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Biking Chile, Argentina and Uruguay

South American Bicycle Tour 1999-2000, part 2

Agelasto
2004-05-18 19:36:16

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Part 6: Hola from Chile -- More Carretera Austral

Day 3. I continue through Patagonia, where I've been these past few days, a barely populated region -- I would reckon 1,000 sheep per person -- that covers the continent's Southern Cone and includes both Chile and Argentina. The border between these two countries is the crest of the Andes, and the Austral, which straddles the range, provides a magnificent, if wet, ride. There are occasional mountain passes. I didn't even realize that I had climbed one yesterday until I experienced a lengthy downhill. On the uphill I must have been so preoccupied with the rocks and ruts in the road that I failed to notice the incline, which was 1000 meters over a few kilometers.

This morning out of La Junta (pop. 736) there are few vehicles. People down here don't get early starts on the day in summertime, and there's virtually no traffic before noon. The only time I have felt this unmolested on this trip was on part of Ruta Cinco in the Lake Region. For several years Chile has been upgrading the Pan American highway to four lanes by building an additional parallel two-lane road. North of Osorno for about 30 kms the parallel road is finished, with guard rails, dividing lines, shoulder and sign posts, but it is not yet open to the public. A bike can squeeze through the barriers. It is a cyclist's dream.

I am told that the Austral is one of the better dirt roads on the continent. I don't have to walk the bike too often, usually only up steep inclines. Riding continues to shake me up, and I still feel momentarily dizzy when I rise after having lain down. But I can't let that worry me. The scenery? Most of the time the road drifts a bit inland from the archipelagos and fjords. There are occasional glaciers which, unfortunately, cannot be seen through the rain and mist. The people and sheep have begun to thin out. Early last century entire ...