the day promises to be radiant and conducive to discovery.
We take this famous road and from the first kilometers the show is there. The various qualifiers describing it do not lie.
The road of "ripio" is not so bad on a good part and then turns into dirt road.
It takes us 3 hours to reach km 55 ... Only because of the many stops photos and videos. The way back is faster : 2 hours.
We do not regret this trip, even if we have covered only a third of the distance and had to turn around.
Ruta 41
This mythical route is described as one of the most beautiful in Patagonia.
Majestic landscapes characterize this most different and unexplored route of Argentina.
These are incredible views of the steppe of Patagonia, rock formations, lengas forests or beech of Patagonia, lagoons and waterfalls.
Not to mention the magnificent spectacle of the "Cordillera de los Andes" with snowy peaks.
It is described by all the tourist guides as a trip of an unforgettable experience.
So why are there so many questions about it:
Simply because the road conditions are extremely difficult. It is not tarred and the winter torments leave many scars on the course.
We ask the tourist office who tells us that we will not be able to go beyond kilometer 55 ... Then the road is impassable.
Los Antiguos
Cold and windy night, and still a beautiful sky.
We visit our first national park the "Reserva Natural Silvestre La Ascensión"
This old estancia of 100 years, has a network of trails of varying difficulty.
We choose a 7 km hike that winds through the pampa with the cordière of the Andes and its snowy peaks in the background.
An extraordinary spectacle.
After having deposited our laundry in a launderette we return to the lake where we find " Pascale and Michel " met at Puerto Pyramides.
The big question of the day: Can we take the "Ruta 41" known for these beautiful landscapes.
Answer tomorrow ...
Los Antiguos
We are leaving the region " Chubut " for the region " Santa Cruz "
The region is crossed by many rivers, which collect the water from the melting glaciers before they pour into the ocean.
These glaciers are the province’s main attraction: breathtaking landscapes that can be discovered in the various national parks.
To reach it, the first part of the road in the area "Chubut" is not maintained and we spend our time avoiding huge holes in the road, while paying attention to vehicles coming in our direction.
Fortunately the second part is more pleasant.
We stop at "Perito Moreno" for lunch after looking for the tourist office that did not know much!!!
After trying to withdraw funds at the post office which refuses because its computer program does not accept numbers of European passports; we turn on " Los Antiguos "
Proud of its title as the national cherry capital, this city is located on the shores of Lake Buenos Aires, the largest lake in Patagonia, and the second largest in Latin America, just after Titicaca.
Before settling down at the lake, we stop at the tourist office where we get a lot of information about the region
Rio Mayo
Today small detour to visit the " Bosque Petrificado "0
This petrified forest reveals fossilized trunks, buried under layers of volcanic ash 65 million years ago.
But this forest was moved here, the trees swept by gigantic currents and frozen in this desert, 100 km west of Comodoro Rivadavia. In addition to the trunks, you can see the footprints of leaves, roots and seeds embedded in the soil.
To access this site, the road is " ripio " sort of gravel mix, use for covering unpaved roads. Driving conditions are difficult and stressful.
On site, we walk the marked circuit under a beautiful sun but with strong gales.
We understand that the wind will accompany us throughout our descent on " Ushuaia ".
After lunch, we reach our second city stage.
Sarmiento
We wake up under a bright sky, the wind has been blowing all night making the camper swing.
Our first thought this morning is to find an open Western Union agency so we don’t have to wait until Monday.
We are lucky ... We find one in a shopping centre.
We walk around town looking for long-sleeved T-shirts that we have trouble finding. We are in early spring and stores sell the "Spring - Summer" collection.
Finally we find them in a large supermaket ...
We leave the Atlantic coast, heading inland. The road along the ocean is known to be extremely windy. It is called " the road of the winds ".
In addition, the regions crossed are often without tourist interest. As proof, in the guide du routard it is a white area .
The road is not too bad and we cross over 100 km of oil fields.
We spend the night in Sarmieto, a town stop on this long straight road.
Comodores
Continuation of our program: Comodores
As every morning, Christophe checks the different levels, and since our departure from the storage he adds coolant.
Today, being in a big city, we go to a garage for an inspection. Nothing abnormal according to the garagisgte ... no traces of leakage!!!
This morning a noise is heard on the left front. Christophe checks and notes that the cardan bellows is torn ... Once again!!!
Having a bellows in our trunk, the mechanic gives us an appointment at 2 pm .... Yes ! here lunch break is important ... 2 hours .
In the meantime we go to " Carrefour " for a resupply ... It is the second store of this chain that we find absolutely dirty and poorly organized. We start our purchases and finally, disgusted, we abandon our cart.
Back to the garage where the camper just passes the gate. Once inside, the repair can begin. An hour after everything is in order ... ouf!!!
Exit direction a nicer supermarket, then an Western Union agency.
Before making the transfer, we ask the employee if she has enough liquidity for our withdrawal. No problem but be carefull the agency closes in 45 minutes.
Immediately we set up the transfer, and Christophe returns to the agency ... He is not the only client ... At 6:00 pm the employee announces that the agency is closing and stopping serving customers .... They react ... but it’s useless.
We spend the next hour looking for an agency with cash flow ... without success. Tomorrow is a holiday ... so we have to wait two days.
We join our evening bivouac by cursing this employee.
At night, a very strong wind rises and settles for the day of the next day.
To not stay in the city we spot a few kilometers a beach to spend the day.
The weather is not good and we can’t enjoy the seaside. Finally we buy a nice fried fish basket and return to our bivouac to wait for the opening of a Western Union agency.
ROAD BOOK 186
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