Days 63 to 65, Villa O`Higgins - El Chaltén

Day 63. Villa O`Higgins

Was able to enjoy Christmas day off with my new found cycling friends (Kirsty, Damien, Marcos and Yukito).

Day 64. Villa O´Higgins to Lago del Desierto (or "Through the Worm Hole")

In the most unlikely turn of events, Team Swiss/Japan united forces with the solo Canadian Team in a concerted effort to confront this most challenging of days. I refer to the remote border crossing between Chile and Argentina.

Let me explain the process please ... a short 7 km cycle, followed by a 3 hour ferry ride, followed by 14 km of very rough rocky road, river crossing, 7 km of demanding hiking trail (not made for touring bikes ... we had to push, pull and beg our bikes to squeeze through this trail), go through the Argentina immigration, then another 1 hour ferry crossing. At the end of this point we camped.

The 7 km "hike a bike" and river crossing was definitely the most demanding section. Bike and clothing absorbed a lot of punishment this day. Fortunately, no weld or metal failures. However, I did flat three times.

Today was very special as I spent it riding with my former rivals turned amigos, Yukito and Marcos. Crossing the river was huge FUN. I fell in twice. Once with some of Marcos´ gear and one time with mine. Whoops! The biggest challenge was about the fifth time across the river (shuttling gear) and I had Yukito´s mandolin. I did not want to get it wet. Fortunately, I did not slip.

We camped this night. Had a beautiful spot with a view of a mountain with a glacier.

Side note on Yukito ...
This fella is a tough as they come. He has racked up about 10,000 km, starting in Quito, Ecuador. He picked up all of his gear in Quito and decided on a "whim" to do the trip. Travels with a small guittar, low tech gear and not much of it. And never a complaint from him. As friendly and tough as they come. My friend.

Total time 11 hrs 30 min, ride time 4 hrs 10 min, 33 km, elevation gain 964 m, elevation loss 682 m

Day 65. Lago del Desierto to El Chaltén.
This road was short but very bumpy. Just had to go very slow in a effort to reduce the jolts to the equipment and body.

Total time 2 hrs 55 min, ride time 2 hrs 36 min, 36 km, elevation gain 190 m, elevation loss 280 m.

My location now?
Well, you can look at the map and basically I am at Mt. Fitz Roy. The mountain itself is about 12 km away from the village of El Chaltén (again, El Chaltén is the original indigous name of the mountain).

Coming Up ...
Will trekking for about 3 days in this Argentinian "Park of the Glaciers".

PS. Some people have written me and I have not had time to respond personally. Eventually, I will. This means people like Uncle Ralph & Aunt Clara, Martin, Penny, Cousin FRank, and a few others ...

PPS. Internet is very slow here - via satellite. Will endeavour to upload some photos

Days 60 to 62, Cochrane to Villa O´Higgins

Well, the most remote part of the Carretera Austral and the final leg did not disappoint expectations with respect to beautiful mountain vistas, winding roads, lakes, rivers and waterfalls cascading from the mountain sides. The road was in remarkabling good condition (probably due much less large vehicles).

Have started to see more and more cyclists on this (apparently quite popular) Carretera Austral.

Showdown at the "OK Carretera Austral"

In Cochrane, the night before leaving I finally met up with the infamous Swiss/ Japonese team of the tall and wiry Marcos and Yukito. I had heard about this pair through the "rumour mill" (other travellers and in the Hostals). This dynamic duo both ride Trek Bikes and started their journey in Ecuador. We were all leaving Cochrane the next day. Yukito met me with an icy stare his message, without words, was clear ... "you and those skinny 35 mm tires are going to be begging for the next bus". It took all of my courage to meet his look. I thought to myself ...¨"just wait until these big 700 mm rims get rolling, just wait and see who is the last samuri eating the last spicy tuna roll".

On the first stage of three it was neither the Canadian Solo Team or the Japanese/Swiss Dynamic duo winning the first stage! It was the mixed team from the UK, Kirsty and Damien, taking stage 1! They put in late charge and put to rest about 110 km of dust behind them.

Team Japon-Swiss missed the first Ferry the next day but showed their true grit and put in a punishing 130 to take stage 2. Meanwhile, Solo Canada was caught in the middle ... bolting ahead of Team UK.

