diary week 7 [15.05.2006-21.05.2006]

don't forget to take a look at the related albums in the  photo gallery. click  here to go to the  main page of this journey report or  here to see  my other journey reports.

day 43 [15.05.2006] - almost snow in polvaredas

about 12 km after leaving uspallata, a bavarian couple came along on their bikes. we talked again and they warned us against the hard front wind, that will follow. we thought it would be the normal front wind, as we knew.

but from km 13 to 30 was such a strong storm, with flurries of over 80 km/h. sometimes we had to get off the bikes and walk a bit. a lot of sand was blown around our heads. really hard!!

after only 43 km we finally arrived in " polvaredas". ther was only one shop and a police station. we camped close to the old train station.

- 43 km -

day 44 [16.05.2006] - puente del inca

today was my birthday. when we woke up, it was very cold. i got out of the tent and looked around. it seems that it snowed during the night. we had luck, the snow was about some hundred meters higher. we had a little breakfast and went to " puente del inca". the 4th and last bike traveller has crossed our way. he was french. when we arrived in puente del inca, it was very cold. we decided to go to the hostal this time. it was almost empty.

- 30 km -

day 45 [17.05.2006] - crossing paso bermejo & down to los andes

from puente del inca it was only about 25 km uphill to the height of the " paso bermejo" (also known as "paso systema cristo redentor"). the last location on the argentinean side is called "las cuevas". today we have crossed americas highest mountain, the "cerro aconcagua", which is almost 7000 m high.

the tunnel to chile is not allowed for cyclists. so we had to ask them and wait, until a car came to bring us through it. on the chilean side was a very huge border control station. we had to take all equipment off the bike and off the trailer to put it on a x-ray. we have lost much time. they weren't really interested in watching the x-ray monitor. they liked more to talk with us. very good security, i thought.

then it went down. we cycled on the famous pass street with the many curves down to " los andes". it was already dark and over 18.00, when we arrived in "los andes".

- 94 km -

day 46 [18.05.2006] - quillota, it gets warm again

we have decided to use the last cycling days to go along the pacific coast to valparaiso. so todays target was " quillota" or "la calera".

it was a very good cycling day. from los andes, we were very soon in san felipe and the road went all the way down. so we travelled very quick that day. it got warmer, the lower we got. at about 15.00 we were already in "la calera". we decided to make it to "quillota".

the region is very green, everyhwere is agriculture. everywhere fruits and vegetables. nice and warm.

- 85 km -

day 47 [19.05.2006] - along the pacific coast to valparaiso, "el camino costero"

today we have reached the pacific coast. from quillota it was a short distance of about 35 km to " concon". from concon, we tookd the "camino costero" (coast way), which gets into the ruta 5 in the north. a very nice cycling way, almost no traffic and always close to the pacific. after about 45 km we came through " viña del mar", a very touristic location. after km 60 we finally arrived in " valparaiso", out target for today.

there was a final uphill to the hostal "el mirador" which was steep. but the view was amazing. we saw almost the whole city from the hostal. it seems to be an interesting city.

- 60 km -

day 48 [20.05.2006] - la illustre ciudad de valparaíso

today we did some sightseeing in valparaiso. we have seen the museum of "pablo neruda", which was a chilean author. he was international famous and got prices like "nobel". in the evening we had a fine but not so cheap dinner in one of the best restaurants there: caleta portales.

all the buildings of valparaiso are very colorful and build in the colonial style. very nice city!

day 49 [21.05.2006] - from valparaiso to santiago by bus

today was a public holiday called "las glorias navales". it's a commemoration day of the chilean marines. today we went only to the bus terminal by bike.

- 12 km -