Villa O'Higgins: End of the line - The fourth step ... Patagonia etc - CycleBlaze

February 5, 2018

Villa O'Higgins: End of the line

It started raining last night and it carried on for most of the morning. We got away pretty late but it hardly mattered because we had such a short ride ahead of us. Jay, Jillian and Ninon pushed on ahead and Toby and Lesley followed a bit behind us.

From L-R: Me, Jillian, Leigh, Ninon, Jay, Lesley and Toby.
Heart 0 Comment 0

We were joined by Gianlucca, an Italian who had camped across the road from us last night, and he was full of information about the area, this being his six trip to Patagonia.

Heart 0 Comment 0
The gorge of the Rio Mayer as we approach Villa O'Higgins
Heart 0 Comment 0

We rolled into Villa O'Higgins at about one o'clock, stopped for a picture at the entrance to the town and wandered down to El Mosco, the campsite to which everyone seems to gravitate.

Heart 0 Comment 0
Heart 0 Comment 0

We need to visit the ferry office at six pm to get our names on the the list for the ride across Lago O'Higgins. The ferries seem to be running quite regularly, with a limit of eight cyclists per day, so hopefully we won't have to wait too long. We have sufficient work to keep us busy while we wait but anything more than three days will become a bit tiresome.

El Mosco is a hive of activity with cyclists from around the world who have arrived from the north like us and also from the south. Eric, the Frenchman with whom I had a long conversation in Puerto Rio Tranquilo, and his wife are here. They are scheduled to get their ferry early tomorrow morning and have been waiting here since Friday. Toby and Lesley have checked into a hostal down the road because they have run out of cash and El Mosco doesn't accept credit cards. Otherwise the rest of the gang from the Casa de Ciclesta, are staying here. We're the only ones camping with the others opting for a bit of comfort.

At six o'clock we all went to the ferry office (the small less official ferry) and waited and waited and waited. Eventually we got in and, with Jillian's persistence and Ninon translating, we managed to secure a booking for Friday. Now we're in the hands of the weather Gods.

Today's ride: 33 km (20 miles)
Total: 1,180 km (733 miles)

Rate this entry's writing Heart 0
Comment on this entry Comment 0