browsinaboutonabike.com
  • Armenia 18/4/2016
  • Baku, Azerbaijan
  • Georgia
  • 2-3/4/2016 Trabzon to Batumi, Georgia
    • 21-27/3/2016 Atakent to Trabzon >
      • 12-21/3/2016 Cide to Akakent >
        • 6-11/3/2016 Eregli to Cide
  • 26/2-4/3/2016 Istanbul to Eregli
    • Istanbul 15-25/2/2016 >
      • London 30/1-15/2/2016 >
        • Istanbul 19-30/1/2016
  • Proposed Journey East from Istanbul, March 2016
  • Sth Africa 6-19/1/2016
    • South Africa 6/12/2015 to 6/1/2016
  • Namibia 24/10-5/12/2015
    • Namibia 1/10/2015 to 23/10/2015
  • Zambia 7-30/9/2015
  • 21/8/2015 Malawi
  • 30/7-20/8/2015 Kigoma to Malawi Border
    • 21-30/7/2015 Tanzanian border to Kigoma, Lake Tanganyika >
      • 18-20/7/2015 Kigali to Tanzanian border >
        • 12-15/7/2015 Gisenyi to Kigali >
          • 10-11/7/2015 Rwandan border to Gisenyi
          • 15th June to 8th July Uganda
  • Last days in Kenya
    • 1-6/6/2015 Meru to Nyahururu >
      • 28-31/05/2015 Kenol to Meru >
        • 2011-16 Map >
          • 12-18/10/2014 Beausejour to St Laurent do Maroni >
            • 7-11/10/2014 St Georges to Beausejour, French Guiana >
              • 3-7/10/2014 Amapá, Brazil to St Georges, French Guiana >
                • 1-2/10/2014 Porto Grande to Amapá, AP >
                  • 26-29/9/2014 Macapá to Porto Grande >
                    • 16-23/9/2014 Almeirim to Macapá >
                      • 11-16/9/2014 Rurópolis to Almeirim, PA,BR >
                        • New Page
                        • 13/8-10/9/2014 Rurópolis, BR to Christchurch, NZ, return >
                          • 2-12/8/2014 Altamira to Ruropolis >
                            • 1-4/8/2014 Pacajá to Altamira, PA >
                              • 29/7-1/8/2014 Marabá to Pacajá, PA, BR230
        • 21-28/5/2015 Ongata to Kenol >
          • 5-21/5/2015 Iten to Ongata Rongai, Nairobi >
            • 2-6/5/2015 Kitale to Iten >
              • 1-2/5/2015 Lodwar to Kitale, Kenya >
                • Kenya: Omorate to Lodwar 20/04- 1/05/2015
  • 12-18/4/2015 Abra Minche to Omorate, Ethiopia
    • 3-10/4/2015 Waliso to Abra Minch >
      • 16-30/3/2015 Dese to Waliso, Ethiopia >
        • Ethiopia 9-16/3/2015 Me'kele to Dese >
          • 19/2-8/3/2015 Ethiopia
  • 25/1-18/2/2015 Sudan
  • 16-17 Luxor to Aswan
    • 8-15/1/2015 Asyut to Luxor >
      • 7-10/1/2015 Giza to Asyut
  • 1-6/1/2015 Cairo
    • Proposed passage Cairo to Cape Town Jan 2015 >
      • 21/10-12/11/2014 Suriname and Guyana
  • Updated Gear List
  • Rodovia Transamazônica
  • 21- 25/7/2014 Redencáo to Marabá, PA
    • Pará: 17-22/7/2014 Confresa, MT to Redencao, PA >
      • 9-13/7/2014 Nova Xavantina to Confreza, MT >
        • 3-4/7/2014 Barra do Garcas to Nova Xavantina >
          • 26-31/6/2014 Rondonópolis to Barra Do Garcas, MT >
            • 20-23/6/2014 Rio Verde, MS to Rondonópolis, MT >
              • 13-17/6/2014 Bonito to Rio Verde de Mato Grosso >
                • 9-11/6/2014 Jardim to Bonito MS, BR >
                  • 7-9/6/2014 Pedro Juan Caballero, PY to Jardim,BR >
                    • 9,10,11/5/2014 Remanso to Concepción onboard MV Osmar >
                      • 6-7/5/2014 Remanso,PY >
                        • 6/5/2014 Asunción to Remanso, PY >
                          • 27/4-2/5/2014 Foz do Iguaco, BR to Asunción, PY >
                            • 24-26/4/2014 Andresito to Puerto Iguazu >
                              • 19-21/4/2014 El Soberbio to San Antonio, AR >
                                • 16-17/4/2014 El Progreso to El Soberbio, AR >
                                  • 13-15/4/2014 Apóstoles to El Progreso >
                                    • 28/3-1/4/2014 Buenos Aires,AR to Paysandu, UY >
                                      • Profile Paysandu to Brazil
                                    • 9-12/4/2014 Tapebicuá to Apóstoles, AR >
                                      • 8/4/2013 Sawmill, north of Bonpland to 3km sth of Tapebicuá
                    • 28-30/5/2014 Concepción to Pedro Juan Caballero PY >
                      • 23-25/5/2014 Aquidaban back to Concepción >
                        • 16-20/5/2014 Tres Gigantes Estación Biologica >
                          • 14-16/5/2014 Vallemi to Bahia Negra on the Aquidaban >
                            • 13/5/2014 Bus trip Concepción to Vallemi
                    • 1-6/6/2014, Pedro Juan Caballero
  • 25/1/2014 USHUAIA
    • 23-24/1/2014 Rio Grande to Rio Lasifashaj >
      • 22-23/1/2013 Punta Arenas, CL to Rio Grande, AR >
        • 16-19/1/2014 Puerto Natales to Punta Arenas >
          • 14-15/1/2014 Torres Del Paine National Park, CL >
            • 8-12/1/2014 El Calafate to Puerto Natales >
              • 1-7/1/2013 Villa O'Higgins, CL to El Calafate, AR >
                • 27-31/12/2013 Cochrane to Villa O'Higgins >
                  • 19-26/12/2013 Coyhaique to Cochrane >
                    • 12-18/12/2013 Rio Santiago Bastia to Coyhaique >
                      • 6-12/12/2013 La Piedra del Gato to Mañihuales >
                        • 5-9/12/2013 Quellón to La Junta, CL >
                          • 29/11/2013 5/12/2013 Castro to Quellón, Chiloe, CL >
