My Round The World ride (inc top blagging at Spa & The Ring)
Discussion
After about three weeks resting up and catching up with friends I finally left Santiago on Monday after waiting a few extra days for the snow to clear and the pass over the Andes to re-open so I could be on my way.
My first day was to Los Andes, approximately 80km north of Santiago then the following morning I made a reasonably early start to try to get to Portillo by nightfall on Tuesday. Due to having my winter sleeping bag and clothes with me once again and being fully stocked with food, Coke & water my bike was probably the heaviest it's been all trip so I was a bit slower than I thought I'd be and rather than risk getting stranded with nowhere to camp higher up the mountain, I played it safe and put my tent up on a patch of grass next to the road just before all the hairpins started and the road really started to rise. I was at about 2,200m above sea level at this point so while it was cold overnight, it wasn't bitterly cold and I was feeling pretty toasty in my winter bag.
My goal for Wednesday was to reach the summit and cross into Argentina and due to the constant climbing, it took more than two hours to reach Portillo where I'd planned to get to the day before so I was right to play it safe because I'd probably have arrived in the dark or at the very least have to set up camp in the dark and the snow and while it was warm in the day, it gets bloody freezing at night. I've camped out in the snow before in Kazakhstan and at altitude in Kyrgyzstan & China so I know what it's like and if there's a warmer option available I'd prefer to take that!
I made the summit early afternoon after stopping for coffee at the hotel in Portillo and seeing one of the best views of the entire trip, Laguna del Inca, a lake just behind the hotel.
The Chilean customs brushed me off with a "you need to go to the next customs, 25km down the road" which caused some confusion once I reached the Argentinian customs because I didn't have an exit stamp in my passport or a form I needed to fill in beforehand but no major drama and I was soon stamped in to Argentina having just cycled over a 3,185m pass. I'm now taking a day off at a backpacker hostel in Uspallata and plan to continue towards Mendoza tomorrow for some steak & Malbec.
The views crossing the Andes really were stunning:
This is about 2km from where I camped and the road really starts to climb now. These are know locally as Los Caracoles or "Snails" where there are 29 hairpin bends to negotiate. I didn't get a particularly good picture thinking I'd be able to get one higher up but no such luck and I really didn't fancy riding back down just for a photo!
Laguna del Inca
Argentina
Aconcagua, the world's highest mountain outside of the Himalayas.
Not my picture but here are "Los Caracoles".
My first day was to Los Andes, approximately 80km north of Santiago then the following morning I made a reasonably early start to try to get to Portillo by nightfall on Tuesday. Due to having my winter sleeping bag and clothes with me once again and being fully stocked with food, Coke & water my bike was probably the heaviest it's been all trip so I was a bit slower than I thought I'd be and rather than risk getting stranded with nowhere to camp higher up the mountain, I played it safe and put my tent up on a patch of grass next to the road just before all the hairpins started and the road really started to rise. I was at about 2,200m above sea level at this point so while it was cold overnight, it wasn't bitterly cold and I was feeling pretty toasty in my winter bag.
My goal for Wednesday was to reach the summit and cross into Argentina and due to the constant climbing, it took more than two hours to reach Portillo where I'd planned to get to the day before so I was right to play it safe because I'd probably have arrived in the dark or at the very least have to set up camp in the dark and the snow and while it was warm in the day, it gets bloody freezing at night. I've camped out in the snow before in Kazakhstan and at altitude in Kyrgyzstan & China so I know what it's like and if there's a warmer option available I'd prefer to take that!
I made the summit early afternoon after stopping for coffee at the hotel in Portillo and seeing one of the best views of the entire trip, Laguna del Inca, a lake just behind the hotel.
The Chilean customs brushed me off with a "you need to go to the next customs, 25km down the road" which caused some confusion once I reached the Argentinian customs because I didn't have an exit stamp in my passport or a form I needed to fill in beforehand but no major drama and I was soon stamped in to Argentina having just cycled over a 3,185m pass. I'm now taking a day off at a backpacker hostel in Uspallata and plan to continue towards Mendoza tomorrow for some steak & Malbec.
