Day 157/164: Rest Day in Puerto Natales

I enjoyed making breakfast, poached eggs and bacon and toast. I also really enjoyed being able to make a cup of tea any time I wanted to.

It was quite cold out in the morning, so I stayed in the cabana drinking tea, sending emails, and updating my blog.

My bike has been making a click click noise every time I turned the pedal, plus a water bottle holder has broken and my speedo stopped working halfway through the day before yesterday. So off to the bike clinic my bike went at 9 am.

Antonio and Luis spent a long time on it, but the prognosis is “Fingers crossed it will get you to Ushuaia”, then it will need a major overhaul when I get home, the bottom bracket and front hub for a start.

So now when I come up behind people I sound like Tick Tock the crocodile in Peter Pan.

Puerto Natales foreshore

Brett and I went out to a lovely restaurant called Angelicas, and I had either best or second best meal this trip. I am still undecided between the steak in Lima and the lovely rosemary crusted lamb rack I had tonight. Brett had food envy when he tasted mine, as it was way nicer than his lamb chops. To solve the dilemma, when he finished his first meal he ordered the same as I had, for a second serving!

Puerto Natales

Day 156/164: Cerro Castillo to Puerto Natales – 63km

Climbing 372 meters, down 540. Tarmac all day.

There was frost on the tent and it was minus 4 degrees during the night! This is 2 weeks into their summer! The house had three different fire places and when I went inside to use the toilet I did not want to come out again.

Dressing for the Patagonia summer I have all the layers that I had on yesterday. Initially in the morning it was not as cold, as the sun was out and there was not much wind. One of the riders commented on the lack of wind, and then about 5 minutes later it was like a switch was flicked on and it was back in all its glory.

On the way to Puerto Natales (Photo credit: Jo’s Facebook page)

Very tired legs, very pleased we have a rest day tomorrow, and that we only had 63 kilometres today. Thankfully not much climbing, and we had a tail and side wind, no head wind all day. It was colder out on the bike and I was pleased that I was warmly dressed.

Heading into Puerto Natales (Photo credit: Jo’s Facebook page)

Gastro is making its way around the group again. Sue had not ridden the past two days and had to be picked up at 12 kilometres today. Fingers crossed I don’t get it again.

On the way into Puerto Natales

On the way into town I stopped to look at some black and white swans, and I was amused to see the cygnets were riding on their parents backs.

Swans with cygnets on their backs

We are staying in Cabanas (cabins) and we have a separate lounge / kitchen from the bedrooms. I was delighted to see cooking facilities, and headed up to the supermarket to buy ingredients for a cooked breakfast tomorrow.

I went out for dinner tonight with Ray, Sue and Brett, to a restaurant about a 5 minute walk away. They served huge helpings of roast lamb. Sue was not up to eating much, to the delight of a dog sitting hopefully outside who got the left overs.

All decked out for the Patagonia “summer”