Now behind the 8-Ball, I pulled out all the stops and decided an all out effort was my only hope. On the bike at 6 30 am and arrived at Villa O´Higgins at 9 30 am. Which turned out to be a comfortable 3 hours ahead of fierce rivals.

OK, my mind wanders when I ride

The other story... (the real one)
The group of us are now comfortably lodged down at the same Hostal in Villa O´Higgins. The "real" Yukito is a super cool dude who cycles with a small mandolin and both him and Marcos are the friendliest of fellas! With Team UK (Kirsty and Damien) we will be spending Christmas day together. Kirst and Damien are also fun and kind folks - they made me a hot meal while waiting for the ferry in Puerto Yungay. We have already enjoyed a nice meal and some cold beverages. Very good company!

Going through the Wormhole...
And on Dec 26th. Yukito, Marcos and myself will make the remote crossing into Argentina. Will require 2 Ferry crossings, 28 km of trekking/biking, 40 km of dirt road. If all goes well on Dec 28th we will all "pop out" in the Argentinian village of "El Chalten" (basically right in front of Fitz Roy)

Did you know?
El Chalten is the indigunous name for Mt Fitz Roy. Mt Fitz Roy was named after the capitain of the infamous shio, The Beagle, that took Darwin on his South American expedition.

My location...
If you look on the little map, I am about 80 north of Mt. Fitz Roy.

Stats...
Day 60 Cochrane - Camping
Total time 8 hrs 18 min, ride time 6 hrs 37 min, 97 km, elev gain 1,215 m, elev loss 1,340 m.

Day 61 Camping - Camping (again, beautiful spot)
Total time 8 hrs 3 min, ride 5 hrs 21 min, 76 km, elevation gain 1,561 m, elevation loss 1,305 m

Day 62 Camping - Villa O´Higgins
Total time 3 hrs 11 min, ride 2 hrs 44 min, 51 km, elevation gain 513 m, elevation loss 520 m.

Photos...www.picasaweb.google.com/darryl.mekechuk

and most importantly ... MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!

Thank you to all my dear friends and family who have been joining me on this trip. Your company is WONDERFUL. I would not want to be travelling alone.

Days 58 & 59, Puerto Río Tranquilo to Puerto Bertrand - Cochrane

The question was raised if there are trucks. Well, yes there are. Plenty of small and big cargo trucks. They are tend to drive very fast and spit up a lot of dust. I tend to yield (read completely ride to the side of the road and stop) when one of the big-boys comes haulín' ass towards me.

My brother is posting for me as I can´t enter the blog from here. Don´t know if I can get new photos. Please check though.

www.picasaweb.google.com/darryl.mekechuk

Day 58, Puerto Río Tranquilo - Puerto Bertrand
More cruising through the heart of the Patagonia along the Carretera Austral. The road can get very rough at times which at times allows a max speed of only 9 or 10 km-hr. Lots of twists, turns and short steep climbs.

Believe me, these climbs really make you pay a toll by the end of the day.

Ran into three veteran riders from Spain who were going in the opposite direction. It was great to chat with them as they provided me with critical intelligence on the upcoming stages, which are hardcore to say the least. More on this later.

Total time 5 hrs 37 min, ride time 4 hrs 37 min, 67 km, elevation gain 1,239 m, elevation loss 1,217 m.

Day 59, Puerto Bertrand - Cochrane
(I was wondering if I made a major wrong turn and ended up just north of Calgary. For those of you who don´t who ... we have a pueblo called Cochrane as well).

The road continues to get rougher and rougher the further south I venture. Go figure. I flatted today which is my first in a LONG time. First flat on the entire Carretera Austral. Sixth flat overall. Can´t complain.

Today was the absolute first day that it has been CLEAR BLUE SKY since enterring the Carrertera Austral. It was thoroughly soaked up by the pale gringo.

Total time 4 hrs 51 min, ride time 3 hrs 30 min (approx. my odo is back at the hostal), 48 km, elevation gain 1,054 m, elevation loss 1,104 m.

Upcoming ...
OK, I am going over Survivor Man episodes in my head as it is 230 km to the next village. Oh yeah, and one short ferry crossing of fjord. This will be a real test. I have got to carry three days' worth of food ... or I will be eating pineneedles, beatles, moss and dirt.

