Lessons from Abroad: Learning Simplicity and Boundless Gratitude

Cycling touring is no easy business, and it certainly isn’t for everyone. It can be rough, dirty, dangerous and exhausting. This type of travel is not for the faint of heart, but for the few who dare to challenge a country (or a continent) on bicycle the rewards are endless: embracing simplicity and experiencing true solititude in the most beautiful corners of the earth without the presence of a single other human (aside from your amazing cycling companion)…. Gaining a deep understanding of your own physical strength and a simultaneous humility knowing it’s okay to push your loaded bicycle up a hill when you’ve hit your limit (not as easy at it sounds!). And most importantly a genuine appreciation for the simpliest daily rituals – a hot shower, a delicious meal, lights after dark. These little things become precious.

This entry is about a few of the lessons I have learned about myself and the world on this crazy adventure through thousands of miles across South America…

Home sweet home. A vagabond’s life for me and my honey.

1. Most of the Things I Considered “Normal” are actually Luxuries.
I’ve never been a person that falls prey to some of the silly, superfluous things America has to offer – I tend to skip the moving sidewalks, I try to prioritize necessity over desire and have always chosen to skip the consumer madness of Black Friday. I was a pretty simple chick to begin with.

But bicycle touring South America has taken my appreciation of the little things to the next level. When you’re out camping in the wilderness, with no stores and certainly no Starbucks within a thousand mile radius of you, you learn to love the simple morning act of a black cup of coffee. Sometimes you fetch water from a stream, boil on the campstove and toss some instant coffee in the bottom of your dented camp cup and have a beautiful, peaceful, quiet cup of morning joe. That’s it. None of that extra-hot, extra-foam, 1/8th of a spenda soy latte nonsense that exists in our culture. I now feel fortunate to have milk in my coffee (sugar is a separate luxury unto itself).

Next normalcy-gone-luxury is clean laundry. The reality is stream washing your clothes just doesn’t leave that fresh, downy scent you’re used to at home. And if it’s cold and you might have to put something back on that is damp, we generally just say forget it. Clean laundry is a luxury. Probably for most people in the world, looking lovely and smelling like a sheet of fabric softener is pretty low on the priority list… Same goes for cycle tourists. Be grateful for those crispy, clean socks mah friends!

Tent Selfie! A make-up free, unshowered happy camper!

2. Giving up Cosmetics and Re-Defining Personal Hygiene
As a chick on the road, you have to re-define what you consider necessary to “survive.” Like most girls, at home I have a least three different types of shampoo and conditioner, and an even greater number of soaps, body washes, face creams….you name it. And this is coming from a girl who can barely curl her own hair.

Visualize this: One stick of mascara (that I have used less than 15 times for lack of a desire to remove mascara without makeup remover), one stick of deodorant, a travel sized hair brush, a travel sized shampoo (doubles as bodywash) and two cheapo, disposable razors that have lasted FOUR MONTHS. The end. But you know what I realized? None of the material girly things I’m used to having at home could have improved my life experience traveling here. My life is no better with access to more beauty products. I can be perfectly content with a clean face at the end of the day and no makeup for months on end. How you look is not what makes you. I date and travel alongside a guy who agrees and still likes me when I’m a bit grimy; an indication of a true gentleman and the kind of guy you want around.

3. I am now a professional at showering without hot water.
A common reality is that the hostel you were looking forward to after five days of cycling without a shower advertised that they had “Agua Caliente!” – hot water – only for you to have stripped your dirty cycling clothes in the bathroom and be unpleasantly surprised by a stream of frigid water…that isn’t getting any warmer. Guess what? You’re too dirty to care. I can wash my hair and “necessities” in record time, in frigid water, with less than three ounces of shampoo to my name and come out feeling REFRESHED. Seriously. Nothing feels better than clean hair and ditching your cycling stench. I can also get myself clean with exactly one pot of warm water (luxury) – and yes, it’s the same pot we use for cooking. If you had proposed this to me before leaving I would have giggled at the impossiblity. But anything is possible!

My lesson from this is to reconsider your 20-30 minute showers. Sure, it’s nice sometimes, but water is a commodity that humans are quickly ruining and using up so much faster than our poor environment can handle. If you think you can’t pull of what your normal routine is in 15 minutes (or way, way less) – I am here to show you that you absolutely can! Save that agua!

Some of the weird stuff we eat while cycling – for your viewing pleasure, Instant-Mashed-Potato-Hot-Dog with Ketchup. If it sounds gross, you haven’t cycled far enough. Best when eaten riverside after several hours on the grind. (Guest appearance: The Man Beard).

4. FOOD! 
I remember debating with my boyfriend an endless number of times on where we should go get food while living in California. In America, this has NOTHING to do with what is actually available and only with what “sounds good.” Start cycle touring and you are instantly in love with all food. Your appreciation of a hot meal is hard to express. We live on pasta, rice, veggies (when we’re lucky), oatmeal, cookies and instant soups. We even eat bizarre combinations of things, our favorite being “Pasta Sandwiches.” I guess it’s like a meatball sandwich sans-meatballs? Carbs on carbs…a cyclists favorite! In short, debating over which restaurant you want to go to and then having a WHOLE MENU to choose from is a true luxury.

During our travels we spent 11 days trapped in a cabin without enough food (See Border Crossing Blog for fully explanation of that debacle). We had to ration and for the first time in my life I was actually hungry, without a solution to my hunger within arms reach. My gratitude for food is completely different. I took that luxury so for granted at home and of all my experiences so far on this trip, this has been my most valued lesson I have learned. I can even say that my brain has possibly processed my deprivation – my whole life I have been a person that strongly dislikes raw tomatoes and even more hated than that, cucumbers. Now, I can eat both and actually kind of enjoy them. Weird how traveling can change you, eh?

This hill was over a mile long, and followed by five more just like it. Gnarly day of hill climbs, to say the least. Those specks are our two French bike touring friends!

5. My Own Physical Strength
I was genuinely nervous about the hill climbs I knew I would encounter before we arrived in South America. I knew that none of the training I had done would even compare to the challenges that lie ahead and had no idea what to expect, and more importantly whether or not I was strong enough to hang.

