A Quick Hello From The Fam

Quinn's mother, father and brother are now in Argentina for the end of this trip. This is from Brad, aka. Pappy.

We just got an email from Quinn and Jeff. They are somewhere south of Rio Gallegos. Yesterday they had a shitty day with gale force winds and rain.
Jeff got a nice introduction to the bicycle touring. They pushed their bikes some thirty kilometers in the wind and rain. Jeffs´bike ¨Pinky¨is holding up. Pinky was purchase from a little old guy in Rio. for about $130. hope she makes it.
Mom and Pappa are basking in luxury in Rio and planning our flight out to Ushuaia this evening. We are staying at the Familia piatti B&B in Ushuaia.
The owners speek English. This is very nice being we only know sign language, of which Rose is getting quite good at. The locals love it.
When we met up with the Quinn he looked like several miles of rough rode. Lack of sleep and fight the Argentinian breeze has taken a toll on him. We had a couple beers and fed him good food so he seemed very eager to hit the road yesterday AM. jeff was very excited to joy him and by now may not be.
mom and I are getting the festivities planned for the finish line celebration in Ushuaia. There will be wine and much joy. Being here in Argentina makes Mom and I really appreciate the feat accomplished even more.
The roads, wind, customs, language barriers and everything else that goes along with it. He is truely an amazing man to have done this unsupported.

Ushuaia, Argentina

I reached Ushuaia on the 23rd of feb. I have been hiking and fishing with the family in parque national tierra del fuego, its been super fun. I will return to Mammoth Lakes, Ca by bike after flying into Reno, NV on the 2nd of march. I want to thank everyone that has helped me on my way and hope everyone keeps in contact. I will update the site as soon as I am back home, for now I need all the time I have for my family.
Oh yeah I saw penguins the other day! holy "#$%
Quinn-

Ushuaia The Southern Most City In The World

Rio Grande Hasta Fin Del Mundo

Rio Gallegos To Rio Grande

Rivadavia To Rio Gallagos

Rivadavia To Rio Gallagos

Esquel To Rivadavia

I turned off of Route 40, 15 kilometers into Esquel to load up on food for the succeeding days. I entered Esquel very exhausted and dehydrated from the 80 MPH side wind that prevailed to the east in Patagonia. Esquel is a touristy andean mountain town housing great skiing in the winter and white water rafting in the summer. I raced to the market to consume much needed produce i hadnt had for 3 days. After tipping back a bottle of Argentinian Malbec wine I soon found the need to sleep. I awoke at 4:30 in a house foundation under construction close to the center of Esquel. I had pitched my bivouac just behind a concrete wall inside a developtment complex. I filled my steel mug with imitation cocopuffs and powder milk which I had aquired the night before while under the influence. While heading towards Route 40 I stopped at a gas station to full my water jugs and to heist some toilette paper.
20 kilometers from Esquel I could blatenly see I was leaving the Andes. 60 Kilometers later and the Andes formed a slight protuberance in the horizon. The Pampas had consumed the surrounding landscape, a brilliant yellow and green hue conquered all. I fought with my thoughts in attempts to feel of some significance in the belittling surroundings. In times like this I've had the time and clearheadedness to grasp some tormenting thoughts, so I appreciate the opportunity.
I knew little about what was in store for the road ahead, all that was certain was I had 10 days and 1800 kilometers to meet with my parents in Rio Gallegos. Since I started this journey in Alaska I've been very speratic with my travels. Its helps me feel more like an explorer than a cyclist. The remainder of the trip though was the most planned I had been. I had a set route, and a set time. The road was flat, the wind constant. The Pampas owned everything in sight. An epic feeling drove me through the windy flats, at times dismounting my bike to push my cargo loaded bike against the patagonic breeze.

Esquel To Rivadavia

Bariloche To Esquel

Bariloche To Esquel

Patagonia

The next 6 days from Bariloche served to be beautifull and brutal. In Bariloche I stayed with a guy that built his house out of mud and old wine bottels. I went climbing for a half day then took to the road south on route 40. Route 40 is the longenst running hwy. in Argentina, it runs from north to south in this 3000 miles of country.

Land of ¨No Hay¨ To the land of Chocolate, Tan Girls, and Coffee!

Argentina.................................don´t cry for me? Argentina have somber, for me? Porque?
The clouds formed a boarder over the Bolivian sky. Argentina could be seen very distictivly in the air as it harvested no rain copioused cumulonimbus fluffs. It has been this ambient since we entered this faroff land. The pace has been clutched and the experience is amazing. The food is worth thinking about, the land is worth burning brakes, and the girls wouldn't look twice at a joey on a weighed down tattered road bike.
Passports stamped we breached the boarder of Argentina at 8 AM. The Elevation at a staggering 12,000 ft. and the road strait and flat. The 1st day into Argentina we discovered food worth thinking about, Simply deli cheese and veggies, it was better than the rancid mess Bolivia offered. We pulled off 170 kilometers this day into a town of Humahuaca. After gathering food for the following day we were invited to stay at a hippy house with a group of artists from Buenos Aires. They entertained us with various intruments, mostly handmade ones. We were also greeted with a feast and so much wine I had to pass out early, 12. In Argentina people seem to have turbo charged night lives. They start partying at 10 and go till 9 in the morning. I have never seen anything like it, they put Peruvians to shame. The next day was really truely amazing with a descent into the Jujuy Valley down to 4,000 feet. Really a ride that I will never forget -- the road took us from cactuses and high desert mountains to humid tropical lowland where the air was thick, along with the vegitation. 200 kilometers this day into Salta.
The days following Salta where very spectacular into cafayate through the worst sand road I have been on. Then through the wine country of the San Juan Valley. We Rode a few days with a couple from Switzerland who had been on the road for almost 18 months. They were very inspiring, great people.
15 days into Argentina and I have slept under a bridge 12 of the nights. It's been oh so sweet to camp. One night a day from Mendoza we stayed the night at a vinyard. Grapes and wine for dinner. When we arrived in Mendoza we had the plan to stay at the fire station as we did often in Equator and Peru. But instead a super nice guy by the name of John let us stay the night at his house and made us a huge meal with his girlfreind and his cousin. Thanks John.
South of Mendoza is a huge desert -- flat and hot. I mean hot like 120 degrees and little to look at -- 1,000 kilometers of it.
Nearing the lake district of Bariloche is really nice, pine trees and blue lakes, glaciers and real sharp mountain peaks. The wind has picked up, so if the wind is with me its like a pleasure cruise. If the wind is contrary, there is no use trying to fight it, stopping is the only way, its quite the episode each day.
I have no more time to write so i will press on down the road.
Hope everyone is doing great
Quinn-

Northern Argentina