Exploring the end of the world - Patagonia 2014

Day 20 Rio Grande - Punta Arenas 430 km - 120 km gravel Our last riding day! This time the ferry crossing is no problem, only strong side wind makes the ride challenging. We made it! Exhausted but happy we arrive in Punta Arenas. What a trip!! We have our last boot beer and say good bye to our riding buddies. Full of incredible memories we are heading home. Adventure Patagonia is over!!!!!!!!! Ferry back to mainland Day 19  Ushuaia - Rio Grande  230 km - 25 km gravel We say good bye to the end of the world and go back North. An easy ride with one side trip to a pristine mountain lake was on program. Only the strong side wind made parts of the ride quite hard. Good bye Ushuaia! Day 18  Rest day  Ushuaia  230 km - 130 km gravel Our last rest day offered a lot. First we visited the Terra del Fuego National Park, with the most southern post office in the world and finally " the end of the world." In the afternoon we made a nice ride on a fabulous gravel road and jumped on a boat to a Penguin Island, that was great. Specially for Ramona our Penguin Mama, who wanted to stay with the cute little animals. The most southern post office in the world Ramona is testing the water 17000 penguins Ramona the penguin mama in heaven Too much wind for this truck Day 17  Cerro Sombrero  - Ushuaia 435 km - 130 km gravel Fin del Mundo - we are coming. After some gravel in the morning we had to cover some miles on mostly straight roads, but in the afternoon we had some great riding coming to Ushuaia. The scenery changed from dessert like to snow covered alpine scenery like in the Alps. We just went over the 5000 km mark today and it is not over yet. Our Adventure Team is still in good shape and we are looking forward to the last couple of days. Ghost town at the coast Waiting for the ferry We made it! The tree shows, how windy it can be here. Day 16 Puerto Natales - Cerro Sombrero 385 km - 80 km gravel Today should have been quite a short day, but it went out to be a long one. The wind was very strong, so we had to ride in leaning angle on the straights, when we had it from the side and our bikes seemed to have double the power when we had backwind. When we got to the Ferry to cross the Maggallan Straight, the ferry was out of order because of the strong wind. We had to wait 5 hours until the wind calmed down a little bit, so that the ferry would work again. First it looked like we never can continue, but in the end we made it until 8 o clock to the Hotel. The ferry crossing itself was the adventure of the day. The ship rolled like a drunken sailer and we had to hold on to our bikes, there was no tiedown or any kind of security for the bikes. Well we survived and had a great dinner at our Hotel in Cerro Sombrero. Day 15  Rest day Puerto Natales - Torres del Paine   265 km - 170 km gravel The day of the days!! In perfect weather conditions we explored the Torres del Paine National Park - what an experience!  The gravel loop through the park is just breathtaking. AAround every Corner there are more spectacular views. Guanakos everywhere and a perfect lunch stop on an Island just in front of the glacier covered mountain range. There can´t be a better motorcycle day. Riding at it´s best! Day 14  El  Calafate - Puerto Natales   280 km - 60 km gravel   Back into Chile today. But we meet the Argentinian Pampa again in the morning and an easy gravel section shortcuts the endless Highway 40. The boarder crossing takes a while, but we are experienced now. Our hotel right at the Pacific Ocean is great and we will spend our next rest day here. Our German couple enjoying the scenery The Pampa! Gorge has a new front Fender design! Flowers at the boarder "El Condor Pasa" Day 13  El  Calafate - Rest day   150 km - 50 km gravel This rest day is dedicated to the world famous Perito Moreno Glacier, a must see on every Patagonia trip. The scenic and twisty road leads us to the Los Glaciares National Park. Some took a boat trip right to the glacier with stunning views and some did a hike to come as Close as possible to the ice. On the way back some could not resist to take a gravel detour back to the Hotel. Argentinas biggest Glacier, more than the size of Buenos Aires Cold Art-  made by nature     "Dust in the Wind" Day 12  El Chalten - El Calafate   220 km - 0 km gravel The only adventure today was the strong wind, but we had a nice ride with some twisty sections and arrived eaely in the Hotel to relax. Tomorrow the famous Perito Moreno Glacier  is on programm. Gas Station with a view   Coffe break at La Leona "Footprints" in the sand Short sand exploration for the Picture of the day  Day 11  La Angostura - El Chalten   365 km - 230 km gravel Back to the gravel road, with some parts of loose gravel - quite challenging ! Now we ride in the Argentinien Pampa, that meads long straights and strong winds. Approaching El Chalten on a 90 km straight, we can see the famous Fitzroy mountain getting bigger and bigger. In the afternoon we head for an extra offroad Loop to the Lagune del Desierto, a great rollercoster ride on gravel.   