Lunch On The Pacific Ocean

All of us on the Pacific Ocean in Matanza, Chile

Guillermo, Luciano and myself

Sun. Feb. 20

On Sunday, I was up early and on my way out of Santiago at 8:00am on the bike heading for the Pacific Ocean town of Algarrobo, Chile an hour and a half away. I was invited by Guillermo and Luis to lunch in the ocean side town of La Boca. I left the bike in Algarrobo at Luis’ condo and we drove his car to La Boca along with his family to meet up with Guillermo and his family. After a very enjoyable meal with good friends we all drove to the nearby beach of Matanza to watch the surfers and enjoy the ocean air.

At about 10:30pm I headed back to Santiago fighting all the returning traffic all the way back.

El Rancho Del Che

My steak sizzling on the grill

Some of the staff

Sat. Feb. 19
A few years ago I discovered a new restaurant on the outskirts of Santiago called “El Rancho Del Che” http://www.cajondelmaipo.com/el_rancho_del_che.php were you can sit and enjoy some of the best hospitality and some of the best Argentine beef around. Rita Soto, the owner, greeted me with open arms as she remembered me from visits to her restaurant in past years as did some of the rest of the staff that has been there for years. After another very enjoyable meal I spent some time outside by the open pit grill chatting with a few of the staff who I've known now for a few years.

Lunch In The Best Place Around

El Chiringuito Restaurant

Fisherman's Bay

Zapallar coastline

Mon. Feb. 14
Today I treated myself to lunch at El Chiringuito. What is a Chiringuito you might ask? Well, probably the best restaurant in the most spectacular location you will ever experience. El Chiringuito is located on the Pacific Ocean in the town of Zapallar, Chile. When I say it’s on the Pacific, I don’t mean it’s near the Pacific, I mean it’s ON the Pacific Ocean. The restaurant is actually built on the rocks that surround the bay of Zapallar. If you dine outside, you will share your table with the seagulls quite literally. It has to be the most beautiful location for a restaurant that I have ever seen. The food there is great as well as the drink, and if you like seafood, you’re in the right place. Sharon tells me the fish is to die for, and I take her word for it because I don’t eat fish or any kind of seafood but of course, you are in Chile. Chile is famous for it’s seafood! Zapallar is a three hour bike ride from Santiago, and well worth the trip!

Back to Chile

Crossing the border into Chile

Sat. Feb. 5
Part of the group headed back to Chile on Friday, and the rest of us stayed until Saturday before retuning. Guillermo and Veronica, Luis and Miriam and myself left Mendoza at 10:00 on Saturday and headed to the border. The ride was beautiful with a cloudless sky and warm temperature until we approached the summit of the Andes Mountains where there was a marked drop in temperature for a while.
The border crossing at Paso Libertadores has been simplified as promised by President Piñera of Chile and didn’t take nearly as long as it used to. Seems like the road construction delay took longer. Once over the Andes in Chile, we stopped for a break and refueled the bikes and had something to drink before heading to Santiago, arriving at about four in the afternoon. And so ends one of the best trips ever.

The Last Farewell

Some of the invited guests, Eduardo is at the head of the table

Eduardo's good friend Ernesto (Ayyyh Nooo Jodaissss)

Arrived in Mendoza, Argentina around one or two in the afternoon. Once settled in, I headed straight for the pool on the roof to take in some sun. The problem with riding a motorcycle all over South America is that you always have a helmet on, so your face never gets a tan. Come hell or high water, I’m going back with a tan!
Enough of that. After my time in the sun, I went back to the room to get ready for the cook out that we have all been invited to this evening. We left in two taxis at around eight in the evening and headed to Eduardo’s house a few miles away. He lives in a beautiful gated community with high security. The house is something to see, absolutely beautiful with a pool and a large terrace on the second floor.
Now, let’s talk about the meal. There was more meat than I have ever seen in one place unless it was still walking, there was wine, beer, soft drinks, whatever you desired. At the table there were fourteen of us total, and the smoked steak and sausage just kept coming, all cooked outside on a built in charcoal fired grill typical of Argentina. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

A Day Of Rest In San Rafael, Argentina

Talking motorcycles with the Police in San Rafael, Argentina

Thu. Feb. 3
An extra day in San Rafael, Argentina is just what we needed after being in the road for so many days. A soak in the hotel pool, a beer or two at the sidewalk pub next door, an ice cream cone from across the street, just a walk around town, these little things have left us all a bit more relaxed and this morning we will leave for Mendoza, Argentina and our last official stop in Argentina before returning to Santiago, Chile via the Paso Liberadores (Liberator Pass) over the Andes Mountains. One last “Going Away” party awaits us at the house of Eduardo, in Mendoza this evening. He has graciously invited us all to one last blast at his home, a cookout (Asado) Argentina style, and I’m ready for that. So far, this trip has been an unforgettable experience with some very good friends, that’s what life’s all about!

Neuquen to San Rafael, Argentina

The long haul to San Rafael, Argentina

My very good friend Guillermo

Lunch stop after a tough ride

Tue. Feb. 1, 2011
The plan was to leave Neuquen, Argentina at 9:00am and head to San Rafael, Argentina, but the two friends from Mendoza showed up about an hour late, so we left Neuquen sometime around 10:00 instead. The beginning of the ride was pleasant, but the farther north we went, the warmer it became. A few hours into the ride we encountered high winds and blowing dust that at least twice left us in a cloud of dust that you couldn’t see where you were going, zero visibility.
Extremely dangerous! Immediately I thought of my friend Vaughn Pembroke back home, who last year encountered a similar circumstance, but wasn’t so lucky. He and a friend were in Utah in a freak dust storm, when a car crossed the center line and struck both of them when they stopped on the shoulder of the road due to the fact they could not see to drive. Vaughn was unfortunately left paralyzed from the waist down due to his injuries. Vaughn’s friend Ron was badly injured, but recovered.
The ride was very exhausting and we were all glad to make it to the hotel in San Rafael to relax and soak in the pool.

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Sharon's bracelet from the craft fair in El Bolson, Argentina

Plaza in El Bolson

One of the locals from Villa El Chocon, Argentina

The group

On the way to Neuquen

Tue. Feb. 1, 2011
On Sunday morning the group of seven bikes left San Carlos de Bariloche and headed south for a day ride to the town of El Bolson. El Bolson is a small town known for its craft fair where local crafts people and artists sell their works in the towns plaza. The ride took approximately an hour and a half. After walking the craft show we all had lunch in a restaurant across from the plaza. Seems Like everywhere we stop, the bikes draw a crowd, and people ask all kinds of questions and want to have their picture taken with them as well. In the late afternoon we headed back to Bariloche, encountering a persistent rainfall most of the way back. The road between Bariloche and El Bolson takes you right down the middle of the Andes Mountains, so the scenery is spectacular and the road has many twists and turns that keep you very focused when riding in the rain.
Monday morning, we left Bariloche to ride to the city of Neuquen about 622 kilometers farther north. The day was bright and sunny, and the farther north we rode, the warmer it became. The scenery reminded me of the south west in the USA.
On the way we stopped at Villa El Chocon where we visited a Hydro Electric Dam, (-39.25436 latitude, -68.78809 longitude) as well as a natural history museum filled with dinosaur skeletons unearthed in the area. The remains of a T Rex were found in the local vicinity. After stopping for lunch we continued to the city of Neuquen were we settled into the hotel before going out for yet another meal before turning in for the night. In the morning we will continue north to the town of San Rafael, a six hour ride north.