Missive #7, Tue, Mar 20 to Thur, Mar 29, 2018

Missive #7, Tue, Mar 20th to Thur, Mar 29th, 2018

Day 52, Tue, Mar 20th

Chalten Suites Hotel, El Chalten 0 km

We finished off yesterday detouring 580 long km to this not bad little town called Rio Gallegos on the Atlantic coast. Spike, none the worst for wear and Paul arrived well ahead of the gang and found a nice and functional hotel right downtown. They had to drive around a bit to find it. Linda and I who had spent all day in the truck comped Jairo his room. I think my single was 75 bucks. The facilities, food, bar, bank machine nearby and undercover parking was perfect for our group arriving unannounced. 

One of the funny idiosyncrasies around here is the key locks. Every hotel has the same damn clumsy system. The key looks like a flat anchor and you only have a fifty percent chance of putting it in right. Then you have to wiggle it around in its loose hole to try to engage the loose locking contraption inside. When you finally engage the device you then have to turn it at least three times in circles hoping that it accomplishes what you are hoping for, to either lock or unlock the goddamn door! Again you only have a fifty percent chance of achieving your goal which might mean six more turns going the other way. When you have a great huge pile of stuff in your arms, the light is poor, the hole itself is usually too low on the door and you are tired this is a bit of a trick believe me. Someone has made out like a bandit selling crummy locks to gullible hotel owners. I am finally getting used to working the system after about seven days of experimentation. Just one more of the frustrations of being on the road, not a big deal and patience is the ‘key’.

We had a nice dinner competing with a tour group that had also arrived. Although we got our orders in a bit quicker they got served first. These places all operate on a skeleton basis, one server and one cook or just about that bad. You would think they could gear up with extra staff to handle the overload. The wait times can be extraordinary. No choice as only game in town.

Helge helped me fix my somewhat broken front windshield attaching mechanism. I had some great huge zap straps available and we tied two together to clamp everything in place. We tightened down and adjusted the left hand mirror and raised the left hand clutching mechanism too. Previously I had scrubbed the bike down with a brush and soapy water at a gas stop. Vehicles get filthy, filthy dirty around here so they have buckets of stuff available to clean windows etc. My bike was full of dried mud clinging everywhere so it was a bit of a job.

Sitting in the back of the truck out of the wind and the cold was the perfect antidote for this rider. I was glad to be there and relax away from the elements and the reseponsibility of managing the bike. It was a good time to reflect as well. My earlier conclusions were correct. With our tires being non off roaders and heavy bikes there was little chance at my speed to recover once the slippy slidy stuff was encountered. It was what it was so to speak.

I got off at 8:15 before the tired group had shown up for breakfast. It was a bright sunny day but windy and cold. The procedure for dealing with the cold goes something like this: get out all the warm looking clothing you have in your bag, spread it out on the spare bed, put it on one layer at a time until you run out of the stuff, put on your riding suit over that, plug in your heated vest and hope sincerely for the best! I had on four layers on the bottom end and seven layers on the top end including my heated vest which is a must.

I get out on the road and it is absolutely a glorious morning, a teeny bit windy and cold at three degrees. I am just hoping that my layers can handle the wind chill effect. For the most part it does. I am never warm but never really cold either. Travelling down the straight and excellent Routa 40 I am ‘making hay while the sun shines’ because you never know what is around the corner and there is 450 km to go, about five to six hours with stops. A lot can change quickly around here.

Fortunately it got a bit warmer as the sun came up and the weather stayed onside. It was a perfect riding day. The countryside was yellowish and barren, mostly flat until the last quarter which became truly spectacular. One disconcerting sign and they are everywhere is the Argentinian way of indicating heavy wind conditions. It is a lonely black tree bent over sideways on a yellow highway sign, truly frightening especially for someone on two wheels getting blown around in the gusts. Very fortunately that was not to be today.

What was supposed to be a 327 km part dirt road day turned in to a 1030 km overnight detour and a good thing too.

On and on I went clocking off the thankfully boring miles! I stopped at a really cool well over hundred year old joint by a fast flowing river to warm up and enjoy some hot, thick  pumpkin soup with my sandwich. Many famous people have been through, notable mountain climbers, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid spent a month here in 1905 hiding out from the law, Francis Ford Coppola, lots of others noted on the walls.

The Patagonian ice fields have to be seen to be believed. They are near the Chilian side of things. It is kind of like looking at the Olympic mountains on a beautiful blue sky day as you come over the rise in the Pat Bay highway coming in to Victoria. Just think an order of magnitude or two of that. Great jagged mountain tops over 10,000 feet high, too many to count, white on top, green on bottom, absolutely majestic. Photographs can only do partial justice.

I got to look at these things, stopping often just to gaze for well over an hour as I got closer and closer to El Chalten. Most people do not get this rare privilege because they are mostly covered up and hidden in the weather down here. I felt we were deserving of this rare opportunity.

El Chalten is a small, touristy village full of young back backers and hikers, maybe a 1,000 residents year round. Think a smaller version of Banff. I unloaded the bike, checked in and proceeded to grab a needed nap and then do some laundry. My boots and riding gear needed a good clean up too. Later went for a hike in their national park and enjoyed a terrific hamburger, fries and a few beers at a local watering hole of which there are many.

Last thing: it is pretty hard to go from the Atlantic to the Pacific in one day and we almost did. Think Halifax to Kamloops.

Day 53, Wed, Mar 21st

Chalten Suites Hotel, El Chalten to Imago Hotel and Spa, El Calafate, 217 km

At breakfast today and sitting with Vince and Linda he said, thanks for being first in line the other day. For the record, we only got to stay at this very nice place one night instead of two because of our long and necessary detour.

It was a benign day on the road, short, pleasant and to be appreciated. There was no rush so my speed was around 100 klics. At one point there was this Piche like a small ostrich standing right beside the road, feet from me. I saw him at the last minute, no time to react. I can stop my bike in 50 feet at 50 mph but that is when I have actually stepped on the binders. The reaction time to actually get to that decision point is way longer. These animals  are pretty wary and smart, he didn’t move and in a moment I was past. There is lots of road kill here too but I think it must happen at night in the glare of headlights as I have yet to see anything scampering in front of me. Still, a chance occurrence, even a half decent sized bird can knock you off your bike.

