It was also the last stretch of gravel roads, or ripio, for the trip. Neither of us were particularly sad about that! It won't be gravel for much longer though. As with Ruta 40 in Argentina, they're hard at work paving the roads:
We stopped in Puyuhaupi to fuel up. When we asked if they had fuel they said of course...they always have fuel. Indeed! While still part of Aysen, obviously they missed all the fun!
A peek in the visitor centre crossed our paths with Paul and Kelly, two lovely Americans cycling from Punta Arenas to Quito. We stopped and chatted with them for well over an hour.
I admire them for embarking on their journey. It'd be a tough slog being exposed to the elements all the time. I do love being able to get warm again when we turn on the heater in the more-or-less weather-proof Babe.
Dusk along the Carretera Austral nearing Chaiten:
Gorgeous sunset:
We got into Chaiten after dark but saw enough to appreciate some of the devastation that occurred when Chaiten Volcano erupted in May 2008.
I have to say that tonight's camp spot was one of the most unusual places I've ever stayed. We huddled up next to an old A-frame house that was buried a good metre deep in sand and volcanic ash. It had a ghost town feeling to it; it was empty, eerie and still. Here's an attempt at capturing the view by night. The red smear is Zach's headlamp!
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