                            • 24/11/2013 Puerto Montt to Castro >
                              • 16-23/11/2013, San Martín, AR to Puerto Montt, CL >
                                • 9-14/11/2013 Temuco, CL to San Martín de los Andes, AR
                                • Cunco to Temuco and Santiago by bus
                                • Untitled
                                • 20,21/10/2013 Malargue to Los Frisos,AR
                                • 22-29/10/2013 Las Frisas, AR to Cunco,CL
  • 13/3/2012 Penonomé to Playa Gorgona
    • 14/3/2011 Playa Gorgona to Panama City
    • 15,16/3/2011 Panama City >
      • 14/4/2012, Shelter bay & Gatun Locks >
        • 15,16/4/2012 Canal transit >
          • 17/4/2012 Shelter Bay Marina onboard SV Bijou >
            • Feb 2014, An account of a road trip in New Zealand
          • 18,19/4/2012 Shelter Bay Marina
      • 17.../3/2012 Onboard SV Moondance, Brisas de Amador >
        • 25 March to 9 April, Gorgona, PC,Las Bresas >
          • 11/4/2012, Shelter Bay Marina,SV Bijou
          • 12/4/2012, Shelter Bay, and a bit of exploring
        • 11/3/2012 Las Lajas to Santiago >
          • 12/3/2012, Santiago to Penonomé
  • 7/4/2013 Bella Unión, UY to north of Bonpland, AR
    • 4-6/4/2014 Salto to Bella Unión, UY >
      • 2-3/4/2014 Termas de Guaviyú to Salto
  • Overnight Stop Map
    • 20-27/4/2012 Passage Portobelo to Santa Marta, Colombia
    • 28-29/2012 Santa Marta
  • Chile to Argentina (click on this header for an entry)
    • 6/9/2013 59km up the road camping
    • 7/9/2013 the corner to Paso Jama, Argentina
    • 8/9/2013 Paso Jama to adobe ruins on Salar de Olaroz
    • 9/9/2013 Ruins to south of Susques
    • 10/9/2013 Sth of Susques to bottom of range, camping >
      • 11/9/2013 bottom of the range to Purmamarca
      • 12/9/2013 Purmamarca to Lake campground near Salta >
        • 13,14/9/2013 Dique Cobre Corral to Salta,AR >
          • Salta south >
            • 17/9/2013 Quebrada De Las Conchas to Cafayate
      • 19/9/2013 Cafayate to 15km to Rio El Tesaro, camping >
        • 20/9/2013 Rio El Tesaro to Rio Belén, sth of Hualfin
      • 21/9/2013 Rio Belén to Belén >
        • 22/9/2013 Belén to a creek bed 42km sth
        • 23/9/2013 creek bed to 10km nth of Pituil
        • 25/9/2013 north of Pituil to Chilecito
        • 25-30/9/2013 Chilecito, AR
        • 1-7/10/2013 Chilecito to Caucete, AR >
          • 9-12/10/2013 Caucete to Tunuyán, AR
      • 13-15/10/2013 Caucete to San Rafael, AR >
        • 17/10/2013 San Rafael to Malargue, AR
  • Chile from 28/8/2013
    • 29/8/2013 Ascotán to Chiu Chiu
    • 30/8/2013 Chiu Chiu to Calama, CL
    • 31/8,1/9/2013 Calama to San Pedro de Atacama, CL
  • 20/7/2013 Titicaca area to Bolivian border
    • 20/7/2013 Sicuani to Santa Rosa >
      • 21/7/2013 Santa Rosa to Juliaca >
        • 22/7/2013 Juliaca to 6km past Huancané >
          • 23/2013 Huancané to Conima, camping >
            • 24/7/2013 near Conima, Peru to Puerto Acosta, Bolivia >
              • 25/7/2013 Puerto Acosta to Nth of Ancoraimes
  • 26/7/2013 Nth of Ancoraimes to Achacachi
    • 27/7/2013 Achacachi to Copacabana >
      • 28,29/7/2013 Copacabana BO, Kasani PE, Copa. BO
      • 30/7/2013 Copacabana, BO to Desaguadero, PE
      • 31/7/2013 Desaguadero, PE to El Alto, BO
      • 1,2/8/2013 El Alto to La Paz
      • 3,4,5/8/2013 La Paz
      • 8/08/2103 La Paz to Nth of Ayo Ayo, Camping
      • 9/8/2013 Nth of Ayo Ayo to south of Villa, camping >
        • 10/8/2013 Sth of Villa to just sth of Oruro, camping >
          • 11/8/2013 Sth of Ororo to Sth of Pazna, camping >
            • 12/8/2013 Sth of Poopo to Challapata >
              • 13,to17/8/2013 Challapata to Jirira 18-26/8 to Ollague,Chile
  • Peru 20/4/2013.....
    • 20-22/4/2013, Macará to Olmos, PE
    • 23-27/4/2013 Olmos to Chachapoyas,PE
    • 27/4/2013, Chachapoyas, PE
    • Chachapoyas to Cajamarca, PE >
      • 1/5/2013 Lejmebamba to Cerros de Calla-Calla >
        • 2/5/2013 Cerros de Calla-Calla to Balsas >
          • 3/4/2013 Balsas to a farm house overlooking Limon >
            • 4/5/2013 farm house campsite to south of Celendin >
              • 5,6/5/2013 Sth of Celendin to Cajamarca
    • 7/5/2013 Cajamarca to 9km before Cajabamba >
      • 8/5/2013, 9 km north of Cajabamba to Laguna Sousacocha >
        • 11/5/2013 Haumachuco to Trujillo
        • 9,10/5/2013 Laguna Sausacocha to Huamachuco
      • 18/5/2013 Lima
      • 23-25/5/2013 Trujillo to Caraz, PE >
        • 26,27/5/2013 Caraz to Huaraz, PE >
          • 28/5/2013 Huaraz to 34km south of Pachocoto,PE >
            • 29/5/2013 Farm 25km past Chacapoto to 12km on Huánuco Rd >
              • 30/5/2013,12km up Huanuco road to camp at 4600m >
                • 31/5/2013 near summit to La Union
    • 1/6/2013 Huánaco to camp near Acobamba >
      • 2,3/6/2013 Camping near Acobamba to Huánuco
    • 16/6/2013 Huancayo to Cuzco and Machu Picchu >
      • 16/6/2013 Huancayo to south of Mariscal Cáceres, camping >
        • 17/6/2013 sth Mariscal Cáceres 4km sthLa Esmeralda,camping >
          • 18/6/2013 Sth of La Esmaralda to Huanta >
