TORRES DEL PAINE, JAN. 21st

SOUTHERN CHILE-  Perito Moreno Glacier and Torres del Paine   Jan. 16^th-17^th

Sitting at 10:30 pm looking across a still reflective lake at the famous Torres del Paine I am aware of the quietness, the late night light, the quiet chatter around a distant campfire.

This is a lovely spot…and for free. Most everything is very expensive here ( we just had a beer here for $5.00, 3 day park fee is $38.00.(One hour drive through is also $38.00) Gas is about $7.00 a gallon) We are isolated, everything is brought in . Lettuce and tomatoes from northern Chile. Tropical fruits from who knows where.

We’ve been hanging out in our special spot on Lago Azul for three days. Naps, walks in the hills above the lake, dinnertime at dusk (11pm). A real pleasure and a much needed respite from continuous travel. Tomorrow we head toward Puerto Natales and further down toward the island of Tierra del Fuego.

Our campsite on little used Lago Azul. We spent 3 nights and days just gazing at the lake and mountains.

Another view of the Torres.

The remnants of an old dock on the lake. Only manmade evidence of former times. No lights other than the stars.

As I rode out of the park the views from different locations change the perspective. It is quite a place!

I am tired. I’d like not to be packing up every day or two. I feel psychically drained and need to re-invigorate myself with doing nothing or staying in a nice place and just going for walks. I am close to Ushuaia which in most people’s minds is the end of the road. Most motorcyclists return from Ushuaia to Buenos Aires and ship their bikes back home-be it to Europe or the States. Since I still have a good half years my intention is to turn northward from Ushuaia and visit a friend on his large Estancia and settle in for some serious cowboy (gaucho) time riding the range, eating lamb over an open fire, drinking maté and learning a bit about gaucho lore. It is very strong here, and very much alive, unlike American cowboy lore which has faded with history.

This is Chalten, half a days drive further north from Torres del Peine. The picture above and below are from Perito Moreno and Glaciers National Park.

You can get quite close and when the calving starts it is a shaking experience. These ice pieces are 150 feet tall.

Mountains everywhere as you skim down the spine of the Andes

Everything here has a tilt. Not just the jagged peaks but the buildings. I can't tell if it is because of the strong winds that come off of the southern Pacific oceans intermingling with the 1000's of Islands or passing over the Andes and descending onto the plains. It seems built into the architecture. Some would call it sloppy workmanship. Others would say they are doing the best they can with limited and expensive supplies, in either case the mark of early immigrants can bee seen everywhere. The Welsh, Croat and northern Europeans who came here slightly over 100 years ago left an indelible mark.Evidence of even earlier settlements extend back 10,000 years.
 Nature rules though. The roads remain unpaved except in towns and travel is slowed by strong side winds.