Santa Barbara to Buenos Aires, and then some...

Left the city late morning - had the oil changed and bought some new waterproof gloves and some duct tape for my rain suit. Uneventful, and I wasn't really looking forward to riding more dirt roads in the rain. Traveled north and took a wrong turn (how do you take a wrong turn onto the only other paved road in the region?, but I did) generally a neutral day until I hit the dirt again and --- tada!--- Incredibly. The beauty gold standard has been revised - tahoe is now only a 9. This region of Chile is amazing. I did a slow drive and only made 145 km all afternoon. Pulled into a tiny little town on an inlet bay and ran into a Spaniard and a Chilean whom I shared dinner with and then found a little cabin on the water. A good day! Nick via BlackBerry

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 ...

I left El Califate and Los Brasileros this morning and did a casual ride of 133 miles to El Chalten. It was nice riding with them but it was time... Arrived El Chalten, Logo del Desierto and Parque Nacional Los Glaciares (Fitz Roy) mid-day with time to hike a little (Aleve is good) and ride up to the lake. For me the gold standard for beautiful mountains is the tahoe region of the Sierra Nevada Range - this place is equally spectacular with the addition of massive glaciers and amazing cloud formations. The little town at the base of it all is charming and hospitable. This afternoon I ran into a kid on a DR650 with a trashed rear wheel bearing and steered him to a shop in Rio Galleros - 450 km away - but there is nothing here and very little in between - he will probably try to truck the bike to El Califate and then take a bus to Rio G to try to find a part. He was coming south on exactly the route I plan on using so it was nice to hear his experiences (having a huge limb break o...

What a difference 50 km makes! Beautifuller. I'm laughing, yesterday the Berkley kid was telling me how fast he rides on the dirt roads - I'm thinking he's a really good rider - NOT! These dirt roads are more like occasionally rough golf cart paths; he's in for a rude awakening (hehe). Nick via BlackBerry

Just crossed the border back into Chile and checked into the Plaza Hotel (but with a Bolivian ambiance - I paid more for dinner than the night) . Have been in places with no cell coverage and this place won't allow me to add attachments - no bandwidth. After several days of light travel I pushed it today. Rode 407 miles in 11 hour 46 minutes with a border crossing and 2/3 of it was dirt and rough rock like a fire-trail road. You can't relax because the road varies from deep gravel (guaranteed to spill a top-heavy bike) to killer washboards interspersed with 1/2 buried rocks that will cut a tire and deep ruts - my arms are exhausted. El Chalten to Perito Moreno then to Chile Chico, Chile. Came across a lot of interesting people today. I was in the middle of NOWHERE when I came across two people walking south - stopped to see if they needed help - No, they were just walking the entire continent (with only small packs) - I've met many bicyclist doing the Alaska - Ushuaia trip...

Left P. Arenas early 3 days ago and headed for the Chilean national park Torres del Paines. Spent two days hiking and visiting. Did a 8 km low difficulty hike to a fantastic vista point below the glaciers - I was happy to be able to do it considering knee surgery just before I left US. The image of the mountains from about 40 km out on the appreach to the park from Puerto Natales - from there on the roads are mainly rough dirt and gravel; unfortunately, they're paving many of the remaining tierra (earth) roads which seemingly takes the adventure out of Adventure Riding. The Brazilians say they took a vote in Ushuiua to "adopt" me and I'm glad to still be riding with them, having a great time, and learning a little portugese how to travel cheaper. We left T.dP. this morning and crossed la frontera (border) in the middle of nowhere from Chile back into Argentina and got stuck at passport control behind a combination hotel/bus (its this monster mercedes bus on ster...

We left Ushuaia early this morning to drive Ruta 3 along the Atlantic Ocean to the Argentien border. At San Sebastian we crossed into Chile and rode dirt roads across the continent following the Straights of Magallan. The views were spectacular - the sea on one side and the base of the andies on the other - with small herds of wild Guanaco and flocks of swan and flamingos resting or nesting on the many small lakes. Late in the afternoon we pulled onto Puerto Porvenir and boarded a ferry over to Punta Arenis. Got in late and leaving early - gotta' go! Nick via BlackBerry

Went out sight-seeing today and wound up at the national park - the road out is officially Route 3 and it's end is really as far as you can drive. There was an amazing RV parked out there which is an adaptation of the vehicles they race in the Dakar Ralley - impressive! Nick via BlackBerry

Arrived Ushuaia on a beautiful summer day - we celebrated with a great lunch, Argentine beer, and heartfelt cheer. I'm going to play tourist for a few days before heading north into Chile. Nick via BlackBerry

Our little family is growing. One hour to go! Nick via BlackBerry

Left Rio Galleros early this morning riding with the Brazilians. The goddess of wind tricked us; it was relatively calm in the city but 20 km out it was screaming - and then it got worst - 50 km sustained with unbelievable gusts. We all had giddy smiles on our faces each time we stopped just to have made it... We only rode 239 miles today - about 70 miles on rutted hard packed dirt and gravel - it wouldn't have been a hard ride but for the cross-winds that would blow the bikes across lanes when you hit loose pack and completely over when we stopped. I met a south african guy in Buenos Aires that told me he had to tie his bike down like a small plane each time he stopped - I just rolled my eyes - now I'm a believer. I hit loose gravel while passing a semi and when I cleared the truck and got hit by a gust I almost became road kill when I was blown 6 ft skidding diagonally - your only friend in those instances is the throttle used liberally. We cleared two borders today - t...

