OK, so the Chilean dirt roads can be just as vicious. This morning was just a teaser; this afternoon they got nasty - and then it started raining - a lot! Mi Corazon!
Riding in Argentina was generally flat; throw big mountains and mud into the equation and it gets scar - as in YIKES!
Argentina likes to use danger signs: dangerous curves, dangerous grade, dangerous truck crossing. Chile does not. When you see a Peligroso sign here you have two options: slow down or die. You should expect an extreme turn with loose gravel, reverse banking and a cliff without guard rails - muy peligroso. Needless to say, I had to slow way down and focus on keeping the rubber parts in the down direction.
I had hoped that my new rain gear would be waterproof - a reasonable expectation when you buy quality gear, yes? Silly me. Fortunately my boots are. I need to look for a camping supply store tomorrow for better gear if the sky isn't sunny.
Today I drove Chile Chico to Coihaique. I hope it was beautiful - all I saw was wet.
Tomorrow I will spend an hour tightening things on Mr. Moto.
I got pulled over by some version of military police for leaving a gas station via the IN lane instead of going around the block... These people really need to relax their Pinochet attitude - this guy took himself entirely too seriously - demanded my documents - checked them three times, had a million rapid fire questions - I did the "Doe in the headlights" impersonation. He did the inevitable - say it again but louder and faster - I just slowly scratched myself and tried to look dumber. I was waiting for him to pull a riding crop out of his jack boots and start slapping the bike. Dumb worked - he stomped off.
The rain must have driven all the campers indoors - I had to scramble to find a pseudo-dump for way too much $€¥.
Its only 9 so I'm going to go out exploring.
Nick
via BlackBerry