December 22, 2025
Las Vueltas Bridge to Chalten
I must've drifted off to sleep eventually. Woke up at usual quarter hour before 06. Wind still blowing but not so hard with bivouac shaking a bit. Open up, look out and see a rainbow in grey rainy sky. Great. Rezip up bivouac, wanting to stay snug and warm inside. Five minutes later I'm out and having quickly packed up camp, put water on to boil for mate.
Outside the old block the wind doesn't feel as bad. Around about the same as when I rode here yesterday afternoon. A motorcyclist with pillon are stopped on the bridge. I don't think they can see me as there is quite a distance down. I am back up the track to the road and turn into the wind to cross the bridge at 06.50, which I struggle across at walking pace. The deep river canyon funnelling the wind at me until reaching the other side where the pace quickens on the climb in the shelter of the barrancas until cresting the slope out to full wind expossure upon the lumpy plain. And in order to create the most spectacular views of the mountains ahead it seems the roadbuilders route went up the highest promontory.
soon I pass a kilometre board which tells me its only 15 kilometres more as all my energy goes into dragging uphill into the wind and on the short dip-downs I soft pedal; and it being early, the whole road is near enough mine; only a few outbound excursion buses and nothing on my side.
A kilometre to go and smiling, I meet two touring cyclist leaving Chalten who shout over an encouraging "you've almost made it!"
In town I stop at a bakery and buy empanades for a second breakfast and then continue to the campsite. It is still raining on the mountains so probably an easy day of listening to a few podcasts and a sleep.
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