Look, now Andes!

How could I have been prepared for such beauty? Running uphill may sound tough to you city dwellers, but when you’re out there in the wild those mountains call to you. And the more you go the more it nags at you until ultimately you get in the heart of it. And so it was in this mindset that I set off the city of Malargüe to my crossing of the Andes.

But first, and as is now becoming a long practised habit I stopped at the police station, the last before the entrance to the “pase del Pehuenche”. Soon, I was sharing mate with those two lively folks, them telling me of all travellers coming by while I exchanged their stories with mine.

And the next day, I was well and truly on my way!

But those aren’t the whole story. While I barely hope to give you a glimpse of the amazing sequence of ever changing landscape, I urge you to jump on your bicycle (go get one) and experience this yourself!

I did get as well other flashes from the different coloured mountains, long memory from my time in the provincia in Salta a few months back.

That whole day I climbed my way up to 2600m.a.s.l., then down as I entered into Chile and finally set up camp close to the Laguna del Maule.

I did i! I arrived to Chile by crossing the Andes in bicycle! Seriously how crazy is that?

And although I do not have pictures to show for it, I assure you that gazing at this lake under a sea of stars and the soft glimmer of the moon is worth any view you may throw at me.

The next day I went on my way to go down the mountains. However I cannot say the experience was what I expected it to be. I did expect some lazy rolling down the slope of the road. I did expect an effortless ride, no pedalling for kilometres. I did not expect some super strong headwind forcing me to pedal my way down the road. By 5pm I was more exhausted than the previous day, when I had climbed those mountains. Seriously, things are unfair. And it is when nature lets you down that amazing people come into play.

I had set my tent behind some abandoned (or so it seemed) house hoping to shelter myself from the fierce wind when some folks strode by and hailed me. At first weary as I was and ready to go to sleep, I politely declined their proposal to host me for the night. They had rented a house and it came with a bonus bed (no doubt for the occasional wanderer you might want to host). But then, no doubt taking pity on me they came again and I decided to push my stiff body and my sleepiness aside and enjoy a night with nice people. And as always, I am so glad I did! They invited me to eat (my second dinner) and when the hour stretched long past midnight they said I should stay for another day with them.

Thus the next day we headed off to the nearest lake, swam a bit, went to the restaurant where they pointedly refused that I pay. And when finally the next morning came, I went on my way with amazing memories from those two families.

The next two days in Chile brought me ever closer to the Pacific coast which I’m especially excited for. From one service station to another I camped, being offered showers along the way.

And as I went along the road I met up with Alexis which was cycling around as well. We talked a bit and quickly invited me to his house for the night, where we shared a meal. then, we went on some time about music and playing instruments. He’s very much interested in native Americans music. He’s now considering setting off on a bike trip after his studies. Go do it, Alexis! Again, he demonstrated how welcoming and awesome the Chilean people seem to be!

Now I arrived to Concepcion, which is on the Pacific Coast as well! Yay! However, at least today, it is as misty as San Francisco (that is to say that I didn’t glimpse anything of the sea).

Until next time,

Chloé