© Chris Murray
Six countries, 12,000 kilometres and over 100,000 metres of elevation gain - Chris Murray shares his second update from his mission to cycle across the South American continent.
8 February 2024 - First leg complete
Lately, it hasn't been so much about waking up early to try and beat the worst of the winds, but rather getting up in good time to get some kilometres in before the heat takes over. For the majority of the days since I last put out an update, the temperatures have been well above 30 degrees. And I am going through the sunscreen like there is no tomorrow! Although it has been hot and I have passed through some desert-like environments on the Argentinian side, I have popped back over to Chile a couple of times (at Chile Chico and Paso Hua-Hum), and in doing so, I've passed through some more humid and jungle-like stretches which have provided some much-appreciated shade at times. The only time I have felt rain, though, was very briefly as I crossed a foggy mountain pass at an altitude around 1,300m.
Sitting in Santiago after just under 1 month, I have been happy with the progress I have been making. I must admit, I wasn't 100% sure I could get here by now when I was fighting head winds across the Santa Cruz province in Argentina!
The body generally feels good, albeit I need to be ever more conscious of maintaining my calorie and protein intake - this is a marathon not a sprint, and I need to bear that in mind. Although there have been some tough moments lately, and some days where I was struggling for motivation, the key on these types of endeavours is keeping that positive spirit, and I am happy with how I am doing so. I feel that doing so has also attracted positivity in the past couple of weeks…
…Taking a few examples; when I was unsure whether I would be able to access a camping site late one evening, I was invited by the owners of the camping ground to spend the night in a bus that they were in the middle of converting into a mobile home. Another time, just when I needed it at the end of a day where temperatures reached the high thirties, a passing car waved me down and handed me an ice-cold Fanta. And as a final example, whilst I was fixing puncture #3 of the day a few days back, I was offered a lift by a friendly local to the nearest bike shop to get my bike sorted by the professionals.
When comparing the last weeks with the initial ones, the variety of climates, landscapes and reduced winds stand out. But what has really marked these last few weeks has been the awesome people I have met along my way. Yes, there are actually communities living along the route now!
Sitting with a large cold beer and even larger pizza in front of me as I write this, I can proudly say that the first leg of my trip from Ushuaia to Santiago is now complete. In very brief figures, it looks something like this:
- 30 days on the road
- 26 days on the bike
- 4 rest days
- 195 cycling hours
- 3,482.6km in total distance
It is now time for me to rest-up, restock on some supplies (and calories!), get the bike serviced and do a little sight-seeing.
The second leg of the trip will start in a few days, taking me back into Argentina, through Bolivia and across to Arequipa in Peru. This should take me just under a month, after which I plan to have some downtime. I am excited for what's to come, and hope you enjoy the adventure with me!
As ever, for more regular updates, feel free to follow me on Instagram under the handle 'chopsticknovice'. I am also more than happy to be contacted, and will respond to any questions I get.
And if you would like to support my project - I have a 'Buy Me a Coffee' page set up for those that are interested!