            • 19/6/2013 Huanta to Ayacucho
  • 22/6/2013 Ayaucucho to top of pass before Ocros, 4200m
    • 23/6/2013 cerca la cumbre a 5km sur de Puente Pampas >
      • 23/6/2013 Sur de Puente Pampas a 5km este de Uripa >
        • 24/6/2013 above Uripa to Andahualas >
          • 25/6/2013 Andahuaylas to 10km below the summit >
            • 26/6/2013 near the summit to Puente Pachachaca >
              • 29/6/2013 Abancay to Curahuasi >
                • 30/6/2013 Curahuasi to a camp on the Rio Apurimac >
                  • 1/7/2013 Rio Apurimac to Izcuchaca >
                    • 2/7/2013 Izcuchaca and Cuzco >
                      • 4,5/7/2013 Izcuchaca to Cuzco >
                        • 9,10,11/7/2013 Cuzco to Machu Picchu >
                          • 11-16/7/2013 Cuzco >
                            • 17/7/2013 Cuzco to Quiquijana camping on el Rio Vilcanota
              • 27,28/6/2013 Puente Pachachaca to Abancay
  • 4/6/2013 Huánuco to just south of Huariaca
    • 5/6/2013 Huariaco to Cerro De Pasco >
      • 7,8/5/2013 Cerro De Pasco >
        • 8/6/2013 Cerro De Pasco to Junín >
          • 9/6/2013 Junín to 20km south of La Aroya, camping >
            • 10/6/2013 Sth of La Aroya to Huancayo
  • Medellín to Ushuaia, 2013 (april 2013 here,)
    • 31/1/13 Riosucio to Anserma >
      • 1/2/2013 Anserma to Cartago >
        • 6/12/2015 to 4/1/2016 South Africa
        • 2/2/2013 Cartago to Buga >
          • 3/2/2013 Buga all day >
            • 4,5/2/2013 Buga to Cali >
              • 6/2/2013 Cali to Piendamo
    • 27/1 Medellín to Bolombolo
    • 28/1 Bolombolo to La Pintada >
      • 29/1/13 La Pintada to Supia >
        • 30/1/13 Supía to Riosucio
      • 8/2/2013 Timbio to El Bordo >
        • 6/3/2013, San Clemente to Manta, EC >
          • 7/3/2013 Manta,EC all day >
            • 9/3/2013, Manta to Tena by bus >
              • 12,13,14,15 Tena to Limoncocha >
                • 16,17/3/2013 Manta >
                  • 18-23 Manta, Galapagos, Manta >
                    • 24,25/3/2013 Manta to Machalilla NP, EC >
                      • 26/3/2013 Machalillo NP to Machalillo >
                        • 27/3/2013 Machalilla to Puerto Lopez >
                          • 228,29,30/3/2013 Puerto Lopez, EC >
                            • Untitled
                            • 31/3/2013, Puerto Lopez to Ayungue, EC
      • 19/2/2013 Otavalo, Ecuador all day >
        • 20/2/2013 Otavalo to Sth of Otón, Ecuador >
          • 21/2/2013 Otón to Quito >
            • 22,23/2/2013 Quito, Hotel Húngaro >
              • 26/2/2013 Quito to Tandapi, EC
      • 27/2/2013 Tandapi to El Carmen, EC >
        • 28/2/2013, El Carmen to Pedernales, EC >
          • 2/3/2013 Pedernales to Tabuga >
            • 3/3/2013 Tabuga to Canoa >
              • 30/4/2012 Last day Santa Marta >
                • 1/5/2012 Santa Marta to Barranquilla
                • 2/5/2012 Barranquilla to Santa Veronica
                • 3/5/2012 Santa Veronica all day >
                  • 4-5/5/2012 Santa Veronica
              • 6-7/5/2012 Santa Veronica >
                • 8,9 &10/5/2012 Santa Veronica
              • 11/5/2012 Santa Veronica to Cartagena >
                • 12/5/2012 Cartagena all day >
                  • 13/5/2012 Cartagena to San Jacinto >
                    • 14/5/2012 San Jacinto to Sincelejo >
                      • 15/5/2012 Sincelejo to San Bernado >
                        • 16/5/2012 San Bernado to Puerto Escondido >
                          • 17,18/ 5 /2012, Puerto Escondido >
                            • 19/5/2012, Puerto Escondido to Planeta Rico >
                              • 20/5/2012 Planeta Rica to Caucasia >
                                • Untitled
                                • Untitled
                                • 21/5/2012, Caucasia to Tarazá >
                                  • 22/5/2012, Tarazá to Valdivia >
                                    • 23/5/2012, Valdivia to Yarumal >
                                      • 24/5/2012, Yarumal for the day >
                                        • 25/5/2012 Yarumal to Santa Rosa de Osos >
                                          • 26/5/2012, Santa Rosa de Osos >
                                            • 27/5/2012, Santa Rosa de Osos to Medellin >
                                              • 28/7 2011, Hannibal to Grafton
              • 5/3/2013, Canoa to San Clemente,EC
      • 9/2/2013 El Bordo to Tablon (April 2013 here) >
        • 1/4/2013 Ayungue to Salinas, EC >
          • 2/4/2013 Salinas to Posorjas,EC >
            • 3/4/2013 Posorja to San Carlos,EC >
              • 4/4/2013, San Carlos to Angas,EC >
                • 5/4/2013, Angas to Soldados, EC >
                  • 6/4/2013, Soldados to Cuenca >
                    • 7-9/4/2013, Cuenca, EC >
                      • 10-14/4/2013 Cuenca to Loja >
                        • 14-18/4/2013 Loja to Macará, EC >
                          • 7/2/2013 Piendamo to Timbio
      • 10,11/2/2013 Tablon to Chacahgui
      • 12/2/2013 Chachagui to Yucuanquer
      • 13,14,15/2/2013 Yucuanquer to Ipiales >
