Yeah. That's me.
Well, I'm 14,000 feet up here, and the view is spectacular. This is Central America. It took me 9 days to travel 14,000 miles by crotchrocket, from the east coast shoreline to the west coast, meandering at sometimes very illegal speed limits through the Blue ridge, Smokeys, Dragon's Tail, Arizona, back up to S. Dakota, Utah, Nevada, California, up the west coastline and into Canada, and back home to (at the time) Ontario.
Now it takes me 8 hours by mountain bike to cross the continent, from the pacific to the Carib. As an expat, I'm having the time of my life, and my wife and I gave up high taxes and the Western ideals of retiring rich to living simply and volunteer while enjoying life.
Getting off my soapbox now.
I'll let someone else describe me:
Paul Dayton is an adventurer, traveler and volunteer. When he’s not writing or reading the works of Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke, you’ll find him on a motorcycle, bike or at the top of a mountain.
That's about it! Questions? Feel free to comment!
Now it takes me 8 hours by mountain bike to cross the continent, from the pacific to the Carib. As an expat, I'm having the time of my life, and my wife and I gave up high taxes and the Western ideals of retiring rich to living simply and volunteer while enjoying life.
Getting off my soapbox now.
I'll let someone else describe me:
Paul Dayton is an adventurer, traveler and volunteer. When he’s not writing or reading the works of Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke, you’ll find him on a motorcycle, bike or at the top of a mountain.
That's about it! Questions? Feel free to comment!
Off-roading, Panama style.
Do Electric winches still work if they're submerged? That's what was going through my mind as my 4-Runner was hood deep in this river. Ohwell. Went through it just fine, and it washed the inch thick mud off the sides too.
The mountains.
The mountain range is astoundingly beautiful here. Biking these hills is heaven on earth, with a regular 30 k ride involving vertical climbs of a kilometer or more. The 35 k ride from Bugaba to Volcán is 1450 meters in itself.
Rio Sereno to Puerto Armuelles ride.
In itself, the 100 k ride is considered short among die hard bikers, but the DROP from the hilltop mountain town to the ocean involved climbs of almost 2 kilometers (vertically measured).
Biking the Frontera is hair raising, as the single lane road sees extensive two way traffic by large trucks. It is definitely not for the faint of heart. In all my time on this road, I've only seen one other biker, and he had a chaser. Dropping down was both exhilarating and terrifying at the same time, a white knuckled intense drop leaving my XTR disks red hot. One of the climbs out of a local Fronteira town was a whopping 700 meters in 4 kilometers. Do the math for the gradient.
Biking the Frontera is hair raising, as the single lane road sees extensive two way traffic by large trucks. It is definitely not for the faint of heart. In all my time on this road, I've only seen one other biker, and he had a chaser. Dropping down was both exhilarating and terrifying at the same time, a white knuckled intense drop leaving my XTR disks red hot. One of the climbs out of a local Fronteira town was a whopping 700 meters in 4 kilometers. Do the math for the gradient.
Picture info:
I was born in Porkland. Starting from pic 1, you'll see the Geronimos cathedral, which is a must see if you ever visit Lisbon. This pic does not do it justice. It is many times bigger than what you are seeing, and the stone work is fabulous.
#2 is where my Aunt Vampira from My Dysfunctional book lived. Actually, it isn't, but I forgot the name of this unusual castle.
#3 is the library in the university of Coimbra, Europe's oldest university. Interestingly, they have a bat colony here, which they let loose every night after covering everything. The bats eat insects that would otherwise damage priceless books.
This university also has an 11th century painting, floor to ceiling of Jesus on the post when he died (pictures not allowed). Jesus did not die on the cross, and older paintings such as the one that can be seen by the public prove this little known fact. Yes, that is solid gold on the ceiling.
#4 The Cathedral of the unfinished chapels is the best translation I can come up with. Aside from the phenomenal stone work, this church took 200 years to build, and much of the build was so dangerous only convicts on death row were used to build those areas. As construction dragged on, kings lost interest and built their own cathedrals so they could place their remains there, such as the Geronimos one in Lisbon. There is a clock on this cathedral, but it was never completed - the clockmaker got into an argument with the king, and he was so furious he pulled out one part and tossed it into the moat (now buried under concrete) and exclaimed "This clock will never work again!" It has been silent for 700 years.
Note the upper stonework that looks like iron work along the roof line.
#5, 6 Obidos Castle and town (town not pictured). The gorgeous town is built within the castle walls and a must see for any visiting Portugal.
#7-11 Shots of Lisbon. The outdoor restaurants are impromptu, spur of the moment things. This lively and lovable city must be #1 on anyone's visit to Portugal.
Some of my friends have wondered what we're doing here in Panama. Obviously, it wasn't just to retire early, as living without goals is an empty life. For those who want to know, I have a personal blog I use that goes into more detail, which can be seen here.
I was born in Porkland. Starting from pic 1, you'll see the Geronimos cathedral, which is a must see if you ever visit Lisbon. This pic does not do it justice. It is many times bigger than what you are seeing, and the stone work is fabulous.
#2 is where my Aunt Vampira from My Dysfunctional book lived. Actually, it isn't, but I forgot the name of this unusual castle.
#3 is the library in the university of Coimbra, Europe's oldest university. Interestingly, they have a bat colony here, which they let loose every night after covering everything. The bats eat insects that would otherwise damage priceless books.
This university also has an 11th century painting, floor to ceiling of Jesus on the post when he died (pictures not allowed). Jesus did not die on the cross, and older paintings such as the one that can be seen by the public prove this little known fact. Yes, that is solid gold on the ceiling.
#4 The Cathedral of the unfinished chapels is the best translation I can come up with. Aside from the phenomenal stone work, this church took 200 years to build, and much of the build was so dangerous only convicts on death row were used to build those areas. As construction dragged on, kings lost interest and built their own cathedrals so they could place their remains there, such as the Geronimos one in Lisbon. There is a clock on this cathedral, but it was never completed - the clockmaker got into an argument with the king, and he was so furious he pulled out one part and tossed it into the moat (now buried under concrete) and exclaimed "This clock will never work again!" It has been silent for 700 years.
Note the upper stonework that looks like iron work along the roof line.
#5, 6 Obidos Castle and town (town not pictured). The gorgeous town is built within the castle walls and a must see for any visiting Portugal.
#7-11 Shots of Lisbon. The outdoor restaurants are impromptu, spur of the moment things. This lively and lovable city must be #1 on anyone's visit to Portugal.
Some of my friends have wondered what we're doing here in Panama. Obviously, it wasn't just to retire early, as living without goals is an empty life. For those who want to know, I have a personal blog I use that goes into more detail, which can be seen here.
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