Back to Chile

Thursday 12th November
Bariloche to Futaleufu

For this day we had a change of destination, Futaleufu, on the Chilean side of the border, with an option to go via a dirt road. The road out of town was nice sweeping tarmac after a short run on dirt to join Ruta 40. After 100 miles some of us turned off onto the dirt road, this being more gravel and deep in places. I, Ed and Lorraine stuck together and after 15 miles of dirt entered a town, after much searching we found a tourist information office which directed us back up the road to a turn off by a small police station. We followed the instructions to find a small shed with a sign “Butch Cassidy” a little disappointed with the view Lorraine recalled the instructions in a guide were to go over the fence and walk some 300 metres along. We did so and found the farmstead that Butch Cassidy and The Sundance kid used whilst here in Patagonia. After taking some pictures and eating lunch we proceeded on the dirt road towards the border, this took some hours as the road was difficult and we reached the border posts around 6.30 luckily they were still open. Another 5 miles brought us to the small village of Futaleufu

Miles
Today 248
Total 18909
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Friday 13th November
Futaleufu to Puyuhuapi

We were going to be riding on dirt road all the way today, it started off relatively easy on a gravel strewn road with clear track created by tyre tracks of cars and lorries. However as we proceeded short sections had deep sand were the road had been repaired making the going slow, after 90 miles we got to a small town filled up with petrol and had lunch. Once on the road again we met the roadworks, on dirt road this consists of dumping a load of soft muddy sandy gravel and then compacting it, added to this it started to rain turning sections into very slippy mud pits. One section was a least a half mile long with the bike snaking around on the slippy mud as I tried to keep it in one of the many ruts. It was with relief that the roadworks ended after about 8 miles and the dirt road became more compacted and easier on the run into the village of Puyuhuapi.

Miles
Today 117
Total 19026
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Saturday 14th November
Puyuhuapiu to Coyhaique

More off road past some spectacular scenery, rivers and mountains, the road stayed better than yesterday with long runs of clear compacted dirt allowing the run to the next town to be really enjoyable.

Miles
Today 145
Total 19171
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Sunday 15th November
Coyhaique to Puerto Guadal

We continued on the dirt roads this time with more up-hill and down hill sections and more loose gravel sections, the road was good with long straight sections and clear tracks to follow, although cold the rain stayed off till later and then only light helping to bind the gravel and give good grip. Running quickly we made good time arriving at the entrance to hotel mid-afternoon, the track down to the hotel was however awful, but we all negotiated it well, at the bottom there was a steep up-ill section to the parking area, I waited till the others had parked and then open the throttle to get the bike up the hill, however the back wheel was in a section of deep gravel and this flung the bike out from underneath me. I landed heavily on the left side with the bike on top of my left leg, as it slid it twisted my left ankle whilst I fell onto the small fence at the side of the track, I managed to extract myself whilst the others came to help pick me and the bike up. After one of tem parked it for me they got ice for my ankle and I spent some time with this on before going to asses the damage, the bike was fine with just the bracket for the left pannier bent. Once bent back into position the pannier was remounted on the bike, proving once again that the Metal Mule pannier system lives up to it’s reputation as the strongest on the market.



Miles
Today 180
Total 19351