chile

For over two years, I have been saying I was biking to Ushuaia. I remember how crazy it felt in the beginning, I hardly believed it myself and sometimes kept it to myself when talking about my trip. I had to keep my mind focused on the goals right in front of me, such as the next city or where I was sleeping that night. Day by day, week by week, I slowly worked my way south until now, Ushuaia was the next goal.

After finishing the Carretera Austral, Ushuaia felt closer than ever before. In a brief moment of misjudgment, I almost ignored all that was around me, with an intense focus on arriving in Ushuaia as fast as possible. Thankfully, after reconnecting with my priorities, I realized I needed to slow down and explore some of the incredible beauty that Southern Patagonia was home to.

This border crossing is iconic for people cycling South America for reasons of wild beauty, adventure, and necessity. It is the only way for cyclists to continue from the end of the Carretera Austral or to get to it for the rare people riding north. I will be telling my experience as a southern rider. This will be a shorter blog, as it's focused on providing information about my experience crossing this border, in the hope that it will be a valuable resource to future cyclists looking to take on the challenging hike a bike.

My introduction to the Carretera Austral had been cold and wet. I had to force myself to be uncomfortable and to push through nonfavorable conditions to continue making progress. Thankfully, the forecast was looking better, and things were about to turn around.

The Carretera Austral, or Southern Highway, is a renowned highway in Chilean Patagonia that was first opened to the public in 1988. As one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects of its time, the road was designed to connect remote southern territories with the rest of Chile. Its construction posed significant challenges, navigating through thick forests, expansive fjords, lakes, rivers, and beneath massive glaciers. However, this difficult terrain contributes to the highway's reputation as one of the most beautiful in the world. Travelers from across the globe come to explore the road by car, motorcycle, bicycle, and even as hitchhikers.…