The Speed of Bike

Traveling this distance by bike is really special. I see the fancy travel vans whizzing by me and I don’t feel any jealousy at all. I am getting such an amazing experience out in the open, sweating up the steep hills and experiencing this beautiful place at the speed of bike. Ok, maybe I am a little jealous when I think about how easy it is for them to just pull over, make dinner and crash in a comfy bed every night. But, they are missing so much. The birdsong, the cows lazily looking my way and the incredible smell of this fresh mountain air.

I woke up from my secret camp spot down by the river and set out at 7:30AM for what was going to be my first serious climb. This one was all on dirt road until the pavement started at the summit. It was a long series of narrow rocky switchbacks. Not too steep, but it was a long time to push my fully loaded rig. It took me about three hours until I got to the top and I was treated to an incredible view of the mountains waiting for me on the other side. The snow is still so deep and bright this time of year but it was warm enough outside to make the ascent without a jacket. The way down was a blast and I pulled into the next town called Villa Amengual with the plan of resupplying for dinner and then camping a few miles down the road. Amengual was a total bust. The mini market was closed and so was the restaurant. I went a little ways down the hill to pull some water out of the stream and ate what little I had left in my food bag. It was just an apple and a few slices of cheese covered in coffee grounds that had spilled out but it was going to have to last another thirty miles until the next town.

Fortunately, it was a pretty chill route and all paved into my next town called Villa Manihuales. I pulled in around 4:30PM and made my celebratory Coke stop at the grocery store and then found a delightful couple that offers farm stays on their property at Hospedaje Dona Ruth. For $6, I got a shady spot to pitch my tent, water, WiFi, a hot shower and laundry. The owners were super sweet and I loved hanging out with all of their farm animals and friendly dog. I treated myself to an amazing meal of local salmon ceviche and roasted chicken and potatoes and was ready for early bed.

If you were going to scout out the perfect location for a movie about dreamy bike packing you would definitely pick the road out of Manihuales. This gravel road wound through beautiful farms and into deep mountain valleys. There were clear streams running along the road for water and waterfalls all around the cliff faces. It was an ideal scene. The path looks deceptively flat but it is really one long twenty mile slog of a climb. I stopped a few times in the shade and give my legs a rest and finally came down into a small village called Villa Ortega.

I stopped at the market in Ortega for some cold water and a snack and sat down across the street in the shade with two dogs. A young girl no more than seven or eight years old came out of the store a few minutes later and come over to talk. She was holding a huge two liter of 7-Up that she could barely carry. She sat down with me for a few minutes and I shared my chips with her. We got the basics out in my limited Spanish. She was so sweet and offered me some of her soda before she left. I declined but she just put her hand on her heart and insisted I have a drink before I hit the road. I helped her get the cap off and poured a bit into my empty water bottle. We cheered each other and as she walked away she yelled out a loud “Goodbye” in English.

It hit me how sweet that was as I climbed my way out of town. She was so welcoming and excited to talk to a traveler. Her insistence to give me a little soda was really touching. It was such a small gesture but made me feel so welcome and supported out here. These are the types of experiences that make all of this hard work worth it. I don’t think I would have had the same opportunity if I was speeding through in a van. The speed of bike has its challenges for sure but gets you out into the community like nothing else.

More and more climbing in store for me as I left Ortega towards Coyhaique. I pulled in around 3:00PM and checked into a beautiful hostel hosted by a sweet owner named Gina. She built the cutest bike shed for my rig that was stocked with repair tools and a bike stand. This hostel is incredibly comfy. The hot strong shower in my private bathroom felt luxurious and Gina has a library and fully stocked kitchen for guests to use. The supermarket down the street had everything I needed for a good resupply and I had more salmon and mango ceviche at a great restaurant down the street.

I am definitely feeling the last seven days of riding in my legs. I still feel strong on the bike but I’m sore when I wake up in the morning. I’m drinking a ton of water and getting great sleep. I am going to drop the mileage over the next few days to give my body a break. I have a great stealth campsite picked out for tomorrow just 40 miles down the road and I’m looking forward to the shorter days ahead.