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2024 Winter Adventure
  • Theo Manseau
  • Theo Manseau

2024 Winter Adventure

Taking my motorcycle from Canada to Argentina over the next seven months, exploring the Americas from north to south. Expect lots of camping, epic landscapes, and a few unexpected detours along the way! Read more
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  • Theo Manseau2024 Winter AdventureTraveler
    11

    Pallasca

    Feb 5–6, 2025 in Peru ⋅ 🌧 12 °C

    We set off a bit later than planned, and I quickly realized I’d need to adjust my usual driving habits to keep pace with Issac. On long drives, I usually only stop for gas and the occasional photo, eating either before I leave or after I arrive. Issac, on the other hand, insisted on stopping for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, which added about three extra hours to the day. It was a change of pace, but I got used to it soon enough.

    We left Trujillo around 10:30 AM and made our first stop in a small village called Santa, where I had my first taste of Peru’s national dish ceviche. The dish was fantastic fresh raw fish marinated in lime juice, with thinly sliced onions, cilantro, and a touch of chili.
    From there, we followed Route 100 east through a valley, climbing steadily into the mountains. The road became trickier as we gained elevation winding through hand dug tunnels, tight turns and steep drop-offs.

    At one point, we came across a bridge and decided to climb down to explore the area. It was a cool detour, and the break gave us a chance to stretch our legs. Back on the road, the rain came in like clockwork, turning the dirt roads to mud and occasionally sending rocks tumbling onto the path from the embankments above. The challenging conditions slowed us down but we pushed through.

    After nine long hours of driving, we finally arrived at our destination just as the rain stopped revealing a stunning sunset over the mountains. We found a small hotel, hung our drenched gear up to dry, and called it a night, completely spent but satisfied.    Read more

  • Theo Manseau2024 Winter AdventureTraveler

    Caraz

    Feb 6–7, 2025 in Peru ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    We left Pallasca later than planned around 10:30 which put us behind schedule as the road conditions kept getting worse the farther south we went. But at least the views only got better. What was supposed to be an eight-hour ride stretched into 13 and things got sketchy after sunset. We were riding through heavy rain on narrow roads with sheer cliffs on one side, occasionally swerving to dodge rocks that had come down from the heavy downpour.

    At one point, just after exiting a tunnel, Issic hit a massive pothole and nearly got launched off the edge. After that, we eased up on the pace and eventually made it to Caraz without any problems.    Read more

  • Theo Manseau2024 Winter AdventureTraveler
    1

    Route 106

    February 7, 2025 in Peru ⋅ ☁️ 4 °C

    We got up early found the town square, and grabbed a bite to eat before starting our ride. I was really excited for today we had finally reached the valley I’d been looking forward to exploring the most.

    Our first stop was Laguna Parón a glacier-fed lake with an unreal turquoise blue color. I had never seen water that clear before. After taking it in, we continued south along the mountain range toward Route 106 a rarely used mountain pass with incredible views of the snow capped peaks. At first, heavy rain and fog completely blocked the scenery but just as my hopes faded the sky cleared up. Issac and I took off up the switchbacks racing to catch the sunset over the mountains.

    Then, at 14,000 feet disaster struck my radiator blew, and I lost all my coolant almost instantly. With no service for hours, I asked Issac to ride back to town and try to call for a tow truck. As I watched him weave down the switchbacks I realized Id be stuck up here for at least five or six hours. The sun was setting fast, and the temperature was dropping even faster.

    I needed to get moving. With no better option I threw the bike into neutral and started coasting down. In the fading daylight it was actually kind of nice. For about 45 minutes I rolled downhill without too much trouble. But once I lost momentum, I had to start pushing. It sucked, but at least it kept me warm.

    After hours of this, Issic finally returned with a new plan. We’d tow my bike with a ratchet strap. It actually worked pretty well except when slack would form in the line. When the tension snapped back, it yanked our bikes all over the road making for some sketchy moments. Then another issue after sitting in neutral for so long, my battery died, and I lost my headlights.

