Days 9 and 10:

Estanza La Angostura to El Calafate and the Glacier

30.11.2017 and 01.12.2017

320 Kms and a border crossing, then a day at the glacier

Firstly sportsfans please accept my apologies for the delay in this episode. It covers one of the best few days on the trip. I have been behind since the outset with the blog, but slowly and surely I am getting there.

On day 2 we missed the first Butch Cassidy showpiece, a small cabin where he was rumoured to have hidden when he was on the run. I was unaware that he escaped from prison in Wyoming and then made his way south initially to Argentina, then to Chile and finally to Bolivia where he, the Sundance Kid and their girlfriend, were shot dead.

The reason we missed the first hide out was that we were dealing with the front tire puncture and this distracted us and set a different group of priorities.

The more important place was on today’s route – the La Leone Hotel at which we could have coffee and lunch.

The first bit of the day was 120 km on horrible dirt, the worst of the trip. A strong wind did not help and we, at the front of the party, were able to take our time. After about 70 km we saw a dust storm in our rear view mirrors and then were overtaken at high speed by the fast riders, being Rob Rees (Our Tour Leader, The Searle madmen and two others, both ex racers and very, very quick, even though two up. Their passengers are all very experienced on the back – being ridden hard by their men! -Seemingly happy women) These are all experienced bike tourists and travel to the continent every year.

So, after being overtaken ET is chomping at the bit to catch up and I nix this, reminding him that the tortoise also gets to the end and we are not exactly laggards, just progressing at a more sensible pace. About 20 km further on we see a group of bikes stopped in the middle of the road and it soon becomes apparent that one of the “high speed” bunch has come off. Who could it be?

This is the road on which gallant Rob Rees saw his arse! Look on the left hand side.

We get there and the person dusting himself off is none other than Rob Rees, the tour leader. This is a major embarrassment and in some circles would be a drink all round as a minimum. He is meant to be shepherding us and not us picking him up! Anyhow fortunately he is OK and has nothing other than his pride dented. This is not dented but rather buckled. Bikers do not revel at one another’s misfortune as we all know it can and will happen to everyone of us at some point.
His bike is a bit more bent with its mirrors askew and the panniers buckled and dented. There are sufficient people around to assist him so we set off again. Eventually after what seems like an eon, we negotiate a very dangerous cow grate which is half hidden and then we are on the tar again, thankfully. Over a small bridge and on the left lies La Leone. This is a thriving stop off point with a roaring tourist trade. It is still cold and windy so a coffee is welcome. We also have empanadas. These are local specialties. Pastry with beef, or lamb or vegetables chopped up inside and when well made, are delicious.

The road from La Leone, is mainly tar and relatively easy despite a very strong wind and now we are on the famous Ruta 40. The mecca for motor bikers from all over the world. This is the real thing! The Carretera Austral and the Ruta 40 – Nirvana has been reached. We ride along Lago Argentinato to El Calafate, adventure capital of Patagonia and a thriving town. We are also about to reach the next great site – the Perito Moreno Glacier!  After stopping to fill up, never easy in Argentina due to the limited number of service stations in most places and endless queues, we proceed down the main road where there is an endless number of outdoor stores and restaurants. This is good news as is our hotel – The Hosteleria Kosten Aike.

The Perito Moreno Glacier – all 30 kms of it.

We are in a good position in town, just two blocks off the main road and with very comfortable rooms and a friendly staff. The real reason for El Calafate is the famous Perito Moreno Glacier so we schedule a car to take us to the Ice Museum- The Glaciarium de Hielo. I am not a big museum person but this is absolutely worth the trip and the entrance fee as it has great displays as to how glaciers are formed and the glaciers of southern Patagonia.

For those of you interested Glaciers are formed by snow falling in their upper reaches and then compacting in layers. These push down due to gravity and then in turn force the glacier along as it moves slowly and relentlessly to its head or as it is correctly called its snout. The Perito Moreno is a text book example of a perfect glacier. It is about 30 km long and is advancing at about 4m per day. It is the third largest store of fresh water in the world.

The Snout blocking the flow of water from one side of the lake to the other.

This glacier is not getting smaller. It has a snout which often strikes land and then its leading edge which “calves” every day, throwing off large and sometimes huge ice blocks as it moves forward and there is nothing to support the ice at the leading edge.

Pressures from the weight of the ice slowly pushes the glacier over the southern tip of Lake Argentina damming the section and separating it from the rest of the lake. With no outlet, the water-level on the dammed side of the lake can rise by as much as 30 meters above the level of the main body of Lake Argentina. This eventually this causes it to “rapture” and then huge blocks of ice tumbles down on the lake. It is one of the most beautiful sights to see. When it breaches, the water has to level off and results in a torrent flooding from one side of the lake to the other.

Face of the glacier 50 -70m high

This event attracts tens of thousands of people from all over the world but will not occur while we are in El Calafate, but we are witness to a number of large, sometimes huge, ice blocks breaking off the front and crashing into the water below. We see a few of these all of which are accompanied by a large crack like a gunshot! This is spectacular enough!

How the glacier works

After two hours we decide to go back to the hotel, but are all in agreement that this has been a highlight of the trip and are all in awe of nature’s power and its spectacular displays.

ET and I decide to do dinner alone as we have been with Andy and Emma for the entire day. We can have a chance to chat and regroup a bit before setting off the next morning with some more big days ahead of us.

We choose a highly-recommended steak house nearby and although it is smart we have the first disappointing piece of meat since arriving in South America. Tough and cold. I send mine back! This is surprising as the restaurant was busy which is normally a sign that it is good.

I have no problem in falling asleep. Tomorrow will be a big ride to Cierro Sombrero – we are getting deeper and deeper south. We also have a border crossing which potentially means more delays.