Some thoughts and notes:

-when you see Guanacos nearby on both sides of the road it is a time to be extra cautious as you never know which side might like to join up

-Cecilia and Paulo who we met in Perito Moreno said that El Chalten was not all that impressive; they were there when the cloud cover obscured their view while we were treated to the local scenery in all its glory

-Monte Fitz Roy was first climbed in in 1952 by French climbers Lionel Terray and Guido Magnone; even though it is only 11,200 feet, it is considered one of the most technically difficult climbs in the world and listed in the ‘ultra’ category. After Patagonia clothing founder Yvon Chouinard climbed it in 1968 he used the peak of Monte Fitz Roy as his company logo when he founded his famous company

Franco at Mt. Fitz Roy, maybe “the” photograph of the whole trip!

-the returning ride followed the meandering Rio La Leona; the turquoise glacial water flowing from the Patagonian ice fields was a sight to see

-I truly admire the pluck and courage of the many bicycle riders on these long and lonely roadways especially when the weather gets inclement

-we are all praying for continued good weather; the wind will knock bikes over from both sides of the kick stand, rip car doors off their hinges; water on puddles look like big waves, not fun.

El Calafate at somewhere around 15,000 is a larger version of outdoorsy El Chalten and a hopping, touristy place. Tomorrow the ice fields of Perito Moreno.

Day 54, Thur, Mar 22nd

Imago Hotel and Spa, El Calafate to Perito Moreno Glacier, 146 km

This was quite likely the prettiest, most scenic day of the whole trip for this writer. Because the ride was short there was time to stop, take pics, contemplate the superlatives of what I was seeing, take your time in other words. On some days there is pressure to whizz from A to B and sure there is nice stuff to look at but there is also a responsibility to get the job done too. Today’s 73 km ride in and same ride out was anything but.

The Southern Patagonian Ice Field is the third largest in the world after Antarctica and Greenland. It is anchored by the magnificent Perito Moreno Glacier, pictures below. I did not know and it is interesting to comment that fresh water comprises only 3% of all the water on our planet with salt water being the other 97%. Of the 3%, liquid water comprises only 23% of this amount with ice being the other 77%.

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Sometimes rear view mirror pics are just as good

The ride followed along Lago Argentina into the park and then along a windy motorcycle heaven road into the glacier itself. I got on a ferry boat with a whole bunch of elderly bus riding tourists and for an hour we got up close and personal to this monster. As you can see in the pics it looks to be very stressed. It is because we actually witnessed three, count them three, quite large calving occurrences. Our guide said this is very unusual and that we should all be very, very thankful for the lovely blue sky day. 

A few more comments:

-I have learned to like hot milk and sugar in my coffee; we are so used to great coffee choices at home it is impossible to drink the stuff down here black as I normally like to do

-most Argentinian flags are completely threadbare and badly faded; could this be that they just don’t last that long?

-I find that I am enjoying my own company quite a lot; not that I am reclusive, just that I am happy to see folks, or not!

-this last part of the trip contains a lot more downtime and extra days in one place, quite nice actually; could be due to the difficulty (or potential difficulty of the riding conditions)

-on return this afternoon I had a one hour booked massage at our very nice digs which we get to stay at for two nights.

Day 55, Fri, Mar 23rd

Imago Hotel and Spa, El Calafate to Hotel Tres Pesos, Torres del Paine, 238 km

It is all about the riding now. We are getting closer to the finish line. What will the driving conditions be like? It can be like heaven or hell around here. The last while has been pure heaven. Today we drove about 250 km by taking the longer route to miss the rough off-road section. It was fast, it was easy and it was beautiful to experience. Patagonia can be a bit ho hum in the flat prairie like sections. The rest of it is magnificent. This real estate anywhere else in the world would fetch platinum prices. Where we are with the vagaries of the weather, it is pretty unpopulated.

A few comments:

-Helge seems to have had a lot of trouble with his bike; brakes, bearings, steering, other minor stuff; now the second side car driven by Mike and Aileene has come a cropper; Helge performed a quick fix so hopefully it can get to Ushuaia okay; I like two wheelers best

-most of the rest of the bikes have performed admirably

-at 5 litres per 100 km and 14,000 plus km I have used approx 700 litres of fuel or about $1,000 in cost for this trip, way cheaper than the Sprite V!

-gas station fill ups- we have strict orders to fill up at every location, even if only a few litres; due to the remoteness of this area and vast distances even a few litres can make a difference between stops especially if a location is closed or out of fuel

-there is little traffic around, I am back in the mode of considering signalling to other vehicles just to say a friendly hello as I pass or pass by; this will only get more prevalent as we get farther south

-riding a motorcycle is a bit like playing golf, you are responsible for your own game, you compete with yourself; when people pass me, good on them, I just ride at my own pace and do the best I can, no ego involved 

-ear plugs: with the wind around here helmet noise can be absolutely deafening, you must stick those things in as far a you can to survive the racket

-on the last Trip to Africa I lost a special and very dear friend during the time away; on this trip I have lost two very special and dear friends while away; makes it tough going for a few days

-we are about 100 miles from the Magellan Strait and will be crossing it by ferry soon, pretty cool especially for this mariner

-my map of Chile shows an amazing archipelago of islands and interesting nooks and crannies; in Puerto Natales where I stopped in at yesterday there were a lot of fishing boats around most on dry land and zero pleasure boats; the weather on this west cost would not be kind to most things floating

-I am thinking a bit about my farewell speech, how to phrase it in such a way that it says what I want it to say because you only have one shot at it.

Last night just before dark and after dinner I went for a walk in the cold crisp air. Our little hotel is quaint and perfectly charming, out in the country all by itself. There is a crackling fire, the food is terrific and the service makes you feel like you are right at home. Wish they could all be like this but we get two nights here which is a plus. Oh yes, the walk with the sheep and the horses nearby and looking at the jagged ridge lines of the nearby hills was good preparation for an excellent sleep.

