El Chaltén, Argentina
“Wake up Guys! You gotta see Fitz Roy”, is how Peter, (from London), rousted us at dawn. Thanks, Peter. We had all morning to see it in the changing light, drinking coffee around the campfire before loading our bikes for the boat trip across Lago del Desierto. Then it was just 37 km on a decent gravel road to El Chaltén, (the newest town in Argentina), founded in 1985 as a base for tourists and to protect Argentina’s claim to a disputed boundary with Chile. We celebrated over beer and pizza with the other cyclists that night and at a typical Argentine parrilla (barbeque) , the next afternoon.
Monte Fitz Roy, or Chalten (3405m); -2C at dawn from Lago del Desierto.
Fitz Roy towers almost 3000m (10,000') above Lago del Desierto.
7 bikes make the final boat crossing after cycling the Carretera Austral.
Julian fills our water bottles, unfiltered, from a roadside waterfall.
Shauna roasts more veggies than meat for an atypical Argentine parrilla.
March 4th, 2010 at 22:37
Good to hear from you again!
March 5th, 2010 at 05:48
Ufa!!! I has worried with you. The earthquake it was dreadful – some newspapers called about 50 times more harmful than Haiti. I ‘m relieved in know which you are fine… THE COAST OF PACIFIC IS EQUALLY BEATIFUL AND DANGEROUS! PLEASE, TO BE CAREFUL.
March 5th, 2010 at 11:21
Good to hear from you guys. Keep up the wonderful pix and stories. Glad to hear your safe.
March 8th, 2010 at 13:20
Yea! It’s wonderful to see this and know you’re healthy and away from the devastation. Keep up the strong pedaling!
March 9th, 2010 at 09:28
Hi Julie and David,
I am very thankful you are both still fine and enjoying this adventure fully. The photos and descriptions you both give are amazing and are a gift to us all!
Stay safe!
Love,
Kim and Lily