BootsnAll Travel Community

Hi, im new here (first post.)

Im planning a trip to South America, and will be leaving in April (most likely.) I've been wanting to check out the nazca lines, and macchu picchu for years.. and have recently been studying and connecting with friends/resources regarding the possibility of meeting with an ayahuascero in Peru. Im tired of day to day life as a 22 year old, and want to take off, adventure, and eventually come back and let my life move in a different direction.

My travels are open-ended, and i will have approximetly $7000(cdn) spending money, after plane ticket.

I first started planning this trip with an apprehensive attitude; Go, survive 3 months, + come home...

However, the more i've been considering it, the more i feel like "jumping in...."

I believe ive reached the conclusion that going and doing the touristy things, and meeting other tourists at hostels and what not.. will not satisfy the deep seeded curiosity which has inspired me to travel in the first place.

Accordingly, currently im learning spanish and as such, im wanting to spend time touring around (by bike - do i dare?), camping as much as possible... and getting to know the locals.

I want to:

- see the nazca lines,
- float down the amazon,
- hike to macchu picchu
- wwoof in Argentina
- spend 2 weeks at a spanish school..
- etc.

Basically, i want some feedback on wether or not you guys think its a wise idea for me to head out in wanderlust ON MY BIKE?

I figure you gotta start somewhere, and reassure myself with "whats the worst that could happen."

But i have so many questions.. (any cycle touring info would be much appreciated.)

Sorry PDU, I didn't notice your post otherwise I would have said something sooner. I have seen quite a number of people on bikes, a young couple from Austria, a few solo women, and a solo septuagenarian. It's doable. You have to know how to pack light, camp light, and should have a cursory knowledge of spanish. I say the latter two since being that you are hauling your own weight around, you may find yourself without a town (and a hotel), and knowing Spanish makes being in a bind so much easier. People are more willing and interested and will likely help you in one way or another.

I rode a motorcycle, so I can't help with the details other than to say the roads are generally well-paved in Peru, Chile, Argentina...you just have to be comfortable with cars on the highway buzzing by you or opt to take a lesser travelled route. Search the SA boards for "bicycle" and perhaps email the Austrian couple. Their website is here partly translated and contact page here . The husband speaks good English though the site is mostly German. He might take a while to get back to you, but they have literally biked all over the world. I met him in Cusco...if need be, just tell him the crazy solo female motorcyclist says hello. Hope this helps!!!

PS - Never ask 'what's the worst that could happen.'

Hei PDU,

I've seen quiet a few cyclists in South Amercia - and at the time always thought that they are barking mad. Now, 10 years later, I start to comprehend the advantages cycling has over backpacking. You talked about it: traveling should be about getting into contact with the country, the people and nature as close as possible - and it doesn't get much closer than on your bike.

Obviously, there will be tough sections in South America: very rough roads, very steep roads, long roads through desolate areas, etc. So, you'd have to make sure you are well prepared - things like water, first aid, camping, cooking, etc. come to mind. But it is a feasable trip.

Crazy guy on a bike has a few people cycling in and around South America. Reading some of their accounts and maybe getting in contact with these people, might help.

Hope it helps. Always open for more questions.

Great, thank you Cristi..

Reassuring anyways. Looking back on my original post, i can i was very apprehensive just a week or so back. Research is proving immensely helpful at calming any fears..

Right now, some experienced backpacker friends are optimistic towards my journey, but one warned "dont take your bike, as it'll get stolen." but i think ive researched/planned enough to be able to pull it off, learning spanish is my biggest obstacle right now..

Looking at your prequisites of

quote:

It's doable. You have to know how to pack light, camp light,...

i feel confident.

I've got my budget figured out..

Losely, here is what ill be doing;

flying to cuzco early April, taking a 2 week spanish course where ill board with a local family. Then machu picchu and start biking towards Chile where ill do approx 5 weeks on the Carretera Austral.. and then im not sure what.. hoping to make some friends along the way.

After i get to Argentina i may seek out a wwoof or volunteer oppurtunity, get an apartment, or fly back to peru or into brazil, leave my bike somewhere and "backpack"..

