Patagonia. Here we come.

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Patagonia. Here we come.Traveler
The start of the wild
November 16, 2022 in Chile ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C
We are now en route from coyhaique (the biggest town we have seen - but still tiny) heading towards the real business. Not many miles of tarmac to go and then it will be Ripio until Argentina.

We cross the plains which have been cleared of the dense trees we have become accustomed to. There is more traffic than before but eventually we leave most of it behind and now we are climbing steadily up towards volcanic mountains. Here we spend the night alone at the closed national park campsite sheltered by the trees (and hoping not to be chucked out)

In the morning we are cycling in rain and cloud with occasional glimpses of just a little of what we are missing. Another pass and then down. A gap in the cloud below us and we can see what is to come. A tolkeinesque vista with sun and snow, glacial valleys and rock formations. Its impressive. Later we visit 3000 year old handprints protected under a cliff overhang. Then its a real struggle into a headwind and rain showers to finally arrive at our campsite which comes with the usual array of dogs, sheep and chickens and, this time, 3 alpacas.
One of the notable features of our trip is the number of protective shelters. Bus shelters are great for a rainy day picnic. Campsites too, often have an enclosed wind and rain proof table at many pitches. Perhaps a bit worrying but appreciated all the same.Read more
TravelerThis is so beautiful! What an incredible journey Alice & Alain!
11/23/22Reply
Stunning views! Thanks for sharing! [Erm]
11/23/22Reply
Congratulations this is real sports! Beautiful mountains and the colours of the rocks! Best Ishes! Christine Blondel [Christine Blondel]
11/23/22Reply
(best wishes) [Christine Blondel]
11/23/22Reply
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Patagonia. Here we come.Traveler
The real ripio
November 20, 2022 in Chile ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C
The real ripio finally begins. Actually it is pretty bad. We are into the wind, the best place to find a line without too much loose gravel and too many bumps is on the other side of the road - its normal to ride/drive all over the road but we cant hear the traffic coming up behind (so as to get back on the proper side of the road) because of the roar of the wind. The road is almost 4 lanes wide though much of it too rough to be used and has had recent roadworks so its grey and dusty and gravelly. Its dust fills our vision and lungs and we have grit in our mouths.

But oh my, oh wow, the Views. Big glaciated valleys and wide flat wetlands, huge rivers (one of which we camp beside). Its is stupendous.

And eventually (quite a long “eventually” in this case) the ripio narrows and firms and we are no longer into the wind. And after the rain of the night, it clears to freshly snow-frosted mountain slopes. And there are the glacial blue waters and the lighter blue skies and the spring greens and the yellows of the new lupins and then the brighter blue of Chile’s largest lake that we have now reached. What a reward for the hard work.Read more
TravelerJoli bonnet!
11/27/22Reply
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Patagonia. Here we come.Traveler
Capillas de Marmol
November 20, 2022 in Chile ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C
Les chapelles de marbre -- The Marble Chapels

Nous nous levons tôt matin pour aller faire un tour de kayak avec Esteban, sur l'immense lac (la rive sud est un chemin de terre de 185 km) que les chiliens apelent 'Lac du Général Carrera', les argentins 'lac de Buenos Aires' et que les indigènes ont appelé depuis des siècles Chacabuco.

Ma! Le soleil est avec nous, les couleurs du lac entouré de sommets enneigés sont multiples, changeantes, éblouissantes. Nous voici harnachés, et nous découvrons bons équipiers! Le marbre creusé par les eaux du lac, en galeries tourmentées au gré des variations de la pierre et des courants, est étonnant et révélateur de la géologie de ce pays.
Venez faire un petit tour avec nous avec les vidéos!

We get up early to go kayaking with Esteban, on this great lake (the south coast alone is a 185 km dirt road) named "General Carrera" in Chile and "Buenos Aires" in Argentina -- the original habitants named it Chacabuco for centuries.

The sun is with us. The colours of the waters surrounded by snowy mountains are varied and stunning. Here we go, in kayaking armour. Believe it or not we make a good team!
The marble, chiseled by the lake water in tormented galeries from the random variations of the rock composition and water currents, is revealing of the geology of the country.Read more
See translation
TravelerExceptionnel! Magnifiques roches et couleur de l'eau
11/27/22Reply
Travelerincroyable et magnifique mere nature !!
11/27/22Reply
TravelerGoodness! That's just incredible!
11/27/22Reply
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Patagonia. Here we come.Traveler
Rafting the Rio Baker
November 22, 2022 in Chile ⋅ 🌫 10 °C
Alice has never been rafting before. So we spent a morning on the huge river that exits the Lago General Carera that we have spent several days cycling beside. We are in the hands of experts and it is such fun.Read more
TravelerOh my! That looks like a lot of fun!!
11/28/22Reply
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Patagonia. Here we come.Traveler
Many shades of blue green and grey
November 22, 2022 in Chile ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
Nuances de bleu vert gris
Rio Tranquilo -- Cochrane

Après une superbe journée à Rio Tranquilo nous reprenons la route australe. Le ciel contient toujours du gris, du bleu, une averse, une montagne enneigée, alors que nous longeons les différents exutoires historiques du lac Carrera. La bonne sortie, rivière Baker, est d'un beau bleu pur, (la mauvaise d'un vert-jaunâtre intéressant) et nous la retrouvons bouillonnante (video) en aval de Port Bertrand, où nous plantons notre tente dans l'anticipation de la chevaucher le lendemain en rafting (voir à ce poste).

