Meeting Alexander and the wildlife in Patagonia.
I was running out of the busy city of Comodore Rivadavia down along the ocean side with the wind blowing in my face and who should I see up ahead of me!
” Alexander! ” I shouted out. It was my Swiss skating friend Alexander he and me have caught up with each other now 3 times. yesterday at the police check point I was told he was 4 days ahead, just goes to show how bad peoples information is.
He seems to be travelling fast as his aim is to arrive in Ushuaia for Christmas Eve and he is well ahead of that schedule. He is skatinging fast even having taking some rest days including on 2nd November his sixtieth birthday. I had left a couple days before, pity it would have been nice to have celebrated with him.
Having not slept the night before I had only planned a short day myself and readily agreed to finish my day in Rada Tily Municipal campsite upon Alexanders invitation.
So we stopped for some supplies in a supermarket and then travelled on. Alexander a Swiss champion skater waiting for me several times to catch up. That is till the huge descent into Rada Tilly a sea side town. Alexander was gone, so I had to make my own enquires about where the campsite was.
A nice lady called Veronica gave me directions and told me she would drop over that evening!
Then she drove ahead and told me after turning left that it was 6 more blocks and then a right turn at the end of the road. Veronica never did show up that night, perhaps it was the smell of 8 days on the road, no hotels and the usual showers in gas stations that have saved me in the past were not available this last week. So my no shower record equalled here, also 8 days in a remote part of Baja,Mexico.
Later Alexander on his word of honor told me there was no whiff!
I had been wondering why people were moving away from me in the supermarket checkout line, no need to be paranoid Tony, that line is moving faster. Thank God for deodorant and a campsite shower!
As I don’t run so fast I don’t really perspire that much and never need to dry off. Many times due to the nature of such a run and finishing so late and in such difficult circumstances I just sleep in my clothes that I ran in that day as they are always dry. I wash them whenever I get an opportunity. Only so much I can do with no support vehicle or crew, ah the joys of toughing it out!
So Alexander cooked dinner or rather took over my cooking of my pasta. He is a culinary connoisseur who takes pride in his cooking. Me I have been known to throw my pasta in my thermos in the morning, top it up with boiling water and let it cook itself! What do I end up with… A white stodge! Hey just add a couple of sauces and it’s fine and a fast prepare!
Next day I just hung around the campsite till very late afternoon as the wind was incredible. Alexander also a windsurfer told me it was between 60 and 70 km per hour winds, I think he knows about these things. He took a rest day. I left at around 4pm and only made 19km against the most ferocious winds so far. So two easy days were run totalling less than my average daily distance, a rest day of sorts or easy period after my massive days in the past two or three weeks.
Before leaving Alexander was asking me why I called my Chariot Nirvana and when I told him that was normal for people making such trips he thought I was mad! Then suddenly he warmed to the idea and asked me to think up a name for his Chariot. I suggested Sandy after the recent Hurricane Sandy in New York and what we got here in Patagonia. He though it was a great name and was delighted with Sandy!
Just before finishing that day I ran into Santa Cruz province, the next one will be the big one… Tierra del Fuego and the end of the world,well in the Americas!
Next day I am running through Caleta Olivia and get stopped by a man that shouts out obviously in Spanish….
” You must be Tony Mangan? ”
He was a journalist for Diario el Patagonia newspaper, so I do a brief interview before running on for 60km that day.
On the way there were many places along the coast where I spotted what I thought were whales surfacing and submerging along the coast. I stopped many times watching them surface before going under the water only to resurface..
Later I was told that these were sea lions. For more on sea lions press HERE
Then there were some rolling hills, I felt strong running almost non stop as I pushed a heavy loaded Nirvana up the hills, I felt like a cyclist cruising up a mountain, like a mountain goat.
Construction workers interrupted my dream by offering me water from their trailer. I loaded up another 4 litres, they took several photos and was off again.
One of these days I had a bad pain in my neck, so hard to turn around and check traffic. I often had to stop or move my whole upper torso around. That slowed me down that day, I just took it easy.
That day the strong wind actually changed direction and now it was a tailwind
I had it behind me all the way to the next water stop a small junction community in a strangely named place called Fitz Roy.
