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TRIP TO THE SOUTH OF
CHILE AND THE ARGENTINEAN PATAGONIA |
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Be sure to see picture links below after you read
the story |
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Friends, I started to prepare this trip the very day I got my Valkyrie. The first thing I did was to register in the VOA Club and in Valkyrie Rider Cruiser Club. I learned a lot by watching the changes you make in your motorbikes. Some of the changes that I have made to my motorbike are: Carb Shims, vista cruise, FogLites, Driving Lights, Fourways, Turn Signal Buzzer, Super Trapp, KuryAkyn pegs, Memphis Shades Shooter shield, Bicycle computer, Rainbow Headlight, Horns, Mustang SEAT , pullback Risers, filter K&N, tail lights, etc.. And a lot of chromium plated accessories. I trained by riding short and long distances in order to become aware of the requirements for this trip and others that I am planning to make in the future. As for the outfit I wore, rains in southern Chile and Argentine can fall at any time of the year. In fact, it rained sporadically for four days, especially when crossing the Andes Mountain Range. I wore a Hein Gericke Boost jacket and pants which turned out to be fantastic for this kind of weather. They are fully water-proof, have perfect insulation and protect from the cold. As I took just one T-bag, that was enough. One of the most important things to me was to avoid main highways or speedways and not to enter cities, reason by which I made this journey mainly on secondary roads with almost no traffic and good pavement. Day 1 I set out to the south at
last. I left home very early, at 6 a.m.. The road was very good,
but as it is a highway and I intended to take secondary roads only, I
drove as fast as possible. I stopped a couple of times for a short while
to take a rest, eat something and three times to refuel. I got to
Temuco at 18. Day 2 Monday 11: Temuco - Puerto Varas. The road was very good
but with only one lane and very dangerous: Just upon arriving at Puerto
Varas a mild rain started to fall. Chilean seafood is excellent and that
exactly what I ate that evening. Day 3 Tuesday 12: Puerto Varas - Frutillar. It rained off and on all
that day. I rode around the lakeshore, first towards Ralún and then to
Petrohue Falls. On my way back I headed for Puerto Montt and I ended up
in Frutillar where I stayed overnight. In the evening I hit a very good
restaurant where I ate deer, one of the specialties in the area. Day 4 Wednesday 13- Frutillar - San Carlos de Bariloche I left Frutillar for
Argentine and I crossed the Andes Mountain Range through the Osorno
International Pass. It is a 100-mile road by Puyehue lake with a
gorgeous scenery. The last miles to the Aduana (Customs) is a very
winding stretch of road with a lot of curves, and the road is unpaved 10
miles (on the Argentinean side). It was raining and it was windy on the
Argentinean side. The road for the following 100 miles is the most
beautiful thing I have ever seen, it goes around a huge lake, has
perfect pavement, a lot of curves, woods and astounding vegetation.
Riding on a road like this is when one sees the difference between the
excellent Avon tires and those that come with the motorbike. These are
curves that should never end. I touched the pavement with the footrest
on several occasions. It is just exciting how the Valkyrie takes the
curves with these tires. I was a real joy for 100 miles. Day 5 Thursday 14 Bariloche - Termas de Puyehue After staying in San
Carlos de Bariloche for an afternoon and a morning, I returned to Chile
along the same route that I had taken the day before. This time there
was no wind when crossing the Andes Mountain Range, but with heavier
rain and snow. Once in Chile, I stopped at Termas de Puyehue, a
beautiful place to rest with mud baths, thermal waters and all the
facilities that you may find in a spa. By that time I was already
worried about the rear tire, since I had not changed it before starting
this trip, as I did with the front one. I decided to have one sent from
home in case it rained on. Day 6 Friday 15: Puyehue - Pucón. 190 miles From then on, shiny and
hot weather Day 7 Saturday 16: Pucón - Temuco. That day I hit Caburga
and Licanray lakes. An area with winding roads, hills and gorgeous
views. I you are just wondering about the wine..., well... I was still
far from the area where Chile’s best wines are made, but the beer is
very good here because of the large number of Germans that settled in
this region. Temuco is a big city, so I skipped it and stayed at a hotel
Holiday Inn Express away from it. Day 8 Sunday 17: Temuco - Concepción. This was a very special
day because I crossed Chile from mountain to coast. I first went to the
Túnel Las Raíces border pass in the mountains. This dirt 3-mile-long,
one-lane tunnel was long ago crossed by a train, and nowadays, the
vehicles on one direction have to wait until the others on the opposite
direction has crossed it. From there I rode all the way to the
coast. Day 9 Monday 18: Concepción - Talca The main industrial
activity in this region is the exploitation of forests, specially pine
trees and eucalyptus. Just before Talca you may see the vineyards from
where the best Chilean wines for export are produced. You must try them.
Some of the wineries that I like best are Santa Ema, La Rosa , Cono Sur,
Calina, Valdivieso. Day 10 Tuesday 19: Talca - Santiago This stretch of road is
in fact a speedway, so it was of no interest to me and I left early for
Santiago. And the trip was over. Conclusion: I have ridden on motorbikes for 20 years, and nothing resembles a Valkyrie. Hari D |
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Use the links below to see
some incredible pictures of this trip and Hari's bike! |