Dave & Dork's trip to the Panama Canal - 2003 |
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1:30pm, Wed. November 26th Deputy Dog and his Kentucky buddy ready to mount up and ride south. They rolled out of Dave's driveway in Clayton, Ga. at 2:00pm EST trying to beat the rain predicted for Thanksgiving Day. They were going to try to make it to Mobile, Ala. before calling it a night. |
We will be posting progress reports, depending entirely on Dave's willingness to stop long enough to e-mail or call in. |
29 Novemer 2003 Information from Ruth; The guys made it north of Mobile wed. evening before calling it a day. The next day, Thursday, they were in storms all day and made it to Bogart, Texas. Friday was Brownsville, Texas and time to get the importation sticker and tourist visas. Cross the border on Saturday and beat a trail south toward Tampico and if I know Dave, a stop at a fruit stand to buy tangerines. |
more as it is reported |
5 December 2003 Talked to Melena (Dave's daughter) on Wed. evening in the Wal-Mart parking lot in Clayton and she said Dave and Dork had crossed into Belize on Tuesday. Knowing Dave he hasn't slowed down long enough to see an Internet Cafe much less sit down at a computer. "Time not riding is time wasted" Melena said someone was using Dave's credit card and had charged a $1500.00 computer and a bunch of other shit. The way they found out about it was a phone call at 1:30 in the morning from a Western Union where a guy was trying to get a $500.00 cash advance on Dave's card. Ruth told them that it wasn't Dave. I hope they caught the bastard. Ruth has canceled the card so thats the end of that. She thinks someone at the border got the # and went on a shopping spree. They have not been in contact since last Monday so he has no idea his card has been canceled -- Boy, is he in for a shock. |
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DEPUTY DOG ----- CHIEF OF THE WHERETHEFUGAREWE TRIBE |
10 December 2003 Whew!!!, Dave finally called home. 8 days with no word and everyone was beginning to worry. Try to slow down long enough to pick up a phone Dave. Melena called this morning to say that Dave said they were 160 miles from the Darien Gap -- almost there -- should make it to the dirt today if they don't fool around in Panama City too long. Ruth and Melena were relieved to hear his voice last night, will wait until they get back home to do the real serious ass kicking. They said they had been stopped twice for speeding?? -- in-frac-ti-on, señor, llene por favor la mano con dinero ( please fill my hand with money). Dave tried to use his credit card and got a surprise -- su tarjeta de crédito no es buena señor, da por favor mí cambío ( your credit card ess no good, please geeve me cash ). I know the're having a ball, enjoying the sunshine and the freedom -- wish I was there -- sigh. |
Dave, If you happen to stop at an internet cafe and read this -- be happy you are where you are -- it's 48 degrees here, raining like pouring piss out of a boot and the wind is blowing so hard the rain is falling sideways. |
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Dave & Dork's trip to the Panama Canal - 2003 |
11 December 2003 Just talked to Melena and have some fresh news. It may be a bit jumbled and confused, just bear in mind that it is second hand and may have lost something in transit -- no reflection on anyone -- Dave will set us all straight when he gets home, OK, nuff said. THEY MADE IT !!!! CONGRATULATIONS ARE IN ORDER -- EVERYONE WILL BE EXPECTED TO FALL ON THEIR KNEES AND KISS DAVE'S AS-- UH, RING. The Dubious Duo headed down the muddy dirt road into the Darien Gap today and apparently it was rough as hell for Dork flipped his bike once and dropped it twice more. They literally fell into the Darien "Gap" They were stopped and turned around 6 miles from the end by Panamian Security forces and told they could not go any further because of the narco-trafficers and the danger involved. On the way back they stopped for a beer and to wait out a tropical downpour and when it did not show any signs of stopping they took off back up the road anyway -- ala Dave -- was very muddy and "slick as ice" Dave got stuck and had to get help from two truck drivers to get out. They saw a truck being pulled out of a ditch by a horse. Melena said Dave and Dork had a very hard time getting back out to the pavement. I bet both of them and their bikes look like mud puppies. This is exactly what the locals warned me about when I was there. Dave has busted a seal on one of his fork tubes and they will have to stop in Panama City and find a BMW dealer or a moto shop that can repair it. He is supposed to call in again tonight with more news -- stay tuned -- |
13 December 2003 Dave called Ruth this morning at 5:30am -- good grief Dave!! -- They were leaving Panama City for San Jose, Costa Rica this AM. Hired a taxi in Panama City to take them on a tour of town yesterday. It has been raining a lot and they have been riding in short sleeved shirts, and I guess they were tired of fighting it. The old town PC has humped roads made of brick pavers with street car tracks running down the middle -- spookey and slick as hell in the rain. Good decision guys. Dave was not able to get his bike fixed in PC so they were headed back up the road to San Jose, Costa Rica to the BMW shop He and Possum had their bikes fixed at 2 years ago. Told Ruth they were going to take a "short cut" back to San Jose -- righttt Dave -- why is it I'm leery of short cuts in Central America, especially in the rain. The BMW shop in San Jose is a very upscale car dealership/motorcycle shop -- pricey but nice -- It will most probably be Monday before Dave can get his bike fixed there ------ ------or if he decides to go to Popeye's shop where Morris had his front hub replaced maybe they could get going sooner. Dave said there was not much very excting to report ------ which is not necessarly a bad thing !! |