        • 16/2/2013 Ipiales to Bolivar, Ecuador >
          • 17/2/2013 Bolivar to nth of Ibarra, Ecuador >
            • 18/2/2013 Nth of Ibarra to Otavalo, Ecuador
    • Colombia 2012
  • Terrain Profiles
  • Nicaragua
  • Blog
  • Memphis to Venice, LA
  • Home and August entries
    • 8/8/2011 Sweetwater to Salida >
      • 9/8/2011 Salida to 3m North of Cripple Creek, CO >
        • 10/8/2011 Cripple Creek to Phantom Canyon >
          • 11/8/2011 Phantom Canyon to Pueblo >
            • 12/8/2011 Kansa to Warrensberg, MO >
              • 13/8/2011 Warrensberg to Clinton, MO >
                • 14/8/2011 Clinton to Sedalia >
                  • 15/8/2011 Sedalia to Tipton >
                    • 16/8/2011 Tipton all day >
                      • 17/8/2011 Tipton to Red Oak Park ,Lake of the Ozarks >
                        • 18/8/2011 Lake of the Ozarks all Day >
                          • 19/8/2011 Red Oak all day >
                            • 20/8/2011 Red Oak Park to Boonville >
                              • 21/8/2011 Boonville to Columbia >
                                • 22/8/2011 Columbia all day >
                                  • Untitled
                                  • 22/8/2011 Columbia to Portland >
                                    • 24/8/2011 Portland to Defiance >
                                      • 25/8/2011 Machens to Portage Des Sioux >
                                        • 26,27,28/8/2011Portage Des Sioux to Alton >
                                          • 29/8/2011 Alton to Columbia >
                                            • 30/8/2011 Columbia to Chester >
                                              • 31/8/2011 Chester to Grand Tower >
                                                • 1/9/2011 Grand Tower, IL to Wickliffe, KY >
                                                  • 2/9/2011 Wickliffe to Columbia, KY >
                                                    • 5/9/2011Tiptonville TN to Ripley TN
                                                    • Untitled
                                                    • 3-4/9/2011 Colmbus to Hickman, KY >
                                                      • 6/9/2011 Ripley Meeman- Shelby SP >
                                                        • Untitled
                                                        • 7/9/2011 Meeman-Shelby to Memphis
    • The proposed itinerary
    • A few words about the river
    • My Bike
    • Journal- Intro
    • Journal Entries late July early August >
      • 29/7/11 Grafton all day >
        • 30/7/2011 Grafton To Alton >
          • 31/7/11 Alton all day >
            • 1/8/2011 Alton all day >
              • 2,3/8/2011 Alton to Colarado Springs >
                • 3/8/2011 Colarado Springs >
                  • 4/8/2011, Colarado Springs >
                    • 5/8/2011 Colarado Springs Day 2
                  • 6/8/2011 Pueblo Dakota Springs >
                    • 7/8/2011 Dakota Hot Springs to Texas Creek >
                      • 7/8/2011 Dakota Hot springs to Texas Creek
    • The Gear list
  • Sydney to International Falls
    • IF to Northome >
      • Northome to Three Island Lake >
        • Three Island Lake to Itasca State Park >
          • Itasca Park full day 1 >
            • Itasca Park full day 2
  • Itasca to 4m north of Walker
    • 21/6/11 Walker to dare I say it Park Rapids
    • 22/6/11 Park Rapids all day >
      • 23/6/11 Park Rapids to sth of Walker
    • 24/6/11 Sth of Walker to Oak Haven Resort
    • 25/6/11 Oak Haven to Bena
    • 26/6/11 Bena for the day >
      • 27/6/11 Bena, from my tent to the shop and back
  • 28/6/11 Bena to Grand Rapids
  • 29/06/11 Grand Rapids to Pallisade
    • 30/06/11 Palisade to Crosby
    • 1/07/11 Crosby to Royalton
    • 2/07/2011 Royalton to St Cloud >
      • 3/07/2011 St Cloud to Monticello >
        • 4/7/2011 Monticello to Ham Lake >
          • Ham Lake all day >
            • 6/7/2011 Ham Lake to Prescott, WI >
              • 7/6/2011 Prescott to Pepin
          • 8/7/2011 Pepin to Perrot SP
    • 9/7/2011 Perrot SP to Wabasha, MN
  • 10/7/2011 Wabasha to Hastings
  • 16-17/1/2015 Luxor to Aswan
  • Zambia 7-30/9/2015
  • 11/7/2011 Hastings to Wabasha
    • 12/7/2011 Wabasha to Lansing,IA >
      • 13/7/2011 Lansing all day >
        • 14/7/2011 Lansing to Pikes Peak SP >
          • 15/7/2011 Pikes peak SP to Dubuque, IA >
            • 16/7/2011, Dubuque to Bellevue >
              • 17/7/2011, Pleasant Creek CG all day >
                • 18/7/2011, Pleasant Creek CG all day >
                  • 19/7/2011, Bellevue to Silvas, IL
          • 20/7/2011, Moline for the Day >
            • 21/7/2011, Moline to Loud Thunder Park >
              • 22/7/2011, Loud Thunder park to Keithsberg >
                • 23/07/2011, Keithbergs to Fort madison, IA >
                  • 24/7/2011, Fort Madison to Nauvoo
                • 25/7/2011, Nauvoo to Quincy >
                  • 26/7/2011 Quincy all day
    • Granada to Panama, Feb 27 >
      • 9, 10/3/2011 Servo to Playa Las Lajas
  • 8/5/2017 Tehran
20/12/2013 Coyhaique to the Rio El Blanco