    That’s when things got pretty dicey. We were riding on rough, narrow roads with sheer cliffs on one side, relying on Issic’s headlight to light the way. Whenever we disconnected the tow strap for a downhill section I was basically riding blind. He tried staying close behind me to illuminate the road, but I usually had to pick up speed to keep my momentum leaving me in complete darkness. I ended up relying on my GPS, guessing when the road would curve and hoping I didn’t miss a turn. It was both thrilling and terrifying.

    After nearly six hours of towing, pushing, and navigating blind in the dark, we finally made it to Yungay. We found a hotel parked the bikes, and called it a night.    Read more

  • Theo Manseau2024 Winter AdventureTraveler

    Back at the mechanics

    Feb 8–12, 2025 in Peru ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    The day after my adventure in the mountains, I dropped my bike off at a local mechanic to try and patch my radiator. He attempted to weld it, but aluminum is tough to work with, and the repair didn’t hold.

    I started searching for a new radiator, but options were limited. There was a used one in the next town, but the owner was on vacation for another 15 days. Importing a new part would take at least 5–6 weeks, so I was pretty discouraged.

    My friend Isaac decided to push ahead on the 106 with two Colombian bikers we’d met at our hostel, while I sent my radiator to another town for a proper fix. After five days of waiting in a small town called Caraz, I finally got it back, patched and installed.

    I took it for a test run up the 107 to the highest tunnel in South America. The ride was cold and wet, but I was relieved the bike was running without issues. Surprisingly, Isaac made it back to Caraz with his new Colombian friends, and the four of us are setting off for Lima tomorrow morning.    Read more

  • Theo Manseau2024 Winter AdventureTraveler
    112

    Lima

    Feb 12–20, 2025 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    The ride to Lima was actually really nice. Unfortunately, our new Colombian friends decided to leave earlier than planned, so it was just Isaac and me traveling together. The first stretch was cold and wet, but once we descended from the mountains, the weather and temperature improved.

    It was a long day about 12 hours with a few stops. Around three hours from Lima, I started noticing a burning smell. Not sure what it was, I pulled over to check the bike and saw that my radiator tank was still really low. On top of that, the coolant was blue, even though the mechanic had refilled it with green coolant. That meant the system wasn’t circulating properly, probably due to air in the lines. I tried topping up the secondary tank, but it didn’t help the smell just got worse. Since there was a proper Kawasaki dealer in Lima, I decided to push on and hope for the best.

    We got to our hostel around 8:30 PM and called it a night. The next day, Isaac and I dropped off our bikes at dealerships for maintenance. He’d been dealing with chain and sprocket issues, but it turned out his clutch also needed replacing. I left mine as well and figured I’d get my headlight, oil, and coolant replaced, along with a full inspection. Turns out, my carburetor diaphragm was toast, and I needed new caliper pins.

    The real problem? These parts had to be imported, which meant another 5–6 week delay. I wasn’t gonna wait that long, so I started reaching out to WhatsApp groups for help. Eventually, I found someone who could sell me the parts.

    I ended up staying in Lima for a week while waiting for the bike to be fixed. Didn’t get up to much just explored the city, grabbed beers with hostel friends, and tried some local food. One day, I ordered a bowl of chicken noodle soup, not realizing it came with chicken feet, lungs, liver, and a heart. I ate all of it, but chewing through the bones wasn’t exactly enjoyable.

    On my last night, I went to an Irish bar with Isaac for a proper send-off. We’d been traveling together for two weeks now, so it felt like the end of a chapter. Afterward, I caught a movie, but it was in Spanish with no English subtitles Interesting experience, but probably not one I’ll repeat.

    Tomorrow, I’m heading south, back into the desert along the coast.    Read more

  • Theo Manseau2024 Winter AdventureTraveler
    1

    Desert Oasis

    Feb 19–21, 2025 in Peru ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    After leaving Lima I rode deep into the desert bound for an oasis unlike anything I’d seen before. The ride wasn’t long about four hours and I was relieved that the bike was running flawlessly. The further I went, the more barren the landscape became, with endless stretches of sand and rock in every direction. I arrived late at night, and as I pulled into town, I was struck by the sheer number of foreigners. I hadn’t seen this many travellers in one place since the start of my trip. My hostel sat right in the heart of an oasis, surrounded by towering 400 foot sand dunes, the whole place felt surreal.

