Lars' Revanche in the Andes

[lars de wit]

Hola !

Outside it is raining but I am sitting in front of my own fire place, in an old school building with some fine music and a cold beer I finally feel like talking , not that is was that bad but, well, lets start with the beginning.

In the beginning there was nothing, and God created on day one ha ha ha further I do not know J

I hate cycling on the highway so I always look on my map for the smallest roads, not always easy to ride as would be clear very soon.

On my map was a small road from Mulchen to El Morro, along a river. At the other side of the river was another road, going south. As I am ( was ) heading south a perfect solotion to avoid the highway. From Mulchen the road was so nice, a brand new tarred road, flat as a pancake, 10 meters wide. But not for long …

After 15 km the paved road ended and gravel came instead, not so bad either. But another 5 km further the gravel sort of ended as well; a rocky sandy 4 meter wide track it became.

And the road got worse and worse, smaller and smaller and difficult to cycle so when I reache El Morro after 60 km it was time to stop. El Morro, I counted 3 houses and a huge soccer field where I pitched my tent, without asking because I didn’t see anybody J

Later in the evening a couple walked by, I waved at them and they waved back, so no problem.

Next day I followed the ‘road’ and soon it became a 2 meter wide muddy track through the forrest.

Now, according to my map 20 km further there should be a bridge, very helpful if you have to cross a river. Exactly at 20 km the road diverted, the right track going to the river and closed by a gate, the other track going away from the river … I didn’t know what to do, no bridge in sight so I was thinking of going back but suddenly I saw through the trees at the other side of the river some houses, a small village. That must be El Amargen, where I want to go, I thought … yeah !!!

I decided to follow the left track for like 5 km but it was going away from the river and the village more and more …

Okay, 2 more km, if then there is no bridge I will go back !

Ofcourse, no bridge.

Okay, I will cycle a little bit further, just around that corner.

A gate …

Thank God not locked so I opend it and thought, I will not close it, I am sure I will, have to, come back because I cannot get to the other side, I felt so sad …

Turning around is never nice, in my case it would be a small disaster; cycling that horrible rad back, all the way to Mulchen ( 70 km ) and from there take the highway for like a hundred km or more, no fun at all …

But this road was going nowhere and in totally the wrong direction for many km’s now … I stopped, didn’t know what to do … Helplessly I looked around and saw a line of trees in the distance. Okay, if there isn’t a bridge over there I sure as hell will go back !! I cycled towards the trees, past them and a feeling came into me. A feeling that kept me going, like if I knew there really was a bridge, driven by a higher spirit ? I am not sure but something kept me going with the river now next to the road.

What’s that ? A bridge ?? No, some grey asphalt across the river. I saw some house to every now and then and the road at the other side.

So I kept cycling and cycling, driven …

And suddenly saw something, a rope ?

No, it was a small pedestrian bridge, yahoo !!!!

I made it !

So happy I pushed my bike over this very small and even more moving bridge, hanging at some ropes … Tricky business but I made it alive and dry to the other side where I stopped a car and asked if this was the road to El Amargen. Yes he said and I could kiss him J So happy that I didn’t turn around !!!

But cycling here in Chili is quite tough sometimes, with roads going up 10 % minimum, 15 or 20 % happens too. And that on a sandy road, filled with loose stones, varying in size from 1 to 15 cm’s, sometimes impossible to cycle ! Even pushing the bike up is tricky business, my feet slipping away.

I cycled next to migthy volcano’s, some of them active, which is so cool !

I love the sight of those wonders of nature. One day I was really close, at the foot of volcano Llaima, also an active one. I read on an information panel when the last eruptions were: 1985,1994 and 2004. So every 9 or 10 years. Now it was almost 2013 so maybe, if I was lucky … I stamped on the ground, just to help him a little bit but with no success, maybe I had to thank God or that higher spirit for the second time huh, me standing so close. But with a magnificent view !!!

The last day to Pucon, which I left this morning, it was raining and I drove wrong for like 10 km in pooring rain, on a bad and climbing dirt road … Man I felt bad …

I had a great hostel in Pucon but when I checked the weather my heart dropped dead … Many more rain to come !

