I was told the border crossing into Costa Rica would be easy, although more ordered still as tedious as the others. The chain was starting to really worry me at this stage as it was binding badly and slipping on the curved sprocket teeth. Then 20 kilometres into Costa Rica there was an almighty bang and Herbert freewheeled to a stop. The chain had come apart. So i started my slow walk to try to find the chain, there it was about 300metres back then the fun part find the joiner. Amazingly i found it stuck under the chain guard. So after a quick roadside repair, i was on my way even if it was at a leisurely 50km per hour. The road rules seem to apply here, i was trying to turn over double yellow lines and was given a stern talking too by a policeman. I will have to get used to not doing all sorts of illegal things on the road again. I was hoping to get to San Jose to find a sprocket but a massive downpour caused me to stop 60 kilometres short in a town called San Remon. Everything was saturated including passport and money, plastic bags for all the documents from now on. The next morning on leaving town a grinding noise then no power my worst fear was realised. The link had gone west this time with the chain and chain guard. Herbert rolled slowly to a stop in front of a Suzuki dealer. The only way it could have been better was if it was a Yamaha dealer. Luckily nothing else seemed damaged this was as far as i would go. Phone calls were made to source the sprockets and a 2 day wait for delivery. Oh well could have happened in worse places, so here i am stuck in San Remon.
Day 2 in San Remon, i decided to go to the bike shop and change oil and filter, check valve clearance, change brake pads all the bits i have been meaning to do. With the help of the mechanic we got to and did all the other bits. Could you see a mechanic in Australia letting you work on your own bike with his help, using his tools, i do love the care free attitudes over here. You realise how uptight we really are in the west. Hopefully the parts will arrive and i can be on my way on Friday fingers crossed.
Day 3 in San Remon after lunch i rang the mechanic about Herbert and i got the gist that he was ready to be picked up. While getting ready to call a taxi the mechanic turned up to pick me up what service. When i got there i couldnt believe the trouble he had gone to. The sprockets had not shown up so last night he had gone to a friend who had machined me a new rear sprocket and taken the gear section from a new Honda front sprocket and welded in the Yamaha splined section talk about ingenuity. The grand total for all the work and parts was $250.00 as well as lunches supplied. If any bikers find themselves stuck in San Remon, Costa Rica, San Remon Suzuki is the place to stop. On the ride back to the hotel the bike ran like clockwork and the vibrations from the last few thousand kilometres were gone. All my clothes laundered and Herbert ready to go, tomorrow morning head for San Jose and the high pass towards the Panamanian frontier.
The ride to San Jose went smoothly through rolling countryside on good roads with hardly a car in sight. Then i reached San Jose and once again chaos lack of road signs and i was lost again, my expertise to getting lost has no bounds. Another 2 hour foray and i was free of the traffic, what is worse than traffic is pilgrims and there were thousnds blocking the roads heading to a church 20 kilometres north of San Jose. I have nothing against pilgrims but why cant they walk on the side of the road. Exhausted at walking the bike through the crowds i finally reached the beginning of the pass. Steep and winding to a height of around 3600 metres, Herbert was struggling, losing power but in true fashion he made it up and soon recovered his breathe as we made the fast descent back to the hot plains and ready for Panama.
