Ludwig, Rollie and SOUTH AMERICA

First, check out my comment from Wood on Villa Leyva. Then, get ready for a good story, Woody-style...

So, while the damn fuel pump is getting reworked yet again (who would have known you'd need six or seven fuel pump reworks/pieces just to get from Iowa to to Colombia...) Woody has had plenty of internet face time to fill us in on his adventures at sea. Among the family members we had decided he is happier and better on land, but now, I'm starting to think he might make it out there on the water better than I'd first thought (as long as there is no threat of sharks or scurvy)...

Anyway, the story of the Stahlratte is really something. It should make everyone want to pack up for Panama. (Remember what I said about the scaredy cat little brother when he talks about the underwater adventures!):

"i will pick it back up, heading out to the "stahlratte" in the dugout canoe, straddling the motorcycle, in practical disbelief of where i am and what i am doing. i was greeted at the side of the boat by the largest austrian man that i have ever seen. i have not seen many austrians, but this man, named rollie, was 6 feet 8 inches tall, at least, and his accent is just like that of arnold schwarzenegger. his first words were, “your bike is from my country.” rollie had been on the boat for two and a half months, beginning his work as payment for the passage of him and his motorcycle (which he built himself and has been traveling on for the last five years, living in many places for months or even a year at a time). rollie and i had quite a bit in common, as it turns out, and i will talk a bit about later. we had some great conversations out at sea. the boat, the stahlratte, is a 40 meter sailing vessel which was built 106 years ago for the purpose of fishing. sometime in the 70s it was bought by an organization of free thinkers/lovers, with the intention of overhauling her and living community style on it, which they did for 12 or so years. the organization still exists, but no more community living. the boat runs off of the energy of its fearless tri-lingual captain, ludwig. the money made goes directly into the boat maintenance and upkeep. upon my arrival with the two oregon boys, milan and andrew (andrew looks so much like luke xxxxxx--it is eerie), there were only a few people on board--a couple from san diego traveling on a bike, as well as an ecuadorian man, roberto, also traveling on a bike. roberto bought his 1150gs bmw in washington d.c. two weeks before getting on board the stahlratte. he traveled an average of 10 hours a day to reach panama, as he had only one month to make it back to ecuador. also on board was another man from germany, whose job, other than smoking cigarettes, drinking beer, and taking photographs, i never figured out. rounding out the crew was a german/swiss couple who belonged to the organization and had just arrived two weeks prior for a couple months stay on and around the boat. the german man, named pierre, is a carpenter by trade and truly a joy to talk with. calm and patient, he taught me a bit about sailing along the way. so, on board in time to enjoy the sunset and some delicious food prepared by the crew. at this point, i was so excited, so overwhelmed by the newness and awesomeness of the boat, that i was ready to sign up for the crew. i did voice this at one point.

we were anchored for the night, waiting for the rest of the customers to come the next day, and i slept soundly. up early and exploring the boat i was even more amazed and taken than i had been the night before....and i was on my way to south america! this fact, to me, i had a hard time grasping. i was actually going to be in south america, in colombia for that matter, in a few days. all the planning, all the work, all the time and energy and money and stress.....i don’t know, but south america, just the thought of it, seemed like someplace too far away to ever reach on a motorcycle, just too far away. but there i was, only 220 nautical miles from cartegena and another continent, at last.

the rest of the passengers arrived that day, and we set sail (actually started the engine) and made our way eight miles to an island like you see in the postcards: palm trees, white sand, blue-clear-aqua water, and not a person anywhere. i snorkeled through the reefs, seeing so, so many different fish and coral configurations. it is another planet, and it makes me a bit wary at times, for a moment or two. there are so many weird shapes and color combinations under there, it just doesn’t seem real. but it is incredible."

More on the bike repairs and Colombia soon!

-- luludilly