The amount of rain we’ve dealt with recently is not typical! Instead of our desired rhythm of three riding days then one rest day we have been forced to ride only every other day. The reason? An atmospheric river pelting the region.

The historical average for monthly rainfall in March here is around 3”. On only the three rain days described here we saw a total of 4.5”, and it has rained literally every day we have spent riding too. It’s been a wild amount of water – that goes beyond unpleasant to unsafe to ride in. Daisy and I have been frustrated by the rain, whereas the girls have been elated to have the extra video game time waiting out the storms. Is anyone surprised by that? No? Didn’t think so.

In this post, A’s journal entries are included again.

Day 72: Pargua to Los Muermos (60 km / 37 mi)

A: For breakfast today I had pancakes. It was good. The riding in the morning was fine. My knee was hurting from sitting on it yesterday. Before lunch we crossed a giant river, on a teensy little boat/ferry with 4 or 5 other cars. For lunch we stopped at a gravel road turn-off. Lunch was avocado mackerel sandwiches. There were way too many bugs. Soon we made it to the town we were sleeping in. It started to drizzle, but stopped soon. We had a bit of trouble finding our place, but we found it. For most of the rest of the afternoon me and H played video games. We got to level 110 I the mines in Stardew Valley. Dinner was rice and teriyaki chicken with sauteed vegetables. Bye! That’s all for today.

Today we made a run away from the coast and towards the huge agricultural areas that produce much of the country’s food. Most of the riding today was flat and fast. We took a dirt road shortcut that had us all groaning and chanting “vote no to ripio!”, but we emerged near a highlight: a ferry ride across a large river delta.

The ferry crossing was cute. The boat was small, as A mentioned. Also, each adult is only 490 pesos (about 50 cents US) and kids and bikes are free. So overall it cost $1. This definitely had me wondering why they bother charging at all.

After the ferry we stopped for lunch on the side of the road, which ended in quite a fiasco. A small bug flew close to H’s hand and she reacted in surprise (and fear) by throwing her half-eaten sandwich to the ground. She immediately felt bad about it. Then, A decided a bug had also flown near her half-eaten sandwich and therefore she couldn’t eat any more. How frustrating! Our solution was to get back on the bikes and pump out our annoyance into the pedals. It’s not always fun times on a bike tour, but there are lessons to be learned from it all. This time the lesson was: if you’re hungry don’t throw your sandwich on the ground.

Of course the rain caught us as we finished out the rolling hills towards the agricultural hub of Los Muermos. This is not a tourist town, so it was a bit of a challenge to find an indoor place to stay. We rented an apartment that is typically used by Chileans traveling for work. The owner said he had a tandem bicycle too! I was shocked, since we haven’t seen any tandems yet here in Chile. He suggested that they are more common further north, but we’ll believe it when we see it.

Day 73: Rain day in Los Muermos

We were hoping to ride today, but when we woke up the forecast had gotten substantially worse. It was calling for well over an inch of rain so we decided to stay put. When making breakfast I opened the fridge to get a few items – and realized the fridge was broken. Everything was warm. We are becoming quite used to random mishaps like this as we are forced to rent cabins and apartments to hide from the rain. In our last rental the ‘skylight’ in the kitchen leaked during the deluge. In another the stairs were more or less a death trap. In this one the fridge didn’t work. We always figure out a way to work around whatever the issue is.

Lucky for me there was a minimarket across the street to get a few items so I didn’t get very wet in the pouring rain as I ran out for breakfast supplies.

Something interesting (and convenient) about Chile is that in these towns there are a lot of minimarkets. So many, in fact, that there is usually a minimarket next to or across the street from the large supermarket. We appreciate the convenience when it’s literally raining buckets. Since we were staying another night, our host brought us a mini-fridge to use – from another apartment, after his other guests checked out, of course, ha! We huddled around the wood stove for warmth most of the day, but ventured out to run a few errands. Daisy needed to replace her safety vest and we sought out an HDMI cable so we can hook our laptop up to the TV. It was a pretty boring day, but the kids enjoyed the rest.

Day 74: Los Muermos to Futillar Bajo (73 km / 45 mi)

A: Breakfast: nutella, eggs, yogurt. Delicious. Morning: we left and rode for a long time with the clouds. Lunch: In restaurant, completos, chicken potato soup, and fries. Afternoon: we rode more, making it to town and then hung at our place. Dinner: salmon burger, carrot, bad other fish burger, pasta, ketchup, and the desert cake no one liked. Snack: (before lunch) salt and vinegar potato chips, cheesy chips, chocolate snack bag, water. Distance: 75 kilometers, 4 and a half hours.

