February 5th
Can't really call any riding on the C. Austral smooth, BUT: We reached the ferry dock in the evening and had missed the last one at 6pm by 45 minutes (we weren't really trying..).
We had ridden part way with another french couple on a tandem and half way up that hill after the turn off to Tortel their bike broke down and they had to hitchhike all the way to O'Higgins to get it fixed. Bye, bye Carol(in) and Arthur..
After half a day of riding in wet and rough conditions we reached the fjord. It looked like one of the spanking new ferry waiting shelters were a perfect match for the night for us - confirmed by the grumpy store manager - we considered ourselves extremely lucky to have found such a perfect place with views on the water and the ferry. Next boat: 10am next morning. Sweet!
An expensive hot chocolate in front of us we sat and watched the rain set in......the ferry was approaching - coming back from it's last ride for the day. Even the rain can't make this place look bad!
Anyhow I had stepped outside for some reason when the ferry captain ask if we wanted to ride the ferry TONIGHT! Schedules seem to be quite flexible around here. SURE, I said, though I had been looking forward to rest in this new wooden building by the water. One other familiar frenchi friend - single girl rider -joint us and all three of us joined the crew on the ferry. After securing the bikes, we found ourselves invited into the crew cabin for fresh baked bread, some other scrumptious food and hot tea (or coffee) with wifi and internet music
turns out they couldn't get permission to run the ferry that night one more time (lucky us) and we got to sleep on board in a heated room. Bathrooms with running hot water available. I took a long overdue sponge bath, gave my thanks to our guardian angles and was rocked - ever so gently - to dreamland feeling safe, somewhat clean and very, very lucky!
After breakfast - with another batch of home made bread - hot tea and coffee, the doors were opened for the public and a whole bunch of people streamed in (where the hell did they come from??? - The places we rode through yesterday weren't much inhabited ...) I wasn't quite ready for the crowed and felt selfishly invaded. I really liked that place only with James, Stephanie and me in it! Not very grateful....... .. my entitlement got smothered pretty quickly by the generous captain bringing me more bread from the kitchen for the road.....accompanied with hugs, kisses and good wishes "Are you guys just crazy about cyclists or what is your story? Do you treat all cyclists like this?" No, was the answer you guys are special! Yep, we sure are! (I would have been very happy for other riders to be treated the same.!) I did check and ask random cyclists when ever I had the chance and none of them had anything special to say about the ferry from Puerto Yungay.
