Short Circuiting South America

Episode 25 - 40 minutes long Installed in the historic Villa Kunterbunt biker hostel, guest of the very amiable Senor Enzo and Señora Martina, I face a dilemma due my father's imminent surgery, unable to reschedule a flight home, and having no credit card to fall back on in any case. Yet, the charms of Valparaiso made me feel at ease, especially when coupled with the camaraderie of my fellow bikers, who came from Austria, Switzerland, USA, Ireland and several from Germany, mostly on BMWs. One rider was on his life's mission, which involved the death of his father, a motorcyclist. Another came from Mexico on a tiny 150cc budget bike. Not to mention the family’s mischievous but lovable Afghan dog. Experienced an earthquake and I explain the orogeny of the central Andes and San Fernández Tectonic Microplate. Visiting many attractions, including Pablo Neruda's La Sebastiana mansion, their vintage trolley busses, 130 year old cable railway funicular "asensores", and amazing street art, I also pay visit to a master moto mechanic in the capital Santiago, where I saw a vigil in response to a hate crime.
https://youtu.be/lqDv2E25-5I

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Originally Posted by madaru moto

Episode 25 - 40 minutes long Installed in the historic Villa Kunterbunt biker hostel, guest of the very amiable Senor Enzo and Señora Martina, I face a dilemma due my father's imminent surgery, unable to reschedule a flight home, and having no credit card to fall back on in any case. Yet, the charms of Valparaiso made me feel at ease, especially when coupled with the camaraderie of my fellow bikers, who came from Austria, Switzerland, USA, Ireland and several from Germany, mostly on BMWs. One rider was on his life's mission, which involved the death of his father, a motorcyclist. Another came from Mexico on a tiny 150cc budget bike. Not to mention the family’s mischievous but lovable Afghan dog. Experienced an earthquake and I explain the orogeny of the central Andes and San Fernández Tectonic Microplate. Visiting many attractions, including Pablo Neruda's La Sebastiana mansion, their vintage trolley busses, 130 year old cable railway funicular "asensores", and amazing street art, I also pay visit to a master moto mechanic in the capital Santiago, where I saw a vigil in response to a hate crime.

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Excellent... snacks and drinks at the ready
:popcorn:

Episode 26 - 18 minutes long. Leaving the Villa Kunterbunt after almost 3 weeks, I wanted to take a route called Gunpowder Road, but ended up taking a different route. While leaving central Valparaíso I pass a sign saying "Welcome to Cyber Independence" which reminds one of how Chile was one of the first countries in the world to build a working internet - rudimentary and short-lived though it was. Covering 510 kms in just under 11 hours, Atwakey and I see very little traffic in central Valparaiso early on Easter Sunday, though later in the day there was a lot of traffic heading north along the Panamericana. I stop at the Rio Maule, a watershed river in more ways than one, before finding a camping ground at San Manuel, on the banks of the Rio Perquilauquen, a short distance from a place that will always hold a sinister if tragic place in Chilean history.


https://youtu.be/GYyTVzJTtlc

New episode - 16 minutes long. Leaving the camp ground of San Manuel by the Perquelauquen River, I ride northeast to rejoin the Pan American before turning south again. Along the way I see a Chernobyl-like structure, clock up 5000kms and bury a geocache to commemorate, see a perfectly formed volcanic cone, pass an extremely long bridge, give up trying to find a certain fire station in the town of Lautaro, so named after a Mapuche warrior whose incredible story deserves a quick retelling. I had a near accident at the village of Quepe that saw me lock up my brakes for the first time in 5000kms. Then southwards to the town of Freire, where a local hotelier takes me under his wing and shows me some local attractions, including a leaning cupola, a German enclave, and a shooting location for the classic film "The Motorcycle Diaries". https://youtu.be/Y3fFkHQygBw

Epsiode 28, 12 minutes long: Leaving the town of Friere I am frustrated by thick fog which forced me to ride with my visor open. Because of that I made the decision to ride east towards the Argentine border, on the other side of the Andes it should be drier. Today I rode 291kms, and saw some interesting things, including a house surrounded by unrestored classic cars and a mystery wooden machine, a separate motor museum brimming with Studebakers, some high voltage electrical workers, an unusual factory yard, and I briefly recount the tragic history of Galvarino and Janequeo, Mapuche warriors whose tribes held the Spanish off for over 300 years.https://youtu.be/Ct-D00OPE1w