    The next morning I set out to find a guide to take me into the desert. It didn’t take long to track down a solid company with cheap prices and that’s where I met three English travellers. We hit it off immediately, swapping travel stories and laughing over our past misadventures. That afternoon we joined a group of fifteen, all geared up with skis or snowboards. It felt strange walking through the scorching heat in ski boots, with skis slung over my shoulder. The contrast was comical, snow gear in the middle of the desert.

    we loaded into a massive dune buggy and roared into the vast sea of sand. I’ve seen deserts before India, Israel, and even the Sahara in Morocco but this one was something else entirely. The dunes stretched as far as the eye could see, some towering over 800 hundred feet. The buggy ride was a thrill on its own. Our driver was an absolute maniac, launching us over ridges, skidding down steep slopes and tearing across the dunes like we were in some high-speed desert chase scene.

    When we reached our first slope we strapped in and sent it down the sand. Skiing on sand is nothing like skiing on snow. There’s way more friction so if you don’t wax your skis before every run, you’ll come to a dead stop halfway down the hill. After a few warm-up runs, we started tackling bigger dunes, each one steeper and faster than the last. By the time we reached the tallest one the sun was beginning to set. We stood at the peak, taking it all in just endless dunes, shifting colours with the fading light.

    After we rode back to the oasis, we all met up for drinks, the first proper night of partying I’d had in a while. Someone got the idea to start painting faces, and before I knew it we were all covered in neon paint, laughing and drinking like wed known each other for years. I finally crashed around 2 AM knowing I had a long ride ahead of me the next day. By afternoon, I was back on the road, heading north toward Cusco, leaving the desert behind.    Read more

  • Theo Manseau2024 Winter AdventureTraveler
    11

    Cusco

    Feb 22–24, 2025 in Peru ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    The ride to Cusco took about two days, and it was brutal. It’s peak rainy season in Peru, so the weather was all over the place either freezing cold at 14,000 feet, pouring rain with landslides everywhere, or so foggy I could barely see five feet ahead. At one point, the fog was so thick it was almost impossible to keep going, which was seriously frustrating. But I made it. Cusco is a really cool place tons of history, amazing architecture, and a great vibe. I’ll be sticking around for a few days before heading north to check out Machu Picchu.Read more

  • Theo Manseau2024 Winter AdventureTraveler
    1

    Machu Picchu

    Feb 24–26, 2025 in Peru ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Getting to Machu Picchu isn’t as straightforward as I thought. I always assumed you could drive straight to the base of the mountain, but that’s not the case.

    I started my journey in Cusco and set off on a two-hour ride to Ollantaytambo, where the train to Machu Picchu departs. Everything was going smoothly until I hit a massive landslide just 15 minutes from my destination. There was no way through, so I had to turn back and take a different route, adding another two hours to the trip.

    When I finally rolled into Ollantaytambo, I had to figure out where to leave my motorcycle while I was away. Parking was tricky, but the hostel I planned to return to was kind enough to store it for me. After dropping it off, I made my way back to the train station and waited for my ride.

    I had originally wanted to do the multi-day trek up to Machu Picchu, but with limited time, I had to settle for taking the train. An hour later, I boarded, and I was pretty excited. The ride itself was amazing two hours winding through a narrow valley with some of the best views I’d seen. At one point, they put on a performance about an ancient love story, but it wasn’t nearly as captivating as the scenery outside. We arrived in Aguas Calientes just before dusk.

    Aguas Calientes is a fascinating place, tucked away in the mountains. It’s a strange mix of tourist restaurants, hotels, and the locals who live there to support them. There are no motorized vehicles except for the shuttle vans that take people up and down the mountain, so walking is the only way to get around.

    That night, I found it hard to sleep. I was worried I’d sleep right through my alarm and miss my entry time. At 4:30 AM, I got up and stood in line, hoping to be one of the first people through the gates. I had heard horror stories about shoulder-to-shoulder crowds, but when the doors opened at 6:00 AM, the site was nearly empty. It was an incredible experience. I put on an audiobook about Machu Picchu’s history and wandered through the ruins for a few hours, taking in the stunning views.

