WorldCitizen: Calafate-Mendoza-Santiago

From the wine country of Calafate the road opened up into a beautiful but rugged expanse of vineyards and hard desert earth, town to town small communities spread along the road. Barren, plain, brown and vaguely majestic. This section was rural, small town hillbilly country. My favorite kind of country because of sensibilities born from the raw and difficult reality of living without compromise, anyhow the day ended in Santa Maria and I visited the local information office and thereby found the municipal campsite. Shortly after arriving my Japanese friends showed up and we went to the supermercado to buy some provisions and had dinner together. The next morning I awake late because of loud music being played until 6am at the campsite and then continue along down the increasinly desolate route 40 which leads all the way to the end of the continent in Ushuaia. I can count down the kilometers as I move down the road as there is a small numbered sign every kilometer. 4276, 4275, etc...

camping with the Japanese cyclists at Termas Nacimiento

At the end of the day I decide to take a 4km detour along a dirt road heading into the hills towards a hot spring. When I arrived my Japanese friends were already there. As for the hot springs themselves there was not much to marvel at but was at least able to take a nice hot thermal shower.

Termas Nacimiento

dirt section on route 40

Woke up before sunrise and had a very peaceful ride to Belen. While here a spoke on my rear wheel broke which contributed to my decision to take a bus to Mendoza. In Medoza I spent a couple days relaxing by the swimming pool at the hostel and taking care of my bike and sorting out various things before heading off for Santiago, the capital city of Chile which lies on the other side of the Andes 380km away. I choose to take the less traveled route over a 35km climb to Uspallata. The first night after leaving Mendoza I found a nice place to sleep for the night overlooking the flat desert landscape from the pass. The next day I stopped just before the long tunnel which takes you through the mountain to Chile. From here it is not possible to ride a bike through the tunnel so I set up my tent behind a restaurant at the Argentina immigration check post and the next morning got a lift through the tunnel. Then went through the formalities at the border, passport stamped and headed off for Santiago. From the top of the pass it was a steep winding downhill for the next 50km, going from the heights of the Andes range to the central plains of Chile. As I approached Santiago I found myself on the highway with no alternative route. I saw many signs which made it clear that bicycles were not permitted on the highway. I then was able to find a bus station and ride a nice air conditioned bus to the central station in Santiago.