Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did.
So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. --- Mark Twain

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Humaita-Manaus, BR-319, Day 1


09.09.2013,
Day 934,
103 693 km from the beginning of the journey
Daily Route 136 km,

At 7 o'clock in the morning the sky is cloudy. And the last few days have been such half-dry ones, so there is no sense to postpone the journey.
BR-230_Humaita_DSC05071

BR-230_Humaita_DSC05075
Humaita is immediately left behind.

BR-230_Humaita_DSC05078

BR-230_Humaita_DSC05097

BR-230_Humaita_DSC05083

BR-230_Humaita_DSC05091

BR-230_Humaita_DSC05093

BR-230_Humaita_DSC05100
Once there has been asphalt here.

BR-230_Humaita_DSC05104
Not a particulary large piece, but still asphalt

BR-230_Humaita_DSC05114
30 kilometres from Humaita we turn to the right. The big cars are driving straight on, the road should take to Lábrea.

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05130
In front there is more than 600 kilometers of road which the locals call „ Rodovia Fantasma " in Portuguese, ie " The Ghost Road ". The sign is rather worn out because of the weather, but still - Manaus 640 km – is possible to distinguish.

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05134
Roman and Sonja.

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05131
There are a few stickers on a pole next to the road. I will add one from myself as well.

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05135
And one more confirmation that indeed it is 640 km to Manaus.

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05137
GPS is really not needed here, but nevertheless it is interesting to see that after 539 kilometers one should turn left, to the ferry. And the predicted arrival time is 2:14. Which day at 2:14 ? - is still an open question.

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05142

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05143
Anyway, the first part is perfectly ok. even road markings have been preserved.

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05145

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05150
Meanwhile, the reddish road again.

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05153

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05166

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05167

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05170
The morning rain has changed some parts of the road muddier and more slippery.

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05175

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05181

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05187
Three Brazilian motorcyclists arrive from Humaita`s side, they have covered this road before, and they have planned to reach Manaus in the evening of the next day. Don`t even know what to say about that.

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05189

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05194

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05195
Next the road turns gradually more uneven.

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05197
After passing another hole my inner voice tellis me to check the condition of the large bottle of water. The condition is poor, there is a large hole in the bottom of the bottle, and 20 liters of water has flowed out on the floor of the bus. It's not particularly good news.

But also not the worst, because there are still some other containers with. But still my own mistake, the bottle should have been fixed better or afterall the water cans could be of metal.

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05200

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05201
During the rainy season it is surely very muddy here.

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05208
The further forward, the worse the condition of the bridges. It is wise to check the situation and walk over the bridge before driving over it. Sometimes some boards need a bit of adjustment.

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05212
The last major populated place is 70 - kilometers from the beginning of the road.

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05213
And the last self-service eatery, which works on the principle that you pay 10 R, and can fill your plate with whatever you wish and can eat as much as you are able to. Rice and beans, and meat and fish and tomatoes, etc.. Simple and convenient.

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05215
A village on a large scale.

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05219

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05221

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05225
This bridge is o.k.as long as to drive straight on.

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05228

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05229
In the meantime, there are a few places with asphalt, some are even about 10 meters long.

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05233
The ruins of former houses by the road.

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05238

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05241
The initial last century bridge is practically unusable.

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05243
Km 575 and Ponte Rio Santo Antonio.

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05247

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05250

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05251

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05256

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05262

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05268

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05279
Another old bridge...

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05281
...and next is a new, or a newer bridge.

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05282
553.5 km - left to cover.

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05287

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05294

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05301
Just one hole, a good example that in daylight it is better to travel than in the dark.

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05308

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05306
Third Embratel tower will be our overnight place, On the sign - 535 km. It's getting late, the sun starts to go down, during the day we have traveled over 130 kilometers.

The gate is locked, but inside the mesh fence there is a two - meter hole, so that the bike and mototravellers can have the opportunity to spend the night next to the tower.

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05309
By nightfall the great heat reduces a little. But the temperature is still over + 30 degrees. I'm not going to look at how warm it is inside, but all the water that was drunk during the day, leaves through the skin again. Do not want to sleep with the doors open, who knows what creatures are moving about here.

BR-319_Humaita_Manaus_Day_1_DSC05310

And somehow a sentence comes to my mind: "Nights here are dark."

No comments: