Badlanders MCC Website

 

After reasonable breakfast at Agua Calientes in the Parque Nacional Puyehue, tempting as it was to go back for another dook in the outdoor volcanic spring pool, I thought I ought to be on my way.  I took the trailer out of the cabin to fit it to the bike and noticed that I had another flat tyre. I assumed that there must be something inside the tyre, so checked it thoroughly, but there were no offending thorns or pins. I used the spare inner tube to save time, as there was a danger of me being charged for an extra day! Given this was my most expensive night’s accommodation since my arrival in South America, I wasn’t about to get charged for another night.

 

I left at about midday, by the time I’d had a stroll around the grounds including a quick shifty around the campsite. I still couldn’t work out why I wasn’t  allowed to camp, other than that there was a lot more cash involved in a stay overnight in one of the cabanas!

 

Though I had the joy of going down the steep 2km that I came up and hoped that I’d be following a flat route around the lake, I was to be mistaken. Some of the climbs were horrendous. But when I did eventually find a flat path, I was clocking up the miles like nobody’s business.  As I passed Lago Puyehue, it was about four o’clock. I stopped in Entres Lago at a minimercado for bananas, but there were none. Indeed, there was no fruit at all, so a few Super 8 bars ( poor equivalents’ to our Tunnock’s caramel wafers) and some surprisingly tasty crisps were all I had for the night, if I was camping!

 

Whilst it would have been possible to stay at one of the B&Bs or Cabanas in Entre Lagos, I thought better of it, having been approached by this guy ( who looked decent enough) and asked for money. There were a few dodgy characters standing around, including one poor guy with the bandiest ( is there such a word?) legs that I have ever seen. He would have been no good in the wall on a free kick. You could have kicked five balls the gap between his knees...bless the poor guy! I decided that it wasn’t the place to spend the night. Better roll on.

 

About an hour just before sunset, I spotted this small set of cabanas called El Salto – the sign said “with WIFI”, and I decided to stop in for the night. You will see some of my sunset pictures from the cabanas. By all accounts it was the right place to stop for the night, and would have been better with digital SLR rather than my Fuji Finepix! With the right camera, a picture of the sunset reflecting off the volcanoes ( or at least that’s what I was told they were) would have been sheer poetry, but you’ll have to put up with my Fuji Finepix shots! Now’t wrong with a Fuji Finepix!!

 

 It was a laugh trying to get my bike and trailer up the stairs which were designed for toddlers feet. However, when I eventually got into the cabin, it was heaven- shower, cooker, TV (which didn’t work, nor did the WIFI, it turned out), however, it was one of the best places I have stayed and certainly the best value compared to my previous night. Last night it cost me £90, tonight it cost me £15 and this included a generous breakfast.

 

Bless her, the elderly woman who run the outfit was beside herself that I didn’t have TV or Wireless! Nevertheless, with those minor flaws, and they were minor, when you think that they are also, quite frequently,a problem in the better and costlier places, and the people who run them don’t really care. They rarely see at as part of the service offer and part of the purchase decision, which is a pity really.

 

This place is to be recommended (and I don’t do this lightly), but Cabanas El Salto on Ruta 215 Pilmaquen gets my vote as the top residencia of the trip so far. And for friendly cheap food about a km away from the El salto cabannas, supermercardo “MyE- Ermita Hernandez Alvarez” provides excellent, albeit limited choice at cheap prices. I got a tin of tuna, large packet of pasta, cheese sauce, a large bottle of coke and a beer for less than £2. Now we are talking value!

 

I got up fairly early, to get on the road to Osorno. The terrain was much along the lines of the route from the middle part of Lake Puyehue towards Pilmaquen and I was doing and average of 16mph, which wasn’t bad given the load. On occasions the traffic was a bit fast and a got a bit close. You get the occasional smart git that thinks it’s funny to see how close they can get to you...normally while they are trying to take a picture of you with their phone or camera, or are speaking on their phone! However, for the most part vehicles treat you with complete respect, esp. truck drivers. I can count on one hand the number of trucks that haven’t slowed right down if they couldn’t give you a full lane’s girth when passing. They occasionally give you a toot... of respect rather than despair ( or at least I hope that’s the case!) and it can frighten the living daylights out of you...as their horns are designed for evacuating cities....and wakening dogs that you would prefer remained asleep.

 

Following the absolutely awful road down from the Andes mountains which you will recall I had to do, almost in complete darkness, the road around Lake Puyehue and for most of the way to Osorno was excellent. Then about 12km outside Osorno, the road construction changed from tarmac to these slab like constructions, which I have only seen here in Chile. As well as the clunky slab joints they often have chunks out of the concrete the size of manholes, That certainly slowed things down a good bit. Fortunately, they are beginning to do some work on the road that links Osorno with the airport, but it soon gets back to poor conditions in the city. I really was hoping that Route 5 was in better condition!

 

However one of the other highlights of my trip appeared in the most unlikely of places, just as I was halfway between Pilmaquen and Osorno. Here I saw one of the most spectacular car museums I have ever seen....yes I mean spectacular! This Museum called Auto Museo Moncopulli was in the middle of nowhere, but was certainly a welcome break in the journey, and allowed me to see, for the first time ever, an extensive collection of Studebakers, many restored to perfection and some in a poor state and awaiting restoration! There was also a collection of old mercs, Austins, Chevrolets, cadillacs and Volvos. Though the location seemed bizarre, I was nevertheless stunned at the way it was set out and the care taken with the cars and some other artefacts! I also picked out my dream Studebaker, champion convertible! Why of course! If you don’t believe there could be such a thing as a top quality auto museum in the middle of nowhere in Chile, have a look at some of the pics!

 

When I arrived in Osorno, I have to say I wasn’t struck on the architecture or general demeanour of the city, which was developed during a period of german colonialism- or was it?. Even the very striking Catedral San Mateo, is not the nicest of buildings. A modern Cathedral with an immense concrete, but not very attractive spire. I stopped at a coffee and chocolate shop where I was treated to a nice brownie and not so nice Nescafe!!!!!. Not a good start. The woman in the “coffee”  shop recommended a hotel not too far away from the coffee shop called Mendoza. We were back to around $120 American dollars, so I decided to keep looking. I found the hotel Waeger at about £35, and decided to stop there.

 

Though I had intended to get on my way the next day towards Valdivia, there was an 80% chance of rain, so I decided to avoid a drenching and give my legs a rest. Nevertheless, I need to get used to cycling in heavy rain as it rains all the time here.

 

It’s got to be said, I felt, throughout the journey past the fields from Lake Puyehue to Osorno, I could have been cycling through any of the country roads in Scotland, England, Wales or Ireland. Lush green grass and cows everywhere! It’s not until you see and hear the spectacular bird life, (which I wish I knew more about) that you realise that you are in a different country. There was one occasion where I passed a tree with about a hundred birds, with a jade green body colour and red fan tails- possibly siskins, but the amount I know about SA birds could be written on a postage stamp. So I’ll let the experts advise

 

 Oh, the other difference is the roads of course...but then, we aint so good on roads in the UK either, are we? Years of under-investment!