Paradise in Patagonia

Since leaving the Andes, we´ve really started to move visibly down the map – took us the first month to do 800 miles, and in the last 3 weeks we´ve done over 1200.  It´s great to have a real feeling of journeying with the landscape changing so much as we travel south.

We had a fantastic time in wine country – around Rioja and into Mendoza.  Miles and miles of vineyards and sunshine and warmth that we thoroughly enjoyed after the freezing temperatures of the passes.  We stopped in Mendoza for a couple of nights to stay with Cristian – a friend Hannah went to Atlantic College with.  It was fantastic to be with a fluent local, and we got a great insight into the culture – being able to ask lots and lots of questions about things we´ve seen but not understood.  On our way out of the city rather than taking the main road, Cristian had give us directions of a quieter route to avoid the traffic, ducking and diving though little country roads.  We got taken under the wing of an 86 year old road biker (who at times we struggled to keep up with!) who was off for lunch with friends along our route.

We´ve met lots of characters on the road – a dozen guys on motorbikes going to Ushuaia too – they were doing our weekly mileage in a day!  They stopped to ask us directions as despite having a support car with trailer, they had forgotten to pack a map!

I was commenting to Catriona how surprising it was having cycled on roads lined with giant cacti, and our hidden camp spots among spiky bushes, that we´d had no punctures.  She said I´d jinxed us now – I retorted I don´t believe in jinx!  Over the next few days we had 3 punctures and a punctured mattress!

They´ve been lots of road works throughout our trip, often where they are starting to pave the dirt roads.  Sometimes we cycle on the new section of pristine tarmac, yet to be opened to the traffic.  Workmen have flags to control the traffic, and one mad group cheered and waved their flags wildly as if we were in the Tour de France.

My bottom (which I feel I need to give an update on as so many of you have enquired about!) is coping well with the many miles in the saddle.  Thankfully my offer to drain Catriona´s abscess was turned down – although against our professional code – she looked after herself, and now when we set off on the bikes after a break, there´s no longer yelps of pain!  She´s thankfully back to her usual cheerful self again!  

The start of Patagonia has been utterly spectacular, lakes and craggy snow-capped mountains at every turn, and an abundant water supply at last!  With stuning Campspots at every turn.

Heading towards Bariloche, we met a Spanish girl and her German husband on their first day of a 2 year cycle tour in South America – having already cycled from Germany to Madrid for their flight – with their 2 year old daughter in a front trailer!  What an amazing adventure for a young family to take together.  Catriona and I want similar adventures at some point in the future, but are both currently short of a like-minded man – send them our way if you meet any!

Into Chile again tomorrow, where allegedly the Patagonia paradise continues for many miles to come... I hope so!