I am hoping to arrive in the very remote village of "Villa O´Higgins" on the evening of Dec 24th. I would LOVE to take the day off on this very special day coming up.

Then on Dec 26th (if all goes well) I start the arduous cross into Argentina which requires two ferry crossings and several hours of trekking. This part requires hiring a guide agency to accompany you. I´ll try to keep my mouth shut and wheels rolling as I will be pushing my bike.

No contact for about 4 days.

PS. Merry Christmas !! ... in advance

PD. Hola E, Me alegro que estés llegado bien a tu tierra. Saludos a todos de mi parte por fa. F ue un actor en las fotos. No fui yo. Hiciste muy bien con el oso. No tuviste ningún pánico. Eres la mujer!

PPPS. Dezzi, ... I mean Desi, please pass on my best wishes to Joni and Frank and others from the old Gang. Gee, we are old aren´t we?
________________________________________

Stage 56 & 57, Coyhaique-Río Manso to Puerto Río Tranquilo

Stage 56, Coyhaique to Camping at Río Manso
Stage 56 was a stage for the climbers. With two mountain passes totalling over 2,000 vertical m and each competitor obligated to carry 50 lbs of gear plus as much food for the day as they desire it wasn´t a surprise that the pace was slow off the start. The pelaton was slightly down in numbers but the stage went on. The big surprise of the day was the adjustment of the finish line from the village of Villa de Cerro de Castillo to a desolate spot 20 km down the road by the meandering river of Río Manso. Once again, Mekechuk picked up first and last place.

Total time 8 hrs 36 min, ride time 6 hrs 39 min, 117 km, 2,079 m gain, 2,004 m loss.

Stage 57. Camping at Río Manso to Puerto Río Tranquilo
Today, I found myself with not wanting to get out of the tent. I was waiting for it to start raining and for the race officials to delay the start. Much to my dismay, the weather remained only cloudy and threatening to rain. I urged officials to consider the distance to the next village, 101 km. They did not budge. Everyone was obligated to depart at 7:30 am. I missed the start by 5 minutes!

Total time 6 hrs 52 min, ride time 5 hrs 58 min, 101 km, elev gain 1,100 m, elev loss 1,184 m.

Coming Up .. .Continuing south. Next major objective will be the tiny village of Villa O´Higgins. At that point will be a HUGE ADVENTURE crossing back into Argentina and passing right in front of the ominous Mt. Fitz Roy.

Mechanical
The "weld repair" on the rear eyelet continues to hold true. However, it is one of those things that is difficult to evaluate. If it breaks it will likely happen without warning. It is very difficult to visually see if there are cracks.

I continue to carry some load on my back when riding on gravel. My back up plan would be to try to come across a 50 or 60 liter pack and carry all of the load in the rear panniers on my back. Getting a pack would be a problem though. Would likely have to hop on a bus to the closest village that rents or sell such gear.

Mileage ...
The odometer is now at 5,109 km. If only it could talk.

Photos ... More posted on ...

http://www.picasaweb.google.com/darryl.mekechuk

PPS. And again, Merry Christmas to all. I hope that everyone is enjoying Holiday Season with friends, family and loved ones.

Days 52 to 55, Carretera Austral

This is the first day that I have found internet access for quite a while. It´s not that I have been ignoring anybody. Am thoroughly enjoying riding through the Patagonia. Even prettier than expected.

This section is a "different kettle of fish". Most of these roads continue to be gravel. Speeds and distances able to attain are more in the mountain biking range. Lots of short steep climbs as well. My average distance is only around 72 km/day (as opposed to about 115 km/day). I am trying to ride every day in order offset the slower pace by consistancy.

Also, it´s not so bad going a little slower through this scenic portion.

Photos ...
I have posted a dozen new photos directly in "Picasa". It is much quicker to download and the photos are clear.

www.picasaweb.google.com/darryl.mekechuk

Where Am I?
If you look on the map, I am halfway between Bariloche and Fitz Roy. The route I have shown on the map is pretty much where I am going right now. If all goes well sometime around Dec 31 I should be passing right in front of the infamous Mt. Fitz Roy. A small village of El Chaltén is also close by.

And on a daily basis ...