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Epsiode 28, 12 minutes long: Leaving the town of Friere I am frustrated by thick fog which forced me to ride with my visor open. Because of that I made the decision to ride east towards the Argentine border, on the other side of the Andes it should be drier. Today I rode 291kms, and saw some interesting things, including a house surrounded by unrestored classic cars and a mystery wooden machine, a separate motor museum brimming with Studebakers, some high voltage electrical workers, an unusual factory yard, and I briefly recount the tragic history of Galvarino and Janequeo, Mapuche warriors whose tribes held the Spanish off for over 300 years.

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Interesting collection of vehicles at both sites... pity tho that the first location hasn't been able to protect the vehicles and bikes with a large canopy carport as has happened with some of the stock...
What was that a Studebaker pram?
Hahaha
The lakeside room with your bike parked outside... nice & tranquil... Just that tranquility devoid of the crowds, reminds me of some of the lakes I spent time near in various parts of PRC...
Quite the opposite of NW QLD hahahaha

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Originally Posted by madaru moto

New episode - 16 minutes long. Leaving the camp ground of San Manuel by the Perquelauquen River, I ride northeast to rejoin the Pan American before turning south again. Along the way I see a Chernobyl-like structure, clock up 5000kms and bury a geocache to commemorate, see a perfectly formed volcanic cone, pass an extremely long bridge, give up trying to find a certain fire station in the town of Lautaro, so named after a Mapuche warrior whose incredible story deserves a quick retelling. I had a near accident at the village of Quepe that saw me lock up my brakes for the first time in 5000kms. Then southwards to the town of Freire, where a local hotelier takes me under his wing and shows me some local attractions, including a leaning cupola, a German enclave, and a shooting location for the classic film "The Motorcycle Diaries"

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The horsemen were possibly astounded/shocked at how much gear you had mounted... and multicoloured... Martian alert! Hehe
Mismatched mirrors... Haha
What!... limited edition 20c Aussie coin... OMG... Haha
Burnt casserole... hmm...
Amazing coincidence that you stayed on lodgings where the owner had connections to people who had been involved in "The Motorcycle Diaries" especially after the service station attendants directed you to the next town for lodgings... funny how life works out (everything happens for a reason)
The piano and the firetruck used in the movie... wow... after all these years
That 'haunted' house you got to see... reminds me of similarly 'haunted' house in the Waitakere Ranges, West Auckland, NZ... somewhat similar story... said to be haunted with a 'ghost of a child' which was abandoned by the family and remained uninhabited for decades...

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Originally Posted by bikerdoc

Burnt casserole... hmm...

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"Cazuela de Ave" translates as "bird casserole"!

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Originally Posted by bikerdoc

That 'haunted' house you got to see... reminds me of similarly 'haunted' house in the Waitakere Ranges, West Auckland, NZ... somewhat similar story... said to be haunted with a 'ghost of a child' which was abandoned by the family and remained uninhabited for decades...

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This sounds like a bit of a tall tale, but I forgot to mention that Pedro said the German family were rumoured to keep pet snakes inside the house, to deter intruders!

episode 29, 12 minutes long.
Leaving the lakeside town of Entre Lagos, I ride up over the Chile-Argentina border that looks like a disaster zone - because it is! Volcanic ash covered lakes and killed the forest. Some unusual mountains seen along the way, a strange bullet-riddled "Bridge of the Gringo", plus some history about the strawberry, native to this region, including how the humble strawberry patch was used as an ambush weapon, and then before I knew it Atwakey and I were in San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina.

https://youtu.be/w4zK3xGzlcU

Episode 30, 31 minutes long. A few days spent exploring San Carlos de Bariloche, a mountain resort renown for its chocolate, trout fishing and skiing, also its curious past regarding a mad scientist's experiments with nuclear reactions, and the devastating fallout from the 2011 Puyehue volcanic eruption. A few tenuous links to Australia, also a ride up a funicular to see some amazing views, plus a bit about music censorship during Argentina's military dictatorship.https://youtu.be/_AVK5agqluY

