Track Pete

In which Pete nearly loses Red and gives up once again, before crossing an ice field to spend the night with the Bolivian army at Laguna Colorada and returning to Uyuni for supplies.

In which Pete discovers why the local roads are generally used only by 4x4’s, gets completely lost many times as a result of a horrible map, and is forced to decide between a risky river crossing or giving up.

In which Pete enters Bolivia, runs out of fuel, discovers steep mountain roads do not work well with low horsepower, spends hours rebuilding Red in the dirt, and resorts to portaging gear up hills and through sand before arriving at what was supposed to be the beginning of the difficult bits. Day 87 Begin: Abra Pampa, Jujuy, Argentina @ 10:30AM End: Somewhere between Tupiza and Uyuni, Bolivia @ 8:30PM Distance: 224km (140 miles) in [N/A time/speed average due to borders] Most of today was boring and normal. I didn’t even stop to take any photos the entire day, fairly unusual for me. The road north from Abra Pampa was very bland, and the only spice the day held was my inability to locate additional fuel – both of the stations in Abra Pampa had no gasoline. Before too long I made it to La Quiaca, the border town with Bolivia, only to find the same true of the two gas stations on the Argentina side. I’d read that Villazon on the Bolivian side was much bigger, so I decided to go ahead ...

In which Pete goes for a “dry run” on horrid roads and nearly destroys his moto, only to run screaming back towards normal roads in order to buy much needed water. Day 85 Begin: Salta, Argentina @ 11AM End: Salinas Grandes, Ruta 40, Jujuy, Argentina @ 6PM Distance: 238km (149 miles) in 7 hours (34kmh / 21mph average speed) After so much time away from the open road, I had mixed feelings about leaving this morning. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to leave, more than I just couldn’t quite find the usual excitement about what the day would bring. I got lost in town for awhile before finally finding my way out; I had decided to head off to the west to reconnect with Ruta 40 instead of heading north on the very busy Ruta 9. At the outskirts of Salta I stopped at a YPF for gas only to find that, so typical for this area, they had no fuel available. I grabbed some water and soda and hit the road anyway, figuring I had just over a full tank and fuel enough for a solid couple hundred kilometer...

In which Pete struggles across northern Argentina spewing oil, finds beauty in the painted desert south of Salta, and takes a short mini-vacation within a vacation. Day 69 Begin: San Jose de Jachal, San Juan, Argentina @ 10:15AM End: Famatina, San Juan, Argentina @ 6:45PM Distance: 300km (187mi) in ~8.5hrs (35kmh / 22mph) When I woke up, I thought about maybe sticking around Jachal for another day to spend some time with the awesome people I had met. I knew it was around 1000km to Salta, but I wasn’t in a big hurry because I was planning on flying out of there seven days from now; plenty of time to travel 1000km and coordinate some repairs. Thankfully I remembered to pay attention to the day of the week and realized that if I took my time I would arrive in Salta on Saturday and might not be able to get the repairs I’d need done before leaving – who knows what kind of hassle it will be to coordinate a full engine teardown and rebuild. I got a bit lost on the way out of town and ended...

In which Pete discovers he is stuck over a holiday weekend where everything is closed, manages to locate the only place with internet in town, makes new friends, explores the countryside by 4x4, and gets much needed attention for Red. Day 67 Location: San Jose de Jachal, San Juan, Argentina I was up and out the door shortly after 9:30AM, puttering around town on Red as we carefully looked for a mechanic and some spares. A quick drive down the main street showed something unexpected – everything was still closed! At first I thought the day was simply starting slow, a sort of hangover from Sunday, but as time passed and I continued to circulate the town looking for signs of life I began to get a bad feeling about things. Out near the highway I found the local gas station was open and it only took me a moment to confirm that sinking feeling: today was a holiday, and everything would be closed the entire day except for maybe the super markets which would open in the morning. It was frustr...

In which Pete begins again on the fearsome Ruta 40, heading north into the mountains only to find continuous decay destroying poor little Red. (Missed days 63-64? Actually you didn’t – I spent those two days holed up in a hotel room in Mendoza mostly reading and snacking and napping, trying to crush what I hope is the tail end of a cold that has been dogging me for a month now) Day 65 Begin: Mendoza, Argentina @ 11:00AM End: San Jose de Jachal, San Juan, Argentina @ 8:15PM Distance: 331km (207mi) in ~7.5hrs (44kmh / 27mph), time lost to repairs It’s tough when you begin to lose confidence in a vehicle you expect to take you over some of the most brutal terrain on earth in a few days. Like those moments when you begin to wonder if the woman you’re seeing is as in to you as she was last week - a fleeting smirk at a joke she’d normally laugh at, a sudden drop in response rates to your texts, or the occasional restraining order. You’re no longer simply enjoying your time together, but ...

