Greetings from Puerto Natales, Chile!!!

First off, we would like thank all of you who are supporting our cause and sending positive words of encouragement! Thanks to all of you, we have already raised over $2,000 and are on our way to reaching our fundraising goal. With the donations made thus far, our American partner organization, Interconnection, will be shipping 16 computers to Paraguay for CECTEC to install in various schools involved in our project!! It is a very exciting first step. Just to remind you all of what our project plan is, here is a brief rundown: first Interconnection will ship computers to Paraguay for CECTEC to distribute to various schools. CECTEC will then train teachers how to use, maintain, and teach with computers in the classrooms. The next step will be to use the donation money to build, remodel, and improve existing schools in rural Paraguay. Please visit our website, www.bikingtobuildschools.com, for more specific information. Thanks again! Now for more travel stories...

We started this leg of our trip in the Chilean town of Punta Arenas that sits on the shores of the Staights of Magellan. We arrived in town late, around 9:30 in the evening, after a nice ferry ride on the "Crux Austral" from Porvenir, Argentina. Once we got to port and unloaded our bikes we headed off to find a warm hostel. We ended up in the downtown area of Punta Arenas and checked into a noisy little place and called it a night. The next day we changed over to the Hostel Fitz Roy; a relaxed and cozy old house that was converted into a resting place for weary travelers. We hung out in the town for a few days resting our tired legs, cleaning and tuning our bikes, eating lots of chocolate and pastries, and walking around town. Next thing we knew it was time to hit the road again.

We set off in the morning on the 15th to head north for Puerto Natales. As usual, the wind was a blowing and it was pretty slow going at first. Then, once we caught our cadence and that wind died down a bit we really took off (we also had some nice hills in our favor). We rode along the very busy and at times scary road full of energy after a few days of rest and lots of food. By lunchtime we had made it about 60 kilometers and the wind was howling. We stoped on the side of the road and ate. The wind just wouldn't stop and it was getting cold so we rode off only making it another couple of kilometers before taking refuge at a gas station to drink copious amounts of warm maté. We set off again, but to no avail as the wind wasn't giving us any leeway. We pulled over behind a small levee and some thorn bushes and called it a night.

The next morning we woke early to try and beat the wind (they say that it is more "suave" in the wee hours of the morning). It paid off and not only did we get some reprive from the blustry beast but we also got to ride along with an amazing sunrise too. Riding in the early hours of the day is very nice and we both enjoy it a lot. First, there is generally less wind; second, there is usually no traffic; and thirdly we get to see all kinds of cool birds and critters as the world is waking up. And so we rode until we came to a little stopping point on the road called Villa Techueles where we made break to eat lunch and fill up with water. We made out for the road and pedaled on for another fifteen kilometers or so, but by this point the wind was howling again and we were tired. Being as this region of Chile is largely flat and covered in only scrub brushes and very short grasses it wasn't looking too good. We needed a place to get out of the wind. Luckily, we came along a small grove of trees that looked very inviting and we made camp underneath the crow of a knotty, moss covered, old tree. The wind never let up and we hunkered down in out tent all night listening to the tree sway and creak in the wind and the tent flapping and slapping. Little rest was to be had.