Sonnés après le raft, nous continuons la descente de la rivière Baker en admirant ses gorges d'émeraude.Read more
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Patagonia. Here we come.Traveler
Alone on the road
November 24, 2022 in Chile ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C
We now have 5 days of ripio to cover with nothing but road and wilderness en route (this post covers the first half up to the ferry). No shops, accommodation, signal. So its time to load up with provisions before we head off. The weather forecast is not great with rain and high winds expected and we are into the wind.
The first night we find a hidden field to camp in what seems to be used as a camping area by Gauchos with their horses. A few too many mossies but otherwise perfect. And the sun even comes out.

The second day Alains rack departs from the rest of his bike (just held on courtesy of the tent). We have a serious mechanical session with many design grumblings from the resident physicist. Luckily some combined lateral thinking, experimentation and Alice’s bolt supply allow us to get things back where they should be.

Night 2 we find a small spot down by the river with wonderful views. Day 3 we are off to catch the ferry through the rain and low clouds. We are in luck. An extra ferry which will bring back the fuel lorry means we are happily on our way 2 hours earlier than expected.Read more
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Patagonia. Here we come.Traveler
As the Condor flies
November 25, 2022 in Chile ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C
The end of the Carretera Austral is just 5 miles away now. We are in the middle of nowhere in a tiny town. Villa O’Higgins only came into existance in 1966, gained electricity in 1992 and had a road built to it in 1999 (via a ferry crossing). From here it is possible to cross by bike and boat to Argentina.
Its a landscape of wilderness with mountains lakes, rivers. We are graced with sunshine after the days of cloud and rain.Read more
TravelerGliding so gracefully! Beautiful!
11/28/22Reply
This is all truly awe inspiring, thank you so much! [Erm]
12/3/22Reply
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Patagonia. Here we come.Traveler
Our amazing legs
November 26, 2022 in Chile ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C
Its time to acknowledge our amazing legs which somehow keep powering (plodding?) on up and down all these hills. 1800km and counting. Well done legs.
TravelerWhat an achievement! A paddle in those waters works wonders for tired legs! Well done you two! xx
11/27/22Reply
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Patagonia. Here we come.Traveler
End of the Carretera Austral, what next?
November 29, 2022 in Chile ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C
Fin de la Carratera Austral. Et maintenant?

Nous avons donc campé au bord du Lago Cisnes le samedi 26 Novembre au soir, par un magnifique crépuscule. La suite est toute préparée: demain 27, fin de la route Australe à O'Higgins; prochaine étape, El Chalten en Argentine, grâce à deux ferrys: un sur le lac O'Higgins, d'abord, puis passage des douanes sur l'autre bord; après quelques km de crapahut infernal annoncé, on campe en Argentine pres du Lago del dieserto qu'on passe avec un second ferry et 35km de chemin de terre et le tour est joué. Nous avons annoncé notre désir de passer le 28 à la compagnie de ferry, tout va bien.

Hélas c'est compter sans la météo. Nous sommes arrivés à 48 degrés de latitude sud, les quarantièmes rugissants, bientôt les cinquantièmes hurlants. Ce lac O'Higgins est en fait le confluent de 4-5 vallées glaciaires où les vents soufflent à fond et si c'est trop fort, pas de ferry! Pour tout aggraver, le lac, qui fait frontière avec l'Argentine où il s'appelle San Martin, est l'objet de conflit frontalier depuis 150 ans; c'est une zone "sensible".

La météo pousse la compagnie de ferry à avancer son passage d'une journée, et nous envoie un message le 26 pour nous demander si nous sommes intéressés. Faute de réseau nous ratons ce message, et quand nous arrivons le 27 toutes les places sont prises!!! La visite au bureau de la compagnie est tendue, mais la conclusion est irréversible: nous avons laissé passer notre chance. La compagnie a tout annulé pour une semaine, les attendre compromettrait sans appel la suite du voyage.

Nous avons une petite chance: un certain Pascual Diaz assure le passage, avec un plus petit bateau. A son retour lundi 28 il nous promet de demander la permission à l'autorité portuaire de partir le lundi soir. On saura à 18h. Message à 18h00, trop de vent mais ça va se calmer on saura à minuit...

Ceci est un blog, pas un roman.

