7-8 december, Pink house – El Chalten

I felt rested when I woke up shortly after 06:30. Outside the ten it was quiet, only occasional vehicles passing by, and the sun illuminated my tent. Had some breakfast – musli, yogurt, bread, and coffee. Then off shortly before 8:15. Headwind, but not much.”

Pulled over at La Lenoa, right by the river of the same name. It’s already crowded here, and the restaurant inside is almost full.

Grabbed a coffee and pulled out my computer for route updates. The sun is shining now as it can, and it’s a typical Swedish summer day.

Got some better wind a few miles later and stopped at some viewpoints. Often the subject of curious questions and photos.

At one point, some Indians wanted to try riding my ”bike.” Almost had a crash… ”How heavy it is!” he exclaimed. ’You must be strong.”

Some curious people from India want to try my bike…jisses

At next stop ”Mirrador” I am also seen with curious eyes and ears by a group of bus tourists from Italy.

Before they left, a younger woman came up with a bag of sandwiches with cheese and meat and asked if it would taste good.

–Absolutely
I answered happily and surprised, and gave her a hug. Later I pedaling away after some miles I cought up a German young couple, 25 years old.
They had the same goal as me, El Chalten. Most cyclists I’ve met have ridden from north to south. So, this couple was the second cyclist going in the same direction as myself.
I think it has to do with how the winds blow down here.

Flat, empty landscape, and Lake Viedma.

Patagonia is so flat and empty of buildings that I wonder if the world’s population could fit here if it were as densely populated as New York.

Few minutes after 2 pm I turned left into Ruta 23. It’s a huge T-junction and close to a busstop shelter a strange monument stood nearby. At first looked like a crashed plane but it turned out to be a metal fish…. I will latwer try to find out more about this strange object and let you know

Metallic fish, or El Pez Metálico monument Ruta 40- Ruta 23

From now the forenoons nice and helpful wind turned over to headwind and the road stretches become longer and longer.The only thing that keept my mind a little bit positiv was the mountains in front of me,  the majestic Fitz Roy and the blue green Lago Viedma on my left side.

You can’t stop get impressed of its beauty. Sometimes I imagine that Fitz Roy tells ”Come Closer, explore me.

After around 75 km and at the very end om Lago Viedma I say some small cozy ponds so I decided it was enough cycling for to day. The headwin has done its job and I was tired. It’s always pratical to tent beside water, you can do some cleaning and wash the dishes.

My Gourment kitchen

My campplace 45 km south El Chalten and Fitz Roy standning proudly in the background

Fitz Roy

While eating late dinner the sun is still up, the cows roaring, horses grazing on the other side of the ponds and the birds is relaxing and playing in the water and I enjoy my view.

Tomorrow flat and 45 km road to El Chalten and the first thing I gonna do and prepare is how to book ferryboat over Lago del Desierto. This tour dosen’t accept credit cards , only cash and what I’ve been told by others making bank withdrawals from ATM in El Chalten is often a problem,  often run out of money

See yeah Later

P-G
//The Global Cyclist 1726

3-7 December, El Calafate- La Leona

I arrived into El Calafate aftert midnight, outside it was totally black. I packed my bicycle and then cycled around to find a grren pot to pitch up my  tent. I thought I found one but a car with flashing red-blue lights show up. It was the local police. They banned me to camp , it was to dangwerous they said…. Try bus termina!

Just to face a follow the local rules so I cyclewd back to bust terminal trying to get some vhours sleep. At the bus terminal, several others had made the same decision… to stay overnight until all hostels and hotels opened.

I got barely three hours of sleep before being awakened by the hustle of bus tourists arriving. Checked Hotel.com for a cheap hostel and found Hostel Titan just about 4 km outside the city center. Booked two nights for $22, including breakfast.

The hostel looked more like a hotel, spacious, elegant furniture, clean and well-maintained. Upstairs, there was a dining room and a pub, both quite luxurious.

Hostel Titan Receptiobn

Hostel Titan dinning room and pub

Kitchen part

The problem was that the hostel hadn’t received my booking despite Hotel.com notifying them. It got resolved after half a day.

As a goodwill gesture for all the hassle, I got to join the hostel’s tour to Perito Moreno

Perito Moreno glacier

Strangely enough, I think the problem was worth it.

My next goal isa El Chalten  which lies about 220 km north and by Ruta 40. I checked the weather reports several times, and they promised sunny and warm weather.

Feels really nice, so now I can skip long pants, a warm sweater, and a jacket. Instead, it’ll be 3/4 pants and cycling jerseys.
The wind is also supposed to die down, just 5-7 m/s. Dealing with a bit of headwind is something I’m calculating in.

I had very relaxing time in El Calafate. The town is busy with tourists, crowdy everywere. The day for heading El Chalten the sky is clear blue and I got tailwind my first 35 km. I turned left from Ruta 11 into Ruta  40 and close to the junction a couple from Switzerland has stoped for rest.

They heading El Calafate. Aftervsome small talks I continoue north facing some bheadwind. The sun was warming up and regardless the headwind it was quite veasy cyclingm, I’ve had worse than this. I feel also like my arms are going to get sunburned today.

