Hasta El Fin Del Mundo

700KM REMAIN

As I left Puerto Natales, I accepted that this was the beginning of the end, and all the highlights were behind me. I had seen the prettiest mountains, climbed the tallest volcanoes, swam in the warmest beaches, and walked the tallest forests. I realized that now I was beginning to experience some things for the last time, and I tried to enjoy each and every mundane thing like it was my last, because it might be. Sometimes this brought a surge of emotion, tears welling up, but I pushed them down for the time being. I wasn’t done yet.

Back on the Pampa, there was nothing to distract me from the ride. My eyes remained fixed on the horizon, it was time to lock in and grind.

I had become obsessed with the wind forecast. I was constantly checking the hourly changes in direction along my route to plan the best time to ride each section, as each turn in the road or turn in the wind would drastically affect the effort of the day.

After battling to maintain a straight path with cross winds all morning, I finally made the turn I had been waiting for that would put me directly in the current of the wind for the next 60km. This was my first time experiencing a tailwind of such strength, and it was a joyous experience. As the wind carried me to speeds of 30+ km/hr effortlessly, I couldn’t help but laugh and smile. I knew the wind forecast was predicting extremely favorable tailwinds for most of the remaining distance, a nod from the world I was going the right way.

I soon arrived to a 90-degree turn in the road, where the tailwind would turn into a nightmarish crosswind. I had plenty of sunlight left and wanted to keep going, but I knew the wind would be better tomorrow and it was best to wait. The decision to stop was helped by the fact there was another infamous abandoned shelter for cyclists.

As I peeked inside the shelter, I was warmly welcomed by a group of four other cyclists, a French couple and an Argentinian couple. The Argentinian couple had been biking around the world for over six years and were now in their backyard, finishing in Ushuaia as well. The four were very close and had been traveling together for over a month, but I was able to join in the conversation like old friends, thanks to the bond the cycling touring creates.

600KM REMAIN

It was a cold night and an even colder morning as I lay in the warmth of my sleeping bag, resisting the call of the road. I had a big goal for the day: I wanted to make it 145km to Punta Arenas in time for the only ferry at 5:30 p.m. It was possible, but with a late start, around 10:00 a.m., I would need to ride nearly nonstop and fast to arrive in time. I didn’t have any strong wind to help me, either.

The first 50km of the day went by quickly, and my confidence was high. However, the speed slowly started to fade from me. I let my mind run, over-calculating the estimated arrival time from my slowing speed, the difference of just a few kilometers per hour adding up to an hour that I didn’t have.

I considered letting go of the challenge, relaxing, and accepting that I would take a ferry the next day, but I couldn’t give up. Not now, not this close to the end. I wanted the challenge, I wanted to test my limits, and I pushed on.

I kept myself busy with podcasts while I embraced the open and empty road. In times like these, I don’t even feel my legs move, pedaling has become second nature, like breathing.

500KM REMAIN

A few hours of nonstop riding later, I entered the outskirts of Punta Arenas with over an hour to spare. I knew I could make it.

As I took my seat on the ferry, a feeling of proud, well-earned exhaustion overcame me. In all of my trip, I had never stopped so little as today. Usually, my days are filled with rests and snack breaks to split up the monotony of the day.

This was also a rather significant ferry. I had made it to the end of the continental South America. All that remains is Tierra del Fuego, a large island that ends with Ushuaia, el fin del mundo. The ferry docked as the sun was setting in the town of Porvenir, where I treated myself to a cozy hotel to rest after the challenging day.

400KM REMAIN

The morning was dark and gloomy, but that did nothing to slow me down. Landing in Tierra del Fuego was another one of the final checkpoints on the way to Ushuaia, with each one crossed supplying my tank with more strength.

The strong wind of the morning grew to an even stronger wind in the afternoon, with gusts surpassing 60 km/hr. I traveled along a beautiful, curving gravel coastal road that weaved in and out of the brutal wind. I was forced to push the bike as I turned into the wind, fighting for every kilometer, only to turn back with the wind and glide effortlessly until the next turn. I couldn’t help but look ahead at each upcoming turn, knowing that the slight change in direction would either bless me or curse me.

I had studied the wind and the route in the morning, so I knew that I was nearing the final turn until I would be traveling directly with the wind for over 100km. I pushed my bike the last few meters, nearly getting knocked off my feet until I finally arrived at the sharp turn in the road. Without a moment’s rest, I hopped on my bike and let the wind start carrying me. The road was still gravel and bumpy, but I was flying.