Entre-temps nous avons planté la tente chez Paula et ses deux enfants, quand elle est chez elle elle partage son WiFi en créant un hot spot. Autrement on peut capter le wifi du bistrot voisin (cervezeria) dont elle connaît le mot de passe, en allant au fond du jardin. Autrement le réseau est nul, on ne peut se connecter que par WiFi au seul resto local... ou à l'agence de ferrys. Alice va donc régulièrement au fond du jardin capter fiévreusement les messages WhatsApp du capitaine Pascual.

La coupe du monde au Qatar a commencé et le fils de Paula, Thomas, est fou de foot. Le Chili n'est pas dans la coupe, il soutient logiquement l'Argentine et Lionel Messi à fond, il me parle de M'bappé et de Giroud.

La journée de lundi est longue, la journée de mardi est interminable. Nous en profitons pour aller au port rendre visite au Capitaine Pascual et au panneau qui marque la fin de la carretera Austral. Pascual est vague, il ne sait pas.

Nous nous somme liés d'amitié avec d'autres naufragés, français, anglais (et surtout pas gallois) et les destinées respectives sont échangées lors de dîners enfiévrés au resto. Pour sortir de cette impasse, on peut (voir cartes):

1. remonter au nord ouest trois jours de vélo et
prendre un ferry de 40 heures pour Puerto Natales -- pour nous, c'est fusiller les trois dernières semaines du voyage.
2. passer le petit col du Rio Meyer au nord vers l'Argentine, puis l'équivalent de 9 jours à vélo pour reprendre notre itinéraire à El Chalten. C'est faisable à pied, peut-etre à velo, il y a 20km sans route entre les deux postes frontière. Mais une fois en Argentine c'est la grand-route et une autre aventure.

Finalement, mercredi matin 6h30 le message de Pascual tombe. Pas d'autorisation de naviguer. La petite fenêtre météo s'est fermée, tempête annoncée pour jeudi à dimanche.

Après une petite heure de réflexion, nous décidons de partir pour le col du Rio Meyer. L'aventure d'abord.

Au moment de nos 'adios', Thomas me donne un dessin de Lionel Messi qu'il a fait lui même. A nous l'Argentine!

La route jusqu'au poste frontière est bucolique, superbe, on croise plusieurs fois le Rio Meyer. Surprise au col, il y a un aéroport!Read more
Travelerje comprends mieux ce tout petit detour en argentine 😅
12/6/22Reply
Travelerbon courage
12/6/22Reply
Et bien les amis, c'est effectivement comme un roman (que nous venons de lire avec Papa) ! Bon courage en effet! Plein de baisers affectueux [Christine B]
12/7/22Reply
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Patagonia. Here we come.Traveler
Escape across No Mans Land
November 30, 2022 in Chile ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C
After 3 days of « the boat will sail tomorrow » and with the weather forecast getting worse we make a change of plan and choose option C - the crazy option. At least it will be an adventure. We are told it is possible to cross into Argentina further North on a route that is not feasible for vehicles but can be done on foot and (just) by bike. Luckily we don’t fully understand what we are opting for.

It starts at the chilean border station where we check out of Chile and are given a form that we need to hand in on the Argentinian side (20 km away through no mans land). The border official has a small lamb baaing at his feet and the border station is fantastically in the middle of nowhere (just the landing strip). I think I might change career.

After some waiting and once our papers are checked, we are invited into the station. There are 6 officials most of them watching the world cup…plus us. The match is Poland vs Argentina. Alain asks who they are supporting… Poland of course. Would we like a coffee? Indeed we would. And it comes with bread, jam and chilean condensed milk toffee spread. «For energy » the guard says. This is the best border crossing in the world Alain announces.

We ask for a bit of advice re the route but its a little limited as we have no language overlap. Follow the edge of the mountain and the maps.me app paths are more or less right. He points to the river below which we can ford. Seems a bit bizarre but who are we to argue.

The fording is not a problem and we find the track marked on the map and happily climb it. But here the problems start. The track is barred. We explore and eventually strip the bikes of luggage and Alain lifts them over. 2 more fences later, they are getting higher and are barbed and there are fences everywhere. It does not bode well. We have covered 500m in an hour. Alice does a recce and finds a likely path at the expense of some wet and very dirty feet from the swampy areas below. Alain puts the bungy cord to good use to lower the barbs- one more big fence and some scrambling through the woods and we are on a path. Yeah. But soon it descends and there is a muddy stream to cross (we build a temporary bridge for the bikes from some handy large planks) and again the route is unclear. Its late so we pitch the tent, saving the next stream and swamp for tomorrow and hoping the cows will not be too curious about the tent.

Tomorrow we are up early and ford the next stream and swamp but struggle to find the next path. At last we find something on drier land but there are loads of tiny tracks that are not really wide enough for the bikes because of the prickly bushes. I wonder whether we will end up retracing our steps back to Chile. Its slow and we have 2 km to battle to reach the next key objective- the pedestrian bridge over the river. We mostly push the bikes and are super relieved when at last the bridge is in sight.

It turns out to be a long rickety and very narrow suspension bridge. It takes 6 trips with paniers and then the bikes with handlebars turned sideways. It seems wise to keep a hand around the bridge cable in case the creaking boards give way.

