Messages : 46
to 60
Page : 4
Number of messages : 120
on 22/02/2007 at 21:37
Hey guys, just catching up on some of your photos and diaries. the trip looks amazing and am incredibly jealous. Makes me miss travelling a lot. anyway, best of luck for the rest of the trip. Westy
on 21/02/2007 at 09:30
Boys
I havent been in touch for a while and for that I apologise. I dont seem to be able to find a picture of yourselves with a local bobbies hat on has this challenge been completed????????? If not I will be happy to set a new one and up the ante!!!!!!!
Rich's reply : Hi Dan!
We´re still looking for a good copper to ask. There are some on bikes, we thought that might be apt. We´ll get a picture up soon i promise
Will email soon
Rich
on 20/02/2007 at 19:11
Hi guys,
Congrats on your progress. Those insects dont sound too pleasant... Anyway, were doing a very similar trip to you and have a quick question about the crossing from el chalten to villa ohiggins; how often are the ferries over the two lakes? In hindsight, what do you recommend?
Cheers in advance,
Dave and Gary
Rich's reply : Hi guys,
Good to see some other people going the wrong way
The ferry on Lago O Higgins runs Wednesdays and Saturdays at 5pm (i think
), the ferry on Lago del Desierto runs seems to run twice a day on Tuesdays and Fridays ( the earlier on is about 10:30 i think), giving you time to do the trek to Lago O´Higgins, it might run other days as well.
The Lago O´Higgins boat is now run by Hielo Sur (www.hielosur.com), its not the old navel boat like it says in the Lonely Planet. It might be delayed if the weather is bad, we had to wait an extra day. There is a basic hostel and a campground (well, a patch of grass) where you will wait for the boat, and nothing else, so worth taking a couple of extra days food just in case you have to wait.
The trek is about 5km and is really tough, but worth it. Some people take their bags off and ferry them back are forth, we just dragged our bikes fully loaded for the whole 5km. Im glad we did it this way, was difficult, but I think better than doing 15km! After that there is about 14km on a really bad road, but mostly downhill.
The whole crossing is really good, like I say, it s tough but really is worth it. We had a hard time finding anyone that knew when anything was running, even in El Chalten! Take a look on the Hielo Sur website, they might have more details.
Also, hostel El Mosca in Villa o higgins is really good, and you can camp there.
Enjoy the Austral and the rest of our trip
Suerte
Rich
on 16/02/2007 at 18:12
Hola,
¿Como Estan?
I have stuck true to my word and have made a donation based on the fact that you´ve been cycling in two countries. I will top up with each new country you conquer. I have done my bit of PR for you by emailing everyone I know and demanding money.
I´ve signed onto a language course here and so will be heading up to Salta later than expected due to my inadequacy with the spanish language. So perhaps if you stop being so lazy and get a move on I´ll see you there.
Laura.
Rich's reply : Cheers for the donation, well done on the bullying as well, I see your dad has made a donation, thank him for us
We´ve been flying along from Mendoza so far thanks to some nice wind assistance, so we´re hoping to be in Salta in about 10 days now. If leave before we get there then a trail of food leading us all the way to Bolivia would be appreciated - salty peanuts, bolied sweets and dulce de leche go down particularly well on the road
Hasta Luego
on 12/02/2007 at 16:02
monday 12th Feb 2007
Good Morning Lads,
Now, several things, are there no Barbers in this place ?
How do you feel about the girls back home wearing burkhas ??
Are you in fact actually in Wales ?? it looks very Walesy to us
Ian, , the episode with the oats in the supermarket; why she was surprised I would suggest, only Scotch people eat oats, in England they feed oats to their horses...hence the surprise.
and how are your puncture repairing skills coming on ? judging by the roads I would presume a repair per bike every two ns half miles ?
Anyway, Hast la vista, Baby !!
May all your hills be down
Blenk's reply : There are Barbers, they're just not up to the challenge that our barnets represent. They all pull their shutters down when they see us coming down the road.
So far, only two punctures to repair! (Thanks to the nice people at Continental who donated some truly outstanding Travel Contact Tyres
)
Wales? Erm... no, no definitely not Wales. Definitely not, no way. (Rich, i think we may have been rumbled...)
Oats are what God would eat for breakfast, if he were a touring cyclist. He'd probably have Dulce de Leche in it as well cause he has impeccable taste.
on 10/02/2007 at 18:22
Hey - my idea for a challenge is to print some website pages out and post them to the print the internet project at www.printtheinternet.co.uk
You'll be the founder-senders
Cheers,
Andy
on 06/02/2007 at 12:05
Afternoon Gentlemen,
I've taken a break from being a captain of industry as I've just realised you've been gone for three months today.Three months! My Vorderman-esque skills tell me that is a whole quarter of a year.
Am very impressed with the beards, very much so indeed. Slightly concerned they might be a bit scratchy.....
As my spiritual guide Sir Jerry Springer always says....Look after yourselves - and each other
Missing you all very much - some more than others
Loads of love,
Jones x
Blenk's reply : We miss you too!
