12/30-Second Breakfast, Paw Patrol, and Hoof Patrol

We were on the road at our usual time of just before 9:00. I knew we would be passing the 1000km mark today, so I was on the lookout for the sign. Just a couple kms in, I saw this. 

Well, it wasn’t exactly 1000kms, but there wasn’t a sign for it. This would have to do. Billy got his photo too. 

The road surface was a little bit better today. At least there were sections where it was really nice. We had a nice flowy downhill to a bridge across a river. 

Can’t remember the name of the river. We’ve crossed quite a few. 

After a few ups and downs, things really flattened out. We were cruising along when we came to a camping place called  El Risquero. They also served food, “Desayuno Completo”. We decided, why not? Second breakfast is always nice. When we walked in, the señora’s grandson was watching Paw Patrol on TV. He looked to be about 7 or 8. He goes to school in Cochrane. He boards at school during the week, then comes home on the weekends. Of course, now it is school holidays. The breakfast was good. We had huevos, queso, pan, sopapilla, coffee (Alex and Markus), and Milo (me), all while watching Paw Patrol dubbed in Spanish. 

After we finished, we returned to our bikes and encountered a “Hoof Patrol”. 

Lamb, colt (or maybe filly), and goat. 

The baby horse had lost its mother. 

The goat was communing with Billy (I mean, of course…Billy Goat).

Selfie…look the baby even smiled!

“Hey, watch’s got here?”

“Scratching my face on this thing feels good!”

So sweet! Could have spent all day playing with the baby! Alas, we had more kilometers to go. 

The road continued to be more flat than hilly, until we were getting close to our destination. It seems like we are getting more I to the mountains. 

Nice waterfall. 

Not sure if this is the Rio Baker yet. We will be back to it at some point. 



This could be the Rio Baker as it is quite large. 

Markus up ahead. Alex was ahead of him, riding to some tunes. 

We planned to wild camp at a spot near the junction to Caleta Tortel, which we will go to tomorrow. We are just a couple hundred meters from the turn, at a spot on the river, away from the road. Today was just 42.9kms, but we were all a bit tired from yesterday. Plus, this is a nice spot. 

It’s a little bit rainy, but almost more of a light mist. 

We are here in the deeeeep backcountry of Chile, along the wild river…

Markus prepares another spoon for carving. Backcountry woodworking at its finest. 

But wait! What is that? Oh, it’s a cell tower…not so deeeep in the backcountry afterall.