Thorn Cycles Forum
Community => Cycle Tours => Topic started by: j-ms on January 01, 2018, 11:15:49 PM
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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 (https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?doc_id=20431&v=k)
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Thanks for posting.
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Looking forward to the trip report! I am considering this route myself one day so will follow with interest!
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Thanks for the post. Reading about is the next best thing to being there. :)
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I rode the Carretera Austral 20 years ago when it was all gravel, I believe about half of it is sealed nowadays?
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We are now at La Junta and, apart from the first day out of Puerto Montt, it has been almost entirely gravel.
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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.
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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.
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The corkscrew we were given is one of the little traveling types.
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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. :)
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;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.
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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. :)
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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 (https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?doc_id=20431&v=k).
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super photos look's like tough enough cycling.
no bother to you's have fun stay safe.
anto.
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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.
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It looks like we will be heading down to Puerto Natales on the route shown below. Then catch the ferry back to Puerto Montt.
(https://souwest.ovvio.co.za/jms/route.jpg)
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With regards the Ravens, they have stood up to the conditions far better than we have. The number of other bikes (notably Surly LHTs I'm afraid to say) that have had issues is surprisingly high. Three of a group of five other cyclists with whom we cycled with for about a week (on and off) had problems with their LHTs, mostly derailleur and disk brake issues. The fourth cyclist in the group had constant broken chains and only one other on an MTB had no issues of which I am aware.
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It looks like we will be heading down to Puerto Natales on the route shown below. Then catch the ferry back to Puerto Montt.
(https://souwest.ovvio.co.za/jms/route.jpg)
That's the route I took from Calafate, except I went into the Torres del Paine NP, before going south to Puerto Natales, I highly recommend going through the Torres del Paine park, if you have the time.
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Here's a few photos from the road from Calafate to Torres del Paine,
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I am not sure about TdP. Current reports are that it is difficult and very expensive to visit during the high season. Hiking is not possible without prior booking with all slots booked out months ahead and accommodation outside the park means we will need to hire a car somewhere.
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Must have changed since I was there 20 years ago then!
No booking required for day hikes, and camping was available in the park at a few places.
Shame.
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Well done both of you and your Ravens, Jean-Marc, and good luck in the weeks ahead.
Cheers, John