The whole no mans areas turns out to be a relatively flat area traversed by a huge river with wide gravel beds and many tributaries and large tracts of swamp. There are mountains on all sides. The deal seems to be to follow the slightly higher ground just beside the wet flat parts and hope to emerge on the other side. Its wonderfully empty and beautiful and we are alone (especially when Alice loses Alain for a short while).

Now we find the next track. Its made of melon sized boulders in the dry part of the river bed. We push/bump the bikes along until it improves. The GPS is a godsend and helps us find the tiny tracks across the expanses beside the wide river. We can slowly pedal mainly now. We ford another river and wind onwards. Soon we we are in old woods, its getting clearer and easier. Another ford and its a real track. And at long last (6 hours for 20km) we find the Argentinian border station and are checked in. We are official again.

I ask how many people they have seen this week. Four. And how many bikes? They had 4 last week. Guess we were the highlight of the day.Read more
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Patagonia. Here we come.Traveler
Sailing the Pampa
December 2, 2022 in Argentina ⋅ 🌬 12 °C
Its hard to comprehend how different 2 countries can be just a few 10s of km appart. From wet grey and densely forested Chile we are into a huge wide expanse of arid landscape. The strong prevailing winds from the Pacific mean that at this latitude Chile has a huge 3500mm of rain a year vs just 200mm in Argentina.

Its also really windy today in Argentina. 50-60 kmph and gusting up to 80. And simply no shelter. Hmm. A new set of rules. For now we have the winds at our backs pushing us up the hills and across the ripio. Its actually hard to stand still without applying the brakes. And its really tough when the wind is from the side.

We have another issue. The flat pampas is covered in low bushes and grasses that are prickly. Not ideal for the tent. For the first night we find a flat dried out lake which solves part of the problem but which ends up getting fine clinging dust/dirt all over everything. Plus there are animal carcasses all around which is a bit off-putting.

The next day we are whizzing over the ripio and cover a days ride in the morning. And at long last we start seeng guanaco, an elegant wild animal that is reminiscent of a llama, girafe and horse. Soon we are on tarmac and we are effortlessly sailing along through the vast landscapes. We cover 130 km (almost half of this, ripio) in one day… with a massive battle for the last 10km when we have strong gusting cross and head winds. Alain gets into hero mode and leads the way, sheltering a very tired Alice behind. The landscapes are so different to Chile. Vast huge flat plains. Huge skies. Colours muted greys and sandy.Read more
TravelerLe film du bonnet nous a bien fait rire!!
12/15/22Reply
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Patagonia. Here we come.Traveler
Hitching west
December 3, 2022 in Argentina ⋅ 🌬 14 °C
En stop vers l'ouest.

Après notre folle epopée au vent arrière, nous arrivons à l'estancia Santa Thelma. Le propriétaire est un élégant Français, Marc-Antoine, qui nous raconte les aventures qui l'ont amené là, et plein de belles choses sur la Patagonie.

Le lendemain nous battons notre record de vitesse (Alice, 51km/h) au vent arrière, jusqu'à Gobernator Gregores où nous devons repartir vers l'ouest. Hmmm..., vent debout 70-100 km/h; là, il faut faire du stop. Miracle, une famille de sympathiques Colombiens nous invite dans leur camping car, et après une belle route de 300km, nous dépose à notre destination commune, El Chalten. Grâce à eux, nous regagnons 5 jours, et retrouvons l'itinéraire initial, après un détour riche en nouveautés et rencontres.

Our escape over the border leaves us a long way from our original route and in the wrong direction (there was no other option). With 60 gusting 90km headwinds for several days to come we decide to hitch back to where we would have arrived after the missed ferries. (El Chalten) . There is about 1 vehicle every 15 mins but the drivers are noticing the strong winds and it is obvious we are in a pickle. We are super lucky and get picked up by the 2nd camper van- with bikes stowed in the corridor and the bed and get a run the whole way back!!Read more
TravelerLike the windy sign!
12/10/22Reply
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Patagonia. Here we come.Traveler
Crappy days…
December 4, 2022 in Argentina ⋅ 🌬 15 °C
As in science, holiday “reporting” is biased. We take photos on sunny days and describe the marvellous things, with maybe for good measure, a few mishaps which we overcame thrown in.
But of course, like life, holidays are pretty imperfect especially on the minor scale. Be it day after day of grey and rain, admin hassles and headaches, losing important items or missing ingredients for dinner. Usually we ride them out, ups and downs, like the road. I am lucky to have an upbeat companion who sees the funny side and does not complain about wet feet and limited menus.

