Feb 21 Colon to Panama city Panama

Barry and the clutchless Wee (among other things) – words by Barry:

The trip from Colon to Panama City wasn’t going to be easy, no clutch is no problem once you’re moving, but the stop and go is a bitch. We got out of Colon pretty good. Had to kill the motor for one stop sign, but ran the next. We managed to time all the lights so reached Panama City with just the one hiccup.

Panama City was a different story. Traffic, signals and confusion. We had to start and stop several times and managed to get separated when we took some wrong turns and tried to double back.

We knew where we were going, but the intersections and turn offs, if missed, led you miles out of the way. At one point, after getting separated, I knew from Zumo I was less than 500yds from the Radisson, but it said almost 2km to get there.

I saw a large construction warning type sign that said something in Spanish about local traffic only. The laneway looked to be going towards where I wanted to go and I’m hopeing I can slip down some alleys or a back route to the hotel, so up the lane I go.

Big mistake, it was a freeway off ramp. In my haste to turn around l manage to drop the bike, but a couple of construction workers are right there and help me out.

I quickly exit off the ramp, and of course a cop is standing right there and wiggling his finger for me to pull over. Asks, in Spanish, for my drivers license then my passport, then points to a tiny sign that says no entry, and says ‘ticket’.

I knew I was wrong and nodded and said yeah, ok, but I pointed at the much larger sign below that said local traffic, just trying to justify my stupidity. The cop kind of studied the two signs, puts his hand on my shoulder and says, ‘no ticket’.

I ask the cop about Radisson, he doesn’t know but stops a cabby and asks him. The cabby points in the direction I had tried to go, then indicates a giant loop to get there. I ask the cop if he’s staying near there and he indicates yes, so I convey I’ll leave my bike and walk to see where it is. He’s agreeable and helps me park the bike.

Going down wrong way streets and thru walkways I locate the hotel in minutes, and let mi amigos know I’ll try and sneak Wee over.

When I get back the cop is sitting near Wee texting on his phone, and continues to hang around, so I figure I can’t cheat and take Wee on the short cut, gonna have to take the long route. A mini monsoon has also just passed, roads are soaked, so I decide to wait and things dry up pretty quickly. Still, the cop sticks around.

Thru incredible luck I hit the two main intersections I know are going to be trouble at exactly the right moment. One there is a brief gap in the bumper to bumper traffic, the other some guy has stalled on a major thruway, blocking the lane I need but leaving a small opening I can zoom thru and take the empty lane.

Safe arrival at the hotel was like winning the lottery!

Parked Wee, hit the room and poured a stiff one!