Wild, wet and windy in Patagonia!

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We set off the following morning really early to try to beat the wind. Unfortunately, the wind was not the only menace on this particular morning. About 10km out of town we were just waking up whilst climbing a big hill when we noticed that the sky had changed colour very quickly and was now very dark, with a thick layer of low black cloud as far as we could see in the direction we were going. We continued riding but soon the rain stuck and we were soaked and very cold. As it looked like the rain was here to stay and there was no shelter for the next 40km or so we stopped and Edouard suggested turning back. Obstinate as I am I wanted to keep going but as I tried to get going again a huge gust of wind almost blew me off my bike so a little sulkily I agreed to retreat. We soon passed Alain and Eve who had set off a little later than us and we all returned to the campsite for a cup of tea to defrost our freezing hands. Typically of Patagonia, an hour later the rain was gone and the sky was blue. Alain and Eve decided to give it another try whilst Edouard and I still suspicious of the windy weather decided to do all the little jobs we needed to do in the town and set off early again the next day. The following morning the wind was already blowing when the alarm went off at 6.00am but we were brave and managed to drag ourselves out of our sleeping bags and onto the bikes. We had quite a battle against the wind for 40km as we rode along Lago Argentino on the way to the glaciar but fortunately for us the second half of the journey we were sheltered by trees and able to appreciate the scenery as we passed through the park sighting the occasional icebery floating past in the canal de los Tempanos (Iceberg Canal) just below the road. As we arrived close to the glacier it started to snow ans we were pretty cold by the time we arrived at the view point, however it was all well worth the effort. 60m high and14km long this immense chunk of blue ice that has forced its path through the surrounding mountains is just breathtaking. As well as the view the the noise of parts of the glacier that keep constantly crashing down into the water was just great. Even a relatively small chunk of ice makes a huge noise! The main reason why we we were adament on cycling to the glacier and not taking a bus tour like most normal people was that we were able to see the park warden at the ned of the day and ask permission to camp in the park. It´s not normally allowed but often exceptions are made for tired cyclists! So we camped in the park in the evening, listening to the booming, crashing ice counds as we fell asleep and in the morning packed up the tent in the dark, cycled back to the best view point of the glacier as the day broke and then spent almost 2 hours alone admiring the nature before the first of the hundreds of tourists arrived. Magic! With the wind behind us the journey back was a lot easier and we made it to Calafate for a late, large lunch!

The following day we set off with Alain and Eve to do almost 250km through the pampa with almost no civilisation to cross the border again and reach Cerro Castillo a small village in Chile. only a short distance from the town of Puerto Natales. The first 45km were really easy, with the wind behind us we could cycle almost 30km an hour without pedalling. Then after a huge hill with the wind still helping us our luck changed drastically. For the rest of the 3 days we had a very very strong headwind. Finishing the first day wasn´t too bad although we had to cycle 90km to find some shelter by an isolated army outpost at a junction in the road. At first when we tried to put the tent up behing a shed like building recommended to us by the guy who mans the post but it was imposssible, as Edouard pegged down one side of the tent a gust of wind blew through the tent that I was desperately holding down ripping the pegs out of the ground and sending them flying! Thankfully with Alain and Eve we found a more sheltered spot behind an abandonned bus and pitched our tents. We were even able to cook and eat dinner in the bus- luxury! The second day was 70km of wind all day with the odd hail storm. Although we camp with our french friends during the day we cycle seperately because we each like to go at our own speed and stop when we feel like it. So Edouard and I spent the day taking turns in cycling infront whilst the other sheltered behind, it makes a huge difference for the one sheltered (although I think I have a better advantage than him due to our respective sizes!). Again although we were exhausted by the end of the day we didn´t have a lot of choice but to get to a junction where there was an estancia, a small petrol point and some trees to put up the tent as there was nothing, nothing absolutely nothing before! We could see the estancia for a long way before arriving but it took over an hour to do the last 10km. I thought we´d never arrive! The final day of this dreaded route was even worse than the two prededent. If we had known in advance I think we wouldn´t have got out of the tent in the morning! We set the alarm for 5.30am to leave at day break to do quite a lot before it was really windy but our tactic didn´t work. The colours over the distant mountains and the park Torres de Paine were beautiful as the sun rose but the wind was already howling. I really don´t know how we managed to do that day, it was exhausting. At some points we were going as slow on the bikes as walking while forcing with all our energy on the pedals. Again we took turns going infront but had to change every 500m or so because it was so hard for the person infront. We were at the absolute limit for cycling for us. If the wind had been any stronger we wouldn´t have been able to advance against it and we´d have hitched a lift but as we could progess, really really slowly, but in the right direction, we kept going. It was motivating to know that our friends were behind us in the same struggle. We kept an eye out to see if they passed in the back of a pick-up truck but, although they were apparently extremely tempted too hitch, they kept going. By the time we all reached the border 60km down the line we were all literally on our last legs as were the bikes as Edouard had broken the screws holding his gears together on the way, but it was just a short distance to our destination Cerro Castillo. We all were in need of a good bed and a hot shower but there were only two hosterias in town and one was full and the other really expensive so we camped on the grass in a square in the centre of town! (Apparently it was allowed).

The following day we arrived in Puerto Natales, a very pleasant small chilien port on the shores of Last Hope Sound. Here there was everything we needed a good bed, nice food and hot shower so we spent 5 days relaxing, eating and sleeping! However by the fifth day we were all getting restless again, especially as the weather was abnormally good with no wind and clear blue skies. So we stocked up on supplies ( 8 days of food in the paniers!) and on Edouard´s 30th birthday we set off on a loop which would take us to the Torres del Paine, rated one of the best parks in South America and back to Puerto Natales. We didn´t go that far on the first day as we´d agreed to meet with Alain and Eve and a beautiful spot by a waterfall to have a BBQ for birthday celebrations. I was relieved it wasn´t too hilly to get to the spot as aswell as some of our food stocks for the park I also has a bottle of Pisco Sour (great Chilien coctail) and a bottle of champers and a chocolate cake hidden in my bags! It was a really nice, original birthday meal with steak cooked on a grill made impromtu by Alain and champagne cooled in a river flowing from a glacier! The road we took to the park has only just been finished and is not yet open to vehicules. It´s a much more picturesque route that the existing one with some incredible view points of the Torres mountains and lakes and without other traffic on the way it was perfect.

On the second afternoon we arrived in the park and cycled to camping Pingo a nice campsite in the west of the park a little off the main hiking trails. From here there was a nice walk to do to a waterfall and viewpoint over the mountains and glaciers but unfortuately the floowing day the weather changed and we woke up to rain. We did venture out in the afternoon to do part of the six hour walk but not all as walking with soaking feet loses its appeal!

The park is renowned for its bad weather and we had our fair share! The next few days in the park were cloudy and rainy but we still managed to get around and make the best of the moments between the showers. One short walk took us to a circuit with views over Lago Grey where the biggest icebergs we´ve seen so far floated. On another nice wal, the most famous in the park we climbed through a valley for three hours to arrive at a viewpoint over a lake surrounded by the famous towers from where the park gets it´s name. Except when we got to the view point the towes were completely covered by thick grey clouds and we couldn´t see anything! At least the walk was nice! Typically that day we decided to leave the park the sun returned and it was glorious weather. At least we were able to appreciate the view of the Torres from our campsite below and enjoy the amazing weather for the two day cycle back to Puerto Natales. Ah Patagonia!! What fun we have with the wether here!!

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