This day ended up being (and feeling) longer than we had hoped. As you can see, A was tired enough by the riding that she resorted to a list format for her journal entry. We woke up to the sound of pouring rain, at this point it’s our typical morning soundtrack. The forecast promised us that the rain would stop by the time we were ready to ride (by 11) – and that was true today. We left town on wet roads and suited up for rain anyway.

Los Muermos is situtated on a hill, so for the first part of the day we descended through undulating farmland. In the far distance were wind turbines. This usually implies we are headed for headwind.

We stopped for lunch in a very small town that had a minimarket, a small restaurant, and a big yellow church. It was early for lunch by Chilean standards, but the owner quickly set up a table and welcomed us. The girls got hot dogs with tomato and avocado (AKA ‘completo’), I got a huge sandwich, and Daisy got a big bowl of chicken soup. Eating a big meal out and taking a bit longer to rest really helps us get further later in the day.

Of course, by the time we finished out lunch it was raining! With no choice but to carry on, we suited up again and rode back into the countryside. We reached the wind turbines (37!), but the wind wasn’t strong, in comparison to Tierra de Fuego.

Somewhere along in the day our planned 67 km route became 73 km. Those last 10km felt really hard and we were all tired, but luckily by then it was flat.

Our destination was a touristy German-heritage town. It was settled in the 1850s and many of the buildings retain touches of German-inspired architecture. We settled into a lovely cabin in the middle of the touristy part of town. There are many cafes selling kuchen, a German dessert that is a mix between cake and pie. We set out to buy a few slices to eat with dinner, but they weren’t our favorite dessert. We’ll have to try again elsewhere! Maybe on a future trip to Germany.

One of the reasons I wanted to come here is because across the lake are two amazing volcanoes: Osorno and Calbuco. I thought the girls would be wowed by seeing them. However, all you can see is clouds. I still enjoyed taking my “volcano picture” anyway!

Day 75: Rain day in Frutillar Bajo

As usual, we woke up to the sound of rain. The forecast wast for 1.9″. Again, we had no choice but to wait it out. For the entire day it was so rainy and cloudy that I couldn’t even see across the lake to the base of the volcano. Luckily we had brought enough food to make it through the day without even leaving the cabin before dinner time.

We did, however, decide to treat ourselves to pizza for dinner. I was dispatched to order the pizza and bring it back. When I returned to the cabin in the pouring rain, pizza in hand, I found the flaw of this cabin! The cabin area is set back from the road and secured with an electric gate. The rain was so fierce that the gate opener was flooded and it stopped working. It wouldn’t open to let me in! I handed over the pizza boxes to Daisy to take inside, then I stood there in the rain. I was trying to decide if I should feel dejected and sad, or just continue laughing at the hilarity of the situation. Daisy took pity on me and found the host who yanked apart the electric gate opener and managed to open the gate manually. I got to eat some pizza after all!

Day 76: Frutillar Bajo to Puerto Octay (29 km / 18 mi)

A: Today we rode to Puerto Octay. It was pretty easy with a couple medium hills. There was a block in the road because a cow pond overflowed and caused a small landslide. For breakfast I had three pancakes. It was delicious. I hope we have it again tomorrow. For lunch we had deep fried mashed potato and carne, and meat empanadas from a mini market along the road. I also got extra dark hot chocolate. The ride in the afternoon was mostly flat and had a lot of loud mooing cows. “MOOOOOO!” At our cabin we played video games, read, and took a short walk along the shallow lakefront. There were 3 different water birds and a big white bird. Dinner was meatballs in red sauce and pasta and broccoli. It was pretty good, mmm. That’s all for today! Bye! See you later!

We woke up to the sound of rain again today. Are you recognizing a pattern?! By the time we got on the road it was just barely raining, but it was enough for us to wear our rain coats. The kids wore rain pants, too. We make sure they stay dry and warm!