And, although I was traveling slow ( some days only 46, 50 or 60 km’s ) I was still going to fast. Because I wanted to be in Coyhaique at the end of November ( which is better concerning the season, weather can be really harsh out there ) and from Pucon to Coyhaique was only like 2 weeks of cycling I had a small problem, the rain my biggest fear. I thought and thought and suddenly got a brainwave; the wind and the clouds with rain coming from the west, how should it be at the other side of the Andes of which the high mountains would force the clouds to drop their rain at the western side ? I check it on the internet and yes, thank God for the third time, I owe him big, please help me to reminder, when it is my time to bring a cake or something for him hey, the weather in Argentina, at the other much drier side of the Andes was so much better.

So I changed my plans a little bit. Now I am cycling to Peninsula Valdes, which is great for whale watching and it is the best time of the year to do so. In sunny and dry conditions J

Hey, if the sun doesn’t come to Lars, Lars is going to the sun !!!

And to see some whales, for the first time in my life, looking forward !

Oh, and the first chaintest for those who are interested

After a 1000 km the KMC Gold is 6 % worn out

Shimano HG 70 is 10 % worn out

KMC X8 is 11 % worn out

KMC X1 is 12 % worn out

This too is to be continued



Hasta luego !!!

[lars de wit]

That night when I stayed in the abandoned school ( the owner lived only 20 meters further and across the street were some houses too; saying this because it is sort of a rule to never camp in or near a abandoned house, for safety reasons ) I went to sleep.
But just as I closed my eyes I heard some tikking sounds, I looked up and saw the curtain heavily moving in the wind ( no glass in the window ).
Pff, it scared me but I closed my eyes again.
Then I heard a peeping sound of a door opening ...
And footsteps !!!!
Holy shit !
I looked up and saw the house dog standing next to me, pff, scary shit.
I chased him away, closed the door, removed the curtain and had a good sleep

Scary story 2 is much more creepy, and for this time I am not joking.

But first I cycled the next day into Chili, had second breakfast just before the customs with a awesome view on vulcano Lanin, touching distance
A nice camping in Junin de los Andes with two brazilian cyclists and a bottle of wine.

Next day I cycled to San Martin de los Andes and started the ' Ruta de 7 lagos ' to Bariloche.
I was here 3 years ago but that time it was raining sometimes so this time I had much better views of the lakes and surrounding mountains, gorgeous ! Very nice route.

I pitched my tent on the shores of one of the lakes, picture perfect campsite.
Drank a beer, ate and went to sleep.
Just when I stopped reading I heard a noice of some animal I thought and thought, ' nice, I listen to the animals and fall in sleep. '
So not ...
Listening good the sound was strange, a sort of heavily breathing.
Strange ...
I heard it at the right side of my tent.
Then at the other side of my tent.
It sort of was circling around my tent ...

What the fock !!

I hit my tent from the inside, and shouted some words, to make it go away.
No succes at all ...

Now I heard the heavily breathing only like 50 cm's from my head, this was really spooky !
Again I shouted ' Go away ! ' but no running feet or whatever, just silence ...
No sounds of an animal, running away ...
But the strange thing was I only heard this breathing sound, no footsteps, nada.
I was sitting by now in my tent, my amonia spray already opened in my hand, glasses on and flashlight ready.
The sound was now so close I expected any moment the head of a mountain lion ( that was the only animal I could think of ) inside my tent.
I honestly cannot say I was scared, very tensed and a dry mouth, yes.
But nothing happed and I didn't heard the sound anymore.
I waited 5 or 10 minutes more before I tried to fall in sleep again.

And, very strange, had a good sleep but in the morning, just as I woke up the sound was back, again very close and circling my tent.
And again I waited untill it stopped which it did after a couple of minutes.
And again I waited for 5 minutes more, it was now light, before getting out, my wooden stick and ammonia spray in my hands, ready to fight, yeah, what ? ...

I didn't see any footprints around my tent.
My plastic bag with garbage of which an empty can of tuna untouched.
Any animal would have tried to open the plastic bag, right ?
And it sure as hell it wasn't the wind either.
What was that sound ???

later that day I met Luke, from Seattle, also on a bike, he was, is, going north.
After a long chat I tried to tell him what happened but when I started my story it sounded weird, if not impossible.
I just warned him not to camp there

I hope I never ever have such an experience again and probably will never know what it was what made that sound.

Speaking of sounds, a couple of weeks ago in Chili ...
It was a sunny day, me riding my bike on a small road, almost no traffic and no wind.
Perfect cycle weather !
And suddenly, out of nothing :



Wraaahhhh !!!



I almost fell of my bike, Holy Shit, what was that ?!?

