Thank You Frontier Airlines...

Well...

As one can see, no posts and no pics for some time now. Though I cant post all that happened on that fateful return trip to replace my transmission in the ARK, I will tell you that Frontier Airlines has been the major reason for me not being able to carry on from here. Here is what happened in a nutshell.

Both my mechanic Lucas and I got to the airport early to check in all the parts and the transmission for the flight to Costa Rica.

They said we couldnt take any of it.

I said I called three times in the month before to check and at that time they said no problem.

We got thier early, but almost missed the flight. Over an hour later of phone calls and waiting and yesses and no's. They said, "oh, sorry, everything can go with you."

Great. They wheel the transmission, clutch brakes etc (three bags of checked and paid for luggage onto the plane, or so we thought, and we run for the gate so we dont miss the flight.

Nice enough flight. Foods even ok. Arrive at 6am to find two bags, not three. The missing bag has the special tools and essential parts for the job of fixing the van.

We had three days to fix the car. What we ended up doing was waiting and waiting and waiting for a bag that never showed up. My mechanic had only three days to help me and this was planned since june. No parts, no tools, no fix. We did what we could but didnt get the job done.

I have since sent a letter asking Frontier to fly us back down to finish the job. I have had no response. I will try one more time and then perhaps I will need to take further action. Hopefully the ARK is safe. Meanwhile, I am back in the USA, interrupting my trip to South America and waiting for my well deserved tickets to take my mechanic and I back to finish the job. Then its on to Panama, Colombia and the rest of South America! I will make it!!!!

Oh...we did get the bag finally. It was waiting for Lucas at the gate for his flight back to the USA. Unbelievable...

K

5...4...3...2...1...Costa Rica, I'm Coming!

For those that just like the pretty pictures in the book, http://picasaweb.google.com/adventureplanet/KyleAndTheArkPart4GuatemalaToCostaRica#

So about a year and a half ago, I had Lucas Hofgard over at his new shop 'Wild Westy' in Boulder Colorado prep my Syncro Westy, The ARK, for my 2 year drive to South America.

This included the Subaru Conversion, the big bumpers, customized roof racks, larger tires and wheels and springs, and you know the rest. New everything.

Well we did it all. Well, almost. I thought about rebuilding the transmission but after going through it with a fine tooth comb, we thought it not necessary as it was shifting strong and straight. Well, about 6 countries later and 11 months into my Journey, somewhere on the southern coast of Nicaragua, came a clicky clack sound just as i was leaving the sweet suft spot of Madera for the Costa Rican border. As you know, a clicky clack sound, coming from inside your gearbox is 'una cosa mala' (a bad thing). I was left with no low gear, barely reverse, and sounds that made nails on a chalkboard sound like Norah Jones to me.

I climbed a coconut tree and made a quick satellite phone call to Lucas (still sleeping in his cozy bed in Boulder) and we determined I should have bought a bicycle instead. Not really. 20,000 miles of Baja, Copper Canyon, Michoacan Beach Sand, Chiapas Jungle, Belizian Mountain grades, Guatemalan Highland backroads, El Salvadorian Coffee plantation access routes, Honduran stream crossings, and outrunning a city traffic policeman in Managua Nicaragua had taken the last drops of life from my transmission. Having the rig loaded with two spares, mountain bikes, climbing gear, kayak, surfboards and a pretty good stock of Trader Joe's delicacy's probably sped up the experience as well...that's a lot of gear for my gears.

I limped it to the border, and limped it on down to Liberia Costa Rica where it sits now in a Customs warehouse.

I hopped a flight back to the states to visit my mom, pick up my dog, and go for a hike in the rockies to think about what I would do next. I stopped in to see Lucas to see what we could do. By the end of the day, the rebuild of a spare transmission he had was in process and as of this Tuesday, around 1am, Lucas and I will be on a non stop Frontier Airlines flight to Costa Rica with a checked bag that weighs 98 pounds that contains a shiny newly rebuilt transmission, (two pounds shy of the limit). The other bag will contain a few special tools, six quarts of GL-4, and a pair of board shorts.

So even though by now I should just be unloading my rig, 'The Ark', from a shipping container in Cartagena Columbia with some German friends that were following me in a Land Rover 110, I'm pretty happy to have a mechanic that loves my van, perhaps more than I do, and someone to surf Tamarindo with me for a day in between the fix and the flight back. We have 72 hours to complete the mission...

Stay Tuned...

Ark Down...But not for long.

So here's the latest photo set: http://picasaweb.google.com/adventureplanet/AdventuresOfTheSpectaculousWoodknocker#

That takes us from the Yucatan to Guatemala.

