4.04.2011
4.03.2011
Steppe
Matt, Evan, and I finally departed from El Calafate after getting a series of bike and money issues settled. The days are getting cold with fresh snow on the hills over town but favorable winds pushed us out across the steppe. After climbing 10km out of the river valley onto plateau the wind charged unimpeded across the steppe driving off snow into drifts at the base of fescue tufts. Fingers frozen, toes frozen, face stinging we arrive at our dirt road turn off 100km down the road at El Cerito . . . nothing is there . . . funny, I am unclear why there are names on the maps. There is a road works building where we can get water but the lone worker says no to camping, besides it is too cold to camp . . . no shit.
With the sun going down and temperatures dropping we retreat to a nearby drainage looking for shelter from the wind and find casa "Arnold".
We had noted the regular concrete drainage culverts along the road and knew we were bound to be sleeping in one like every other cyclist. So we hung Evan's ground sheet across one end and moved in. We dragged in everything we would need for the night and snuggled into our bags to get comfy. Evan and I stayed in our bike clothes too cold to change telling ourselves we could change later . . .
After some minor interior decorating to give it that cozy prison feel . . .
we opened the whiskey and put on some Neil Young. Post cocktail hour we made dinner and with two stoves going the temperature stayed above freezing inside - bottles froze solid outside.
The morning dawned cold but calm and we crawled out of our cave to ride before noon on Argentine Route 40 - a good quality dirt road through the steppe.
Wildlife was abundant - we saw enough guanacos and rheas to stop counting, a couple foxes, condors, hares, sheep, cattle, and horses. The rhea is a flightless bird related to the ostrich that stands anywhere from 3-5 feet tall. I have tried to get a decent photo of rheas but for a flightless bird they sure are flighty - taking off flapping and running as soon as we approach - consequently this is not my photo. 
At a small lagoon beside the road ducks, geese, and flamingos sat on the water.
the pink dots are flamingos out there . . .
We finished out the day on 50 km of pavement to the dirt road turnoff to Argentinian immigration and into Chile as night fell.
After a cold night in the ditch we opted for more comfortable accommodation in Cerro Castillo besides lacking few other options in the dark and the rain . . . or at least we told ourselves.
The next day into Puerto Natales was a short 60km through beautiful Patagonia.
mind the land mines . . . they are the remnants of a 150+ year old border dispute between Chile and Arggentina, the Beagle Conflict, that nearly erupted into war in 1978. Ultimately, the Pope was called in to mediate the dispute and it was definitively settled in 1988 by the Argentinian electorate. The mines pose little threat to people because there are no people but occasionally the odd stray cow/sheep gets blown to bits.
We rode down a long valley, over a small pass chasing a series of retreating rainbows caused by passing rains.
Into a cold gray Puerto Natales whose primary attraction is its proximity to Torres del Paine.
However, I will not be hiking there this late in the season - I have plenty of cold and wet in my life.
With the sun going down and temperatures dropping we retreat to a nearby drainage looking for shelter from the wind and find casa "Arnold".
We had noted the regular concrete drainage culverts along the road and knew we were bound to be sleeping in one like every other cyclist. So we hung Evan's ground sheet across one end and moved in. We dragged in everything we would need for the night and snuggled into our bags to get comfy. Evan and I stayed in our bike clothes too cold to change telling ourselves we could change later . . .
After some minor interior decorating to give it that cozy prison feel . . .
we opened the whiskey and put on some Neil Young. Post cocktail hour we made dinner and with two stoves going the temperature stayed above freezing inside - bottles froze solid outside.
The morning dawned cold but calm and we crawled out of our cave to ride before noon on Argentine Route 40 - a good quality dirt road through the steppe.
Wildlife was abundant - we saw enough guanacos and rheas to stop counting, a couple foxes, condors, hares, sheep, cattle, and horses. The rhea is a flightless bird related to the ostrich that stands anywhere from 3-5 feet tall. I have tried to get a decent photo of rheas but for a flightless bird they sure are flighty - taking off flapping and running as soon as we approach - consequently this is not my photo. 
At a small lagoon beside the road ducks, geese, and flamingos sat on the water.
the pink dots are flamingos out there . . .
We finished out the day on 50 km of pavement to the dirt road turnoff to Argentinian immigration and into Chile as night fell.
After a cold night in the ditch we opted for more comfortable accommodation in Cerro Castillo besides lacking few other options in the dark and the rain . . . or at least we told ourselves.
The next day into Puerto Natales was a short 60km through beautiful Patagonia.
mind the land mines . . . they are the remnants of a 150+ year old border dispute between Chile and Arggentina, the Beagle Conflict, that nearly erupted into war in 1978. Ultimately, the Pope was called in to mediate the dispute and it was definitively settled in 1988 by the Argentinian electorate. The mines pose little threat to people because there are no people but occasionally the odd stray cow/sheep gets blown to bits.
We rode down a long valley, over a small pass chasing a series of retreating rainbows caused by passing rains.