What I learned is that perseverence and determination can overcome what physical strength you lack. Beyond that, you have no idea the limitations of your own body unless you push them. I have hit my wall here in South America on several occasions – I have been exhausted, tired of pushing the bike up endless hills, hungry, cold and sore all at the same time. I’ve even shed some tears when I hit this point, shouted my fair share of expletives and needed a pick-me-up from the ever patient boyfriend. BUT, I SURVIVED! I made it up those hills, I made it to my bowl of pasta every night, to my comfy sleeping bag and I pushed through the tiredness (literally).

Life is like a hill climb. The more you suffer, the more you overcome the doubts you have in yourself, the more you persevere beyond all odds the better the payout. The climb never lasts forever, and the harder you work the sweeter that blissful coast downhill will be.

This is just a peek into the vast expanse of lessons that can be learned from traveling. If people tell you your trip is “crazy,” you’re doing it right. Keep your chin up. The things you learn about yourself can never be replaced and you truly have no idea what’s in store for you until you’ve made it to the other side.

Is it all worth it? Hell yeah, it is.

Beautiful Bariloche!

Before we embarked on our journey to South America, I recall having a few small apprehensions about what to expect. Could we drink the tap water? Would we stand out too much as gringos and feel vulnerable? What would it be like? Of course, an endless list of concerns had also been voiced from our friends and families but most of these were easily dismissed as “over-cautious” by our adventurous hearts.

To think that I held any nervousness about landing in Argentina and traveling to Chile, from my perspective today, is laughable. As we close our chapter in these two beautiful places, I can only think back on the countless friendly, incredible people we’ve met, the insane amount of beauty we’ve ridden through and the innumerable positive memories we will have for a lifetime. The small things that previously concerned me were all based on what fear or ignorance I had left in me. The water was perfectly safe. Not once did we encounter someone with bad intent, on the contrary we met SO many that were interested in our travels and beyond ready to lend us a hand. The drivers, albeit a little crazy at times, seem to be acutely aware of their surroundings and we were not run over during our months here! We were beyond safe and happy.

Leaving Argentina yesterday felt like leaving a second home – we’ve learned Argentine Spanish, shared mate with the locals, eaten our weight in empanadas and gained so many new amigos. It is bittersweet; we have so much more traveling ahead of us (Peru and hopefully Bolivia!) but will miss Argentina and Chile greatly.

Bariloche, Argentina
We were lucky enough to spend our holidays and New Year working at a super fun hostel in beautiful Bariloche. Bariloche is a lakefront town surrounded by breathtaking peaks and often visited as a ski resort town in the winter. By summer, it is frequented by tourists, beach go-ers and recent the high school grads of Argentina. It’s known for it’s cervecerias (craft beer! Yay!), chocolate shoppes, wine and hiking. We were happy to say the least…

We found ourselves in this great little city by way of hitch hiking. My lone unfortunate event of our travels thus far occurred south of Bariloche when an especially strong gust of wind caused an encounter between my head and the pavement with my bike in a heap at the edge of the Ruta 40. Luckily, because I always wear my helmet, I walked away with a few minor scratches, a broken brake hood and no concussion. Quite a few bike tourists out there find it fashionable to strap their helmet to their rear panniers and forget that business altogether. Perhaps they never fall. I hadn’t been planning on it either, and am grateful I stay prepared. Saved us a trip to the hospital!

Obviously post-fall, I was ready to “hago dedo” – translated as “use my thumb” – and hitch a ride to the next town. After what seemed like forever, a little truck screeched into the gravel ahead of us and offered to let us ride in the bed of his truck. We happily accepted! Panniers and cycles loaded in, we sat against the back of the cab facing the travelers behind us, feeling grateful to no longer be bothered by the Patagonian wind.

It was shortly thereafter that it started to sprinkle. We had driven up into the mountains in this little white truck, already taken farther than we could have hoped for, when Marco (our salvavida) jumped out of the cab. We were ready to start unloading everything when he explained that we needed to get in the cab so we didn’t get rained on! We moved his personal belongings (which he risked getting wet instead of us) and jumped in the front. Turns out we were lucky enough to be riding with one of the most friendly, patient and helpful Chilean truck drivers out there. Despite the fact he didn’t need to stop in Bariloche and had already been driving for ten hours, he took us all the way to our destination. He even stopped and ran into a store at some point, and emerged with juice and pastries for us. We learned about his family, his job, his life in Pucon and his experience living in Pasadena as an ice cream truck driver in the 1980’s. He was truly wonderful. We were lucky enough to buy him dinner before he headed on his way down the road.

Marco – Nuestros Chilean Salvavida! (Our Chilean Lifesaver!)

Moments after our arrival in Bariloche, the city came alive with soccer fans celebrating Racing’s championship win. We had no idea a game was even happening when, as we pushed our fully loaded cycles through the street, it started to fill up with exuberant soccer fans celebrating their win. We ducked into the nearest hostel to avoid being devoured by the crowd.

Bariloche ended up being filled with wonderful friends and fellow travelers. Devin met a few tourists in Monterey, California while working at his restaurant that happened to be from Bariloche. We had made plans to have dinner at their house and pedaled our way to their neighborhood. MaJo, Javi, Caro & Pali were the BEST hosts ever, fed us delicious food and ice cream and were beyond welcoming. We all shared lots of laughs, practiced our Spanish and a spent a beautiful day at the Lake with two of the brightest young people out there. It was time wonderfully spent before we headed to the hostel we would be working at for the next few weeks.

An awesome resource for vagabonds such as ourselves is WorkAway.Info. It lists different types of jobs travelers can do in exchange for a bed and sometimes food. We worked at Universal Travelers Lodge in Bariloche, a fun hostel where we had the opportunity to make a lot of new friends. We spent our Christmas Eve dinner at a table of seventeen other travelers from all parts of the world. Ruben, the hostel owner, pulled together a traditional (in the USA) dinner of turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans and all the good stuff we were missing from home. We also had the good fortune of passing New Year’s Eve at the hostel, dancing around in the livingroom-turned-dance floor while wearing sparkly masquerade masks. Working at a hostel gave us the opportunity to befriend people from Australia, Brazil, Argentina, Israel, Poland and even get to meet some rad travel-minded fellow Americans.