WRAAAHHH, WRAAAHHHHH !!!!!



I looked up and saw some strange birds ( to me ) flying over.
What a horrible sound !!!!
It scared the shit out of me.

Not like in Holland, on a sunny day for example the whistling sounds of the tjif tjaf :

tjif tjaf , tjif tjaf , tjif tjaf



No, Wraahhhh !!!!



Ha ha it scared the shit out of me !!!!

Same as in Australia with the parrots, they also do not sing but shout, very loud !!!

Tomorrow I will probably take a bus ( this side of the Andes is sunny, but extremely windy, not to say stormy ) to Esquel from where I will cycle east to Puerto Madryn. september and october are the best months to see the whales here, straight from the peninsula.

Mmm, wondering what sound they make

Hasta luego !!!

[eindgebruiker]

Hee Lars, je verhalen worden steeds mooier en spannender!

Veel plezier tussen de walvissen,

Gaele

[lars de wit]

Hola !

What do these three thing have in common ?
Well, there were no pizza's on the pampa ( desolated dry but fertile grasslands covering lots of area of Argentina ) , there was no paella on the pampa but you can cycle over the pampa !
And that's what I did on my way east on RN25

The first day I saw some cows in the field, staring at me.
I do not like if someone is staring at me so I yelled at them.
Actually I always talk to the cows, they can look so surprised and follow you when you ride along. All 100 of them.
And, since I am cycling alone, shame, should I tell this ...
Ah, what the fock, why not.
Ha, I always ask the cows if they are happily grazing and are making some nice milk hi hi.

Now, these cows were brown with a white head so I asked, 'hey cows, are you happily grazing and make some chocolate milk ' ?!?
With some cream ( because of their white heads
But these funny cows started to run !
First one and then the whole group.
Boy, that was fun !
So I helped them a little, shouting : YIHAA !!!!!
And faster they ran ha ha.
Then the next group of cows started to run as well and I shouted even more : YIHAAAAA and STAMPEDE !!!!!!!
Boy I was having fun
Cocolate milk with whipped cream ha ha ha.

Mmm, maybe you should have been there ....

Because of the very strong wind I camped that day on an estancia ( a huge farm )
Behind some trees I had a great night.

Next day I saw flamingo's !
Of the most beautiful pink I have ever seen, briljant !

The very strong winds made me go fast, yesterday I rode a 191 km, a new record.
But in only 6 hours and 40 minutes so no big deal.
The hardest part was to find a place on the pampa to pitch my tent with this crazy strong wind. The highest bushes were like 75 cm high but with an occasional higher one of 1.50 meter. Out of sight from the road. But I was busy for like half an hour to make the place suitable to pitch my tent. Cutting away some bushes, cleaning the ground for thorns and cutting some branches from the higher tree so my tent would fit better under it.

Boy, how good that cold beer tasted after this long day ...

I am now in Gaiman, almost at Penisula Valdes where my camping neighbours from france saw lots of whales and .... orca's !
Hope I am that lucky as well.

Hasta Luego !!!

Ps for those interested chain test nr 2 :

After 2000 km and a more acurate measurement because I marked my tester with mm stripes (10 mm if it falls all the way through )

Shimano HG70 is 23 % worn out
KMC X8 is 24 % worn out
KMC Gold is 17 % worn out
KMC X1 is 18 % worn out

[gios]

Hola !


Cocolate milk with whipped cream ha ha ha.

Mmm, maybe you should have been there ....

Nee hoor, ik heb een beeld . En ik praat ook ALTIJD tegen koeien!

[ellenvandrunen]

Hahaha! Ik zie het helemaal voor me! PS Elmar praat ook altijd tegen koeien...

[Travelmaster]

Dude, you're losing it... slowly, but surely ! First weird animals sniffing and screaming, now, talking to cows... you're sure they weren't purple and white...?

I know, just jealous...

Another thing: why are you writing in English...?

[Fietsertje71]

Cows are my biggest fans, on the ride!!! If you stop for a while and they muster around you, being curious, just great

[lars de wit]

Ik ben blij dat ik niet de enige ben die tegen koeien praat !
Gelukkig heb ik het durven vertellen, er valt een last van mijn schouders !!!
Ha ha ha.

In het engels Travelmaster omdat ik deze berichtjes ook aan vrienden en familie in het buitenland stuur en tja, die kennen weinig nederlands.
En om nou het hele verhaal in twee talen te doen, nah ....

