Update since arrival in SP

Great to be back home and see all of my family and friends…
Marc and I went to the coast of SP with NO computer and no video camera – a break from the blogging – but not from the bikes.
It rained a lot in Barra do Una (north coast of Sao Paulo state) but then when we went to Rio on the 28th the weather opened up to great sunshine until the 1st of January.
In Rio we had a great group – Stephanie, Jonathan, Dahlia and Glen – along with the “locals” Miguel and Renata who were our guides once in a while.
We had an amazing time in Rio eating at BBLanches almost every meal, going to the beach in Barra and going out at night.
New Year’s Eve in Copacabana – millions of people peacefully and democratically united on the beaches for the 20 minute long uncoordinated fireworks spectacle. Very cool.
Back to SP on the first on the bikes we got one of the heaviest rains we saw in the entire trip down from the US!
And now back to real life!!
Some more pictures from the arrival:

From Motorcycle NY to SP

Jayme Watt Longo

My grandfather went today after a fruitful life of impressive discipline, determination, focus, honesty, and vision.
A leader, a gentle boss, stern but not harsh, quiet but attentive, a traveler and explorer.
He has always been the solid and stable figure of the family.
He went at home this morning.
A simple burial with only the direct family.




Day 80 – Fazenda Mato Dentro to Sao Paulo!!!!

Woke up with Pedro and Armando who had arrived on their bikes from Sao Paulo 🙂
Had some breakfast and went over to Sao Paulo with about 12 motorcycles!!
Very cool and different riding with so many bikes.
Arriving in Sao Paulo was quite emotional… great feeling to have completed the journey!
Arrived at my Dad’s house and there were about 30 people waiting for us with banners, champagne and lots of happiness!
What a reception!! Very very cool.
Stayed there till a lot later and then went to my Mom’s where there were yet more people later on since it was her birthday the next day.
Great to be home!

From Motorcycle NY to SP


 

Day 78 – Fazenda Barbacena to Londrina

Great day – visit to Usina Vale do Ivai in the morning – sugar and alcohol production plant – always learn something new when I go there.
It’s one of the most self sufficient industries I know of:
– Sugar cane by itself is a renewable source of energy
– The fibers of the sugar cane are burnt to produce enough electricity for the entire plant + surplus to sell back to the grid
– The soot from the burnt fibers is spread on the soil as a fertilizer
– The unused/old yeast is used as an additive to livestock feed
– The “vinhaca” – a bi-product of the fermentation process is used as a fertilizer as well
– The yeast-cream is bought from breweries around the country to produce more dried yeast, which comes with 6 alcohol by the way, for “free”
– The residue from the sugar process is sent back into the alcohol plant to extract even more sugar
– The water used to wash and cool is always filtered and could be bottled for drinking
… and the list goes on…
In any case… after the visit we had lunch at the farm, had a nap and headed towards Londrina – only an hour and a half away.
There we met Otto and Guilherme who rode their motorcycles (BMS 1200GS and a BMW 800S) from Sao Paulo to meet with us.
Later on we went to another cousin’s house – Adriana Carioba – to have some beers then dinner.
Very pleasant dinner at a Japanese place in town.
All drunk from Saque now going to bed 🙂

Day 77 – Foz de Iguacu to Fazenda Barbacena

Short but exciting post!
At my family’s farm in Parana, 450km northeast of Foz de Iguacu, +/- 1000km west of Sao Paulo next to a small town called Sao Pedro do Ivai.
This is where I spent most of my childhood vacations and have many fond memories of.
Very cool to arrive here by motorcycle, especially coming from so far away.
It all looks great, smells wonderful, and tastes amazing. We had some chicken with orange sauce along with wild rice and beans and salad. All local produce and by default “organic”. 

Maybe that’s why I always found the organic concept strange – it was always something so common and taken for granted when I grew up.
Lucky me. Very lucky me for having such conscious grandparents and parents raising us with the best possible in terms of health and education.