El Bolson - First cycling update!

Arrived in El Bolson yesterday, after a stunning and hot days cycling. The landscape is truely stunning touring country. Snowcaped peaks, gentle passes, clean lakes and mountain streams and lot of great campspots. As we progresssed further forwards El Bolson, it got drier and much hotter. Getting out of Bariloche was a bit of mission, loads of traffic, but thankfully that died down when we left town. Roads are narrow but drivers pretty considerate, towards us at least, but not of double yellow lines. Today we had our first day off the bike. A bit slack after only one and a half days I guess, but there is great hiking here as well. Went up to a really cool refugio (hut) near Cerro Lindo, real rustic wood smokey place. Agentinias are into their camp fires! Every campground has fire places. We had great views over the valley, the peaks on the other side (which looked remarkably like the Remarkables), down the gorge. Lots of cool and weird looking birds around. Flora not unlike NZ, with quite a few mountain flowers in bloom. It is hot here during the day, but nights are pleasantly cool. We spotted the first clouds looming in the distance today, but hopefully wont come to much. Off tomorrow towards Trevelin, on the back road though the national park. Hopefully more awesome cycling and hiking to come. Will leave it here, tired from the sun and probably too smelly to sit in an internet cafe...Hope all is well with you. Happy new year! :)

Boxing Day 26th: Off to Bariloche

I seem to be good at picking my times away from Christchurch! A few big-ish aftershocks over the past day, parts of the city cordoned off again...
All quiet here, but the city did finally come to live yesterday and we had a pleasant evening out eating, enjoying ice cream an strolling the pavements with loads of people out and about. At a balmy 30 degrees at ten pm.
Off to Bariloche and the hills today. Enjoyed Buenos Aires, but cannot wait to get out into the hills (and cool air)!

day one: Buenos Aires

Hot day here. We went for an explore around town today. It was still deserted in the morning, but is now (afternoon) slowly waking up. The city has a very "European" feel to it, with lots of nice old buildings, albeit a bit run down in bits. Nice place, but I imagined it a lot more lively, which I am sure it usually is! We checked out the ecological reserve on the harbour, which was closed, and the old cemetery in Recoleta, which was open and quite impressive. Nearly like a little town of its own... Pizza tonight, but will have to wait for a while, dinner is usually not eaten until after nine! We hope everyone is well and having a good Christmas!

Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires, the city that never sleeps... except on Christmas Eve! Had a quiet dinner at hostel last eve.. Now off exploring town.. looking forward! Hot here.. Did get to see or rather hear the fireworks though.

All packed and ready to go! ....well almost...

Only two days to go and we are off cycle touring in Patagonia. The plans is to fly to Buenos Aires, stay there for two nights (apparently they do fireworks on Christmas eve :) ), then fly onto San Carlos de Bariloche, and its all on the bikes from there to Ushuaia. We are hoping for lots of tailwinds and not too much rain! Happy Christmas everyone!

Here is a picture of my Surly nearly ready to go, and one all packed up.

3 weeks to go!

then there will be updates from cycling in Patagonia