    Since I hadn’t been able to hike up, I decided to take the Inca Trail down through the jungle, which was still a cool experience. That afternoon, I took the train back to Ollantaytambo, picked up my bike, and called it a night    Read more

  • Theo Manseau2024 Winter AdventureTraveler

    Bike repairs

    Feb 26–Mar 5, 2025 in Peru ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    After returning to Cusco, I planned to get my bike fixed, as starting it had been a struggle for the past week. Unfortunately, the mechanic was swamped, and I had to wait nearly a week for the repairs. With little choice but to slow down, I took the opportunity to catch up on sleep and wander through the city, where Carnaval was in full swing. It wasn’t uncommon to see daily parades with marching bands, traditional outfits, and fireworks going off at all hours of the day and night. The streets were always buzzing with energy.

    While waiting around, I finally got the chance to try guinea pig something I’d missed out on earlier and didn’t want to leave Peru without tasting. I have to be honest, it didn’t look all that appetizing spinning over the fire, and it wasn’t much better when it landed on my plate. But it tasted better than it looked, and I was glad I gave it a shot.

    After nearly a week my bike was finally ready to go. Over the next few days, I’ll be heading south toward Bolivia, eager to get back on the road.    Read more

  • Theo Manseau2024 Winter AdventureTraveler
    1
    111

    Rainbow Mountain

    Mar 5–6, 2025 in Peru ⋅ ☁️ 5 °C

    After leaving Cusco, I took a slight detour during my 8-hour drive to Puno. My first stop was Rainbow Mountain, which was incredible. The layers of sediment exposed on the mountain give it that rainbow look. The ride up was amazing, with the narrow gravel road winding higher and higher, but as I climbed, the weather quickly changed. When I got there, fog and rain had rolled in, making visibility pretty limited. Still, the place was awesome. I parked my bike and hiked the last stretch for about an hour until I reached 16,500 feet but I didn’t stick around for long since the snow and sleet started coming down pretty heavily.

    On my way down, I saw something kind of funny. A group of tourists had come up on ATVs and as they were getting ready to leave, one person got off and accidentally left their ATV in neutral. I watched as it slowly rolled away and tumbled off a 50-foot cliff. The guide didn’t even flinch, and the group just kept heading down the mountain like it was no big deal.

    I hiked back down and continued on my way to Puno. The drive after that was pretty straightforward fairly flat and uneventful and I arrived quite late. Tomorrow, I’ll be crossing into Bolivia.    Read more

  • Theo Manseau2024 Winter AdventureTraveler
    112

    Death Road & La Paz

    Mar 6–8, 2025 in Bolivia ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    I arrived in Bolivia without any issues and made my way to La Paz, a city nestled high in the mountains. Navigating through the chaos was a headache traffic was wild, and Google Maps kept leading me the wrong way on one-way streets.

    My main goal was to check out Death Road, a narrow gravel route carved into the mountains. In the ’90s, it was notorious for hundreds of deaths each year. But after a new road was built in 2006, most traffic shifted, and today, it’s mostly used by mountain bikers and a few local vehicles.

    I began the ride by climbing high into the snow-capped Andes before turning onto the road. The descent into the jungle was breathtaking, steep cliffs, waterfalls spilling onto the path, and thick mist hanging in the valleys. Some parts of the road were rougher than I expected. I was struck by the sheer number of crosses and shrines lining the roadside.

    Despite the challenges, the side trip into the Amazon made it all worthwhile. The jungle was incredibly loud, filled with the constant calls of unseen birds. No matter how hard I searched, I never managed to spot a single one.

    After about four hours of riding, I made it back to La Paz and began planning my next stops in Bolivia.    Read more

  • Theo Manseau2024 Winter AdventureTraveler

    Bolivian Fuel Crisis

    March 8, 2025 in Bolivia ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Leaving La Paz turned out to be a lot harder than I expected. I left early in the morning, only to find insanely long lines at every gas station I passed. The next station was too far to reach, so I had no choice but to wait. My first attempt to get gas took about six hours, and I quickly learned that most gas stations won’t serve vehicles with international plates. Apparently, the government heavily subsidizes fuel for Bolivian citizens, which costs around $0.53 per liter. This was also when I found out about Bolivia’s ongoing fuel crisis—oil production is at an all-time low, and the government is really struggling to keep the fuel subsidies in place.

