Flying Through Far-Flungery

Three weeks on the road and I´m on the Pacific coast at Puerto Natales. The last three days cycling across the scrub desert from Chelten, thru El Calafate and across the border. Odd sight this morning - a Hereford bull standing in a minefield beside the road. I was pushing the bike at the time when the bull began to walk. The thought of that bull and the lush grass of the minefield stayed with me for awhile. Stopped at a roadside waterhole three days ago. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid stopped here after a bank robbery. I went into the bathroom to fill my waterbottles, glanced in the mirror and Butch Cassidy, bearded, sunburnt and dusy stared back - and grinned. The emptiness of the first two weeks has changed, now it´s filling with the wilds of Patagonia as the bike and I become part of the everchanging landscape. El Calafate and Chelten were like an adventure clothing convention In Beverly Hills. Mainstreet packed with tourists dressed in latest line in Goretex shouldering monster packs. They are bused in by coaches that are like cruise ships - videos, meals on trays and fully reclining seats - and then harvested by tour operators. Great comraderie amonst fellow cyclists. There is a Jack Kerorac (spelling?) love for the open road, cheap red wine and good stories. We get to experience what others may only see.

Into The Heart of Emptiness

Tomorrow I set off into the heart of emptiness. Two days in Coyhaique, pannier full of food , finally have cash and new brake pads that flash when applied - although may only be signaling to the condors. The profile of the climbs can be seen on www.panamerica.ch . The plan is to be make it to Cochrane in five days and Villa O´Higgins in two weeks. A handleful of other cyclists on the trail, stories of adventures crossing this marvellous terrain. Everything still working.

Seven days on the road

Patagonia has emptiness like Canada has snow. There is the emptiness of the steppe with the road stretching out in front to infinity. The stretch between El Bolson to Esquel was like that. Then there is the forgotten emtiness of the endless canyons or rather glaciated valleys after Futaleufu. Then there is the emptiness of of the scattered communities. I am glad I brought along four bags of oats - I could use some Spanish, an ATM and perhaps the good fortune to pass through a village when it´s open (siesta). Currently 80km north of Coyhaique in Chile -average 100km a day).

Life on the road - I start at 6am when camping and go until 8pm. I have been able to get one good meal in a day (no fuel yet for stove). I fill my water bottles from the many waterfalls. Wash clothes in the torrents rushing down the cliffs. Dry clothes on the bike and then wear them to finish drying. The sun is harsh and relentless, lips cracked and sunscreen barely works. Soaked every other day and then out comes the sun and I gradually dry out enough clothes to keep going. Bike taking a beating, brake pads half gone. Loose gravel and rocks hard to get traction.

Buenos Aires

I arrived in BA late afternoon, temperature 25c. BA like southern Italy, narrow busy streets, colonial buildings with massive wooden doors and fortified with wrought iron bars. Locals very friendy, though few speak English. Today I take a 20 hour bus ride across the pampas to Barilochi arriving midday, first I bike across the city from Kilca Hostel to the bus terminal.. Yesturday as I walked across much of downtown I was relieved to see how often motorists used their brakes. Barilochi famous for it´s chocolate, shan´t stay long, just grap a bag of oats and oil for the bike-chain and begin my peddle to the penguins. Plan to be in Tierra Del Fuego in 6 weeeks.

Patagonia by bike - Trip plan

The plan is to bike the section of the Andes Trail between San Carlos de Barilochi and Ushuaia.

Arrive Buenos Aires Nov 16, return to Toronto Jan 29,2010.
Two days in Buenos Aires, staying at Kilca Backpacker Hostel.
Bus to Barilochi.
Bike south through the Lake District to El Bolson and on to Esquel.
Turn west, cross border into Chile and on to Futaleufu.
Continue west to Villa Santa Lucia.
South on the Carreterra Austral highway.
Through the following towns: Puerto Puyhuapi, Coyhaique, Cochrane, Puerto Yungay and Villa O'higgins.
Cross the border back into Argentina.
Through Chalten, El Calefate, Puerto Natale, Puntas Arenas.
Cross the Straits of Magellan to Tierra del Fuego and on to Ushuaia.