During our time in Bariloche we also attended La Montana Spanish School on Elflein Street. The few weeks we spent with practically private Spanish lessons boosted our confidence and ability to speak proper Spanish a great deal. I highly recommend spending the time and money taking a few weeks worth of Spanish courses while traveling if you’re serious about getting fluent.

Bariloche is known for outdoor activities. Rock climbing, rafting, kayaking, horseback rides and trekking are among the local favorites, although we were pretty busy between Spanish classes and working and didn’t have the chance to dabble in all of this fun stuff. If you are into outdoor activities, this city is perfect for you. Transportation is really easy with an efficient bus system.

Cerro Campanario – An absolutely stunning must-do hike in Bariloche.

Llao Llao

Had lunch on the lawn of beautiful Hotel Llao Llao with this lovely view.

Information for Travelers:
Taking the Bus: Taking the bus is the easiest way to get around in Bariloche. One must purchase a tarjeta (card) for the bus at a kiosko. You pre-load it with pesos and when you get on the bus you let the driver know where you are going and he will deduct the appropriate fare. Very easy.

EVO SPORTS Bicycle Shop – Best bike shop in town. Matias and Rebeca speak both Spanish and English so you can find help here if you are not bi-lingual. Matias special ordered a part for my bike, prices are fair and the store itself is very clean and well-organized. Specializing in Mountain Bikes but a good place for bike tourists, as well. Plus Matias and Rebeca are awesome people.

Universal Travelers Lodge: Good accomodation for a fair price $AR 180 for dorms. Reservations required (Hostelworld.com or Hostels.com). Breakfast included with access to backyard, BBQ and heated pool. Positions usually available for work exchange (4-5 hr shifts in exchange for a bed and breakfast) – see WorkAway.Info.

Backpackers Hostel Bariloche – Centrally located near the Centro Civico. Walking distance from literally everything you need, this music-themed hostel has a fun vibe, is clean and run by a multi-lingual owner, Hugo.

Manush Cerveceria – One of the most popular cervecerias in town with an excellent range of Craft Beer (we recommend the “Honey Beer,” or “IPA.” Happy hour from 6-8pm with a great half off deal on pints. Make sure to try the Papas Fritas Super Manush – DELICIOUS!!

Antares Cerveceria – Just down the street from Manush with equally good beer and a happy hour as well.

El Boliche Parrilla – You can best get the best steak or filet mignon here for a great price. Highly recommend stopping here if you want some excellent Argentine Parrilla.

La Montana Escuela de Espanol – Classes are offered on a weekly basis for about $180/week. We found this to be a competitive rate. The teachers are friendly and helpful and the group sizes are usually less than five people, which is perfect for practicing but also getting the tutoring you need.

Trapped in Paradise: An Eleven Day Border Crossing Into Chile

This entry from South America is the product of eleven days stranded on the shore of Lago O’Higgins, waiting and wishing for a boat to arrive from the mainland, comfortably sheltered by an abandoned one-room cabin with a little wood-burning stove and the companionship of an English cyclist.

The story of how we arrived here, rationing our ever-dwindling supplies and crossing our fingers for a boat to arrive at the dock outside of our doorstep, should probably begin with a roadside lunch break on the Ruta 40 about a week ago. As Devin and I were snacking on apples and peanuts (a Supertramp favorite whilst on the road), a fellow cycle tourist appeared out of thin air. Dan, an English bike tourist at the very beginning of a world-wide tour for charity (www.CycleEarth.co.uk), became our cycling companion for the stretch of tour into El Chalten. There we had planned on taking a day off and hiking around the famous Mount Fitz Roy and then continuing the journey together over the notoriously challenging mountain border crossing from Argentina to Chile.

El Chalten
The three of us camped en route to El Chalten along the roadside, amidst miles upon miles of desolate pampas bordered by steep, earth-colored plateaus that are reminiscent of the Grand Canyon’s gradually corroding walls. The terrain here constantly draws the mind to ponder geology and question how this magnificent place was formed by the sheer force of nature.

Lunch break with our new friend, Dan

We rode on and occasionally a startled herd of guanacos would with scramble away from us into the hills. The road to El Chalten is a smooth, rolling stretch of pavement that fringes one of the regions innumerable lakes, gives you a direct view of a mountainous glacier and then delivers you to the base one of the areas most photographed peaks, Mount Fitz Roy.

El Chalten, Argentina in the shadow of Mount Fitz Roy.

We rolled into the tiny town after a fairly easy day of riding. The Patagonian winds had miraculously subsided for the afternoon and we had a remarkable cloud-free view of Fitz Roy. We celebrated conquering another stretch of touring with a few liters of beer and then heard some unwelcome news…a storm was coming in Wednesday through Friday.

Let me preface this newfound problem with an insight to the boat/border crossing system here in Argentina….No concrete information is available via the internet, every person you talk to has a different notion of whether the trail is passable (let alone passable with a bicycle), how much the boats will cost and whether or not the boats are even running. When you inquire which day of the week the boat will arrive, we have literally heard almost every day of the week named as an option. It’s quite laughable to try to extract an updated version for planning purposes! Based on our vague knowledge of the boat schedule, we deduced the more important of the two boats (the one crossing to Villa O’Higgins) arrived either Friday or Saturday. In order to dodge the storm, and arrive in time to catch the boat we would need to leave the very next day. An unexpected change that we happily took in stride… We stocked up our supplies at the local supermercado and took an extra few days worth of food in case there was a delay with the boat – a decision we would be endlessly grateful for in a few days time.

In order to cross into Chile from El Chalten one must ride 37km to the shore of Lago Del Desierto, an absolutely stunning lake that lies in the shadow of Fitz Roy and is surrounded with densely forested, steep and beautiful mountains.

We left in the afternoon and within an hour had ran smack into the fiercest yet of the Patagonian winds. At some point in an especially wild gust, I had my head tucked under my arm to shield my face, my body braced stiffly against my bike and I recall coming out of the moment remarking I had got sand blasted into my teeth. More laughable cycle touring moments!

