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South America -> USA - Trip Complete - 2nd Pg Photo Heavy

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TheDonUK
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PostPosted: 00:53 - 08 Nov 2015    Post subject: South America -> USA - Trip Complete - 2nd Pg Photo Heavy Reply with quote
Hi all,

Have been over in Chile for the past two months or so, riding around. Bought a new CRF250L over here and intend to ride up to California eventually. Am technically a prisoner of chile at the moment as their version of the DVLA has been on strike the whole time i have owned my bike, and they are the only ones that can issues licence plates, marriage certificastes etc... Makes the tube strikes in London seem less disruptive.

Anyway have done about 5,000 miles on the CRF so far and its been great, it does have a tiny fuel tank so the range is is something like the original hornet of about 110 miles maybe a slight bit more for the 7 litres, but I have an aussie liquid containment fuel bladder which doubles that range, besides the seat is hard as fuck anyway so my arse is sore around the re-fueling point if its road riding mainly that day.

Photos:
Shiney New Bike on the first day
https://i.imgur.com/HAm0XlK.jpg

Cajon Del Maipo (This scenery is less than an hours ride from Santiago)
https://i.imgur.com/Oan7jfW.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/omAFyrK.jpg

CRF250L with its older brother the venerable Tornado 250
https://i.imgur.com/zMkRPA1.jpg

Northern Chilean Coast:
https://i.imgur.com/BBO2sEG.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/hJqVRp2.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/ln0acM6.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/PJekUnk.jpg

Atacama Desert
https://i.imgur.com/QXfwNTh.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/vbCGz6A.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/Ia7HpUC.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/12ri3r1.jpg

Chuchiquicamata Mine
https://i.imgur.com/V1ba47w.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/FJkFT26.jpg

Camping under the stars
https://i.imgur.com/36dWgI9.jpg
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Last edited by TheDonUK on 04:02 - 22 Apr 2017; edited 5 times in total
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james1988
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PostPosted: 11:32 - 08 Nov 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote
That looks epic! Are you over there on 'holiday' or business?

James
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Matt B
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PostPosted: 12:17 - 08 Nov 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote
Awesome, just truly awesome Thumbs Up
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J4mes
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PostPosted: 12:26 - 08 Nov 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote
That's a big mine!

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TheDonUK
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PostPosted: 14:42 - 08 Nov 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote
Big mine indeed, largest open pit copper mine in the world as far as i am aware. Takes those massive beasts 1 hour 15 minutes to get from the top to the bottom and back.

It's just a big jolly really, not working over here at the moment, Once i get the documents sorted i'll ride around Argentina/Bolivia/Peru/Ecuador and Colombia, probably doing a month or two of formal spanish lessons in Bolivia (where it is cheaper). I packed the job in back home so I have time on my side, just need to make sure I eek out my savings Thumbs Up
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Enduro Numpty
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PostPosted: 09:31 - 09 Nov 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote
Great photos, sounds like an awesome trip - enjoy!!
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c-m
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PostPosted: 22:34 - 11 Nov 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote
How much did the CRF250 set you back in the end?

I'm stuck in Cusco awaiting a package form Germany.

Seems the rainy season is starting. I'm heading down to Arica then Iquique in a week or two. Give me shout if you're around that way.
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Howling Terror
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PostPosted: 00:27 - 12 Nov 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote
Brightened up my day. Thumbs Up
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TheDonUK
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PostPosted: 22:53 - 07 Jan 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote
Since my last post I made it down to the Southern tip of the continent in Ushuaia. It was a really enjoyable ride. Something clicked for me mentally, I still do not enjoy the feeling of a vague front end and deep sand sucks but I really enjoy off-roading now (Speaking as someone who has ridden sports bikes in London for the past 10 years).

I will do a proper write-up at some point. Maybe at some point in Bolivia, but realistically it will be at the end of the trip. Currently Back in Santiago waiting on a larger petrol tank to clear customs. So in the mean time here are some more pics (Uploaded into Imgur Albums)

Pucon / 7 Lakes Region of Chile:
https://imgur.com/a/3h0j7

Carretera Austral - Ruta 7 of Chile:
https://imgur.com/a/jbhh6

Argentina - El Chaiten (Mt Fitz Roy) / El Calafate (Perito Moreno Glaciar):
https://imgur.com/a/mOFxJ

Ushuaia & Tierra Del Fuego:
https://imgur.com/a/fqAAD

Torres Del Paine - Chile:
https://imgur.com/a/TLnVE
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SwartGevaar
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PostPosted: 21:09 - 09 Jan 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote
that looks fecking epic!! Thumbs Up
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waffles
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PostPosted: 21:59 - 09 Jan 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote
Absolutely stunning photos, what a beautiful place Thumbs Up
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bikertomm
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PostPosted: 23:11 - 09 Jan 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote
Insane. Love it.