What really surprises me is how a tough day can be OK and carried with good cheer and determination. But then there are those days when really there is nothing wrong except me. The lupins that delighted before no longer get through, and the wonderful scenery is not enough to shift my internal heaviness. All I know how to do is to plod on and trust that another day will come that will be better. And I do and it does.Read more
TravelerHope today is a better day xxx
12/10/22Reply
TravelerSo sorry to hear about the tricky days Alice, but hoping they are few and far between! You have achieved incredible things on your journey xx
12/10/22Reply
Traveleryou guys have been amazing and can't wait to hear more stories over a warm cup of tea and not in the rain 😀
1/2/23Reply
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Patagonia. Here we come.Traveler
Facing Fitz Roy
December 5, 2022 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 9 °C
Le Mont Fitz Roy -- Français ci-dessous

Todays mission is to climb up into the Parc National des Glaciers to get a close look at Fitz Roy, a very splendid mountain and its glaciers. Its a great walk and we more or less get to see it before the weather closes in and it starts snowing.

Cette montagne (3405m) est emblématique des Andes du sud, un énorme pain de sucre de vieux magma granitique découvert par l'érosion. Une fois à El Chalten nous gravissons le chemin de 10 km dans la forêt et les moraines pour arriver au lac glaciaire (parmi une bonne centaine de touristes de tous pays) et explorer les lacs et glaciers aux alentours . C'est splendide, bien que la pointe reste dans les nuages, et nous, dans le froid et la neige.Read more
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Patagonia. Here we come.Traveler
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Les lacs Argentins (II)
December 6, 2022 in Argentina ⋅ 🌬 13 °C
Après avoir entrevu les pieds du Mont Fitz Roy, nous repartons vers l'est, au grand largue le long du Lago Viedma. Et nous voyons de loin ce que nous n'avons pu voir de près: le glacier Viedma, qui pond des icebergs, mais surtout le Fitz Roy de toute beauté-- mais de 50km de distance!

Les Argentins font ici bien les choses, et à notre retour sur la route argentine A40 (leur " Carretera Austral") se trouve un grand refuge avec wifi public et une belle vue, ou nous passons la nuit. Après une belle descente du Rio La Leona nous arrivons au Lago Argentino, ou se trouve le très (trop) populaire glacier Perito Moreno. Le temps se gâte et, laissant le vent nous montrer le cap, nous continuons notre route vers le sud.Read more
See translation
Traveler Lago Argentino
12/10/22Reply
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Patagonia. Here we come.Traveler
Unexpected kindnesses
December 8, 2022 in Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C
The day starts wet and grey and drizzly. And it ends even wetter. We start dry and end up wet. We are really remote and days from shops or a tap or a bed.
In this area we are really touched by the kindness of the others on the road. People look out for us and check we are OK. Thank you, thank you for the Motorcyclists superglue fix to Alice’s shoes. We are hungrily super-delighted with the Brazilian tourists’ offering of Empanadas (think cornish pastie but better) which eke out our thin rations. Today the petrol lorry driver hoots at us, pulls over and shares a chat and fresh oranges in the rain.

Solidarité sur la route! Le 8 décembre démarre gris et crachouilleux, et ne s’améliorera pas. Nous sommes au milieu de nulle part, à des jours de pédale du moindre magasin ou d' un robinet d'eau potable -- ne parlons pas d'un lit.

Il est touchant de voir la gentillesse des gens qui s'arrêtent pour vérifier que nous sommes OK. SUPERMERCI à ces motards et leur superglue qui sauvent la chaussure baillante d'Alice. Et à ces touristes Brésiliens qui s'arrêtent pour nous offrir des empenadas (des cornes de gazelle en plus gros, farcies de viande ou de légumes délicieux). Aujourd'hui, un chauffeur routier qui s'arrête hilare pour nous offrir deux oranges délicieuses de chez lui vers Buenos Aires, et s'offrir un brin de causette -- son camion s'appelle 'Fangio' :-)Read more
TravelerThis is so heartwarming to read! xx
12/11/22Reply
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Patagonia. Here we come.Traveler
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Camping
December 10, 2022 in Argentina ⋅ 🌙 3 °C
It’s necessary to camp (and wild camp) to undertake the Carretera Austral and southern Patagonia. The distances are just too long for cyclists. Chile and Argentina seem quite easy going about rough camping - although much land is private, thus fenced and chained. Also, in Chile the forest is too dense to be penetrable, in Argentina the pampas grass is too spikey for the tent.

I thought I would show a few pictures of our tent and setup. We have a posh 3 person Hilleberg, which works really well for us with a door and window each (and great view potential). Its very well ventilated (condensation is always a huge tent-problem), while reassuringly weather and rain resistant. Plus we can sit up properly inside.

We have had a lot of rain and wind but have not yet put the tent fully through its paces in terms of storms. The tent canvas goes on the back of Alain's bike and I carry poles and pegs. Alain is the champion pegger, dish washer and water filterer and I sort the inner tent, bedding and packing up. We share the cooking and the hot chocolate. We have a double sleeping bag plus mats. We both really appreciate having our own personal heater in the bag for chilly nights :-).