And theres another set coming for Apr May Jun. Currently stateside getting a new transmission together to fly it back down to Central America and install. New passengers hang in there. Let you know when Im back on the road to South America...

Almost Forgot...

So I was reminded the other day that this is more of a info site than a blog, so I will go a little more easy on myself. Less guilt you know... So just finished another great leg of the journey. Yucatan to Costa Maya to Belize Highlands to Guatemala Jungle to Guat Coast, to Guat highlands and now near the border of El Salvador. Ready for another rider. Revision to the blog coming soon. Read on down for an idea of how the journey is going. Highlights from the last two months...Took over Mango Cafe for a month, private Cenote and Costa Maya snorkeling, Tarpon Fishing, 12 new fruits tried,( one makes a fantastic glue), Belize Cave exploration, Sailboat into the Caribbean, Blue Corn tortillas found, Lobster caught/eaten, more waterfalls, hot spring waterfalls, invited to stay at mansion on coffee plantation (accepted) oh and the list goes on... Ready?

What A Craptacular Blogger I Am. Yucatan Finished. Ready For Belize and More!

So its true. I am a bad blogger. Best see the photos for an idea of whats been going on with the ark. I thought mexico would take me three months, and I would have been to Panama by now, but 7 months later the Ark and I are sitting sipping coconuts on Isla Mujeres. The adventures have been splended, and the food divine. Lots of good trouble, and lots of secret spots to revisit in another life. I am ready for new passengers to head into Belize for some Pozole, Guatemala to climb some volcanos and hop on a friends sailboat for a few weeks, then some Pacific Coast in El Salv, some volunteer work in Honduras, and swim with some freshwater sharks in Nicaragua. Oh, theres Costa Rica and Panama too. Dont forget those. New Pics were just added to the photo link so you can see all the latest greatest adventures. Dropping into Belize in the next 72 hours...

Ready for new passengers... The Yucatan...Belize...Guatemala

Make sure to read the original entry below this one for a description of the 42 HH trip to see if it fits your style... Click on the first pics on the left to browse photos from the last adventures...

So 4000+ miles and almost three months later I get around to a small update for those interested. Presently I am ready for another hitchhiker or two...This next section crosses the interior of mexico, runs the wilds of the Yucatan and down through Belize and Guatemala.

I hear a bucket of lobster will set us back $5, and that the ruins in the jungle change your soul.

So who has $2.50 and a silly putty soul??? Email me.


While I dont have the time to Blog all the events that transpire, I Will be adding a photo essay for each section. Life on the road is life off the computer...

Quick Synopsis:
Baja Mexico...5 weeks
The first part of the trip went nearly exactly as planned. Many new discoverys and great filming down the Baja Mexico Penninsula. Unbelievable food and desolate beaches, fantastic filming with Sugrue ( a Travel Channel Grad Shooter) and the ARK only got stuck 7 times in the sand. My fault for sure. Crossing over to the mainland was a beautiful journey across the Cortez on a ferry.

Mainland Mexico: Copper Canyon...3 weeks
After hitting the mainland the journey to and through the Copper Canyon was epic. Canyons, waterfalls, Indians, wild mushrooms, and the train on our tail, it's now one of my new favorite places on earth.

Over the Sierras, and Down the Mexican Coastline with Two New HitchHikers: 4 weeks with two Aussie's...
Glen, a shooter from Australia and his girlfriend bumped into me whilst surfing San Blas just after the Copper Canyon shoot. We had great fun on Banana and Coconut Plantations, surfing some of the finest waves in mexico, invading a local cooking class, and chasing down numerous snakes and lizards and birds and crocodiles in the jungle.

Next stop...???

Travel Channel Academy Shooters/Travelers/Adventurers & Around The World Riders Wanted

42 Hitch Hikers Wanted...
That's the estimate on how many people it might take to enjoy this trip as we take a leisurely drive around the world over the next few years.

The Focus? To See, Eat, and Film the world on an overland multi-continent 'FoodVenture'.

