RTW North to South: Torres del Paine

KS- Sunday/Monday

Some days are harder to get on the bike, especially when your laying there in a warm bed, and hear the rain pounding on the roof outside. The temperature was around 40f. We were planning on going to Torres del Paine NP to check out the sights. Temperature there was just over 30f. So you can see our hesitation. Kept tossing around the idea to just head to Punta Arenas, and skip the park and possible bad weather, until we decided that while we were loading our bikes in the rain, might as well grab a straw, and suck it up. We headed towards the park with full tanks of gas, this was the only gas stations for our journey to the park. Getting to the park and back would be stretching Chips fuel range, so he had to keep an eye on mileage to avoid running out. After riding through some cold rain for a bit, the skies started to clear, and as we entered the park it was mostly clear, except for around the taller peaks.

The park is not paved, and the southern entrance which would have allowed us to make a big loop out of the day, was closed. The views in the park were incredible, and the wind was intense. Roads through the park were dirt with some gravel on top, not bad riding on dirt bikes. We separated because Chip was going to turn back when he felt he was close to half tank. I rode further through the park than I had originally intended, wanting to check out one of the big waterfalls, but missed the sign and ended up at almost the other end of the park before I stopped to consult the map. Turning around and making my way back towards the waterfall, there were many photo opportunities to be had, and I took advantage of quite a few. This time I found the turn to the waterfall hike and went to the parking lot, hoping to find Chip there. He wasn't there, so I hiked up to he waterfall and snapped some pictures in the intense wind. Being dressed in full cold weather riding gear, I built up a sweat on the short hike, and since the sun had came out it seemed like good drying weather. Sometimes its good to be a foreigner, people don't expect too much of you, like when your standing next to your bike in a parking lot, with your jackets hanging on your handlebars, and your riding pants down around your ankles (I was wearing long johns), having a snack of granola, and water. They would look, tilt their head in confusion, and walk away. I guess they're just not used to seeing an Virginian eating granola.

Once a satisfactory number of pictures were taken, and fuel burned, it was time to head to the gas station about 80 miles back down the road. I stopped and waited at the park gate for a bit, hoping to meet back up with Chip, but after a while, it was obvious that he had made his way back towards gasoline. And before you ask, phones don't work, closest cell signal is 30 miles from the park. Making my way back to the first town, the road was almost empty, once getting back on asphalt, and the frequent sections missing asphalt. I stopped just outside of the first town when I felt my phone vibrate with a message from Chip. He had arrived before me, stopped for coffee, and finally headed back towards Puerto Natalas for gas. It appeared he was only a few minutes ahead of me, but I couldn't catch him.

We met back up at the gas station, and after we both had full tanks, we decided to make the push to Punta Arenas, the town where we were hoping to sell our bikes after the trip. It was late in the day, after 6pm, and we had a 3+ hour ride ahead of us, luckily being this far south, and in summer, it's light until 10:30. After a ways, Chip had to stop and tighten one of his bags, he said he'd catch up, so I slowed the pace until he caught up. Apparently when he stopped, one of his switches we'd rigged to replace his key switch had decided to give up the ghost. So on flat ground, no starter, and me out of radio range, he had to result to trying to push start a loaded bike by himself. Its an extremely difficult task to do by yourself, and he pulled it off. I was impressed. So down the road we went. With Chips headlight on the blink due to the bad switch, and his tail light laying somewhere on a dirt road in Argentina, we had to make it to town before dark. It was close, but we rolled in at just before 10 and found a hostel to stay in.

Monday was not a real exciting day, we found a shop that is willing to buy our bikes after we finish, the price isn't great, but the convince will be huge. When you come into a country with a bike, it is given a temporary import permit, with your name on it. So if you leave without the bike, they know. And usually are not too happy about a bike being sold in their country, without them getting their cut in taxes. The shop will have an attorney write up the proper transfer papers, and have customs cancel out our import permits. We'd be 100% legal, which is a bit rare on this journey. After that mission, we went to the ferry port to get our ticket for tomorrow, with no luck. Ferry is full, even for motorcycles. It added to our mileage for tomorrow to reach Ushuaia, but the motorcycle shop owner said that the better route is to not take the ferry, so we'll believe him, and maybe try to catch the ferry on our way back here Thursday. Then I went and got a haircut, after seeing some of my pictures from yesterday, I knew I was due. Other exciting thing we did toady was laundry, and shop for plane tickets. Its getting close, real close. Tomorrow, Lord willing, we will be in the southernmost city in the world, our goal for this trip. Nothing is guaranteed down here, but were hopeful that everything will work out to where we will be getting on an airplane Sunday, and heading in that unfamiliar direction some call North.

Pictures this time