a journey by bike: March 2007

Saturday, March 31, 2007

The end of the world. Ushuaia.

Ushuaia, the end of the world, the end of the road and the end of our journey by bike.

An old tug slowly rotting into the Beagle Channel.

Ushuaia town and the Martial Glacier.

Ushuaia harbour. Today the departure point for cruises to Antartica but once the arrival point for prisoners to the feared penal colony of Ushuaia.

The prison in Ushuaia housed many of the worst criminals from across Argentina. It's location meant they didn't need to fence them in, afterall, where would they go?

The writing's on the wall.

'Ushuaia end of the world, beginning of everything'

We hope so.

Saturday, March 31, 2007 | Permalink

The final push, one last pass into Ushuaia.

Our last morning. Mixed emotions whilst packing up the tent for one last time.

Paso Garibaldi. We'd been warned about this pass by other cyclists heading north.

Standing at 430m we didn't have the heart to tell them about the passes at ten times this size that they would encounter 6000km to the north.

The first cars only crossed here in 1953, until that point Ushuaia was only accessible by sea.

Cordillera Darwin to the NE of Ushuaia.

Ushuaia at last.

We reached the southernmost city in the world after 9 months, 1 day and 8431km.

Saturday, March 31, 2007 | Permalink

A wet day but a warm welcome at Estancia Rubi.

Keeping dry at lunchtime.

We were invited to stay at Estancia Rubi by Julio, Grisela & thier 3 daughters Aira, Mia & Juli.

20 years ago Julio cycled a similar route to the one we had taken through central Chile above the Careterra Austral so sympathised with our cause.

They were all incredibly generous, we had a great time eating meats cured (just salt) by Julios brother, eating pizza and drinking wine.

On Sunday morning we had a tour of Estancia Rubi.

Ea. Rubi had employed upto 200 people in the past on it's 30,000 hcts with 10,000 sheep.

Rubi had it's own carpenter, bakery and a purpose built reservoir for drinking water, from where this photo was taken.

Pan de Indians. Indian bread, used as a dietry supplement (fibre) by local indians who ate almost exclusively meat.

Similar to our diet of meat while in Argentina, except we supplimented steaks with chocolate and wine.

Cordero on the parilla. Sunday lunch of roast lamb Argentine style.

We eventually set off for our days cycling at 5pm, just enough time for 20km before nightfall.

Julio, Grisela, Aira, Mia & Juli.
Thank you for everything.

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Arriving on the East Coast.

Our first sighting of the Atlantic Ocean and another clear windless Patagonian day.

Richard with a bad neck, taking a few moments and waiting for the drugs to work.

He also secretly hoped the drugs might stop his legs aching!

Guachito Gil again...

...our opportunity to leave a small gift and wish for our future prosperity.

Rio Grande. Home to the best fishing and largest trout in the world. (not this particular one, it's just a model).

Saturday, March 31, 2007 | Permalink

Indian Territory.

8000km.

Estancia Caleta Josefina, the first estancia established on Tierra del Fuego and our kind hosts for the night.

The huge 'galpon', shearing shed at Ea. Josefina.

Some of the early English settlers met with unfortunate endings.

Drowned in 'Useless Bay'.

Saturday, March 31, 2007 | Permalink

Porvenir & Tierra del Fuego

Another warning about the sun's dangerous radiation here in the south.

The wind offering a helping hand.

Two ferocious dogs attacking Sarah.

Riding along The Straits of Magellan.

90km East of Porvenir.

Saturday, March 31, 2007 | Permalink

Punta Arenas & accross The Magellan Straits.

A memorial to the 'disappeared' of Punta Arenas.

During the military dictatorship of Pinochet many political activists, potential adversary's and intellectuals vanished following the coup in 1973.

Pinochet was eventually arrested in London in 1998 for his role in the 'caravan of 'death' and died on Dec 10th 2006.

Boarding the ferry to cross the Magellan straights on a beautiful still morning.

Punta Arenas is famed for it's wind and has ropes in the streets for the old and light to hang onto!

The previous two days the wind was at a steady 100km p/h.

Black skies over Tierra del Fuego.

A splash of colour at Porvenir's harbour.

South End Cafe, but no egg and chips.

Saturday, March 31, 2007 | Permalink

Puerto Natales to Punta Arenas

Early morning sunshine.

An old truck at Morro Chico.

As we get further south the shadows grow longer and the days shorter.

Saturday, March 31, 2007 | Permalink

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Past the cave of the giant sloth into Puerto Natales

A quite Saturday night in.

Our tent..... All the zips have broken so we've had to sew ourselves in and the weather out.

Sarah with a Selk'nam Indian. A tribe indigenous to Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego. Despite the chilly climate they liked to dress in very little clothes (a bit like Geordie lasses), and paint themselves in striking designs .

They were all massacred to make way for the European immigrants and their huge sheep estancias.

Basil Brush is still a huge star in Chile.

Peurto Natales.

Wet and miserable as winter arrives. It only seems like five minutes ago when we were following the spring down from the north and feeling for everone at home as winter took hold.

Tuesday, March 13, 2007 | Permalink