Day 56, Sat, Mar 24th

Hotel Tres Pesos, Torres del Paine, 199 km

I guess the best is saved for last, sort of the last bite of a great dinner or the desert at the end. I must say, I have enjoyed this last week or so very much. First off our group size is much more manageable. Eight riders, ten people including the two ladies makes for a less wieldly group and people seem to mix better. Second, the weather has been terrific so the worry about wind and rain has mitigated somewhat which is great.

It was cold this morning, frost on the bikes, 1.5 degrees for the first hour or so enroute the Torres del Paine National Park; full clothing gear required.

Having the template of the Perito Moreno ride day before yesterday set me up for the ride today. Helge said it would be splendid. It was. Pictures cannot tell the story it was that good. The difference today is that we were in the ‘Torres del Paine’ mountain range which is separate and distinct from the Andes. It is worth a trip down here just to experience this magnificence. It was a 200 plus km day back and forth on good dirt roads with lots of tourist buses big and small doing the same as us. There was no rush. We stopped often. It was almost like we were all at a loss for words it was that moving to be here. The nearby mountains felt like you could reach out and touch them. At one point there was a great roaring, thunderous crash and we witnessed a good sized avalanche in the distance.

I got a little busy with the camera and took 196 pics, deleted 72 and will double that when I get home.

Helge kindly got out his super duper camera lens’s, lay down on the road at a strategic spot and got some great shots of us coming and going with a national geographic back drop. If I ever get around to making up a coffee table book of these trips that will be the cover page.

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I do not want to go on further and bore myself or anyone else with superlatives. It was kind of like driving West from Calgary and approaching the Rockies from a distance. You get nearer and nearer and are inspired by the beauty and majesty of nature. Times about Five.

Day 57, Sun, Mar 25th

Hotel Tres Pesos, Torres del Paine to Hosteria Tunkelen, Cerro Sombrero, 391 km

I awoke early, couldn’t sleep so decided to do a bit of writing and then get a few more winks. It was quiet as a church mouse. Suddenly out of nowhere the wind hit our house/hotel like it thundering locomotive. The very foundations were struggling, my window felt like it was going to blow in. I wondered whether the bikes were going to be okay and hoped that everyone had tied down their covers properly. It was a bit of a wake up call that things can change in a hurry around here and I was glad to be cosy and warm. 

At 7:15 am Ron knocks on my door “Nick, your bike tipped over in that windstorm, come on, I’ll help you pick it up!”

Ron underway on a back country road

So started the day, much warmer than yesterday, a bit windy but manageable. At a rest stop this nice man in a van came to say ‘Hola’. We communicated in a limited way until he started to express himself vigorously about the potential wind conditions around here. I acknowledged this, placed my hands together in a prayer position and looked to the heavens. He laughed loudly nodding his head in agreement.

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When driving in wind you move your bike as far over in your lane on the wind side as you can then you tilt your bike and yourself as much into it as you also can. In this manner when there is a gust, you can alleviate the situation without being hurled off the road. When a truck rolls by you hold on for dear life until the turbulence subsides. I am actually exaggerating a bit here because it was not that bad today. Still, on a very windy day if you stopped perpendicular to the wind you would both be knocked over. Luis and Moris from Bogotá, Colombia had to park their bikes somewhere north and rent a car to get to Ushuaia last year it was so bad.

Paul and Spike, the “Bobsey twins”, which one is superman?

Although we have one day to go, I feel like we have lucked out on this last part with the weather. Not only have we had clear sky great sight seeing days, the riding conditions have been way better than could be expected. This partially makes up for a lot of crappy stuff already discussed before and after Santiago.

A few points:

-the road kill is mostly rabbits and skunks killed in the glare of headlights at night

-I have seen 3-4 species of bird life living well off the entrails- mostly a hawk like scavenger bird called a Caracara

-the famed Condor bird has been nowhere to be seen

-the signs going by all say ‘Ruta Fin de Mundo’, route to the end of the world, a great marketing phrase to bring people here

Very first sighting of Strait of Magellan, kind of wavy!

-I couldn’t help but stop at my first sighting of the famous ‘Strait of Magellan; more on that later but at 600 km long, what a fascinating passage

-Tierra del Fuego where I am now stems from all the bonfires the natives  built when Magellan arrived; Fuego means fire in Spanish

-this place really is the end of the earth; Ushuaia is at 55 degrees latitude far further south than the Cape of Good Hope and Capetown both at 34 degrees; - I am told from people who know that you have to really watch yourself from the 50 degree mark south

- there are gargantuan tides down here with swings up to 28 feet (8th most in world with our Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia being number one at 38’)

-pushing my last DeLorme InReach button location indicator tomorrow will be a moment of pure pleasure!

Day 58, Mon, Mar 26th

Hosteria Tunkelen, Cerro Sombrero to Hotel Beagle, Ushuaia, 426 km

Last ride! After a skimpy breakfast off everyone went to our sixth (all remote except one) and last border crossing back into Argentina. There was no drama and the day was pleasant with dry, good roads and reasonable conditions. Here are a few pics of roadway issues that can let you know that things can get nasty around here:

Nearly every sand bagged highway sign had been blown over

As I closed in to Ushuaia it was with mixed emotions. It has been an intense and sometimes arduous trip both on and off the bike. I certainly felt a sense of accomplishment. This trip has been longer than either of the other two in terms of distance, 14,200 km versus 13,000 for the other two. The riding conditions have been more challenging too with extreme elevation changes, inclement weather and rough roads to deal with. There is definite satisfaction in seeing all of us arrive safely because this was not a walk in the park ride to the bottom of the world.  The euphoric feelings after completing the Africa journey were just not as evident though. The majesty of Africa, its wildlife, its scenery and its origination for all of us held me in its thrall in ways that South America could not.

I do not want to get into comparables because that would not be fair. Both trips have been terrific in different ways as was the Silk Road back in 2011 which is becoming more of a good memory. South America is an awesome continent, it is just that there is so much potential here that has not been realized. I think it comes down to two main things with lots of subsets: education and governance. While Argentina and Chile are by far the most progressive of the 6 countries visited, all of them need to educate, educate, educate their young people to prepare them for a better life. That along with better and less corrupt government which I do not have time or competence to elaborate on would go a long way to improving life on this amazing continent.

