Our Odyssey Overland truly commenced on 27th January 2013 when we rode out of Valparaiso. We headed south through Chilean wine and fruit growing country and east into the lakes district where the scenery has been spectacular: volcanoes, waterfalls, mountains and lakes (sometimes all at once).
We’ve had our first encounter with ripio – unpaved roads of rocks, gravel, dirt, dust, potholes and corrugations, with patches of sand thrown in, just to keep us on our toes (literally). Riding and standing up on the pegs has been thrilling but exhausting for us newbies.
Camping by the lakes has been awesome but has also made us enjoy the luxuries of a simple hotel room.
With our improving Spanish and charades skills, we have managed to get our bikes serviced with minor repairs; export & import the bikes from Chile into Argentina and sample plenty of good wine.
From Bariloche, our plan is to cross back into Chile and continue south to Puerto Montt and the beginning of the Carretera Austral.
More photos of this leg of the trip here.
Our Odyssey Overland 
Love the photos – the scenery looks spectacular. May your skills on dirt road riding increase at a much faster pace than the times you come across them. Good luck!
Hi Robyn – Our dirt riding skills have definitely increased. No we’re working on our gale force wind skills.
Spectacular photos! It looks like the weather has been kind to you as well.
Fabulous. Great to get your latest post..
Hi Fiona and Matt, From Rosie and Rex, It is so good reading your progress and comments as it brings it all back to us, since we were exactly in the same places only a few weeks ago. Puerto Montt is quite a vibrant and colourful town, we enjoyed it. There is a street running west from the centre it is called A Varas, a real peoples street with all the jumble of market stalls and weird stuff and weird humanity, walk it very slowly if you can as you will see genuine Latin America encapsulated here. Of course, I am not sure what ferry combination you will use to get to Carratera Austral but you will love it…..one of the most scenic roads in the world. TIP: If you come off a ferry at Caleta Gonzalo which is on the track at 60k north of Chaiten you should check this…….! This spot is just a small terminal with few buildings, on the west side of the road, next to the buildings (inland side, south) is the start of a track. It immediately goes onto a log boardwalk and then into the forest…..it is extraordinary…extremely good. No sign, you will have to find it but it is easy. I never got to the end of it as we ran out of time because our ferry was due. Wait till you try it , you will be blown away by how good it is. Hope you get to it and the place would give good security for your bikes by the cafe. Enjoy ……………….stay upright except when sleeping. From your pals Rosie and Rex
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Hi Rex & Rosie – we’ve recently left Torres del Paine. Your prior descriptions of this place set high expectations and we weren’t disappointed at all. We’ll be posting more about this soon, but right now have a glacier in El Calafate to climb!
Hi Matt and Fiona. I just noticed that your website, Our Odyssey Overland, is currently featured on the WordPress, Freshly Pressed website. Congratulations! Bob and Yvonne.
We didn’t get a chance to look at this, but great to know our blog set-up seems to be OK and endorsed by WP. Now all we have to do is maintain it!
Stupendous guys – we all have such a love affair with this continent, its looking great thus far. Can’t wait to join u there, albeit at the opposite end lol – ten days and counting!
David xx
Hi David – hope you’re having a great time in Colombia. We’ve heard great things from other travellers about it and can’t wait to hear more! (Matt & Fi)
Breathtaking stuff- what a way to start! I will get there one day.. Stay safe. Mathews clan xx
Hello! It is an awesome landscape & the night sky is stunning too. It’s comforting to see the Southern Cross & Orion’s Belt shining down on us :-)!