Punta Arenas - The eighth step ... Patagonia etc once more. - CycleBlaze

February 2, 2020

Punta Arenas

Last night we were unsure as to how far we would go today.  Leigh was having problems with both her groin and left knee and my knee wasn't that good either.  We decided to make a decision in the morning.

I got up make coffee and mate soon after seven and was pleased to find Constanzca in the kitchen.  She and Alessandro had also left from Morro Chico the previous day but much earlier than us and had also taken a room at the hospedaje.  They hadn't found the casa de ciclista opposite the police station and had slept in the grounds of the restaurant further a kilometer or so before.

Alessandro told me that the weather would be good to head all the way to Punta Arenas today and that tomorrow promised headwinds and rain.  With that news I chases Leigh out of bed and we were on the road by nine o'clock.  If either of us ran into injury problems we would deal with it if and when it happened.

We had hardly got going when we came upon a great piece of water not much more than eight kilometers south of Villa Tehuelches.  We knew we didn't have time to spare but couldn't resist spending twenty minutes bird watching. 

Two-banded Plover
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White-rumped Sandpiper
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We also took time off at another patch of water further along the road.  The YPF petrol station at the halfway mark was another long break.  Here we enjoyed empenades and que que over a game of dominoes - the facilities at the coffee shop there make up for the surly till assistant.

In the end it was a trouble free ride although we were both tired at the end.  The expected wind from the north was there to help us but not as strong as we would have hoped for.  Traffic was pretty heavy and we had two idiots forcing us off the road by overtaking when the road was not clear.  It only takes one idiot to turn a cyclist into a stain on the tarmac but we made it through unscathed.

Monumento al Viento near Laguna Blanco. It is quite appropriate that the one has blown down.
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Not the best place to wild camp.
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After a little searching for accommodation we have ended booking into the Joshiken Hostal.  A lovely room and great facilities but how can they call it a hostel if they don't allow you to use the kitchen ?

We will work out where we will stay next over the next day or so because we plan to spend  about a week in Punta Arenas.

Today's ride: 101 km (63 miles)
Total: 1,352 km (840 miles)

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