Plus het feit dat als ik aan het reizen ben engels zo'n beetje mijn moedertaal is.
Ik praat in het engels, denk in het engels, hi, ik schrijf zelfs in mijn dagboekje in het engels.

By the way, just saw my first whale out of the window here in Puerto Madryn
Far away on the ocean but still a fascinating sight !!!
Today I go to Puerto Piramides to see more of them and more close, o boy what a thrill !

Ciao ciao

[Travelmaster]

Nice! Kwam onderweg vandaag een hoop scapen tegen, moest meteen aan jouw koeien denken:)!

[lars de wit]

Ha ha ha, ik hoop dat ik geen naam ga krijgen bij de wereldfietser !!!

Als de koeienfluisteraar ofzo

[Han]

I hope I never ever have such an experience again and probably will never know what it was what made that sound.

Internationale vrachwagenchauffeurs maken ook het een en ander mee.

Er ontbreekt nog een wereldkaart met daarop enge plekken om te vermijden, zoals oude en vergeten begraafplaatsen, plekken waar vreselijke dingen zijn gebeurd ... waar de zielen van overledenen nog steeds rondwaren.

[lars de wit]

Nou Han, ik wil niet veel zeggen maar dat was ongeveer het enige wat nog overbleef wat het zou kunnen zijn geweest, of toch die moutain lion maar die had toch wel enige reactie gegeven op wat voor manier dan ook op mijn geschreeuw en lawaai ?
Het blijft strange en onwerkelijk, gelukkig blijft het niet door mijn hoofd spoken hi hi

_________________________________________________________________

Hola !

This morning I heard on the beach a whale breathing !
This afternoon I join a small boat to see them close, really close.
35.000 kilo of mammal, because the Southern Right Whale isn’t a fish, and up to 12 meters long !
But first I had to reach Peninsula Valdes where I am right now, Puerto Piramides.

The road from Gaiman was boring, so was the road up north to Puerto Madryn.
The strong wind wasn’t good either, blowing from the NW.

I just decided to hitchhike a bit when the wind changed a little, blowing from the west now so just a ( strong ) side wind. So I cycled further on highway nr 3 but after 15 km it was enough I thought.
Within 5 minutes, the first pickup truck stopped, lucky me !
Later Francisco told me his father never stops for a hitchhiker, that morning a woman with a child was hitchhiking but he didn’t stop.
Only for cyclists

I was invited for a meal as well and had a great afternoon with Francisco, we went to the beach which is pretty nice in Puerto Madryn with a nice kilometers long boulevard.
I forgot to tell, earlier that morning, I was stopped by a car and the driver, Daiman, saw my Arizona license plate.
He lived for a year in Tuscon Arizona, where I was in the beginning of this year and we had a nice chat. Before leaving he gave me his home address and an invitation to visit him and his wife.
Which I did and had a great afternoon, drinking a large beer and later a nice BBQ.
And I could sleep in the house which was good with the even stronger wind.
Next morning I saw my first whale, out of the window from his house.
Although it was far away still very exciting !

A nice dirt road along the sea brought me to Puerto Piramides.

So, in 1 ½ hour we go on whale hunt, with a camera of course.
To be continued …

The whale hunt was successful, we saw a lot mother whales with baby’s. In a month or so the baby’s are strong enough to swim back to antartica where they stay in summer.
Sometimes the whales came so close to the boat you could almost touch them, amazing !
A great adventure it was.
My adventure will also proceed, taking the bus back to Esquel and from there into Chili, same border crossing as 3 years ago.
From there I will cycle carretera austral, this time all the way south 

I say goodbye as people here say all the time when we had a chat

Suerte !

[Travelmaster]

Man, you sound like Yoda to me !

Keep it up!!

[lars de wit]

Hello hello !

Instead of telling you how beautiful and great the Carretera Austral ( routa 7 in Chile, from Puerto Montt to Puerto Natales ) is I would say :

Come and check it out yourself

I've had some stunning days ...

Now I am in Coyhaique, with a sore shoulder and a bottombracket which isn't 100 % anymore, some movement in it.
But yesterday, at the bicycleshop I refused to renew it, I only cycled 3000 km with it, brand new when I left Holland !
Therefore impossible to believe and therefore I bought not a new one.
Crazy ?
Maybe, but then again, you have to be a little bit, cycling the world. ( forget the cows, that was fun !! )

The plan was to hit the road today, not the floor, when I almost fell from the stairs yesterday, I could just in time grab the railing but now I can hardly lift my arm.
Well, with some help from my left arm I am trying today to climb on the bicycle again to continue my way south.
Everybody needs a little help every now and then, right ? Oh, no, from my left

Thing is, 50 km from here the road is new to me again and I can't wait to go further south.
I simply can not.
It is so beautiful here and the wheater is perfect.
So I won't wait.
Stubborn me.