Here are a few random thoughts:

-there are no wind turbines here I guess because there is not enough population to support the investment, would be a ready form of available energy

-everyone had mishaps with bikes falling nearly all in manoevering situations; I counted mine for awhile and then decided to forget the exercise; my one face plant and camera strap getting tangled up were more memorable

-wish I could better communicate what I have seen on this trip as pictures only tell a very partial story; my Canon SX60HS has taken a real beating but has performed admirably

-I really love to engage locals, to talk to them about stuff whenever the opportunity arises, it really makes for a more interesting experience

-Wikipedia has been an excellent primer for what I have seen on this trip and a perfect way to get a little local knowedge about things

-after all the excitement and routine of the trip it might seem a little boring for awhile when I get home; there will be an adjustment but I think I will like boring just fine!

Ushuaia means “deep bay” in local native language of the time. It is a small place of 60,000 famous for being the southern most city in the world. In 1833 a British Captain,  Robert Fitz Roy first set up a settlement here. Ushuaia is noted for fishing, oil and gas, sheep farming and quite a lot of tourism.

Day 59, Tue, Mar 27th

Hotel Beagle, Ushuaia, 48 km

This was a short nostalgic ride to the very end of the road where tourists come in droves to wander around and take pictures. As I drove here I was thinking a lot about Ferdinand Magellan all those years ago and what it must have been like for him. It was exactly 500 years ago (less two) that he was credited with the first circumnavigation of the globe. He was an accomplished Portuguese ships captain who had fallen out of favour with his king. He was finally able to wrangle a commission from the Spanish king and off he went with a complement of 242 men on 5 small ships. Down here he was waylaid and had to quell a mutiny of three of his captains. He wound up getting killed in a skirmish with natives in the Philippines in 1521 at the age of 41. Wikipedia has a good write up about him.

After our pics and hoorahs we headed back to town to get our filthy bikes washed and begin the paperwork and packing process to containerize bikes and gear to ship home.

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Last order of battle today was a nostalgic good bye and celebration dinner for Jairo who is heading home to Cartagena, Colombia via Buenos Aires to pick up his son for a week’s ride then meet his wife in Santiago. Thanks for all, Jairo!

Day 60/61, Wed/Thur, Mar 28th/29th

Hotel Beagle, Ushuaia, 0 km

This morning we headed out on a 4 hour excursion on a nifty catamaran that speeds to 18 knots. It was a beautiful flat calm morning that blustered up enroute and there is a wind warning for this afternoon. Sylvia, our very knowledgeable guide said that we often get four seasons in one day here. She provided lots of info on the area and it’s wildlife. We saw two species of penguins (fascinatingly complex colonies called Antartica and Magellan) two species of cormorants, sea lions and fur seals in abundance (no Orcas but Humbacks inhabit the area). There has to be a ton of feed under the water to support these numbers. Apparently the cormorants and penguins can dive to depths of 50 metres. I did not see one sea gull.

We are getting very close to the end game, tonight is our farewell dinner. Tomorrow I head to Buenos Aires for a short visit and then home Air Canada via Santiago and Toronto. It has been quite an adventure for this soon to be septuagenarian rider! I have been in touch with my mortality a few times! It has been a very worthwhile life experience. I always learn something about myself.

In conclusion, I have been riding with some very experienced motorcycle buffs. They all own multiple machines and know as much about motorcycles and riding as I know about boats. I have felt fortunate to have kept up, more or less! Helge has done his usual superlative job of managing any and all issues from breakdowns to flat tires to detours on the road to keep us all on the straight and narrow so to speak. No one can do it any better as commented on by my Brazilian friend Gustavo Bertici (mentioned in Day 37 on our washout day) who sent me a message recently that said in part:

Wow, wow, wow !!! Nick, I was reading your blog and ... Are you a friend of the legendary Helge Pedersen ?! Wow!!!

Certainly he is one of three people (living or dead) with whom I would like to talk about life (the other two are: Leonard Cohen and Aristotle).

If possible, tell him that his book ("10 Years on 2 Wheels", which unfortunately is sold out in Brazil - what I read was borrowed from a friend), as well as his blog, influenced me a lot in trying to become a " Long-Distance Motorcyclist "- which I'm still far from, but I try to improve every year.

And here's a funny fact: When I read that the great Helge Pedersen also does not use and does not like the "tank bags", I felt happy and relieved, because everyone here uses this equipment that I also hate! ... Hahahahahaha ...

Again, I reinforce the idea of staying in touch and thank you for the beautiful words dedicated to me on your blog.

I will continue to read your blog and follow up frequently.

A big hug! Gustavo Bertuci

Sebastian Colombres my excellent and very helpful BMW connection in Santiago (mentioned in Day 40) also sent me this email that I think really captures the essence of what this trip is all about:

You`ve had quite an adventure, and those are the things we remember, we can always look back at nice portrait pictures, clouds, mountains, lakes, etc...but the feeling of overcoming and having succesfully navigated a hard day, thats the pay off...you are coming near to the end of one of your trips again, tired, with thousands of miles on your back, lots of new people and experiences, this is the final stretch to the finish line (your home), enjoy the ride!

Little did he know that there was much more to follow, some of the most challenging parts of the journey! Thanks for these words of wisdom Sebastian, they really stuck with me.

That is all for now from this writer. Thanks for following along and I really appreciated your messages of support most of which I was unable to reply to for various reasons. Over and out, Nick G.

Adventure definition- an unusual and exciting, typically hazardous, experience or activity. Synonyms: exploit, escapade, deed, feat, experience.

Photos Now Included- Missive #6, Fri, Mar 9th to Mon, Mar 19th

Missive #6, Fri, Mar 9th to Mon, Mar 19th, 2018

Day 41, Fri, Mar 9th

Hotel Crown Plaza, Santiago, 0 km

A slow day in Santiago working on the mail out of Missive #5 and going for a walkabout in this nice, large city of 7 mm plus. We met in the lounge at 7 pm to say goodbye to Debbie, Harrison and Bob, most unfortunate. Debbie it turns out has an upcoming gall bladder operation as a result of tests done here. Understandably she wants to have this done in Seattle so Harrison wants to go home with her. Bob has a continuing right eye sight problem. He burst a small blood vessel in the high altitude of Bolivia and without proper depth perception has been unable to ride for the past few weeks. As a result of a thorough check up with an ophthalmologist here in Santiago and in consultation with his specialist at home in Maryland he has decided to cut his trip short and head home too.

