Santiago, Chile

Santiago

I ended up spending Christmas in Santiago, found a nice hostel in the swanky part of town and spent 4-5 days exploring the city. Went by the house that my brother lived in for many years, rode to the top of Cerro San Cristobal (twice), visited the vast cemetery, walked to Cerro San Lucia and went to some Xmas parties.
I then took a bus to Valpraiso cause the only way to get there is via highway which does not allow bicycles and rode 50km up the coast to a small fishing village called Horcon. Camped there for 2 nights before going back to Valparaiso where I caught a bus south to Pucon.
Pucon is located in the Lakes district of Chile and lies just under volcan Villarrica (one of the most active volcanoes in South America).  It's a touristic town filled with local and foreign travelers during this time of year and a seemingly vibrant and pleasant place to celebrate the New Year.
Looking forward to the ride further south to Puerto Montt, my plan is to take some of the back roads and explore some lakes, volcanoes and hot springs in the region. The journey continues...

Happy New Year to one and all! lets make 2013 the best year ever!

Climbing to Cerro San Cristobal

Couch Surfing Xmas party

visiting cemetery Xmas eve

Cemetery Santiago

Calafate-Mendoza-Santiago

 

 

From the wine country of Calafate the road opened up into a beautiful but rugged expanse of vineyards and hard desert earth, town to town small communities spread along the road. Barren, plain, brown and vaguely majestic. This section was rural, small town hillbilly country. My favorite kind of country because of sensibilities born from the raw and difficult reality of living without compromise, anyhow the day ended in Santa Maria and I visited the local information office and thereby found the municipal campsite. Shortly after arriving my Japanese friends showed up and we went to the supermercado to buy some provisions and had dinner together. The next morning I awake late because of loud music being played until 6am at the campsite and then continue along down the increasinly desolate route 40 which leads all the way to the end of the continent in Ushuaia. I can count down the kilometers as I move down the road as there is a small numbered sign every kilometer. 4276, 4275, etc...

camping with the Japanese cyclists at Termas Nacimiento

At the end of the day I decide to take a 4km detour along a dirt road heading into the hills towards a hot spring. When I arrived my Japanese friends were already there. As for the hot springs themselves there was not much to marvel at but was at least able to take a nice hot thermal shower.

Termas Nacimiento

dirt section on route 40

Woke up before sunrise and had a very peaceful ride to Belen. While here a spoke on my rear wheel broke which contributed to my decision to take a bus to Mendoza. In Medoza I spent a couple days relaxing by the swimming pool at the hostel and taking care of my bike and sorting out various things before heading off for Santiago, the capital city of Chile which lies on the other side of the Andes 380km away. I choose to take the less traveled route over a 35km climb to Uspallata. The first night after leaving Mendoza I found a nice place to sleep for the night overlooking the flat desert landscape from the pass. The next day I stopped just before the long tunnel which takes you through the mountain to Chile. From here it is not possible to ride a bike through the tunnel so I set up my tent behind a restaurant at the Argentina immigration check post and the next morning got a lift through the tunnel. Then went through the formalities at the border, passport stamped and headed off for Santiago. From the top of the pass it was a steep winding downhill for the next 50km, going from the heights of the Andes range to the central plains of Chile. As I approached Santiago I found myself on the highway with no alternative route. I saw many signs which made it clear that bicycles were not permitted on the highway. I then was able to find a bus station and ride a nice air conditioned bus to the central station in Santiago.

leaving Mendoza

climbing the dirt road pass from Mendoza

camp above Villavicencio

sunset at Villavicencio

sunrise

climbing up

camping at Argentina immigration

the border and start of 50km decent towards Santiago

Paso Internacional Los Libertadores 

Passo de Jamma to Calafate

stopping for lunch

Dec, 1st Laguna Verde (Bolivia border) to Passo de Jamma(Argentina border)
Dec, 2 Jamma to Susques
Dec, 3 Susques to Pumamarca
Dec, 4 Pumaamarca to Termas de Reyes
Dec, 5 Termas de Reyes to San Salvdor de Jujuy
Dec, 6 Jujuy
Dec, 7 Jujuy rest day (raining)
Dec, 8 Jujuy to Salta
Dec, 9 Salta rest day
Dec, 10 Salta to La Vina 90km
Dec, 11 La Vina to Calafate 103km
Dec, 12 Calafate restday

From the frontier outpost town at the Argentina border I continued riding south through the barren high altitude landscape of the far northwest. The first day of riding in Argentina brought me to Susques, here I was able to find a ATM machine and a decent hotel for the night. It was mostly flat until the town of Susques and then the road climbed over a very long pass, then it was a 35km downhill ride to Pumamarca. Here I would be leaving the high altitude landscape of the Andes and enter the plains of North Argentina, all of a sudden the climate changed to hot and humid summer weather and lush forests.
Eventually arriving at the major wine growing region of Cafayate. While camping at the road runner hostel in Cafayate,early one morning I awake to the sound of a disgruntled guy who seems to be arguing with someone. I soon realized that he was talking to himself, he must of just stumbled home and began to vocalize whatever confused thoughts moved through his mind. Needless to say, this was not a pleasant way to wake up. The nonesense that he was spouting went along the lines of somehting like this (in broken english.) "you fuk, why you take my picture first thing in morning. fuk. ignorante! i am not jesus. jesus die for you, but i will not die for you. fuk." finally he passed out and shut up. sometimes it's like this when staying at cheap hostels. I spent a couple days here and took advantage of the tourist environment and toured some of the vineyards.

 

pumamarca campsite

nice and quiet road from Jujuy toSalta

Salta

Salta campsite

on the road to Cafayate