    After wasting six hours, I was directed to another station that was government-affiliated and could help me out. I made my way there, but at this point, I was in a tough spot. I didn’t have enough gas to either go back to La Paz or keep going forward if this station couldn’t help me. After waiting another three hours in line, I found out the station had run out of fuel, and it would be a while before they restocked. Luckily, I bumped into a local who told me about the illegal black market. This turned out to be a blessing, as I managed to buy enough fuel to fill my tank, purchasing several water bottles filled with gas to make sure I’d have enough to reach my destination. The price was outrageous, though, at $3.58 per liter, but I really didn’t have any other option.

    After doing the math, I figured I had just enough fuel to make it to Uyuni, about 500 km away. The drive was smooth for the most part, but I noticed that most of the gas stations I passed were closed, running out of fuel. That was a little concerning since I didn’t have a backup plan anymore and was fully relying on the fuel I had. The situation became trickier when my fuel delivery issue kicked in. My bike tends to starve for fuel when the tank reaches a certain level, usually around 430 km into a drive. Sure enough, about 350 km into this trip, the bike started to struggle. I hadn’t planned for this, and with only enough gas to get me about 100 km further, I was 50 km short. It was completely dark, and pouring rain, so I started to worry I might get stuck out in the desert in the middle of the night. My only option was to slow down to 65 km/h to try and stretch my fuel, which made the trip take much longer than planned.

    I barely made it, but as I saw the city lights in the distance, my bike ran out of gas. At that moment, I was actually pretty relieved best case scenario, in my opinion. I pushed the bike the last bit to my hostel, checked in, and finally called it a night.    Read more

  • Theo Manseau2024 Winter AdventureTraveler
    1

    Uyuni Salt Flats

    March 9, 2025 in Bolivia ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    Since I was in a super touristy town, I managed to skip the long lines at the gas station and saved myself a couple of hours of waiting. From there, I headed to the Bolivian salt flats a massive stretch of salt left over from an ancient ocean. Because it was rainy season, the flats were covered in about a foot of water, creating this insane mirror effect where the sky and the ground blended together. It was almost impossible to tell where one ended and the other began.

    I tried riding out into the middle, but without a clear route, it quickly turned into a struggle. My bike got stuck in the salt, which, when mixed with water, turns into a thick, mud like paste. After a bit of a fight, I decided to turn back to solid ground but not before snapping a few photos.

    Even though I couldn’t go too far, the whole experience was unreal. I’d love to come back in the dry season when the salt is solid and ride across it properly.    Read more

  • Theo Manseau2024 Winter AdventureTraveler

    Travelling to Chile

    March 9, 2025 in Chile ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    I decided to leave Bolivia early. The gas shortages had made traveling a bit of a nightmare, and honestly, I was just eager to check out Chile. The drive to the border ended up being one of the most incredible stretches of road I’d seen—no other part of my trip had packed in so many drastic landscape changes in such a short distance.

    It started with pavement, but before long, the road turned to gravel, then mud. For miles, all I could see was endless, flat, muddy terrain. Then, almost out of nowhere, mountains started rising on the horizon some rugged and covered in rock, others smooth and bare. By the time I reached the border, I was surrounded by towering, snow-capped peaks. The rest of the drive was just as surreal, cutting through massive salt flats where I passed huge salt mining operations. Watching the workers and machines out there in that stark, white landscape was pretty wild.

    Crossing the Andes, the scenery shifted again—this time into a vast, dry desert. But the real shock wasn’t just in the landscape it was in everything else. The moment I hit Chile, it felt like I’d entered a completely different world. The muddy, pothole-filled roads were gone, replaced by smooth asphalt and actual lane markings. The chaotic traffic had disappeared. And the city I rolled into? It was lit up like something straight out of North America. McDonald’s, Starbucks, Walmart all the big names I hadn’t seen in months. After spending so much time in more underdeveloped places, it was honestly a little surreal.