We rose early again, but the wind...oh the wind. So we went back to sleep and slept in. The first half of the day was a nice lazy day in the tent reading, talking, and stretching. Finally, decided to make a break for it as we thought that the wind had died down a bit. We packed up and hit the road again. HA! The wind was blowing as strong as ever, but we tried to put some kilometers under our tires. This time the wind wasn't a headwind, but a treatcherous lateral wind that wants to blow you off of the road. It was constant and gusting very hard. We made very slow progress...about 10 kilometers per hour on average between getting blown off the road, pulling over to wait for busses and trucks to pass, and pedaling as hard as we could. The road wound up and through some long hills too and we pedaled on. We stumbed across a lone estancia house and went to ask for water as we were nearly out. Nobody was home and the place was abandoned. We thought about calling it a night there, but decided to push on just a little bit more to see if we could find the small town called Morro Chico on our map. We literally rode up and over the hill and there was the wide spot in the road that we were looking for! We pushed hard against the railing wind at the bewildered looks of the local police. No sane people would be trying to ride bikes in that kind of wind. We pushed on until we saw the lone white llama standing by the road beckoning us to join her. We pulled in and were pleased to find a small diner that would allow us to set up camp behind one of the buildings out of the wind. We set up the tent and then went inside the eatery to get a cup-o-joe and warm up. It was late, we were tired, and thus we decided to see what the special of the day was. We ordered it, not really knowing what it was. Turns out it was all you can eat homemade bread, two liters of juice, delicous beef soup, and the maincourse was amazing lamb roast served over rice!!!! We kinda freaked out because it was so delicious and such a supprise. We ate and ate and then went to bed so very full and so very happy.

Wind. All night there was the wind. We woke early to the wind. And we decided to give it a shot since it is the type of wind that may never die down. Right before we left, we saw very high up in the sky 8 huge condors riding the wind. Their wingspan is immense and impressive, said to be around 6 feet. It was extremely slow going that day since after the bend in the road at Morro Chico, we were heading due west, directly into the wind. It was another day of 10km/h average speed. The wind is its own entity.. once you have been riding with it for a while you begin to talk to it, curse it, egg it on, plead with it, laugh with it, all the while marvelling at its intensity and power. It really is something, and makes you feel quite small and powerless riding at its mercy. Just when you think it is letting up a bit and you switch into a lower gear to speed up, it hits you with a blast that takes you down to 7km/h and makes you weak in the legs. Riding in strong wind is like riding up a very long and rather steep hill for hours on end... We took a lot of breaks that day, although there was not much shelter from the wind to be had along the road. At one point we stopped to rest in a beautiful forest of huge lenga trees. It might have been the only forest of old growth trees we have seen. The trees are beautiful, all twisted and bent from the wind, with hanging light green moss all along their trunks and branches. We thought about camping there as there was great protection from the wind and we were extrememly tired, but decided to push on a bit further. Not longer after the forest, we came upon "Rio Rueben" which is an old house turned hotel. We went inside to ask about camping near the hotel and were told by a very mature and know-it-all 10 year old boy that yes there was camping for $10, no we could not use the bathrooms inside, no we could not use our stove to cook, no breakfast was not included, and if we wanted to shower it would cost $3. We were quite amused... and found out from the actual owner that using the bathrooms and our stove was no problem at all. But breakfast was not included. We slept as well as we could that night with the wind howling and a dog growling/barking outside of our tent. Oh, and we did buy ear plugs, but they don't work and are very uncomfortable.

With about 60km to go to get to Puerto Natales, we woke up around 4:30 the next morning to get a jump start on the wind. And jumpstart it we did. Our bodies were super tired from the previous days' battle with the wind, but the day was beautiful and still and we took advantage of it. With an average speed twice that of what we were hitting the day before (and snickers bars.. amaazing!!!), we had some nice downhills and made it into Puerto Natales around noon. What a difference the wind makes! We were extrememly happy to arrive so early and gaped at the beautiful scenery.. it was a sight for sore eyes. There are huge craggy mountains with glaciers in the crevaces and brilliant green water full of white swans with black necks and bright orange beaks. The bird life here is pretty incredible, as is the geography of the area.

Today we take off for Torres del Paine National Park. It is a still and beautiful day and we are excited to get back on the road after a day of rest in Puerto Natales. We are also excited to get to do a different type of relaxing soon.. not in a city, but out in a national park where we will be able to set up camp and do a lot of hiking. Look forward to some amazing pictures because this park is supposed to be one of a kind in its beauty.

Thanks again for your support and kind words! Keep it up and we will too!