I stopped for a well earned asado in Fitz Roy, Argentina a massively expensive country is made a bit cheaper by the inability to spend much while out in the wilderness for days on end!
I ran some more that evening. It was nice and cool for now the days are hot, even with the wind. With the breaks in the wind it’s even hotter, I notice that instantly. 59km that day followed by a 50 and at km marker 2065 that was the 24,000km of the run
About two hours before that a man stopped his truck, hopped out and gave me a bottle of water. Then a little later three construction workers did a u-turn and came back to give me a large bag of pizzas, sandwiches and six oranges. Talk about pizza delivery!
” Hello! Is that Buenos Aires Rappid Pizza Delivery Company? ”
” Si Senior, Where are you? ”
” Just south of km 2065, yes thats more than 2,000 kilometres from BA. Please go mad on the mayonaise! And 2 bottles of cola too, What time will you get here, sorry I mean what day!
Once again the wind was behind me.
On and on I ran for today was an interesting day as I spotted many ostriches.
I stopped to take photos but couldn’t get near enough. They are fast runners, faster than me. They ran along the fence that runs along the road about 40 metres away from me. I noticed some small water pools these last couple days, so reckon that’s why they are populating this area. They ran to the hills and looked down at the road.
There are special ostriches in Patagonia. They are very small and have three toes on each foot.
They run fast to look for food.
The hen lays her eggs.The cockerel looks after the eggs.Sometimes, the cockerel looks after the eggs of more than one hen.Sometimes, there are 20 eggs in one nest!
For a very interesting read on Patagonia if you got the time press here
Many days I also spotted many guanacos. The guanaco is similar to a llama. They stay in large groups. They are very shy animals. Don’t get too close to the guanacos because they spit.Their spit stinks!
Guanacos
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Then two men stopped to top up my water, then a man and his wife stopped to give me a bag of chicken and beef, bread and more water and if that wasn’t enough a construction crew on their way to lunch stopped and gave me a steak dinner, topped up my water and an iced 7-up!
That was so delicious and I eyed the other bottles, how I would have loved another one but hadn’t the nerve to ask! Well what to do with all this food. I stopped, had a brew, a substantial snack, followed by a short siesta!
When I returned to the road for my final 16km gallop into Tres Cerros the wind had changed. It was tough going but I actually didn’t notice it too much, just had to go at a much slower pace for I was in one of my day dream moods.
All of my drinks are mixed with High5′s Extreme Ultra electrolyte mix. Especially when water is in short supply, High5 keeps me well hydrated.
Yes, Patagonia may be boring, but it doe s have its moments. This is kinda like the way Newfoundland was, I never thought I would say that. Argentina as I mentioned on the day I arrived here back at the end of July had been my favourite country in the world after a visit almost 30 years ago, well it’s not disappointing, it’s rapidly becoming my favourite country of the run.
Into another gas station respite, places are now about three days apart. It’s hard to carry all the water I need, I will never be able to thank the good people I have met. When I said to one trucker that the Argentines are wonderful people he corrected me telling me no not Argentina, that the world is full of wonderful people.
Another all nighter as I type this it’s 8am, I will shower soon and head out for my next three days to Puerto St. Julian.
November 26th, 2012 at 12:22 pm
tony, it’s great to hear the people in argentina are so generous. i hope it continues. your story so far is amazing. well done. kevin
November 26th, 2012 at 12:26 pm
Hi Tony, glad to see you are being well looked after on your travels. Make sure you stay away from the Guanacos, to quote yourself you may have your own distinct stink without adding to it. Great insight and photos of the wildlife. Take care and continue to enjoy Ann
November 26th, 2012 at 10:11 pm
Good Man Tony, It is so encouraging to meet nice people and get fed on your travels. In a short time you will be saying adios to Argentina – hasta la vista !!
December 3rd, 2012 at 10:10 pm
Hey Tony—-you are nearly there—seems like you just left the U.S. and headed into Baja and now here you are at the tip of S. America—wow—The new route looks pretty good–interesting terrain, and as we had discussed, fewer visa issues—–Anyway—I ate half a turkey in your honor at our Thanksgiving dinner!!!—cheers old friend and good running–Greg