Day 52. La Junta to Puyahuapi.
Was a short riding day. Spent some time riding to some hot springs adjacent to an ocean fjord. And yes, I got my fur wet. I wanted to swim in the ocean but didn´t think I would do it in frigid water. Was easy because you could walk into the ocean and then jump back into the hot water.

Total time 3 hrs 3 min, ride time 2 hrs 30 min, 45 km, 582 m gain, 620 m loss. All gravel.

Day 53. Puyahuapi to Villa Amengual.
This was a looooong day. A section of the road was closed due to construction "dynamiting" from 10 am to 2 pm. Used that time to deke up a trail to catch a glimpse of a cool hanging glacier. Lots of elevation gain this day and kilometers.

A very friendly group of Israeli travellers shared a hot lunch with me and some hot tea. Really helped as it was a bit of a tiring day.

Total time 10 hrs 38 min, ride time 6 hrs, 94 km, elevation gain 1,980 m, elevation loss 1,550 m. All gravel. Note: plus 2 hours hiking.

Day 54 Villa Amengual to Hidden Camping Spot
All the spots in the next village for accounted for. No room for smelly Canadian cyclists. Have tent will sleep. I needed an easy day as yesterday seemed to bring back my cold. Was starting to cough again last night.

Total time 5 hrs 15 min, ride time 4 hrs 19 min, 79 km, elevation gain 720 m, elevation loss 895 m. Mix of pavement and gravel.

Day 55 Hidden Camping Spot to Coyhaique
Yesterday´s relatively easy day and nice snooze made me feel much better. The cold is still lingering a little but I feel much, much better. This is the last major village for quite a well. This section was all paved. A very nice break!

Am using this short day to take care of list of chores.

Total time 3 hrs 53 min, ride time 3 hrs 31 min, 71 km, elevation gain 882 m, elevation loss 715.

Coming Up ...
Internet access will be very sparse for a couple of weeks. I should be in contact in about another 4 days or so. Still heading South!

ps. And Merry Christmas to everybody. Enjoy the Holiday Season in the very best way that you can.

pps. Sorry I can´t be with you Mum, Dad, Joy, Mark.

Day 51, Villa Santa Lucía to La Junta

Well, there is a reason why this part of the world is so beautifully lush and that it is like an over-grown garden of every variety of plant life, well, it rains a LOT. I am in the heart of the Carretera Austral in which this next park has an average rainfall of 4,000 mm of rain a year.

Yesterday, I left Villa Sta. Lucía very late due to the constant rain. I decided to ride just because making progress is a requirement. Soldier on! Well, I paid a price. Got completely soaked in spite of riding in rain gear. Bike got completely dirty. I spent this morning cleaning the drive-train which is essential otherwise the sand and grit will chew through the metal cogs and chain in no time flat and I will be walking.

I feel very privileged to be able to ride my bike in this region. The road twists, turns, rises, falls with the backdrop of lush mountainsides.

Tot time 7 hrs 42 min, ride time 3 hrs 45 min, 68 km, 811 m gain, 1,065 m loss.

NOTE: Had to take refuge twice during the worst part of the rain.

Coming Up ...

Today will be a short day with respect to distance. I need to choose my camping or lodging places very carefully. Don´t want to get stuck somewhere without being able to find decent refuge from the rain.

Will be heading south on the Carretera Austral. Have about another 700 or 800 km until I hit a major "milestone" called Villa O´Higgins which will then require me to cross over to Argentina. This part will be a HUGE adventure.

Two ferries, plus about 80 km of probably pushing my bike through a "goat trail" Will be out of contact again for several days. Internet connections will be very sparse.

Photos ... Unfortunately, photos will have to wait for a few days. Internet connection is via satellites and very slow.

ps Very nice to hear from everybody! Thank you for keeping in touch.

pps Daisy, you crazy gal! I was hoping that Pod (or somebody) might connect you to this page. OK ... I´ll say it ... nice to hear from you!

Day 50, Futaleufú to Villa Santa Lucia

Today was well ... pure magic. What a great job mother nature did once again.

Rode through lush mountainous terrain, rich green trees starting to encroach on the road, with snow-capped mountains in the background, crystal clear streams rushing down from the mountainsides, lush pasture land with what appeared to be real cowboys herding sheep and cattle, rustic ranches. Deep blue lakes every so often.