16 December 2003 5:15pm Talked to ruth and she said the last she heard from Dave was last Sunday. The guys were in San Jose and Dork had Montezumas Revenge in a big way -- hadn't been able to sleep much at all and was pretty sick. Dave was supposed to take his bike to the BMW shop there on Monday to get it fixed -- Ruth said he hit a car but it must have been minor cause she wasn't concerned about it. They got a motel near the airport cause Dave couldn't find the one we stayed at two years ago. They got lost in San Jose and had to get directions back to the motel, and if you had ever seen Dave asking directions in Spanish you would roll on the floor laughing. The second time they ventured out they got lost again and when they passed the same corner as they did the first time the same person was standing there and just pointed the right way cause he knew they were lost again. Geeze, I am loving this!!! Gonna hafta rename Dave as "Wherethefugami Dog" |
20 December 2003 Ruth called this morning to say she had heard from Dave last night, for the first time in 5 days. Don't feel shit on folks, for the lack of news, Dave and Dork are having such a good time they won't even call home. Claims his phone card won't work right. Rightttt !! --- I'll bet the dog ate his homework when he was a kid in school too. Spent last night in El Salvador after an 8 hour hassle at the border trying to get their shit straight and kiss everyone's ass. ( 2 hours wasted at the Hondruas border) -- Been there -- it's no fun -- If my editorial comment sounds a little jealous it's because I am -- would love to be there sharing their frustrations and fun. They have been in bad traffic for the last while -- must be on the Pan American Highway. Dave's bike is back in running order after a oil change, new chain and fork repair?? Dork carried a new rear tire with him, a knobbie, and has already changed to it and thinks that it will not make it all the way home. His BMW Adventure is a heavy bike and when you add his weight (260lbs or so) and luggage there is 1100-1200lbs on his tires. No wonder they don't last too long. Some of what passes for pavement down there is very rough also. Dave said Dork had finally broken through the other side of his bout with Montezumas Revenge and had slept for 13 hours straight. Hopefully that'll be the end of it. Should have crossed into Guatemala this morning (Saturday, 20 Dec.)-- maybe into Mexico this evening (the border crossings are hell on the weekends). Ruth doesn't expect them home for Christmas, maybe a few days after ---- but ---- it would be just like Dave to do an Ironbutt and Santa Claus down the chimney on Christmas Eve. "It's Hard to Hold a Good Man Down" |
11 December 2003 Just talked to Melena and have some fresh news. It may be a bit jumbled and confused, just bear in mind that it is second hand and may have lost something in transit -- no reflection on anyone -- Dave will set us all straight when he gets home, OK, nuff said. THEY MADE IT !!!! CONGRATULATIONS ARE IN ORDER -- EVERYONE WILL BE EXPECTED TO FALL ON THEIR KNEES AND KISS DAVE'S AS-- UH, RING. The Dubious Duo headed down the muddy dirt road into the Darien Gap today and apparently it was rough as hell for Dork flipped his bike once and dropped it twice more. They literally fell into the Darien "Gap" They were stopped and turned around 6 miles from the end by Panamian Security forces and told they could not go any further because of the narco-trafficers and the danger involved. On the way back they stopped for a beer and to wait out a tropical downpour and when it did not show any signs of stopping they took off back up the road anyway -- ala Dave -- was very muddy and "slick as ice" Dave got stuck and had to get help from two truck drivers to get out. They saw a truck being pulled out of a ditch by a horse. Melena said Dave and Dork had a very hard time getting back out to the pavement. I bet both of them and their bikes look like mud puppies. This is exactly what the locals warned me about when I was there. Dave has busted a seal on one of his fork tubes and they will have to stop in Panama City and find a BMW dealer or a moto shop that can repair it. He is supposed to call in again tonight with more news -- stay tuned -- |
27 December 2003 Liz talked to Ruth yesterday - she had spoken with Dave and he said they were 90 miles south of Houston, Texas. Dork's BMW was squirting oil out the back and they were trying to get the beemer place to get a trailer to haul Dork in. Dave and Dork left their winter clothes in Brownsville and when they went back to get them the place was chained up and deserted, after discussing breaking a window out and recovering the clothes they decided to wait -- until the next day -- found a worker that had a key to the house and got the stuff back -- Dave may head on back leaving Dork in Houston waiting to get his bike repaired. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ----- 7:00pm 27th ------ 35 degrees Dave called Ruth from the Alabama line saying he was on the way in -- gonna be a cold finish --- brrrrrr!!! --- 979 miles in one run - a hell of a finish to a hell of a trip. |