In which Pete returns to Ruta 40 with a shiny new front wheel, struggles against mysterious engine problems, has an argument with a police officer in the dark, and survives a desert of prickly thorns only to get a flat at Walmart. Day 61 Begin: Santa Rosa, Las Pampas, Argentina @ 10:30AM End: Unknown Location, Ruta 143, Las Pampas, Argentina @ 6:15PM Distance: estimated 350km (218mi), no odometer and GPS datalogger failed I was pretty stoked this morning. Red was shiny and clean, his new front wheel was incredibly stable, swapping out the fat and loud MT40 in back for a normal road tire made him more quiet and docile, and all that ash and gunk was cleaned out of the intake system. The temperature was so warm (upper 50’sF) that I felt free and agile wearing less layers than normal and the wind was blowing straight south while I would be traveling mostly westward – incredible luck that I wouldn’t be traveling straight into the wind the entire day.

The last four days have been a journey across far more than just terrain – I’ve traveled across climates and biomes, struggled through vicious wind, and dealt with massive continued problems with my front wheel. Emotionally I leveled out with calm confident enjoyment of the simple pleasure of the journey as temperatures creeping consistently out of freezing allowed me to finally relax and unclench the mental control required to maintain control in the deep cold. In spite of the problems with the wheel it’s been a good time overall, enough that I found myself disinterested in writing at the end of each day. As I look back at those four days, bits and pieces of each surface in my mind but there is no cohesive whole to any day. Without my log book and the very few photos I took I’m not sure if I’d be able to reconstruct an entire narrative, and even with these any attempt to do so would be lacking. Instead I have decided to detail a series of highlights over the last few days after sharin...

In which Pete discovers a vicious headwind and horizontal rain to be a bit of a struggle and a cold wet weewee to be discomforting and misleading, then enjoys the balance of a tailwind against the need to rebuild the front wheel. Day 54 Begin: Piedrabuena, Patagonia, Argentina @ 10:30AM End: Puerto San Julian, Patagonia, Argentina @ 4:00PM Distance: approx. 133km (~83mi) in ~5.5 hours (~24KMH / ~15MPH average) Today wins the prize for the shortest distance traveled between destinations so far on this trip. I made a tough decision to stop early and rest up for a long day tomorrow after hours of struggling. It started when I woke up and went out to pack my moto only to find the sky covered in dismal gray clouds and the ground covered in water as more continued to fall. As a consolation, the temperature was well above freezing and nearly into the 40’sF, a countervailing omen for the day. Would it be warm and happy or wet and miserable? Only one way to find out: hit the road.

In which Pete begins a new adventure on Red, heading north from the bottom of the world in a frenzy of snow, rain, ice, and brutally intense cold to seek warmth and longer days. Day 51 Begin: Ushuaia, southernmost city in the world @ 11:15AM End: San Sebastian, Chile, Tierra del Fuego @ 7:15PM Distance: approx. 312km (~195mi) in ~8 hours (~39KMH / ~24MPH average, +borders) Leaving Ushuaia was tough for a lot of reasons: subjecting myself to the physical torment of the weather after five nights in a nice hotel, breaking in what felt like an entirely new moto, mentally stabilizing myself for the long weeks of empty straight pavement, and feeling slightly aimless with a nebulous goal of “go north” for the first time on this trip to name a few. I had already put it off one day (the “missing” Day 50) by deciding to hang out in my hotel all day instead of leaving when Red was ready at 1PM… so it was time to man up.

The past few days in Ushuaia have been very different, a genuine rest and mental reset that hasn’t quite been matched since leaving Lima. In a nutshell, I probably spent 90% of my time just holed up in my hotel room, lying on my big comfy bed, and basically doing nothing. The rest of my time was spent grabbing groceries, eating the occasional meal outside, and organizing repairs to Red. The repairs, of course, were the most critical part of this stay – there was always a possibility, however minor, that I would be leaving here on wings instead of wheels. I’m happy to say that thanks to the amazing guys at Moto Pablo, that will not be the case.

In which Pete enjoys a relatively relaxed final day through snow, rain, cold, and intermittent mechanical problems to arrive at his first ultimate destination, the southernmost city in the world – 9,000+ km after leaving Lima, Peru. Day 46 Begin: Tolhuin (butchered this yesterday, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina @ 9:30AM End: Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina @ 3:00PM Distance: approx. 125km (~78mi) in ~6.5 hours (~19KMH / ~12MPH average) Knowing I faced the possibility of severe mechanical issues as I pushed the last 100km to Ushuaia, I woke early this morning to maximize the amount of time on the road. It was strange once again to awaken in a pitch black room, packing all of my gear and brewing coffee in the bathroom on my stove while light slowly began to seep into the world. Going outside to begin loading Red, I was greeted with a shock – the snow and ice was melting! Yes, it was raining mildly, and yes the air temperature was just barely above freezing, but something got warmer ...