D70, T4.5/7, Av15, max82, Tot 23387, 13590

Fine, cool evening fresh westerlies

We got away about 1130, it was as always good to be leaving a town and getting back onto the road not really knowing what was ahead. Especially not knowing at what point the days ride would end.

We were both loaded up, Cal could feel the weight difference. For me it was just the same, heavy, though always a burden of pleasure moving it south.

The wind though west, had heaps of north in it, we were getting blown along at  great rate of knots.

The scenery was quite ordinary, at one point you could have been just cruising through some moderate rainfall rural country in NZ or Oz. No mountains were visible anywhere.

Lunch was had at the base of up to Cerro Castillo by a small watercourse. As we ascended, we were in need of water. In one valley a small stream was seen.

Just up the road was a guy with all the panniers off his bike.

Alex from Romania had a bolt loose on his rack and had no socket to fit it.

I always carry a tiny shifter handy. He used this and sorted the problem. Cal and I kept going after a chat.

We thought we might camp together.

We continued to climb to about 1000m and came across the Laguna at Cerro Castillo.

A popular camping spot.

We soon came to the northerly extent of Chile national animal, the Huemul, a sure footed deer.

Once common, land clearing and other habitat destruction have reduced its numbers in this southern area of the province we are in, Aisen to just a few hundred.

Road signs were everywhere to alert drivers of their presence.

Once at the summit we, the wind was fierce and on the nose.

We had to be careful descending when confronted by the gusts.

We were now following the rio El Blanco, aptly named due to the creamy bed rock in its course and the water colour to some extent.

Markers on the corners were some 3 metres high indicating the depth of snow received here.

Nearing the bottom we came across access to the Sendero De chile, part of a future national trail network.

Here we found the perfect spot to camp alongside the rio El Blanco.

Whilst hunting for the spot. Alex caming wheeling along the track.

We all found a spot and pitched our tents.

Cal caught a few fish which we shared with Alex. It was a cold night.

21/12/2013 Sandero De Chile Las Horquetas to Laguna Verde

D52, T4/8, Av12, Max 66, Tot 23439, 13,643

Fine with strong winds in the valleys

 We were welcomed early in the morning with a heavy frost, I wondered why I was cold most of the night.

We had set up to catch the morning sun so things thawed and began to dry quite fast.

We had an enjoyable night chatting, Alex is good company and we all get on .

He is actually from Transylvania in Romania of all places. This fact triggered some verbal sparring.

It was great to find out about life in this little heard of country.

Getting to bed now around midnight is the norm, due to the long days and our penchant to leave unhurriedly.

 Cal slipped down for an early fish and as usual caught a nice one which was set free to swim again.

The camp was a pleasure in the soft meadow grass. The need for an airbed was questionable. The El Blanco rushing by was always a relaxing sound in the background.

Well the first night in the Tarra was like moving into a castle for Cal and I.

Heaps of room, no condensation problems and opens and pockets where ever we needed them.

In short, I am wrapped with it. The colour is a dark green that blends in with the surrounds perfectly.

Its first night saw the fly covered in ice from the frost. Though the feature most beneficicial is the roof vent, offering 3 opening options. This reduces condensation immensely.

As we were packing a farmer wandered through and briefly stopped for a chat.

Out on the still asphalt road we were following a small stream through a valley walled by steep rocky ranges that arose from Coyhaique covered bases.

The scenery was now becoming quite dramatic, colours were superb and the ranges displayed  a fascinating variety of rock formation.

At one bend in the road were a couple of other cyclists. A French couple in their late 60’s. We stopped and talked to them for half an hour or more.

Conversation was in French, English and Spanish. They were an animated enthusiastic couple, lovely inspirational people, who were seasoned cyclists and travellers in general.

Alex has spent much time on skifields at Chamonix in France working so his French was very good.

Coming from Australia and having no immediate need to speak a second language, you sometimes feel inadequate amongst these bi or tri lingual Europeans.

For me now I have a nice feeling after having had meaningful communication with people in a second language.

My ability to separate words as people speak is now improving. In short things are coming together somewhat.

We parted company and meandered along. Stopping to record the landscape and each other on many occasions.

The wind was head on and funnelling up the valley we were ascending. Nearing the top, we came across a Brazillian guy heading north. He was riding north to meet a girl friend. We stirred him, suggesting you would only ride north to meet a girl.

He was, infact, heading back down after their reunion.

 It is such a pleasure meeting all these different an interesting travellers on the road. We are all pretty concentrated now so these encounters are becoming common.

Once at the summit it was a cruise down against fierce head winds. Such a bugger. Though with Cerro Castillo to our right in the range our fascination with its serrated peak made us soon forget about the windy riding conditions.

Castillo was the kind of mountain that if you saw it in a movie you would say it was digitally constructed. It indeed was like a long toothed saw with broken teeth of all sizes along its length.

Soon we arrived at the foot of the descent into Villa Cerro de Castillo. Here we were still wind lashed.

Turning off the Austral we headed down to the supermercado and bought some fruit and bread.

The guy had fresh seedless grapes in, they were purple marbles from the gods after all that wind that desertified our mouths.

We headed down to the community centre and found shelter. Here we ate and generally just chilled out .

The gravel road began as soon as we left town.

This was now the Carraterra Austral real, traffic was light, the scenery dramatic and always a wind buffeting us.

On one small ascent Alexs bottom mounting on his rear rack failed.

Repairs saw us here for sometime, luckily Cal had a spare bolt readily accessible, we fitted this and moved on.

A farmer was moving cattle along the road. He had a hell of a job trying to get them to walk past us. Finally they were moved through trees on the bend to to avoid us.

He understood we had problems.

At about 2030 hours we were approached by two other cyclists from the states.

They looked like they were just out for an afternoon ride. With a small bag strapped to their handlebars and a pack on the back of their high tech composite bikes.