I met up with the Brasileros and a Dutch guy a couple hours after arriving Caleta Oliva - we shared some beers and decided to ride together the following day - they're really nice guys and we laugh a lot but one of them almost killed me when, while riding around a steep downhill curve at high speed with cars close behind, he decided to do an emergency stop (with me between him and the cars) so he could take a picture... I told you I didn't think we shared riding styles. He soon came to appreciate my displeasure and that if, the cars didn't kill him, then I would. At the next gas station one of their bikes started acting up - a Britt riding an old Honda TransAlp from Alaska rolled in - he was heading south also - so after riding slowly as a herd with the Brazilians for an hour we teamed up and raced south to get to town before dark. Gas stations have become little oasis' for adventure travelers (motos) - there is only one North-South road left in the country so like mig...

Here are a couple wildlife images from the canon camera - the llamas were a bonus - I was just cruising along on a dirt road and there they were... Nick via BlackBerry

Had pizza and beers with fellow riders last night - I decided that the Brazilians and I don't have a compatible riding style and the Danes were going to hang around through the weekend. Asi la vida. I headed south getting an early start. Arrived beautiful downtown Comodoro Rivadavia mid day. I'm making good time and the southern latitudes are starting to show themselves - the weather is getting cooler/cold; I had to add layers of cloths this morning and the grip heaters are a welcome addition. For some unfounded reason I envisioned las pampas as a southern version of the rolling plains of Wyoming (sans Buffalo). Little did I expect the barren high desert-like conditions in the above image - and it just goes on and on and on... I rolled through CR to the coast just to see the ocean - liked it, so decided to drive a few twisty roads... Good choice. I'm 80 km south in a little town right on the water called Caleta Olivia. Got the moto bedded down for the night - gonna...

Rode south making good time against monster cross winds - arrived Las Grutas for a late lunch and decided to keep going the additional 250 km. Just out of town the wind got even crazier and then I drove through a little pueblo and, presto!, it was blowing just as hard but in the opposite direction. Shortly thereafter I came across 3 Brasileros on the side of the road - fixing broken spokes on an aftermarket chinese rim- they have beautiful new Yamaha 660 thumpers but one guy decided black rims were to die for... The prior day he changed 14 spokes. Needless to say he wasted today looking for factory rims. I played tourist today and went out to Peninsula Valdez - 390 km, about 240 on dirt roads, to see the same scenery as on the mainland with but, at the end of the road I was overjoyed to see a pod/herd/shitload of elephant seals sunning themselves on a beach... Hmmm At the hotel there are a group of Scots driving 4 Austins (1929-1931) to Ushuaia from Buenos Aires; they're trav...

Now I can say I truly saw Bahia Blanca... Although, if you look closely, you can see a breast on public display - something our former dickweed and traitor AG (no, not Gonzo, the other more prudish traitor) Ashcroft would censor. I'm heading south now with the goal of San Antonio Oeste but I might press on as it's only about 450 km... Nick via BlackBerry

The subject says it all. The day was glorious as I headed across country to the coast - I was admiring these huge billowy cloud formations all day when, with little warning, the sky became a mid-day squall with huge winds and the clouds blew black and dumped on me. It was hot and I could see clear air 5 km ahead so I just thought of the shower as a refreshing little spritz... I have a feeling I'll be cursing similar but more extreme weather like this in the future but today it was hot and nice. Bahia Blanca is a coastal city (I did a B-line for the ocean) with a coastline that a Moscovite would find hard to love. I made good time and, because it doesn't get dark until almost 10 pm, I had a chance to see the old city. I'll snap a foto of the obligatory central plaza in the morning so that if you don't make it here before you go to meet Allah you can say you saw it - it doesn't rate among the 10,000 places top see... Finally, for anyone who still has money lef...

Had a delay yesterday and figured I'd call it good karma - took care of a couple last minute whatevers, had the oil changed, and went to a great old parrilla in San Telmo... Had the traditional Cafe con leche and media lunas at La Pharmacie this morning (see, there is a god). It's a beautiful day for riding and I'm looking forward to Bahia Blanca tonight. I'm off! Nick via BlackBerry

I arrived Buenos Aires just in time for New Years - I was traveling with the max allowable luggage but only three changes of cloths (literally). I brought down a set of tires (not available here), a fender to replace my cracked front, a new fairing to replace a Bolivia damaged piece, a new chain, a spare seat (I'm taking the custom one home to use on the new bike), a heated grip kit and controllers (I'm never doing altitude again in the rain with freezing hands), a front fork brace (it shakes at speed with the agressive 50/50 tires - I learned the hard way in Mexico), new brake pads (super grippy HH front and rear), new waterproof outer gear and riding jacket (a lesson from Peru), misc small parts and hardware, slime, two cameras, two new laptops (I'm a tech mule for friends when I come south) --- they sell kitchen sinks and chain lube here so I didn't bring those althought I should have brought a new front chain sprocket... I had the tires and chain put on and have ins...