Ushuaia is closed, don't even bother
 

We reached the entrance to Ushuaia 2 days ago and found it blocked by government protestors. I was cold and wet, an English girl took pity on me and told me of a secret route off road and around barriers. I made it but my mate decided it was too hard and turned around. The next day I needed to leave and found the road block still in place. I, along with 4 other riders from around the globe were being held hostage. The route I took the day before was blocked even tighter. A local citizen told us of another way around. That turned into a 4 hour ordeal and caused us some bike damage. We met some BMW riders from Germany on the way to the ferry and told them and of course they were highly disappointed.

Yesterday, March 24th, was the national day of remembrance here in Argentina and Obama was visiting Patagonia as well so there is a lot of tension. I'm sure things will settle down after the weekend.

I'm in Rio Gallegos right now. I'm with a young couple on ktm's that wanted to make the trip until I told them what happened to me. We're hoping for an update on the situation. The protest has crippled this town. No traffic in or out. The locals don't like what's going on and have been a great asset to adv riders.

Thing is that if it wasn't a protest, it could have beeb a flood or landslide or a bridge down, and all of those reasons, including protests, are quite common in parts of Mexico, Bolivia and Peru as well, so if you are going to travel you must have the resources and patience to sit them out.
Ushuaia might be closed today and tomorrow and even the next day but I doubt whether people should just give up because of temporary setbacks.

And parts of the US, or Belgium, or France, or Syria, or wherever...

Talking of bridges down and the like
 

England also; twenty bridges were washed out a few months ago in one county and most of them are still out of use.
A major road between two towns in the same county was also closed and remains closed - it might be up and open again soon just in time for the tourist summer season. The detour route adds about 60 miles to that journey.
Another road in a different county has been closed by subsidence for about 3 years and was opened again a couple of days ago - it's all adventure travel in the wilds of the UK!

I stopper several riders after leaving Ushuaia. Most had never been there and it was a life long dream to make it to the Southeran most city. I was one of those riders and luckily I got support from the civilians to break through. A natural disaster is one thing but a protest is another. We're at the very end of the riding season down here and all riders making this journey need to be informed.

One other good bit of advice is that while it is quite ok to try and sweet talk your way through a protest roadblock, it isn't usually a good idea to try and "break through"

"Break through" as in the locals let me ride through their land, across pastures and back yards. I am greatful for their help. Problem is if the protestors find out they'll block it with shipping containers.

If your a capable off road rider go for it or get help.

It's all part of the fun
 

I had a similar experience quite a few years ago; I think it was Clinton who was in town and everyone was locked down for some hours in the airport while he was in the vicinity - I was locked in an aircraft that was not permitted to "pushback" from the terminal and taxi out etc.
I learnt from that to stay well away from the politicians and their entourage.

If you ever get to France, look out for the farmers' tractors and the fishing fleet trawlers in the roads and the entrances to the ports respectively.
The farmers' specialise in using their muck spreaders to good effect, especially against their banks.

The French air traffic control also like to join in now and again especially during specific holiday periods.

It's a world wide phenomena but some places are more prone than others and France has a long history of protest - this is all part of why we travel, but I will be entering mainland Europe via the Netherlands in the immediate future because of these planning factors of adventure travel and I wish to get to a particular rendezvous (there's a good French word) by a specific date.

Same thing (protests, blockades, getting stuck for a few days) has happened to me in Italy and France, among other places. It's worth spreading information and it's worth discussing bypasses, but it's silly to think this only happens in disorganized or "primitive" Second or Third World countries.

Most of the best travel adventures involve times when a stack of credit cards and secret stashes of hard currency no longer provide comfort and security. Just listen to the stories we share, long after the trip is ended--they're about the days where everything went belly-up. The OP will be entertaining his grandchildren with tales of biking through farmers' fields, one step ahead of the protestors. That's how great stories are made.

Me, I'm still describing the time our train de-railed in Mozambique just after the war ended, requiring hungry days on foot through the mine-fields and little villages, culminating in a memorable night hoping a decrepit old freight train and (finally) arrival in a ramshackle city where food was for sale and money could be exchanged. It may have been uncomfortable at the time, but it sure gave us some vivid experiences.

