Day 22 - Puerto Bertrand to Cochrane - High Maintenance - 6 Week Carretera Austral - 2024

February 9, 2024

Day 22 - Puerto Bertrand to Cochrane

Changing the sequence now, the most recent at the top, easier to see the new ones and not have to go to the very bottom.

Well, today was the BRD. Simply put Best Ripio day. We left bright and early at 8 AM to make sure we would get to Cochran in plenty of time but also not get stuck in the road closure.

Starting out, wheels rolling at 8am and rather chilly.

We were followed the river this time, the colours spectacular.

This place was 260,000 pesos a night, the pictures above are from their dining area. This would be considered a high-end hotel/cabana. We had great coffee, bought some homemade bread for our lunch and scored two cookies for a snack. The place was so good that even their milk was warmed up for your coffee. They actually spoke English, and we had quite a good conversation about the area their hotel.

Again the best road so far hard packed gravel which was almost like pavement. Sections of loose gravel but not bad. Even the freshly graded areas weren’t too bad to for riding. This was great because there was quite a few elevation changes. As I’ve said, over and over again it’s not so bad going up, but going down is always difficult in gravel.

Up and down, not like the praires where you can see a dog run for miles.

Shortly before the road closure, we made it in lots of time.

We met these German tourists, and their campers look like tanks.

There were actually two of them, this one had a motorcycle strapped to the back. I have been practising my German for almost 2 weeks now there hasn’t been a day that hasn’t gone by where we haven’t met tourists from France, Germany, England and the USA. These two German couples had their camper shipped from Germany to Halifax, and then drive all the way down. They actually look like small tanks, and I suppose to get through Central America you would need a tank.

We finally made it into Cochrane, we got lucky and unlucky. Big rodeo Weekend.

By sheer luck, we found out there is a rodeo Pioneer days in Cochran for the weekend. This was great for entertainment, however, very difficult to find a cabana since the town was quite full with tourists.

With the with the help of one of the Spaniards that we met in Bertrand, I had my brakes adjusted. This is my first bicycle that has disc brakes versus calibre brakes and I just wanted to make sure that I adjusted them correctly.

Another tip, extra brake pads for your disc, brakes and props pads for your calibre brakes would be a big plus. The brake pads are not really required, but just in case one of them does go, then, at least you have a replacement.

A great little room, bed TV, which I’ll never watch window to let in some fresh air and to dry your clothes

The resident dog outside the cabana and store that kept guard.

OK this is my second random dog shot just in case there was one day that I didn’t get a picture of a dog which is almost impossible there’s so many around.

Another tip. Poor posture leads to a sore neck. My bike is equipped with disc brakes which means I have to lean more forward to apply the front and back brakes. David’s bike has it traditional calliper brakes, and can apply his brakes from his handlebars. I have to crouch more forward when applying the brakes. So that means when you’re going downhill for a kilometre or two , you are more hunched forward. So for those of you with those type of brakes, depending on your riding position, practice riding, hunched forward and make sure that your neck isn’t going to be killing you after six hours of riding. Or perhaps my riding position just sucks.

I have added more chin, neck and shoulder stretches daily before, during and after my rides. Another tip is just general stretching before, during and after your ride is important, especially when you get to my age.

For those of you that have done cycle touring before this is no big new news to you. For those of you that are starting out Cycle touring and also doing a long ride like I am, you may not be used to riding every day and being in that type of position.

We have met so many other Cycle tourists and they all are. surprised that this is my first cycle tourist experience and I’m picking one of the longest and more difficult type of rides .

I always reply, what the hell you only live once. I cannot thank David enough for all the guidance and confidence that I could do this trip. This trip is truly 80% mental and 20% physical. This time I got the math right.

Today's ride: 60 km (37 miles)
Total: 285 km (177 miles)

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Mike AylingYou might consider getting a bike fit when you get home together you closer to your brake levels.
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3 months ago

Jacquie GaudetI second Mike Ayling. As a woman with smaller hands than the average male (for whom essentially all cycling stuff is designed), I always need to adjust the position of the brake levers so I can reach them from the hoods and from the drops. Sometimes it proves impossible and I need to replace the handlebars.

I was laughing to myself when you mentioned in yesterday's post that you still had "about an inch of play" between the brake lever and the handlebar. When you have small hands, that's often where the brake levers are set up so you can just reach them.
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3 months ago