Their bikes and gear weighed 16kgs, the bikes alone were only 9kgs.

They were riding to Ushuaia also.

They had no stove and ate cold food only, though they camped, with their average distance of 100km/day they would be able to eat at towns almost every day.

It was interesting chatting with them. The two of them, their bikes and gear weighed less than just my gear.

 Come 2130 we were in need of a camp. We came across Laguna Verde and descended  to its shores along the road.

 A camp was found by the bridge, though exposed to the road we really had no choice at this time of night. Water was at hand and it would receive the morning sun and protection from the night sky was offered by trees.

Again, after dinner it was almost midnight before we climbed into our sleeping bags. It had been another fascinating day out here.

Riding on the gravel, coupled with the concentration required, one soon forgets about the wind and other hardships required to proceed south.

Not to mention the arresting scenery we record at very regular intervals.

The evening was mild, with the wind at rest.

22/12/2013 Laguna Verde a bush camp on a stream

D34, T2.5, Av11.64, Max31, Tot 23,473, 13,677

Overcast, light wind mild.

It had indeed been a mild night, arising early for me was no problem. I enjoyed an early morning coffee and mate alone by the waters edge writing my journal entry.

My bum on one stool and the laptop on the other.

The guys were up  an hour later.

We had camped on bare dry dirt, the dust around the camp was like talcum powder.

I had said to Alex, we might start the day with a mouthful of coca leaves.

This we did, before heading up the bank to the road. Alex had not tried these before.

I had some all the way from Peru. It was nice to share them with others. The road was flat going and easy riding. The scenery was nothing like the dramatic canvas of yesterday.

We decided to finish all the Coca so after half an hour or so pulled over for another session.

By now our gums and mouths were pleasantly numb.

Riding on we had the music going on my speaker and were just enjoying the presence of all around us.

Often riding 3 abreast and chatting. Another hour up the road we stopped again for a little top up.

Though we were not high, the effects of the leaf chewed with cal, the catalyst to release the active ingredient were pleasant to say the least.

One last time we pulled over and finished off what I had. The leaves after all this time were very dry. It was like chewing dry tea  until your saliva moistened it.

The cal was chewed with this, more was added and after sometime it was spat out.

A rich green mixture expelled. A lot like the Betel nut so popular in Papua Nuigini. Where the main street of Port Morseby is red from the spit of users.

Should the users of the two susbstances ever get together in big numbers there is potential for street art, especially in Port Morseby.

Sublimely, the coca leaves give you a sense of well being, that, where nothing is too much of a burden.

Thousands of people in Peru and Bolivia would not be chewing it just to get a numb mouth.

We stopped at a creek for lunch of coffee, fruit, bread and sardines and of course dulce.

From here the road was still in good condition and gently rolling. Two Condors were working the thermals above us, they actually came quite close.

We stopped to marvel at their effortless wandering in the sky above us.

There were nearby cliffs, possibly their home was nearby.

I was up ahead, when Cal whistled, Alexs rack had broken again, this time on the other side. This time a bit more tricky, again a bolt had broken off in the frame.it could not be extracted.

In the end we improvised with a hose clamp I was using to hold my go pro bracket on the handlebars.

This secured it perfectly.

We rode on for another few km and found a nice creek on which to camp. Our maps showed it as the last creek near the road for some time.

It was all fenced, but with 3 able guys we were able to help each other to get the bikes around the fence where it met the creek bank.

This took us to a most tranquil setting under Coigúe  trees.

It was nice to be at the camp early, Cal fished with no luck, we had an early soup. The guys played guitar. I got my harp out and mucked around.

One day I hope to learn to play a little on it.

It has been with me since Clarkesdale Mississippi. My friend Deak Harp, a blues musician built it up for me. For him, I would love to be able to play a tune or two.

We had an early dinner and were in bed by about 2100.

It had been a day of few kilometres, a day totally unplanned as always.

A day where we just enjoyed each others company, our own company and especially our presence here in Patagonia riding down the Carraterra Austral at one with all around us.

The icing on the cake for us, had to be, no one was expecting us to be anywhere, we had no immediate responsibilities and we could choose where we were to sleep.

We were 3 guys, all with different life experiences, as free as could be, we were sub conscientiously  bathing in this knowledge. Our bath  was one of the most beautiful accessible areas on the planet.

The guitar playing before bed left us all relaxed and looking forward to an early night.

23/12/2013 Bush camp to the banks of the Rio Engaño

D65, T4/7, Av15.18, Max60, Tot 23,538, 13,742

Overcast and mild, light winds

We had all slept really well in our little part of the Patagonian bush amongst the Coigúe (Nothofagus dombeyi)  trees both ancient and not so ancient.

These trees are a species of Southern Beech, genus Nothofagus. Seven species are found in the Patagonian Andes.

 These southern beeches form the basis of the forest in almost all areas

It had rained overnight and was still drizzling inthe morning with saturated trees still dropping water.

We were all up about 0730, when we heard a tapping noise, here on the trunk was a Woodpecker tapping away in search for breakfast, he was unperturbed by our presence.

The Spánish word for Woodpecker is Carpintero, so aptly named.

The rain stopped enough for us to have breakfast and pack.

It was best for us to remove the inner of my tent and store this dry. The fly was soaked and with shade and no sun we were never going to get it dry.

We all helped each other around the fence again.

We chatted about our experience yesterday with the coca leaves and came to the conclusion we were most certainly in an elevated state whilst using the leaves.

We all felt a bit flat like having come down around lunchtime yesterday.

It was an interesting experience to have. One always remembered.

Once on the road, the going was superb, the road in good condition and generally flat.

Todays max speed gives you an indication of road conditions. We undulated through heavy forest until we descended into the Rio Murta valley.

A huge valley with a floor containing largely the bed of the river. The Murta was milk in colour, that of glacial origins.

We were making good time on the smooth flat surface.

Arriving at the turnoff to Puerto Murta, we enjoyed ice creams and stocked up on a few essentials, bread and the like.

We enjoyed lunch on the foreshores of Lago General Carrera, named lago Buenos Aires in AR. South Americas deepest lake.

