After almost weeks of hiking in El Chaltén and finishing the Huemul circuit in the previous post, we use this post to check out the popular Perito Moreno glacier. And, we get to know the adventurers from Pedal South, who drove all the way down to Patagonia on their bikes. Good morning from El Calafate. We’re at the Perito Moreno glacier today, and the national park called Los Glaciares. So, we’re going to show you the big glacier and pieces of ice falling off the glacier. I’m standing right in front of the Perito Moreno glacier, which has about meters here. It was actually connected to this little peninsula here about weeks ago. And this what you still see, this ice came all onto this land. And then, it built kind of an ice bridge, which just collapsed weeks ago here. And then, one side of the lake got dammed, and it was meters higher than the other side of the lake, Lago Argentino, and the pressure made this bridge collapse. And this happens every years here.
Perito Moreno Glacier in El Calafate Pedal South Patagonia Photo Gallery
Between hiking adventures and glaciers, we met the guys from Pedal South after finishing the Carretera Austral, and used the chance to get to know their travel story and impression of Patagonia. (Dyar) Pedal South is a team of guys, story tellers. We are cycling from Alaska to Argentina and making a post about our ride. And not just about our own journey, but really trying to focus on the interviews of people that we meet along the way. So, people that we meet as a result of the bike, most of the time. Which, is kind of an interesting way of traveling. Living on a bike is different in the way that you interact with people, the way you meet people. It’s just a conversation starter. And people are interested or impressed, or they think you’re crazy, but any how they do it, they come up and they talk to you. It’s just a good way to hop right into people’s lives. I’ve been on the road for a year and a half now, or more. Twenty months. And, we’ve been on all kinds of highways, and all kinds of different roads, and different riding conditions. And I’d say we really haven’t seen anything like the Carretera Austral since our first couple weeks in Alaska. The very top of Alaska is super remote tundra, nothing but bears and whatnot. And this is the first place where I’ve really been reminded of that, both in its desolateness and also just raw beauty.
Look at that. There’s no power lines. That’s something that you’ll see something so incredible. And something that I didn’t expect is every day, there’s a different kind of geography, a different breathtaking landscape. It’s totally fresh every single day. And the road, you never know. It’s such an adventure. The road is just gravel one day, rocks the next day, perfect smooth pavement the next day. It’s just every day is a surprise, and it’s been likereally, if I could, I would ride something like this every day of the trip. I mean, obviously. It’s a dream. For me, Patagonia is many things. But one that really stands out to me is how it’s unnamed, a lot of it. I remember this guy pointing out a mountain to us in the first week we were here. And he said look at that mountain, there’s no name. It has no name. That mountain is just a mountain. And I was blown away by that. Because, we just naturally assume that everything is owned and labeled and documented. And so, to be in a place that is just so raw and dangerous and unexplored that there are spots unnamed. It seems like they’re still kind of defying humans taking over the planet, or something. Really, that blew me away. And I’m just fortunate enough to be here to witness a part of it. And that’s scary at times, because there’s times with the wind, with the weather, with the rain coming down. Here, not so much with the animals. But you just kind of think man, this place is tough. And life is not guaranteed. And something about that makes it super beautiful. We’re going back to the Chilean side of Patagonia in the upcoming post. We hike the full -day circuit in Torres del Paine. So, don’t forget to comment to this blog for new travel posts every Thursday. Check out my travel and hiking guides, as well as Kristin’s articles, if you want to explore this beautiful region as well. See you next time. (Dyar) So for me, Patty-goniaPatty-gonia. That’s what we got. That’s pretty cool.
