Santiago de Chile, the official name of the capital city, is home to 6 million Chileans. On a smog free day the nearby Andes mountains are visible from the busy city streets. The city's different barrios have their own vibes but just about everywhere I went it was lively. Except on Sundays when most stores outside of the city center are closed. I stayed in Barrio Bella Vista, a neighborhood where just about every wall along the sidewalks is covered in beautiful street art. Bars and restaurants … [Read more...]
From the City to the Farm
I said goodbye to the kind folks at Hostel Caracol and started riding. It had been a week of walking around by foot and time to pick up the pace. Ruta 5 south out of Santiago is a nice four lane toll road. That's about it. It's almost entirely straight for the first few hundred miles. I was just cruising and nothing really piqued my interest enough to take the camera out. Just imagine it. I'm sure the side roads are nice but I wanted to get to Patagonia. Other than stopping for gas and to pay a … [Read more...]
The Carretera Austral
"You're going down the Austral right?" "Don't miss the Austral" I kept hearing about this road from other motorcyclists so when it came time to decide what route to take to get to Ushuaia it was an easy choice. Besides if I didn't want to ride the Austral the other option was the bland pampa of Argentina on Ruta 40. The Carretera Austral, which means southern highway, is a road through Chile's remote Patagonia region. I didn't have a set itinerary or plan and decided I would just ride until I … [Read more...]
A New Direction
Ushuaia to Punta Arenas After my few days in Ushuaia and more snow expected I packed up the bike and for the first time in a long time, I'm heading north. Jayne, Phil, and Ian were ready to get out of Ushuaia as well so the four of us hit the road together. Under cloudy skies we rode the winding mountain roads until the mountains were behind us and all that was ahead was the flat rolling landscape that makes up so much of Tierra del Fuego. By sunset we rolled into Rio Grande where an … [Read more...]
All in the Family
Ian, Jayne, Phil, and I finally arrived in Punta Arenas late at night after the adventure of running out of gas and then riding in the dark while it started to snow. Needless to say, we were cold and tired. A man that they met a week earlier in Tierra del Fuego had invited them (and now me) to stay with his family when we arrived in Punta Arenas. Mario was expecting us 4 hours earlier but showed up at the gas station a minute after we called and greeted us. He led us to his house and welcomed us … [Read more...]
Torres del Paine
"This park changed my life and it can change yours if you let it. Remember, don't be bitter. Smile… Welcome to Torres del Paine National Park" - Park Ranger I had never been welcomed to a national park with an inspiring talk but it filled me with adrenaline to get out there and experience it for myself. I wanted to know more about this park rangers story but the busses were leaving to take me to the trailhead where I would unload my rented backpack from the bus and begin my 7 day adventure. … [Read more...]
Sailing the Patagonian Fjords
I took a few days to relax after the week of trekking in Torres del Paine and then boarded the Navimag Ferry in Puerto Natales. I wasn't sure about this option because of the price but after reading a few others saying it was a highlight of their trip, I booked my ticket. The Navimag would take me and my moto from Puerto Natales to Puerto Mont. The route goes through the fjords of Patagonia and the views looked incredible. Navimag recently purchased a "new" ferry from Baja Ferries. This … [Read more...]
Lollapalooza Chile
To make it to Lollapalooza Music Festival in Santiago in time I decided I'd leave my moto in Osorno at the offices of MotoAventura Chile and then take a bus through the night to Santiago. It was a 570 mile trip on a boring road that I've already traveled on and the cost of fuel would have made the trip incredibly expensive. A roundtrip bus ticket was $40. Even though I get around 55mpg, the roundtrip on my bike would cost about $115 in fuel. Plus I could sleep on the bus and be ready for a … [Read more...]
Building A House From Dirt
Pucón, Chile From the main road out of Pucón I turned onto a dirt road and continued to follow it into the mountains. The road eventually lead me to the home of Jago and Lucy Pickering. Someone I met at Lollapalooza had told me about their eco home build and I wanted to come be apart of it. Jago and Lucy, originally from England, were traveling around South America with their 3 kids when they stopped in Pucón and ended up wanting to build a home there. With a small plot of land in the … [Read more...]
The Last Border
Pucón, Chile to San Martin de Los Andes, Argentina From Pucón I packed my bike up after 8 days of volunteering on an eco home build. The ride started out the worst way possible. As I said goodbye to the family I got on the bike and instead of turning around in the driveway I decided to just ride through the grass. I had forgotten that the previous night the rain had turned the front yard into a lake. When I hit the throttle and went to turn off the grass my tires went out from underneath me in … [Read more...]