Some more than others...
on 03/02/2007 at 01:18
hoolas, que tal? los invito a la nueva casa de ciclistas en Salta(capital) al norte de la Republica Argentina. me pueden escribir a ram_bici@yahoo.com.ar o ram_bici@hotmail.com aqui les paso bien la dirreccion de mi casa que esta muy cerca del centro,
calle: Vicente Lopez Nº 1414
telefono desde afuera de argentina es: 0054-387-4392850 o si estan dentro de argentina es 0387-4392850
pues les deseo lo mejor y espero que pasen por aqui o si ya pasaron pasen la voz de que en salta hay una casa de ciclistas. gracias
on 29/01/2007 at 16:54
Richmond, hope you are good, hope the knee is holding up - I saw the best punk band I've ever seen on saturday - Gallows - you would bloody love them. When you get back we shall go see them.
Blenk - keep the beard growing strong and true
J - big love big man
xxxx
on 29/01/2007 at 05:27
Greetings from the north , why stop at the warm tropical sandy beaches with all those distractions when you could peddle up here build igloos get chased by bears and be issued a speeding ticket by a Mountie .
Good on you ,keep it up chaps .
Blenk's reply : Hello guys!
Unfortunately, I think the bikes will be put out to pasture when we get to the Caribbean, so unless some mentally unhinged motorbiker wants to do a swap i doubt I'll be making it up to Canada!
Hows it all going over there in BC? I hope you've been doing all these activities yourselves to fit in with the local culture!
All the best, and lots of love to you all.
Ian
on 24/01/2007 at 08:37
Hello, hope all is going well. I would like to set a challenge, which of course I would donate for. I have a placement at a primary school, and we were looking at the the South America region. If possible could you have a photo on your bikes with signs saying 'Hello Peacocks', (name of the class), it would be a great start to plenty more exploration with them, and hopefully inspiration for them.Keep going!
Rich's reply : No problem Eva, we´ll see if we can find something very South American for the photo. Not seen too many llamas yet, and the only Armadillo we´ve seen was roadkill, but we´ll find something!
on 18/01/2007 at 12:47
Hello from the sunny Vatican City. Since your departure i've been fast-tracked in the Catholic Church and am now a Cardinal in charge of Finland and Barbecues, working in the Vatican - quite amazing for someone that got suspended at the prestigious Coopers Company and Coborn School, although my interviewer was what i would consider
quite lackadaisical in his probing of my past. Still, it was the best the job agency could get me at the time.
Anyhow i must go as Sister Myfanwy Martinez-Esteban of our Cranham diocese has come to tell me that the lunchtime barbecue i set up before writing this message is emitting white smoke, and prompting a minor international diplomatic crisis. A lesson never to use wet kindling from discount outdoor supplies shop if ever there was one.
Wishing you continued success on you journey - may the barbecue be with you.
Cardinal Dawson
Jay's reply : Oh Dawson *Shakes head*
You crazy long haired fop.....
on 15/01/2007 at 20:05
Hiya cous' (aka Blenka)
Heard about the website at the weekend when the Scottish Blenk gang were gathered for Michelle's birthday. Just had a read of the blog. Sounds an amazing trip, soooo jealous (apart from the whole cycling in lousy weather bit). Hope you are all having fun.
Huge favour to ask... if you are in Chile and make it to Valpariso could you find out if the Union Church still exists? If it does could you take a photo of it for me please. Would love a snap of the place where the McPherson's all used to go. If you don't make it no worries, your Uncle Nick and I are planning a trip there one of these days (after he retires and I win the lottery
)
Happy cycling
Your Big Cous' Marianne
Blenka's reply : Hey Marianne,
Im afraid we're not going to be passing through Valparaiso or anywhere near... we're staying in Argentina right the way up to Bolivia now, so no more Chile at all. Shame though, i'd quite like to have helped out with the family history quest. We did see a surprising number of ginger-headed people in Southern Chile though, so maybe the Scottishness has seeped down through the generations.
Lots of love to the family up there when you see them.
on 15/01/2007 at 18:26
Hey Ian,
How are you doing? And where are you? I'm in Argentina at the moment and absolutely loving it. Maybe I'll pass you on a bus, I'll keep my eyes open and maybe chuck you some chocolate. Hope it's going well.
Paula
Blenka's reply : mmmmmmmmmm chocolate. Please throw us chocolate, yes. and ice cream as well. In fact, any food that's not bread or pasta can be thrown at us.
We're hoping to be at Mendoza in 3 weeks or so... im guessing you wont still be there?! Give us an email though and let us know where you are. We're in San Martin de Los Andes at the moment, in the Argentine Lake district if that helps!
on 12/01/2007 at 15:02
A message for Blenkinsopp from another of the Home Office Cricket Team!
Sounds amazing guys... Keep on cycling!!
Messages : 46
to 60
Page : 4
Number of messages : 120
Dave and Gary (Puerto Natales, Chile) 
Laura (Mendoza) (Buenos Aires, Argentina) 
Aunty Judy & carer (Earls Colne, Great Britain) 
Sooty (Ludlow, United Kingdom) 
Laura (Yemen) 
The Grizzles of Canada (Victoria B.C., Canada) 
Dawson (Vatican City) 
