Days 194-195: Patagonian winds

Days: 194-195  -   Date: 6-7MAR14  -   Itinerary: El Calafate, AR to Punta Arenas, CH  -   Miles: 369

Not much interesting to report about these couple days except that it was very windy.. like steady 40-50mph winds with occasional gusts above that. It made the riding much more tiring than normal. Two things took a beating: my neck muscles and my fuel economy.CH_06Mar14_001

If there were any trees around, these signs are be very accurate.

wind

I stopped for the night in the drab port town of Puerto Natales. This place is the launching point for travelers heading into Torres del Paine National Park. I had thought about checking this park out and maybe even renting some gear to go hiking around the area for a few days but the Patagonian winter is quickly arriving and it’s already pretty cold. I realize I can’t see and do everything and I’m okay with that. Maybe next time..

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In Puerto Natales looking towards the park. Cold, cloudy and snow on the mountains
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The grass in this photo is laying over due to wind blowing!

The ride from Puerto Natales to Punta Arenas was a quick 2-3 hour jaunt. Once in town I searched for a new front tire. After checking a few shops, all of which didn’t have what I was looking for, I found Alejandro’s moto shop. He works almost exclusively on the BMW rental bikes that all the moto tour agencies use. CH_07Mar14_002

He had a huge selection of big bike tires and I had him mount a new Heideanu K76 front tire. This tire is more road biased (70%/30) since I figure from here on out I’m gonna be mostly on pavement. While the bike was on the lift, I also had him tighten the front brake disc rivets since they were loose and also remove a little bit of oil from the front forks as they were a bit stiffer than I liked. Overall a big success and another recommendation for Alejandro’s shop.
CH_07Mar14_003Tomorrow I’ll be catching a ferry over to Tierra del Fuego.

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