To Chalten, Patagonia.

As I wrote elsewhere I am in El Chalten at the moment. I am planning to stay here for a few more days. This place is known as the Trekking Capital and I can understand why. The weather has been a little up and down, so a day like today I am lying low waiting for a break before heading out. It is great not having a tight schedule to stick to. I watched a short movie today about climbing Mt Fitzroy and another on climbing a mountain in the Patagonian Ice Fields. I didn´t realise that the ice fields are really so close to where I am now. For this reason I plan to stay longer as I have found a way to go see them. It is a bit off the beaten tourist track and maybe a bit remote but it sounds like a plan if the weather turns good tomorrow.. Paso de Viento it is called - Windy Pass, hmmm. Actually the wind here can be pretty extreme.






Anyhow back to last week.



A few high lights.







Ruta 40.




Don´t know if this will work. The quality is very poor. The scenery average. The camera shaky as I had to ride one handed. (actually I am guessing that this is the right video..) I have another I took on Pavement but this is taking too long to upload here..




YES! I love(d) it. A bit rough in places, a bit remote and quite beautiful. A spiritual experience?


Well, yes you could say that. It really felt at times like God was leading me by the hand and showing me what He has made: ¨Check out that Canyon, Bruce; Look at all the colours I used; You like that, wait til you get around the corner..¨ To be able to look through the eyes of faith is indeed a rich experience.





I didn´t make to Calefate or El Chalten for Sunday as I originally planned because I took another detour to Lago Posadas. I was expecting snow capped mountains but I got a barren, dry area. Actually it was really beautiful. The eroded mountains and canyons were spectactular and the lake where I camped was a very special place. I stayed here two nights. A nice, tranquil place to spend my Sunday.





Hmmm. Yes, I used to be a model but I got too fat.



I am doing a lot more camping than I thought - my home from home.



A Sunday arvo cruise andI find this...



On Monday I continued South on Ruta 40. I went a bit faster and as a result (I think) I managed to get a puncture. So out with the puncture repair kit. This was the first time I have ever plugged a tubeless tyre and it worked. I was pretty impressed - A really good sense of satisfaction. Makes me think why I never used to carry a repair kit on my bike...

However, my tyre kept going down.. I had two punctures. Since it was quite a slow one I fixed it when I reached El Chaten.





El Chaten.



What an awesome place. I can understand why this place has become a bit of a tourist magnet. It is still a bit rough and ready but the road is almost completely paved and times are a changing.. The views are spectacular. Mount Fitzroy and Cerro Torres really have to be seen in real life. Some of the most extreme rock climbing is done out here and as a rock climber I can appreciate the allure and the passion. The tall rock spires just call out to be climbed. But it is not without danger and risk. There is an interesting history surrounding Cerro Tores. An Italian named Maestri claimed to climb it in 1959. His partner died and the camera was lost and the route has never been repeated... Even with today´s equipment. There is more to the story. Google it.
Mt Fizroy..

View from Lagos de los Tres.

I think I have walked some 80kms of trails since I have been here..

Chau.