My kind hosts in Villarica decided to take me to Bucon for dinner. Bucon is a touristy town set up for the multitudes who do the adventure sport thing like rafting, mountain biking etc. It is shopfront after shopfront of tour agencies at least the food was good. Illy decided he wanted to accompany me to Chiloe and then to Bariloche so once again i had a travelling companion. Puerto Varas was the first stop, this area was settled by German immigrants in the 1800s and is still very German, food, architecture, language, immaculately kept towns and reserved attitudes. Ah Chiloe, i had heard about this marvel of an island south of Puerto Montt and was looking forward to seeing it. As we approached the ferry terminal the rain started and the wind blew chill of the ocean, the thirty minute ferry ride was a cold affair. The smell was the first thing to strike me, fish processing plants line the island, it was so bad as you inhaled you gagged. We started our ride south towards Castro the capital of Chiloe getting strange looks from the rather strange locals. Whoever spread the word to go to Chiloe was a marketing genius, people from all over were going there and we all had the same stupefied looks on our faces what is this place.
Time to leave so we headed back got seperated and didnt catch each other till hours later at the ferry terminal frozen and wet. Back to puerto Varas and the warm Hospedaje. The next day we headed for Argentina. The rain had followed us across so we stuck to Ruta 5 the main road, then from Osorno only 100 kms to the frontier. The crossing went smoothly but for the usual filling out of the wrong forms to start with. Once over the border the road opened out to snow clad mountains and roaring rivers, waterfalls and coniferous forest, although cloud bound still spectacular. The pass was only around 2000 metres but was still covered in snow and freezing, so with slick roads we stopped in the mountain village of Villa Angostura. Instantly we were made to feel welcome by the Argentines, they seem a little friendlier and happier than the reserved Chilenos. A day or two here to sort myself out then southbound to Ruta 40.
The road to Bariloche wound its way around lake Nahueil Huapi i think its spelt that way. The sunshine was soon replaced by big black ominous clouds, then the wind blew up freezing coming through the pass over the snow clad mountains. It then rained the wind blowing it in sideways making the going treacherous. I was glad to reach Bariloche and once again lay all my things out to dry. Bariloche is very touristy it does have a wonderful setting, overlooking the lake and surrounded by snow clad mountains. I was then informed it was a seven day cycle of wind and rain, i hope not. The next day dawned sunny so i got going it had snowed all night in the higher areas the hillsides covered in fresh snow, again it was freezing, but a truly magical ride to El Bolson through a valley surrounded by the Andes. The wind still howled in from the NE tilting the bike left and right to compensate for the swirling of the wind. Its force became evident on a rise with a fruit delivery truck being blown off the road destroying the truck and spilling fruit all over the roadside.
I decided to continue on to Esquel the next major town the scenery changed to open plains, still in the same valley but more like i expected of Patagonia. The Andes still snow capped and surrounding with huge open skies above, clouds racing me as i rode northern Ruta 40. I have been in denial about my rear wheel rubber dampers, being worn out they cause lots of backlash when accelerating and making the chain go out of adjustment incessantly. I will try a Tony fix hopefully it will work, i will give more detail if its a success, this means an extra day in Esquel.
I tried my fix by cutting up an old inner tube and gluing it to the rubber cushions in the hub and it sems to have worked a 100km trial for tea and scones in a welsh town was the test run. I didnt get my tea and scones small towns seem to shut down on Sundays i should know by now. The following day i headed south on Ruta 40 mostly paved and in reasonable condition through high plateau, besides the wind the ride was a joy. The clouds rushing past casting shadows on the hillsides. Then the gravel section of 90 kms it went from good to appalling then the wind blew up to a gale, I was glad to see the tarmac again. I then decided it probably wasnt a great idea to use the nearly 500 kms of ripio road ahead without a second bike. I had only seen a handful of cars all day and none at all on the gravel section. That decided i headed for the coast and the dull Ruta 3 the wind was just as bad but at least i was on a solid surface. The next 3 days were spent fighting the crosswind down to Rio Gallegos. Then the wind got really nasty with gusts of 120km per hour and a steady 65 kms per hour. The next day i attempted to move onto El Calafate it ws impossible, the police turned myself and a Brasilian couple back. Hopefully it will improve but my southward journey has finished and its now my long haul back north. The 3 of us will try to leave early tomorrow new adventures await.
