Mon 5th Dec: Lago Roca to Punta Bandera and back to Calafate

December 5, 2016

I was up early, before sunrise, when the few broken clouds and mountains are vividially coloured. But as it isn't a day that I intend going far, I climb back into the tent, lay down and sleep. Waking again with the sun well up warming the tent.

As I said there's a few other camped here too: campervans and a campertruck with Netherlands number plate and map of Africa on it's yellow livery. These vehicles would pass me a few times during the day and I would see them back in Calafate later in the day. The yellow truck has been shallowing me since Chalten.

Route 15 continues a further seven kilometres west, to estancia something, that may take two hours of my day. I'm not sure but further that way, the valley with a track may continue toward the Chilean frontier. In any event it's a shame there isn't a border crossing into Chile somewhere near here, posing a more direct route for cyclists and hikers traveling between Calafate and Torres del Paine. Instead, the only route is east on route 11, out to route 40, southeast then southwest, a big loop detour.

I return back the way I came yesterday, to the junction where I turn left upon route 60 going north. The surface is good compacted earth and clear of loose stones. There are just a few short sections of washboard, I think caused by impatient car drivers accelerating too hard causing wheels to spin a quarter for every full rotation. And the most striking thing is the vista to the left side of the cordillera with vast grassy meadow in the foreground and sheet grey lake in the middle distance.

Route 60 joins route 11, the main road for visitors to the Perito Moreno Glacier, after 12km; then it's 5km more to the split off to Punta Bandera 8km further out to the lake shore of Lago Argentino. On this section having been another still sunny day so far, the wind rises just when I crest a rise revealing the village of Punta Bandera and lakeside ahead. I'm of a sudden pedalling hard just to go downhill. It's little more than a hamlet when I get as far, comprising a police station, school, a few nice cottages set in gardens of colourful bloomed scrubs and flowers behind white picket fences. And a big excursion boat marina and maintenance depot.

The road continues further, up a hillock split of land jutting out into the lake and descends the other side to where the road comes to an end at a quay with lapping waves on the rocky shore. Here I lunch sat against a sheltering rock.

The road comes to an end at "Punta Bandera" on an inlet of Lago Argentino.

In the afternoon, I return back toward Calafate on route 11 with a tailwind. The traffic is fairly light, an excursion to the glacier bus every few minutes giving me a wide berth on passing. The vistas on this road going east are fabulous in today's glorious clear sky and sunshine. The azure sheet of the lake to the left and light brown hills ahead and to the right. At one point I see what I think is the rock pinnacles of Torres del Paine peaking up in a gap between the hills to the southwest. A reminder of how close Calafate and Torres del Paine are as the crow flies.

I am sure that is Torre del Paine, in Chile, peaking up. Visible on a clear day just west of Calafate.

MIND THE GAP!!! Route 11 veers south on the way east from the Perito Moreno Glacier, back to Calafate. There are no roads going directly south, or south-west frmm Calafate: a shame as it's not that far as the crow flies south-west to Torre del Paine; instead, cyclists have to go on a long detour east to continue south.

Today's ride: 142 km (88 miles)
Total: 7,762 km (4,820 miles)

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