    I figured I’d earned a real bed, so I treated myself to a hotel for the night and called it a day.    Read more

  • Theo Manseau2024 Winter AdventureTraveler
    1

    Vallenar

    Mar 11–12, 2025 in Chile ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    During three grueling days of ten-hour rides, I found myself cutting through endless desert landscapes, & passing groups of motorcyclists heading north. The ride was mostly uneventful but breathtaking, leading me out of the high-altitude desert and through Chile’s sprawling mining industry. Evidence of past and present operations was everywhere tunnels carved into mountainsides, machinery scattered across the barren hills.

    I was eager to see the Pacific again, and I arrived just in time for an incredible sunset ride along the cliffs, the ocean stretching endlessly beside me.

    Today I set out for La Serena but kept having to stop and tighten my chain. After 20,000 km, it was nearing the end of its life and I knew the whole drive system front and rear sprockets included needed replacing soon. I had also noticed my cotter pin was starting to deform slightly after each adjustment. The cotter pin is a small metal piece that locks the axle nut in place, preventing the rear wheel from shifting. It wasn’t a major issue yet, but I had a feeling it might give out eventually.

    Sure enough, during my final chain tightening of the day, the aluminum cotter pin snapped. Annoying, but not exactly surprising. It wasn’t a stressful situation, just an unfortunate one I wouldn’t be making it to La Serena as planned.

    With no choice but to limp along the highway, I made my way to Vallenar, a small roadside town. Riding any farther without a proper fix wasn’t an option. I figured I might as well replace the entire drive system while I was at it, but the local mechanic didn’t have the right sprockets. So, for now, I settled for a new chain & pin and hoped it would hold up until I could find parts in Santiago.    Read more

  • Theo Manseau2024 Winter AdventureTraveler

    Santiago

    Mar 13–18, 2025 in Chile ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    I spent a week in Santiago and it's a pretty cool place with tons of things to do. I spent the first couple of days just walking around and soaking in the city. My hostel was in the bar district, surrounded by restaurants and pubs, which worked out perfectly. I ended up celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day there with some people from the hostel, drinking Guinness and green cervezas.

    Honestly, I was happy to just relax. I didn’t realize how exhausted I was after driving non-stop for the last four days. I’d planned to leave a few days earlier, but getting vehicle insurance for Argentina turned out to be a bigger hassle than I expected. I couldn’t get it at the border, and online options weren’t working. Argentina has some odd rules for insurance when it comes to foreigners.

    In the end, I heard about third party brokers that operate through WhatsApp. The process took a while, and at one point, a guy I met at the hostel offered to forge the insurance documents for me. Not ideal, but with time running out and hearing a rumour that customs had no way of checking if the insurance was valid, I figured I’d take the risk.

    I’m leaving tomorrow morning for the border.    Read more

  • Theo Manseau2024 Winter AdventureTraveler

    Crossing the Border

    March 18, 2025 in Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    The ride to the Argentina border was amazing. I rode up tons of switchbacks, surrounded by steep, jagged mountains, crossing through the Andes one last time. I made it to the border without any issues, and my forged documents slipped through just fine. But 15 minutes into Argentina I passed a truck in a no-passing zone right in front of a police checkpoint that I somehow completely missed. They stopped me, took my ID, and told me I could only get it back after facing traffic court the next day. They also warned me about hefty fines and penalties for the violation.

    I felt a bit of dread at that moment because the police absolutely had the ability to check the validity of my forged insurance papers but luckily, they never asked. Thankfully, corruption runs pretty deep here in South America, so after a $100 bribe and promising to keep quiet, I was back on my way just a 45 minute delay. My destination was Mendoza, and I rolled in just before dusk.    Read more

  • Theo Manseau2024 Winter AdventureTraveler

    Mendoza

    Mar 18–20, 2025 in Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    I spent two nights in Mendoza, and it was great!Mendoza is Argentina’s wine region, and it's absolutely beautiful. Driving through the countryside along the vineyards, you can actually smell the grapes in the air. I joined a group from the hostel, and we headed to a vineyard for a wine tour something I’ve always wanted to do, so I was really excited. Afterward, we sat down and enjoyed several bottles of wine, cheese, and meats before going to dinner at a local bar with a skyline view. All in all, a successful day, in my opinion.

