, La) Walmart parking lot, a rather unusal vehicle that I recognized to NOT be from the US.... Not only that, it had a huge camper built on it! This evening I met Jean-Pierre and Adrian from Switzerland who are doing a several year round the world trip in their converted camper 2002 Toyota HZJ-79 Landcruiser. They have traveled Europe, Canada, and are now in the US. They are snaking their way back up to Canada to go home shortly to meet their parents (who from what I gathered are sick). After talking expo vehicles and exchanging cards, I was about to tell them bye, but was trying to figure out if we could cook for them, but we didnt have any groceries to cook something "Louisiana" for them... So we went to a good restaurant, my treat! No pics of the food, but we all had gumbo and some "bayeaux fettucini". Nice guys, glad to meet them and treat them. They shyfully admitted it wasnt the first time the vehicle was recognized by us Expedition types and taken in.
They have to get back to Canada by May 9th, from there they will spend a few more months in Canada going to Alaska and then coming back down the West coast and visiting a lot of parks in the West. From there they will head south into Mexico and Central America and then farther into South America. Buen suerte amigos! Good luck friends!








Jean-Pierre and Adrian's website

Gear

I will be working on my gear list here:
Riding Gear:

• Aerostitch Elkskin gloves
• Fly Racing MX gloves
• Glove Liners
• Yellow rubber gloves-for wet days
• Smith Option LST OTG Goggles
• Acerbis Koerta Pressure Suit
• EVS Knee & Shin guards
• ***Thor Phase Jacket
• ***Klim Revolt or Dakar pants
• ***ARC MX240V boots
• ***HJC SPX Helmet-White
• ***Hi-Viz vest
• ***Neck roll
• ***Padded under garments
• ***Oakley L frame goggles w/Gold Iridium lens and tear offs
• 2 MX style jerseys
• 3 hot weather style longsleeve shirts to wear under pressure suit
• 3 pairs of MX boot socks

("***" denotes have not recieved or purchased)

Motorcycle Equipment:

• Handlebars- Renthal CR High Bend aluminum--- Tusk D-Flex handguards/spoilers---Airsoft BBs inside handlebars to help reduce vibration--- Maier windshield--- RAM gps mount w/ 3" arm--- Progrip gel grips--- Tusk handlebar risers---
• Corbin Seat--- +Airhawk seat cushion
• ***Happy-Trail.com- SU pannier rack, 9" Teton aluminum panniers, Skid plate, HWY Pegs
• Aerostitch waterproof dufflebag- medium
• Performance Designs lowering link
• XR's Only aluminum case saver- red
• ***Chain-
• ***Sprockets-

Motorcycle Spares/Tools:

• Spare front & rear tubes
• assorted nuts and bolts
• Spark plug
• airfilter
• length of electrical wire

Camping:

• Tent- Eureka One man
• OR Hennessey Hammock (jungle hammock) undecided
• Coleman Exponent Canyon sleeping bag (to 32*)
• Mosquito Net
• Camping hammock (cheap and light)
• Folding Shovel (to dig small trench around tent to prevent flooding)
• Sleeping pad (small piece cut to fit from shoulders to tailbone)

Clothing: Undecided for now

• 2 Long sleeve shirts
• 2 Short sleeve shirts
• 1 Shorts
• 1 Pants
• 1 Pants (convertible, pants legs conver to shorts)
• 1 Swim trunks
• 4 pair underwear
• 2 pair regular socks

Safety/Hygeine:
Personal:

• Camera
• 3 memory cards
• Camera Bag
• Laptop
• Neoprene sleeve for laptop
• 8GB USB flash drive
• ethernet cable

Paperwork:

• Motorcycle: Insurance info, title, registration (plus 20 copies of each)
• Passport (plus 20 copies)
• International Driving Permit- issued by AAA- (two)
• Shot record
• 20 copies of drivers liscense

Miscellaneous:

• Passport neck pouch
• Aerostitch money belt
• ITM Maps
  -Mexico Norte
  -Mexico Sur
  -Central America
  -Guatemala
  -Honduras
  -Nicaragua***
  -Costa Rica ***
  -Panama***
  

Update: New Trip- Scott Motos to the Darien Gap

In May of this year, I am taking my Honda XR650L to the southernmost
tip of Central America. I plan to take up to 6 weeks and will cover
around 6000 miles. My trip will cross 8 borders (twice) and my route
will take me across sandy desert in Mexico and muddy tracks from the
highlands of Guatemala to the lowlands of Panama.

If this sort of trip interests you, bookmark this blog and check back
around May. I'd love to hear your comments!