So we are down from on original 12 plus Helge to 9 and 7 bikes for the last third of the trip heading south through Patagonia to Tierra del Fuego.

I had the pleasant opportunity to have dinner with the brother of Jorge Letelier. Jorge is a Coca Cola employee from the 1980’s that I hired and he is still there at 62 years of age. His older brother Felipe lives in Santiago so he came to the hotel with one of his good pals and we had a nice visit speaking about all things Chilean.

Day 42 and 43, Sat/Sun, Mar 10th/11th

Hotel Crown Plaza, Santiago to Hotel Sheraton, Los Angeles, 518 km

 Hotel Sheraton, Los Angeles to Hotel Sonesta, Osorno, 418 km

Ho hum race down the autopisto for two days close to 1,000 klics. I was of a mixed mind, wanting more challenge in one way and glad to have some easy riding on the other. My GPS kept saying 'Autopisto del Mappo' as the miles clicked by. 

This gives me an opportunity to say a few things:

-I am somewhat concerned about this last stage. We are moving in to early winter the further south we go. It will be wet and cold with rain and possibly even some snow. On top of that, the 'Roaring 40's'  roar in from west to east potentially making riding hazardous. I have begun monitoring weather reports at some of our destinations to get a sense of things so hopefully we can skirt through. Unlike Namibia where we were thrown to the wolves early on with difficult riding in the desert, here we are all at the top of our riding skills, seasoned veterans of the road so to speak. We will deal with whatever comes and work very hard at riding safe.

-with all of the traffic my enjoyable habit of honking or waving at truck traffic is a thing of the past

-we are definitely back in civilization and modernization almost first world as compared to some of the country's to the north; the standard of living and general prosperity is far higher

-the gdp of Chile is about $16, 000 per person about $1,000 more than Argentina; the population is far lower at 18 mm compared to 45 mm and the country is about a quarter the size at 757, 000 sq km.

-the countryside south of Santiago so far is flat, rural farmland; lots of wine growing, close to sea level, actually quite pretty but not necessary to load up on photos as we can see this anywhere

-I am seeing a lot of big bikes going north and south, likely coming or going to one of the famous "ends of the world" so to speak

-sometime today we hit 10,000 klics on the odometer setting for this trip

-I would like to buy some long underwear but all the stores are closed this being Sunday in Chile and most of the towns going forward will be even more one horse than this one (Osorno).

There are a lot of toll booths down here! Stop, start, get your pesos out, quite an exercise when you are all bundled up. One today was really quite humorous, maybe you had to be there. The rain was coming down hard and it was cold so I was all trundled up with wet gear including my XXL fishing gloves. I get to this toll booth and try to explain my handicap, gesturing almost like a zombie. The gal still wants my 800 pesos. I gesture my problem and where my money is, vehicles behind me, etc. Out she comes, helps me pull down my waterproof pants, unzips my riding pants pocket, pulls out my bill fold and presto has my 800 pesos. We both had a bit of a laugh over that!

You can bypass this paragraph if you like but I can't. Since all my switches were changed in Santiago some funny things have been happening on my dash readout. I have been carefully protecting my overall milage indicator for this trip and it has zeroed out by itself. Then my fuel range indicator said 66 km remaining so I stopped and got what should have been close to 30 litres of fuel but only could fill 24 lites. This is a bit of a problem because when we are in remote southern areas with little fuel available I need to be on top of what I have consumed versus what is left to go. Normally I should get approx 600 klics per tank but this readout indicated range of only 450 km.  I will have to monitor this readouts going forward to get a better handle on this.

Franco has taken over Debbie and Harrison's room and Jairo our very nice Colombian sweeper has taken over Bob's room. One of the benefits is that I now get a room to myself! It is really cool to have extra towels on hand to wrap your washed, quick dry clothing in to wring out the extra dampness. You should see the place, stuff all over. I have been so tidy, respectful of my rooming companion and now I get to let my hair down, nice.

Day 44, Mon, Mar 12th

Hotel Sonesta, Osorno to Hotel Ayres del Nahuel, Bariloche, 246 km

Today we crossed the border back into Argentina for the second time and I am now in the famous town of Bariloche. It was a bit of a hazardous run due to cold, rain and wind, actually down to 2 degrees on my bike readout. In conditions like this, slow and cautious rules the day around turns because it can be a bit slippery. Glad I have new tires!

Some people have been inferring that I may not be having as much fun on this trip as the Africa one. First of all, in aggregate, that is true. Second, these trips are not all fun anyway; a lot of it is hard work slogging from one place to another, you never know what is around the next bend in the road, what might be getting served for breakfast, or not, what meal you will pick away at for dinner etc etc. Aside: my go to meal of choice is ‘truta’ or local trout, pretty hard to screw that up; I always ask for it to be lightly cooked but it always shows up well done. It is opened up and looks heart shaped often with the head on, it should be tender and appetizing but it is really just a way to get some protein with over cooked steamed vegetables on the side.

Then you get to the group dynamics itself. No matter how good the group is, towards the end most things that have been discussed and said have been time after time so that gets a bit boring too. For the most part except for one exception, I have enjoyed all of our group.

Then it's the actual ride itself, the history and culture of what you are seeing and experiencing. Here there is divergence too. South America is just not as dynamic for this traveller as the two previous trips. There are too many 'same, same' days, not enough variety, just different from what I expected on balance.

I judge a trip on fifths: 20% the joy of being on the motorcycle, navigating from A to B; 20% the scenery and viewpoints and activity on the road; 20% the group dynamics, 20% Helge's leadership and ability to add to the trip itself and 20% the people I meet along the way. This trip falls behind the other two in this comparison.

I am really glad to be here don't get me wrong! The very best way to see a continent, warts and all is on a motorcycle. As I have mentioned before, the sights, sounds, smells of the road are up front and personal in a visceral way that no other form of travel can provide. We have seen the best and the worst of South America just like Africa and the Silk Road.

