We made it alive and in one piece across the Island of the Tierra del Fuego and are waiting to get a ferry to Punta Arenas, Chile. We left you all in the sprawling, drab town of Rio Grande, Argentina. Since then we have pedalled 250 kilometers and battled the wind every single day. It started with a very windy and overcast ride up Argentina's National Route Three with light and sparse rain showers. The northern coast of the Tierra del Fuego is a very drab and subtly beautiful landscape. The area is covered in very short grasses ranging from golden yellow to burnt orange with some of spring's lingering green still hanging on. For the most part the area is very flat with gentle rolling hills and very little water in the form of rivers or lakes. The road was nicely paved and by this description one would think that we could make some good speeds pedaling. Unfortunately for us this area is known for constant winds that originate from the north which are excellent for cyclists whom are coming from the north, but for those travelling north its a nightmare. Imagine pedaling as hard as you can, gears spinning like crazy and you are trudging along at speeds as low as 9 kilometers per hour. It is very challenging and requires some serious motivation to continue pedaling. Well, we pushed on for about 60-some kilometers until we just couldn't go on. So, we snuck onto some estancia land and found a big hole that had been dug out of the ground. It was level on the bottom and provided the only sort of shelter from the wind that we could find so we set up camp (see photo) for the night.

Early the next morning we rose to still air! We were excited to make some kilometers pass on by. We made some yummy breakfast and drank some maté. By the time we broke camp the wind was blowing full force again and it took an hour and a half to make it 16 kilometers to the border of Argentina and Chile at San Sebastian! That was rough! The wind was ruthless that morning! To our luck there is a sort of rest stop at the border (nothing else) that is run by the Automotive Club of Argentina. We took refuge there from ten in the morning until seven in the evening. We napped, played cards, read, worked on the bikes, ate, and drank copious amounts of delicious maté. The wind is said to die down here in the evening and that is why we waited until so late to get moving. We passed on through customs and the wind was still howling. Whatsmore is that as soon as you pass the customs post the pavement stops and the ripio begins. Ripio is the Spanish word for a washboard and pothole ridden gravel road. So, needless to say it was some tough pedaling as we fought the wind and bounced along the road. We made it into Chile with the sun low in the sky and continued pedaling until about 10:30 in the evening. We have been able to take advantage of the long hours of light this far south; the sun sets around 11pm. Finally, we found another protected spot to camp and called it a night. You can bet that we slept like rocks that night!

Up early and on the road again and we had the wind in our faces to greet us. So we did what we had to do, we pedaled on. As one pedals and the world slowly rolls on by you really get into a deep state of concentration. You have to pay attention to your body and you really notice very small varitions in its performance. This state of mind is important because you are fully relying on the condition of your body to power you and your bike to your destination. You end up focusing on finding a good line in the road, watching for any traffic, and being very in the moment. Of course there is plenty of time to appreicate the scenery also.

Though the landscape is very featureless here, it is starkly beautiful. The sky is huge with amazing, rich, deep blue hues that set off the clouds and reveal their full beauty. The short scrub grasses blow lazily in the wind, and the only thing that stands above sixteen inches tall on the horizon are the sheep in their heavy coats and the occasional guanaco (a close relative to the llama). Bird life abounds here as well as the region is a stop-over spot for many different migrating birds. There are birds of all sorts here...we've even seen a few different flocks of pink flamingos feeding in the area’s small, saline lakes! That was a surprise and quite a contrast to see the flamboyant pink burst of color.

So as we rode on this particular day, it was sort of tough going. We were tired, the wind wouldn't let up, and the bumps in the road were rattling our bodies. Then, as we crested a hill we could see out before us there was an oddity about the road. But, just what was it? There, some 1000 meters in front of us there was a strange, undulating, rectangle of grey that completely covered the road. What was it? AHHHHHHH!!!! We rode closer and we realized that it was a sheep run! There were some Gauchos (Argentinean cowboys) herding a few thousand head of sheep down the road. The sheep were "baaaa-ing" away as the Gauchos and their dogs drove them to an unknown destination. We had to get off our bikes and push them through the moving mass of wool and lambchops. It was really quite funny and amusing. A great break in the monotony and struggle of the morning's ride.

We rode on and were low on water; in fact almost out of water with none in site. We stopped for lunch and out of nowhere showed up an ambulance. Joel walked up and questioned about the site of the nearest river to pump water from, the driver was quite friendly and handed Joel 3.5 liters of water and said "have fun!". Thanks ambulance dude! Then we napped for three hours and woke up to ride in the still evening until we came upon some random cyprus trees and decided to set up camp.

The next morning we were still short on water. We had just enough to make some sludgey oatmeal and then a car pulled up. A jolly, round fellow got out of the car and asked what we were doing, where we were from, etc. He was nice, but kinda creepy. His lady friend stayed in the car and smiled, her gold tooth shining in the morning sun. I asked about the water situation locally and he kindly offered us three liters from a bottle in his trunk. He said, "It's good water. Very clean." Ok, we thought. "Thanks!" He drove off, we drank some water and it had the very strong flavor of gasoline! Lets just say we poured it out and headed off into the wind with only a liter between the both of us. Finally we came upon the Harmony Estancia and we thought that we'd give it a shot. We powered up a long hill to the house as a large heard of guanacos greeted us. An older fellow named Eugenio welcomed us into his house and gave us all the water we needed. This time it was delicious, clean, and filtered with a Brita to boot! Cheers Eugenio!!! We rode on in high spirits all day. Beautiful weather, the wind settled to a gentle breeze, and we had the amazing body of water called Bahia Inutil (Useless Bay) with the mountains of central Tierra del Fuego in the distance and our good fortune made us smile all the way along the coast and up the many hills to our camp.

Today we woke early to beat the wind and rode the final 25 kilometers into Porvenir. The road was tough with many a hill and loose gravel; though we woke early, the wind was a blowing. But nonetheless, we made it and now will get on a ferry to cross the Straights of Magellen to Punta Arenas where we will rest for the next few days, work on our bikes, eat lots of food, and prepare for the road north to the Torres del Paine National Park.

We really appreciate all of your support and your comments! They help keep us motivated and pedaling. Thanks to all for the great information about sore knees. Please keep the comments coming! Be well and all of our respect!

Hasta la vista!