watch our.....
DVD!
see the DVD
Teaser!
(download QuickTime)
see scenes from 2004!
see the DVD
Teaser!
(download QuickTime)
Twisted
Throttle
Sport & Adventure
Touring Equipment
Welcome to Happy Trails Products!
Your Motorcycle Accessories store, specializing in
Dual-Sport and Adventure touring.
SealSkinz® are the world's only range of waterproof, breathable, close-fitting socks and gloves.
Alaska Rider Tours proudly uses Aerostich gear. Of the highest quality,it is perfect for the diverse riding in Alaska!
Part #2
Argentina/Chile 2006:
....and the road came to a dead end.....
Link to Part 1: Argentina/Chile 2006
Link to Part 3: Argentina/Chile 2006
After 24 hours of rain, this "Summer Only" road on Tierra Del Fuego turned to oily peanut butter. We ended up turning back, cold, with the "smile factor" fading rapidly. Luckily, the wind was whipping, the rain fell in sheets as we fixed a flat tire. One of those long days....
We met a motorcycle group from Campos, Brasil in Punta Arenas. They were on their way to Ushuaia.
Puerto Hambre is south of Punta Arenas. The story? After Drake's incursion in this area, the king of Spain sent over 1200 men and 20 ships to this place to establish a fort and maintain control of the Straights of Magellen against any more English tomfoolery. The only thing that went wrong was the storm which immediately scattered the fleet drowning over 700 men and sinking most of the ships. After that, things turned for the worse when, after they arrived, their remaining ship broke anchor, never to return, stranding some 70 men. After many rescue attempts (one ending in shipwreck, the other in mutiny) Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa, the leader of this doomed mission, was imprisoned and sent to England. Through it all, he sent correspondence to the King of Spain to rescue his men. Three years later, an English ship, under the command of the famous pirate Thomas Cavendish came across the some 17 remaining survivors. All but one trusted the English (the two countries had been at war 3 years before), so the captain named it Port Famine, and left the remaining Spanish to starve, freeze, or whatever they had been up to before he arrived. Ironically, years later, the English ended up using this very spot as a Naval base...
Alex and Penguin.
Entering Torres Del Paine National Park. Windy, beautiful.
"Torres" means towers, and "Paine" is the indigenous word for blue. These peaks towered over emerald blue glacier rivers and lakes.
Condors soared above while Guanacos grazed below.
Riding around the dirt roads of the park. Again, the wind tried its best to put us off the road!
Wow.
Gas station? I fill the tank with yet another color of gas from a dodgy container while Josh tries for the catalog shot.
This Englishman is on a 6-month tour of South America. Our two amigos measure the wind with their hair. This was the windiest day, with gusts up to 60 - 65 mph. The crosswind made staying in the tire ruts on the gravel road tricky. Often, you would get blown from one to another, over fist-sized rocks, to the side of the road.
Smile factor: 0.
Perito Moreno Glacier.
Big ice.
The majestic peaks of Fitzroy.
Left to right: Jim and Rex. A Canadian and a Montanan, headed south on Route 40. They did the whole ride from North America, and were loving it!!
Coming back into Chile: this road goes along Lago General Carrera, and is not only dangerous and fun, but is full of some of the most spectacular mountain views I have ever seen!
The Carreterra Austral of southern Chile offers gorgeous views for thousands of kilometers. All of the lakes and rivers are full of brown and rainbow trout and opportunities to camp are almost limitless. All of the small towns along this mostly dirt route have comfortable hotels or B&Bs. If you like remote wilderness and outdoor sports, this area of southern Chile is a must! The road, however, is in poor condition, adding to the excitement.
Impromptu motorcycle campground. One Kiwi, one Englishman, and one German, all living the tumblewheel lifestyle. The latter two have been riding around the world for the past three years!!
Another fine Texaco Station!
!!
Remote and rugged.
Heading north towards Coyaique, Chile.
After over hundreds of kilometers of loose gravel and jittery washboard, the first curves of paved road look like this at Cerro Castillo. Oh, so smooth!
After riding solo for over 5 days, three of us finally met up at a small town called La Junta, and hired a fishing guide for the day.
Jeff and Josh, searching for a trout stream, meet downtown traffic in a small Andes town.
Meanwhile, Alex makes friends with other bikers, out on the open road. This old 80cc bike came complete with a Mate holder (Argentinian tea).
to be continued...
Link to Part 1: Argentina/Chile 2006
Link to Part 3: Argentina/Chile 2006
Touring Rallye Racing Technology
* To register for any of our motorcycle tour or rentals, please print,
fill out, sign and send in our
Click here to download Adobe Acrobat Reader to view forms.
Join our
Mailing List!
keep informed on Alaska Rider Tours
specials and Alaska riding!
 |
|
|
|
|