Crossing Rio Santa Cruz blue-green water

Curious Indians wanted to try my bike. Was about to end up crashing… How heavy it is, he exclaimed

Later in the evening I stoped for water refilling at a lonley house after the road.
They also invited me for coffe and some cakes

Now n the late afternoon I got some tailwind so I continoue cycling futher while I had this wind in my back. When the clock struck almost 8:30 I saw the mythical house Pink House, here there will be camping tonight, but not indoors.
It is quite a different place. Just a rather ugly squat that is covered with graffiti from cyclists from all over the world. It’s is more than worn.
Still, it is shelter from the wind and the nearby river is a source of water with which to wash and it is, for whatever reason, a landmark for touring cyclists I didn’t sleep inside, pitch up my tent outside, find it more nice

The Pink House after Ruta 40

See Yeah Later
P-G

// The Global Cyclist 1726

December 1-2

From Puerto Natales first nice and easy cycling, then sidewind like no others so far. upon that a long slope uptil Chile bordercontrol into Argentina and then even longer uphill to the Argentine border control in Rio Turbio.

I stopped in town för coffe and sandwich which become a whole dinner . I was needed to ask for a bag to take with me half the sandwich. From here to El Calafaten the road is road winds in an arc and stretches out into a desolate and flat landscape. Nothing to see, just desolate, spme cows and sheeps thats all. But the road was pretty flat.

Camped 65 km east of Rio Turbio amongs dead or half dead trees to avoid the strongest wind.

Distans: 64,57 km
Average Speed: 11,4 km/h
Max Speed: 50,0 km/h
Cycling Time:05:34 h/m
Total Time:06:48 h/m
Medium Temp: 10,0 C
Max Temp: 19,0 C
Min Temp: 02,0 C

The morning after, headed towards El Calafate. I stopped at a police station in the middle of the wilderness. Asked for water, charging for my phone, and was offered to sit down eatiung for own coffee with a sandwich.
Tapi Aiki policestation in the middle of nowhere

Tapi Akie policestation officer who let me sit down while eating a sandwich and drinking coffe.

Then set off, initially on a gravel road that was supposed to be a  shortcut. The crosswind slowed me down and it was to risky for a crash. Back onto the main road, heading towards Esperanza. A detour of 70 km. Now I have a tailwind like crazy. Some sections at 30-40 km/h or more

Ruta 4o between Rio Turbio and Esperanza. Mostly total flat. This part some km from Tapi Akie

Arrived Esperanza just before 4:00 PM. Here, I’m supposed to turn left and encounter a hellish headwind and crosswind. The police stop both me and four motorcyclists from heading towards El Calafate. The risk of accidents is evident. The motorcyclists have to wait for the wind to decrease. I have to take a bus if I want to leave today or tomorrow. While waiting I stepped into the bar and just wait.

Distans: 121,89 km
Average Speed: 21,89km/h
Max Speed: 33,5 km/h
Cycling Time:06,02 h/m
Total Time:10:05 h/m
Medum Temp: 10,0 C
Max Temp: 18,0 C
Min temp 02,0 C

See yeah Later
P-G

//The Global Cyclist 1726

20 November

Wike upp 07.30 am and loaded my bicycle for todays tour and heading Porvenir. The brakfast is served at 08:30 and I’m alone . Coffe, two warm sandwiches, two pancakes with jam and glas of juice. Todays sunshine has switched over to rain and grey sky,
My plan is to head for Porvenir from where the ferry boat over to Punta Arena depart,  First 35 km easy cycling on concret surface road. Then I came to a Y-junction. Here I must stop because there is two different roads to Prorvenir, a short one and a longer one.

At this Y-intersection, there’s also a small shelter for cyclists and others to take cover from rain and wind. The shelter is filled with text on the walls and stickers from all corners of the world.

After some consideration and advice from a passing motorist, I choose the Y-71 road, the shorter option.

What I didn’t have a full grasp of was the road’s quality and length. It was a gravel road not worth the name, full of holes, stones, loose gravel, and completely devoid of any semblance of service. It bounces and shakes all the time, and the crosswind makes it difficult to maintain balance. Additionally, there are quite a few challenging hills.

This area must be a solitary paradise. Light years between houses and no shops and other services!!

I persevere in the crosswind and over the bumps. After exactly 77.61x km, I meet a touring cyclist from Ecuador. We chat a bit, and I find out that he’s headed to San Sebastian and has no tent with him. It will be a tough journey for him; he started in Porvenir and has already cycled over 60 km.

I continue my pedaling and reach a junction, and there’s another shelter for cyclists, called Circuito de Oro. A couple is already there, and I join them. They’re from Australia; his name is Alan, and hers is Alie. They are headed to Ushuaia and then flying home. They plan to stay at this shelter tonight.

I have some snacks and an energy drink. The view from here down to Ushuaia Bay is truly magical.

After about 45 minutes, I continue for another 7-8 km before setting up camp above a number of metal sheds that I guessed were for fishermen. Two larger open boats confirm this.

While setting up the tent, I hear barking, and they come towards me at first a bit cautiously. But then their joy spreads, and so does mine.

I continue preparing for the night, and for dinner, it’s boiled rice, ham, boiled egg, tomatoes, and a non-alcoholic beer… Coffee and cookies before I crawl into my Marmot sleeping bag.

I am completely exhausted, mostly mentally.

Distans: 93 km
Average Speed: 14,0 km/h
Max Speed: 35,3 km/h
Cycling Time:06,37 h/m
Total Time:09:59 h/m
Medium Temp: 06,0 C
Max Temp: 13,0 C
Min Temp: 04,0 C

See Yeah
 P-G
//The Global Cyclist 1726