Head in the clouds…

Our two youngsters on their 125s continue their journey through Latin America while on the road to Chile, the Andes are pointing the tip of their noses … On the daily menu: two passes of 4895 and 4516 m. 12th episode: high in the air !

Wednesday April 8, 2009, 10:00 a.m.
The Andes point their nose on the road to Chile! On the daily menu, the Abray del Acay pass (4895 m) and Cauchari (4516 m). And to spice it up, the journey continues on a sandy track…

As good hardened athletes, a big breakfast gives us vitamins for this day which promises to be very difficult: it is the moment of truth for our abilities at altitude, but also for the abilities of our motorcycles in lack of oxygen !

The path is impassable, except in 4×4 and two-wheelers … The warm-up ends quickly with crossings of streams, which force us to calculate the depth for a special installation of the panniers !

The first serious ascent then begins, his head in the clouds, with visibility reduced to 15 meters … PE feels the first breathlessness of his bike, which forces him to gallop alongside her to give him momentum! Recent rock falls make the terrain very difficult, but the scenery is worth it !

After this bad patch, it’s Beru’s turn to block in the vertiginous ascent: 10 minutes of galley at 15 km / h, alternating stroller and stops … Once well started and completely out of breath, we see the summit : the snowflakes land on our helmet and add a little magical dose to the board … That’s it: the 4895 m have been reached !

Breathing a little short, we appreciate the moment before heading back down to the valley for the second difficulty of the day. Our supply in San Antonio de Los Cobres is prolonged because of a torrential rain which makes the pleasure of the locals, happy to chat with strangers !

The second difficulty, that of the Cauchari pass (4516 m), is more easily swallowed. The sun is falling in the valley, the landscapes are magnificent and the cold calmly freezes our hands, but the motorcycle rickshaw sessions warm them up by reminding us that we are in a high attitude … Our ogre appetite reaches its peak. limits and we stop in a village perched at 4500 m, exhausted by this crazy mountainous day.

The next day, we quietly pass the Paso de Sico without a stroller session. The road takes us to San Pedro de Atacama, with its desert on the horizon, the most arid in the world but also one of the most wonderful for its landscapes..

The village, an essential pit-stop in the area, is the gathering place for all travelers: caravans, excursions by bike, on foot or by motorbike, there is something for everyone because we are on the edge of several magical sites such as the Valley of the Moon, the Valley of Death, the lagoons on the Bolivian altiplano (50 km) … Only mythical places !

Friday April 10
Under a blazing sun, without any shade, we climb the dune with our surfboard under our arms, our walking shoes transforming into unbearable weight … In the middle of the Valley of Death – which is aptly named. .. – we are learning about Sandboarding, sand surfing: the sensations of sliding are very fun but it is exhausting: 10 seconds of sliding for 20 minutes of walking … To be tested !

At the gates of San Pedro, the lagoons of the Bolivian altiplano make it a nice destination for the Easter weekend … Reserves of gasoline, food and equipment against the cold: the total for a little two-day getaway … Yes because these lagoons, in the southern Lipez region of Bolivia, are located on a plateau at 4200 m where the temperatures make the thermometer dizzy (+ 20 ° / -20 °) … The planned loop of 300 km on the track is not to be taken lightly !

From the first kilometers of track after the Bolivian border, the chain of Beru’s motorcycle derails and twists in stride … No panic: a chain change later we set off again for a ride, all smiles as we discover the Laguna Verde, a magnificent site !

A few kilometers further, in very difficult ripio, the incident is repeated with the new chain … Already less funny! The diagnosis is fatal: the escapade is over, the second chain of Beru has died … In the twilight and through the freezing night, we decide to turn around: 30 km / h (with the chain twisted ) until the entrance to the park, we are annoyed and frozen…

After a check-up the next morning, we hit the road again at 30 km / h towards the village, then another 70 km further to find the appropriate chain. A good galley, but which is also part of the journey, shall we say !

Thank you for your advice on changing the chain and pinions, we will see all that because the good galley has cooled us down! See you next week !

PE and Beru

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