#7 Crossing the Andes - Valparaiso to Mendoza

The ride to Mendoza was to be broken up by a night in the La Campana National Park, a few hours inland from Valpariaso. After enjoying some summer weather for a few days after a temperate week in Santiago it was about time to put our camping gear (a large portion of what we're lugging around on the bike) to the test.


Again seeking directions proved more trouble than it was worth – people simply not comprehending our desire to ride up the coast and down into the National Park rather than via the direct highway. I took their point when just as we were setting off a thick fog blocked out any view we may have had. Fortunately it cleared not long after and we were able to ride through the seaside towns of Reñaca, Concon, and Ritoque while taking in the scenery.

We stopped for 'lunch' during the heat of the day in the small town of Nogalles. Again Reece designated himself the person to watch over the bike while I was sent in search of food. After wandering what felt like the entire town for over an hour in my motorcycle pants and boots I returned with iceblocks and chippies to find Reece relaxing in the shade having befriended a number of locals interested in the bike (with names like Pedro, Hugo, Paulo). With conversation impossible, the group had taken photos of each other on the bike and Reece had even been offered a beer. When I joked it felt like we were movie stars Reece looked bemused. It was only then I found out that a woman whom I thought had stopped her car to take our photo a few evenings earlier was actually attempting to photograph the mosaic behind me. Only she couldn't as I was in the way waving my hand at her! What a fool.

The National Park is located at the end of a gravel road, 10-20kms from the town of Ocoa. The campsite is not far from the entrance but the road is effectively sand and rock. Not far up and vehicles are directed to the left; there we encountered wild horses and bulls (fortunately with their horns snipped) but no other campers. Neither seemed to concerned to see us and we found a nice little spot to set up for the night. Fortunately we spotted one other group of campers as we we forced to appeal to their generosity after realising we had forgotten to buy matches – Reece's suggestion of testing our camping equipment at home in Auckland suddenly seemed lot less foolish. My fear of not being able to communicate was overcome by a desire to eat that night especially after such an average lunch! Our naivety astounds me.

A sign pointed us to this palm tree. A 'must see'
apparently - we're not sure why, though it
was pretty big.

The campers were a couple from Santiago. I felt terrible disturbing them as they seemed to want to keep to themselves. It became even more awkward as they took their time searching for matches while we stood their playing with their dog. When they finally reappeared from the tent they not only supplied us with an entire packet of matches, they gave Reece a can of the Chilean national beer – I'm pretty sure it was a shandy and it was delicious!

The next day it was time to attempt our first border crossing. The strangest part was trying to work out what to wear as we were to begin the day in heat, ascend the Andes into possible snow and and ice before descending into the desert. It was mostly highway to the border, save for a detour through the town of Los Andes for cash and a late breakfast. Just before beginning the ascent Reece, against my advice, stopped to for petrol. I fumed inside as at least half a dozen trucks passed us by while we were filling up. It turned out to be of no concern as trucks, buses, and cars leapfrogged each other up the 20+ switchbacks of the mountain. Needless to say the scenery was spectacular and I´ll let the pictures do the talking. We only found out later that we passed by the largest mountain outside the himalayas – Acongagua. Must read up on places before we get there!

Our campsite, Reece drinking his Chilean beer, and
the obligatory stray dog.

Managed to get both ourselves and the bike through customs with little trouble aside from a small hiccup at a police stop. The Argentinian police were clearly unimpressed when one-by-one I handed them the bike's registration, Reece's international drivers permit, medical insurance papers, and insurance for our car in NZ, all in English, in answer to their request for evidence of insurance for the bike in Argentina. Seguro happens to be one of the only words in Spanish we're familiar with after our search for insurance in Chile, but the Argentian police didn't need to know that. After much muttering under their breath, and with cars starting to pile up behind us, we were eventually let through. We still are not sure if insurance is a legal requirement in Argentina.

30+ switchbacks lead the way to the crossing
on the Chilean side.

While I was form-filling Reece met another tourer (do you see a pattern emerging here!) A couple from Mendoza – Hugo and his wife. Hugo with his very little English invited us to his house that night for a meal and (we think) to stay! We told him we had a hostel but we would get in touch (once we know a bit more Spanish). Then, full of excitement, we rode off into Argentina. The ride was pretty slow to Mendoza, not helped by some high winds, and a number of stops necessitated by my falling asleep! Not something you want to be doing on the back of a bike but without an ipod, after a long drive, and in warm conditions I couldn't help my helmet kept hitting the back of Reece's. Still, we were happy to take the extra time to take the scenery in.

Adios Chile!

Then, only 20 kilometres out of Mendoza, after a day riding on highway with trucks overtaking us at 120kms an hour, over gravel, sand, and dirt, and at the top of the border crossing in snow, we had our first fall. It wasn't exactly dramatic – Reece was attempting a u-turn after we wrongly headed down a gravel road and the bike slipped. We can't have been going more than 10km/hr and when I realised what was happening I jumped off leaving Reece to take the weight of the bike. Just another reminder of the need to reassess what gear we can part with after our stay in Mendoza.

The Argentinian side of the border flattened out, and we were
treated to stunning mountain ranges on either side of the road.