Lago del Desierto
From the edge of Lago Del Desierto you have two options: do the insane, barely passable 4-6 hour vertical trek around the lake or pay to be shuttled to the other shore. Due to the bikes and gear, we opted for the easier of the two. However, as of November 2014, the trail around Lago del Desierto has been cleared by the Lodge that maintains it. If you dare and are up for the incredible challenge it is supposedly possible to remove your panniers, taxi them up a remarkably vertical stretch, return for your bike, push that beast up the same stretch of hillside and repeat this until you have succeeded in exiting Argentina. We were told by Martin, the bombero caminata we met earlier and who had walked to Chile from Mexico, that the hike around the lake “would be a great bonding experience.” Perhaps that may have proven to be true, but so is being trapped in a one room cabin for eleven days… (I’m literally giggling from our makeshift sleeping-pad “couch” in the cabin as I type out this entry).

At the edge of Lago del Desierto.

In the end, the boat cost us $400AR, but might be more affordable when more people are trying to make the crossing instead of just three cyclists. To our understanding the boat runs every day after November 1st to support the peak season of tourists but the times vary. Please send us pictures if you end up venturing around the lake with a bike! We would love to see them and genuinely commend your effort! I have to shout out Matt Smith, a fellow velotramp heading up the continent, for not only conquering the nearly impossible feat of trekking around Lago del Desierto, but also doing it in the rain…solo. I’m glad he survived to tell the tale!

The Mountainous Trek into Chile
After getting our passports stamped, we made camp on the shore of the lake at the Border Control. Devin finally got to utilize the fishing pole has has been dutifully carrying on his bike and was the hero of the day when he hooked his first rainbow trout in South America! We shared some delicious pan-fried fish with our new British friend, watched the sun set from our camp and fell asleep with the rain falling gently on our tents.

Camping on Lago del Desierto.

What followed was by far the most difficult, hilarious, challenging and rewarding trek yet to occur in our existence as cyclists. The trail over the mountains into Chile was absolutely meant as a hiking trail and at points it is marginally wide enough to push the bike with panniers. Combine this with a steep grade, roots, rocks, you-name-it blocking your path, sixty pounds of gear and the slippery surface of freshly dampened dirt and you have yourself an epic day of hiking! I can’t say cycling, as my butt was in the saddle for a one-sixteenth of the day.

Dan making the push over the mountain pass.

Super stable foot bridge…

Fellow travelers, be not deterred! The forest is the most lush green, dense and being under it’s beautiful canopies is not something I will soon forget. From the top of the first hill out of Argentina, you can see Fitz Roy directly across the crystal blue of Lago del Desierto and all in all, this was one of the most wild, free and untouched areas I have encountered in my life. A truly stunning terrain. The trail crosses six rivers or streams in total, a hilarious/sketchy enterprise that will leave you laughing and most likely with wet shoes. We crossed some of these on make-shift bridges of fallen tree branches strewn across the water (yes, they are as stable as they sound). If you do indeed somehow survive without drenching your feet for the first half of the hike, this will all be for naught when you cross an impossibly swampy stretch (at which point I bailed on my shoes altogether and laughed hysterically as I sank ankle-deep into mud that sucked at your feet as you trudged along). Together, the three of us pushed, dragged, carried, grunted, groveled and struggled our way to the edge of Chile (a welcome sight) where an unmaintained dirt road began. I have never been so grateful to be on crappy ripio! Ripio is a road made of dirt, gravel, rocks and other non-sense that is challenging but mostly rideable and at the end of that strenuous trail it was quite an upgrade.

The drizzle we had easily endured turned into cold raindrops as we crossed the unmanned border and the wind picked up as we started down the road. The dirt road descended through the forest, past a smaller lake and eventually delivered us to the edge of Lago O’Higgins, the bluest of all of the incredible lakes we have had the privilege of visiting. We had been told there was a tiny cabin by the dock that could house 3-4 people and contained a small wood stove at the edge of the lake. Might not sound like much, but after a grueling, wet day the sight of our free little cabin resulted in a happy dance and high-fives all around! It came complete with a stack of dry firewood, a completely dysfunctional restroom (including a small deceased bird) and several bottles of mystery fluids on the cupboard shelves. But the stove was warm and the rain was falling outside of our four little walls, so Dan, Devin and I made ourselves at home. Little did we know it would be our shelter for almost two weeks!

Home sweet home.

Our saving grace, the wood burning stove.

We learned quickly that due to the endless rainfall and gale force winds the boat was not expected to arrive for another week. Passing back into Argentina in the rain sounded like an endlessly difficult mission, so we decided to wait out the boat from our small shelter. In the beginning of being “stranded” we stretched five days worth of food to last over a week (which means smaller meals – a harsh reality for hungry cyclists) and bought eggs and bread from the only small farm up the road. I laughably considered it the “Villa O’Higgins Diet.” Tip for people planning this crossing: buy the extra bag of pasta! Haha! The carabineros, or guards, that run the border patrol were beyond generous and helpful by giving us bread, stew, letting us charge our variety of electronics and even allowing us send emails to our families to let them know we are just fine (albeit stuck here). We are again grateful for Chilean hospitality and kindness. In our experience so far, whether you find yourself cycling in the snow or hungry at a border crossing, the Chileans will happily come to your aide with a warm smile on their face.

Trapped in paradise.

Waiting and Wishing for a Boat
In our time stuck waiting for the boat we: gathered wood, read books, filtered water, played cards, gathered more wood, cooked pasta, slept as much as possible and waited for the rain to stop (repeat daily). The boys also decided, for bathing purposes, to jump off the dock into the freezing water. I had resigned myself to being stinky until we hit a hostel (there were literally chunks of glacier floating in the lake – no, thanks!) but with some luck and more kindness the Chilean carabineros offered to let us shower and we washed our clothes in their building. Perhaps after dealing with our stink on our daily trips to their office to inquire about the boat, they decided it would be in everyone’s best interest to let us clean up!

Waiting for a boat to arrive while feeling stranded (the trek back was difficult enough to make it feel like we were on an island) and running terribly low on food was an incredible learning experience. Every day we would hear a different possible day for the boat to arrive – making it hard to even know how long we would need to string out our rations – and triggering an emotional rollercoaster of relief and dismay. Luckily we had the comic relief of Dan and Devin’s “Survivorman” personality to keep us afloat. Devin even supplemented our waning food supply with several fresh fish caught in the lake. In the end we all left Candelario Mancillo with a much greater appreciation for just about everything – a reminder to be diligently thankful for the ease with which we live.