I'll add that I found South America disappointing at times precisely because it was too easy, with not enough "adventure" to suit me. For the most part I rode a reliable bike around on predictable highways, purchased currency using plastic cards I brought from home, found lodging and palatable food wherever I went. What's the use of that, really? Most of the funnest times involved blockades, strikes, foul weather, misinformation, bad roads, mechanical failures, and more along those lines.

Edit to save someone the trouble of lecturing me: Yes, I understand that it's easy enough to get off the beaten track, if desiring the unknown and uncontrollable. I've done my fair share of that, including in South America.

All IMHO, of course.

Mark

Maybe you all need to check your dreams, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_Williams :-)

I was on my way to Ushuaia last weakened and worked my way try blockade by showing some international insurance papers and receipt from visiting doctor for respiratory problems in Punta Arenas telling them that I need to visit a doctor as sun as possible as I am emergency case.... :thumbup1:making my face grim,like I am gasping for air ...they let me pass immediately...spend a night in tow,took mandatory photo in the harbor and next morning went back to the blockade....told them that I visited doctor and they are not accepting my insurance so I must go back to Punta Arenas for a respiratory treatment and main person from the syndicate
order them to let me go ...all this took about 5 min.

If I did not haw this paper with me ....probably photo shop could produce one.....:innocent:

Does anyone know: Are these "government protestors" residents of Ushuaia or have they been bussed in from elsewhere to the outskirts of Ushuaia to blockade the town?

Are these the same people who were bused in to throw rocks and intimidate the Top Gear TV crew in Tierra del Fuego a while ago? (When speaking in January this year to an Argentine friend living in Rio Gallegos, he told me about the this "rent a mob").

I imagine it's the rent a mob, as the citizens of Ushuaia are unlikely to want to turn off the money stream that comes from the tourists.

Why didn't I think of that? Good for you!

They usually open it once a day around 7pm. I had no trouble getting in but getting out was anouther thing. They didn 't open up until 11pm (I got there at 11am) but I did get out. There is a way around if you like mud, several dual sport bikes did it while I was waiting. In the end I just wen't to the other side of the blockade and camped till morning. No big deal.
http://advrider.com/index.php?attach...02-jpg.491827/

http://advrider.com/index.php?attach...06-jpg.491846/

this was 4 days ago

Hi Vic, I'm the one toy met on the KTM. Glad it worked out for you. I'm in BA now with Dakar Motos, going home Friday. Safe travels!

If you have been there you will appreciate it is a hell of a long way to bus in a heap of rent-a-mob.

The real monied tourists come in on planes or cruise ships and just as is the case in Central America where those in RHD vehicles aren't welcomed, the loss of a few tightwad bikers and overlanders isn't going to amount to anything significant.

Not sure what this post is trying to achieve.

Yes I have been there. Several times. Most recently in Jan /Feb 2016. The friend from Rio Gallegos I mentioned in my post is Argentine and lived, until recently, in Rio Grande on Tierra del Fuego for many years. He told me about the local thugs that are rentable to cause trouble, just like they did with the Top Gear rock throwing / intimidation incident.

While riding the 250 or so km from Rio Grande to Ushuaia (not really too far on a bus....) I was able to observe a steady stream of buses and cars (2 or 3 a minute, as well as one or 2 push bikes and m/cs ) heading in either direction, so it isn't just cruise ships or aeroplanes that visit Ushuaia either. There's plenty of local folks and non air/cruise tourists on the move around the area too. Or in this case not on the move as the road is blocked.

Ever thought of the person who really needs medical help and will be hold by the protesters cause they heard of your little trick...??
Please if you think yourself so smart do not boast about it and at least
keep it to yourself!

Let me tel you smart gay....if you don't like what I do and how I do...kep it for you self ...dint give me a lessons...ok.
And yes , I consider my self smart ...

I'm with you on this one kawazoki. No reason to get so sensitive. I keep wondering what the conditions are in Ushuaia now that tourist season is winding down.