Of course there are some limitations and challenges to wild camping. Such as needing to get out of the tent for a pee when its raining, or taking down the tent in the pouring rain. But the rewards are not to be underestimated. We love the sense of being a snail carrying its home on its back with the security that we can stop and set up more or less when we want. But more than that, we are able to camp in the most wonderful places with fantastic views, and amazing lighting.

We get up in the night and often see stars in unpolluted skies, Orion always, the Southern Cross sometimes; hear the frogs at night, and the birds in the morning. How priceless is that!Read more
Traveler That looks a really practical cozy space & so good that you are able to sit fully upright!
12/12/22Reply
Camping is magic... not fond of packing, unpacking in the rain though 😉 [Sylvie]
12/14/22Reply
Travelerah Sylvie, il faut bien quelques bas pour apprecier les hauts! voir le jour suivant...
12/14/22Reply
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Patagonia. Here we come.Traveler
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The end of Argentina
December 10, 2022 in Chile ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
Français ci-dessous!

We wake to grey in the middle of what looks like an Argentinian version of the Yorkshire Moors. The ripio is truly awful, the worst yet - rough bumpy and sticky mud that blocks our wheels and is like riding in treacle. We have an unexpected obligatory spectacle of the rounding up of 1000s of sheep by Gauchos (which blocks our route for some time).

Finally off the ripio its into the headwind and we are just getting slower and slower. At exhaustion, we stop on the edge of the main road. Much better than it sounds. We get up early to beat the wind and whizz out of Argentine into a shockingly green Chile.

Derniers kilomètres en Argentine

Notre traversée de la pampa nous a emmenés sur un raccourci désastreux: l'ancienne A40 est en déshérence et le ripio est abominable. En besoin d'eau, nous nous sommes arrêtés pour la nuit près d'une rivière, espérant en filtrer, mais de l'eau, point -- dans la rivière en tout cas, car il pleut à verses. Nous devrons faire avec la réserve et repartir presque à vide. C'est clairement un point 'bas' du voyage. La remise en route le matin est dure dure, la route mouillée colle aux roues, les galets roulent dans tous les sens. Heureusement vent et soleil viennent sécher tout ça, les guanacos et les nandous nous encouragent de leur présence.

Un gros plaisir nous récompense: un troupeau de plus de mille moutons, grosses brebis et tout petits agneaux confondus, se presse sur la route. A leurs trousses, des gauchos à cheval, motos, quads, et des chiens de toutes les couleurs.

Finalement nous arrivons sur la grand route et reprenons de l'eau à un poste de police. Par contre, le vent contrarie de plus en plus ce qui nous reste de forces. Nous plantons la tente au bord de la route après une bonne bagarre avec le vent. La vue est belle, et nous avons bien gagné vers notre prochaine destination, le parc des Torres del Paine, au Chili. Nous quittons l'Argentine et retrouvons le Chili verdoyant en arrivant à Cerro Castillo; une estancia nous permet de nous laver et reprendre des forces.Read more
Traveler A way of life unchanged for centuries I would imagine!
12/15/22Reply
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Patagonia. Here we come.Traveler
Towers and Horns
December 12, 2022 in Chile ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C
En français en dessous

The Parc des Torres del Paine....Little to say here, the beauty of these cliffs of granite and on occasion their black caps of volcanic sediments is stunning. After a day arriving by Lago Amarga (bitter lake) and its flamingos, and a clear night camping under the stars, we cycle slowly along the great marvels of the Torres (towers) and the Cuernos (horns). The southern ice field of Patagonia projects its blue glow in the western background.

We leave with a supporting wind along a series of lakes progressively covered with white caps. We camp near a little stream in the forest. The larder is full and the morale is high. The wind carries us amidst beautiful lights and landscapes to Puertos Natales. We find a campsite with a great view and a popular Chilian restaurant where we stuff ourselves happily.

Des tours (Torres) et des dents (Cuernos, littéralement cornes)

Le parc national chilien « Torres del Paine ». Sublime, que dire de plus? La beauté verticale des falaises de granite gris, couvert parfois de sombres chapeaux de sédiments volcaniques, est à couper le souffle. Nous arrivons par le ´Lago Amarga’ lac amer, effectivement entouré d’un dépôt de sels (pas du sel de cuisine, j’ai goûté). Un groupe de flamants roses (flamenco en espagnol) nous font un joli cancan de dessous noirs en prenant leur envol. Nous campons sous les étoiles. Au matin le ciel est plus dégagé, nous pédalons devant les tours d’abord, puis découvrons les étonnantes ´cuernos’. Au fond à l’ouest, la banquise du sud chilien projette un rayonnement bleuté.

