Into Patagonia

Tues 26th & Wed 27th

Two long days of riding has me in Puerto Madryn. The roads have been very straight and featureless for hundreds of kilometres, much like some of Australia, but at least I’m feeling like I’m back in the groove, and the body is starting to get used to sitting in the saddle for hours on end.

This city is located in the eastern region of the Province of Chubut on the Atlantic coast, and while the weather yesterday was 32degrees and boiling!! With the liners in the suit I had to stop at lunchtime to get them out. Today’s been cooler and the clouds have been building, so there might be some rain in store to spoil my time here.

Puerto Madryn was founded on the 28th July in 1865, date of arrival of 150 Welsh immigrants aboard the "Mimosa" that called this natural harbour "Puerto Madryn" after Loves Jones Parry, who was the Baron of Madryn in the country of Wales.

The settlement became effective when labour provided by Welsh, Italian and Spanish immigrants, built the railroad from Madryn to Trelew. If the weather continues to blow up I might take a ride down to Trelew tomorrow.

Thursday 28th

I did go down to Trelew today but was very disappointed. I don't know what I was expecting (cute and quaint??) But it was another big town. Unless I missed the tourist trail completely. So it was 200km to see nothing.

The plus side was that I got back to Puerto Madryn for lunch, so I picked the best looking restaurant I could find and had the best meal so far. A nice rack of lamb with vegetables, half a bottle of wine, and some Tiramasou for desert. Just before I lef there were some wright wales just out in the bay, waving their flippers for about 15 minutes. The best steak I've had so far was in BA, but I can't eat that much meat that late at night. The restaurants here opened earlier (around 8 o'clock) But I just had a burrito in a mex place. There doesn't seem to be much variety here, no Chinese, no Indian. But in general the food is pretty good, just the timing is out!!







I've decided to leave tomorrow. The hotel is overpriced and not that comfortable, so I might as well make up some time and get down to Ushaia in the next few days. I think the most interesting part is going to be when I start following the Andes up the west coast.

Friday 29th

It was about 450km down to Comodoro, and it was very cold and wet for most of the day. I think the weather forcast is getting better for the next couple of days. There is not a lot here it's an oil town, but lots of shops and I found a Chinese Restaurant I might try tonight

I also ran out of petrol about 10km from the next gas station. I filled up in Trelew and pulled into a station half way in between but they weren't serving fuel for some reason I couldn't fathom. Anyway I miss calculated because I thought there would be fuel in the next place which I had plenty of petrol to get to, but no!! Luckily a very kind man in a ute gave me a lift to the gas station and back again. I'm going to have to be very careful on Ruta 40. I might even get a can.

Another 430 km day tomorrow down to Puerto San Julian. Hopefully not as cold, but I don't think the scenery is going to get any better. Patagonia is a lot like Aus in some ways, hundreds of Km of featurless straight roads. I met a lovely family in the hotel the other day who used to work as ski instructors in the USA. They've given me there number so when I get to Bariloche where they live I can give them a call.

No photos yet for this one as I can't get wifi conection in my room and I'm typing this in the loby, not the most condusive place for creativity!! But all in all life is OK and I'm enjying it.

As an update to Stans Bike, a little bending here and there and it was OK. He was very lucky as the crate looked a mess. He had to go through the insurance process though just in case the damage had been terminal. It's the Africa Twin in front of mine in the garage.