0213 Laguna Blanco to Rio Grande

21st Feb 2015

A lovely sunny morning beside the lake, if somewhat chilly.  I packed up as I ate my breakfast, and when I set off, I hadn’t gone 50 yards when I saw the Swiss couple from the big truck walking across, so ended up talking to them for quite a while. Mark and Barbara.  They have been on the road a while, and like many people I have met, really want to go to Australia.  So I promised to put them in touch with a shipping agent I have used in the past, because one of the big concerns of the big trucks wanting to spend time in Aus is the fumigation requirements for their vehicles.  Mark also has a little kayak he can use for fishing, and apparently he caught 4 big trout in the lake last night !  Wish I had met them earlier before they ate all the trout !

After leaving them, I hadn’t gone 100 yards when I spotted an eagle sheltering from the wind behind a bush. I outfoxed him, and was ready for him to fly away as I approached, and sure enough he did – And I snapped him as he took off and headed over the lake.

Then it was on over the plains.  Joel had persuaded me that it was worth going down a small track that is he very southern end of the road in Chile.  Others had also told me it was beautiful down there, and when Joel said “it is only 60 kilometres”, I decided to go.  And it really was a beautiful drive – Across plains to start with, along with the usual abandoned estancias (Estancia Vicuna this time), past other seemingly abandoned buildings but with 18 big solar panels there, and I also noticed washing on the line – Just no people in sight !  Then I started to come to hillier and more wooded country –

And came round one corner and there was a lone guanaco standing on the top of a little hillock in the middle of the plain, keeping lookout.  The guanaco stick to the open plains, and away from wooded areas, so they can see puma approaching and make their getaway.  (Guanaco are fast food for puma !)  You often see them on high points looking out for predators, and this chap was obviously on sentry duty.  Took my breath away when I saw him outlined against the scenery though.  Then it was into the woods, and up through a couple of mountain

passes – A good (dirt) road surface, but the road was crudely hacked through the rock, with lots of evidence of ongoing land slips onto the road.  The first little pass was up to about 600 metres, and as I came down the other side, there were great views across the valleys, and down to a lake at the bottom.  Lots of evidence of beavers in the water beside the road, with several big lodges and a number of

enormous beaver-dams across the water at various points – Didn’t see any live ones though.  Then it was up over an 700 metre pass, with tight switchbacks all the way up and down the other side, but once again stunning views down to a massive lake at the bottom – One that stretches across the Argentinian border – Ushuaia wasn’t far away on the other side either – There just wasn’t a connecting road handy !

Coming to the end of the lake, it was now 100 kms and a couple of hours from last night’s camp site – So much for Joel’s advice that “it is only 60 kms down the road” !!  So when I saw the two French cars parked down underneath a bridge for protection from the wind, I went down and asked Joel how much further it was to the end of the road, and we laughed about it.  We had lunch – Sitting

in our cars away from the wind and cold – and then I decided to keep driving to the end of the road to see how far it was.  Answer – 100 yards !!  Just round the corner was a sign that said “Road under construction – Using explosives” – And a barrier !  That is why this road is so “roughly cut” – It is still being built !! And while we were there, the big front end loader got itself stuck in the mud beside the bridge – Should give them something to do for a while !

From there it was back north for 2 hours, heading towards the Argentinian border at BellaVista.  When I arrived there, I found possibly the smallest little border I have yet seen.  On the left were 5 or 6 identical little houses – One of which was the Chilean Border post – And it wasn’t the end one !  It took me longer to find the right house than it did for them to stamp my passport ! Then out through a little rusty half-shut gate, and an old “Chile” sign that looked like an antique, and into Argentina – and the little dirt track got narrower and narrower, with lots of unmarked side turnings. When I came to a river,

still with no Argentinian border post in sight,  I was convinced I had taken a wrong turn – Surely the main road between Chile and Argentina didn’t require you to cross a river ? Surely there was a bridge ?  I mean, it was quite a big river !!  But when I saw it wasn’t deep, I decided to cross anyway – And as soon as I did, the little Argentinian border post came into view from behind the trees !  What a hoot !  Once again, I think it took all of 5 minutes to do customs and police, and as I left the policeman did a Telly Savalas and called “Hasta La Vista, Baby !”.  Two seconds later he called me back, all embarrassed – He had forgotten to stamp my form !!  He was so apologetic ! Once done, I was on my way – No inspection of the car, nothing.  It is so good crossing these borders down here, compared to the ones further north !

From there it was 67 kms of dirt before we got back to the black top of Ruta 3 – And by the time I reached Rio Grande it was after 6 pm and I was getting weary.  There was a camp site there, but when I went to look for it, the gates were padlocked and a sign said “Open Monday to Friday 9 to 5” !!  Weird for a camp site !  So I decided to head on down the road and try to find somewhere – But stopped in town first to pick up some bread and a few supplies.   Then about

20 miles down the coast, driving down beside the Atlantic Ocean (first time I have seen that for a while !), I saw a little sign saying Camping.  Drove in – Very basic, outside dunny with no seat and a bucket flush (don’t ask !), but I was tired and had a beautiful sunset to look at while I cooked a quick supper, and went to bed at the end of a long day with a clear sky above and stars as far as you could see. 

Pics here :- https://picasaweb.google.com/117739775480775657932/0213LagunaBlancaToRioGrande?authkey=Gv1sRgCP_Lsbv4w4WuJg#