New episode, 18 minutes long. Leaving Bariloche I see graffiti sprayed on the road surface that is a reminder of Argentina's tragic past. Scooting around Lake Gutierrez, where wind has whipped up some small waves, I pass the 6000 km mark on my bike's odometer, riding through lovely Patagonian countryside and Ruta 40, after 303 kms arriving in the town of Esquel where I have difficulty finding a room for me and Atwakey, dental problems manifest (again!), and find my expensive cameras and GPS units are all broken. But a surprise is waiting for me in the form of an historic steam engine, the Old Patagonian Express. https://youtu.be/j961-ElgJc8

Amusing sound effects
Pity about the device failures
Lucky you found the multi-disciplined dentist
Oral ABx...
22000 km direct to Sydney
Awesome

new epsiode, #32, only 10 minutes long: In my final afternoon in Esquel I visit a local art exhibition, see something relating to the Falklands War posing as art, see an item recovered from a local time capsule, and see parked in the street an Argentine Ford Falcon, a car which has both a fascinating and sinister role in Argentina's tragic history, notwithstanding its connection with Australia via one of its former CEOs. Farewelled by my hospitable hosts Armando and Anuska, I hit the road, the legendary Ruta 40, continuing south. The land becomes flat, almost featureless, except for a few wild horses and car wrecks. Passing an abandoned gas station and rusted car wreck, I try to refuel from my plastic jerry can in high winds, with limited success, before finally having to drop my bike when caught in extremely strong winds at the town of Rio Mayo, said to be Argentina's National Capital of Shearing.


https://youtu.be/z0OC7cHV_mA

Another great informative episode.
Thanks for sharing and keeping this thread going
:scooter:

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Originally Posted by bikerdoc

Another great informative episode.
Thanks for sharing and keeping this thread going
:scooter:

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Well glad someone is enjoying them! Because Im not getting as many hits as before... but then again the competition on YouTube for eyeballs has never been stronger. New episodes will be shorter, covering only a day or two, so I can post them sooner. Mind you, I have 8 year's worth of video, and at the current rate of posting I will have to live to the age of 120 if I am ever to finish!

Episode 33, 12 minutes long: Leaving the cosy Hotel Aka-Ta in Rio Mayo, I don't even leave the town limits before getting lost, and bogged, near the colourful local cemetery. On an unsealed section of Ruta 40, I found my bike so unstable in the wind that I dared not go faster than 40 kmph. In the town of Perito Moreno, a pretty policewoman convinces me not to continue on Ruta 40, as she deemed it dangerous to ride alone. Heading east along RP43, I take shelter from the strong winds in a purpose built windbreak - but measure the wind to be still almost 50 miles per hour. A quick visit to the oil town of Las Heras, then onto the Bridasaurio, a full sized metal dinosaur sculpture. Arriving at the small village of Fitz Roy, I find no rooms are available and end up having to pitch my tent in howling winds.
https://youtu.be/EVXO6zbvpEI

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Originally Posted by madaru moto

Well glad someone is enjoying them! Because Im not getting as many hits as before... but then again the competition on YouTube for eyeballs has never been stronger. New episodes will be shorter, covering only a day or two, so I can post them sooner. Mind you, I have 8 year's worth of video, and at the current rate of posting I will have to live to the age of 120 if I am ever to finish!

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All good... still following along...
:scooter:

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Originally Posted by madaru moto

Episode 33, 12 minutes long: Leaving the cosy Hotel Aka-Ta in Rio Mayo, I don't even leave the town limits before getting lost, and bogged, near the colourful local cemetery. On an unsealed section of Ruta 40, I found my bike so unstable in the wind that I dared not go faster than 40 kmph. In the town of Perito Moreno, a pretty policewoman convinces me not to continue on Ruta 40, as she deemed it dangerous to ride alone. Heading east along RP43, I take shelter from the strong winds in a purpose built windbreak - but measure the wind to be still almost 50 miles per hour. A quick visit to the oil town of Las Heras, then onto the Bridasaurio, a full sized metal dinosaur sculpture. Arriving at the small village of Fitz Roy, I find no rooms are available and end up having to pitch my tent in howling winds.

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Pretty female cop, pretty pink church, pretty windy plateaus... 2 outta 3 aint bad :lol8:
Attempting to captures the widllife on camera I can relate to that... I recently have attempted to capture of what appeared to be several generations of Roos, on an outback station (NW QLD). They stayed put until I reversed the 4x4 into a better possie to get some photos... and bounded off towards the west stopping some distance away (not so good photos)
Oh well....

