BRASIL 2011, o Nordeste: "Operação galo na madrugada"
Here below a short presentation of my next trip in South America, o Nordeste do Brasil along the Atlantic shore.
Any type of tip and suggestion relevant to specific paths, pousadas, etc. is welcome.
Muito obrigado, abraços.
Corrado (ConRAD)

Amazing! Good ride! Hope you don't get into trouble with some brasilian criminals. A friend of mine has been in a hotel, went out for having a dinner and half an hour later, when he came back another hotel (arbitrary) guest has been robbed and shot. True story.

I feel very much sorrow for your friend but, believe me, the only thing I can say is that in more than one year that I'm in the "Lista Brasileira de Cicloturismo" I've never had the feeling/impression of such an imminent danger due to whatsoever form of criminality.
Sure, you must basically act as a "non stupid individual", you must pay attention, you must act as a fully responsible and conscious person, but say that to go to Brazil is equivalent to go in place where your life is at risk is totally exagerate and out of any real immagination.
I'll leave the 15 of September and I'll cross all the Nordeste till Fortaleza in around forty days.
That it!

Hello Corrado,

I wish you much luck on your trip in Brazil!

I myself had been cycling twice in Brazil: 2001 and 2008, in the states of Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais. I cycled the Estrada Real in 2008, I've noticed you will do it next year. Very good idea! I liked it very much!
I hope you will not have too much (dangerous) traffic on your coast trip. The Brazilian drivers are not used to cyclists.

Do you will use a GPS system? Which maps will you use?
Maybe I can give you some hints about maps if you need.

Have fun
Helmut

Thank you Helmut for your reply and for your very appreciated "support".
Here below the situation:

From the official Brazilian website http://www.dnit.gov.br/mapas-multimodais/mapas-multimodais I downloaded all the maps called “Mapas Brasil_ISTITUCIONAL”.

From the above maps I made a special selection of the “NORDESTE” portion for my specific trip and these maps are now available and complete with route details here below:
http://maps01.blogspot.com/

Then from the following website http://www.tracksource.org.br/desenv/trc.php I downloaded all the “routable” tracks for my Garmin 60CSx, the last file name is “TRC-Brasil_2011-07-24”

Then, I am in contact with “Lista Brasileira de Cicloturismo” that is giving to me a lot of suggestions like roads, tracks along the litoral and additional informations like how to manage with rivers and tides.

Of course I’m a little scared about traffic, but my intention is to avoid as much as possible any high and wild traffic “BR”.
I speak Portuguese and this should help me, I hope.

Ciao, and thank you again.
Corrado

Hello Corrado,

the DNIT maps are updated and give a good overview,
and the Tracksource for Garmin are superb!
Other street maps (produced in the states) you will find here:
http://www2.transportes.gov.br/bit/mapas/imapa.html

A Google like online map is Maplink, it's more precise:
http://maplink.com.br/

But I am a fan of topographic maps and I like to take quiet road and tracks, so I discovered the IBGE maps. 2008, when I did the first trip to Brazil, I bought some of them in Rio, but it's rather hard to get the paper maps, many are out of print.
Most of the maps can be downloaded nowadays. There are also topo maps from DSG (military) and SUDENE (development agency). They cooperate with IBGE.
Try here to download maps:
http://biblioteca.ibge.gov.br/ or at ftp://geoftp.ibge.gov.br/mapas/

Or use the viewer at:
http://mapas.mma.gov.br/
With WMS-compatible software you can download maps there.

Here are some map examples:
Jaguaribe 1: 1 000 0000
Refife NO 1: 500 000
Estância 1: 250 000
Salvador 1: 100 000
Ouro Preto 1: 50 000
Colônia Pereira 1:25 000

But there's one disadvantage: Most of the maps are rather old (1970's/80's). But topography doesn't change normally...

Maybe you would like to buy Guia Praias from Quatro Rodas, a popular brazilian map publisher:
http://viajeaqui.abril.com.br/guia4rodas/lancamentos/guia-praias.shtml

Ciao
Helmut

P.S. I use CompeGPSLand to plan my trips and the TwoNav Sportiva GPS receiver outdoor:
http://www.compegps.com

Hi Helmut,
thanks a lot for all your information, I frankly do appreciate it.
But now, you know, it's almost time to go ... so I "must" be "very practical".
I've here with me "Guia Praias from Quatro Rodas, edition 2011-2012".
Nice guide indeed: nice beaches descriptions, a few interesting tips about roads and things to see ...but, ... but listed "POUSADAS" appear to be only for rich people!!!!
And I'm not "rich people"!!!!!

However, thank you very much.
Please, let's stay in contact.

Abraços.
Corrado
(Milano- Italy)

Hello Corrado,

of course you have not much time now. You are well prepared anyway...
Will you write regularly from Brazil in your blog? My wife (from Brazil!) and I are very curious. Maybe we also do the coast trip some day.

Quatro Rodas only lists the expensive pousadas, that's true. We used the "Guia Brasil", but we allways went to hotels/pousadas not listed there. We asked local people (post office / gas station) for inexpensive accomodations.

Hope we will here from you.
Have a good time in Brazil!

Helmut,
I’ve been working and actually living in Brazil for five years in a row when I was 26-30 years old.
My life was there.
Since then I’ve gone back to Brazil tens of times, … for many reasons, I don’t think it’s important to say here why ...
And now, since one year, I started to work on the actual “possibility” to go back in a ”place that’s simply in my heart”.
This time I’ll do it by bicycle.
The departure is September the 15th (from Salvador de Bahia). The return is scheduled by the end of October (from Fortaleza).
Yes, I’ll update the blog any time I will have the possibility to do it, depending on time, connections facilities, opportunities … and sea tides (yes, exactly "sea tides", most of the cycling will be indeed directly on the shore !!!!)
Just a few day prior to departure I’ll publish here the blog's link.
It will be a great pleasure to share emotions and be of any help, if possible, during the trip.

Abraços.
Corrado
(Milano-Italy)

OK, here we are, it’s time to go!!
From now on the adventure, time and connections permitting, will continue here: http://o-galo-da-madrugada.blogspot.com/

Corrado
(Milano-Italia)

Yesterday, almost 70 km like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egtdXMMvuX8]

The first five days:
http://o-galo-da-madrugada.blogspot.com/

...more pictures here:

BRASIL-NORDESTE 2011

All videos, pictures and the day-by-day of the trip here below:
http://o-galo-da-madrugada.blogspot.com/
(NOTE: all texts are in Italian but, should you need any specific information, please do not hesitate to ask, I'll be very happy to be of any support)