So there is this stretch of road across the Amazon that was built in haste by the Brazilian military regime in 1973. Today its called the ghost or phantom road, depending on the translation. BR 319 is 878km from Manaus, the capitol of Amazonas, to Porto Velho, the capitol of Rondonia, across solid tropical rainforest. It was supposed to provide an overland route but the poor construction was no match for the jungle and today it is effectively impassable. Certainly no buses, large trucks, or normal cars, just the occasional Embratel employee in a Toyota Bandeirante(because normal 4x4 won't do). After you get off the ferry from Manaus the road is ok to Careiro and once you get close to Humaita its fine again until Porto Velho. The 600km in the middle is not fine. The 400km in the middle of that should be impossible instead of merely impassable. If it would have rained(and, uh... we're in the rainforest) I would still be there.
There are ride reports from others having done it though. Some in three days. One couple took nine. I also had met a couple outside of Manaus that had recently done it in a Toyota over several days. They showed me some of their pictures and expressed concern and explained how they had to get their friends' rig unstuck several times and so on. They kind of frowned when I told them I was going solo but ti dissipated after I confirmed that, yes, I can pick my bike up by myself. There is only one guy on either adventurerider or horizonsunlimited that wrote that its not "that" bad. Everyone however, said that if it rains, then it can't be done.
It started out innocently enough. I checked the weather window and it looked good. I went shopping for extra food and a new mosquito net and had wrenched on the bike the night before and had a plan to do it in three days. It takes four(96 hours) by boat. So I had a nice leisurely breakfast and packing and caught the noon boat across from the old rubber plant.
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| everyone turns around on the ramp and backs onto the ferry |
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| The Rio Negro(black) and the Rio Solimoes(Amazon/brown) converge just down the river from Manaus. |
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| and the rivers stay their own for miles and miles before mixing |
On the other side I raced up the ramp and through the little town and topped off the gas. It was still early afternoon and I was planning on staying in Careiro and hitting it hard from there, early the next day. This first stretch still has pavement but there are big washed out scallops in the sides of it big enough to park a truck in. Why we don't ride at night? So anyway, I'm still taking it easy because I have only an hour or two to go before I stop for the night. Tranquilo.
I get to Careiro. What a dump. I cruise the two blocks of town looking for a place to stay and a place to get some food and I end up at a little serve yourself/charge by weight place on the main drag which are very common in Brazil. By the way, its frickin HOT at 3 in the afternoon in the state of Amazonas! And they have my usual. Its everyone's usual. Rice, beans, spaghetti noodles, mystery meat, some salad like selection, a little hot sauce, ... voila. Bon appetit. Actually, it was pretty good, and I loaded up, thinking I'd be rough for a few days after this last. Then I went for some ice cream too. Then I checked the time. Only 3:30ish and the place has no appeal. What to do. Still a couple hours of daylight and I'd rather get some miles on and camp for the night.
So I bail. Out of 'town'. And suddenly I am on the "ghost raod". The road does not disappoint and goes to shit pretty much right away. There are still some fazendas(farms) though but they get fewer and farther between. On the road it is slow going but I am totally happy. And patient. And taking it slow. It looks like some late afternoon cumulus cells are brewing but they hold off.
I make it to an idyllic little place called Igapo Acu for the night. When I pull up the ferry ramp on the other side there is a familiar face. A guy I met in Manaus a few days earlier is attempting the ghost road on a bicycle. Yikes. He's been holed up here for a few days on account of saddle sores. Coming from the UK and then pounding out miles in the jungle takes some acclimatization. He didn't have any "butt butter" so I gave him some ointment and moleskin and he was going to hit it again after a couple days. I still haven't heard from him so he is probably still in there. We'll see.
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| Igapo Acu. Great fishing. |
The next day starts the real deal. In the village they tell me its 300km between there and the next anything. My standard tank is good for just under 400km in range and I should be good but I buy some gas from one of the guys with a boat. We siphon my tank full and off I go. It was a good thing too.
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| In some places there are stretches of old asphalt. Tempting to open it up but... no |
I'm not on the road for more than 5 minutes when I come across about a 7' long, neon green snake sunning itself on this asphalt stretch. Couldn't stop in time. Aim for the head. Missed. Oh well. Stop. Look back. He's gone.
Maybe a half hour later I come across another snake. This one not as long but as big around as my forearm. This time I stop before I get to him. As I'm getting my camera he takes off into the bush. Don't know what kind for sure but I think he was a juvenile anaconda. COOL.
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| One of very few stops for shade. And it's not like you can just trampse into the trees and take a break. No machete. |
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| One of 130+ bridges. I didn't count them. Read it somewhere beforehand. |
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| And they are deadly. Literally. Pieces missing, no rails, big holes, old car and truck parts scattered in places. |
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| Looks ok but you really need to scout every one of these. |
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| and then you come across these big holes that are filled with red clay water. it might be okay to ride through but... what you gonna do if its not?! |
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| This is a government truck late in the day. Their new ford couldn't handle it. 4 people stuck there. They wrote me a note to take to the next civilization. I rode for about 2 hours before seeing the second people of the day, some embratel employees in a toyota bainderante that said they would go get them. |
The rest of the day went pretty well. No rain. Thousands of butterflies and flying insects and loud birds. At one point there was a monkey playing with something in the path and he scampered off. Another time there was a big capybara that took off too. I'd never seen one of those. Kind of like a giant guinea pig.
I managed to keep it upright all day until this stupid little puddle took me out. Slicker than greased owl shit as my dad would say. One second going fine, the next - down. Maybe I was complacent. It was an easy stretch. My hands hurt from clutch and brake so much all day. Tired. Don't know. Maybe it would have happened anyway but it was a good reboot.
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| Its actually like clay and the slightest bit of water makes it super slick. It can look dry too but can be hiding mush just under the skin, like this one. |
At this point I think I am getting close to the end. I can't charge my iphone(GPS) because the inline fuse blew and I don't feel like pulling the seat out here and worried about making it somewhere before dark. So what happens? I run out of gas in the dark. Bahahaaaa. But at this point I am mostly out of the woods and trying to make Humaita which is before the end in Porto Velho. As I am getting ready to sleep in my suit and helmet two dudes pull up on a little honda and let me siphon some gas. About a liter is all. I thought it should be enough but I also thought I would have had enough. So after more portuguese and spanish and hand signals we determine that I am going to go on ahead and they'll stop if they see me.
Turns out its another 30k to Humaita and as I can see the lights of the gas station my bike starts sputtering again. I never switched it out of reserve. I shake it side to side without stopping to get a little more on the left side where the fuel feeds out of the tank and vroom. I end up coasting into the gas station! 10 minutes later the two dudes show up. I explained with gestures how I came in on fumes and there were high fives all around.
At this point its 4 or 5 hours after dark. (my iphone is my clock too) I roll in to this burger joint exhausted and looking like hell and ask if they have any food. Si. Beer? Si.
Great day. Great stretch. Glad I did it but glad its over.
