January 27, 2019
Ruta de los 7 lagos
Today we cycled along the famed Ruta 40, aka National Route 40 or RN40. The route runs almost the length of Argentina, along the western edge of the country and paralleling the Andes. More than 5,000 km in length, Ruta 40 is the longest route in Argentina and one of the longest in the world, comparable to US Route 66, the Trans-Canada Highway, and the Stuart Highway in Australia. In Patagonia, Ruta 40 is a highway to adventure tourism, and there is mythical attraction to the route. I found Ruta 40 patches and stickers to be ubiquitous at the various tourist stops I visited in Southern Patagonia, and must admit I purchased a sticker or two to document my travels along the route. Today, I was quite excited to actually cycle a section of Ruta 40 known as the Seven Lakes Route.
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The Ruta de los Sieta Lagos is a paved, ~120 mile section of Ruta 40 running between Bariloche and San Martín de los Andes. In the first 50 miles to Villa La Angostura, the route hugs the northern shore of Lago Naheul Huapi and then passes between Lago Correntoso and Lago Espejo Grande. The section between Villa La Angostura and Bariloche is heavily trafficked, especially with Chilean trucks using Ruta 40 as the only overland link between Puerto Montt and the southern tip of Chile. To avoid the traffic, we were transferred from Bariloche and began our day just north of Villa La Angostura, on the shores of Lago Correntoso. The road soon entered the Andean forest, skirting Lagos Traful then running between the shores of Lago Villarino and Lago Falkner, where we passed by busy lakeside recreation areas. The route once again rolled through the forest until it skirted the eastern shore of Lago Machónico and climbed up to Pil Pil pass, which at ~4,200 ft, crosses the continental divide. From there, it was a delightful 10-mile descent into San Martín de los Andes, nestled at the eastern end of Lago Lacar.
The ride was all joy, a rolling, paved route with a good shoulder in most places. Although it was the height of the summer season, traffic was fairly light – save the backpackers/hitchikers, tourist buses, and occasional crazy taxi driver that were concentrated near small towns and lakeside recreation areas. I rarely stopped for pictures, instead relishing the sunshine, clean air, and the experience of cycling this iconic highway.
San Martín de los Andes is a smaller, less touristy town than Bariloche and I would have liked more time to wander about and explore. The group gathered for a classic and lengthy Argentine dinner of grilled meat, receiving a bounty of information on meat - ranging from how to slice/cut a grilled side of lamb to names of the various cuts of grilled beef. Well-aware of the gigantic portions typical of these meals, I split my dinner with one of my co-riders, and still left the restaurant fully satisfied with both the meal and the day’s adventure.
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Today's ride: 51 miles (82 km)
Total: 188 miles (303 km)
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