The ride was relatively short. We passed more rich agricultural land and wind turbines. The sun even came out in the afternoon. The big event was the road closure A mentioned where workers were scooping up mud to clear the road. Daisy talked to a motorist as we waited. He told us that the landslide blocking the road had been caused by a retaining pond on a dairy farm up the hill. Apparently he used to work there and had warned the owner about the danger of landslides. The owner later leased the land to another person and… well the pond overflowed and this was the second time! The guy telling the story was musing about how big the fine was going to be.

Once the road was cleared we descended to the small town of Puerto Octay. As we arrived it was a glorious moment of sunshine and lakeside beauty. We were in such high spirits – it’s amazing what a little bit of sunshine can do for morale. We even discussed riding further, but in the end we stopped at a lovely little cabin with a pellet stove and a washing machine. Both appliances represent true luxury!

Shortly after we settled into the cabin – MORE RAIN. This time with hail too! We were very happy with our decision to stop. After the hailstorm finished we took a wonderful family walk on the boardwalk bordering the edge of the lake. It was fun to see the birds chase fish and each other.

Day 77: Puerto Octay to Entre Lagos (58 km / 36 mi)

A: Today we went to the next town. For breakfast today I had 4 chocolate chip pancakes. Mmm… really good. In the morning we rode for a long boring time. There were a lot of cows. We stopped for an early lunch of empanadas at a nice little roadside mini market. In the afternoon we biked for a while (there were a couple hills) and played video games in a really nice cabana. For dinner we had vegetables and pasta with meatballs and sauce. In the evening we played Stardew Valley and I caught the 2^nd hardest Legendary Fish, the Crimson Fish! Bye! That’s all for today!

We woke up and it wasn’t raining! It felt amazing to get on the bikes and ride two days in a row, woohoo! We have to celebrate the little victories, right? Staying in lakeside towns is so charming and lovely, but it does mean that every single morning we have to ride up a steep hill to get out of the lake’s basin. Today at least we had a beautiful overlook at the top.

It was more rich agricultural land today. After 16 km of riding we stopped at the minimarket A mentioned for an early lunch. It was really a special place. First, we were greeted by a pack of five rat terriers. Then the owner came out wearing an apron with her own picture on it! She directed us to park the bikes alongside her shop and welcomed us inside. She bustled around taking care of everyone that came through. We ate delicious empanadas and Daisy even got to drink an espresso.

By the end of the day we felt the scenery change. There were long (5-10 km) stretches of perfectly straight road bordered by eucalyptus trees and some bamboo. I learned that the eucalyptus farms grew out of government-subsidized forestry plantations and that the trees can grow up to four times faster than in their native habitat in Australia. I’m guessing one of the reasons for the fast growth is due to the abundance of water.

After a days-long ride with no rain we rolled into Entre Lagos. The rain started when we were just a couple blocks from our apartment. That was also when we started to see a bunch of other cyclists! They even cheered us as we passed by, which was a bit surreal. In total, we counted 30 bicycles and have determined that a tour group is staying here in the other buildings.

My favorite moment of the day happened as we were roaring down a big hill. Daisy and H were ahead of A and I, and H sat up straight in her seat. Then she started flexing her biceps like a weight lifter, and then flap her arms like a bird. It was a joy to see! I’m sorry that I couldn’t take a picture because I had to hold on to my own handlebars. Daisy later looked back in her rearview mirror and saw H grinning from ear to ear on the descents.

Another thing that has been happening recently is that A will lift a piece of my safety vest and then poke me in the back. She always says she is smashing bugs… I believe her.

Day 78: Rain day in Entre Lagos

It seems almost comical at this point, but another 1.5” of rain was forecast for today. Since our next few days of riding will take us up and over the Andes, we had no choice but to wait.

We didn’t let that stop us from getting a few chores done though! At a Mall Chino (“Chinese Mall”) we found some fuzzy/warm pants for H, which we will put to good use in a few days when it gets cold. That store was amazing because it was full of anything and everything, from hardware store items, to boba tea, to dishware, to clothes, to arts and crafts. And, as you can guess, all of it has come directly from China. We had an interesting selection of small notebooks to choose from for Daisy to use as her new journal. We also bought a 1000-piece puzzle to pass the time in our cabin as the rain continues.

We also mailed a small package back to the US. 2.5 pounds of stuff we no longer will carry, including 3 complete (full) journals. The lady in the shop had never sent anything internationally before, so it took about 20 minutes to get it all done, but we all persevered to make it happen. The lady called someone else to get special instructions. Daisy answered all the questions about the information needed. My job was to keep the kids from breaking anything in the store while we waited. Success all around. This was stuff we’ve been trying to send home, but in every town for the last few weeks there either hasn’t been a post office or the courier/post offices we have found don’t send things internationally.