This was all on a gravel road of pretty good quality (as far as gravel roads go). With that said, of course there were pot-holes, washboards, sections of deep coarse gravel as well. Progress was much slower than expected. I was limited due to the shaking, rattling, rocking and rolling. The bike performed admirably, however, I wouldn´t have wanted to push it any more.

The evening at Futaleufú was really cool as well. Stayed at a beautiful hostal called the "Antigua Casona" (The Big Old House). Spent the evening evening chit-chatting with the owners (Fernando, his son Fernando, and the Señor, Gladys). Also a marine biologist who is working in the area, Eduardo.

Total time 6 hrs 34 min, ride time 5 hrs 31 min, 76 km, elev gain 1,040 m, elev loss 1,130 m. Avg speed was 13.8 km/hr (by far the slowest all trip due to the bumpy gravel roads).

Day 49, Esquel to the "Fu" (Futaleufú)

Well, today was the easiest climb to the top of a pass I have ever had. It was downhill! Strange but true. Basically, head due West today and crossed back into Chile. The ride required about 45 km of riding on rough, Argentian gravel roads ... and into a head wind. Hence, had a very low average speed today.

Tot time 5 hrs 45 min, ride time 4 hrs 21 min, 73 km, elev gain 541 m, elev loss 761 m.

Coming up ...
Will head west tomorrow and after about 78 km of riding on gravel roads will intersect with the infamous "Carretera Austral" (Hwy No. 7). This highway is almost entirely gravel road and progress will be MUCH SLOWER. Please don´t expect any boomer days of 140 km. I think something over 70 km a day on this road will be a success. I have about a 1,000 km to cover on this beautiful highway.

Am hoping ...
Am hoping that the fierce winds I encountered on the Argentian Steppe (east side of the Andes) will be much milder. At any rate, eventually I have to cross back into Argentina once again near the very far south and apparently there there is absolutely no escaping the wrath of the winds. However, in the meantime,

ps. I am really happy that you like the clearer images through Picasa!

pps. Nola, will be spending Christmas riding the bike and sleeping in my tent. Hopefully, will be getting into the "deep south".

Days 47 & 48, El Bolsón-Epuyén to Esquel

Day 47, El Bolsón to Epuyén
Water was coming out of the sky. Very dark and blue clouds. Had to wait until things came into equilibrium (ie, waited until the rain stopped) before riding. Didn´t think I´d even ride and them .. POOM, it cleared up. I scrambled the troops and we left very late in the day. Made it a few kilometers south to a tiny village of Epuyén which is on the shore of a lake.

ps. Did get a little wet. Still gorgeous riding through the Lake District.

Tot time, 2 hrs 55 min, ride time 2 hrs 41 min, 57 km, elev gain 600 m, elev loss 610 m

Day 48, Epuyén to Esquel
OK, I wasn´t going to say it but I´ll come right out and say it. This was a real "bitch slap". I was warned though, so I had an idea. There were some SERIOUS winds happening. Tossing me around every which way but loose. Unfortunately, I think there is a LOT more of this to come. Beautiful riding but please, lay off the wind a little. I tried everything, "come on this is all you got Mother Nature!¨". Actually, in the big picture, I was probably let off easy. I had better toughen my hide up because this party has just begun.

Tot time, 7 hrs 15 min, ride time 6 hrs 38 min, 130 km, elev gain 1665 m, elev loss, 1425 m

Coming Up....
Will be heading west and if all goes well crossing the Chilean border (once again, making like a billy-goat and climbing over the Andes) and probably will stay in the small pueblo of Futaleufú which is THE South American MECCA for kayaking and rafting. Locals & "dialed in gringos" call it "The Fu". I was saying it all day today because I think it sounds cool. Try it if you like. Hey, I´m the bike a long time. My mind wanders and apparently, a lot of silly stuff is going through the noodle.

Shortly after that, will start to ride the infamous "Carretera Austral". Will chat more about that later.

ps. Didn´t camp as expected due to the rain delay throwing off my intended destinations. Probably a blessing in disguise.