Into a cold gray Puerto Natales whose primary attraction is its proximity to Torres del Paine.
However, I will not be hiking there this late in the season - I have plenty of cold and wet in my life.
3.31.2011
Futuleufu, Chile Rafting
Bit of a flash from the recent past that has been sitting on my desktop forever until I had a connection that I could upload from - Matt Kelly, Robin, Evan, and I went rafting for the afternoon in Futuleufu. The Fu is one of the top white water rivers in the world usually making the top 3 to 5 on most people's lists.
The section we did was class 3 to 5 rapids and one helluva ride - the class 5 section was optional but after finishing up with some 4+ we were ready for more and they got an extra 15,000 pesos out of all of us.
Because we were a strong group of four cyclists we were able to spend some time playing in a class 4 wave train called the Escalator - surfing the raft burying the nose in holes etc . . . the raft nearly flipped several times. However, the rapid ended in a giant eddy so it was easy to retrieve the ejected then ride the eddy back to the top of the wave train!
The water was clear as glass and clean enough to drink - good thing because you end up drinking quite a bit.
Things got a little exciting towards the end on the last run of class 5 rapids. The guide emphatically said, "don't swim here," because it is dangerous. So, Evan got ejected bucking over the top of a monster wave but stayed close enough to the raft for Robin to extend a paddle while I hauled him into the raft.
Also, very scenic with the occasional break to look around. Overall a fantastic day with amazing guides from all over the world, South Africa - United States - Peru. Thanks to Evan and Robin for talking Matt and I into joining them . . . not that is was all that hard to do.
The section we did was class 3 to 5 rapids and one helluva ride - the class 5 section was optional but after finishing up with some 4+ we were ready for more and they got an extra 15,000 pesos out of all of us.
Because we were a strong group of four cyclists we were able to spend some time playing in a class 4 wave train called the Escalator - surfing the raft burying the nose in holes etc . . . the raft nearly flipped several times. However, the rapid ended in a giant eddy so it was easy to retrieve the ejected then ride the eddy back to the top of the wave train!
The water was clear as glass and clean enough to drink - good thing because you end up drinking quite a bit.
Things got a little exciting towards the end on the last run of class 5 rapids. The guide emphatically said, "don't swim here," because it is dangerous. So, Evan got ejected bucking over the top of a monster wave but stayed close enough to the raft for Robin to extend a paddle while I hauled him into the raft.
Also, very scenic with the occasional break to look around. Overall a fantastic day with amazing guides from all over the world, South Africa - United States - Peru. Thanks to Evan and Robin for talking Matt and I into joining them . . . not that is was all that hard to do.
3.30.2011
Onto the Pampas
El Chalten was a great rest stop after finishing up the Austral Highway - good place to hang out, eat all you can eat pizza, hike a little, gaze at Mt FitzRoy, and play some poker - pasta served as chips tortellini was worth 500, spaghetti 1000 . . . Evan as a former casino dealer and serious poker player kept everything in order.
Condor de los Andes was a wonderfully tolerant with our large group of rowdy cyclists numbering upwards of 10 at times. Evan bequeathed his travel guitar to Ti, known to us as Natalie Portman, when we were on our way out the door at 3:30 in the afternoon towards Calafate 220km away.
We raged out of town with a strong tailwind that pushed us down the road at 40kph onto the pampas with not a tree in sight. Passing along Lago Viedma we could see the Viedma Glacier coming down to the water in the distance.
I had a combination of mechanical issues - the simplest was replacing my rear derailleur cable but my rear hub sounded like a box of rocks so I had to spin a little easy hoping my hub did not seize up and leave me beside the road.
Passing storms produced a continual series of rainbows as we moved down the road.
Lots of wildlife on the pampas mostly Guanacos (camelid), Rheas (like a small Ostrich), and hares.
In our first 2 hours of riding we covered over 75km of riding and we stopped at about 100+ km. 
I stayed at a small hotel with Doug and Janice in order to use Doug's freewheel remover and enjoy their excellent company. My bearings were square and the drive side cone had disintegrated into metal chunks - the horrid grinding sound that prompted my stop was my bearings sliding around the race . . . not rolling. I removed the large pieces of scrap iron, popped in some new bearings, whatever that was worth, and kept the hub loose.
Those funny Argentinians - a common sign defacement.
Day two was a little tortuous listening to my hub grind away, wheel wobbling, rear disc rubbing for 120km. After 70km our destination and my hope for hub salvation, Calafate, came into view on the other side of Lago Argentino but it would be a hard 30+km grind into a stiff headwind after rounding the end of the lake. However, Evan and I shared the load drafting each other with 2-3 minute pulls.
I was able to get a new 8 speed disc hub laced onto my old rim for less than $75 at Calafate's only bike shop and will be rolling to the end in style for the next week.
3.29.2011
The Bum Dawgs . . .