In this entry we explore the big island of Chiloé.  This island is a continuation of the coast mountain range of central/southern Chile.  It is rich agricultural land, and also is well-known for extensive seafood.  We saw dozens of mussel farms, some salmon farms, and more fishing boats than we could count.  We enjoyed the differences from the Carretera Austral (especially the sunshine and pavement), but by the end we were ready to leave the wildly steep rollercoaster roads behind.

Day 64: Rest day in Quellón

After our 1am arrival off the ferry we needed a day to rest and recover our strength.  We did need to change cabins, since our landing place was only available one night.  Luckily we found a new place that was just a bit farther down the coast and so fun.  It was a house with one of the bedrooms lofted above the living room and also a little bit out above the yard! 

After we dropped off our stuff at the new house we went in search of a place for a big seafood lunch. Our first try was a bust (the restaurant listed on Google was a daycare in real life), but at our second try we ended up eating a huge delicious lunch of fish, sushi, and other assorted seafood.  It really felt like a day on vacation! 

We had other things on our to-do list, like finding a post office, that we didn’t get done, but then again we were tired.  What we really needed was an early bedtime!

Day 65: Quellón to Cabañas Ranchita del Trauco (54 km / 34 mi)

This first day riding was a perfect introduction to Chiloe:  wildly steep hills, serene countryside, colorful houses, and plentiful services. 

We started the day off riding along the waterfront of Quellón.  We passed many small fishing boats, little houses, and a multitude of barking dogs.  The dogs don’t seem intent on harming us, just being as loud as possible.  Eventually we turned inland on a secondary (paved) road.  It was busy with traffic to seafood processing plants.  H in particular loved the smells of the mussels and clams cooking as we passed.

Before long it was just countryside and we were confronted with the steep hills Chiloé is known for.  We have gotten over many a steep hill on the Carretera Austral, but the grade of the secondary roads in Chiloé finally convinced us to start measuring.  It turns out we can ride grades up to 12%, but once we hit 14% it’s too much.  On this first steep hill we hit today we had trouble even *pushing* the bikes up.  I believe it was around 20%, although we were unable to measure it at the time.  We even saw a car struggling to get over the top.

Shockingly, the top of the hills don’t always throw us straight back down.  We emerged onto a flat plateau of perfect farms.  It was only after a bit more riding that we zipped down to another bayside town next to shimmering mussel farms. 

We rejoined the primary highway (actually a quiet two-lane road still) in time to get a lunch of hot dogs.  We were shocked at how frequently we passed stores and super markets.  It’s definitely time to stop carrying so much food! 

We stopped for the night at an absolutely delightful cabin on a medium-sized lake (Lago Natri).  The owners were so kind – they gave us fresh eggs, watermelon, and a special kind of regional liquor they made themselves.  The girls were thrilled because there was a trampoline to play on, of course. We tried the liquor (it was actually really yummy) and then carried it to the next stop, a hostel, to share with others. 

Day 66: Cabaña to Castro (43 km / 27 mi)

We were lucky that the morning rain passed by the time we started riding.  Under beautiful fluffy clouds we undertook the mornings task: climb and descend and climb and descend, repeatedly.  We climbed the same 100 meters four times.  We mainly listened to an audio book (Alcatraz and the Evil Librarians!), shifted down, and carried on. 

We stopped outside the town of Chonchi at a roadside restaurant where all the construction workers were getting lunch.  Wow was it delicious!  The girls shared a huge plate of salmon with fries, while Jason and I each got our own plates of fish.  The people working there were so nice too.  We left full of protein and energy, ready for more climbing.

There were roadworks underway for the rest of the day, which could mean an unpleasant ride, but in this case we were instructed to ride on the lane closed to traffic.  It was actually pretty nice!  The traffic in each direction was delayed back and forth so we had a nearly traffic-free ride into the edge of town.

The city of Castro is mostly built on a big bluff above a quiet bay.  The lower part of town is famous for the buildings on stilts over the water.  To go from the lower part of town to the upper part… you guessed it.  Huge hill.  The road goes up, but we chose to take a pedestrian path that was even steeper.  I’m not sure why we make these choices!  In the end it took the help of BOTH girls to get each bicycle up the steep path.  While the girls helped one of us, the other would hold the bicycle steady on the slope using the brakes.  Even with both brakes on and the wheels fixed my bike tried to slide! 

