Patagonia

CN - Tuesday/Wednesday

It's getting chilly (Chile) again - pun intended. Last night it was down into the 40's. I'm beginning to wonder if I brought the right cold weather gear for camping. I haven't used my sleeping bag liner yet so still have that. My bag is a 35/50 flip bag so the liner should get me down to at least 30. I guess if still cold with the liner I can just pile my riding gear on top. I'm guessing it's not going to get warmer as we head further south.

We decided to try again with the insurance game in Osorno. We still need the liability insurance for Argentina. Our friend Mauricio said we can purchase it online and sent us a couple of links but they require a RUT number that seems specific to Chilean nationals - which we are not and do not have. The first stop was a no, but have us a lead on another agency that dealt in international insurance. We got excited when the agent at the international agency smiled and said she could help us. However, our hopes quickly faded when she started entering in docs and info, then after a quick call to the home office said she in fact could not help us. The only way to purchase for us was online. She gave us a link but once again it required the dreaded RUT number - back again to square one. I suggested we just ride to the boarder and figure it out, or cross into Argentina if they don't ask for it at the border and try to get in somewhere there. Ken however, was determined and convinced we needed it prior to entry (Mauricio also indicated we would need to have it before). While I was getting an espresso and pastries at a nearby bakery, Ken had gone back inside to plead with the agent for help with the website - and it worked! When I returned and went inside to see what he was up to he had the insurance paperwork in his hands. She was somehow able to bypass the RUT number and make it work. After taking care of my registration and purchase, but not before I had a malfunction of the hose on my Camelback emptying the jacket bladder into the floor of the insurance office, we tipped her with a half dozen fresh muffins from the bakery and were off to the border.

The ride to the Chile/Argentina border was very beautiful with volcanos, rugged mountains and flowing rivers to enjoy along the route. The remains of a recent fire had left all the trees stripped of any green leaving just the stalks. Made for a scene similar to entering Yellowstone Park from the south. Exiting Chile was pretty quick and easy but after we covered the fairly long distance between the two border stations we came upon a long line of trucks and cars waited to enter on the Argentina side. Once we got through the line and into the building it went fairly quickly making for about a four hour process total.

Once through the final gates the scenery changes once again to dark green trees and bright blue lakes. This region is truly very picturesque and memorable - one of my favorites of the trip. The town (Villa La Angostura) we camped in about 40k into Argentina reminded me a bit of the north shore of Lake Tahoe - as well as several others we passed through the next day. The campground was nice and shaded with very clean facilities at $15 a tent. Not to bad for a resort area.

We hit the road on Wednesday around 9:30am and the morning consisted of passing by several more beautiful lakes surrounded by mountains. The roads were twisty, the air was cool and dry and the skies were deep blue - I was really enjoying the ride. In the afternoon the terrain turned into high plains steppe and the road straightened out. The distance between towns and gas became something to pay attention to.

We had targeted a town with gas and a campground to stop for the night but the campground turned out to be a treeless dirt-patch so we just gassed up decided to ride another 80k to try our luck in the next town. In the next town the campground wasn't a huge improvement but at least it had a few trees and grass. The nights are getting warmer with overnight temps now up in the 50's. We had a late lunch so dinner consisted of a few knifes of a stick of chorizo I had bought a few days earlier. Looks like the terrain for the next several days is going to be more of the same.