As I write this we are nearly rounding 200km pedalled but the shock of some of the first days left our blog duties a little lagging. So with a recount now, we can get you up to speed on all the beautiful people and places and experiences from the next 100.
Awoken by the bus stopping just before our destination of Puerto Montt, in Osorno, the sun was already bright at 730am, illuminating the local giants - Volcan Osorno and the recently erupted Volcan Calbuco.
After arriving unharmed, bike building took a little more than we expected. We had packaged the bikes in a plastic wrap, with both tires off in order to fit on the bus and assembling our bikes only for the second time in a public park, with the wind and sun was smooth but not easy. With some stabilising help from a lovely Argentinian couple and many runs to the bathroom to change, to get water, to possibly say goodbye to indoor plumbing, we set off for Caleta La Arena. We were happy to be under sunny skies and a little surprised at the amount of weight we were now pedalling.
The warm sun, ocean breeze and the indescribable world around us was more than I imagined. We ate snacks on rocky beaches, rode through small towns saying "hola" to everyone on the streets, and we did so with relatively few cars passing by. The whole environment made the many stops for small adjustments - a loose tire axle, a few straps caught in tires, a jammed pedal - manageable and exciting. Those ah-ha moments hit us like bugs in the face, realising that we were actually taking this journey.
We made it to Caleta La Arena in time to catch a ferry to Puelche and set up camp in a field of sheep and their babies.
Day 1 was a huge gift from Patagonia and Day 2 was the really what she had in store for us, we realised. After a smooth and beautiful 10km to the town of Contao, we chose to take the Coastal Route, the flatter but unpaved option to get to Hornoprien. After 1km and 1 fall, we thought the combination of loose gravel and passing trucks was not our calling, and we would choose the paved but more dynamic questa on Ruta 7. Around 5km into our very hilly option 2, the pavement stopped and our day got much, much more difficult. For the next 25 or so kms, we gained elevation for nearly 10km on very loose gravel and only enjoyed 3km of paved downhill. Subtly mocking us were "Obras que unen Chile" billboards that said the whole section would be paved in 2011. The whole day was way more than I expected and a few falls really knocked the Day 1 spirit out of me. This wasn't easy and scenic anymore - it was dusty, loud, and a lot of time was spent pushing bikes up what was certain to be the last big hill.
Our prize at the end of this day was to be the hot springs in Pichicolo. With ever kilometre, my price limit of a night at the Termas got a little bit higher and I was ready to wash off the dust and the day. The hot springs were closed and a nearby field was what we had for the night. Patagonia showed us how challenging she could make even a trip on the road, and I had some doubts about if I was up for her wrath.
An easy 10km on pavement into Hornoprien, surrounded by the Volcan Hornoprien and other snowy mountain fjords, led us to the cozy home of Pablo Chavez and to the marker of our first 100km pedalled. A shower, a big lunch, a movie, and a talk with family didn't make the giant obstacles in my mind seem too much smaller, but I felt warm and loved. We had to find ways to make our journey more manageable and more enjoyable through the suffering, so with a lot of research into what was to come and one 8kg bag sent back to Coyhaique, we were still heading south.
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