Bikepacking Chile | Episode 17 | Alaska to Argentina
Вставка
- Опубліковано 10 лют 2025
- Cycle touring through Chile was everything I hoped it would be. Gone were the endless, open stretches of sun, sand, and scrub. While some days were hot, there was always some amount of shade to take cover in. And the best part? Water. Water everywhere. Everything from liny creeks burbling through rocks, giant regional rivers, massive lakes, and the ocean itself can be found in Chile.
I started off with a quick, three day visit to the coast, which was full of vacationing Chileans enjoying the cool sea breeze almost as much as I was. Much of the coast is developed, but there were enough deserted spots for me to wild camp on.
After leaving the coast, I headed inland to ride the Monkey Puzzle Trail. Up in the mountains I rode by many remote roads through forests and around volcanos. The Monkey Puzzle is a type of tree unique to Chile with strange, thick, pointy leaves.
After leaving the Monkey Puzzle Trail, I finished out the episode with a tour of Chile's lakes, from Villarrica to Llanquihue. I hit as many as I could and enjoyed the chill cruisy back roads in between.
At the end I met my dad for the final time who joined me to accompany me on the Carretera Austral, next episode.
Social Media:
Instagram: crankingit
Support Me:
Patrion: patreon.com/CrankingIt
Paypal: paypal.me/AlexvanGelder
True's SoundCloud: soundcloud.com/teacher-true
About the Ride:
My name is Alex van Gelder. I'm from Seattle and I'm just starting my first intercontinental bicycle tour. The goal is to ride from Deadhorse, Alaska to Ushuaia, Argentina in one go.
I also want to ride some bikepacking routes including the Great Divide Route through the Rocky Mountains and the Peru and Ecuador Divides through the Andes.
For this trip I built my own bike using a custom frame in order to be able to withstand rough mountain roads as well as power through long distances on pavement. (I had never built a bike before so we'll see if it holds up.)(lol)
If you want to learn more about my bike build, I go over it in this video: • My Alaska to Argentina...
I go over my gear in this video:
• My Alaska to Argentina...
If you have any other questions you can check out my FAQs video: • Alaska to Argentina | ...
Or leave a comment and I'll get to it as soon as I can.
I'm editing these videos on the road, so releases my be infrequent as I try to find a quiet place to edit.
Theme song created by True.
soundcloud.com/teacher-true
Alex, you are so blessed to see all these beautiful places!
Have a great time with your father!
Really appreciate the audio text to the series. Pause to learn new words and places. I know I've seen that tree in a yard up in northern BC, or very similar. I thought maybe the you would deke back onto ARG 40 to the rest of the way south. I suspect you made the right call. Did not expect all the water and green that far inland. Not to long ago Chile had a real bad rap and fascist military regimes. Democracy is better for business in the long term. Never heard of the finisher route we'll seen as the end for you.
Great series. Genuine stuff , thanks.
Awesome scenery! Can't wait for Carretera Austral with your padre and for future trips.
wow, I was getting bit emotional just thinking about the end coming. not sure if you're relieved, it's probably more of a mix of emotions. It's been amazing following along, can't wait for the last two episodes. This has been an enormous amount of effort in posting and cycling, hard to imagine everything you accomplished. plenty of time to think about this down the road but I would love to see an overall recap film of your journey, and once all the dust settles put something out. maybe some highlights, or whatever suits you. No matter what thanks for putting these out there, I always look forward to checking out the journey, reminds me of the good old days.
Ahhhh ❤
The guy watching your bike and giving you free socks was so wholesome 🥹
Your route through Chile is gorgeous!
Love it when your Dad joins you! Looking forward to the next episode.
Another great update Alex, as always its so much fun seeing your videos pop up.
I have always wondered, but not wanting to take away from this trip, what's next? This achievement is so grand take it in and enjoy every memory of it.
Its wonderful that your dad is able to join you over a few sections, I'm very very envious.
Look forward to the next one, whenever it come out.
Cheers
Bob...
Absolutely amazing, thank you again for sharing!
thanks Alex, shredded pants, new socks, Volcanos, epic!, great stuff
That story about the guy watching your bike took a 180, was thinking you were going to come out to him stealing your bike and instead he gave you some socks, that's hilarious because it's such a random thing to give a stranger 🤣🤣😂
Excellent video thank you so much for sharing your wonderful experience
A year ago I started following several cyclists on UA-cam who were doing Alaska to Argentina roughly at the same time. I only stuck with this journey. The others I left in Alaska. Even the super annoying soundtrack could not distract me from this amazing journey.
blackberries?? Def bonus for visiting.
Dude let me buy u a new bike plz u will enjoy riding so much more u need a better bike
He rode all the way across the America's, and did pretty well. This trip is almost at the end but you should definitely sponsor him a bike for next journey!!