Rio Mayo to Fritz Roy Day 30 Jan 8 14

 

Up early but late leaving the hotel due to indecisive feelings to continue north or turn around and head to Ushuaia. Ushuaia was the reason for the trip…..get to the farthest point south by road. The wind was so so….nothing like when I aborted……so in the end I left town SE and travelled on bad gravel 152 k across country again only meeting 1 vehicle until I neared Fritz Roy and the workers in the oil patch…..I am so sick of gravel……..fuelled both the bike and myself and headed for Fritz Roy 142 k away. Going east the wind had picked up but was at my back and without cranking it all the way the bike ran smoothly at 95 k.

Someone I met along the way said Argentina was cheap…food/lodging….I am finding it about the same as home…..tonight's hotel 286 pesos at 6 to the dollar that’s about 48.00 US. Comparable to US accommodation. Menus are another issue……..they don’t seem to have them…at least not in the establishments I have been in……they rime off what they have and except for pollo con papa or frito….I don’t have a clue but they are considerate of my no espanol……I am eating a lot of CHICKEN…..   The Hotel………………………………………….. MY Room…huge compared to last night…  Wasn’t sure how to work the washer but in the END using the hand agitator next to it, I was able to get a LOAD of wash done…socks,underwear,long johns and a t-shirt.

The wind is really blowing again so we will see what happens…if it doesn’t let up I will stay put. Most bikers take Ruta 40 which I aborted hoping the E cost # 3 would be better…………

Perito Moreno to Rio Mayo Argentina Day 29 Jan 7 14

 

Late start today…….ran about town trying to get motto oil change…no motto shops….all people I asked referred me to town 50 k away in the direction I was not heading. The lad at the gas station said he would do it but worked until 4. I thanked him but said I had to hit the road. While at the station the Aduana Officer came up to me as I was heading out to let me know that Antonio had passed through yesterday around 4 pm. It was now 11am so I hung around until 1 pm in case he passed through….no sign of him.

Pulled over near where I stayed last night and changed my own oil. Fixed my clutch lever and by 1.30pm headed N to Ruta 40. Wind was not near the velocity of yesterday when I was sand blasted. Debated for a second about turning south but after yesterdays frightful events said no………   Pavement for the 1st half of the 180 k then the dreaded gravel…….the new highway is paved but you can’t use it……..slow going arriving in town around 5.30….at the Gas station I meet an Argentina couple on a BMW GS1200……they are heading to Ushuaia. In sign language I let them know the next 90 k is Gravel…..the Misses is not happy. They wave as they depart and I likewise……Nice modern cafe in this petro station in an otherwise run down town seemingly in valley far from any large city. I wonder what these how they make a living. I saw an Army Barrack's on the edge of town.

Down the street I check into the Hotel Aka for $ 250 pesos or about 40.00 dollars. I am way over budget for the last 2 nights. My room is closet like…….LoL….the shower has no Curtin     To the rooms upstairs a little spooky….at the end of this hall is the dining room and bar which is very nice….my bike is parked at the front window……will it be there tomorrow ?????????

Somewhere outside Chile Chico to A reserve ON RTE 39 Argentina Day 27 Jan 05 13

 

On the road to Chile Chico by 8 am and arrive around 9.30……… run into Alex again . He arrived yesterday about 3pm and was turned back at the border as he didn’t have insurance for Argentina…..spent the afternoon getting it on line….he will cross soon and head north. Fuelled up next to the Wharf and headed to the border.

No one spoke English but with little effort they took my papers and stapled them together and sent me to Argentina……..friendly agents.A few miles in I arrive at the Argentine Entry…..again no English but they are accommodating and point me to Customs, next customs points me to the Adana fellow who is next to customs, he takes the papers Chile stapled together….checks them, stamps and signs me in.

While I am packing the papers away the Aduana Officer comes out and asks me about my trip ( he speaks a little English ) I learn that he has a 91 680 Honda Trans Lap and would like to do a trip…….he wishes me a safe journey and I am off……..Every one has told me to go into any store and they will gladly exchange  your American Currency 9 to 1…bank is about 6 to 1……..In the 1st border town of Los Antigua's, I try a garage, corner store and fancy coffee shop, no one is interested…..Coffee shop won’t even take it at par. I head out penniless for Perito Moreno and go to the local bank which I also tried in the border town but it was out of money……this one is to but I notice an armoured truck nearby and a police presence so I wonder about for a while and come back and vola get Argentinean Pesos…….have a pizza AT A LOCAL HOTEL where I try to book a room but they are full……..the pizza is large and becomes both dinner later and lunch the next day.

