Chaiten to Puerto Inginiero Ibanez

After a nice night at Chaiten we continued to head south on Ruta 7. A route through some stunning countryside. Every bend opened to another vista of shear bluffs, snow caped ranges or lakes.

There is a lot of new road works taking place on this stretch. The roading crews hardly held us up at all sending us down the safe side of working equipment, or briefly stopping to check us out as we went past. Lots of waves and a few shouts. The start of the route was concrete and tarseal and the later section hard-packed gravel with a firm surface so it did't slow us up at all.

We rode as far as Villa Amengual arriving about 1530. Having had enough of the rain and cool temps we decided to stop for the night. The village is small with few houses but seemed most were into offering accommodation and restaurant services. Our first queries met with no luck but one pointed up the road 2 doors. Place looked unlikely but we banged on the door regardless. Low and behold we were invited in and met by the proprietress, bedecked in chef bonnet, plate in hand with a LLLarge steak ready for cooking. What more could you ask for? Even got a bed as well!

The steak was excellent and we spent the time talking, between mouthfuls of steak, with couple from Coyhaiqui. Between our limited Spanish and their limited English we had an entertaining time. The couple had just stopped for dinner on their way to spend time in the hot-pools 20 km from Chaiten......ehhh Hot Pools?
Missed those!

The house has no insulation, collapsing floors, and limited heating, but clean. The beds had 5 thick mohair blankets topped by a thick Duvet. I tossed all bar 2 plus the duvet. By morning most were back on!!

It is a popular spot for passing truckers who were banging on the doors at 0130 in morning. the chef would get up, cook them a meal and the truckers would continue on their way.

We left after breakfast in front of the fire. The rain eased 10 km down the road with sun making an appearance. More stunning countryside.

We eventually started moving away from the hills and picked up strong tail winds. Hardly needed to throttle on at all. We missed a turn off and came across a border post with a stern looking guard who quickly told us where to go once he found we were not going Argentina.

 Backtracking 10 km in the howling head wind required getting down behind the screen or put up with the buffetting.
Back on course, tail winds, heading back to the hills and yet more stunning scenery.

We have stopped for the night at Puerto Inginiero Ibanez, a small village on the northern shore of  Lake General Carrera