North Patagonia

From El Calafate and the Moreno Glacier I went to Mt Fitzroy, a really beautiful mountain range and I was so lucky with the weather, blue sky absolutly perfect. Only on my birthday it was raining cats and dogs, how lucky that I am not superstitious. From there I had to pass the most difficult part of the Ruta 40. I heard from biker who had to fight with squalls up to 160 Kmh. That is the reason why in this area happen most accidents. In my case the wind was on vacation and I was very happy about it. I only had some following wind around 30 Kmh, but I thought the road was enough challenging. In Bajo Caracoles I met some Americans and we rode together over the Paso Roballos to Chile and the Carretera Austral to Coyhaique. The boys had a speed, which reminds me to racing but not to travelling, so I decided to travel again by myself. In Esquel I met Lutz, Elisabeth and Rupert, who travel on motorbikes too and than finally Ingo and Birte – the world is sometimes so small. We made together German „roller shutters“ with „bread dumplings“. It was very yummy and we enjoyed the evening very much :-)

In El Bolson the aim was to catch some sunshine, because the Carretera Austral was quiet rainy.

Pictures to look at in a bigger size.

                        
Mt Fitzroy – was really impressive                                                Camping in El Chalten

                        
On the way to Mt Fitzroy lookout

                        
Left: My birthday - Ingo cooked so fantastic, that I ate so much and could not sleep very well. It was just too jummy
Reight:  The sigs are serious.

                        
Ruta 40. The multi-lanes are good to drive, but if you get out of the lanes it is getting slippery in 5 cm deep gravel – no fun!

                        
                                                                                                    Fuel station in Bajo Caracoles

                        
Border guard at Paso Roballos

                        
Left: The area is very nice, so the best thing is to stop and have a look around.
Reight: Tja, I know the cow grates, but these style with nothing in between are new for me and not really biker friendly

                        
Reight: Somehow I thought my motorbike makes strange noises and I did not know what it could be. At a petrol station I found out, that the holding plate of the quick clutch for the petrol, which I did not use was gone and laying between the front gear and engine on the chaing. Uff, luckily nothing happened.

                        
From Cochrane I did a daytrip to Tortel, a city in a bay, which is built on stilts.

                        
The firebrigade                                                                             I think there is nothing more to say :-)

                        
The route to Tortel

                        
The Carretera Austral direction north, hopefully there it will be warmer and no rain.

                        
Salmon fresh from the breed.                                                        View from the camp site

                        
Left: Big meeting with „roller shutters“ with „bread dumplings“ (from l - r: Lutz, I, Rupert, Birte, Ingo, Elisabeth)
Reight: From Esquel I rode over the national park Los Alerces to El Bolson with nice camp sites.

                        
Left: In El Maiten I wanted to see trains with steem engines, but the museum was closed.
Reight: On the way a artist eternized himself.

                        
The climb was exhausting, but it was worth.

                        
The peak picture with Ingo and Birte                                             On the half way down, a nice beer :-)

                        
Artist market in El Bolson

Pictures from the road:

                        
So it can be bigger                                                                        Snack-bar on the way

                        
Tja                                                                                               Who did not think?