Link to CLEAR Photos....
OK, here is the solution for the time being with respect to "blurry photos". You can visit this public web page and view the photos through "Picasa". All photos are stored there and are NOT blurry.

www.picasaweb.google.com/darryl.mekechuk

hopefully, this will work and you can enjoy the views of the Patagonia a little better.

Days 45 & 46, Bariloche to El Bolsón

Day 45. Rest & Chore Day
Got some parts changed out. New: tires, rear cassette, chain, brake pads.

Day 46. Bariloche to El Bolsón
Just to make sure everybody knows, I am in Argentina now. Now on the east side of Andes and heading south. Today, rode through the beautiful Lakes District of Bariloche. And yes it definitely rivals the beauty of our majestic Rockies. Just a lot more lakes around here! Big and blue.

It is very interesting to be on the east side of the Andes. It is quite noticeable that the winds can really whip up in a hurry.

Tot time 7 hrs 15 min, ride time 6 hrs, 124 km, elev gain 1340 m, elev loss1820 m

Coming Up.....
Will head south for about another 200 km then head back west into Chile over a pass called "Futaleaufú".

I will definitely be camping tomorrow night. The towns are quite sparse for the next few days and may not be "ideally located" with respect to maximizing distance. Therefore, I could be doing a LOT of camping in the next few days. Hoo-rah! I´m trying to get excited about being in dirty cycling gear for the next few agains.

PLEASE NOTE: In other words, will likely be out of contact for several days.

ps. Erik, that is funny, I bought a pair of those knee highs in Bariloche as well! However, I made a nice pair of "booties" with them.

pps. Ana, sí, consigo la receta para los empanadas Chilenos. Son bien ricos. Me gustan los de horno en vez de aceite. Hay que tener cuidado porque siembre hay una semilla grandote adentro (de la aceituna). He estado comiendo muchos cuando sea posible. Buean suerte con tus examanes. Qué disfrutes el tiempo en España.

Days 42 to 44, San José to Bariloche! A Lot of STORIES...

Now, where did we leave off? My mind and legs are a little mushy and I have a bit of a runny nose. Please bear with me, I am going to tell the tale of the last 3 days of riding. There are a few tales to tell. No taddling though please.

Change of Route Again ...
Well, I was talking about heading to Puerto Montt and them taking a ferry directly South to the village of Chaitén which would be the start of the Carretera Austral (roughly translates to the "Far South Highway"). This would have meant about "chopping off" 200 km of riding due to the ferry. Well, instead of zigging, I decided to zag at the last minute and head east to Argentina such that I would ride the entire route. No "cheating" with a ferry ride.

Here´s the tale ...

Day 42 San Jose to El Crucero
Left the small village of San José on Dec 4 and everything was "OK" but ran into a stiff headwind and rain soI came up with the grand idea of "angling" away from the wind and taking a shortcut into Argentina via some "back roads". Well, this landed me in the teeny-tiny village of "El Crucero". And what else it landed me was a night shared with the a small family run restaurant-bar-pensión. An all-in-one affair. Spent the evening in the kitchen with the owner, who is a grand lady (however, I am speaking of size) and helper trying to understand some very strange Spanish (words like "sipo", ¨nopo¨) and of which I was at the receiving end of constant jests. I bolted my room very tight during the evening, I was constantly reminded at which room I could find the "grand lady". Now, "add in¨ an 85 year grandfather, about 6 cats, about 3 young kids and a host of drunken guest at the bar and that just about describes things.

tot time 7 hrs 2 min, ride time 6 hrs 11 min, 128 km, elev gain 680 m, elev loss 543 m.

Day 43 El Crucero to Villa La Angostura
The day started off with 36 km of gravel road due to my "brainchild" of taking the shortcut. I got one flat tire but was able to test the bike on gravel roads. In general, it performed well but max average speed is about 16 km-hr. Also, I put a lot of weight on my back (with a day pack) in order to reduce vibrations on rear pannier assembly.

OK, we´re just getting started, as I had to cross the Andes into Argentina which involved a lot of undulating terrain. When I finally reached the height of the pass at about 1340 m there was still plenty of snow at the top of the pass (starting elevation for the day was 110 m). I was greeted by rain and blustery winds on the descent. I bundled up well, winter gloves, jacket, windbreaker. Passed through the Argentian border without problems. Managed to smuggle in a small quantity of fine Chilean homemade cheese. Yummy! Finally got to the hostal about 11.5 hours after start. It was a long day.

tot time 11 hrs 42 min, ride time 8 hrs 36 min, 150 km, elev gain 2235 m, elev loss 1475 m.

