Cycle for Water – 30.000 kilometers on a bamboo bicycle

Posted by Joost @ 12:33 on January 22nd, 2012 in Cycle, Position, route

Patagonia; even the name sounds somewhat mystical and full of promise. Early explorers to these parts thought the natives here to be giants, and they must have been to those small Spaniards. Patagonia evokes images of rough terrain, unspoiled nature, snowcapped peaks, crystal-clear lakes full of trout, and turbulent Class V whitewater rivers. A true Garden of Eden; a boundless paradise for nature lovers. Chilean Patagonia, or Zona Austral, is a generally wet place. The heavy rainfall on this side of the Andes makes that the countryside is heavily-forested, green, and lush; as opposed to the Argentinian side which is more steppe-like. We had been looking forward to start cycling this stretch for a long time, and it didn’t disappoint.

Another Year, More Lessons

Posted by Joost @ 11:31 on January 1st, 2012 in Cycle

Another year has passed; 365 days, 52 weeks, 12 months, and all spent doing exactly what we both love doing; traveling, meeting new and exciting people, having brilliant and ridiculous experiences, and being amazed at every turn by what the road put on our path as we continued to pedal our bicycles further south. Two Thousand and Eleven was a good year, an excellent year. We were both sheltered and fortunate, and we were able to – for at least a little while – live outside of all the turbulence that dominated the year in other parts of the world. We got to focus on what we wanted without distractions or dogmatic structure; without being swept away by the ever-changing tide of the 24-hour news cycle; without rules; without judgement, but with purpose. We got to slow down and think, focus, get back to basics, and live free in the moment. What has all this freedom taught us?

Crossing the Andes

Posted by Joost @ 9:07 on December 20th, 2011 in Cycle

Mendoza, in the eastern foothills of the Andes, proved to be a great place to recharge our batteries a bit before beginning the daunting climb towards Chile. With plenty of green parks to stroll around in, and forced siestas between 1pm and 5pm causing city-life to grind to a halt, it is a place to relax and enjoy. We said goodbye to Saskia who had cycled with us since Salta and had to go back home, and we spent most of our time lounging around in the shadow of Aconcagua; eating and drinking.

Northwestern Argentina

Posted by Joost @ 11:44 on November 29th, 2011 in Cycle, route

Northwestern Argentina is comfort; Northwestern Argentina is luxury; it is camping on proper campsites with a barbecue and all the amenities; it is paying five Euros for a full kilo of prime steak; it is fresh veggies, good wine, beautiful pastries, and delicious ice-cream; it is cheese and bread that does not go stale and fall apart after a day; it is dramatic sceneries and endless vineyards; it is Buena Vida, and after a while without all these little things that normally make life worth living, we had begun to miss them.