Nice bit of motivation too for saving, I know what I'm doing when I hit 25. (Fuck a house deposit Mr. Green ) Thumbs Up
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mysterious_rider
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PostPosted: 23:46 - 09 Jan 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote
Been seeing some touring pics lately. My absolute dream! Well done.
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mentalboy
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PostPosted: 00:27 - 10 Jan 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote
Very cool Smile

Have you managed to get a visa for the US or are you just going tp do the 90 day max VWP? It'll be interesting to hear of your custom's experience (if any) when you cross the border.
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recman
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PostPosted: 11:38 - 10 Jan 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote
Very nice pics, particularly the night sky shot.
Must be nice to have that type of bike in a place where you don't always get the feeling that some thieving pikey scum-rat is going to nick it.
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pepperami
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PostPosted: 11:42 - 10 Jan 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote
Impressive! Just wondering where they put all the soil from that mine?
Have they made a new mountain somewhere?

Quality tour Thumbs Up
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TheDonUK
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PostPosted: 16:10 - 10 Jan 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote
mentalboy wrote:
Have you managed to get a visa for the US or are you just going tp do the 90 day max VWP? It'll be interesting to hear of your custom's experience (if any) when you cross the border.


I have not arranged anything yet, so initially it would be whatever they give me at the border crossing from Mexico. But I will look into the longer visa, I understand you might be able to get 180 days too? USA is quite a ways off for me now so is on the backburner plan wise.


Pepperami: They have literally just made new mountains/hills around the pit with all the waste material. And there is a special name for them that i do not recall. But interestingly as the technology has improved from the 1920's when the largest proportions of the pit were excavated they are now kind of re-sifting thought the waste piles as they are able to extract the metals more efficiently..
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mentalboy
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PostPosted: 02:19 - 11 Jan 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote
TheDonUK wrote:
mentalboy wrote:
Have you managed to get a visa for the US or are you just going tp do the 90 day max VWP? It'll be interesting to hear of your custom's experience (if any) when you cross the border.


I have not arranged anything yet, so initially it would be whatever they give me at the border crossing from Mexico. But I will look into the longer visa, I understand you might be able to get 180 days too? USA is quite a ways off for me now so is on the backburner plan wise.


Ah! If you haven't applied for a visa (the 180 day visitor jobbie) prior to leaving the UK it may be tricky to get one - it takes a few months for the processing and you have to attend an interview at the American Embassy, a foreign one may be reluctant to process you as they prefer applicants to have a residential address/residency status within whichever country the embassy is situated.

The VWP (visa waiver program) is applied for online (linky) and costs £14 (if I recall correctly), allows for stays of up to 90 days at a time in the US and is valid for two years. They prefer you to spend more time out than in using the VWP so if you spend 90 days in the US they'd prefer it if you left 91 days before coming back for your second visit - shorter is OK but they will think you are taking the piss if you head South for two days and then try to get back across the Mexican border. As always, any entry is at the discretion of the officer at point of entry and with the attitudes towards foreigners at the moment you don't want to be giving them any opportunity to refuse you. The VWP is tricky to get if you have previous convictions/arrests for drugs or 'crimes involving moral turpitude'.

TLDR: Don't leave it till the last minute/border to suss out your legal way in, they will turn you back!!!
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TheDonUK
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PostPosted: 16:33 - 11 Jan 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thanks for the info, I expect 3 months will be more than enough for the USA, as what is left of my budget will be rapidly consumed there with the increased price of living. I will travel north to Alaska and a little bit in Canada, so hopefully my time transitioning through Canada will be sufficient to reset the 90 days if I need more.

South America is great, you get 90 days, and you can literally border hop for a day or an hour, no one cares and then they reset your 90 days. I have met people who have lived years in Chile or Argentina and just take day trips every 3 months or so to reset the visas...
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mentalboy
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PostPosted: 17:23 - 11 Jan 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote
TheDonUK wrote:
Thanks for the info, I expect 3 months will be more than enough for the USA, as what is left of my budget will be rapidly consumed there with the increased price of living. I will travel north to Alaska and a little bit in Canada, so hopefully my time transitioning through Canada will be sufficient to reset the 90 days if I need more.


Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean aren't considered 'reset' countries by the US (mostly because they got peeved with people resetting their 90 days by border hopping in the past and spending 360ish days a year living in the US as a 'visitor').

A friend of mine lives in Cusco and resets his time limits by spending a week in the UK once every 6 months - but the US has some of the most stringent visa requirements in the world and is not as keen to let people stay as Peru does.
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TheDonUK
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PostPosted: 07:57 - 26 Mar 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote
For once I had the GoPro out, so I made a badly edited video from the Death Road / Yungas Road in Bolivia.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7w_Zs17xEQ
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pepperami
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PostPosted: 10:41 - 26 Mar 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote
I just viewed that vid Sick Tut Tut you really dont want to come off the road there Shocked

I`m not good with heights !
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recman
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PostPosted: 10:46 - 26 Mar 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote
Small sections of that road actually looked maintained!
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TheDonUK
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PostPosted: 12:56 - 26 Mar 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote
It was actually fairly easy going, there were bits I did not get on video that were uneven/rocky etc but the main fear is meeting oncoming traffic. And if you do fuck up it is a long way down.

The "Lagunas Route" in Southern Bolivia between San Pedro de Atacama, Chile and Uyuni, Bolivia was much harder, pretty much 450kms of sand, really deep in some places at an altitude of up to 5,200m. It was great too as I have now conquered my fear of sand riding, you really do just have to pick a line, pin it and let the bike get you there.

Sodding Pinch Flat at 4,800m:https://i.imgur.com/uQ4RgqQ.jpg
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