Around the Block 2007

We almost didn't make it to Cochabamba !!! 

We head out of Santa Cruz after picking up Lukeīs newly painted license plate (he lost his in the accident back in Peru, so we had one made in Puerto Maldonado that not only looked cheap, it was!  It cracked and almost fell off so we had it tie-wrapped on!  Everyone in Brazil looked sideways at it as their plates are stamped by their DOT and safety-wire-"sealed" on to their motos by an official, and ours look like playschool fingerpainting!).  We had not settled on a price "pre fabrication" so they saw the gringos coming!  Good job, but $12 was steep!

The "new" road goes along the edge of the mountains and then turns west and steeply rises to the supposed 2,500 meters above sea level of Cochabamba.  At our first fuel stop (some 180 km out) we are warned that there is no fuel along our next section and weīd better take extra.  So we buy one 2 liter water bottles, give the water away, get another used grimy one, fill them both up w/ gas and tie them to the seat behind Luke...... 

Yes, you guessed it....... no lack of gas stations...  At the next stop when we think we are passed all the "shortages" we empty the bottles in Lukeīs tank (BIG mistake!) and fill up.....

Entering the mountain jungle it is beautiful, but the motos begin to sputter with the altitude.  We are running with the lowland carburetor jets, just trying to make it to Cochabamba to switch out for the highland jets at the hostel.  Lukeīs moto seems to be especially suffering.....

What we did not realize (remember we were never planning to come this way and had not researched it..) that before reaching the 2,500 mt high Cochabamba, we have to go over the 4000+ mt divide!  Near the top Lukeīs moto just dies (as it gets dark).  The wind is blowing and it is COLD!  No fuel is coming out of Lukeīs fuel cock so we turn back to the nearest fuel depot and "fill up", only to find he still has 1/2 a tank...  NOT good.

It is dark now, but we pull over, lay his moto over and pull out the fuel filter in the tank.  Gummed up.  we do the best we can as the "drop" down into Cochabamba CANīT be far.  50km and 3 hours later we push-start Lukeīs moto for the last time and roll into Hostal Florida.....

Nice little place, but the guy in charge has to be talked into letting us bring the motos into the court yard for the night.  Actually we are planning to do "shop" there in the morning, but thatīs too much information.......

Luke is not feeling well (too much moto pushing at high altitude..) and I run out for some "andean take-out" before bed.....

NEXT DAY: day36cochabambatolapaz.htm

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