Where's Punky & Lew now?
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Date: Mon. Nov. 4, 2002
Subject: Punky, Lew & Achi 2 ready to leave Bariloche
Hi everyone: The mechanic, Jesus, showed up half an hour early (something strange to me in Latin America) with his van and hauled the bike to his shop. Jesus gave me top priority, let the rest of his work wait and removed the broken rear wheel, took it to a gomeria (tire repair shop) to dismount the tire and then took the wheel to a welder. I had Jesus also install new wheel bearings (rear ones were shot), brake pads and spark plug (electrode burned badly), remove the swing arm and lube it and adjust the loose chain. Jesus worked all day on the bike, did an excellent job and charged me $130 Pesos. The exchange rate is 3 1/2 to one dollar. The gomeria charged $3 Pesos for dismount and remounting the tire. The bearings cost $65 Pesos and the welder $60 Pesos. I'll let y'all do the math. I shudder to think what it would have cost me in the U.S. We are ready to go in the morning. Wouldn't bother me if we had to stay longer. This is a very nice place and the food, prices and people are fantastic. I hope my friends in Quito, Ecuador are OK. A volcano has gone off and made a mess of the city. Had another fantastic steak ($9.50 Pesos) for lunch, yummy ice cream and chocolates this evening. I started to lose weight traveling again, but Bariloche is making me fat again. We need to get moving in order to ensure our arrival in Caracas by April 1. One never knows what emergency delays might be lurking around the corner. I've already had that experience too many times. Patagonia here we come. Actually, we are already in Patagonia. The weather has been very nice, clear and sunny the last 2 days. It is supposed to get windy tomorrow. From my past experience, that could signal a another change in the weather, maybe for the worse. Not looking forward to riding in cold rain again, but we will do what we have to do. Anybody reading Achi's Spanish reports on our website is urged to give her some feedback. She would enjoy it very much. Hope we don't get blown off the road. I figured out how to ride paved roads and not miss El Calafate, Torres del Paines National Park, the glaciers and lakes in southern Patagonia. Only 2,442 km to Ushuaia.
Later, amigos and amigas.
Punky, Lew & Achi 2
Americas Motopaseo
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