As usual, we made it over the top.  Miraculously the town on top was flat!  We walked the rest of the way through the bustling streets to our hostel. It was such a busy city! 

Day 67: Castro to Dalcahue (20 km / 12 mi)

Most of this trip has been on roads with no viable alternatives roads.  Here on Chiloe we have had the option to try out little tiny alternate roads!  Leaving Castro we decided to avoid the major highway completely.  I’m so glad we did. Sure, there was a little bit of gravel/dirt (we started chanting “vote no to ripio”), but it was worth the excitement.  We saw some oddly terraced little hills at the edge of town, biked through some little towns with rainbow names (Llau Llau), and ended up at a dead end road with the only path forward as a narrow pedestrian-only (“closed”) bridge to a dead-end road on the other side. 

We cycled all the way to Dalcahue before we even ate lunch, then parked the bikes while we ate Sushi bowls and fresh juice.  We spent the afternoon relaxing in a cabin and decided to take a rest day.

Day 68: Rest (Rain) day in Dalcahue

The promised rain wasn’t as torrential as we had feared, but it was still good to have a slow day of tourism.  We bought magnets, fancy ice cream, and found a small shop that made delicious burritos.  We ate them for lunch AND for dinner!  It was good to feel like we were really on a vacation for a day.

Day 69: Dalcahue to Quemchi (38 km / 24 mi)

Have we mentioned the steep hills of Chiloe?  Well today we found more of them!  Right away we were hit with a big hill just to leave town.  We took the smaller, locals-only option (yup, more dirt/gravel) and it once again humbled us.  We pushed our ways up and over however, and on top was a smooth flat road!

It was peaceful and pleasant before screaming back down to a river and up again.  And then again.  At this point we took a turn for a dirt/gravel “shortcut.” At the end of the day we told our host about this road and she said that our phones betrayed us with the directions, but we actually enjoyed it!  Yes it was steep but it was also completely free of traffic and through beautiful farmland.  There were parrots (yes parrots!) flying overhead as we creeped slowly up and down the steep hills.

We finally hit pavement (and more roller coaster up and down hills) shortly before our planned accommodations.  The cabin wasn’t quite ready yet so we took a walk down to the water and got a big plate of French fries from a roadside food stand.  We also picked up some groceries from a minimarket.  The owner was really happy to chat with us and tell us about all the very interesting specialty seafoods the people of Chiloe enjoy.  We liked learning about them, and can confirm no such foods exist in the US! 

Our cabin was quite luxurious and on the second floor!  We could see the salmon farms in the bay below.  Most importantly, the internet was sufficient to watch the latest episode of Survivor 50!

Day 70: Quemchi to Pargua (51 km / 32 mi)

By the time this day dawned we were more than ready to see the steep hills of Chiloe disappear behind us.  In fact, the climbs were shorter today.  I’m not sure what got into us, but we just powered through the day.  We stopped only to eat lunch at a lovely overlook.  The road was rural and quiet; in short it was a nice day.

By 2pm we had reached the northern edge of the island.  The Chilean government is in the process of building a massive bridge to connect Chiloe to the mainland, but right now every single bit of traffic has to load onto a ferry.  Two companies run four boats each and it is a constant flow.  We rode directly onto a boat that left after mere moments.

The crossing is only ten or fifteen minutes long but the ferry takes longer because of the wait for landing space.  There are multiple landing locations (three) and we are pretty sure each ferry just goes to whichever is available soonest.  Yet our ferry still had to wait in a ferry queue and then two boats landed at the same time on opposite sides of the dock!  If you’ve taken a ferry in the states (looking at all you Lopez folks!) you are accustomed to a dock that is part of a large complex.  The boats arrive guided in by piers and dolphins (that’s the term for the big guide posts that help a ferry dock properly).  Not here!  There’s just a concrete landing area (a ramp extending into the water, like a boat launch).  The ferry rolls in, lowers the car ramp, and holds steady while the cars drive on and off.  The ferry operators here are excellent.

By 3:30 we reached our home for the night.  Luckily it included an attached garage for the bikes because you guessed it – the torrential rains returned overnight!! The next day the downpour continued and we took another rest (rain!) day.