Nous quittons le parc par la vallée de la Paine, une série de lacs bleus que le vent recouvre de plus en plus de moutons déferlants. Nous plantons la tente près d’une petite rivière dans les bois. Notre garde-manger est plein et le moral est au beau fixe. Le vent nous fait glisser le lendemain par de belles lumières et paysages jusqu’à Puerto Natales. Nous trouvons un camping surplombant la ville et les détroits, et un resto populaire chilien où nous nous empiffrons sans aucun remord. (NB il faut absolument que je retrouve un boudin au cumin comme ça!)Read more
TravelerBeautiful pics! Just stunning!
12/15/22Reply
Quel voyage!!! Nous vous avons suivi en une soirée depuis votre traversée sans piste jusqu'en Argentine et retour au Chili... Merci pour ce partage et heureusement que vous avez de l'humour! [Christine B (& Papa)]
12/15/22Reply
Paysages et contrastes incroyables! [Christine B]
12/15/22Reply
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Patagonia. Here we come.Traveler
Glaciers!
December 14, 2022 in Chile ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C
(En francais plus bas)

Patagonia contains 2 large ice fields but as they are high and flat it is rather hard to see them without either a helicopter or a mountaineering expedition. Somehow, although we have seen various glaciers from a distance, patagonia’s glaciers have eluded us. Some we are a decade or more too late for, others we missed due to weather conditions or because we needed to catch up on « lost » time.

In Puerto Natales we take our last chance visiting 2 glaciers in a fiord of a remote National Park by catamaran. The glaciers are beautiful in colour and sound - but sadly much in retreat. Reminiscent of our trip to Greenland.

Glaciers!

La Patagonie compte deux grandes calottes glaciaires, mais comme elles sont hautes et plates, il est assez difficile de les voir sans hélicoptère ou sans faire un peu d'alpinisme. Les glaciers de Patagonie nous ont jusqu'à maintenant échappé. Certains en raison des conditions météorologiques, comme le glacier O'Higgins; d'autres parce qu'ils ont fondu ( !) et d'autres encore parce qu'ils necessitent une longue excursion en bateau et en bus, ou parce que nous devions rattraper le temps " perdu ".
À Puerto Natales, nous avons saisi notre dernière chance. Un catamaran peut nous emmener faire un tour en mer pour visiter un long fjord, voir des cormorans et des lions de mer, et visiter deux glaciers dans un parc national reculé.

Il fait bon de se tenir en équilibre sur le pont, sur la mer, avec le vent et les embruns salés, entouré de montagnes aux sommets enneigés. C'est amusant de voir les cormorans et les lions de mer... Et voici les glaciers, et leur puissant message : "nous partons".

Le premier glacier a laissé le sol nu ouvert là où il flottait il y a 30 ans. Et le glacier Serrano, encore beau pour l'instant, a quitté la grande lagune qu'il avait créée, et qui était pleine de glace lorsqu'il a été découvert il y a 120 ans. Des marqueurs rouges, jaunes et verts marquent l'accélération du recul.Read more
TravelerBelles photos des glaciers... et de vous deux :-)
1/1/23Reply
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Patagonia. Here we come.Traveler
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Ruta del Fin del Mundo
December 15, 2022 in Chile ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C
(Français ci-dessous)

Route to the End of the World

Follow this route with us through the images of a rough and desolate nature. And the sky! The immense sky which is a constant show. It is free, no charge, no opening and closing hours, no lines, no critics.

Using the wind forecast and a bit of arithmetic, we fly with the wind... 100 km the first day, 130 the second. The legs are not really tired, but we are exhausted from concentrating.

Going with the wind under the immense sky.

La route de la fin du monde

Suivez avec nous cette route à travers ces images d'une nature rude et désolée. Et le ciel ! Le ciel immense est un spectacle permanent. C'est gratuit, sans frais, sans heure d'ouverture et de fermeture, sans file d'attente, sans critique.

En utilisant les prévisions de vent et un peu d'arithmétique, nous volons avec le vent... 100 km le premier jour, 130 le second. Les jambes ne sont pas vraiment fatiguées, mais nous sommes épuisés de nous concentrer.

Volons avec le vent sous le ciel immenseRead more
TravelerMine were tired trying to keep up with you :-)
12/18/22Reply
Traveler Waiting for a bus for absolutely ages & then two turn up at the same time! :-)
12/19/22Reply
Traveler Such beautiful dramatic skies!
12/19/22Reply
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Patagonia. Here we come.Traveler
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Our Bikes
December 17, 2022 in Chile ⋅ 🌬 12 °C
As we finish our travel, a short credit is due to the bicycles.

Alain and I treated ourselves to some new bikes more suited for rough travel in anticipation of this and other trips. Alain has an Aarios discovery and Alice a Stanforth Kibo. The bikes are stronger especially the wheels and chunkier tyres. We also opted for a 14 speed Rohloff gear hubs which gives us a wide range of gears but with an internal mechanism that is away from the grime and wet. All this has added weight compared to our older bikes and taken a bit of getting used to. However we have been especially grateful for the bigger tyres on the rough roads and overall the gears have been working well.