I passed some construction workers, who were working on a new paved highway. They called me over and we talked for a bit before they told me I was welcome to ride the fresh pavement. I was the only one on this road and as I let the wind accelerate me, the purest form of bliss overpowered me.

It’s hard to describe the feeling of a 40 km/hr tailwind on a fresh and private paved road that went on for over 100km, combined with two and a half years of working hard to be where I am now and being so close to a goal that seemed impossible. Just the thought of this brings tears to my eyes as I write this now. I laughed, I cheered, I flew.

I have lived my entire life not feeling winds of such strength. Winds of such magnitude are usually associated with storms, but here, they are a daily occurrence. It’s hard to describe the strength in words, so you can feel it as well. I wasn’t even able to stop, for when I tried to stand still, the wind would knock me over. I couldn’t hear anything but the wind attacking my ear. The only tranquility could be found when I let go and let the wind take me when everything would hush to whispers as I rode with the wind, as if in the eye of a storm.

With nothing but grassy fields and dark skies surrounding me, I let the wind carry me. For hours, I hardly needed to pedal while I averaged speeds over 35 km/hr.

300KM REMAIN

The next 100 km went by quickly, setting a personal record for the fastest 100 km on this trip and in my life.

I crossed the Argentinian / Chilean border for the fifth and final time. One more final checkpoint crossed on the way to Ushuaia.

After another 150 km day, I decided to rest at the Argentinian Migracion, another popular refuge for cyclists to rest in their final days to Ushuaia. It had all you need: a kitchen, bathroom, and a heater to keep you warm. Unfortunately, it turned out not to be the most peaceful place to sleep, as the lights never turned off and there was traffic late into the night and early in the morning, but for the price of being free, it was hard to complain.

The next morning, the wind was still as I began. My normal speed of 15 km/hr now felt slow compared to the day before. The forecast had said there was supposed to be a strong tailwind, so I felt cheated as I looked around for the wind. Thankfully the wind eventually did come out and helped carry me to the city of Rio Grande.

Feeling a bit exhausted from the poor sleep the night before, a short day to Rio Grande to reconnect with Gary sounded like a good idea. The following day was forecasted for very unfavorable wind, so we took the day off and rested.

200KM REMAIN

Gary took off from Rio Grande early in the morning because he wanted to ride the remaining 200km to Ushuaia in one day, ending his trip with his longest ride ever. It would have taken me many hours longer with my much heavier mountain bike, so we said goodbye, but we would meet again soon in Ushuaia.

The pampa was finally giving way to more beautiful views. Trees started to appear, and I could see the final mountains in the distance, where I knew Ushuaia was hiding behind.

I arrived in the town of Tolhuin with a few hours left in the day to keep riding, and I had a tough time deciding if I should keep going or stop here. I normally would have kept going, but here in Tolhuin is one of the most historic Casa de Ciclistas in South America.

For over 20 years, a bakery has been a special refuge for cyclists. People from all over the world have stayed here, some in the final moments of grand adventures and some who have only just begun. Deep in the basement of a storeroom are nothing more than a few beds and a nearly full guest book in which people have written short messages containing their wisdom realized from traveling the world on bicycle.

I flipped through the pages of the book, recognizing the names of friends who had been here before me. I read some entries, tears filling my eyes as I deeply connected with the emotions that we all felt with the end only a day away. I left my mark, hopeful that future friends will look back and see it as well.

100KM REMAIN

It was the morning of the final day, and it started like any other. I put on my riding clothes, I packed my gear, and I filled up on water and snacks. As soon as I started riding on the highway, a wave of emotions hit me. It was a mixture of many emotions that took me moments to comprehend. I felt so immensely proud for making it this far. There were countless dark moments when I didn’t think I had it in me to finish. Somehow, I always found the strength to push on one pedal at a time.

I was also sad and scared. After today, the life I had gotten used to would change completely. I had been motivated by a point on a map and a clear reason to move, my purpose was to pedal everyday closer to my goal. Soon I would accomplish this goal and lose my purpose, leaving me directionless. I don’t know what my future will look like. I have a lot of ideas and options, and soon, I’ll be at the crossroads of many different paths, and I’ll have to decide.

In a lot of ways, I saw the resemblance to my feelings when I started this trip, feeling overwhelmed with the same changes, only in the other direction. I remembered that I figured it out then, and I’ll figure it out this time as well.

During the first hour of riding, I found it hard not to cry. It was a beautifully emotional moment, and I allowed my feelings to take whatever form they needed. As I pedaled on, I noticed the sun casting my shadow in front of me. Seeing this form of myself in front of me caused me to reflect on my trip, thinking of some of the accomplishments, failures, and just random moments that I had seemingly forgotten about. Every moment, every person forms an important piece in the picture that has made up this journey for me.