Is it possible that the passage of time changes reflections on a trip like this? Do you naturally fade out the bad parts and focus on the good memories? I think so. There were lots of difficult days on the Silk Road and in Africa too.

I think the benefit of travelling the Silk Road was to see the sheer history of this ancient trading highway and it's complex ways to move people and goods thousands of miles before seafarers largely replaced it in the 1500’s. In Africa, the meagre lifestyles of many of the people's was more than made up by the dignity and cheeriness of the locals beavering away for the betterment of themselves and their families in the face of sometimes overwhelming odds, some surviving on $2 per day. Then there was the scenery and mystery of Africa to contemplate in all its unfathomable complexity. In South America, I am still searching for that tight little summary to put it all together and hope to do so before the end of the trip.

Bariloche was and is a haven for outdoor activity from climbing to skiing to enjoying the very large lake it resides beside; the climate is temperate and conducive to attract visitors in droves. Europeans especially Germans came early and never left. It is a town of 200, 000 and caters to tourists in a big way. It is said that it is resembles a little Switzerland (I do not see that personally) and it is full of chocolate shops.

We are due to be here 2 nights but I have run out of things to see and do so will leave early, get a rest from my gang and go down to Trevelin south of Esquel to see an old friend David Hyslop who has been wintering there for the last 10 years or so.

Day 45, Tue, Mar 13th

Hotel Ayres del Nahuel, Bariloche, 0 km

I got some money and enjoyed a McDonald’s breakfast before heading out. I have also purchased some extra clothing for warmth. At the Motoventura place in Osorno I bought some long underwear and glove liners both quite expensive as they are designed for bikers in this climate. In Bariloche I went on a hunt for some mittens as finger gloves eventually go cold on you even with heated grips. I looked absolutely everywhere with no luck. Eventually on the edge of town I found this ski shop that sold high alpine, waterproof mittens that slide over whatever you are wearing underneath. I am so happy to have these as they will be way better than the rubber fish cleaning ones that were too restrictive and hard to get on and off.

It was a nice ride down the rather decrepit highway to Esquel (40,000 population) looking at craggy mountain peaks, much like home- lots of pines, firs, cedars and various evergreens. It then became almost Cariboo like in terrain. It was windy but it was mostly on my rear quarter. No rain.

I had previously been in touch with Jeremy Wood who is a European living here. He is married to Christina and has a 7 year old son. He and David are great pals and he was able to update me on David’s various health problems. Together we bought dinner and wine and headed 28 km south to the little town of Trevelin population 12,000.


Coming into Esquel.                   Fisherman’s Winter, David’s home 

Dinner with David after Jeremy left was interesting to say the least. There is not much to elaborate on except that his physical health (diabetes etc.) has deteriorated a lot since I last saw him and he has lost a lot of weight. He was very glad to see me and I was very glad to provide some conversation at least for one night.

With regard to food issues, he agrees with me. He says that nothing gets hung long enough here, it gets slaughtered and eaten right away. He has an agreement with his butcher to do otherwise. Also, the meat does not have the same marbling as home so it is more chewy and less flavourful.

We also agree that the cost of living is very high here relative to wages. Inflation has been up to 40% and is now down to about 20. There have been so many generations of very poor and corrupt  government that it will take more generations of good government to fix it.

Day 46, Wed, Mar 14th

Hotel Ayres del Nahuel, Bariloche to Hosteria El Coiron, Esquel, 284 km

Spent the day chatting with David at his nice home in Trevelin and driving around the village doing a few errands. He is having trouble walking due to balance and lower leg issues. We are heading north back to Esquel this aft to dine with Jeremy and I will bunk back in with my guys at the local watering hole there. 

Update on dinner, just a splendid evening. Jeremy’s wife Christina is a member of a prominent farming family in this area and they own a ton of acreage. She is also a great cook. The slow cooked lamb I think was the best I have ever tasted, mind you I was sure due for a good meal.

Jeremy and Christina have this lovely 7 year old precocious son called Tommy. I could see he is a character but he was off in a jiff to stay with his grandparents. David and I were royally entertained and enjoyed some fine wines along with the dinner.


Jeremy, Christina and David

I love to get the local perspective on things. I think I have it right in saying that the previous husband/wife political team called the Kirchners basically robbed to country (once again) of nearly all its wealth, just terrible kleptomaniacs, billions and billions. How this can be allowed to happen in this day and age of enlightenment is beyond me, so sad for all of the taxpayers who eventually have to fund it. They do not like the centralized power of Buenos Aires, no surprise. The new president over the past 3 years or so is a breath of fresh air but has a long way to go.

All in all a very pleasant evening and David is lucky to have such caring friends.

Day 47, Thur, Mar 15th

Hosteria El Coiron, Esquel to Hosteria Alemana, Puero Puyuhuapi, 264 km

264 kilometres doesn’t seem like too bad of a day, that is if you don’t read Helge’s write up below: “take it easy on the upcoming narrow dirt roads, this is beautiful riding but quite unpredictable in places”. Well, that for sure is true, especially today. What we were supposed to see was mostly obscured due to the weather.

It started out on the Argentinian side quite complex. The gravel road to the border (our third crossing and likely three more) was loose and full of small stones and slushy stuff.   For about 50 km it was not much fun but had to be done.

I was on my own near the front and somewhere Franco was around too. We had a mishap yesterday afternoon. Helge’s side car which causes one helluva lot of stress on  all of the components of his machine resulted in the front end coming loose around the  front shock area. He was thrown from the bike at manageable speed and is none the worse for wear but was lucky. As a result, the repair job required some to stay behind to help out while the rest of us pressed on.

Crossing the border into Chile for the 3rd time.

Past the easy border check into Chile the roads became better. What was a 40-50 km road became a 60 km per hour road. I really enjoyed the back country vistas, observing the local farming community, seeing the guys wearing parkas to shield the rain on their horses riding with their sheep dogs running alongside to go and check their herds was a real treat. As the weather soured more and more I fortunately ignored it while I connected with what was around me.

I layered up with wet gear, stopped for a sandwich break and just pressed on. It was a 6.5 hour day to go a lousy few hundred klics (including breaks) but that’s the way it goes around here. At one point I was tired and sleepy so stopped in a little rain shelter for a 17 minute siz. Wish I had a picture of the little hole in the wall but it was raining so hard my camera would have got water logged just like me.