All the best,

Ciau ciau !!!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chaintest 3000 km :

Shimano HG 70 : 35 % worn out
KMC X8 : 36 % worn out
KMC Gold : 29 % worn out
KMC X1 : 32 % worn out

[Travelmaster]

We do expect lots of pictures, you know that, right (left:))? Have fun mate!

[lars de wit]

Hola !

The road from Coyhaique to Villa Cerro Castillo and then to Cochrane, where I am now, was again, one of the best.
This part of Chili is so amazing, words cannot describe.

If you can, you must travel here one day. Of course by bicycle is the best but I met a lot of other travellers who hired a car in Puerto Montt and from there drive the Carretera Austral south.
But do it quick, if you like dirt roads, the Chileans are paving the road very quick now.

One day I was riding in this narrow valley, high mountains all around. A good place for a sound check.
So I looked to my right, nothing. To my left, nothing.

‘ Wie is de koning van weeezel ? ‘
‘ eeezel ‘
Ha ha ha
‘ Eeechoo ! ‘
‘ eeechoo ! ‘
Hi hi, great ! ( small kid I still am

From small canyons to high mountains with stunning views over a wide valley.
It seems to me that the grass is greener then green.
Rio Baker and Lago Bertrand more blue then Lake Louise in Canada.
The snow on the mountains more white then in Switserland.
The rough mountains sharper then sharks teeth.

I have seen some nice nature pretty much all over the world but this road here in Chile is sure one of the best !

And the nice campsites I choose ..

The other day I was camping in between cows, I just opened a fence, road my bike through and pitched my tent.
Followed by a dozen cows who seemed quite comfortable with my presence.
And I had some nice company 
One of the cows just lay in front of my tent.
‘ Hello lady, feeling comfortable ? ‘ I asked but the cow just kept on chewing on grass hi hi .

That night I was awakened by a sound, close to my tent.
‘ Kgggg ‘ ( grass pulling out )
‘ Smek, smek smek ‘ ( cow eating grass )
‘ Hello ! ‘ I shouted, ‘ can’t you go grazing somewhere else ? ‘
No reaction …
I guess that was the revenche of the cows in Argentina, whom I chased with my bicycle ha ha
They kept on grazing very close to my tent but this time I knew what the sound was.

With a smile on my face I fell asleep …

[lars de wit]

Hello hello !

I left you in Cochrane, right ?

From there it was only 3 easy days to Villa O'Higgins, where the adventure within this adventure would begin.

In Villa O'Higgins I met the two spaniards again, I met them several times on the road and Wim was there too.
With Wim, who is also dutch, I cycled half a day together so it was great to see them all back.
Even more great was seeing the sun back after the last two rainy days.

From Villa O'Higgins it was 7 km to the ferry to cross the lake in 4 hours to Candelario Mansilla. There you can hire horses for the next strech of 22 km to the next lake, Lago Desierto. But we found out that the horses would only bring you to km 15. And the last 7 km were the hardest part, where a horse would be nice to carry your bags.
So me and some others ( we were with 13 cyclists in total ! ) decide to travel this challeging strech without the horses.
The first 8 km were uphill, many times so steep you had to walk for a bit.
But not too bad.

The next strech was with many rivers to cross.
The first river we, Wim, Sabrina and me were travelling together this part, took off our shoes and waded through the river.
Great !
But a little later, in a swampy part, my shoes got wet anyhow so the next 4 or 5 rivers I just waded through, not removing my shoes.
The shoes from Wim and Sabrina were still dry so I offered, gentleman as I am, to push their bikes through the rivers as well. They climbed over trees to the other side and kept dry and warm feet.
But They gave me warm smiles and many thankyou Lars's so everybody happy

And happy I was !

Although the 22 km took us 6 hours I never enjoyed a difficult strech more then this one.

Maybe because we were a good team, Wim helped me and Sabrina carry our bikes over some fallen trees. My bike, with luggage going to the 70 kg and me with still a sore and half useless right arm not able to do it on my own.
And we helped eachother pushing our bikes uphill some very steep parts of the track.

