December 17, 2024

…And sometimes we mess things up ourselves…

We start at 8 a.m. My bike is still out of commission.
Thanks to Nicola and Stefano’s generosity, the problem is solved for today.
I use Stefano’s bike. Stefano uses Nicola’s bike, as Nicola has decided to stay in the camper with Javier.

The plan is to cycle 60 km west, then get into the camper for the 70 km stretch discouraged for cyclists (called “los malditos” due to the large stones combined with the headwind), and finally cycle the last 40 km on asphalt to Tres Lagos.

We start off a bit apprehensive about the wind, which is supposed to come from the side. However, for the first 10 km, we find it at our backs.
Gigi says to me, “Isn’t this strange?”
I reply, “Yes… just wait, the wind will turn soon enough.”

In the next 10 km, we begin to experience crosswinds—somewhat dangerous, but the angle still favors us slightly.

We told the camper to leave 45 minutes after us. The 45 minutes have passed, and we’ve already covered 20 km. Everything seems fine…
The sun breaks through the clouds. Delightful. We enjoy the wind that, unexpectedly, is our ally.

We’re heading west, and the sun is to the left, to the south—just like when we go from Verona to the lake…
Damn!
I shout to the others, “We’re in the southern hemisphere—if we’re going west, the sun should be to the north.”
Panic.

After a brief astronomy discussion, we all agree: we’ve taken the wrong road.
There’s no signal.

We turn around to head back and slam into a wall of wind.

We need to warn Nicola, or else he’ll set off to meet us (heading west), won’t find us, and won’t be able to call.
Luckily (a Patagonian miracle), we find a spot with a signal. Even more fortunately, Nicola and Javier had to leave a bit later and are still in an area with coverage.
They come to meet us.

After 10 km against a 50 km/h headwind, we’re exhausted, but the camper arrives.
We all ride in the camper’s slipstream, but if you miss a single pedal stroke and fall out of the draft, you hit the wall of wind.

After 2 hours, we’re back at the starting point and should begin today’s stage.
Stefano wisely decides to get in the camper. Alberto follows 15 minutes later.
Gigi, Toni, and I hold out for another half hour, but after just 15 km of the planned route, we all climb into the camper.

Too much fear and effort against the wind.

The day turns into a series of wist, briscola, and tresette games around the camper table.

We aren’t expecting to see anything until Tres Lagos.

A sign tells us that Estancia Siberia (which should have been closed for years) is open.
We turn right and find it.

Matias and Aña are two ex-hippies who traveled all over the Americas and have now settled here, in the middle of nowhere, reopening Siberia (nothing more than a shack surviving the harsh Patagonian desert weather).

Matias, sporting a goatee just like Mefisto (Tex Willer’s nemesis), shows us the skull of a puma he killed.
Then he and Aña prepare gnocchi for us (starting to peel the potatoes, saying it would take 20–30 minutes).
It takes an hour, but it’s worth it.

We decide there’s no point in stopping at Tres Lagos because tomorrow’s forecast also predicts 50 km/h headwinds.
We say goodbye to Matias and Aña and head straight to El Chaltén.

It’s not a glorious day for cycling, but we’ve learned that headwinds are brutal. And, above all, Matias and Aña’s gnocchi made the day worthwhile.

Fabio