Bike repairs and relax in Coyhaique

Day 54 (part 2) – February 14th 2016 – route
Valentines Day started with a pancake feast in the cabana followed by a long lunch ( with ice cream) and blog update. Finally hit the road at 5pm ish on our first tarmac road in weeks…slightly ruined by the constant uphill of a pass. There is something wrong with the back wheel again, probably the hub. We made it a whole 16km with 700m of climbing and then camped at the top of the beautiful mountains pass. This is a nature reserve for the rare huemel deer but we have not seen one.

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On the way up the pass

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camp at the top of the pass

Day 55 February 15th 2016 – route
Early start for us (10am) and continued on the tarmac for 70km with some well deserved downhill. The day was chilly and landscape shifted from mountains to farmland. A quick pit stop at El Blanco and sticking in our headphones helped us to reach coyhaique in good time. Civilisation and the big smoke finally.  Bumped into the cycling doctors and searched for a place to stay, found one just in time as the bike rack broke on just outside the hospedaje! Finished the day with a lovely pizza dinner.

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Farmland

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Waterfall
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Broken rack

Day 56 – February 16th 2016
We have decided to spend a week here to repair the bike, relax and do some bike free trips. With help from our hostel owner we finally found a cute little cabana with a little garden to call home (after 4 hours of searching)Spent day moving in and the evening hanging out with our Chilean friend Christian. He even took us in a drive of the local sites where he grew up.

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Clare & Christian - coyhaique in the background

Day 57 – February 17th 2016
Relaxed then took a trip to the bike shop where christians friend gave us some help. Bumped into lovely Kai and johana again and they decided to cook us dinner and stay over – yay!

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Johanna making bread

Day 58 – February 18th 2016
Breakfast with our friends then dozing and watching Netflix, what relaxation!  Made it out to book a manicure and pedicure and go to a cafe. We then had all you can eat pizza with Vincent, Mylene, Christian and his mum at a place called the leprechaun under the M! The first slice of pizza was cheese and chocolate 🙂

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Vincent and James

Day 59 – February 19th 2016
Nothing to report except I now have beautifully painted nails in my hands and feet! Electric blue fingernails and turquoise toenails. James had a siesta and listened to the laughing ducks, noisy roosters and chirping birds.

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The new nails

Day 60 – February 20th 2016
Home cooked lunch at Christians house – lovely

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Resting after a big eat

Day 61 – February 21st 2016
Preparing everything for starting cycling again tomorrow and more relaxing. The rack was fixed using the spares and the whole bike got a thorough clean

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Our little house