The views crossing the Andes really were stunning:
This is about 2km from where I camped and the road really starts to climb now. These are know locally as Los Caracoles or "Snails" where there are 29 hairpin bends to negotiate. I didn't get a particularly good picture thinking I'd be able to get one higher up but no such luck and I really didn't fancy riding back down just for a photo!
Laguna del Inca
Argentina
Aconcagua, the world's highest mountain outside of the Himalayas.
Not my picture but here are "Los Caracoles".
It's still under warranty so I've emailed the supplier and am waiting to hear what they have to say. Right now I need a postal address in Argentina and need to decide whether to risk pushing on in the hope it doesn't go pop or sit tight but that could mean waiting for several days with sod all to do.
As La Rioja was a bit dull and the hostel I was staying in virtually empty I took a risk that the hub would last another few hundred kilometres and have now made it to a lovely little town called Cafayate in the heart of wine country where I've arranged for the replacement hub to be sent.
I've been here over a week now with each day being a kind of groundhog day where I don't do much except drink the local Torrentes and Malbec and go to the market each evening with some of the other hostel guests to buy half a cow and some veggies each night to cook on the grill in the hostel garden. I have managed to squeeze in a few Bodegas for wine tasting and a goats cheese factory plus a bit of trekking in a valley in between all the drinking though. Life's pretty tough sometimes eh?!
@HereBeMonsters It's aluminium so I don't think so plus I don't fancy stripping and rebuilding the wheel just for a few days before I have to do it all over again when the new hub arrives.
@Xpuffin Thanks for the offer of help again but as it's under warranty CRC have already sent me a replacement free of charge.
@Minemapper Thanks for the offer but it's getting delivered to the hostel I'm staying at in Cafayate.
@AJS- The overall journey in terms of countries was roughly planned at the start but plans change all the time and in terms of the day to day stuff I make it up as I go along.
I've been here over a week now with each day being a kind of groundhog day where I don't do much except drink the local Torrentes and Malbec and go to the market each evening with some of the other hostel guests to buy half a cow and some veggies each night to cook on the grill in the hostel garden. I have managed to squeeze in a few Bodegas for wine tasting and a goats cheese factory plus a bit of trekking in a valley in between all the drinking though. Life's pretty tough sometimes eh?!
@HereBeMonsters It's aluminium so I don't think so plus I don't fancy stripping and rebuilding the wheel just for a few days before I have to do it all over again when the new hub arrives.
@Xpuffin Thanks for the offer of help again but as it's under warranty CRC have already sent me a replacement free of charge.
@Minemapper Thanks for the offer but it's getting delivered to the hostel I'm staying at in Cafayate.
@AJS- The overall journey in terms of countries was roughly planned at the start but plans change all the time and in terms of the day to day stuff I make it up as I go along.
I noticed the other day that Condor Cycles mentioned me on their blog. Fame at last!
http://www.condorcycles.com/latest-blog/around-the...
http://www.condorcycles.com/latest-blog/around-the...
Hey Neil, I remember this thread when you first set off, but not on PH as much as I used to be, I forgot about your trip. I can't believe it was 2 years ago!
I built up a bike for a (nutter) buddy who rode from Columbia to the bottom tip of South America in 2005, and the stores he had from that trip were fantastic - it is clear you are having the time of your life.
Stay save.
I built up a bike for a (nutter) buddy who rode from Columbia to the bottom tip of South America in 2005, and the stores he had from that trip were fantastic - it is clear you are having the time of your life.
Stay save.
The latest news on my broken hub is that a replacement was sent out from the UK on 28th May and is being held in Cordoba either by the post office or customs and I'm expected to collect in person. Cordoba is a 2-3 day, £62 round trip by bus. Is it just me that thinks this isn't a great system? What do the locals do?
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