I 
I 
I 
I 
I 
I   |
|
I
I
I
I
I
I |
|
|
  |
|
|
January 31 - February 3 We lounged around the Hostel Patagonia in the morning, and finally decided to make tracks out of Puerto Natales around 1:30. On our way out of the hostel patio, Iain discovered he had a flat tire, the first of the trip. As we were unloading his panniers again to patch the tube, we happened to leave three egg salad sandwiches on the ground next to a handlebar bag. The owner´s dog, Negro, took care of those in a hurry and we wound up making four more sandwiches in the hostel lobby and eating lunch before we left town. Got to keep an eye on the food! It was hot going leaving town, or hotter than we had been used to in Tierra del Fuego. We were helped along a bit by a tailwind, which was a novelty compared to what we had known for the last two weeks. About 20 km. out of town, we climbed an unnecessarily large hill and came to the Chilean customs. After passing through there, we continued to climb up to the Argentine customs and moved into Argentine land again. The massive uphill was rewarded by a huge descent into the town of Rio Turbio. From there, we began our first leg on the famous Ruta 40 that runs north through the Argentine Patagonia region to Salta in the northern part of the country. A beautiful afternoon, and still being pushed by a tail wind, we followed the Rio Gallegos through a valley and rode into the late evening. We saw an Andean condor that afternoon. These birds have a wingspan of over 10 feet and look like small airplanes as they cruise overhead. Amazing. We found a nice little sheep pasture and camped in a stand of trees up on a hill overlooking the road. That evening we tried something special, substituting chorizo (sausage) for the tuna in our famous dinner dish. Turned out quite tasty, and was a great way to finish a 70 km. day. The next morning we checked out of the sheep pasture at 5:30 a.m. and rode into a bearable headwind as the sun rose on Ruta 40. We saw a skunk, pink Andean flamingos, rheas (the Andean ostrich-like flightless birds), guanacos, and a wide variety of ducks and geese. At about 9:00 a.m. we arrived at the Tapi Aike cross roads where Ruta 40 veers north and turns into gravel. After a quick rest, egg sandwiches, and chocolate, we filled our water bottles and began on a 50 km stretch of rough gravel. The first 10 km. were some of the worst road we had seen, with huge, loose pieces of gravel making riding a bone and wrist-jarring task. We continued along through a light rain and at noon we arrived at an Argentine road crew´s camp. Tired of the gravel and drizzle and ready for a break, we pulled in. These guys were really nice. They invited us to eat lunch with them and needless to say, we accepted. After lunch we stretched out on the benches, slept for two hours, and were treated to coffee and homemade bread. Viva Argentina!! We took off from the construction camp well rested and pedalled another 30 km. to El Cerrito. At this crossing, Ruta 40 turns straight west to Calafate and also changes back to asphalt. At the corner, there was a Puesta de Vialidad, which is the office of the workers who manage the signs, gas lines, and maintenance of the Argentine roads. We pulled in, tired after a 120 km day and not feeling up to the roaring headwind that awaited us. Nestor, the man who was stationed at the post, told us it would be no problem to stay there and actually invited us to sleep in a couple of extra beds. We drank mate, cooked a huge dinner, had HOT SHOWERS, and slept comfortably. Cheers to Nestor!! The next morning dawned cold, clear, and breezy. We were on the road by 5:30 a.m., but it was too late. We pedalled into the wind, stopped by the road for a stretch and a snack, and continued on. Although it was still freezing cold and the wind was pounding, we kept pedalling and came to the top of a gorgeous overlook. Looking down, we could see an entire section of the Patagonian cordillera, Lago Argentina, Rio Argentina - all of it. Sometimes all of the cold and wind and tiredness and hunger are really worth it. . . There was a steep 8 km descent following the overlook and we were able to rest during 25 minutes of coasting, enjoying the marvellous view the whole time. However, at the bottom, the headwind was there to greet us. We stopped after a short while at a roadside hotel, ate lunch, and napped in the doorway. The owner, after not responding to our knocks and making the place look like it was closed, came out after four hours and scolded us for resting in his patio. Not wanting to deal with him for any longer than we had to, we pedalled on a bit. After 20 minutes and another 1.5 km., we couldn´t take the wind and pulled off on the side of the road. Sat down and read, wrote, and waited for the wind to calm. It never did, and we decided to camp right there and start early to finish the last 40 km. into Calafate. It was too windy to get the tent up, so we cooked and slept outside. That night, we tried substituting sardines for the tuna in our special dish. It came out too fishy, first and last try for that culinary creativity. The next morning
we were up at 3:00 a.m. and on the road by 3:30. An uneventful, pitch-black
ride into Calafate and we were there by 6:00. With nothing much to do
and not much open for breakfast, we found a place to wash our faces
and then drank mate until a nearby pastry shop opened. We ate more than
our fair share of pastries and passed the morning lounging in a plaza
and people-watching. We used the internet, ate lunch, and bought groceries
for the next leg of the trip. That afternoon we prepared to leave town
on the 82 km stretch to the famous Perito Moreno glacier that lies west
of Calafate. At 6:00 p.m., twelve hours after arriving, we rolled out
of Calafate into a beautifully calm evening. |
||