In this entry we brave the morning rain to ride through another round of beauty between villages before we shelter from more torrential rains in a simple cabin.  Then on the next sunny day (which is the kind of day cycletourists dream of) we flee the cold and rainy Carretera Austral and reach the coast.  Finally, we take a ferry to the big island of Chiloé.

Day 59: Villa Mañihuales to Villa Amengual (59 km / 37 mi)

After three days in one place, we woke up on the fourth day to see more rain coming down.  However, a close reading of the weather forecast (actually, a close reading of four different probabilistic weather models), showed that there would be a good riding window in the afternoon.  We rallied as a family and packed our bags, waving goodbye to the little apartment and the village of Mañihuales.

The road undulated through small farms in the shadow of huge, deeply forested mountains.  We were clearly in a temperate rainforest based on the flora, and also based on the cold drizzle that was all around us.  The riding wasn’t fast, since it was uphill most of the day, and into a stiff headwind.  At this point in our journey we generally don’t remark on headwinds except to say…  this is nothing compared to Tierra del Fuego!

By lunchtime 20km into the day we were wet and cold.  We stopped the moment was saw a sheltered bus stop.  As we ate our avocado-tuna sandwiches the rain poured down, but miraculously it stopped as we began riding again.  For the rest of the day we were under a pocket of sunny skies with rain clouds ahead and behind.  It was an amazing afternoon in spectacular mountain scenery.

At one point we were riding on a long steep uphill when I looked up and saw a huge, sheer rock face right next to the road.  I gasped and said “Look, there’s half dome!’, referencing the extremely famous landmark in Yosemite National Park.  Of course, here in Patagonia it was just a sentinel to passing soggy cyclists. 

Our patch of sun followed us all the way to the very tiny hamlet of Villa Amengual.  This little village is perched on a hillside above a river, with towering mountains in every direction.  The girls stopped at the central square to test out the playground equipment and greet the local dogs.  As we rested there it started to rain (of course) and then the woman that runs the cabins in town came to find us.  We had been chatting with her to make sure a cabin would be waiting for us, but she revealed the other cyclists in town had decided not to vacate the cabin!  No worries, she had called around to find us another cabin up the road.  She said ‘Go knock on the door of the two-story white house.’ 

We found the two-story white house and someone quickly came out to welcome us. She took us to a very simple cabin down a soggy mud driveway, where a warm fire greeted us.  We were very happy to have a home out of the rain! The hosts were so friendly to us.  They brought lots of firewood (it was cold!) and shared many local history stories.  We learned about the priest that set up home in Patagonia in the 70s and 80s, connecting communities and facilitating trade (and many marriages).  We learned about the road construction, a mudslide disaster, and the giant satellite dish that made TV possible in the 90s–but only a Mexican TV station. 

Day 60: Rest day in Villa Amengual

Oh my gosh the rain would not stop!!  It must have rained 1.5 inches in a single day, just nonstop.  We only went out to track down food, which was actually difficult.  The village has three places to buy food, in theory, but one was closed and another was ‘open’ but no one was there.  The final store was on the other side of town along the highway.  It was actually open!  It was also the meat / butcher shop, so we were able to get what we needed for dinner.  It didn’t have vegetables, but we had inexplicably carried huge pieces of squash, cabbage, onion, and carrots from the previous town. Who would have guessed?

Day 61: Villa Amengualto Refugio Rio Cisnes (7 km / 4 mi)

We thought the rain had cleared up enough to make at least some forward progress, so we decided to ride a very short day to a nature preserve along the mighty Rio Cisnes.  We left town in a spot of sunshine.  It felt like an enormous privilege to be riding through the rainforest and past many rushing streams.  It was a bit of climb leaving town, and by the top of it… the rain returned!

As we crested the top and began the quick descent towards the river the beautiful sun spot became driving rain and dangerous gusts of wind.  We carefully descended, concentrating on keeping the bikes upright around the curves and through the gusts.  A couple of French travelers pulled over in front of us and lifted our spirits with balls of Lindt chocolate!  This was unexpected but delightful.