    The next day, I planned to leave early, but I got caught up in a conversation with a British guy who used to work for the British government as a speechwriter. We ended up talking about world politics and the book he’s writing, and I totally lost track of time. Eventually, I got going in the afternoon and headed toward Route 40, a famous highway that stretches all the way south to the bottom of Argentina.    Read more

  • Theo Manseau2024 Winter AdventureTraveler
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    The Iconic Route 40

    March 21, 2025 in Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    The first stretch of Route 40 after Mendoza was exactly what I needed. Clear skies, good weather, and great scenery the whole way. On my right were the Andes mountains, and on my left, the flat desert stretched out toward the Atlantic.

    I camped out both nights along the way just me, my tent, and everything I could throw on to stay warm. I didn’t have a sleeping bag since I had sent it home back in November to save space, so I layered up with every piece of clothing I had. The nights were cold, but manageable, and I still got a decent sleep.

    Even without much comfort, it felt good to be out there. Waking up to the quiet and seeing the mountains lit up by the morning sun made it worth it    Read more

  • Theo Manseau2024 Winter AdventureTraveler

    The Lake District

    Mar 22–24, 2025 in Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    After a few days of riding, I made it to Argentina’s Lake District. The area really reminded me of British Columbia rolling mountains, pine and cedar trees everywhere, and winding roads that were fun to ride.

    I stayed for two nights in a small mountain town, called San Carlos I took a bunch of photos, and finally picked up a sleeping bag something I was definitely going to need with the colder weather coming in. I treated myself to a proper dinner one night since I’d mostly been living off gas station sandwiches lately.

    The gas stations in Argentina are actually pretty decent. Most of them have little cafés with baked goods, coffee, and sometimes full restaurants. One afternoon I ordered a glass of wine with my food, but thanks to a translation mix-up, I ended up with a full bottle. Not what I expected, but I didn’t complain.

    It was a nice break before heading back into more remote stretches of the trip.    Read more

  • Theo Manseau2024 Winter AdventureTraveler
    1

    Entering Patagonia

    March 26, 2025 in Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    Leaving the Lake District wasn’t easy. I was pretty comfortable there, and the scenery reminded me of home. The air smelled like cedar and pine, the trees were starting to turn yellow and orange, and it really felt like fall was settling in. I was reluctant to leave, but with winter quickly approaching, I knew I had to keep heading south.

    I jumped back onto Route 40 and hit a section I completely forgot about one that’s known for deep, loose gravel. There’s even a company that will trailer your motorcycle around it. However I decided to ride it, and it was a bit sketchy. I came close to wiping out a few times but made it through without any real issues.

    What surprised me most wasn’t the road it was the wildlife. I started seeing foxes every day, wild horses, and herds of deer. But the biggest surprise was the rheas. At first, I thought they were emus. They were everywhere sometimes I’d see two or three hundred of them in a single day just walking along or across the highway. I didn’t even know this bird existed in South America.

    The road got worse after that. So many potholes that most people were driving on the shoulder instead of the actual road. At one point, I thought I blew my suspension, but it turned out to be the rear wheel bearings. Luckily, I rolled into a small town with a decent mechanic. They had the parts and got me back on the road pretty quick. From there, I kept heading south toward El Calafate.    Read more

  • Theo Manseau2024 Winter AdventureTraveler
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    El Calafate

    Mar 26–28, 2025 in Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    El Calafate is a cool little town that mostly exists because of the glacier nearby. It’s built around tourism, full of hostels, cafés, and outdoor gear shops, but it has a relaxed, welcoming vibe. The town sits about an hour from Perito Moreno Glacier, and it’s a popular spot for camping, hiking, and all kinds of outdoor trips.

    My first day there, I mostly rested. I had considered doing a 12-hour hike to a nearby mountain, but I’d already booked the full-day glacier trek and didn’t feel like burning out my legs. Instead, I took the bike for a ride to one of the glacier viewpoints. Even from a distance, it was impressive. Massive walls of deep blue ice stretched out farther than I expected. I’d never seen anything quite like it.