Mountain man Devin supplementing our diet with fresh trout.

And finally, the boat arrives…

Devin and I seriously debated turning around and going back over the mountain pass on a number of occasions. The combination of boredom, hunger and confinement to the cabin (it rained A LOT) even had me convinced we should just suck it up and turn around. Luckily I was able to catch a glimpse of an email from my Dad (who is basically always right) saying “The ferry would come eventually. Just stay put.” So we took his advice and settled in for the long haul. The boat arrived the very day after we had planned to depart. Thanks, Dad 🙂

Freedom, Sweet Freedom
By this point in time the number of trapped travelers awaiting an “imaginary” boat was at a total of nine people. When the tiny, overhauled fishing boat finally pulled into our dock we were overjoyed to say the least. We jumped up and down, took some victory photos and said good riddance to our little cabin. We watched as the crew precariously strapped our eight bicycles together as if we were down battening down the hatches for a storm, and all stood out on the deck to catch some fresh air as we embarked across Lago O’Higgins with big, naive grins across our faces. In the three hours that followed, the dingy of a boat lurched across ocean-like waves that sprayed ice-cold water up and over the top of the boat. More than once we exchanged glances and mumbled a variety of expletives as the boat soared up and down with turbulence. Within the hour everyone was huddled inside the small cabin hiding from the consistent spray of water. Everyone but me and Rene, that is. The captain of this boat was incessantly smoking cigarettes, filling the cabin with a combination of smoke and the fake floral-chemical scent of over-used restroom air freshener. This combined with the frying of little greasy sausages was more than our stomachs could handle (I tend to get seasick regardless). So I simultaneously celebrated our freedom (on the inside – on the outside I’m quite certain I had a greenish tint) and kept my lunch from re-emerging onto the deck of the boat for the better part of the trip. By the end Rene and I were soaked, shivering and seasick. But, WE MADE IT TO VILLA O’HIGGINS!

That is one happy face.

Twas a damp boat ride…

 

We pretty much went wild in the first grocery store we stumbled in to, piling the counter with cookies, candy, beer and wine – I mean what else do you need when you come out of survival mode, right?!

Together we celebrated over cervezas, a multi-lingual game of “King’s Cup,” and endless rounds of cookies. We rented a small cabin (with a functional restroom, no dead animals and a HOT SHOWER!) and spent the evening drinking and laughing surrounded by fellow cycle tourists – Rene & Christoph (two Germans), Matt (a fellow American), Miguel (a hitch-hiking Peruvian) and our roommate for eleven days, Dan. It was the perfect ending to a challenging week and the perfect beginning to the next chapter of our crazy adventure…conquering the Carretara Austral!

Be Grateful
My lesson from the road for the day – If tonight you go out to dinner, take a shower, sit in a jacuzzi, have a beer, laugh with your friends, drive a car, hug your dog, sleep in clean clothes or eat until you’re full…don’t forget to take a moment to feel appreciative of what you have. Embrace your fortune with gratefulness. This experience has not been truly challenging; in truth it has been more funny than anything else and a good exercise in what it feels like to ration food. However, it opens a window to the reality of hardship that some people in the world face in regards to hunger or lacking resources and has served as a beautiful reminder to feel gratitude for every last little thing we have – particularly as Americans where everything we need to survive comes so, so easily. Don’t take anything in life for granted, don’t convince yourself that your life is difficult when it really isn’t…choose to be happy, fulfilled and to give thanks for whatcha got every single day amigos.

Cheers and love from the Supertramps in Chile!

Information for travelers:
El Chalten
-Has one ATM that sometimes runs out of money from over-use. Located in Bus Station.
-Camping at Hostal Lago del Desierto is inexpensive and the staff is incredibly friendly. Hot showers, full use of kitchen and wifi included with camping $50AR/person/night.

El Chalten to Lago Del Desierto: 37km
-Campground on the way for $60AR/person/night, also possible to wild camp.

Lago Del Desierto to AR Border Control
-Boat daily in peak season, AR$400 but it seems like they pick a price on the spot.
-Option to do crazy trail around the lake (4-6 hrs) for free – recently cleared but still very challenging!
-Possible to camp at border control for the night if you ask – one of the most beautiful campsites with no dent in the budget – we love it!

Trail to Chile
-Strenuous and absolutely beautiful
-4-6 water crossings (wear shoes you can get wet/muddy) and don’t forget to bring your sense of humor

Boat to Villa O’Higgins
-Does not run in poor weather and the boats frequently have mechanical problems – plan on waiting extra days or weeks!
-Cost is CH$40,000
-Family sells eggs, bread, pasta but not for cheap!
-Possible to pay to camp or stay with Ricardo and Justa – CH$3000/tent/night.
-Small one room cabin (out of use by the carabineros) with a wood stove that is possible to stay in. Very basic but it seems other cyclists and travelers often use it for shelter.
-Bring Chilean pesos! No ATM at Villa O’Higgins but possible to pay for boat by credit card.
-One mercado at Villa O’Higgins accepts credit cards.

The San Francisco Giants win the World Series! – El Calafate & Perito Moreno Glacier

El Calafate was home for us for almost a full week as we anxiously watched our Giants in the MLB World Series. Standing in line at the busy grocery store one afternoon, I turned around to realize someone with a SF Giants Post Season 2014 hat was standing directly behind me, so of course I instantly introduced myself. Thousands of miles from home, we had found another Giants fan! We decided to watch the remaining games with our new amigo, Kyle, who was from Sacramento, CA.

The first game we watch together, huddled together around pints of beer at Pietross Cafe, was a miserable 10-0 loss. We left nervous for the final game but excited for the opportunity to watch the Giants go all the way.

With the beer flowing, we watched the final game. By the final pitch, with Mad-Bum back in for the final innings of the World Series, we were out of our chairs screaming and cheering in the closed restaurant. As the servers swept the floors, we cheered, danced around and exuberantly high-fived one another in disbelief that after such a rough season, we had done it. GO GIANTS!!!

