From Puerto Tranquilo Chile, Jan.12th

From Puerto Tranquilo, Chile Jan 12^th 2013

Well, I finally escaped from Coyhaique.  It wasn’t easy. Nor was it simple. Left with ‘unfinished business’ with my motorcycle, I mean I returned to my mechanics work space early in the morning (by early, I mean 10 AM)  He showed about 11 AM, my bike was packed and ready to leave town and go south but first he had to check his unfinished work from yesterday (my perspective since something had broke since he’d worked on it) and the fact that I now had NO SPEEDOMETER nor DISTANCE calibration. We took the parts and looked them over. He did his work but to no good result. I left feeling that he’d done all he could do and the sun was getting warmer, my desire to leave stronger and in the end I’d figure out what I would need. I could use my GPS to give me distance so I would know when I needed to refuel. (In these areas it isn’t that simple. You fuel up when you see a gas station. It might be 200 kms until the next. Literally.) They are few and far between cause nothing exists between these places- other than beautiful terrain).

I left town, packed and excited. I had my ear plugs in well and couldn’t even hear the sound of the wind swishing past my helmet. It was clear sky and sunny. Beautiful. I was in my head. Mind chatter. Need to slow down this process. So happy to be back on the road. It had been a week. A week of waiting. I don’t do waiting very well.  Alone, moving through the curves, slow down.

I stopped to take  pictures but on one occasion I stopped and dropped the bike and had to wait for someone to come along the road and help me lift the bike. Always embarrassing but what the hell. It just looks weird to see a fully loaded motorcycle over on its side in the middle of a road in the middle of nowhere.

After 125 kms of dusty, dirt roads  and some cars passing me and some I left in the dust, I emerged into Puerto Tranquilo, a small settlement on Lake General Carrera/ Lago Buenos Aires (as the country line passes in the middle , you use the name that is appropriate in each country-it should be mentioned that this is the second biggest lake in all of south America- after Lake Titicaca).

I could have taken the ferry that would have cut out at least 8 hours of dusty roads around the lake, but then this trip isn’t about what is fast or more convenient, it is about the beauty the environment provides, the road challenges and ultimately just the experience.

I pulled out the notes and map and noted that Puerto Tranquilo, a little town whose focus seems to be ‘eco travel’, whatever B.S. that is. Boats leave from here on the lake to see the famous marbled caves where glacier waters reflect on white stone walls in the water creating beautiful images and blue marble tones on the rocks. I was here for other reasons.

 I) I was tired

2)I’d made the decision to go around the lake to visit a woman I’d only heard about. I’d stayed with her mother on Chiloe Island some weeks before, taken lots of photos of the old lady and now I was about to meet her daughter. Nelly left Chiloe Island some 8 years ago and settled in Puerto Tranquilo, managing a resort on the lake front. She wouldn’t hear any idea other than I stay in one of their beach front cabañas, money aside. Beside the mother had called and told her I’d be coming with pictures of her and the daughter should treat me with the best services possible. No complaint on my part. It was interesting to  hear her perspective to hear of how her 13 year old son has to live 300 kms. away to go passed the 6^th grade. Law says a school must exist in each community every 100 kms. But quality or level isn’t clear. He lives with another family, supervised but essentially without  a  family after 13. To his benefit he’s extremely intelligent, can compete with kids whose preparation is better than his and still ranks 1^st out of 41 students. He’s home for summer vacation helping his Mom run this resort. Lots of woman running things. Nothing new. Been happening since forever. The man plants the seed and the woman raises it . Not a formula that is perhaps best but then reality sets in. Abortion is non- existent here in Chile. Birth control is next in line, meaning next to non existant. Interesting. Especially when there is a very strong ANTI DEVELOPMENT/ ANTI DAM  attitude down here. Take control? Take control of environment? Take control of self? Humm.Some things don’t jive. What else is new?

Nellie and her son Ignacio,14, and living in a residencia some 100 miles away so he can attend school. Nellie is the daughter of Sonja who lives on Chiloe Island. Nellie knew I was coming with lots of pictures of her mother so she put me up in one of her lakefront cabanas. That was a nice treat!

lakefront

 the cabana I stasyed in

Sonja, the mother of Nellie back on Chiloe Island.

Another border crossing coming up tomorrow. This is different though.  Argentina has a deep and long connection for me. I’m coming home in a way. Early traveling memories. Early memories of graduate school in Buenos Aires, memories of running from the secret police who thought me  a ‘person of concern’ since I worked in a shanty town. Old friends from 40+ years ago that I will see again. Maté that I will drink again. Steaks and lamb that I will eat around the fire on the distant hacienda I will stay at with old friends. So this is a different crossing, not like most of the other difficult, tedious, frustrating crossings in Central America. I’m excited and preparing for an early departure, though I must admit I could settle in here for another day…but I’m desirous of Argentina  and all that it holds. Open roads of long barren distances in dirt and rock with not much to see, distant gas stations that might not exist or be mirages and where to camp? All fun right now. I would like to connect up with another rider though. Haven’t come across any heading my way. All is good. All for now.