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Originally Posted by bikerdoc

Pretty female cop, pretty pink church, pretty windy plateaus... 2 outta 3 aint bad :lol8:
Attempting to captures the widllife on camera I can relate to that... I recently have attempted to capture of what appeared to be several generations of Roos, on an outback station (NW QLD). They stayed put until I reversed the 4x4 into a better possie to get some photos... and bounded off towards the west stopping some distance away (not so good photos)
Oh well....

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Next episode I captured some video of guanacos

Episode 34, 12 minutes long:

https://youtu.be/2Nz6TTw151U

Episode 35: 12 minutes long
https://youtu.be/MFQ_5FzANYc

Episode 36, 10 minutes long

https://youtu.be/OJMt1uv3wc0

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Originally Posted by madaru moto

Episode 36, 10 minutes long

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Another nice vdo. Funny that the taxi driver recommended the hostel that he owned. :lol8:
Wonder what the interior of the nightclub was like
Sounds like you could have done with a Spot tracker or something like an EPIRB for that solo expedition
The expedition :mikey::mikey:
:popcorn:

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Originally Posted by bikerdoc

Another nice vdo. Funny that the taxi driver recommended the hostel that he owned. :lol8:
Wonder what the interior of the nightclub was like
Sounds like you could have done with a Spot tracker or something like an EPIRB for that solo expedition
The expedition :mikey::mikey:
:popcorn:

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Yeah I didnt know he was the owner untill I saw him in the kitchen later that night, as he just indicated the front door and then went back to work. Never went into any discos in Punta Arenas so I dont know what it was like inside "El Templo". On the solo expedition I had a GPS and followed a track so remote that I doubt an EPIRB would have been that useful... unless a fishing boat could be diverted to the shoreline to mount a search and rescue!

Episode 37, 28 minutes, not much about the bike in this episode
https://youtu.be/iFi7xzrgvxY

Episode #38, 44 minutes long. I add some DIY hand grip warmers (they worked well, despite appearances!). Rest of the video is about the British in their efforts to map the Strait of Magellan, the Salesian Catholic mystic Don Bosco and the sad demise of the Selknam native people.
https://youtu.be/T6UvFrwyE0c

DIY hand grip warmers... hahaha... necessity - "the mother of all invention"
The cannonball stuck in the end of the cannon barrel, were the other cannons also similar?
Human kindness and goodwill... triumphs the evil and..
78yo working parttime security, I wondered when you first intro'd how he was surviving (financially) in a fairly sparse location accompanied and responsible for the two dogs.
Shipwrecks, that was interesting, and the two ships/boats leaning on the sides, they looked to be in fairly reasonable shape, as though they were keeled over because of low tide - any obvious reason or ideas what was up with them - were they indeed shipwrecked?
The history lesson and links back to OZ and specific locations - whats that they say... 2-3 degrees of separation and all that..!?
Fascinating IMHO...
Thanks again for linking the vdo and sharing :popcorn:
:thumbsup:

Believe it or not the cheap hand warmers worked well. So well they melted the duct tape and kept slipping. I only needed them till I got out of Patagonia so they served their purpose!
I cant remember if the other cannons had balls in them, or if I even checked. That video was shot some years ago.
I think the dual wrecks that were still upright were about to be either repaired or wrecked in the ship breaking yard they were moored near.
Old Jose mentioned he was former Chilean navy, so I assume he had a pension in addition to his security guard job.
The first wreck in the video, the Lord Lonsdale, was salvaged after and onboard fire and towed to that spot, either to be salvaged or broken up for scrap around the year 1909. But neither happened and its still stands there on the southern approach to the city.
yes around the early to mid 1800s, Britain had lost the war of Independence with the nascent USA but was still a mighty naval power hungry for more conquests. And that did have a lasting effect of they way the world developed. The Beagle voyage was, in effect, a naval reconnaisance voyage with a possible imperial agenda... but also gave rise to Darwin's Theory of Evolution.

Also posted this short "in between" episode in case you missed it, a lot about a vintage motorcycle museum in Australia https://youtu.be/HCYqKZZSYgQ