And the thin lady tangos..

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Leaving Ushuaia is not as emotional as I thought it would be. With most journeys when you turn for home it is a bit sad because you always want to go a bit further. However with this journey there is no-where further to travel. We cannot go south any more and this has been our route for five months. So while turning north is a major step and not without regrets it is the only way we can go.

We retrace our route back to Cerro Sombrero in Chilean Tierra Del Fuego for our last night on the Island and then the next morning recross the Straits of Magellan. It is a choppier crossing than previously but just as quick. Our route then diverts and we turn east to head towards our final land border crossing. We cross on Ruta 3 from Chile back to Argentina for the last time. We have crossed 17 land borders including 7 times between Chile and Argentina. Ruta 3 is basically our home for the next 4 days as we take the only paved route up 2000 miles of the east of Argentina. We stay in a few little oil and gas producing towns, which are basic towns with some lovely hotels to keep visiting workers happy. As we ride north we enter the Welsh settled areas of Patagonia and start seeing dual language signs. Policia / Heddlu! We divert off Ruta 3 to visit Gaiman an Old Welsh community with road names such as JC Evans and Ruta Rodgers. Its a strange mix.

We travel through Pampas terrain. Huge, flat, open with low scrub plants that are trying hard to survive and keep out of the treacherous winds. Guanicoe and Rhea are still plentiful but start to fade out the further north we get. They are replaced initially with a stretch of desert terrain with the sand blowing across the road, and then later with arable farming and then cows and sheep. We ride our biggest day which is 490 miles of Ruta 3. A simple and dull day which is made tiring and challenging by the in-secant cross wind which is strong enough to move the bike, forcing the tyres to slide across the tarmac.

Then without much warning we are staying in a nice remote hotel at the edge of Sierra De La Ventana National Park and it is our last night before Buenos Aires and the finish. A relatively subdued night and then off early for 300 miles before lunch and a re group to ride into Buenos Aires. For our last day, like our first it rains. Kevin asks me to ride in the number 2 position as we need to negotiate some 10 lane toll booths a a group. This involves me riding through and then stopping with hazard lights on 25 metres along in the middle of the road as the locals practice their grand prix starts form the toll booths, and then everyone forming up behind until the barrier has done its final rise and fall.

Into Buenos Aires and along Julio 9th which is the widest road in the world, and to our hotel, for more hugs and congratulatory pats on the back. This, only after we ride down the incredibly steep slope to the hotel underground car park onto the newly painted concrete floor and in a final moment of symmetry Aaron drops his bike in the hotel car park. (Ed dropped his in the Anchorage Car Park!)

So all that remains is a final night out to celebrate. We are going to the Carlos Gardel Tango Night at the Esquina Theatre. To see professional dancers and the Argentine Tango close up (and we are very close at 10 feet from the stage) is absolutely fantastic, and despite the theatre seating 300 the food and service is exceptional. A truly fantastic way to end the trip.

Today we prepare the bike to be shipped, power of attorney, fingerprints, bills of lading etc and then a few free days before we fly off to see Jerry, Alison and Paige in Boston and then home...

So the thin lady has tango'ed and its all over.... Thanks for reading -Bye.

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Photos

Meet Perti
Perti is our Flying Fin, literally....

Meet Jeff
El Mujer Camioneta Hombre del Mundo

Argentine Lakes
Both Standing, on gravel, with a bit of a drop to the lake. Great days...

Comments

[Ed and Glyn]

You did it!
Well done my lovelies - you have completed one helluv an amazing experience and both in one piece. Be exceptionally proud of yourselves, of course this will change you forever! What will you do now, I wonder. We wait and watch with interest. I still have about six blogs to catch up on. Take care. Love you both. Gx (and im indoors)