Refreshed I pressed on. It is easy to feel sorry for yourself until you see the pedal bikers doing their thing. It was just awesome! There they are in the middle of damn nowhere on a dirt road plodding along. I bet I saw at least 20 to 30 of them in various small groups and I honked at everyone; at one place they were fixing a flat tire in the pouring rain; one guy was literally in the bushes hiding under a tree holding his bike, a miserable wreck of a human being just trying to shield himself from the rain.

It was a bleak day, let’s face it but that is what you get in a foreign country in the middle of nowhere. Along the way I felt like I was eating grit. How in the heck could this stuff from the road get inside my helmet and visor and actually into my mouth? When I stopped for a pee break, the answer was obvious. There was grit everywhere, on my clothing, on my bike, wherever, partly the result of passing cars kicking it up and leaving it behind with me.

So here I am, fueled up and relatively comfortable in my little hotel room. Two of us have arrived and it is 3 pm, pretty late actually compared to a normal day.

Let me tell you, it is really, really owly out! When you are in it, there is no choice, when you are observing it behind a closed window, it is something else again. Think of the worst sou’easter of wind and rain anchored on the Sprite V at the bottom end of Dennison with no fishing even a possibility and you have some idea. I am sitting up close to a propane heater in my room drying out my supposedly waterproof gear and warming up at the same time. It is a very quaint little pension type character place and the only game in this small village.

Have some of you been to Zeballos on the Westcoast of Vancouver Island? It is a remote mining and resources town, pretty uninhabited now where it rains all the time, about 250” a year. Well, Puerta Puyuhuapi reminds me exactly of Zeballos, complete with the rain and the wind, very exposed to the elements. I am going to go out to my bike now and send a Delorme InReach message so people on that mail out can see exactly where this joint is.

I am actually happy to be here! It is miserable out and the nice lady in charge sold me a home made beer for too much money but I don’t care, they have to survive too. I am now warm and reasonably dry and do not yet wish to contemplate the rigours of tomorrow which will likely be more of the same!




Exhausted getting fuel; Puyuhuapi’s amazing graveyard

Day 48, Fri, Mar 16th

 Hosteria El Coiron, Puero Puyuhuapi to Hotel Dreams, Coyhaique, 234 km

We had one of the best meals of the trip last night, braved the weather (no choice, the only joint available) and hiked 200 metres in the downpour to this little place for an 8 pm opening- nothing opens before then in either of these countries. Most of us had salmon and it was delicious, cooked just right with mashed potatoes and copious amounts of beer and vino to celebrate our survival and newly grown web feet.

It rained like he'll hath no fury last night then around daylight it stopped, what a blessing! I actually got to go outside, remove my bike cover and get organized for the day's ride without getting drenched at the outset.

Not that I was totally absolved. It did rain, it rained a lot, but nothing like yesterday. There was a lot of road construction, waits for huge equipment to get out of the way and then slow forward movement through gravel road beds that were challenging; a few short years ago I would have filled my pants in panic but not now.

My new bag in Patagonia.

I have another revelation, not just the rain being more than the other two trips combined; the off road dirt and gravel has also been more than the other two trips as well. No problem, I actually enjoy the challenge. Fix your gaze on the horizon, stand up to lower your center of gravity (your weight is centered on the pedals not the seat, you get a much better viewpoint, kind of like a paddle board versus a kayak) and away you go.

I sense some apprehension in our group, deservedly so. Everyone is anticipating what is to come, therefore lots of discussion- more cold, more wet, snow possibilities, lots of wind etc. I think Helge likes it this way, keeps everyone on edge, planning for the unknown. He knows this stuff backwards and forwards. None of us would be remotely close to stuff like this if he wasn't the instigator and we hadn’t signed up.

It is invigorating as can be to be out here. You are in the middle of nowhere, somewhere on the far westcoast of South America on a dirt road full of potholes up to your rims and you keep wondering 'what in the good lords name do you think you are doing here'? Believe me, everyone else is too! That's part of the fun of it.

 

I left first because I wanted to get to Sam's fishing camp and meet Pancho and Phillip the proprietors. It was a bit hard to find but I made it after several enquiries. Both guys commiserated about the weather and were a bit awestruck about the trip in its totality. Apparently the rain around here is 3-3.5 metres (approx 100 to 150 inches)! I am not surprised.

Pancho at Los Torreones Lodge in Patagonia

A couple of quick observations and then I am done for the day:

-all the half decent hotels we stay at have noisy casinos attached to them, most with no one in them

-quite a few of the guys have very wet, leaking boots, riding suits etc.; my goretex Sidi boots are bullet proof, so glad I spent the extra money Jody Evans recommended and Helge has the same ones

-my BMW Motorrad bag crapped out after about 10 years of use, the diagonal zipper broke down; I bought a newer version in Santiago, expensive but way more efficient; with the water and grit all over the place, sure glad I did

-switches and buttons on handle bars: they all look great in the showroom, work great on sealed roads but let me tell you, off-road is a different story; my gps rotator wheel to zoom in and out the display on my screen hardly works it is so gummed up

-there are raging rivers all over the place, beautifuI to look at; have been half expecting to see washed out roads like further north but have been spared

-some Mercedes mini vans going by, tourists being escorted through this Patagonia region, glad my riding option is different

-I stopped to take a few pics but the ceiling levels and general viewpoints are not conducive for good photography and my camera face is usually fogged, blotched or both

-important distinction confirmed by Pancho and Phillip: unlike North America, South America has almost no natural wildlife of its own. Deer were introduced way back and a few other species but in general there is nothing like what we have at home, surprising and do not know the answer to this riddle.

Day 49, Sat, Mar 17th

Hotel Dreams, Coyhaique to Hotel Americano, Perito Moreno, 259 km

This was our 4th border crossing from Chile back into Argentina. These little out of the way places are much more friendly and less demanding.