Mechanically we have done pretty ok with no disasters or need for a bike shop. Alains adjustable seatpost decided to be more adjustable than intended which was a bit disconcerting until we finally managed to get into the “inside” and tighten up some parts that should not have come undone. Alains rear rack has also taken a hammering and pretty much disintegrated on the ripio (he does so thunder down through the bumps). We had a major session trying to get it back together. Good thing Alice carries a lot of spare nuts and bolts…Read more
TravelerWell done Alice & Alain! What an incredible journey! Thanks so much for sharing your beautiful photo's & travel journals!
12/18/22Reply
Traveler It would be great if hub units were used more widely on modern bikes! Sturmey Archer 3 speed hubs seemed to be fitted to pretty much everything when I was a kid!
12/18/22Reply
TravelerWhat an amazing trip! And told with poetry and humour. Thank you for sharing this great experience and magnificent pictures
12/19/22Reply
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Patagonia. Here we come.Traveler
Magellan strait
December 17, 2022 in Chile ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C
(English translation below)

Le détroit de Magellan!

Nous voici arrivés au terme de ce beau périple. Punta Arenas (La pointe des sables), ville de 137000 habitants, porte en elle la mémoire du premier tour du monde de Ferdinand Magellan et son équipage, de l'expédition de Darwin, du développement économique intense de la fin du XIXeme siècle.

La vie de Magellan et de son équipage (les 250 périrent presque tous en route et les 18 survivants à ce tour de trois ans étaient des morts-debout) prend un sens très particulier lorsqu'on monte sur la réplique du bateau dans lequel ils vivaient les uns sur les autres. C'est passionnant, mais ça fait froid dans le dos.

Le Beagle commandé par Fitz Roy (d'où le nom de la montagne que nous avons vue de l'Argentine) parait bien plus raisonnable. Retrouver Darwin après avoir rencontré guanaco, condor et nandou, tous absents de l'arche de Noé, fait aussi bien réfléchir.

Mais le plus prenant est la visite au cimetière. Ici se trouve un monument à l'indien inconnu. Couverte d'ex-votos, cette mémoire au génocide des populations natives du sud de la Patagonie me plonge entre larmes et rage. Rendons leur dû aux habitants d'aujourd'hui: l'hommage est présent aussi sur la place centrale de Punta Arenas où le monument à Magellan s'honore d'une sculpture de cet 'indien' inconnu, dont il est coutume d'embrasser le gros orteil si l'on veut revenir.

Le Musée Salésien retrace l'histoire de ce massacre par la combinaison de maladies, mépris du sauvage qui ne comprend pas ce que propriété privée veut dire, cupidité des chercheurs d'or et de leurs milices sans scrupules, etc. Quelques photos des derniers survivants nous donnent encore une chance de les remercier pour cette belle visite que nous avons faite dans leur pays.

==========================================

The Strait of Magellan!

Here we are at the end of a beautiful journey. Punta Arenas (Sandy Point), a city of 137,000 inhabitants, bears the memory of the first round-the-world trip of Ferdinand Magellan, of Darwin's expedition, and of the intense economic development of the late 19th century.

The lives of Magellan and his crew (250 died en route and the 18 survivors of this three-year tour were practically dead on their feet) take on a very special meaning when you climb onto the replica of the ship in which they lived on top of each other. It is impressive but chilling.

Darwins’s Beagle commanded by Fitz Roy (the name of the mountain we walked up to in Argentina) seems much more reasonable. And after finding guanaco, condor and rhea, all absent from Noah's Ark, Darwins trip makes you think.

The most engaging part is the visit to the cemetery. Here are huge tombs to all the settler families plus a monument to the unknown Indian ( of the local Selknam tribe, now « extinct ») . Covered with ex-votos, this memorial to the genocide of the native populations of southern Patagonia plunges me between tears and rage. Giving credit to today's inhabitants: a monument to Magellan in the central square of Punta Arenas Magellan also includes a sculpture of this unknown 'Indian', whose big toe it is customary to kiss if you want to return.

The Salesian museum traces the history of this misinformed massacre through a combination of disease, contempt for « savages» and the greed of the gold diggers and their unscrupulous militias, etc. A few photos of the last survivors give us another chance to thank them for this beautiful visit we made to their country.Read more
See translation
TravelerUn morceau d'histoire... la ville a l'air très développée, ce qui fait bizarre après toutes ces étendues désertes que vous avez traversées
12/27/22Reply
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Patagonia. Here we come.Traveler
1
We Find Penguins :-)
December 18, 2022 in Chile ⋅ 🌬 10 °C
Sometimes pictures speak for themselves. Just a bit of a pity that we could not take one home with us.

Une colonie de manchots de Magellan (Magellanic penguins) sur l'île de la Madeleine au milieu du detroit de Magellan!Read more
Traveler Aaaw! Well hello there! :-)
12/19/22Reply
They are so friendly and unsuspecting ! Not being selected with humans arround. The more the human suits resemble them, the more likely their impact on nature is large. Enjoy nature. Thanks for sharing these amazing ventures. Bises barbues, Arnaud. [Arnaud]
12/20/22Reply
TravelerCharmants!
12/27/22Reply
5 likes

Trip end
December 23, 2022