Perito Moreno to el chaiten (Ruta 40)

[eddiep]

Ok so i know their is lots of info on this but i wanted to try and clarify something.

I love to ride but the thing i love more than the motorbike is photography. I love scenic roads. I dont mind a challenge but so long as its scenic.

People rave about this section of the ruta 40 and i want to know why? Is it the challenge of riding it or the scenery. I always get mixed reports from peoples posts, some say its a boring desert and others great scenery?

We ride slow on the gravel so as long as the rains stay away for two days we could ride it at a slow pace and hope for good conditions. Will it be really rough on a small 125 (not a trial bike)??

hope you can help clear this up. If you dont think its really that scenic (esp as we are currently riding the austral and maybe lago general carrera depending on the info on my other post) then perhaps we go via Ruta 3 south to ushuaia. Any tips or info would be great thanks!!

Gracias,
Eddie.

[crashmaster]

IMO, the Austral is much better for scenery, as long as its not raining. I never saw anything on Ruta 40 that I would consider challenging, but, I didnt think the altiplano Lagunas route through Bolivia was challenging either. It all a matter or perspective. IMO Ruta 40 is a 100 mph dirt road in excellent condition.

[markharf]

I didn't see anything terribly difficult about that section of Ruta 40, and I didn't see anything unusually scenic about it either. It's nice enough, but not extraordinary. On a wee little bike you might have some issues with the winds. People I met riding 250's were sometimes having trouble maintaining momentum...but that's going to be just as true on Ruta 3 and elsewhere.

Once you come around the lake and over to Chile Chico, you more or less owe it to yourself to go to El Chalten, El Calafate and Torres del Paine. Don't skip over to Ruta 3 unless you're planning to return via the southern Andes (Ruta 40).

Remit: dos centavos.

Mark

[ivanbrgic]

It is hard to expect that Ruta 40 will impress you Mark when you have been travelling so much!

Take care!

[markharf]

Yah, maybe I'm getting jaded. I should say that I didn't find that section of Ruta 40 particularly nicer than the rest--extraordinary, but perfectly normal within its context. And it was no more difficult to ride than anyplace else.

When are you opening up that 4x4/motorcycle campground? I finally found a job, so I can now start putting money away against another trip....if I ever again feel the urge to take one.

Best to you, Dajana and Naomi!

Mark