For the most part, going into Chile from anywhere in South America, save Brazil perhaps, is a bit of culture shock. It’s more modern, clean and expensive – comparatively. Drivers actually stop for pedestrians at cross walks. Traffic lights are well placed. And in Santiago a modern transportation system includes new gas-powered busses and a […]
Nestled at the foot of the Andes, Mendoza rests in a dry arid desert. In pre-Colombian times the indigenous inhabitants devised a sophisticated irrigation system designed to control the massive runoff from the Andes. This ancient irrigation system is still used today and is responsible for irrigating the acres and acres of vineyards used to […]
Laying out our maps we had a few options that would take us to Mendoza. The main route which would surely allow us to make time at highway speeds also took us out of our way. The net gain might have been insignificant, but we opted for a more remote road that appeared to be […]
Our early start turned out a bit later than we’d planned. But winding our way southbound through Catamarca and into La Rioja the whipping wind and miles and miles of olive trees we found ourselves shy of our destination — Valle de la Luna and Parque Nacional Talampaya. But arriving in the capital city of […]
Bidding casual Cafayate farewell I made my way southeast through the Calchaqui Valley and up over the Sierra Aconouija mountains to Tafi del Valle a tiny fertile oasis. Stopping for a bit at Quilmes – which for better or worse is the national beer – but also is also the site where ruins from the […]
Not much happens in Cafayate in the afternoon. The scorching desert climate in these summer months makes it too hot to do just about anything — except rest, nap or take a dip in the pool. Or maybe just pedal your bicycle. But that’s appeal of Cafayate. It’s barely a dot on the map. And […]
After making the magical journey through Quebrada Cafayate — scenery that reminded me of Canyonlands in Utah — I would never had suspected to arrive in the fast-growing wine region of Cafayate. For wine, there are so many things that don’t make sense. First, the elevation is more than 5,000 feet. Second, the soil is […]
The good thing about being in Cafayate (not to be confused with Calafate, which is south in the Argentinean lake district) is that there is good food, wine and an overall peaceful and relaxed environment. Two things I haven’t found recently. But perhaps more important is that bodegas (wineries) typically use specialized equipment in managing […]
Since breaking through the border in Chile, for nearly three days we’d ridden the state (called a Provincia in Argentina) of Jujuy. Before heading to the capital city that shares the name of this state, and with the internet service in Purmamarca down due to heavy winds, Jeremiah was anxious to see if people in […]
Travel overland whether by motorcycle or other means inevitably brings about challenges. Some of the fun of this type of travel is surmounting these challenges and solving problems. These things can be as trip-interrupting as a broken leg or as minor as a lost pair of glasses. But here in Salta while unloading my bike […]
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