Soon, the adrenaline and emotions wore off, and the realization I still had six hours of riding left sank in. I got in my rhythm and started counting down the kilometers with each passing road marker.

The transition from the pampa to the forested mountains was sudden, providing beautiful scenery for a final ride. I climbed the final mountain pass with ease and descended into the valley, where the colors of fall started to shine, a reminder that summer was ending and winter would soon be approaching.

Pushing through the final valley, I encountered a bit of a headwind. I guess it would have been too unfair if my entire final week was riding tailwind. I pushed on regardless, as I knew I was approaching a final descent into Ushuaia.

As I started the descent to Ushuaia, I could let myself relax again and relish in these final moments. The emotions of the morning returned as I free-wheeled towards the end.

0KM REMAIN

As I rolled around the final corner and saw the signs welcoming me to Ushuaia, the emotions I was expecting weren’t there. I had assumed that the moment I entered the city would be the climax of the entire trip, as if everything would magically connect and make sense now that I crossed some invisible line, but in a way, it was underwhelming. I decided to save my processing for later, as the entrance to the city was rather ugly and full of industrial traffic speeding around me, making it hard to think.

From the entrance, I still had 7 km to the city center, and it was no victory lap. I pushed through the headwind and rain, on the far side of a busy road with a hoard of port traffic.

I went straight to my hostel, saving photo time with the infamous “Fin del Mundo” sign for another day as the rain had picked up. I also wanted to reconnect with Gary and celebrate the end over some burgers and beer.

The next day the time came to take the classic photos everyone must take in Ushuaia, and while I knew I had to take them, I also wanted to do something a little bit different.

So I dragged Gary along with two beers to a viewpoint across the city so I could smash a couple of beers and celebrate like a good Arkansas boy should.

The next few days I spent resting and looking for meaning in the end. I had expected something to happen to me as I arrived in Ushuaia, and the lack of it almost made me feel like I had missed something. I finally realized I was looking at it all the wrong way. There is no meaning in the end, just as no trip is about the destination. Ushuiaua was nothing more than a point on a map, its only significance being that it was the end of the road. If arriving here was the goal, I would have taken a plane.

I didn’t ride all this way because I wanted to be in Ushuaia, I rode all this way because I wanted to experience everything in between. I wanted to break free from the life I was safe and comfortable with. I quit my promising career, I sold my car and everything I owned that I didn’t need, and I left my loving family and close friends behind so I could experience the world in its purest form from the seat of my bicycle. I had grown up in a bubble, only knowing one way of existence. I had learned all that a college and professors could teach me, but what could the people of the world teach me? I knew there was more out there, and I wanted to see it. It was always about the journey.

With that realization, I thought back on the man I was before and the man I was now. I thought about how the road had changed me and everything I thought I knew about the meaning of life. I asked myself the only question that was important to me after all this time: was I happy with the man I have become? Immeasurably.

Thank You

If I didn’t have the support of all of you who have been reading along and providing endless words of support, I’m not sure if I could have made it. I have carried you all with me in my head and my heart as I’ve pushed through some of the hardest times so I could share it all with you. So to each of you reading, thank you.

Thank you especially to both my dear Grandmothers, who have been endlessly curious and supportive of me from the very beginning. I think of you both when I’m writing these blogs and sharing my photos, and I hope I’m able to share with you some of the beauty I have experienced.

Thank you to my parents, who I know have struggled a lot with the path I have taken. Any good parent wants to see their child follow in their footsteps to success, and when one little black sheep chooses an unknown path that is a bit more radical and crazy, it’s hard not to feel fear about where they will end up. Thank you for lending your trust in me and for your eternal support and love.

Thank you to Paula, who has put up with a lot to deal with the difficulties of our relationship while still providing me with constant support in the hardest times.

What’s Next?

This question has annoyed me a bit, partially because everybody asks it and partially because I don’t exactly know the answer, but I have some ideas. Soon, I will start my journey to Buenos Aires, where I will meet my parents to show them South America. After that, I want to see Brazil and the Amazon Jungle. I plan to leave the bike behind for this section, as I want to travel a bit faster and more relaxed. I do plan to share blogs of these adventures :).

So, is this the end of the book? Of course not, only chapter two, and there are still four more chapters remaining (Hint: Think continents….). My journey cycling started with cycling across the USA, and then across the Americas, and there is only one logical step next, but before I can begin on that journey, I will need to return to work and save a bit more money. So if you all have enjoyed following along so far, stay tuned and I will keep you all updated, there will be plenty more blogs in the future :).