Silly Boarders

Ive ridden on a bit further now (from Calefate in Argentina) and have finished the last section of dirt road on ruta cuarenta. I could have avoided it and taken a paved road if I wanted, but actually, it was easier to take the dirt.

It wasnt just that it was about an hour shorter, it was easier... There was a nice sky of about 50% blue and 50% grey and white clouds. The sun was blazing away, and the air was clear dry and cold (about 5degC Id guess). But there was also a howling gale! (about 100Kmh Id guess) And If I took the paved road option then I would have had that gale coming from first one side, and then the other for about two hours... Which makes for very hard riding (and quite dangerous too).
The alternative was to take the dirt road which was dry and had those treacherous lanes of loose gravel, but it was also pretty much directly into the gale force winds... Which makes it far easier to ride in.

So, I chose the gravel and though I had to go slowly, I made it without incident.
Then I had to cross into Chile which took about an hour and a half. Its a bit silly down here... The southern boarders of Argentina and Chile are not arranged for easy tourist travel. I will be here in Chile for a few days while I go hiking in Torres Del Paine national park, but in less than 300Km, I will have to cross back into Argentina to continue on to Ushuaia. And then Ill have to reverse the process when I ride back North a few days after that.
And the boarder people would not hear of giving me "multiple entry" visas for me and the bike... Oh No, Ill have to do the full boarder process every time I cross... Oh well :)

So, Im hoping the weather is good for three or four days now while I go hiking with my makeshift backpack and sort-of functional camping gear (Im not well set up for camping in semi-antarctic conditions!)

No more posts till I get back :))