We woke up and started the final complete day of the trip from the little industry town called Rio Grande. The road was already familiar to us and there was nothing special before the northern passage to the mainland Argentina.
We enjoyed the gravel roads, driving through them 100-120km/h. After the ferry we said our farewells to Tierra del Fuego and continued our way towards Punta Arenas. On the way, we spotted an old rusty shipwreck on the shore of the Magellan strait. The rusty wreck reminded us about the history of the islands of Tierra del Fuego, where hundreds of ships have ended their journey to the bottom of the sea.
After continuing towards Punta Arenas we noticed that our gasoline levels were surprisingly low due to the strong head wind we have had. We decided to reduce our speed and try to reach the city in time. One rider didn't make it and was left 100 meters from the first petrol station in Punta Arenas. Right then we knew who had the heaviest hand on the handle.
Even though today's road was familiar, we still enjoyed the ride, the sunshine and feeling of traveling. In these passive moments on the bike, your mind starts wondering inside your helmet and inside your own head. Listening to the humming wind outside of your helmet and seeing the landscape passing by gives you a deep relaxed feeling which could be described as one kind of meditation. You don't need to think about riding or controlling the machine you are sitting on. A machine that can hurt you or even kill you if not under control. But you have made an agreement with that machine during the past weeks. You have grown on to your bike and it has grown into you.
In these kind of trips the days just mix together to a one complete journey. You look at where you're going and where you are and it doesn't have to make sense, then you look back at where you've been and a pattern seems to emerge. Yesterday we discussed the theoretical possibility of prolonging our trip and driving back all the way to Osorno where we left. All of us would have been willing to do so if such possibility would have existed.
Motorcycling is truly the best way to travel. You can feel the road under you, taste and smell the air and see way more than with any other ways of traveling. The sense of presence is simply overwhelming. Another thing is going with the daily routines and non routines. The need to adapt to the changing landscapes and climate, different cities and variance in roads, where to spend the next night and where to fill your stomach. In the end, it is the making of the journey that is important. And even though some times it's a little better to travel than to arrive, this day marks the starting of the end of our journey. Our motorcycle trip to South America Patagonia.
Distance travelled: 425km
Total distance: 4642km
Weather: Sunny but windy
Temperature: 10-15c
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