Travel Journal
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Cochrane, CL to Los Ñadis, CL
With Rett’s pedals now longer “buzzing” from her worn-out bottom bracket, my freehub still spinning fine after I overhauled it in Coyhaique, a few new zippers pasted over the broken ones on our tent, and another stretch of clear weather, we were ready to tackle our final 5-day riding phase of the Carretera Austral. Before Read more…
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Puerto Bertrand, CL to Cochrane, CL
The roar of the churning Baker River was the only sound we heard all night. Even in the colorless pre-dawn light, it still glowed with an unusual brightness. We were up early as usual, but not as early as we would have been if our day-of-the-week timing hadn’t been as lucky. The Carretera Austral is Read more…
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El Canal, CL to Puerto Bertrand, CL
The alarm went off at 5:45am, and I crawled out of the tent to witness the barely-lightening sky on a perfect windless morning, with ripples from the lake quietly lapping on the rocks. Our hidden spot was just as peaceful as I’d hoped. With the water right there, it was easy to collect some and Read more…
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Puerto Río Tranquilo, CL to El Canal, CL
After four days off in Puerto Río Tranquilo, we had another clear window that would allow us to make it to the next proper town, Cochrane, in three days. It’s “only” ~70 miles from PRT, a distance that we have done before in a single day, but given the hills and gravel, accomplishing it in Read more…
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Puerto Río Tranquilo, CL
Days 2-5 One good thing about me occasionally riding Rett’s bike up steep hills is that it gives me a chance to notice any potential mechanical issues that might escape her detection. For the last few days, I’ve felt a sort of vibration, or “buzzing” coming through her pedals and into my feet when pedaling. Read more…
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Santa Julia, CL to Puerto Rio Tranquilo, CL
With today’s route into the town of Puerto Rio Tranquilo now 10 miles longer than I had initially planned, we were again up at 4:30am. I’d put a 50% chance on someone showing up and setting up camp after we had gone to sleep (because most other cyclists here are crazy), but stepping outside of Read more…