Afternoon gravel Loop near Fitzroy Never ending gravel road Group Picture in front of Mount Fitzroy Day 10  Hacienda Tres Lagos - La Angostura   420 km - 260 km gravel Today is the longest riding day of the trip, not only the longest but also one of the best ones. Even the weather turnes out really good. We cross the boarder again into Argentina at a very remote boarder crossing, where they don´t even have a Computer. So it takes a while to do all the paperwork by hand. In Argentina the scenery changes dramatically. Red rocks and  dessert-like landscape. We see the first Guanakos, the Patagonian Lama/Alpacca and Nandus, an Austrich like bird. The Estancia La Angostura is a hugh operating farm and the friendly Family is preparing a grilled lamb for us. What a day !!!! Susan enjoying the scenery Tourguide Michael making friends at the boarder What a lovely spot for a boarder crossing  Another flat tire just before the boarder Stunning gravel pass Guanakos beside the road Day 9  Rest day at Hacienda Tres Lagos   120 km - 120 km gravel After all that riding we are ready for a rest day, to do nothing, go hiking, horseback riding or visiting a stunning cave. Only Bill has not enough and Michael goes with him on a special off road loop. Bill in his element Cobble Stone road? Relaxation in our wonderful rooms with fire place! Day 8  Coyhaique-Tres Lagos  290 km - 190 km gravel What a wonderful riding day through stunning scenery, no problems. Our Hotel  Tres Lagos right at a lake, where we will spend 2 nights is just awesome. What a few ! Day 7 Puyuhuapi-Coyhaique 340 km - 120 km gravel Bad News in the morning, the road we want to take is blocked because of a washout. We want to try it instead of waiting the whole day. We arrive there and everybody is waiting for the crader to come. Some four wheel drive cars can make it through the water, then a truck is stuck and we have to help him out and buildt a dam to bring the waterlevel down - it works. We can do the crossing just before the machinery is coming and blocking the road again. What an adventure. But it is not over yet, one bridge is damaged and we have to take an 100 km detour with 60 km of gravel. But it is a wonderful road. We arrive exhausted but happy at our 5 star hotel in Coyhaique. Day 6 Futaleufu-Puyhuapi 190km - 180 km gravel After 5 days of snshine, we had or first rainy day. Some of the Group did a rafting trip in the morning and had fun. The rest took it easy arrived earlier at the hotel, but both groups got soaking wet. We could dry our cloth and warm up at a stove in the lobby Road construction all over, it will be all paved in a few years The rafting team Day 5   El Bolson-Futaleufu - 250 km, 100km gravel After exploring the Alerces National Park in the morning, a quite challenging gravel road brings us back to Chile. The boarder crossing is easy and the new paved road to our lovely hotel is pure riding fun. Ramona fitting into the Scene... Ramona and Dirk at their Hazienda Big Mac Road along a nice lake in the Alerces National Park  Dinner at our cosy lodge Day 4 St Martin - El Bolson 280 km From now on it is going south. We did a wonderful gravel pass road in the morning with breathtaking fews, The rest of the day was cruising on a well paved road to El Bolson.  One of the one lane bridges  View from the spectacular pass Susan climbing the rocks   Gravel coctail   Lunch brake in Bariloche Argentinian barbecue  Kids like motorcycles Day 3 Pucon-St Martin des Andes 185 km Today we entered Argentina over a beautiful gravel pass, the boarder crossing was easy and we arrived early in St Martin. Some had not enough and went vor a short off road loop to a nearby lake, adding more adventure miles to the trip. Afternoon off road loop No comment! Vulcano Lanin Our offroad Team for the afternoon  Team Germany ready to go New blue GS matches perfect with the White vulcano and the blue sky Day 2 Osorno-Pucon 250 km - 30 km gravel We are heading North out of Osorno and ride along pristine mountain lakes with snow covered vulcanos in the Background. Rolling into our lunchstop at the beautiful Lake Calafquen   First gravel section with wonderful views Susan and Ramona, part of our female rider team Day 1 - arriving in Osorno Chile, sunshine 22° C Welcome briefing and dinner, with a mixed Group from Germany, Canada and the United States. Our Group at our first dinner in Osorno The Adventure Team: , Beverley and Randy from Canada, Marcin, Mark, Bill, Susan, Tim and George from USA, Ramona, Dirk and Amdreas from Germany and the Tourguides Milan and Michael.