Author Topic: Patagonia 2018  (Read 10446 times)

j-ms

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Patagonia 2018
« on: January 01, 2018, 11:15:49 pm »
We arrived in Puerto Montt, the start of the Carretera Austral a few hours ago.  The Ravens survived the three flights that it took to get from South Africa to here - it took about half an hour to re-assemble the two of them - a co-operative effort between Leigh and myself.  In fact, assembling the bikes was one of the more enjoyable parts of the 38 hours that it took between Johannesburg and Puerto Montt.  We're spending the next few days in Puerto Montt before heading southwards to who knows where - time will tell how far south we make it.  Pretty knackered now and heading for a shower and a kip.  The journal is up on Crazy Guy on a Bike at https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?doc_id=20431&v=k

mickeg

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Re: Patagonia 2018
« Reply #1 on: January 02, 2018, 07:13:43 pm »
Thanks for posting.

StuntPilot

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Re: Patagonia 2018
« Reply #2 on: January 03, 2018, 12:21:58 pm »
Looking forward to the trip report! I am considering this route myself one day so will follow with interest!

Pavel

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Re: Patagonia 2018
« Reply #3 on: January 07, 2018, 04:54:33 pm »
Thanks for the post.  Reading about is the next best thing to being there.  :)

rualexander

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Re: Patagonia 2018
« Reply #4 on: January 08, 2018, 11:49:59 pm »
I rode the Carretera Austral 20 years ago when it was all gravel, I believe about half of it is sealed nowadays?

j-ms

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Re: Patagonia 2018
« Reply #5 on: January 10, 2018, 06:53:34 pm »
We are now at La Junta and, apart from the first day out of Puerto Montt, it has been almost entirely gravel.

rualexander

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Re: Patagonia 2018
« Reply #6 on: January 10, 2018, 10:11:08 pm »
We are now at La Junta and, apart from the first day out of Puerto Montt, it has been almost entirely gravel.

Ah yes I remember La Junta, I joined the Carretera there having come through from Argentina via Futaleufu.

mickeg

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Re: Patagonia 2018
« Reply #7 on: January 20, 2018, 03:49:52 pm »
I forgot to bring a corkscrew several years ago on a bike tour.  Fortunately I found one at a nearby discount store.  I am always careful to carry one now. 


j-ms

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Re: Patagonia 2018
« Reply #8 on: January 20, 2018, 09:08:29 pm »
The corkscrew we were given is one of the little traveling types.

Pavel

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Re: Patagonia 2018
« Reply #9 on: January 20, 2018, 10:06:38 pm »
I'm a bit embarrassed to ask but is it red or white that goes best with Ramen Noodles and or beef jerky?

Enjoying your blog j-ms. :)

j-ms

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Re: Patagonia 2018
« Reply #10 on: January 21, 2018, 12:30:25 am »
 ;D Ha ha.  It's sacrilege to drink wine with food like that.  Mostly we have been eating reasonably well.  There is food available at little "super mercados" all along the way.  Most of these are smaller than a mini-Tesco (trying hard to put a UK reference to this) and very rudimentary, some operating out of a residence.  Here in Coyhique, and earlier in Puerto Montt, there is a large UniMarc with everything we are used to but most of the way it has been meat of unknown providence, last year's vegetables and, if we are lucky, some shriveled up oranges.  However, beer and wine has always been available and they are cheapest things to drink if you discount the water which we often just get from little waterfalls alongside the road.  We have cooked every night apart from two but the real challenge is to stop each meal tasting like the previous one - somehow they all seem to contain garlic, chili and tomatoes.  The only variable seems to be whether they are served with rice, pasta or dried beans.  The one thing I have been eating a lot of, and my wife a lot less so, is "pan", the little (mostly) homemade buns.  Empenades are also a great lunchtime or breakfast option, but this is a bit early in the day to employ the corkscrew.

Pavel

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Re: Patagonia 2018
« Reply #11 on: February 10, 2018, 11:45:26 am »
Yes, that's the trouble with wine.  There's formalities to observe, like an appropriate time to use the corkscrew.  I guess it's like that with beer too, one should never open a bottle or can before 9 am, though sometimes I break that rule.  :)

j-ms

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Re: Patagonia 2018
« Reply #12 on: February 15, 2018, 12:44:46 am »
Arrived in El Calafate today.  From what I gather, this is often the end of the line for cyclists who have done the Carretera Austral north to south as we have done.   We will spend the next three days here gathering our wits and working out where to go next.  The current plan is to head down to Puerto Natales and catch the ferry back to Puerto Montt from where we started and cycle northwards from there.  We're not keen on heading too much further south because the weather lately has been pretty shite. Any bright ideas on what to do next would be welcome.  Our current flight tickets back to South Africa are from Santiago in May but we can change them.

As usual, journal is on crazyguy at https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?doc_id=20431&v=k.

jags

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Re: Patagonia 2018
« Reply #13 on: February 15, 2018, 12:56:38 pm »
super photos look's like tough enough cycling.
no bother to you's have fun stay safe.

anto.

rualexander

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Re: Patagonia 2018
« Reply #14 on: February 15, 2018, 04:14:42 pm »
When I was there in 97/98, I cycled south from El Calafate on Ruta 40 and into Torres del Paine national park and did a few days walking there, well worth it. I then cycled down to Puerto Natales before taking a bus to Punta Arenas.
I think there was an alternative more direct route south from Calafate to Torres del Paine which was a much rougher track, maybe that is now a better surface and a potential route?
The wind was pretty brutal on my ride from Calafate to Torres del Paine though.