Friday 14 December 2012

More sand, Whales and diesel bikes

We ended up on another ripio road that turned to sand and rough camped on the beach on the nature reserve of Peninsula Valdez $ARG100 to get in (about £12).  The road was pretty challenging but we made it in one piece, set up camp and had burgers fried up for the first time this trip, we were joined eventually by the German contingent also and enjoyed a yarn or two watching the sun go down and hopng to see the last of the Whales in the area (they are heading South now as well). An early start (6.30) to get out of the sandtrap before it was too hot and into Puerto Pirimedes to catch a boat trip to try and see the elusive whales , we did see one and her calf but unfortunatley they didn't jump out of the water so I could get a better shot (just as well as my feet were in the water sometimes as the boat rocked) Whale curiosity satisfied we set of for Trewlew a Welsh founded town around 100 miles away. We stopped halp way at on the outskirts of Puerto Madryn to re fuel and the pump jockey filled both bikes with Diesel despite me asking him to confirm it was "nafta" the word for petrol around these parts, the bikes wen't 10 metres and stopped!! I was trying to keep cool and a local guy in a van (Jorge) called his friends for help explaining they had BMW's and knew a mechanic, the manager took us round the back to a workshop meanwhile and work stopped as the guys tried to siphon the diesel out of the tanks (the old fashioned way, sucking the hose!!) Then Dario & Miguel appered on their BM 12 adventures to help, we're very grateful to them (thanks Dario for the translations) and they made it clear they would help if this "sooking the diesel oot" wasn't successful. After much faffing around and diluting of the remaining fuel with more petrol the bikes started, to say I was relieved would be an understatement. Thanks also to Alan Mackie for his re assurance the BM's would be fine on a diet of partial diesel (an expensive phone call)
Sandy road (again)

Its OK when you get here

Not the Moon

Sunset

Trelew

God knows?

Our Diesel syphoners (filling the bike with nafta)

Thar she blows!!

Big Big Mammal

Barking mad, going through the lights carrying your dog ON the car!!
 
We got to Trewlew  at 50 MPH and after the stresses of the day we treated ourselves to our first Hotel of the trip! Life on the road, always an adventure!

13 comments:

  1. Aye Fiona & Gino,
    Enjoying the blog. Lashing here at present with gusting winds to 45mph, 5C after a week below 0C and the roads awash! Usual then!
    The "God knows" beast is a guanaco, very tasty and good for the fleece. Enjoy Punta Arenus when you get there, but the wind even in midsummer, is a lazy one! :¬)
    Good health, Bill & Kat

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    1. Thanks Bill & Katm still hot here but expecting it worse from here, plenty wind already

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  2. Lucky, and good trip, fiona and gino,to Dario,Miguel and Jorge frond puerto madryn,have a nice travel to Alaska

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  3. Had to read the blog after Mackie came through to tell us about the diesel, Looks like your loosing a few pounds with all the desert riding/pushing/pulling. Enjoying the blog, great pics, keep up the good work.

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    1. Aye I bet you all had a laugh about that one! Hopefully no long term harm done, a bit freaky at the time though! Hopefully just fighting the wind down to the bottom now, felt we were punishing the bikes a bit hard for the start of the trip

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  4. I've only seen whales from a distance passing along California coast, that's gotta be some thrill to see them up that close.Looks like the bikes are handling what you've put them up against. Bummer about the fuel mix-up.I suppose once it's flushed through, it shouldn't hurt. Looking forward to further posts.

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  6. Hello Boy!!! Found out about your mad trip via Kenny. Will be keeping an eye on your antics to cheer me up through the winter. Great blog, good luck to you and yours, keep up the good work. Cheers Martin.

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    1. Hi Martin, good to hear from you, glad you like it, plenty scope for radio guys out here I think but 1000 miles between faults.....

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  7. Was almost like that in Oz!! Hope it is still going well, where did you spend Christmas day, more importantly which bar are you aiming to drink dry on Hogmanay?

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    1. Hi Martin, In Ushuaia just now, staying here for new year then heading North, got the last 2 bottles of whisky yesterday from the supermarket, on the 2nd one now! So I guess its here!!

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    2. Just had to check that on Google maps, glad you will be able to have a wee dram or 2. I will toast you and yours on the night.

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