The days’ track
Google Earth
Jeff’s pose, waiting for the gas station to open. I few days later I was ribbing another rider how come he had so many pictures of himself. His response: “if you don’t pose, nobody knows”
Leaving town we climb up into the hills over the lake. It’s cold
Normally, riding with others is difficult. But today it turns out that Jeff rides at almost the exact speed I do, same into the corners and down the straights, takes a ton of pictures like I do.
We climb out of Rio Tranquilo on the same loose washboard we rode in on. Soon we round the corner of the lake
The riding turns brilliant
This is the extent of civilization we’re going to see today. Another surprisingly good bridge
Monster river, running fast and deep
The view across the lake stays with us all day
The long straights are a kind of stress relief after the loose corners and we blast down them
There was a series of tight corners descending to a forested area that was slightly technical, although the picture doesn’t show it
The valley bottom was fast ride
Straight-line the open curves
Then we’re out into the open again and climbing up the mountainside. Click on this for a great road view. Fantastic
High up, looking back
And looking forward
Climbing more through rock
Then, after a descent, the road changes to running along a ledge above the lake
Click on this to see one of the best roads on the Carretera
The sun comes out! Haven’t seen much of that in a long while
A last look back
Fast
er, blue lake
and a blue hill
Into Chile Chico
This is where Jeff and I get on to different agendas. He’s only in SA for six weeks (Santiago to Santiago) and has to press hard to see specific sights, and I have a few things that have to get done before the internet darkness of the coming section of Argentina, the border a few miles ahead.
The Carretera Austral is finished. One of the most famous routes in the world. We didn’t have the weather or views but the riding was excellent, at times difficult, always satisfying.
Comments
The “blueness” of the sea an sky is absolutely stunning. Beautiful to look at.