The name was Evan's idea and received a derisive reception. Robin favored "Robin and his Merry Men" - too long. Matt is his enthusiasm for the Spanish language wanted a literal translation of "bum dogs" but that makes us sound like dog's asses . . . Then Robin said it in his best gangster Scottish, and it stuck. So on our last full day together the Bum Dawgs rented a car to go see the Perito Moreno Glacier and perhaps fish.
Lucky for us the glacier is only 70km away so our crack of 2pm start, after seeing the sunrise before going to bed, was not an issue. Besides the novelty of effortlessly cruising into a headwind at 70kph we saved a bundle of money on transportation.
I admit to be a little jaded about seeing yet another glacier - been there done that, climbed them but I was wanted to hit Lago Roca to go fishing on the way back so I was down. I have seen a few sublime natural wonders - the Cordillera Blanca in Peru, the Grand Canyon, Iguassu Falls, the Northern Lights, and now I can say Perito Moreno Glacier. Driving into the park we rounded a bend and all of us said wow! 
After traveling for well over a year you tend to fancy yourself as something other than a tourist but all of us fell into snap happy tourist mode taking individual photos in front of the glacier then group shots. 
The series of walkways crisscrossing the cypress forested hillside facing the glacier offered perfect views.
Tourists were strangely subdued watching the creeping immensity of the glacier watching without speaking.
The glacier is 5km across with an average height of 74 meters high where it meets the waters of Lago Argentino and a total depth of 170 meters - the tour boats on the water offer a little perspective. Perito Moreno is one of the few glaciers in the world that is growing as well as being the third largest reserve of fresh water in the world.
Driving out of the park I took a little cat nap in the back seat while we headed for Lago Roca on a rough dirt road for 30km - so nice to be driving over washboard versus pedaling! We piled out at the lake in a spot that looked good for fishing . . . the wind was wailing, it was cold, an not a soul in sight. Perfect fishing weather but we hesitated on the bluff commenting on the chilly wind - then I went to the trunk for my rod. We scrambled off the bluff to the shores of Lago Roca to stand on a small point on the beach. Theoretically the wind should be driving bait fish down the lake where they should gather around the point . . . within 10 minutes Matt had a fish on and lost it. His second tease of the day but that is another story. 
I walked down the beach to get a wind break for casting when I heard Matt and Evan hooting and hollering. Matt landed a nice 32 inch Lake Trout - dinner! We continued fishing until sunset but Matt was the only one of us to land a fish . . . Robin wandered the beach collecting bits of flotsam though he usually enthusiastically joins us to read a book but it was too windy.
We drove back hungry and euphoric with our day contemplating eating one of the numerous suicidal hares dashing in front of the car if we happened to hit one - a little Patagonian surf n turf.
Lucky for us the glacier is only 70km away so our crack of 2pm start, after seeing the sunrise before going to bed, was not an issue. Besides the novelty of effortlessly cruising into a headwind at 70kph we saved a bundle of money on transportation.
I admit to be a little jaded about seeing yet another glacier - been there done that, climbed them but I was wanted to hit Lago Roca to go fishing on the way back so I was down. I have seen a few sublime natural wonders - the Cordillera Blanca in Peru, the Grand Canyon, Iguassu Falls, the Northern Lights, and now I can say Perito Moreno Glacier. Driving into the park we rounded a bend and all of us said wow! 
After traveling for well over a year you tend to fancy yourself as something other than a tourist but all of us fell into snap happy tourist mode taking individual photos in front of the glacier then group shots. 
The series of walkways crisscrossing the cypress forested hillside facing the glacier offered perfect views.
Tourists were strangely subdued watching the creeping immensity of the glacier watching without speaking.
The glacier is 5km across with an average height of 74 meters high where it meets the waters of Lago Argentino and a total depth of 170 meters - the tour boats on the water offer a little perspective. Perito Moreno is one of the few glaciers in the world that is growing as well as being the third largest reserve of fresh water in the world.
Driving out of the park I took a little cat nap in the back seat while we headed for Lago Roca on a rough dirt road for 30km - so nice to be driving over washboard versus pedaling! We piled out at the lake in a spot that looked good for fishing . . . the wind was wailing, it was cold, an not a soul in sight. Perfect fishing weather but we hesitated on the bluff commenting on the chilly wind - then I went to the trunk for my rod. We scrambled off the bluff to the shores of Lago Roca to stand on a small point on the beach. Theoretically the wind should be driving bait fish down the lake where they should gather around the point . . . within 10 minutes Matt had a fish on and lost it. His second tease of the day but that is another story. 
I walked down the beach to get a wind break for casting when I heard Matt and Evan hooting and hollering. Matt landed a nice 32 inch Lake Trout - dinner! We continued fishing until sunset but Matt was the only one of us to land a fish . . . Robin wandered the beach collecting bits of flotsam though he usually enthusiastically joins us to read a book but it was too windy.
We drove back hungry and euphoric with our day contemplating eating one of the numerous suicidal hares dashing in front of the car if we happened to hit one - a little Patagonian surf n turf.
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