Helge told us to expect rough gravel conditions for 100 km after the border and he was mostly right. It was rough but for 104 km! The good news was that we had lots of sunny fine weather with little wind to distract us. The gravel road build up was to be feared and I was on the pegs almost all the way to get a better viewpoint. I did my best to follow narrow road tracks that were more compacted but occasionally there were piles of stuff you had to wade through with the front tire wandering all over the place. I was glad to get back to the sealed road for sure.

Along the way a small fox ran beside me for about 200 metres which was cool. I saw more bird life and spotted two birds of prey likely hawks of some kind perched on power poles. 

Every morning when I make the same sandwich on stale hard bread I wonder whether I will be able to eat it later. It is always very delicious when the time comes. I got to the intersection of gravel and pavement first at slow speed and without stopping and almost dropped the bike I was so fatigued. The others arrived within a half hour and we had a pow wow before heading into our little town and little hotel in the middle of nowhere for the night.

Here is a perfect example how tough things must be in Argentina for the average person/family trying to make ends meet with aggressive inflation and likely meagre wages. Our hotel is fine but no dinner and I am unsure of breakfast in the morning. We walk to an okay place and have an okay meal (maybe). I think, what’s my back up? There is a grocery store across the street so over I go for some insurance. I buy one orange, one avocado, one small box of crackers and two apples. Total cost? $7.58 Canadian! Having a sweet tooth and finding no ice cream I then go on a walk about and find this confectionary store full of too much alcohol for sale. I buy a nice drumstick ice cream, total cost $3.75. Not affordable, even for me!

Day 50, Sun, Mar 18th

Hotel Americano, Perito Moreno to Estancia La Angustura, La Angustura, 319 km

How do we confront fear? In our fortunate circumstances where we live and exist, fear is not somethingthat we have to think often about from day to day. In many parts of the world where I have travelled by motorcycle, fear is an everyday occurrence. What about me then? Lying awake last night listening to the wind literally whistling past my window I had to put my ear plugs in for the first time since I have been rooming alone. It was disconcerting. What would the ride be like tomorrow, how would the wind affect the outcome?

It did not take long to find out. I got my breakfast out of the way and was on the road first by 8:30 as it takes longer to get light in these southern areas. The morning was magnificent, the road was perfect and although it was cold I was in a pleasant heaven with very light traffic and all by myself.

For a change there was some road kill to contemplate although nothing to take advantage of it. The scenery was splendid and I watched lots of Guanaco (deer like creatures, furry, much smarter) and Piche (like a small osterich) close to the road. 

The only challenge was we had been advised that the last 40 km to get to our isolated lodgings would be challenging. For sure it was. It was a step above yesterday with the advantage being that it was a lot less mileage. The wind was blowing hard, the gravel build up was significant and it took all my skills to manage the challenge as I could not stand up to look ahead; the sail affect blowing me around was too difficult. It all worked out as I literally talked out loud to myself the whole way. My word of choice when my front wheel veers into the heavy gravel is “woops And I must have said that 100 times along the route.

We arrived at this 102 year old working farm in the middle of  nowhere. It is famous for South American off road riders to come to and is pretty much fully booked. Because we are so isolated we filled up with local farm gas to tide us over to civilization tomorrow.

The very best thing about this place? No internet! We actually had to speak to each other! Not that we don’t but you get my drift. It is just like home, we are all anchored to our cell phones. So one guy, not to be named is in between relationships and has been for a long time. He is looking to get reconnected. How? Big challenge. Not easy. You have to look into yourself and get real honest and understand your own issues before you can be of any use to someone else. So, over about 4 hours, with his enthusiastic encouragement, five of us waded in. It was an amazing interchange, one that he is very grateful for but so are we for being able to offer free advice (as my Dad used to say, ‘it is worth what you paid for it Nick’!). Still it was therapeutic for the recipient and a wonderful way for us all to communicate.

I think this afternoon’s discussion may turn out to be one of the highlights of our trip; a bunch of guys bonding in a common cause to assist one of our group.

Day 51, Mon, Mar 19th

Estancia la Angostura, La Angostura to Chaltens Suits Hotel, El Chalten, 327 km

Today’s two wheel ride was short and sweet, the four wheel ride less so.

We awoke to a sprinkling of snow on the ground and more coming down. It was cold but no wind, cloud cover on the deck. What to do? The proprietors are very familiar with the area of course and they told us that our intended direction of travel west was a ‘no-go’ pretty much, period. It would be 110 km of increasingly more difficult gravel in winter conditions.

Helge made the decision to re-route east instead of west. That would mean traversing back the 42 km we had been on yesterday, not pretty but still a lot more preferable than the alternative.

Out we went in the slop after wiping the snow off our bikes as best we could. It was manageable but not exactly pleasant. Everyone was in good spirits nonetheless. 

It was just the luck of the draw for me. It could have happened to any of us and in fact it did. Spike and Paul were ahead of us. I was the lead bike for the second group of five. I was doing just fine, following the track in the snow of the guys ahead of us. Suddenly there was this mess of brown mud in the snow about 100 feet in front of me where Spike had had a spill. I was in second gear doing about 20 mph. There was zero time to react and I was in the same mud bath a little short of where the other guys were. Down went the bike and me too!

The front windshield was damaged and a few other bits and pieces but the bike was okay and so was I. We were both covered in sticky mud. I waited for help, we assessed things and decided to load  the bike on the trailer and fix things later.

It was an unfortunate occurrence because it turned out to be the only real muddy bit of the road. I think that whoever was in the lead would have likely gone down too. The area required a dog paddle approach at ultra low speed to get through it. The wet mud was hidden under the snow cover and completely indiscernible until you were in it and it was too late. The bike just took on a life of its own, the tires filled with the goo and it was like being on black ice.

So I am in the back of the truck still covered in now drying mud licking my wounds and wondering whether to be embarrassed or not! I put it down to a chance occurrence. Only the best of our riders would have been able to recover.

To close this off we got to Puerto Santa Cruz on the east coast and stopped for lunch and fuel. We will now head 250 km south in some wind but clear skies to Rio Gallegos where we will find some rooms and overnight. Tomorrow, with good weather forecast we will head northwest 425 km to our original destination El Calafate. Just another day of excitement on the road!

Time to get this on the wire at our next half decent internet connection. Hope I can include some pics of the evidence!