Patagonia

Arrival on 02/08/2020 in Chaiten, at the 'Northern entrance' of Patagonia. Due to the super weather today, it was decided to drive the entire route to Coyhaique today. The Carabineros general in charge of this area picked us up on his BMW 1200 GS along with another GS rider, about 150 km behind Chaiten. This route is the Carretera Austral, and this section is called Ruta 7. Now we have to drive about 280 km to Coyhaique, partly on unpaved roads. Given the road conditions, it will take about 5 - 6 hours. Sections of up to 60 km are gravel roads. You can see how the GS looked afterwards in the pictures. Here, you drive up unpaved switchbacks and get the impression that you are at 2000 meters high, as the mountains on the right and left are covered with snow. But when you look at the altitude indicator on the Navy, it's only about 500 meters. Even at just 100 meters above sea level, the mountains on the right and left rise up, as if you were already at 1500 meters high. In other places where you think you have relatively little height, it can be up to 800 or 900 meters. Totally unusual, you can't rely on your senses here. When we arrived in Coyhaique, we stayed overnight at the Carabineros helicopter hangar. The next day there are no obligations, the day is free for us. The day after tomorrow, with the help of the general, we will continue to travel to Argentina.