As for our travels we also visited the magnificent Perito Moreno Glacier while in El Calafate. On a perfect day we took the bus out to the glacier’s edge and walked its miles of boardwalks, watching huge chunks of it break off with a thunderous CRACK! and tumble off into Lago Argentino.

Supposedly if somewhere were to attempt to walk from the front edge to the end of the glacier, it would take over two months because of all the crevasses and wide splits in the ice. It is also one of the region’s only glaciers to not have been impacted by global warming – the rest are disintegrating yearly and some are sadly anticipated to disappear altogether.

 

We left town once the Giants had claimed their World Series title. The road out of El Calafate had only mild rolling hills and we easily covered enough ground to get us some miles down the famous Ruta 40. With snow-capped mountains as it’s backdrop, El Calafate shrank out of view and we headed into a beautiful desert terrain, scattered with boulders and high-rising plateaus carved out of the earth by cobalt blue rivers that rushed rapidly at their feet.

The Ruta 40 will be our road companion for a great deal of this South American adventure, as it’s pavement covers the vast majority of the vertical mileage of the continent. It is also known as the Pan-American Highway. But first we must conquer the Carretara Austral, a particularly wild, isolated and beautiful stretch that begins, for us, in El Chalten.

Information for fellow travelers:
El Calafate:
-Numerous affordable options for camping and hostels. We stayed at Camping El Ovejero – centrally located, mostly hot showers, basins to hand wash laundry/dishes, book exchange, on a creek – AR$60/person/night.
Perito Moreno Glacier
-A few options to visit the glacier: book a bus trip, get there before 8am (hitch hiking or otherwise) and it’s free or ride in by bicycle. We chose to take the bus (more expensive option but more convenient for the sake of time), if you cycle in there is no wild camping allowed in the park (they are adamant) but a friend has also told us that they go home in the evening so there’s no one there to check. Your call.
-Panaderia Don Luis has the best, cheap empanadas around from our experience. AR$10/empanada – make sure to try the choclo y huevo (corn and egg)!
-Pietross Cafe has great pizza, great service and reliable wifi. Also wonderful if your favorite sports team is playing the most important games of the year and you must absolutely watch them…highly accommodating folks 🙂

Video Update: Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales

Video update of our trip from Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales!

Video Update: Bike touring Torres Del Paine & Perito Moreno Glacier

Another quick video update of our adventures in Torres Del Paine National Park & our exploration of the Perito Moreno Glacier outside of El Calafate, Argentina.

Ushuaia to Rio Grande – Guanacos, estancias y mucho viento!

Our first week in Argentina has flown by; I suppose this is indicative of the pace of all good adventures and days spent on the road. We pedaled into the frosty mountains that surround El Fin Del Mundo last Monday to the rising sun and the excitement of finally being on the bikes. The road was paved and the drivers quite friendly, with the vast majority of the passing truck drivers pausing to honk, wave hello or throw up a friendly peace sign. This was a most welcomed surprise, as we had no idea what to expect from the drivers in Argentina and from other accounts, went into this journey uncertain if they would try to run us off the road. Quite on the contrary, they were warm and respectful – equal to, if not more so, than drivers in America.

Falling in love with the scenery of Tierra Del Fuego’s mountains was undeniably easy. Their towering snow capped peaks, endless rivers and earth colored meadows made for some of the most beautiful scenery I have laid eyes upon. Combined with the unique wildlife and frequent condor sightings, it was easy to be smitten with the territory. When we finally conquered our 1000 ft climb and came to the lookout of Giribaldi Pass, we were elated and simultaneously greeted by a bus load of tourists that has stopped for the panoramic view of Lago Fagnano. A few older couples approached us with curiosity and giggled about the “loco” Californians on their way to Peru by bicycle. Before we parted ways, however, one of the gentleman came to me and said “No, no loco. Es por la sensacion de vida!” as he patted his heart and waved toward the view of the Lake and off into the distance. He nailed it. It’s all about the sensation of life. Of living. Of using the good air in your lungs, and the strength you’ve been blessed with to live out your own adventure. To make sure you go big while you still can.

On that note, we glided into an ecstatic descent down the mountains to Lago Escondido, which would be our home for the evening. Just a few turns up dirt roads and we found an abandoned wooden shelter that had probably not seen an occupant in several summers. It was tucked away in the forest that bordered the lake – the density of the forests on this part of the planet is no joke. In some places you can peer into the immense jungle of forest and certainly not see more than 50 feet from where you stand. We set up our little tent within its four “walls,” bundled up and made some high quality camp cuisine.

Our beautiful, wild campsite at Lago Escondido.

I know to some camping in such a scenario sounds bizarre, maybe even scary. But I can truly say as I snuggled into my sleeping bag, pitter patter of rain drops on our tent, I was perfectly cozy. Perfectly safe, tucked into our tiny nook of the world, albeit in a three-person tent. It was wonderful.

In the days that followed, we pedaled 60 miles – a portion of the length of Lago Fagnano. With such immense snow pack and consistent precipitation the lakes and rivers of this country are innumerable and some are incredibly large (especially by our drought-ridden Californian standard). We camped at Camping de Hain, and visually interesting campground maintained by a professional artist and recycler. We also stopped at the famous bakery – La Union Panaderia – to gorge on empanadas and pastries. If you find yourself in Tolhuin, this is a lovely place to stop. Cycling for a full day takes a tremendous amount of calories and is a perfect excuse to “carb load!,” as we say.

One of the many homemade wooden campsites at Camping Hain.

The shores of Lago Fagnano and the backyard to our campground.

At that point in the journey we had not yet been fully greeted by the infamous Patagonian winds. We had stayed at Estancia Viamonte, welcomed by a lovely el jefe who offered to let us stay in the old sheep shearer’s quarters. I will preface the description of this building by saying it was perfectly safe and we were endlessly grateful for their hospitality and to be out of the cold…it was essentially an abandoned building that probably dated creepily back to 1910, rendering all of its windows and doors perfectly effective at howling and slapping their old, bleached shutters in the wind. We (finally) got some sleep and later awoke to share some serious laughter about the fact that we had survived the night without being involved in the plot of a scary movie. We pedaled away in laughter, thinking we had an “easy” 25 mile day ahead of us.

