From the border with Argentina we made our way out to the coast after some warm 35+ deg inland riding. The sight of the Pacific Ocean was welcome as was the cool breeze that greeted us. Some big days in the saddle saw us clock up 1,000km in 8 days of riding and a new max speed was reached 91km p/h – wicked!!

We then ventured further north entering the Atacama Desert at its southern most tip where we are now. However the flat (so we thought) coastal road we planned to ride up through the desert actually climbs continuously over ridges which run from the great mountain peaks of the Andes right down into the sea, spectacular stuff but tougher than we anticipated.

I also had my first desert mirage, quite incredible. While going down a hill with a tail wind I thought my tires were flat, then I thought my brakes were rubbing. I dismounted and checked but the bike was fine. I could not work out why if I stopped pedalling the bike would come to a halt. I re-checked the wind direction and it was a tail wind, then I got off my bike and let it go to see which way it would roll and it went backwards, amazing I thought. Then I had a hard look in front, “yes down hill”, then behind “shit also down hill”. With the symmetry surrounding me, the sand dunes and the dead straight road in front and behind I had no concept of gradient. Now I can see why people say the desert can turn you crazy. Lucky for me it was too late.

The heat of the sand dunes is also incredible. As we ride between them I feel like asking the dunes if they are going to cook me rare or raw this time as the heat is concentrated between the hot dunes, the melting road and the relentless sun. All great character building stuff and actually quite pleasant if you think of it as a relaxing sauna.

We leave tomorrow 4/12/05 up through the heart of the Atacama and toward Bolivia with just a small detour I added to take in some salt flats, flamingo colonies, weird rock formations and 2 more Andes passes (I may have forgotten to tell Angela about) before we enter Bolivia itself. Then the hammer will be down to see if we can get there before New Years as Angela wants to be in a city with hot shower, clean clothes and most important a bar – twist my rubber arm.

Keep cool and drop Angela or myself an email if you get a chance, its always nice for us to know that you know we are out here.

Keep it cranking
Silas & Ange