Day 44 Villa La Angostura to Bariloche
Today was an easy day. Finally arrived at one of the main focal points of the trip. You can find it on the map (at the top of the blog). This area is called "The Lake District". It is part of the Patagonia. The city itself actually is not pretty but the surrounding area is very beautiful. It is similar to Banff but with huge, blue lakes smattered across the area.

tot time 4 hrs 28 min, ride time 3 hrs 52 min, 90 km, elev gain 925 m, elev loss, 950 m

FUNNY ANCEDOTE ... for those who haven´t nodded off ...
So, when I was in Pucón arranging the ascent up Lanín with the guide Rodrigo we had finished business or so I had thought and we were chatting. Anyways, he looks me straight in the eyes and says boldly, "do you use toilet paper?". Well, I began to feel somewhat uncomfortable, thinking, that I had a real problem with personal hygiene. I guess, well, I felt somewhat embarassed at the potential repercussions of what he was implying (or maybe that there was some "cultural thing" that I didn´t know about). My face was starting to turn a little bit red at this point ... trying to think up the appropriate answer. Anyways, he repeated the question, "do you use toilet paper?¨. At this point, I finally answered and said, "well yes" (thinking OF COURSE ... don´t you?). He replies, "well, we use snow." He was referring to the practice on the mountain. He further went into great detail about how this feat was accomplished. It´s one of those things that really does not need a diagram for instructions.

Upcoming ...
We'll be heading south through Argentina for about 200 km and then darting back into Chile through a pass called "Futaleufú". Will take me about 4 or 5 days to ride this section and will involve going through some gravel roads. Will definitely be test for the gear. I'll go through towns of: El Bolsón, Esquel, Futaleufú, Villa Sant a Lucia.

Note: Day 45 will be used to rest, shake this cold, and take care of some vital chores.

Much Colder than I Thought ...
As I travel South I am finding that it is much colder than expected. At times I am riding in winter gloves and three layers up top. Will try to fashion some "shoe covers" out of extra large socks. I have a feeling it is only going to get colder.

ps.
Erik, as you can see I will be riding through the towns that you mentioned. Also, nice to hear from everbody!! All messages are read and thoroughly enjoyed. Thank you.

pps.
Have purchased more disk space on Google. Hopefully future pics won´t be blurry.

Day 41, Pucón to San José de la Mariquina

OK, I was a little fatigued today but that was partly due to sharing a few celebratory brews with Rodrigo and Cristian (Guide & assistant) the day before. Hardly drank but enough to throw the engine off a little. As a result of everything I think I am catching a cold (ok, yes, now I would be whining. sorry).

Ride was uneventful with the exception of a "rain delay". First serious rain of the trip.

Am staying in a very old beautiful house which has a few nice rooms that they rent out to travellers. The pueblo is tiny.

Tot time 6 hrs 45 min, ride time 5 hrs 6 min, 109 km, elev gain 590 m, elev loss 811 m.

ps. It was pointed out that the photos are now turning out blurry. I am not sure why. I will try to figure this out.

pps. Am thinking of changing the route again. Might just go through Bariloche, Argentina ... will add a little extra jaunt through Argentina. Would add about 400 km. Still undecided.

Days 39 & 40, Ascent of Lanin ... Made It!

Day 39 & 40 ... Ascent of Lanin
On the first day we hiked up 5 hours and encountered some pretty brisk winds at where the high camp normally would be, however, we descended a little and found a nice little "nook" in the rocks and made some comfy snow caves in the side of the little crag that we were in.

The next day we woke up at 4 am to a starry sky which meant clear skies. All went well. The view from the top of Lanin is amazing. It is the highest volcano in the region and the panorama view is quite spectacular. My very competent guide, Rodrigo, could name all of the prominant landmarks, mountains and volcanoes.

It was a very worthy trip. I am glad that I took time off the bike for this side trip. The company, Rumbo Sur, which I used provided awesome service and company for the trip.

Total time climbing over two days was 14 hours with about 2,500 m elev gain.