I follow my GPS out of town …see a sign that says Routa 40 but miss the 10 next to that number……..I end uo 170k in the run down oil town of Las Heras …..stop and ask where I can get Petro pointing at my take and get directions to the service station. Look about for a place to stay….no hostels APPARENT JUST A sleazy looking hotel. I debate on continuing on 43 to Fitz Roy then 3 South. In the end regrettably I chose to back track 53 k and take a gravel road #39 through a reserve 185 k…..I end up dry camping in the Savannah like country side with Wild Horses, Emus and Al Paca….its near dark when I quit the road …..nursing my bad ankle as I crashed at sunset coming around a corner AND up hill…the sun blinded me and I went down on rocks……the bike pinning me to the road and still running. I manage to hit the kill switch…….takes 10 minutes to get out from under the bike and all my strength to lift the bike so I can get my leg out. In the 185 k only one other vehicle and that was today. That’s how remote the area is……..no damage to the bike but today I broke the clutch lever and loosened the left mirror. I was back on the road by 6am and struggled for the next 2 hours against gale force winds that wouldn’t allow me to go faster than 10 to 2o k on gravel. At one point I had to stop as the wind borne gravel was hitting me so hard I couldn’t see for grit in my eyes. I stopped and was pushed ….I have a difficult time getting her up in the wind but I do manage. I have a broken clutch lever and damaged mirror…..lost some precious fuel. With one glove I get on and steady the bike…..both feet firmly planted, start it and in 1st and 2nd gear continue….I am know on my reserve tank and have been for the last 20 k……..finally I reach Routa 40 at Bajo Caracoles. It’s just a run down hotel and gas bar….looks like something out of a dust bowl American movie…( crap the power just went out )( the internet crapped about 10 minutes after I got on and still is not on) I am in a crappy Cabana costing 80 us….nothing else available….tent would blow away….the wind is coming through the windows…door etc. Power back on. After filling my tank and getting out spare gloves I head down the paved Routa 40…..I can’t get any speed and am blown all over the place….decision is made, I am turning around heading PERITO MORENO….now sitting in the dark again.  It takes 4.1/2 hrs to get to Perito Moreno on Pavement no less.

TODAY HAS BEEN SO HECTIC AND FRIGHTNING AND THOSE WHO KNOW ME KNOW THAT I AM A RISK TAKER BUT TODAY WAS SOMETHING ELSE AND IF GOD WASN’T RIDINGWITH ME I DON’T THINK I COULD HAVE MADE IT

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.  

Coyhaique to Puerto Rio Tranquilo Day25 Jan3 14

 

Waking up this morning, Antonio informs me that he is going to linger in Coyhaique for a day or two…..wants to visit the Ice Fields…..which I am near at the moment but it is 52 k away on a rough side road so I will pass. With the GPS programmed for Cochrane, I bid farewell to Antonio and make my way out of town.Along the way at a photo stop, I meet Axel a 6’ 8” Argentinean from Mendoza who is also on his way to Ushuaia. He tells me about sleeping in an abandon house a couple nights back that made our barn sleep look like the Ritz. He has 20 days left for his trip.   The 1st 50 k are paved, plus the 42 k detour my GPS leads me on to Puerto Ray…….I stop for Coffee next to the lake in Puerto Ray. Puerto Ray……. I inquire in my best Spanish sign language where am I and learn that to get to Cochrane I must backtrack. Only tonight, I learn that I could have taken a ferry across the lake to Chile Chico. One half hour ride……instead I did over 150 k mostly rough gravel roads. I plan on crossing into Argentina at this point.       A light drizzle adds to the cold wind, as I hit the course gravel road. The scenery is spectacular and changes at almost every corner on this road which has many switchbacks as you climb and descend into valleys. Rock fall hazards along the way…… The road changes for a period to a hard packed clay then back to loose wash board adding to an already bumpy ride. I stop to adjust my load, luckily as I discover by spare gas can has sprung a leak and fuel is dripping on the exhaust. I pour the remaining fuel into the tank and discard the container in a garbage can next to a Prayer Shrine………..in the middle of no where.

Tonight, I am in an expensive hotel. I have met some other rider 6 of who on BMW’s and 1 Vstrom from Brazil………Rafael, a lawyer and I talked into the wee hours of the morning. His group is headed to Ushuaia and I passed him earlier but his bike was riding in the back of a pickup. He broke down 40 k back. His bike is a 2012 Bmw gs 800…..upon calling the dealer in Brazil…..and explaining that the bike seized up at 90 k causing him to skid into the ditch…….fortunately no injuries to either himself or girlfriend……the dealer said it was a known problem and would be covered under warranty. The best they would do was get the bike shipped back for repairs and he could ride along with the delivery van. He wants to complete the trip, so may bus to Argentina and rent a vehicle. I also met up with Alex, from Belgium and we had a pleasant dinner here at the hotel…….he will be crossing into Argentina and turning north for Alaska then the Road Of Bones as he makes his way home. He too has some problems. The road has wrecked havoc on his pannier frames and he needs to repair them before continuing…….