Fighting The Wind To El Calafate

It was one on one with the wind today. Argentina’s grand Ruta 3 runs along the Atlantic coast more than 2,000 miles from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia and the Fin del Mundo (end of the world). Today the legendary Patagonian wind whipping from the West across the pampas continued to hammer me with punches, smacks […]

Comodoro Rivadavia to Comodante Piedrabuena (don’t you love these names?)

The next morning the parking attendant at my fancy hotel helped me get Doc up on the center stand for a good chain lubing. I was ready to hit the pavement and brave the winds on Ruta 3 south toward Piedrabuena. For the first 150 miles the road was in bad shape with potholes, construction, […]

To Know Forty. Or no to Forty? These questions perplex me.

In looking at the map I figured taking Ruta 40 to El Calafate via Rio Mayo to Tres Lagos would take me 3 to 4 days. By crossing the South American continent to the Atlantic side then riding south to Comandante Piedrabuena, I could shave one or two days from this estimate. I’d ride 80 […]

Hippie. Yippie. El Bolson Is Right On!

Just a few short hours south of Bariloce sits the small town of El Bolson. Once a mecca for Argentinean hippies it has the notoriety of being the first to stake a claim as a “nuclear free” zone and ecological municipality. Intrigued I figured a later start and short ride for a night in this […]

Puerta Veras to San Carlos de la Bariloce

The winds of change didn’t blow my way last night as this morning I woke to more rain. I had to get away from this lake and its magnetism for moisture. I packed my gear in a slow drizzle and headed North. In Osorno I would head east toward Entre Lagos and then over the […]

Rain Rituals in Southern Chile

My hopes to rise this morning to the massive volcano and tamed reflection rippling in the lake were lost as the obscuring clouds that prevented my views yesterday turned out to be my nemesis today. The tiny hospedaje served me perhaps the best breakfast I’ve had in South America. Steaming quiche with vegetables, cheese, sliced […]

Púcon to Frutillar – Chasing Volcanos.

Since hanging with Cristian and my days in Santiago I’ve been trying to solidly my plan and route south. Since planning this journey well over 3 years ago my dream was to make it to all 7 continents. The far reaching and hardest to get to lays just a few days by boat over rough […]

Lovely Púcon and Rider Rendezvous

Stopping for gas at a service station on the primary route south toward Puerto Montt, I drew the usual crowd of curiosity seekers, each with their own individual gasps of wonder, fear and envy when I shared with them where I was from where I was going. Of course, they were all armed with recommendations […]

Santiago to Pucon

Hanging in Santiago has its benefits. There’s good food, drink and all the modern conveniences of home. You can even brush teeth and drink with tap water and throw toilet paper into the toilets. When walking cars actually stop and give pedestrians the right of way. But beyond these simple appreciations, Cristian is a veritable […]

One Year Later – Santiago, Chile

I wonder what the weather is like in central Bolivia today. I’ll bet that road from Potosí to Uyuni is washed out and muddy. For it was one year ago today I took my fateful plunge into the mud of Tica Tica – a tiny Altiplano village in Central Bolivia. So today I remember and […]