January 15, 2000
Day 85 Ushuaia: we made it!
Today we do get up early, trying to outsmart the wind and gain our miles westward to Ushuaia. We decided to go up the old road, which means a 45 minute walk pushing our bikes up some pretty steep grades, but that's better than eating dust on the main road.
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At the pass we get a great down hill into a long east-west valley which we then follow. We stop once at a restaurant for coffee, and while further we take a last lunch break.
Just before the town we see three cyclists headed north, but they must have all been German because they don't stop and talk.
At the entry to town we meet much to our surprise the "kaleidometer" German (that is how he pronounced kilometers) He has made it here and is now headed back north. We hear he also got a ride to Tres Lagos and El Calafate, which somehow makes us feel somewhat better for taking rides.
In Ushuaia we go straight to the hostel that we got the little flyer from the man in Tolhuin. A very nice place and we can get a double bed (matrimonial) in the afternoon.
We unload, shower, and head into town at about 1pm. Of course, there is siesta so we don't get much accomplished until 3pm. We pick up mail at All Patagonia and receive information about cruises to Antarctica. One is leaving tomorrow for $2300 we can be on it!
What a dilemma, that's a lot more than we budgeted, but a lot less that it would cost from the States or Europe. While we ponder, we meet the Brazilian couple that gave us the ride to El Calafate. They have just returned from a flight to Antarctica and are jubilant. Do it! they say. We had also considered just taking a tour around the Cape, but they say the waves are high.
Ok, we go back and register at Rumbo Sur, the agent for Maine Adventures, a Canadian travel company and the Russian research ship, Akademik Ioffe that will sail tomorrow.
There is one problem: our reservation cannot be confirmed until tomorrow at 4 o'clock. The ship will board at 5pm!
We have dinner that night with the Brazilians and Dick and Pip Smith. Dick Smith is a famous aviator from Australia being the first to fly a helicopter around the world and on Antarctica. We have a very interesting evening.
Today's ride: 50 km (31 miles)
Total: 3,417 km (2,122 miles)
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