Thirteen miles in THREE AND A HALF HOURS. We expected the wind. Discussion of the utterly gnarly wind in Tierra Del Fuego was a consistent thread among all of the bike touring blogs we had encountered. We thought we were ready. But as luck would have it, we landed ourselves in a bit of a windstorm! No photo could do justice to the speed and strength of the wind a few hours into the ride after we left Estancia Viamonte. Riding became impossible and pushing out gear-laden steeds became our only option. As I pushed along Ruta 3, I tried to thing of the number of ways I would explain to you all what the wind was like… Something along the lines of being caught in a storm on Mars, or on the beach as Hurricane rolled in. I’m exaggerating but it was certainly overpowering! But it also gave me a sense of really being present in the vast expanse of Patagonia. We were no longer reading about this journey from the screens of our laptop while coddling cups of coffee, plotting and planning. We had arrived, in every sense of the word. And that feeling of accomplishment has managed to overcome the change of plans that has ensued as we have learned to deal with our new companion, the gales of Patagonia.

After a few lazy days holed up in a hostel in Rio Grande, drinking Argentine wine and scheming our next move, we are now northbound by bus to Punta Arenas where the wind should be bearable and we will be glad to be able to get back to cycling.

Although some might say that the terrain through this part of Chile and Argentina all “looks the same,” having ridden a portion of it (where you get a much better sense of the land) I have found that there are subtle differences across the territory. The presence of the native Guanaco, basically a wild llama, in small herds made the ride much more interesting. We could hear the sound of their calls to one another; a unique squawk-bark-whinny that I will not be able to replicate (I admit I tried). There are small grey, speckled geese and their brown mates, hunkered down by patches of wind-blown water. The cows and guanacos alike are ironically terrified of the bicycles yet have no fear of cars. We pass Estancias that have no doubt been there for a great many decades, herds upon herds of newly sheared sheep and hear the awkward caws of the Southern seagulls. They sound quite different from ours in the north; we pondered that they are just speaking a different dialect of gull!

Guanaco on the run from the scary cyclists!

The lesson of this past few days has been in rolling with the punches and trying to stay present in the experience while planning adequately enough to create a framework for a successful trip. To give up on planning every last minute of the trip and accept that changes (especially due to weather) will be made. We have many miles of cycling the open South American roads ahead of us. Life is good. So, so good.

From Ushuaia to Tolhuin: A Bike Touring Video

Since landing in Ushuaia just over a week ago, we have officially begun the business of pedaling through this beautiful continent! Check out this quick video – courtesy of my talented other half, Devin – to see what the first few days of camping, cycling and scenery had in store for us. We are loving Argentina! Chau!

En El Fin Del Mundo – Ushuaia and the Beginning of our Journey

“You’re going to need a Visa and it’s going to take ten days.” Our hearts sank and I probably had a blank, slack-jawed look of confusion on my face. All I could get out of my mouth was “I don’t understand.” We have researched and read every last piece of information about Argentina for the last two years and this was the very first time I had heard that we would need a “Visa” to enter the country. The woman at the Delta counter was useless and told us to call the consulate and see if they could rush us a Visa that could be printed online. We tried to stay calm. Quite fortunately, my parents were there to babysit our heap of luggage as we sprinted back and forth across San Francisco International Airport trying to sort out our newfound problem. Our flight was in four hours (luckily we had arrived quite early!).

In our hurried research on our phones, we found websites talking about a “Reciprocity Fee” to be paid by U.S. residents wanting to travel to Argentina. The tax was less than a year old which explains why we had not encountered other travelers who had to pay it. We rushed over to the Travel Agency at the airport, where the guy behind the desks calmly told us they routinely printed receipts for the fee and even helped us register with the Argentina consulate. $160 later and two receipts in hand, and the whole crisis had been averted. The woman at the Delta desk apparently had a misinformed notion of the “Visa” – its really not a Visa at all – and had caused quite a flurry of stress for the first hour of this journey. This is definitely one way to be SUPER grateful that you made it onto your fight out of the country!

With huge smiles of relief and beers in hand, we made it to our gate with enough time to watch the Giants clutch a spot on the Post Season after defeating the Pirates in the Wild Card slot. What a great send off from San Francisco! GO GIANTS!

Two overnight flights and three consecutive days of travel later, we arrived in our magical destination of Ushuaia, Argentina. Ushuaia is a small touristy city, nestled up against towering, snow covered peaks and lined by the frigid Beagle Channel. It is truly a beautiful little mountain town.

Bienvenidos a el fin del mundo!

We spent our first night in Ushuaia at Antartica Hostel. Although it seems to be the norm, the welcoming staff and cozy interior of the hostel was a perfect place to call home our first night out of the country.

After dropping off our things, we were eager to go check out the city and get some real food in us. This is when we made our first mistake in Ushuaia – we stopped to pet an adorable stray dog! We had no idea that this harmless act would result in the stray canine following us around the city – relentlessly and despite our protests! At one juncture he even stopped to sniff and piddle on something and we thought we could run away from our unwanted companion. Wrong. He playfully chased us down, wagging his tail and proceeded to trot at our sides. Eventually we popped into a restaurant for some food and thankfully he wasn’t interested in waiting around for us. So that’s the last time we do that! Despite how adorable (and shockingly well-mannered) they are, we are avoiding the strays. I even made EYE CONTACT with a different dog today and he walked us back to our hostel! It’s quite comical how easy it is to acquire a new buddy in Ushuaia.

Don’t pet the dogs in Ushuaia unless you’re looking to adopt…

Street Art on San Martin.

We were in dire need of some sleep due to our three days in transit mode and easily passed out for a hearty night’s sleep. Our second day revolved around the retrival of our beloved bicycles from the airport – they had not arrived on our flight with us due to some inspection complications in Buenos Aires. We were endlessly grateful to see an airport employee pushing our two boxes through the airport to us. Devin even gave the gent an excited high-five (which he reciprocated but seemed underwhelmed by our enthusiasm).

Our beloved cycles have arrived.

We unpacked our bike boxes in the brisk air outside of the airport. It was almost comforting to see so many pieces of home arrive in Ushuaia. Our bikes survived the trip in excellent condition with literally no damage! We are also super grateful for this after reading a few horror stores of dismantled, wet bike boxes coming through the baggage claim!

