Festival Nacional de la Esquila

During our stay in Rio Mayo, we attended the National Festival of Sheep Shearing Competition. Quite suprising that a town of 3,000 people would host a National competition, pretty much in the middle of nowhere, but yes, they did. There was a pageant for reinita and gauchito, little queen and little gaucho.

Of course there was the shearing competition, judged both on time and quality.

Some not so willing participants

Later, the gauchos had the rodeo, gaucho style. No chutes here, half the fun was getting on the horse.

The time for the ride seemed to be about 15 seconds

It was hard to tell because not alot of riders made it. The ground wasn't what you would call soft, either. Between rides the crowd was entertained by singing comedians who would ad-lib songs about the gauchos and their hometowns.

Sometimes it was kinda tough to watch. At least the ambulances were always at the gate, ready to go.

On Saturday night there was an award ceremony with the selection of a new Queen and a dance. The Queen was selected at 3 am and I didn't have the energy to stay for the dance, so I have no idea how it turned out.

On Sunday morning the gauchos paraded through town in their finest, it was quite the parade.

The Last of the Ripio (gravel roads)

Taking a break on the road this morning. Yes that´s snow.

You have to see the blue sky of Tierra del Fuego to believe it.

Here´s a little more blue: an iceberg from the glacier that Landon wrote about.

We left some marks along this stretch of road. Even at slow speeds, it is easy to get off track in these ruts of Ruta 40.

Landon giving thanks for the tarmac at the end of gravel.

This is sunset at Bajo Caracoles, where we got the last room in the hotel after a hard day. It had a heater and hot water. We were grateful.

Torres and Glaciers

From Punta Arenas we moved north to Puerto Natales, the jumping off point for the Torres del Paine National Park. We spent the next night camping at the park. The view from the road

Morning rainbow over the campsite. I think to see the really spectacular stuff you need to spend 5 or 6 days hiking and camping your way around the Towers. We didn't have the time.

One of the bridges in the park.

After Torres we went to El Calafate, the base for people from all over the world who come to see the Perito Moreno Glacier. Truly a sight to behold
Yes, it is cold enough to justify all the clothes. Lou checking out the icebergs.

Something from Tierra del Fuego

Tierra del Fuego is the island , just South of the continent, so there all all kinds of categories as to southernmost this and on the continent that, that sometimes it gets confusing . So everyone gets an opportunity to call their town or area "the most". After I paid seven US to get into the park, I had to wait for all the tourists to clear out so I could take the picture. You can see it if you click on the link at the right for Lone Star Cycle BMW. I wouldn't wait too long, they're liable to replace it with another exciting picture of the parts counter pretty soon.

The beaver dam in the Lapatia National Park

On the way to catch the ferry in Porvenir we found this German damsel in distress, luckily we had 15 liters of gas to help her and her friend get down the road. Sean doesn't know what he's missing

An old shot from the trip into Bariloche

Lou learns valve adjustment in the campground in Ushuaia. The 40 degree mornings made it feel like winter here, and made it tough to get out of the sleeping bag.

it happens..... just unload it , stand it up , reload it and 20 minutes later you're on your way

A Ferry Tale

This one's not as interesting as the last one. The ferry to Punta Arenas runs once a day and we were fortunate that another rider told us the schedule so we didn't waste a day waiting on it. We arrived three hours early and the captain let us load early. Six other bikers showed up and they stuffed them all in first.

Loading the ferry

Full boat

Sky heading into Punta Arenas


Some dry docked fishing boats in Punta Arenas

Going to the Dogs

Every now and then you catch dogs being dogs A guard dog on duty in Salta

The captain of the ferry to Punta Arenas

Dogs lounging in Puerto Natales

Happy New Year from Ushuaia

The landscape of Tierra del Fuego

Landon at the Ushuaia city limits. Three months of traveling south brought us to the end of the world on New Year's Eve. His face says it all.

New Year's Eve rainbow at the campsite.

My friend David Lange who flew in on New Year's Day and is beginning his South American journey from here.

Well we're finished moving south. We drove on down to the tip of South America before the end of the year under the powder blue sky of Tierra del Fuego and found a great campground on the edge of Ushuaia with several dozen other motorcycle travelers. The road down was generally good, even the gravel was better than some pavement we've been on. We ran into a few places where the availability of gas became a problem, but thanks to Landon's extra gas supply, we managed. It's generally cool and windy here with occasional sprinkles.

Some great folks at the campground grilled up a carnivor's dream supper for the bikers. It was a great time of getting to know folks from all over the world. At midnight we went outside to welcome in the new year. There was still light in the western sky.

On New Year's Day I was happy to meet my friend David Lange at the airport. We had supper and have spent the past 24 hours catching up on things.

In calling the States this morning, I realized that we are not only far south of home, but also far east. One normally thinks of South America as being below North America, but hardly any of it is. If one looks at the map, nearly the entire continent is east of the East Coast. I'm wondering why it isn't East America and West America.

Tomorrow Landon and I start heading north along the east side of the Andes with another biker, a German friend we met at the border a couple of days ago.

New Year Blessings to all of you.