Cerro Castillo: Puerto Ibanez, halfway to Coyhaique.

February 21, 2016

Even though I thought I'd be well sheltered up below the rocks of the hill behind Puerto Ibanez, the wind always seems to find a way in and I spend another night with the tent flapping and rocking violently. I awake at the now usual body clock time of 06.45. The morning calm. The sky broken rain cloud. The sun still behind the hill. I've only got to hope for it to remain calm, a day's break from the wind; otherwise, I won't make it the 112km to Coyhaique. 112km is usually a fairly easy day's ride anywhere else, but headwind can make 60km a tough tiring day.

It is good to have milk for my porridge and tea. This should fortify me for the day. And cheese and fresh bread to look forward to for lunch. And last night scrambled eggs, so I can consider myself well nourished.

The climb away from Puerto Ibanez, and, Lago Carrera/Lago Buenos Aires.

I have set off at twenty-five past eight, up five kilometres of constant steep climbing flanked with pine trees and luxuriant greenery and grey rock. Hard to believe a week ago I was on route 3's constant brown and often monotomous landscape. How different it is. And the weather is warmer as the sun is now well up above the hills in clear blue sky. The road numbered Y65 levels out into a rugged rocky valley, but soon continues climbing.

My bike is going to need the wheel hubs taken apart and serviced when I get to Coyhaique; both front and rear wheels have lateral play. And presently I hear a tick tick sound. I don't know where it's coming from. Then locate it to the front wheel, which would suggest I've a split rim due to braking surface wear. The rim worn through and ticking caused by the rim bulging out at the split and catching the brake-pad each revolution of the wheel. I stop and look and indeed that is what has happened. There's a straight crack line about seven centimetres long in the concaved hollow that the brake-pads have worn into the rim, and the outer part, next the tyre is bulged out as a result. I suppose now I won't be making it to Coyhaique today. I will have to take it easy, limp as they say when something major breaks, or the bike gets damaged and the rider rides slow to get home. Its well it happened here and not a week ago when I was in Argentina, which is much more expensive due to import taxes on bike parts. In any case, there were no large towns in the vicinity, whereas now I'm close to Coyhaique, with a good bike shop.

I descent gently using the back brake to slow me, then climb to the junction with route 7, commonly called the "Carretera Austral", which translate as Southern Road. Just as I'm riding up about to turn the corner right, which is the beginning of a long spiralling climb, there are two touring cyclists coming uphill on the left and the man in front calls out "Hey, it's another cyclist!" in a voice I faintly recognize as he adds "I've seen you before." Is it not but it is the Dutchman, I met the day I rode out of Puerto Natales. I joke, "I've been to Ushuaia and back and I'm still ahead of yeah." We talk until another cyclist has caught up, then four of us set off climbing a long arduously steep climb, which as I've said spirals its way up.

The three soon drop behind and the gap keeps widening between me and them as I climb on ahead.. The physical effort causing me to sweat profusely in the warm sunshine and soon I'm soaked with sweat. Then on finally cresting the last steep straight and the road levelling out in a narrow passage between steep pine clad slopes, where the weather has turned from Spring to Winter due to altitude and cloud having closed in blocking out the sun; and, a strong wind rises from the north west, making it icy cold, more so being that I am soaked with sweat. After a few kilometres there begins a long descent, whereupon I pull over and put on warm cloths and descend slowly because of the split rim.

Although wooded to the side and there's a stream on the left when the road starts levelling out in a narrow steep sided valley, there isn't much shelter from the wind, making it difficult finding a place to stop and lunch. I had hoped for a still sunny picnic today, instead I sit down on the stream bank in wild flowers in the lea of a bush enduring strong gusts of wind that blow my cheese sandwich out of my hand.

While sat the three other cyclists pass and wave, including the Dutchman, who shouts out as way of greeting "Have a good one!"

The afternoon continues along the narrow valley with intermittent strong gusts of wind from the side, pushing me across the road.

There is another climb, on the summit of which, just as the road starts to descend, I spot a track into forest on the left. And just as I've crossed to it, there's a cyclist coming up on the left side, who when he come level with me, I ask how far is it to Coyhaique. He checks his computer and replies 57km. Its now 15.45 on the watch. I decide it best to camp and continues slowly tomorrow due to the split rim. I push the bike well up the track, a good way from the road. The trees are thinly spaced in a lot of places, a mix of young pine trees and ancient indigenous trees, with grassland in amongst scattered with deadwood, so idea for camping, the only thing is, its all a gentle slope, but I do find a level spot sheltered to a degree from the wind by a clump of old trees.

I pitch the tent and gather old cut firewood blocks to build a windshield inside my tent for the alcohol stove, to boil water for tea. The sun is shining again, but I'm closed in my tent because of the wind.

Later in the day in the national reserve, Cerro Castillo.

I built a log windshield for the alcohol stove.

I entertain myself during the afternoon by reading a fair many pages of my book and also, reading an old notebook: my diary from a year ago: the first few days riding in Ireland. Dinner goes well, despite having a fuel shortage; with not always being able to shelter the stove sufficiently from the wind, more alcohol is burned. Anyway, I had enough to cook pasta and there's a little left over to boil water for breakfast. And lastly, with having stopped early, I think it is nice to lay down to sleep in daylight.

Today's ride: 56 km (35 miles)
Total: 6,383 km (3,964 miles)

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