Shortly after the road straightened out we reached our destination.  It looked medium abandoned, but we stopped at the small building labeled ‘café’ to find a warm fire and a lovely spot to sit out of the rain.  Soon we were eating a delicious lunch of hot dogs and ham/cheese/egg sandwiches while our cabin was prepared.  When we finished eating we headed down to the cabin/lodge, which is set up to have rooms rented separately for up to 8 people.  We correctly had guessed that no one else would visit on this rainy day, and we got the entire picturesque cabin to ourselves.  It was lovely!  But also cold.

It took Jason four tries to get the wood fire started, since the wood provided was soggy and too green to really burn well.  Eventually he scavenged for better (older) wood under the cabin and soon we were in business!  We spent the afternoon reading, taking a little hike along the river, and preparing a surprisingly yummy chicken and green bean pilaf for dinner.  We all decided to sleep in the loft, occupying four single beds in the warmth above the stove.

Day 62: Refugio Rio Cisnes to Puerto Cisnes (55 km / 34 mi)

We awoke to perfect sun and blue sky. The mist was rising off the hillsides as we set out for a spectacular day of riding.  After so many cold and rainy days, we had made the decision to make a run for the coast and hop a ferry to the warmer island of Chiloe.  It was wonderful to have one perfect day of riding in this area before we left the rainy coast entirely. 

We rode in the shadow of the steep cliffs all morning along the beautiful Rio Cisnes.  It seemed that every hundred feet we passed another small stream/waterfall as it crossed the road.  We were in excellent spirits.

One noteworthy part of our route was passing the Piedra del Gato (cat rock) which is a sheer rock face above the river.  The road passes it in a raised section, and before the roadworks it took an entire day to get around this bottleneck.  I could see some of the ropes used by construction workers, still hanging abandoned on the rock face. 

In the early afternoon we turned off the Carretera Austral.  This was a big moment after nearly 800km on this one famous road.  It is one of the most famous cycling routes in the world, and for good reason.  Jason and I of course have already cycled it in its entirety, but we were delighted to turn off and pedal towards new routes.

The spur road to Puerto Cisnes was absolutely delightful as well.  There was almost no traffic and the grade was gentle as we zipped along the river valley.  We were delighted to reach the small port town at the mouth of the river.  We dropped our belongings (and the kids) off at our cabin and went to make sure everything was in order for the ferry to Chiloe. 

The ferry takes 12 hours and was scheduled to depart at 11am the next day.  We had already purchased tickets for the humans, but needed to buy tickets for the bicycles.  The bicycle tickets were surprisingly expensive, about $50 per bicycle.  Humans were $35 each, except H who was inexplicably free.  In any case, we got our tickets printed and paid for.

That evening we ordered pizzas and wandered town as they cooked.  It was such a nice town!  A lovely park straddled a stream in the middle of town, and there were all services you could need (including playgrounds).  We bought fruit at the fruit store, visited the ATM, and the pizzas were incredibly delicious when they were finally ready.  We took them back to our cabin where we ate and watched the second episode of Survivor season 50 (which is excellent as well!). Jason and A took a trip to a grocery store and were completely tickled to see a cat eating out of the sold-by-weight cat food bin inside the store! He asked the lady if cats eat free, and she said ‘Yes, this one does, it lives here!’

This is the kind of day that erases the previous 6 days of rain and cold.

Day 63: Ferry from Puerto Cisnes to Quellón (1 km)

The person that printed our tickets told us to arrive for the ferry two hours early, so around 9:15 we arrived at the dock… and there was no ferry.  Huh.  We asked around a bit and learned that the ferry wasn’t expected to arrive until 11:30!  We lamented a bit that we had arrived so early, but then we just settled in to wait.  The girls played Nintendo and Jason and I enjoyed chatting with the other passengers.  It was a mix of local people moving around the area for work or for family, and some tourists.

When the boat finally arrived the pedestrians and cyclists were allowed on first.  We settled the girls into our seats, then Jason and I set off to watch the cars load.  The boat has only one way on or off, so all the trucks and cars had to back onto the ferry.  It took a long time!  We finally pushed off from the dock at 1pm. 

The rest of the day was spent admiring the scenery, playing games, and just waiting. We were all reminded of Washington state and the waters around Lopez Island.  It was a perfectly calm and sunny day, so no one was sick.  The boat didn’t arrive at its destination until after midnight though, which was very late!  Luckily we had a small cabin reserved close to the dock.  It was an exciting and short ride in an unknown town in the middle of the night.  I bet the kids will remember this!  In any case we safely reached a small yellow house, parked the bikes and went straight to bed.