It’s like Argentina saved some of the best (and worst) for last.
Sort of perchance we ended up staying in the small town of Uspallata which is the first gas stop after crossing over the border from Chile to Argentina. Most people get gas and move on to Mendoza but eager to avoid the big city we decided to call it a day in Uspallata. Good call. Continue reading
Ha… have a burst of internet so let’s rock!
Heading north from Puerto Varas we blasted to the city of Valdivia that was recommended to us. We made a quick stop in Orsorno to get a part for Deby’s bike that had worked it’s way loose. No problem quick stop at Motoaventura and we were on our way. The route is basically a 4 lane interstate with tolls at what seemed like every 10 miles. Continue reading
Friday, January 20th 2017.
We wanted to be on the bikes by 8:30 AM to make the first ferry north. We were told it left at 11:00 and to be there an hour early. We knew we had an hour on questionable gravel roads and looking out the window confirmed the weather report, rain. The only problem to this plan….. Continue reading
We were told it would happen when we cross into Chile, we trade the windy dry plains of Argentina for the damp drippy lush forests of southern Chile. On Wednesday January 18th we left Puerto Tranquilo to venture north on the famed Ruta 7 the Carretera Austral or Southern Road. I realize now I didn’t really take many pictures. In a lot of ways it really reminded me of the Mountain Loop Highway in Washington. Continue reading
So where are we? Sometimes a map helps for the big picture…..
An amazing part of the world to be sure. From Perito Moreno we had a short ride west to the border crossing near Chile Chico on the southern end of Lake Buenos Aires, which we learned is the second largest lake in South America, the largest is Lake Titicaca which is not only fun to say but is an interesting place we hope to visit on our way north. Continue reading
We’ve been putting on some miles and distances lately. In less than a month we’ve been south to Ushuaia and now back about almost as far north as where we started in Buenos Aires. A big reason for the miles is that there is literally nothing at all in most parts of southern Patagonia. No towns, no fuel and very few points of interest other than the vast tundra-like terrain. There is no choice but make it the 200 miles to the next small settlement and hope for fuel and maybe some chips for lunch. That is our routine in this stretch. Continue reading
I’ve learned that in the remote southern reaches of Patagonia access to the internet is a luxury and certainly not a necessity. We’ve just spent a series of nights in hotels that claim to have internet access only to find it’s actually not existent or very limited. Finally we are in a a bigger city with good access for uploading pictures and getting caught up. Thanks for not giving up on us! Continue reading
Fin del Mundo. Not a political statement, not the second coming, no, just Fin del Mundo, is what they call it here. The end of the world. The most southern most road in the world and we made it to the end. It is a loooonnnng way down, trust me.
Fresh from a day off the bikes we headed south from El Calafate to the end of the world. I knew it would be two days, I didn’t know how long those days would be. Good thing it stays light out until 10:30PM. Continue reading
Ok, it’s been a few days without internet so I will try to get caught up. We are truly in the remote parts of southern Patagonia. It seems like Alaska with long stretches of nothing at all. We need to carefully plan out fuel stops and we are glad to now be carrying extra fuel containers. When I left off we recovered Deby’s bag and were in the city of Gobernador Gregores. Bag in hand (on bike) and full fuel we got an early start back to the most difficult part of the route, now for the third time. Continue reading
Excerpt from the Moon travel book Patagonia Trip of A Lifetime:
From the Bolivian border near La Quiaca to it’s terminus near Rio Gallegos, RN 40 has been Argentina’s great, unfinished interior highway. Some segments have been smoothly paved while others remain rough and rugged. None of those has enjoyed the notoriety of the segment between the El Calafate junction and the town of Pertio Moreno, on the cusp between the Patagonian steppe and the icy southern Andes.
January 7, 2017, our plan was the route above going from north to south, from Perito Moreno to El Calafate. We never made it….. Continue reading