Badlanders MCC Website

 

The above translates as follows: “He who hurries in Patagonia loses time” Never a truer word was said! Hurrying to get the miles in, in force 9 gales gave me a broken bike and trailer. Furthermore,  this all meant a further delay because I’d failed to avoid the heavy snow and really bad ice on the roads between Puerto Natales. There’s no doubt about it, you really are tied to nature’s clock here in Patagonia. Weather dictates everything!

 

However, I’m assured that my bike parts have made it to Punta Arenas. They just haven’t reached me. I’m now becoming the proverbial  “dolor en la parte posterior” at Chile-xpress, the local courier. The office is practically 10 metres from the hostel. I can’t understand why the courier decided to travel half way aournd Patagonia with all the other post before dropping of mine! Anyway, I must remember, Quien se apura en la Patagonia pierde el tiempo.

 

This was an opportunity to let the snow subside, and hopefully for the local authorities to grit the roads!!!! It’s not just the UK that runs out of salt and grit during bad weather! Now do we think there’s a business opportunity for bicycle snow chains???

 

Whilst trying to control my budget, I decided to try and eat at local, basic restaurants/cafes. This was also a bad move. It turns out that the price for food varies very little from the back street cafe to the plush hotels, and 3 star restaurants. But the cost of eating slightly cheaper is much greater on the stomach. I have now managed to suffer from food poisoning twice during my trip. Now can someone explain how I can get food poisoning in sub-zero temperatures, whereas, I suffer not one bit in the more tropical temperatures of Thailand, Laos, Vietnam or Cuba! I wondered for a while whether I was developing an intolerance to seafood. An intolerance to seafood! That would be likea world of permanent darkness I certainly hope not.

 

However, on to serious cycling stuff; my reason for being....here! Bike is oiled and ready to go. If the snow and ice doesn’t subside tomorrow, I am going to have to go by 4x4 or ferry from Puerto Natales. Now that would be a real jolt to my mileage plans by a couple of hundred miles, but I’ve always promised to come back and complete, if for any reason the trip was interrupted by anything.  Well I wasn’t planning on an interruptions by way of a broken bike that required parts from the other half of the world ( at a cost of postage that almost exceeded the cost of the trailer!) However, I always realised that the weather might present problems. Let’s be clear, nothing will stop me from cycling the full miles that I had planned.

 

I hope at least to get to El Calafate by bike. I simply must see Perito Moreno. And I must do so, by putting in the miles!

 

Miles.... Now that’s an interesting subject and one that is in need of a sensible, constructive debate as Obama would say! You see, one of my good mates and fundraising champion extraordinaire,  Kev Ritchie has been doing his own research and has calculated the distance to be closer to 8600 km rather than 8600 miles. However, as googlemaps are pretty useless for calculating distances in these areas, I relied on Rupert Atlee and Co’s recorded mileage from Ushuaia to lake Titicaca, which was 6000 miles, 6130 to be exact. I added a modest, but as well calculated as possible, 2,600 miles for the trip on to Colombia. Give or take a few miles, I thought that would be about right. And it fitted in nicely with my total days of service in Local Government. Now I know Barry has alway’s said, leave the figures to him, but if he or anyone else can get a more accurate handle on the mileage that would be helpful. I know that it’s pointless doing it as the crow flies, or as a LAN flight would do it! After all, and Kev will know this, as the crow flies, its about 7 miles from Burntisland to Edinburgh. But you’d have to get a bit wet on the route! And I’m not talking about rain either! The mileage is, a more accurate, 24; so the distance has increased by a factor of 3+! Now there are some difficult lakes, mountains and even bridges to traverse over here in South America, so that might explain the distance. However, it could also be the case that Rupert, Mike and David got a little lost en ruta or were diverted, as I was, by the Glaciar Grey!

 

So as I said, we are in need of a sensible, constructive debate here. The good news is, I wasn’t being sponsored  per mile. But I do hope I aint gonna be here forever trying to find a route that gives me 8600 miles. After all, I could end half way down the Amazon, never to be found again!- the proverbial creeks and paddles spring to mind! So, a sensible debate please. A bit of Barry’s ability to make the figures do impossible things would be welcomed. Indeed, all contributions would be welcomed.

 

As ever; Quien se apura en la Patagonia pierde el tiempo! A metaphor for everywhere and everything else in life .......and, of course,.....The journey matters!