We dried our tents here also.

It reinstalled my inner tent for the nights camping.

Alex borrowed tools to lower his back rack as to ease the purchase of the weight.

It was 4km into the pueblito of 548 people.

These small pueblitos are having alot of money spent on their town centres by the government, here newly concreted streets were present, water and sewrage were being reticulated and processed.

As the carrterra gets paved these little pueblitos will likely see further change and growth.

Traffic on the road is reasonably frequent, on Sunday it was busy, possibly with the end and beginning of tour company’s weeks for their guests, almost all traffic is courteous.

Crossing the bridge before town, looking just upstream there was an old walking bridge, with the timbers just hanging from the cables.

Harrison Ford was seen crossing the dilapidated and treacherously dangerous structure over equally treacherous frigid, rapidly flowing waters below.

Only he could traverse such a structure and live to recall the event on the other side of the river!!

It truly was like a movie setting.  

Riding was still easy with a few climbs, some locals told us there was only one cuesta, slope, between here and the next pueblito.

Soon we came to the Rio  and turned off the carraterra and followed the road up the river.

It to was another glacial feed river, milky in its presence.

We found a great camp right alongside the waters. Cal fished with no luck.

The night was spent playing guitar, listening to music and talking about our lives.

The sound of the river was that between rapidly flowing and lazy rapids. Just the perfect flow rate with a sound everso soothing and relaxing.

The morning sun would bath us from the east across the river.

Mountains with patchy snow were very close to the North West from camp.

The snow was a patch work affair on the treeless upper reaches.

Our progress has been slow, relaxing and enjoyable, the 3 of us are in no hurry.

The presence of a river near the end of the afternoon is often enough to see us pull in looking for a campsite.

We have been without trout now for a few days.

Myself and Cal are starting to crave for a meal of the fish.

It is hard to believe it is Christmas tomorrow, out here doing this, it has a lot less significance for me.

I think back of all the mad rushing around, socialising, relentless buying of gifts and food that proceeds this special day.

It is so nice not to be caught up in that frenzy. Here we are on Christmas eve morning on the banks of the Rio Engaño in Patagonia. Things could be a lot worse.

At the moment

I am still in the tent typing, it is 0830, Alex took an early morning walk, Cal made me coffee in bed.

Alex is now back and the guys are playing guitar. Cal is very good.

The river is still soothing us with the sound of her waters.

For me this is a Christmas eve morning of feelings that words at the moment cannot describe.

There is a peaceful warmth flowing in my veins, a kind of peacefulness when everything at the time is just perfect.

Guitars do have a lovely sound. Possibly we will leave this idyllic location a little late today!! Possibly??

24/12/2013 Rio Engaño to riverside camp sth of Villa Leon

D65, T5/9, Av1.77, Max43, Tot 23604, 13807

Fine and warm Northerly winds

Yes we got away about 1200, no sooner had we hit the Austral, the corrugations started, in no light way. They were filling rattlers.

Soon were were riding alongside Lago General Carrera.

This lake had an almost pastel like blue colour, so vivid. The country was alot drier now. It is the largest lake in Chile and extends across the border into AR. There it is named Lago Buenos Aires.

This is normal between the two countries with most passes having different names, it can be quite confusing when talking about their locations.

It was a kind of day where we were climbing ridges leading down to the lake and descending their other side all day.

Traffic again was light.

Arriving at Villa Tranquilo, we bought a few provisions. Alex tried to find a gas cylinder with no luck.  We enjoyed some of the nicest bread we have had in some time.

Cal and I are now buying these big cans of sardines, to eat on bread or crackers. We all left the pueblito with overly full stomachs.

Again we were blessed with tail winds out of the north west.

We also bought wine, a xmas cake and potatoes for dinner.

All the rivers we were passing now were not really trout habitat, they were milky and flowing rapidly with no egg laying gravel or weed present.

We were looking for a campsite with exceptional qualities, ambience and fishing, afterall tomorrow is xmas day.

Come about 2030 nearing the end of the ride along the lake we headed into a track that we hoped would take us down to the river we had just crossed.

Again, it was a huge turquoise affair, in a big hurry with white water at regular intervals.

We headed in about 1km to an open area, unfortunately the river was bordered by impenetrable vegetation. Out we rode.

Things were looking a little grim as to finding an idyllic Christmas camp.

 Riding on and now getting towards 2100, the best we could come up with was a flat gravelly area alongside a smaller though still milky river.

In this area were growing Rosehips, they are still flowing, displaying their pink petals. They are to be watched out for with their thorns.

We set up camp, it was a far cry from our visions of a good camp.

 We lit a fire, ate the cake and drank wine. Christmas greetings were exchanged at midnight.

Alex presented Cal and I with a Transylvania fridge magnet each, a great gesture.

We sat around the fire for some time chatting and then climbed into bed. Three tired cyclists

It was somewhat of an anticlimax, Kind of like arriving at your favourite holiday town to find everything was booked.

We were disappointed but never had our spirits dampened.

During the night a huge gust of wind woke us all.

The Hilleberg tent felt very solid during the brief onslaught from nature. Callum and I are wondering how we got on without this tent.

It has so much room inside and the vestibules at each end can take all our gear if need be. It has all sorts of vents and screens. The weather proof ceiling vent is great for reducing condensation.

Given torrential rain and wind I feel we would still be comfortable.

We all woke up in the middle of the night craving for water.

25/12/2013 Lago General Carrera to 10 km before Cochrane

D73, T5.5/9, Av 12.27, Max 53, Tot 23,676, 13,880

Howling norwester, fine.

We all arose around 0800, the camp was not one to hang around. Alex wanted to get to Cochrane early, so he departed about 1000.

 We bade farewell, knowing we would catch up again. Cal and i were in no hurry.

I had to fix a pannier, a mounting screw had let go.

Some advice to other tourers using Ortlieb Roller backs.

Just check the 4 screws holding the plastic bar that the hooks are attached to make sure they are tight. The gravel and corrugations for the last couple of weeks had worked them loose.

Carry spare screws, the black plastic nut always fall into the pannier.