How we gonna get there? Well, I've built an ARK.
To your left is a Volkswagen Syncro Westfalia 4x4 Camper. (Click on them to see larger high rez versions)
It's home while we're on the road and it's one of a handful of 4x4 vw vans made for off roading and expedition style travel. It sleeps four and is outfitted with two mountain bikes, two surf boards and a kayak with two paddles. There's also the snorkel/diving gear, climbing gear, fishing gear, hammocks, a slackline, an outboard for the kayak, two spare tires, the GPS, the fridge, sink and the stove. There's the awning, the water cans the fuel cans, the tools, and the bug screens. Oh, and Satellite tracking of both us and the ARK so friends and family can see where you are all day and all night, anytime, anywhere in the world. It's a safety thing and by 'safety thing' I really mean its a 'jealousy' thing which can be translated to all your friends as 'bet you wish you were here'.
But the most important thing to me on board this rig? The sporks in the kitchen drawer. Actually I also keep one right near the drivers seat too. You see, this expedition vehicle is actually just a way to get to the next interesting meal. Its food I'm really after, but I don't mind dealing with all the adventure that gets in the way. And believe me, adventure has a funny way of following me around, and crossing my path daily...

Who We Are Looking For...
This is a great opportunity for anyone that has taken the TC Academy course ( or has some camera experience, or perhaps even none if you're willing to learn) that wants to wrangle a 12 pound HD cameras around whatever part of the world we happen to be in. I am shooting HD video for two travel/adventure pilots. One being a documentary of the trip itself, and the other has a specific destination/food related focus. I welcome creative minds and am not opposed input and in route manipulation of the ideas themselves. This is a great opportunity to create and capture stories that a lot of people will be interested in seeing. We are equipped with broadcast quality HD cameras, underwater housings and some superfine sound equipment to boot. We will be shooting in every imaginable situation, overland, in the air, and underwater. You don't really need experience with an HD video camera as I don't mind playing the teacher role if you are willing to learn.

The First Installment of the Trip: THIS HAS BEEN COMPLETED: Please check the current entry to see where we are currently at... I will leave this for a taste of what was...
'North Americas Galapagos'. Well, that's how Steinbeck described Baja and having been to both, I concur. The diversity is amazing. I actually ran adventure tours down in Baja for 7 years so I know it fairly well. Here is a nutshell of the first section of this ATW journey. LA to San Diego to Tijuana for about 7 minutes so we're not kidnapped, and then on to the real Baja. Ensenada, San Quintin, Bay of LA, Guerrero Negro, San Ignacio, Muluge, Loreto and La Paz (with two dozen stops along the way at desolate beaches, high mountains, extinct volcanoes, whale and turtle reserves and Rosalia's handmade tortilla shack). I think it will take three weeks or so to cover the shots and adventures of Baja. There will be a lot of exposure to the sea and seafood, boats and lagoons and sunshine. Sound tolerable? Then keep reading.

From La Paz Baja California Mexico, we will stick the Syncro and ourselves onto the ferry to cross the Sea of Cortez to mainland Mexico to spend a week or more exploring the food and culture of the Copper Canyon. This place is big, and goes deep. How big? The Grand Canyon could fit inside of it. So what the hell do the Indians at the bottom of this place eat? I don't know but I hope its tasty. Actually I hear most of the caloric intake is derived from a home made corn beer type drink that they make in clay pots...which I'm sure we wont drink a lot of... because we shouldn't right? Maybe just a sip.

From the CC its down the coast of Mexico and then up and over the mountains into Mexico City. Lots of great stuff to do here. That's probably where you catch a plane home and the next thumb gets on and attacks the Gulf and the Caribbean coast with me. From this point it's on to Guatemala, Belize and the other quieter gems like Nicaragua and El Salvador. Probably lots of jungles and ruins and lobster tamales galore...eeew yucky right?

Expect:
A better understanding of the world, Spanish lessons, cold beer and hot chili's. Sparse showers but loads of ocean and river play. Extremely delicious foods and natural wonders and perhaps a stomach virus if you have tried all the recommended street eats. There will be sea food, surf, snorkeling, hiking, mountain biking and kayaking involved so its not for couch potato's. Must like chocolate or the smell of it. I tend to eat a lot of it. Peeing outside will not be uncommon. Either will sunshine, fun and cacti, blisters and handmade tortillas. Personal costs will be about $25 a day or less depending on how hungry and active you are.

When??? DEPARTURE COMMENCED ON AUG 2ND...SEE UPDATES
Late July or Early August at the latest. Remember you can apply to join later as this first leg of the trip for these two continents will transpire over the course of a year. Read on.

The Rest of the Trip through Central and South America:
There are 19 countries to cover and Mexico makes it 20.
After the first person is released in Mexico city, the second and third and many more shooters after that will be able to join me for other parts of the trip. If you think you might be able to join in the next 6-12 months, let me know.

If you are interested in sharing this travel filming project, please contact me with any questions at: adventureplanet@gmail.com
Thanks
Kyle Lapp