Tuesday 20 November 2012

Day 136: Copiapo to Pichidangui, Chile

Hiya folks
What a great day today. Two main features: it was cold cold cold! Riding through the desert was chilly in Chile; and, a great stretch of 120kph freeway which saw us break our record distance for the second day in a row.

We were up and away early from our hostel on O'Higgins Street in Copiapo after a nice breakfast.on the road just before 8am and heading south. I was amazed by how cold it was - around 11C with heavy fog. I had to stop some kms down the road to put my warmer jacket on. We rode in quite a thick fog so it was very clammy and quite cool. Very cool in fact! We stopped at a truck stop for a break and some coffee. You can see how gloomy it is.




One of the truckies was having breakfast. Shoe leather steak with fried eggs and big slabs of avocado and tomato. Yum!




Just as well he has an active lifestyle?

We only had coffee but the manager was happy to pose with Kiwi. All the truckies were giving her a goodbye kiss so I thought, well, why not!




I am really missing my photographer. And not just for her photographs as I'm sure you'll understand. So few great sights.

As we rolled out of there the temperature went up to 20C and then began to go back down again - to settle on about 15C. That's cool! Especially in Draggin Jeans!
We went through La Serena and hit this amazing section of freeway with a 120kph speed limit. Which of course we took. It reinforced my view that riding at 120kph along a freeway is just as boring as riding at 100kph along a freeway. Just quicker! And empties the petrol tank much more quickly. On the way we met this group of bikers from Brazil.




Our plan had been to get to Los Vilos for the night but we realised late that all of the hotels were beyond Los Vilos by about 20kms and in a beach resort called Pichidangui. (Try saying that when you're sloshed!) We found a hotel called Hotel Regatta which seemed ok and booked in. More of a motel really with a kitchen unit with utensils and a gas stove. We could cook our own breakfast but we probably won't.

Some great views though. This is the "road" up to the hotel. Hmmmm.




And the views beyond.












The escape route?




Here comes a busy little fishing boat.




Right through the fleet to unload.




And here come the pelicans.












And the blackback gulls.




This way and that way!




The boys were setting up




for tomorrow.




At about 8pm we went to a deserted restaurant for dessert. And dinner. It was great with lovely fresh fish and delishoushish pishco shours. Yum! I meant to Shirley a take photo for but I forgot. I think. The restaurant had these cool pictures on the loo doors. Well, I liked them.

Men's




Women's?




And that, dear friends, is that.

Today's ride. 607kms (definitely a record)
Cumulative: 34,296kms
Tipovers: 7

Location:Pichidangui, Chile

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