Again, thanks Cristi for the reassurance,.. each day my path is becomming more directed and with that i find myself confident in my choice.

Questions now are about Routes (if anyone wants to chime in.)

and bike theft (how to avoid it.)

Also, any recommended maps or online stores to buy South America maps online?

My .02 from the motorcycle perspective: always keep it in the room with you, not chained up. When chained and eating, always have an eyeball out. Clearly you lack the bulk in a bike that I had, so this should be possible no matter what room you have. As for maps, on moto I liked the Borch Map series of South America. Check online for more info. You might try googling 'map Peru bicycle' or look for a guidebook for bicycling - as one might exist. Otherwise perhaps the German website I directed you to or the guy El Adi forwarded has some cycle-specific tips and map/route suggestions.

Am i correct that the wind blows South?

There might be a general trend, but I can assure you the wind blows in ALL directions. At least it did when I was on the 200cc. No matter which direction I turned, I was pummeled. A bicyclist might have an easier time of it than I did, since the wind isn't legitimately wind until you reach Patagonia/Tierra del Fuego. Down there 650s can get blown off the road.

In addition to crazyguyonabike mentioned above you might try

here and
here

halfnine - those are great links, ive been reading endlessly.

I just bought a 27 speed mountain bike set up for touring/commuting this past weekend.

Looks like ill be headed to Lima around April 15 give or take a day, and studying spanish for 2-3 weeks at Machu Picchu Spanish school in an immersion program.

Pedalling to lake titicaca from there... and then either to Ariquipa and down the coast of chile, or over to La Paz bolivia and back taking the long way into chile and over to the caretera austral. Having MUCH trouble finding suitable road info for much of the route.

Tommorow i get my DPT shot and Hep A and B immunizations.

Im currently frantically digging through every piece of advice - and today is the first day ive doubted my ability to ride my bike daily through brutal conditions for 6 months+

(feeling out of shape, and astranged from my friends.)

In good spirits though.

Hey PDU - I haven't been on these boards for a while so sorry I've missed your posts so far. We did a bike tour from Oct 2006 - March 2007 from Ushuaia up to Neuquen (we were supposed to get to Mendoza but spent too much dallying on the way!) about 3500kms total trip. It was the best travel experience I've ever had and now I'd have a hard time travelling any other way!

Best part was the Carretera Austral - whatever you do don't miss this for the amazing scenery and remoteness of it all... so much fun. BUT be careful about when you are going to be in Patagonia, I'm not sure what your timeline is but it sounds like you may be there over winter... that would be a problem on the Careterra as services (tourist and many local services eg. ferry crossings) almost totally shut down, and it'll be very snowy and cold of course!
On the upside, travelling through Patagonia in winter rather than summer means the wind is not usually so bad! (windy season is from about Nov - Mar/April which seems weird but a lot of people wait until winter to go climbing in Patagonia cause its too windy in summer and its usually clearer weather in general). But you'd have to be very careful.

BTW - the wind generally blows from the west to east, at least south of Mendoza/Santiago. We dealt with winds that made riding completely impossible (I was literally blown off my bike, and spending a day pushing is not that fun!) in the south but it generally gets better as you go north. However, beware of "El Zonda" - which is a hot wind kinda equivalent to your "Chinook" in Canada cept it blows from the north. Anyway it can be very strong and causes big dust storms through the Andes from Mendoza up to Bolivia in the eastern side of the mountains (mostly in the foothills area) from about June through September.

Anyway, there's much more advice I could give but don't want to overload (I can give you road info for argentina and some of chile) so maybe its easier if you ask any specific Qs you have (PM me if you want). We lived in northwest Argentina for a couple of years before doing the bike tour so I can also answer other Argie queries. This is our Blog for loads of piccies and stories from the bike tour and other travels.

Also this guy is one of my fave bike tourists (rode round the world) and I found he was also great to ask for tips about touring and always replies to questions. He would have done most of the route where you're thinking of riding.

Good luck!