In which Pete finds repairs to be a hassle and decides to forgo them, crosses the Straight of Magellan, and begins a frozen ride into the Land of Fire – which quickly turns to the Land of Ice. Day 43 Begin: Ruta 40, El Calafate, Argentina @ 10:30AM End: Rio Gallegos, Argentina @ 5:00PM Distance: approx. 339km (~211mi) in ~7.5 hours (~45KMH / ~28MPH average) Today felt strange. Still recovering from the strange emotions I’ve been dealing with since making it through a week of intensity, leaving El Calafate to head towards Rio Gallegos stirred little excitement in me. The road itself failed to please as well, simply being a road. A strange experience after so much time on horrible Ruta 40 – even the wind cooperated, being at my back the entire time, and the temperature stayed in the upper 40’s. In a nutshell, I crossed 300km of desert almost completely checked out. I did not even stop for a single photo.

I feel broken. It’s as if some of the color has seeped out of the world, the sharpness faded. As if I’m behind my eyes, watching myself, performing on auto-pilot. Finding any sort of emotion is difficult, especially motivation. After the last week, it’s like everything is done. I am full.

In which Pete survives a brutal sandstorm and finds making headway in 30+MPH winds with 9hp to be somewhat difficult, but eventually arrives in El Calafate for a day off. Day 39 Begin: Ruta 40, north of Gobernador Gregores Argentina @ 10:00AM End: Ruta 40, south of Tres Lagos, Argentina @ 6:00PM Distance: approx. 256km (~160mi) in ~8 hours (~32KMH / ~20MPH average) Last night was by far the worst night of the trip so far. It started out so well, nearly windless and well above freezing; inside my sleeping bag it was not only comfortable but actually warm for the first time in days. Outside the strong winds of the past few days had shifted to what could be generously termed only a strong breeze, so weak that I almost did not stake down my tent – a close call I won’t be making again. Around midnight, I finally dozed off, lulled to sleep by the warmth and soft breeze thumping against my tent. A bottle of ice was tucked inside my sleeping bag but outside my liner, slowly warming up and p...

In which Pete encounters fluffy white stuff and crunchy clear stuff then struggles through both before weeping like a baby at his own survival, amidst throwing his chain multiple times and finding frozen water difficult to drink. Day 37 Begin: Ruta 40, north of Perito Moreno Argentina @ 10:15AM End: Ruta 40, south of Perito Moreno Argentina @ 6:00PM Distance: approx. 229km (~143mi) in ~7.75 hours (~29KMH / ~18MPH average) This morning dawned surprisingly warm and cozy, the sun shining gloriously across the cold desert. Once again I skipped my morning coffee due to the hassle of the wind and decided to pack rapidly and get on the road immediately. I use the term “road” loosely – Ruta 40 was at this point a harsh gravel and rock road, and it stayed that way for many kilometers. I could not make any effective headway at first because the road was entirely too rough and I had some major concerns about my front suspension and steering, but eventually I got used to the strange sway dynam...

In which Pete finds amazing beauty amongst wet cold misery, finds 40kmh winds to be somewhat detrimental, flattens two tires and throws a chain, and unknowingly sleeps under an evil omen. Day 34 Begin: San Martin de Los Andes @ 11:30AM End: Unknown Location, Ruta 40, Argentina @ 9:00PM Distance: approx. 363km (~227mi) in ~9.5 hours (~38KMH / ~23MPH average) Leaving San Martin this morning was tough – not because I wanted to hang out in my posh cabin some more and wander this adorable little town, but because it was raining. Nothing makes a motorcycle ride as miserable as rain, especially when it’s cold. The physics of it is easy to understand; you get wet, you get colder. We all know this. Rain, especially in the mountains, usually comes with a cold front and a drop in temperature. We all know this too. Riding a moto mostly exposed to the elements, you are driving at a speed that increases all of these things… with a little bit of thought, we all can come to this conclusion and know...

Today I begin what may become one of the most difficult tests of long term mental and physical endurance and strength I have ever undertaken: for most of its remaining 2500km through Patagonia, Ruta 40 is considered one of the most desolate highways in the world. Over half of the remaining road is gravel, sand, and dirt. The number of towns listed on a map once I pass Perito Moreno can be counted on one hand, and there are many stretches of hundreds of miles without provisions, fuel, or places to stay.

There’s not much to say about the last few days, so I won’t go into terrible detail. On Friday the 13th, I borrowed a spare wheel from Pirincho Motos in San Martin de Los Andes and made my way back up the road towards Red – a trip that turned out to be slightly more complicated than expected. From San Martin, I took the local collectivo to Junin de Los Andes where I found out that the “corte” (cut, or road block) south of Zapala on Ruta 40 that I just missed on my way south was still in effect. As a result, no transportation was heading north on Ruta 40, but was instead taking an alternate route.