Well, today I come to you from Puerto Natales. We had an interesting time after getting back to Hostel Argentina. We setup our tents in the back garden and rested up for two days, partly to rest, partly to see if the wind would die down! While we got some rest.. When we weren't drinking Pina Colada.. sadly the wind got worse if anything. It was gusting up to 150km per hour, (thats about 95 mph). Absolutely horrible to ride in. So in the worsening weather we set off for the ferry at Bahia Blanca. The first section of the Porvenir road was great, nice dirt and we were able to handle the wind ok, but when we made the turn up to Bahia (and the free ferry) we encountered Chile´s version of road repairs. This consists of digging up a perfectly good road, and then leaving it!! The idea is that passing traffic will flatten it down. Who needs a stream roller when you have trucks right? Sadly this creates the motorcyclists version of hell. Deep soft gravel, coupled with massive cross winds made it very hard going. We even passed an Articulated truck which was blown off the road, its cargo spewn all over the place.
Eventually we got to the ferry and from here on its tarmac, but the wind never ceases! Where I was getting circa 70mpg fuel mileage on the Altiplano in Bolivia this was down to 40mpg here with the winds. We did pass some interesting ghost towns and long ago sunken shipwrecks washed up on the bleak beach.
Then we started to run out of petrol. It was getting late and very cold when we got to a gas station, and not having any Chileano Peso we had our trousers pulled down over the price. It wasn't a very fair exchange rate, but we had no choice. At this stage we couldn't go on. The wind and the cold were too much, so we pitched our tents inside an old Container off the back of a truck. It made a comical site. Pictures to follow.
Today we got to Puerto Natales, but the leak from my final drive is getting worse. I am left with a decision of what to do. I cant fix the problem here, so I can risk it and drive up 40 and Austral, or I can take a bus to see Calafate and Mt Fitzroy, return here and take the ferry to Puerto Montt. Then its only a 1200km ride to the nearest dealer. Decisions decisions decisions. .. tbc
Congratulations!!! You should get in touch with BMW about road testing their bikes
Posted by: Padraig Flanagan | February 07, 2008 at 11:01 AM
felicidades estoy muy contenta por ti de haber realizado tu suello de llegar hasta el fin del mundo, espero y no se te haya olvidado mi postal.
Lo mejor par tu regreso, va
Posted by: Carolina | February 11, 2008 at 06:23 PM
Hi Kev, congrats on reaching the end of Argentina!!! sounds cold and windy (says i in warm and balmy thailand!!) are you going to bike all the way back??!!
Posted by: Jeanette | February 12, 2008 at 06:49 AM