During the last 7 km we got our first views on Fitz Roy mountain.
Google it.
So awesome beautiful !!!!
We smiled and took many pictures.

Here the route was no more then a single track, winding through bushes and forest.
The last part of the track it was a channel through the earth, between 50 cm and sometimes more then a meter deep and aproximately 70 cm wide.
Our bikes just fitted through !

We made it all the way to the Argentine customs at the end of the track, on the northern shores of Lago Desierto without having to remove our bags
Pff, who needs a horse, right
Oh, this chinese man with a suitcase, he passed us on a horse !
But the last 4 km orso we saw him again, walking through the forest with his suitcase on wheels ha ha ha.
Always funny, these chinese !

Tired as we were we decided to camp near the customs and take the ferry over Lago Desierto the next day, around noon.

After the ferry it was only 37 km to El Chalten but, oh lucky us, with clear skies and stunning views on Fitz Roy !

Many more beautiful mountains made this day too one not to forget.

Now I am in El Calafate and tomorrow I am going to Perito Moreno Glacier.
If you google that one too you know why this is really one of the nicest roads to ride ...

And after the glacier, Torres del Paine NP, must be absolutely stunning as well !

And, I just booked a ticket for the 4 nights / 3 days 'cruise', from Puerto Natales to Puerto Montt on the 11 of december. 'cruise' because it is a freightship

But it will sail through the fjords and snowcapped mountains, it will pass vulcano's and glaciers...

Sort of a nice desert hey

A happy man is saying Ciao Ciao to you !

Hasta luego !

Ps Peter and Fritz are the travel buddies from Sabrina, german they are and very nice company, great guy's !!!

[lars de wit]

Hola !

30 km long, 5 km wide and 60 meters high ...
A huge wall of massive ice with a beautiful blue glow over it ...
Every single day it moves up to two meters forward where, at the end, the ice falls into the water. That`s if I am culculating right 600.000 tons of ice which tumbles into the water with incredibly sounds , every day !

Glaciar Perito Moreno

I may say I`ve seen many wonders of nature, all over the world.
Perito Moreno is high, very high on that `list`
Absolutely, jaw dropping incredible !

Many hours I spend there; there are foothpaths where you can walk for kilometers and enjoy different views, I enjoyed every second of it

The day after I left El Calafate for a three day bike ride to another astonishing National Park, Torres del Paine.
I made two day trekkings, leaving my bicycle, tent and everything else on the campground which looked by the way like a busy ` wereldfietser ` weekend, filled with like 50 small tents. And it is low season now ...

Torres del Paine is described as one of the best National Parks in South America; after two day`s of hiking I knew why

First day I walked to another Glacier, Glacier Grey.

A 25 km long hike but it was worth it; spectacular large pieces of ice, some like 20 meters high and 50 meters wide, floating in the lake.
Stunning ...

The second day I walked up Frances Valley to the first lookout.
Words can hardly describe how beautiful ...
All around me were snowcapped mountains, lawines of snow, waterfalls, huge granite mountains and a lake, filled with small islands in water so blue ...

I sat there for a long time, couln`t get enough of the scenery.

The two outlaws, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, fleed the United States back in the 19 th century and made it almost this far south ( they had a farm for a while near Mendoza, Argentina )

I made it even further south

Part one of this adventurous bicycle ride I finished; it truely was one of the best, most beautiful and diverse route I ever cycled !!

Next monday I am on the Navimag ferry, a 3 day, 4 night journey through Chile`s fjords to Puerto Montt where I will continue this magnificent trip.

And to fulfil Revenche nr 2 : to cross the Andes from west to east; cycle 4800 meter high Paso del agua Negra.

In 2004 I got sick from altitude sickness, this time I will suceed.

Which is a promise.



Ciau Ciau

----------------------------------- Chain test ----------------------------------



After 4000 km I found following, stunning, results

Shimano HG 70 : 100 % worn out, that`s 65 % in the last 100 km !!!

KMC X8 : 51 % worn out

KMC Gold : 41 % worn out

KMC X1 : 60 % worn out and strangely enough, at one measure on the 35 cm long piece of chain even 100 % worn out ! Only at one perticular part ... ( maybe that`s the part where my chain has a tick, which started between 0 and 1000 km )

I hope the worn out shimano part of my chain will not affect the other results ( too much )

Time will tell

[Fokko]

wow, a strange chainereaction...