Tobi, king of the road!

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Saturday 20. January 2018

Even before Tobi offered me a ride he had also offered one to Diana. She's a long term traveller. Back then she refused but then changed her mind again. So there's three of us leaving Santiago.

We're heading south towards the hot springs of El Cajon del Maipo, Tobi's a fan of hot springs :)

The springs are around 3000m up in the mountains, I've forgotten the exact value. As so often we get there via a long gravel road in the mountains. And as always we're not alone, the Chilenos are rutheless with their vehicles.

The hot springs consist of six pools and the temperature of the top one is around 40-42 dregees Centigrade! The water is extremely rich in minerals. It's a little bit like candle dipping. With each dip more minerals attach to your skin and within an hour you're white. Ok, if I wouldn't be white anyhow you'd be able to see...

On the way back we stop at a local "dairy" to buy goat cheese. What can I say? I'm still alive and didn't even have to battle any negative effects :) I guess nothing can kill me now...

Talking about cheese, it's not eddible in South America. Ok, it's eddible but it just doesn't have any taste at all. It's a riddle to me how you can make cheese whithout taste! Even the licensed Camembert is bad! Not even the goat cheese we bought has much taste to it!

Afterwards we make our way towards the border to Argentina. On the way we look for a wild camp site, just as the Chilenos do. The Chilenos are the world record keepers in camping. They seem to go camping in every free minute. Then the weather is creating some really great impressions.

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Sunday 21. January 2018

We found a route through the mountains. When we get to the first turn-off we hear: "Sorry, only hikers and motorcycles." Ok, back through the valley towards Santiago and up the next valley. When we get there it's again: "Sorry, only hikers and motorcycles." We can see a vein pulsing on Tobis' forehead. Again back to Santiago and then via the highway towards the border. Before we get there we select a camp site for the night because it's been a long day.

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Monday 22. January 2018

The road is really windy, curves without end!

This is how it looks in real live from above. Unfortunately the road has almost the same color as the surrounding rock.

At the border there's a huge line of trucks waiting, the line is more than a kilometer long.

On the way to the border there's a tunnel but we decide to go via the Passo de Critso Redentor (~3800m). The street to the pass is making up for some of the previous chaos.

After the pass comes the border to Argentina. It's a combined border post. We drive there and then first enter Argentina!? 200m later we exit Chile... Ok, you don't have to understand it. South America is if it works anyhow...

On we go towards Uspallata.

From there we take the Ruta Provincial 13 (RP 13) to Mendoza. A good chance to camp away from civilization.

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Tuesday 23. January 2018

The RP 13 is a gravel road, an official country road. Also an official connection between Uspallata and Mendoza.

We leave around 09:30 a.m. with the goal to reach Mendoza around midday.

Our first stop is the Cerro 7 Colores of the area and Tobi demonstrates the climbing capabilities of his Landi :) Diana has her eyes closed, the other passenger has a stupid grin on his face...

Ahead of us is the RP 13.

And then Tobi discovers the first track for his Landi, there's no stopping him :D

Diana wants to get out of the Landi but her pleas are unheard ;) Also, she would have missed the following view...

From up there we see another track on the oposite side up another mountain! Tobi and I agree that we have to get up there :D

On the way down there is a section where we have to cross the mountain side. First the rear of the car starts to slide and Tobi slows down. Then the Landi starts to slide down hill completely and Tobi stopps, silence. Now we feel that the Landi is packed heavy on the left side which points down hill. A short discussion about our options and then Tobi stears down hill and let's the Landi ripp! Puh, everything went fine. After a short off-road part we're back on the track. Two of us wear a stupid grin, one is silent. Shortly after we make our way up another track which has not been used in decades... Then we're up there!

Luckily the way down is going along the fall line and is thus much easier as the crossing on the other side.

Then we continue on the RP 13. All of a sudden there's a sign saying: "Private property, don't pass!" And really, the RP 13 turned off towards the left along a dry river bed!

From there on it's a wild ride and once we have to use a side track because one of the wheels of the Landi is off the ground and we nearly tip over. The high center of gravity is taking it's toll.

Now and again we see herds of Guanacos, a great site.

Then we're up on the pass and finally see the plain of Mendoza. However, as we see the road we're a little scard, all but Tobi... I really wanted to see the "Road of death" in Peru but not just today!!!

In parts the street is only as wide as the Landi. There are landslides and streams and stones which have to be moved to clear the way. Good thing we have an excellent chauffeur :D

Further down the "road" followes a dry river bed! What can I say? Country roads!

Our plan to reach Mendoza around midday didn't work out. It took us 5h to complete the 82km, wow!

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Wednesday 24. January 2018

Today I bought a sim card because the WiFi signal on the camp site is crap...

Then I unsuccessfully tried to update the Blog...