Puerto Rio Tranquilo to somewhere 80 k from Chile Chico Day 26 Jan 04 13

 

On the road by 9.30 …….. more gravel wash board continues playing havoc on my body and bike…….Stop and check my luggage and Alex pulls up….he has had a few problems with bolts breaking on his pannier frames and  has them tied together with zip tys. He is crossing at Chile Chico and I follow for a short distance but soon his big Trans laP haS disappeared from view. I decide that I will cross near Cochrane and go there to sort out my Reciprocity Payment to the Argentine Govt…….tried doing it last night on line but it wouldn’t let me pay…….must be done on line and a printed bar code receipt must be printed out to give to the border staff who scan it to confirm you are legit. I am in a cafe in Cochrane and the waitress/owner with the help of a Chilean I met who speaks English gets the copy on her printer. Gracios Amigo…….I didn’t get your name…….por favor send me your name on the blog……..

While in the cafe 5 Chilean Riders on BMW”S and a VSTROM strike up a conversation with me……..I am advised that I must cross at Chile Chico which mean back tracking 68 k and another 102 k from that point…….I replace my gas can with a 20.00 US dollar one….ouch……..REMOTE VILLAGE they got you

Tonight I am somewhere in the boonies stealth camped behind a steel girder in the bush………typing this in my son’s tent………hope the animals are friendly……dinner was peanut butter on a bun with water…….I will survive …….need to lose weight.