Project Bike Reconstruction! Quite a view from outside the airport.

Riding away from Ushuaia International Airport and back into town was a surreal moment. The moment when all of your planning, plotting, scheming, training and purchases all come to fruition and you realize you have arrived. The beginning of the beginning. We have seen so many pictures of Ushuaia and tried to visualize ourselves here at the start of our epic adventure so many times – but you can never truly pinpoint how that moment will feel until you are here. It was envigorating and exciting and surreal all at once. The snow-capped mountains in the distance were formidable, looming figures (to say the least) and I have yet to really wrap my brain around the fact that starting tomorrow, we intend to cycle over them. A physical challenge larger than any other I have faced that I anticipate to be equally as rewarding as difficult.

Riding away from the Ushuaia International Airport.

Last night we had the opportunity to go out for a beer at Dublin with a few hostel-mates. We ended up conversing with quite a few Argentinians, who thus far have proven to be the most welcoming, friendly people I have encountered in my travels. They were patient with our Spanish and interested in our adventure across their country, even connecting us with some of their relatives in the north for potential places to stay along the way.

Despite the language barrier, I had a conversation with a girl named Tamara who I learned is a Special Education teacher here in Ushuaia. This is so near and dear to my heart after working for Hope, Horses & Kids this summer and we really connected over our love for working with Special Needs children. She showed me pictures of her students and we talked about how positive the relationship between horses and special education students can be. Devin really said it best in describing our interactions with the Argentinians as truly “organic.”

Hanging in the hostel, Cruz del Sur.

We have spent today, our last day in Ushuaia, taking care of the final preparations before our early departure tomorrow. We bought groceries at the mercado and have been reorganizing our belongings. Tomorrow we plan to bike approximately thirty miles (a short day in the event we encounter wind or rain) to camp at the shores of Lago Escondido in the mountains of Tierra Del Fuego. From there we got to Tolhuin, Lago Fagnano and Rio Grande. We are hoping the mountains will allow us to pass with as little rain and wind as possible, but we are prepared for gnarly conditions just in case!

Full of excitement, we begin our adventure. I could not possibly imagine myself undertaking a feat like this without such an amazing travel companion.

 

Newest News for the Californian Supertramps

“Nobody can discover the world for somebody else. Only when we discover it for ourselves does it become common ground and a common bond and we cease to be alone.” -Wendell Berry, A Place On Earth

A celebratory glass of vino!

A new chapter of our journey has unfolded: Our flights to Ushuaia, Argentina have been purchased.

A few years ago this idea sparked within Devin that he wanted to bike the South American continent. I will let him share with you the catalysts for this event, but what I can tell you from my perspective was that I had never once heard of “bike touring” and I thought the idea was crazy. Even though I have done my fair share of traveling, the thought of him taking a solo mission up the South American continent for some unknown period of time sounded…like a wild trip into the unknown. And the unknown can be real, real scary. But I could also see that this was something he was passionate about. He wanted this, badly. He wanted to be free at any and all costs, and that is an admirable trait.

Fast forward through some turbulence in our relationship as we attempted to figure out how we could keep our awesome relationship (Devin really is the best, most fun, adventurous and kind-hearted gent a girl could ask for) AND let Devin travel to his heart’s content. And next thing you know….I’m on board for a trans-continental cycling adventure!

Let me be very clear, my intention was to travel my ass off while Devin was in South America. Either way, I was out of here. I visualized myself working with Elephants in Thailand or at an orphanage in Ghana. I wanted more than anything to simplify my life, quit working for “the man” (he can be a real soul-sucking bastard at times!), and reconnect with my passion for cultural immersion. I was so ready to reconnect with that vast, rich, sometimes trying and ultimately rewarding cultural experience that is out there waiting for ALL OF US to jump in head first. I’ve done it before. I was 19 years old, a little lost (who is really supposed to have it all figured out at 19?!) and itching for a challenge. So I moved to a little island in the Mediterranean called Cyprus.

In truth, I was so ready to fly the coop that I clicked on the first Study Abroad program that Google conjured up, applied and off I went! Best decision of my life. Although that is a whole other story, I can summarize to say I met the most beautiful, adventurous kindred-souls on that trip and got to see that American culture is not the only way of living. That there is a such a vibrant world out there, with so many different types of people, different interpretations of God and different explanations for the human existence. It was eye-opening to say the least.

Point being, my philosophy and love of travel never changed. Finishing school and working for a living has managed to put the brakes on my natural inclination to travel for years, far longer than I ever anticipated staying in the country. It’s just mind-blowing how quickly life will pass you by if you let it! So I decided to take the plunge and agree to this trip….

And then the (best) craziest thing happened. I fell in love with being on my bike, with being on the road. I bought a bike that I love and fell in love with the concept of using my own pedal power to explore the world. What a perfect way to travel! I thought I had experienced immersion before this, but I hadn’t truly. Bike touring let’s you feel the weather, it let’s you take in the smell of the local agriculture or the taste the salt in the air. It allows you to hear the bark of the seals on the beach and the whirr of the passing cars. I can’t help but think that the passengers in those vehicles are missing out on so much of the land and the creatures and the people as they fly by. Windows rolled up. Air conditioning blasting. If there are five senses, why only use ONE to travel, right?!

The adventure begins October 1st, 2014. I always say “You don’t know what you don’t know” and this trip will certainly be no exception. I can’t even begin to tell you how far we will push our physical threshold, how many incredible souls we will meet, how much solitude we will experience, how we will redefine our concept of nature, how difficult the miles will be at times and how rewarding it will be to crash in our tent at the end of a long day.  I don’t even know yet. We only  have our presumptions and expectations, which will certainly be blown out of the water.

Our hope is that everyone at home will be able to follow us on our expedition into the unknown and see that achieving something that sounds “crazy” is actually SO possible and ultimately so rewarding. That conquering fear reinforces belief in one’s true self. Our hope is that when you have that moment when the idea comes to you – whatever it may be – the idea everyone else will write off as “dangerous” or “crazy” or “dumb” you think of US, joyously riding through Patagonia, giggling in the face of the unknown and drinking Argentinian wine. CARPE DIEM!