I treated myself to a xmas shave down by the river. We were ready to move on about 1200.

The idea was to take another nights camping and get to Cochrane early boxing day.

This was one Xmas Callum and I wont forget, Alex included.

It had been a great few days riding together, we had a heap of fun. Though it was nice for Callum and I to be together again, after all that is what it is about for us. Spending time with others is great, but unless there is some other kind of bond other than just riding together.

The time comes when both parties know when to say goodbye. It is kind of an unspoken knowledge. We will no doubt see each other again on the way south.

Cal and I were really enjoying the road. The northerly wind was aiding greatly.

Crossing the bridge that spans the narrowest section of the lake we began a steady climb for most of the latter part of the day.

We stopped for water from Lago Bertrand.

Soon we came upon the place where the River Baker begins. To say this is a huge river poorly describes the volume of water passing me as I stood on its banks amongst trees. There were waves washing the shore from the sheer volume moving past. The rapids present were from rocks well below the surface.

This river has the greatest volume in Chile. It may not mean much to you but it flows at the rate of 900 cubic metres of water per second. That is a 300m by 300m equal sided box of water cruising on by every second.

As a comparison at Rangiriri on the Waikato River  in NZ, on 24/12/2013 flow rate was 209 cm3/sec.

The discharge of the Clarence River is 160cm3/sec

The Baker and Pascua Rivers are fed by the largest ice fields in the world outside of Greenland and Antarctica. Despite being only 170 km long, the Baker River has the highest flow of any river in Chile at an average of 870 cubic meters per second (m3/s),[1] drains 26,726 km2 of land,[2] is Chile's largest remaining wild river, and runs along the edge of a proposed national park. Half its water comes from Lake General Carrera, South America's second largest and deepest lake, shared by Chile and Argentina. The other half of the Baker River's water comes from ice melt from the northern Patagonian Ice Field Ref: Aquapedia.

Riding along above the river for sometime there were lodgings offering fishing, rafting etc, some very upmarket.

We stopped for lunch and a fish alongside the river. Fishing from a boat would be more productive in this huge waterway, we guessed.

Where we had lunch, the main flow was way across the other side. On our side the water was actually flowing upstream such were the currents.

We spent some time in the warm sun out of the wind. Cal had his bike parked above us on the slope, the wind blew it off the clic stand. It did a complete roll down the hill. No damage, we were lucky.

Come 1900 we approached a bit of a climb, climb we did, it never ended, though we were literally pushed up hills in the wind, especially the cuttings. Once at the summit, now 2030 we headed down in the hope of finding a campsite on the inevitable river below.

The inevitable river below was inaccessible, so we had to keep riding. Again, we ascended a switch backed road to get out of the river valley.

Once at the top and traversing along the slope down to the river, at 2100 I got a flat tyre. This was repaired. You would not believe it, at about 2130 cal got his first flat tyre for the trip.

This was repaired. We needed a campsite pretty soon though we already talking about riding in the dark.

We stopped to fill the bladder with water, to allow us to camp anywhere.

We were riding slowly looking for gates or fences down. The latter was spotted. We managed to straddle  the fence and get the bikes down to what was a hole in the ground from excavation.

This was needed to get out of the wind. It was actually a great campsite, river or no river.

We finished eating at 2330 and retired to the tent both of us were asleep in a ridiculously short time.

It had been one of those totally unexpected days. We were only 9km from Cochrane.

We were so relieved to have put that big range behind us. Tomorrow would be an easy ride to town after 6 nights in the tent.

They were a fun filled 6 days with Alex, in country that ranged from high rainfall to rather dryish terrain.

26/12/2013 To Cochrane.

D10, T 44min, Av13, Max46, Tot 23686, 13,890

Cool and overcast

We had a great nights sleep after a huge meal last night. The campsite sufficed to keep us out of the wind. We were surrounded by Rosehip plants and other spiny vegetation.

It was a short climb to Cochrane, we stopped fpr a fish in a river with trout written all over it. Slow flowing a clear green and good cover.

The writing was  a bit obvious, the trout probably knew what every lure looked like, being this close to the road.

Arriving in Cochrane we booked a cabaña to treat ourselves.

These are like self contained small dwellings. Here we got the fire going and washed clothing, spent a fortune at the local supermercado.

Don’t buy Bencina here another small ferretería  in the west part of town had 2 litres cheaper than the price of 1 at the main general store.

We roasted a heap of chicken and relaxed in the cosy little pad for the night and watched a bit of tele.

I over ate, having been in the tent for 6 days. Little things like hot water on tap and different food are so luxurious. Ice cream is always a favourite in towns.

We briefly caught up with Alex who was camping in town. There are cyclists everywhere.

For me it is very important to keep my blog up to date on the road each evening or at least in the morning whilst I have battery power.

This allows the small details to be documented. Though like everything sometimes I don’t feel like writing. Then other times it just flows.

 Trying to document events of a few days ago can be difficult and lack spontaneity.



PictureFrosty morning on the Rio Blanco

PictureCerro Castillo

PictureAlex and Cal near Laguna Verde

PictureMany hands make some places more accessible

PictureThe "Carretera Austral"!!! Patagonia!!

PictureDrying our gear over lunch at Puerto Murta.

PictureExcellent campsite, Rio Engaño

PictureLaguna General Carrera

PictureThe best camp we could find for Christmas eve, not so good

PictureBirth place of the Rio Baker

PictureA quick fish near Cochrane

PictureHeading through the and on up the range

PictureThe American light weight guys, 100+km/day

PictureA great bush camp

PictureCamping Laguna Verde

PictureValle del Rio Murta

PictureThe Harrison Ford bridge Puerto Murta

PictureTons of room in the Tarra

PictureLaguna General Carrera

PictureHasta luego Alex, bien viaje!

PictureCamping above the Baker before arriving in Cochrane

PictureLovely colours

PictureThose trying to save Patagonia. "Our beautiful wild Patagonia ¿who would do this? Hydroaysén would do it Patagonia ¡without dams!" This lovely place is changing fast.

Picture

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.