Unforgettable African sunsets from Moyale Road
We know that the chacachá of the train has its drawbacks and that hell must be like staying in a car during a traffic jam, but what does a motorcycle offer us? Why do the two wheels engage?
Fabián C. Barrio has it clear: “it is an extraordinary vehicle to discover the world; on the one hand in front of you is projected the gradual change of landscapes, of people, of flavors , of people, of temperatures, it also makes you permeable to the elements, you are aware of every gram of asphalt because your life depends on it on many occasions".
"It brings you closer to people, because arriving canned in a car is not the same as arriving in that kind of spaceship dressed as an astronaut children immediately cling to you , then come the adults who want to know where you are going, where you come from... Everything is an advantage”, he exposes.
The Gran Ca n, an ocean of red stone
THE CHOSE
How to choose the perfect travel companion? “ The trail that have accompanied me to date on all my trips are comfortable especially versatile. And tall. You can put them between the stones because, despite the fact that the world is almost all paved, you are going to find some stone”, writes Barrio, “before you, guys mounted on sportbikes, on cruisers, on customs or on R bikes, so you choose.” On his last trips he opted for an 800 cc Tiger and 1200 cc Tiger Explorer (with ABS and traction control).
THE BASICS
Colombian lawnmower repairmen, African van mechanics or expert technicians in competition vehicles fixed his first motorcycle which, as a tribute, he called Fefa , “I had a great-aunt who was misshapen, lame and ugly but at the same time she had a big heart, she was a hard worker and tougher than a mule; They shared many characteristics.
It's not hard to find mechanics almost anywhere, but Barrio recommends learning the basics: tension and oil a chain , repair a puncture, measure levels (especially the oil) and clean the spark plugs. The best way to transport gasoline? In liter and a half bottles , “Get a plastic bag, cut it into little pieces, through the little bit between the cap and the bottle, and squeeze really hard,” he explains.
Fabián C. Barrio, author of 'The best motorcycle routes around the world'
READY SET...
For this Galician adventurer, "the most difficult thing about taking the road is setting a date and reassuring those who will be suffering for you". That is why he recommends in his book: “when you have found your date announce it to the four winds , the trip will have caught you and it will be something to fight for day by day”. in your case always travel in summer.
MINIMIZE RISKS
after crossing southern africa (from Johannesburg to Ilha de Moçambique, 6,100 kilometers in 19 days), walk the road to Hindustan (from Istanbul to Zahedan in Iran, 4,500 kilometers in 20 days) or through Western Siberia and the Kazakh plains (Odessa in the Ukraine to Almaty in Kazakhstan, 5,500 kilometers in 22 days). resolution of the people who have almost nothing and in their generosity”.
However, traveling with a low profile will help you avoid danger. Some of his advice are: be a person of iron habits (things always in the same place), do not seem indecisive (carry the GPS in your pocket or take the opportunity to have a drink in a cafeteria to look at the map) and keep a digital copy of your documentation . To visit a monument or quietly walk away from the bike, use PacSafe , a padlockable steel mesh to protect your helmet and jacket.
caravanserai on the iranian silk road
MONEY MAKES THE WORLD...
goodbye ostentation . Travel light during your biker adventure and write down the neighborhood recommendations: never talk about money (and hide the cash, under the TV in hotels or in the blades of the fan with a rubber band), keep the keys of the motorcycle in the boots (so they will remember not to forget the money) and if they are in a place that does not inspire you confidence take ten euros (no traveler's checks, no cards and in case of robbery, hand over the wallet).
IN THE SUITCASE
"In a bag that I take out every day I carry the basics: the laptop, some chargers, three t-shirts, the kind that dry quickly and that I am constantly washing...", he explains. It also uses another suitcase "for clothes with extreme temperatures or very cold or very hot, that practically never opens", and a third space, the Top Case, for mechanics. Among its essentials are: boots, gloves, lumbar protection, helmet and a suit with a reinforced interior that hardens with the friction against the asphalt.
Kotor, a jewel in Montenegro
THE DALMATIAN COAST: THE BEST ROUTE FOR BEGINNERS
"I was very surprised that it is a perfect fusion between East and West, between Asia and Europe, where the first exotic flavors began to appear, cilantro, yogurt, lemon appeared in meals..." recalls Barrio.
“The landscapes are extraordinary, the great balcony over the adriatic with those impressive curves , it is a destination that we should all do once in a lifetime, especially on a motorcycle”, he recommends after traveling the thousand five hundred kilometers that separate Postjona (Slovenia) from Igoumenitsa (Greece), passing through Rijeka, Zadar, Vodice, Split, Mostar , Kotor, Durrës, Tirana or Berat, in eight days.
Moyale Road at its most dangerous point, at the height of Isiolo, the asphalt ends
UNBELIEVABLE LANDSCAPES: EXPERT LEVEL ROAD
If you are looking for a challenge you can choose to cross Mayale Road from Nairobi to Gondar (Ethiopia), five hundred kilometers in “ one of the most demanding roads in Africa ”, according to Barrio. Fifteen days and two thousand seven hundred kilometers with stops in Mount Kenya , Isiolo, Marsabit, Moyale, Tarjetawa (next to the Elephant Sanctuary), Hawassa, Addis Ababa, Debre Markos, Bahir Dar (near Lake Tana, the largest in Ethiopia) and, finally, Gondar. A legendary route only suitable for the brave.
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Tana Lake