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The Carretera Austral.
We started in Puerto Montt after an internal flight from Santiago de Chile. Most of the route is ‘ripio’, unpaved, and after only 20km. we were introduced to the type of surface we were to endure for much of the next 700km. Like a dry river bed is probably the best way to describe it, and initially we thought that perhaps a loaded tandem was not the best form of transport. Consequently our rate of progress slowed dramatically, we averaged only about 10kph. on the ripio, and were forced to camp wild beside a mountain stream. This was an area of dense rainforest and camping sites were not easy to find, rivers providing the only break in the vegetation. But with cold, crystal-clear water they offered ideal camping spots; ideal also for tabanos, a biting type of horse-fly, sounding like, and as big as, a bumble bee. These tabanos were constant daytime companions but bug spray tended to keep them from landing. A couple of ferry rides took us to the virgin rainforest of Parque Pumalin, established by an American, Douglas Tompkins, and containing 1,000 year-old alerce trees. Here we enjoyed a beautiful campground, a grassy meadow overlooked by the massive Volcan Michimahuida (2,404m.). After the small town of Chaiten, vistas opened out, due to the Chilean law that rewarded forest clearance with land titles; and occasional fundos, shingle-roofed timber farms, could be seen. Villages are sensibly spaced about a day’s ride apart and populated by an extremely friendly people, many of whom are subsistence farmers who offer basic accommodation and food to passing travellers. We met quite a few other cyclists, all on mountain bikes, for this is certainly not suitable terrain for skinny tyres and was putting to the test John Street Cycle’s claim that our Thorn tandem was ‘bomb proof’. After about 350km. we reached Puerto Puyuhuapi and were told that we could camp by the lake. We found a nice grassy spot well above the water of the lake, and after the usual pasta and red wine supper we settled down for the night. About two in the morning I suddenly woke to discover that the tent was literally in a sea of water. The lake was a fjord and the tide had come in! Moving everything to higher ground in the dark and rain we wrapped ourselves in a space blanket and shivered the rest of the night away. By first light the tide had receded to allow us to escape from our hummock. We wrung everything out, hung it on the bike and then pushed, it was too heavy to ride, into Puyuhuapi. It is amazing how much heavier things are when wet. At the hostal ‘Casa Ludwig’ there was a tumble dryer, probably the only one for a hundred k’s in any direction. We rented a room and spent the day drying out. Next day, relieved by our lucky escape we continued confidently along the Carretera Austral de General Pinochet. After a few miles we stopped to take a short walk to view a nearby waterfall, and more through habit than any security need, we locked the tandem to an iron bridge. On our return Maggie asked ‘Al, what’s the combination?’ ‘3133’ I replied. ‘It won’t open’ ‘Of course it will, let me do it.’ Then followed what seemed like ages of frantic fumbling, trying all order of combinations either side of 3133. I felt hysteria rising, for after our dunking of the previous day to lock one’s bike irretrievably to a bridge in the middle of nowhere verges on total and utter incompetence. While contemplating whether to throw myself off the bridge or simply break-down and cry, it came to me…..3313! Of course, idiot! How good it felt to get on the bike and ride again, no matter how rough the ripio or how steep the hills. But a short day, for we wanted to visit ‘Ventisquero Colgante’, the hanging glacier, which is in the Parque Queulat. We stopped in the forestry campground, complete with picnic table, firepit and covered shelter, the set off in the rain over a precarious rope bridge across a wide foaming river for a very muddy hike to the hanging glacier. The view from the top was worth the toil, and the firepit came in very useful for drying boots, although the plastic parts melted! About 20 hairpin bends greeted us the next morning, but we were not able to reap our due reward on the following descent because the road deteriorated to very loose scree and washboard. The going was tough and we were pleased to spot a camping sign a bit earlier than expected. This was to be our last full day of dirt, for the paved sections are rapidly being extended; so if you like a bit of rough, go now. 100km. of asphalt took us to the main town of Patagonian Chile, Coyhaique. Here we met another British cyclist, Huw with his partner Gwen, also riding a Thorn tandem. They were having problems with the poor quality tyres bought locally, and were experimenting with two tyres on each wheel. We had Schwalbe Marathon XR tyres and didn’t get any punctures. We also found the Rohloff 14 speed internal hub gear absolutely perfect for multi-terrain cycling. The ability to select any gear at any time was ideal. Many of the other cyclists experienced transmission problems in the dust and dirt and required regular maintenance, often grinding to a halt en-route. We had no problems at all, an occasional wipe of the chain was all that was needed. From Coyhaique the Careterra Austral continues south, but we turned west for Puerto Aisen and a ferry back to Puerto Montt, for another three weeks of cycling in Chile and Argentina. But that’s another story.
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Thorn Cycles Ltd, 91-93 St John Street, Bridgwater, Somerset, TA6 5HX, England |
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