    The next morning, I headed down to the docks and crossed the lake to start the tour. The closer we got, the more unreal the glacier looked, rising 60 to 80 feet above the water in some places, with hundreds more feet hidden below. It felt huge, even from the boat.

    We started the trek by hiking a couple of hours along the mountainside next to the glacier. Eventually, we geared up with crampons and stepped onto the ice. The guides explained how the surface of the glacier changes constantly. Crevasses open and close daily, so each tour follows a slightly different path. That gave it a cool, one-of-a-kind feel.

    One of the highlights was when our guide brought us to a rare ice cave. He chipped steps into the ice with his pick, and we climbed down inside. The walls were smooth and glowing blue, and water slowly dripped from the ceiling. It was quiet, cold, and kind of surreal.

    After a few hours on the glacier, we made our way back and finished the day with a glass of whisky served over glacier ice that was supposedly 500 years old. A little cheesy, but a fun way to end it.

    Walking on Perito Moreno was definitely one of the most memorable parts of my trip through Argentina. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time, and it lived up to the hype.

    With a winter storm on the horizon, I decided to leave El Calafate a day earlier than planned and keep heading south.    Read more

  • Theo Manseau2024 Winter AdventureTraveler

    Cerro Sombrero

    March 29, 2025 in Chile ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C

    Leaving El Calafate, the signs of winter were getting harder to ignore. The wind had picked up, the temperature had dropped, and the landscape had opened into wide, quiet plains. Aside from the odd ranch and a few lonely trees, there wasn’t much around just me, the road, and the wind.

    The ride south was tough. The wind was constant, pushing the bike around and forcing me to stay focused every second. It made for slow progress and sore shoulders.

    I reached the Chilean border just before sunset, hoping to catch the last ferry to Tierra del Fuego that evening. Thankfully, the crossing went smoothly just a bit of paperwork and a friendly customs officer and I made it to the ferry with a bit of time to spare.

    It ended up being the only ferry I took during my entire trip.

     The crossing was short. After battling wind all day, it felt good to be off the bike for a bit. I went inside and warmed up while the ferry gently made its way across. It was quiet, and the heat, even if minimal, was enough to start thawing out my hands.

    Once we docked on the far side, it was fully dark. I rode a short distance to a small Chilean town and found a place to camp for the night.

    The next morning, I crossed back into Argentina my final border crossing before arriving to Ushuaia. The scenery began to change not long after. Hills rose into snow-covered mountains, and the road started winding through them.

    The views were incredible. Sharp peaks, empty valleys, and a road that seemed to stretch endlessly south. By late afternoon, I was finally descending into Ushuaia wet and cold but my final destination was right there in front of me.    Read more

  • Theo Manseau2024 Winter AdventureTraveler

    Ushuaia: The End of the Road

    Mar 30–Apr 2, 2025 in Argentina ⋅ 🌬 6 °C

    I finally made it to Ushuaia!

    Back before crossing into Mexico, I wasn’t completely sure I’d get this far. I had concerns about the bike holding up, and there were a few safety worries early on. But I’m glad I pushed through.

    The trip ended up taking 162 days, covering 27,877 kilometers through 14 countries. Along the way, there were plenty of challenges: language barriers, unpredictable weather, and lots of time spent dealing with breakdowns. Swapping SIM cards in every country got annoying, but it became part of the routine.

    Winter hit just as I arrived. The next day, over three feet of snow dropped in the surrounding mountains, and a couple centimeters stuck in town. The timing was close. I don’t think I could’ve arrived much later.

    I took the bike to a local mechanic for some overdue maintenance. It had just passed 50,000 km, so I got the chain and both sprockets replaced, a new air filter installed, and an oil change done. The bike made it, but just barely. I still hadn’t fully solved the fuel delivery issue, though by this point I’d narrowed it down to the most likely cause. Bit late in the game, but better than nothing.

    With the bike getting looked at, I decided to check out the city for a couple days.    Read more

    Trip end
    April 13, 2025
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