Across the Andes to Bariloche

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I am traveling by myself. But I am not alone. Today it took a team of 3 mechanics working most of the morning to get my designated bike (just back from a trip) ready to roll again. I hung out and asked awkward questions, often causing more work. The yard was full of bikes and bikers from Argentina, Chile, Brasil and Costa Rica, messing with gear and talking biker travel talk. All male. Most had grey hair like me. I drove 80 km to the border and had to wait in line for half an hour with 30 other cars, making friends with people I kept meeting again through the day. They would wave and honk when they passed me stopped by the side of the road taking pictures. I then found out I had lost the battery and charger for my camera in the many luggage packings and re packings. I visited 5 photo and battery stores in the course of two hours, walking all over Bariloche between 8 and 10 pm, until amazingly I found what I was looking for. One store sent me to another, in a long and helpful chain that led to happiness.

Argentina is just as friendly as Chile. Here I feel completely at home, and don't stumble over the accent and word differences (gasolina is benzina, 1000 pesos is a luca). On the Eastern side the Andes are grey rock and granite, rather than black lava volcanoes. Crossing the continental divide I drove through an area of dead forest. Very spooky.

The vistas continue to be wonderful, and its a trick to try and catch the view without driving over the cliff edge. I now discipline myself not to look until I reach a layby.

Made Bariloche by nightfall -- a resort town by the huge lake Nahuel Huapi. It is a ski resort in winter, and a water sports place in the summer. Absolutely thronged with cars and people. Its the peak of the summer, the weather is nice, and the Argentine economy has become vibrant again under President Macri.

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Photos

Machine ready to travel.
Note the duct tape fix on the front beak above the wheel.

Argentine forest cover
Strange mix of dead and live trees.

Mirror lake in Argentina
dropping down and East through the Nahuel Huapi National Park.

View across Lago Nahuel Huapi
From my hotel room window.

Comments

[Virginia Brown]

Que linda camaradería
Hola Jim preciosas las vistas, pero lo que más me alegra es la camaradería entre "motoqueros". Abrazos y que continúe el viaje así!

[Harry]

Down hill all the way.
You are just the person to do this trip: the mix of place and people. Some of us might find it a bit harder. Be sure you don’t fall into the trap of feeling at home and comfortable.