Some commonsense is needed because people do have long memories, especially when they are deceived or taken advantage of. Lots of fantastic experiences have become out of reach because of the selfishness of a few idiots.

Ushuaia is closed, don't even bother
 

Not one comment explains what the protest was about. This whole conversation seems at odd with my idea of travel and discovery. I travel to gather experiences, some are mundane, some funny, lots are seemingly traumatic. Seems like there was a missed opportunity here to learn more about the culture, politics or economy of the region. Instead these people where in the way. They were selfishly blocking the ticking off another bucket list goal. Hmm, what if their goal was more important than yours? What if they where protesting for human rights, against corruption or any number of the rotten things in the modern world? I understand that the townspeople you spoke to didn't support the protest, but clearly some did or it would not have happened. Speaking to the protestors might have lead to an understanding of what they where all about. If as adventure riders we don't try to understand the cultures we travel through what's the point. Maybe we should just stay home and watch "Long Way Around."

Finally, "we were being held hostage." Really. Being held hostage goes something like this. A group of 12 year olds, part of a boys army, armed with AK47s stops you at a road block, they take all your papers, and tosh you in a mud hut. You sweat out the night wondering if you'll be raped and murdered while your capturers get drunk outside. In the morning a blurry eyed kid throws your papers at you and tells you to go while the rest are laying about passed out. Happened to my sister in law in Africa. She also lost 12 of her teachers. Machine gunned to death in a school bus.

Do I have sympathy for your inconvenience? What do you think.


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Bla,bla,blaaaa...here comes another honest,loving,caring biker who is going to give you lessons how to behave in any given situation...please before you do any ting or you take any action ...contact this Pearson .
P.S. Oh yes I remember you ...always complaining about other peoples ways to find a solutions to get out off given situation....

I'm having a ball across various bits of France, Switzerland and Germany and can confirm that the French have been on their best behaviour, so far (I don't have a return sea crossing booked as yet though, so give it time!).

Very well said throughout young man.
You express my thoughts also but I couldn't be bothered to go beyond my own sardonic typing.
You also express why I gave up reading ride reports some years ago.

Good comments above! :thumbup1:

I also was waiting for someone to bring up the whole reason for the protest and explain what it was about. The inconvenience to travelers is unfortunate ... but you all shouldn't take it personally, rather consider the HISTORY of this and why it's so significant.

Obviously the crew here were not in Argentina in 1976 when the coup happened. I WAS. I saw (in person) hundreds rounded up in Buenos Aires over the month I was there. Day after day, all over the City. Huge crowds formed where ever the military trucks showed up. Thousands screamed at the soldiers as people were dragged from their apartments, crammed into waiting APC's at gunpoint. I expected the troops to open fire on the crowd at any moment. They didn't, but I took cover nonetheless ... but the Argentines got right in their face, guns to bellies. Brave mothers.

I saw the little Rat faced men with Machine guns and plain clothes in their 1960 Ford Falcons rush into apartments and haul people out. Time after time.

No one knew the fate of those taken at that moment ... but the wise ones knew their fate.

Most here on HUBB may know some of the facts of what happened ... roughly 30 thousand people were tortured and murdered, never seen again. For decades the mothers of the disappeared did an on going sit in Buenos Aires.
They adopted the name Desaparecidos.

I talked to dozens of Argentines before, during and after this period. Very dark time in Argentine history. At long last, at least some of the perpetrators have been brought to justice, but only a fraction of the guilty. Almost every Argentine I've met (Portenos mostly) either have a friend or relative or know someone who lost someone after the Coup.

The Desaparecidos need to be remembered. For many Argentines this event was a holocaust moment. It runs deep with many. It's not some minor political squabble or a simple regional protest for higher wages as riders usually see on the road in Latin America ... but a life altering event etched in Argentine history.

I'm amazed NO ONE here on HUBB realized how big a deal anything to do with this is for many Argentines. :(

Independent Lens . OUR DISAPPEARED/NUESTROS DESAPARECIDOS . The Film | PBS