Chile Border Crossing day

December 17, 2010

The border is 87kms away. Border crossings are a pain. Wind this morning was normal from the side and front.

After the border, it starts to hail briefly. The road heads west and we head straight into the wind. 270 kilometers to Punta Arenas should be fine for our fuel supply, but we are riding at about 100kph due to the strong headwinds. The Straight of Megallanes has white caps on it that from a distance look like small Icebergs and I actually initially mistook them as such.

Riding along it coast, a band of weather stretches in front of us and we both accept the fact that we will have to ride through it. As we reach the rain and sleet, the clouds lifted just enough not to soak us, but the headwinds remain strong. Eventually, we reached Punta Arenas with the weather continuing to threaten. Our fuel reserve lights are flashing, 19 litres to fill Michael's, 18 to fill mine. Our tanks hold 21 litres. We made it! Fuel is $661/L ($1.42can per litre) Ouch! Following Uly's coordinates takes us directly to the hostel where they are waiting. Great to see them again. Nice rustic, comfortable house, Edwardo has been running for the past 15 years. John and Sharon have left us an email that they are arriving in town tomorrow. They did not receive our reply until arriving the next day.

Ostrich type birds called Nandus, indigenous to Patagonia area of South America

And continues

December 16, 2010

We aren't moving from here unless Gas stations have received fuel. We took the bikes out in search of fuel and the first station had a line up literally around the block and started double backing on itself. This was a good sign, as fuel was delivered last night. Getting fuel would probably take 3 hours though, so we carried on to the second station, no fuel. We decided to head out to the station on highway some 6kms away. 3 cars in que. We filled up in a matter of 5 minutes and headed back to the hostel to pick up our belongings. Knowing Rio Gollegos is 370kms form here and if there is now gas en-route, Michael and I stick our needles on 100kph. This will give our bikes the range to arrive without fuel if the gas station mid way has no fuel. We reach the station and a small line up keeps us from pulling up to the pumps. After fueling,  the ride continues.

At about the 180km from our start this morning, we are forced to pull out our rain gear as the sky is looking very thick and sprinkles are starting to hit our windshields. Immediately, we are in rain, then sleet, then snow, all the while the temperature is plummeting. My digital thermometer starts flashing at or about 4ºc, meaning that the batteries are low, due to the cold. About 80kms of wet stuff, then the air clears enough to allow us passage to Rio Gallegos.

 
Gas stations here have small line ups and we see 3 tankers filling the tanks, one after another. I think this may be a good sign. Uli and Annaleen's coordinates to the hotel are bang on and we are happy. Both concerns solved and we still have time for lunch, a cruise around town, knowing that we are prepared for tomorrows ride to Punta Arenas, Chile. No gas strike there.

Fuel Strike continues

December 15, 2010

On the road after a few minor repairs and first gas station, 1/2 line up. After that Michael and I slow down to 110kms to conserve gas because Puerto San Julian is 370kms away. We can make it if conserve. There is a gas station en-route but we have no idea if it has fuel.

Tres Cerros has fuel, but we can't go much faster than 110 anyhow because of the side winds. They are very common here in Patagonia and we are experiencing them first hand. I must say that Patagonia hasn't been as flat as I had envisioned. I expect more flatness tomorrow. Between the wind and the terrain, riding for me hasn't been boring. I can actually say that I am enjoying it. We arrive in Puerto San Julian and head to the Hostel that our friends Uli and Annaleen gave us coordinates to. No one there. Went to get gas and none in town. All 3 stations empty. Tonight they expect more. Went back to the hosteria and got a very nice room. Didn't take long to check out the town.

Replica sailing ship.

 

 This is the Harbour, note no trees. Very arid through Patagonia.

It is quite current. Argentina is trying to populate this area of the country and is subsidizing the cost of gas down here, so as we move south, the cost of fuel has been declining. right now a litre of gas is $3.16pesos. This equates to about $0.80/litre Canadian.

Argentina Gas Strike

December 14, 2010

Needless to say that after hearing the strike to south, my sleep was not the best. Michael and I discuss our options and choose to head south. We ride to Comodoro Rivadavia, getting gas as required. We arrive in Comodoro Rivadavia and find lineups at all the gas stations. After riding through town, we try 3 gas stations that are empty and then line up in a fuel line for 2 hours.

Gas station at the end of the street

Meanwhile, Michael is sent to check out a hotel nearby while I wait in the lineup. Comes back and tells me about the hotel. After fueling up, we check out the hotel and it doesn't have internet nor on site parking so we decide to check out Rada Tilly as we had talked to a person in Puerto Madryn, who gave us his card to his hotel in Rada Tilly, telling us it has our needs. It may have, but there was no address on the card and after 2 hours tiring to find it, we went back to town and checked out other GPS POIs hotels that were too expensive. We ended up back at the first hotel, Parking was a locked parking lot 1 block away and the best price in town. The total time wasted to get fuel and hotel was over 5 hours. I should like this town because it is quite current and clean, but we just can't wait to get out of town and on the road in the morning.

December 13, 2010 News Article

December 14, 2010 News Article

Puerto Madryn

December 13, 2010

Michael and I packed up, said our goodbyes and on the road by 8:30am. We rode to Puerto Madryn in the Chutbut province. Lovely beach tourist town. Ocean water was clear and many people were playing on the beach. Still not busy though. I am asking when the holidays start and the best I can figure out is that people start arriving after Christmas. The hotel owner comes up to our room and tries to convey a problem to the south. He then gets another customer to translate for him. I turns out that there is a gasoline strike to the south of us in the Chubut and Santa Cruz provinces. No GAS he tells us. After doing some research on the net I find out about the gas strike.

HU Meeting, Day 2

December 12, 2010

Sunday 10:30am Oscar and Nancy led the group on a ride to the local Sea lion sanctuary, then lunch oceanside. The Sea lion colony is one of the largest in the world. Then to the restaurant for a Parillia (parisha) lunch. The restaurant sits perched on the side of the ocean cliff and far from town. I guess this gives them the right to supply far too little food and charge way to much. I was extremely disappointed in this lunch as well as most everyone else. It was a crowning damper on the weekend meeting. We never did go to Luis's home to see his collection of antique bikes that he personally restored. After making such an effort be at this Horizon Unlimited Meeting and to do so little, I can only say that Oscar and Nancy are very nice people, but the meeting was poorly organized and a waste of time, right down to the wrong GPS coordinates for the campsite…. The best part of the weekend was meeting all the riders. They were great! We expect to see a few in Ushuaia and on the road. Gus and Kim headed for Bariloche.

Horizons Unlimited Meeting, Day 1

December 11, 2010

Many of the riders were slow to wake up this morning including me. Gus made breakfast after he got up and everything is good. A number of locals came down on their bikes and we are surprised at the R1200GS and some old K1000Z, G50 BMW and an 1947 AJS, all restored. Very nice. Luis, with the R1200GS and AJC has restored 20 bikes and offered to open his doors  to the group to see them. It was arranged for Sunday. Saturday evening was arranged to go to the cafe next to the campsite. Food was average.