We leave Chaiten with gas tanks full heading to La Junta, Chile. Once there we'll gas up and get a local update on fuel and the political unrest south of us.
We stop for a lunch break along the way, while talking to a family on vacation we find out there is no gas in La Junta, at all.
With no gas in La Junta, and protesters keeping the road closed further south, we back track to Esquel, Argentina.
Continuing to see long lines of cars at the filling stations in Argentina we fill up every chance we get.
While looking for a room in Esquel we meet up with Greg from Toronto riding a big dual sport Honda not available in the US. He got stuck in southern Chile with a number of other people due to the unrest and had to take the ferry out.
Being a hard core republican he had no sympathy for the protesters demands, but did say they were polite but firm in their dealings with him.
We stay at kind of a rat nest Hostel, you know, just clean enough but they have secure bike parking, Internet and we were the only one staying there other than the manager Oscar
Feb 24th Friday.
Esquel AR
Greg headed out to continue his adventure.
Max is trying to figure out how to sell his bike before we leave Argentina. He's getting some good responses to his ads.
Jim and I work on bike shipping and airline tickets for the trip home. Today it seems suddenly close to the end of the trip yet we still have 7 weeks to go.
I get a email from BOA telling me they've changed my acct number, crap!
As I know this has happen to most of you I won't list all the hassles involved but add to this it will be impossible to get my replacement card till Knikki actually brings it down when we meet up in Seattle in 7 weeks. Just another challenge on the journey.
Feb 25th Sat
We ride from Esquel to Rio Mayo
Beautiful open county, mountains in the background, scattered rain, nice riding.
We arrive in RioMayo and "get dem ol KTM blues again momma, oh yea"
We stopped at a shop to have the muffler welded up. Then as we are getting ready to leave Max starts the bike and it begins to make some very expensive noises. Very expensive noise requiring professional help.
Of course as with most of the KTM stories there is some humor involved. We roll the bike in to the garage and try to figure our next move when Max turns around and says "oh shit, it's a priest". Sure enough a priest walks in unaware of the perfection of his timing.
Max ask him to bless the bike, I'm thinking last rites. A sign from above.....
The priest obliges us with photo's and takes off.
Jim finds us an awesome place to stay with huge amounts of great food and a great host, most excellent.
Feb 26th Sunday
I clean up my bike, adjust my chain, touch base with my Knikki. Max and Jim find a truck to haul the bike to the next KTM dealer along the way, only 140 miles away. We'll leave at 3:00 heading to the Atlantic Side of Argentina.
We load up the KTM and with some confusion leave town. Great pavement riding. The mighty KLR, my bike, and I struggle to keep up with the convoy, the guy hauling the bike thought we where in a hurry I guess. The scenery is like Utah and the western slope of Colorado but a touch greener.
Comodoro Rivadaria is an oil town trying it's best to be something else. Good to see the grey swells of the Atlantic crashing against the sea wall.
KTM shop seems to be your basic motoshop with one KTM on the floor.
Had hoped to find muffler material for my bike here, doubtful.
A local older couple living next to the shop, Nestor and his wife, adopt us. Our bikes get stored in their down stairs hobby room. Mrs. nestor gives us maps and directions for hotels and a place to eat. Nestor says be very careful in town "peligroso".
We find a hostel with only hot water for cooking privileges and no Internet. We'll research a better place tomorrow.
Oh yes, as today is Sunday and tomorrow is a holiday the bike will not see the shop Tuesday.
Good news or not, local biker says Ushuaia is a two day ride from here. We are that close.
I miss Knikki.
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