While Patagonia grows in popularity for tourist near and far, so expands the services. While the small towns of the Chile and Argentine side of the Andes have enough services for the current local population, they can get overwhelmed during the high traffic summer months. Making gas station lines long, hotel and hostel rooms fill up fast, and dusty overcrowded roads.

The services offered in some of the smaller towns has grown in recent years. Adding more restaurants, gas stations have expended and there are more rooms to stay in now. This is a good thing because during the busy summer months the tourist flock to these locations and they all need food, gas and shelter. However It is still true that when planning a trip to Patagonia in January or February you had better make reservations early and plan your stops for each night, book your ferry tickets, and leave room in your schedule for the unexpected. Whether that is an extra day or an afternoon free the unknown and unexpected must to be accounted for.

​We get asked a LOT about the ferry system here. These ferries are ones of extreme punctuality and efficiency. These guys don’t mess around. If they say the ferry is going to leave at 10 AM then you better be there at 9 am for the loading process. They leave on the dot. Many of these ferries are by reservation and require a ticket be purchased in advance. Only a couple are first come first serve. But you must take all of them seriously. Missing a ferry can derail a schedule as they often sail just once a day. Some routes do indeed have two companies sailing and leaving at different times, but you still need to buy your ticket in advance. I think a full article on this is needed and I will follow up on this topic soon.

Another very important factor especially for Adventure Riders is the road conditions and the car and truck traffic. In the summer the roads can become very dusty. Often traffic on the road can be a hazard due to poor visibility, and distracted drivers stopping in odd locations along the roads to take photos and sight see. For these reasons’ riders must pay close attention to their surroundings and have an eye on the mirrors as well as what’s ahead.

THE MOST important rule when riding here during peak season is never, ever cut the left-hand curves. Always stay on your side of the road and do not cross the center. In the blind curves you will not have enough time or traction to make a last-minute correction. You must always respect the road and slow down to take those blind left curves. On the same note always look out for cars doing exactly this and cutting the left curves and crossing into your lane. This is the number one hazard on the narrow dirt roads of Patagonia. It’s a lesson you do not want to learn the hard way.

I hope this helps anyone wishing to fly and ride. Understand that peak months require greater planning than shoulder months. Over-all its still a very raw and remote part of the world so travel with respect and have fun! 

I recently spoke to a moto traveler who was riding his moto from the USA down to Punta Arenas Chile. He had a question about riding south into Patagonia in September. He, as many do, asked the collective on Face Book, which always yields an array of answers ranging from a majority group answer leaning one way and then one or two lone wolves leaning another way. As human nature dictates, people tend to believe the answer that suits them best, even if it may not be the most sensible or correct answer. In this case the rider was asking if Patagonia was ride-able in September on a moto. Well the short answer is no, but let’s remember Patagonia is huge. It is not a hard NO for all of Patagonia.

First, let’s remember that South American seasons are opposite of North American. September in North America is early Fall and down here it’s very early Spring. What this means is you are still getting snow and cold in many areas of Patagonia. North of the Ice Fields is very different than south, and north is more than likely okay to ride, but checking the weather for the high passes is a must because it can and has snowed in the high passes of the Carretera Austral. In late winter and early spring, snow and motorcycles do not always go hand in hand. It will more than likely still be raining and cold.

The start of the riding season in my opinion is beginning of November. The weather is still cold, and I have seen snow on sections of Ruta 40 that time of year but it’s generally passable by moto. I have seen riders as far south as Ushuaia in November however September is very early to try and make it all the way south and not run into any snow or ice. The high passes can have snow and the weather would be unpredictable at best.

​My suggestion to this rider is to start his Patagonia ride in the north, around the Los Lagos Region of Chile and slowly ride south along the Carretera Austral. This will give him time to hit the southern pass into Argentina around November and eventually make it to Punta Arenas in late November. So, he gets September and October to explore the Los Lagos Region of Chile, which includes Chiloé Island, Futaleufú, Parque Pumalin to name a few. Then as the weather improves start making his way further south.  

One thing I suggest to adventure riders is to always give Patagonia its own time for exploration and try to plan accordingly for the seasons. If you leave in Winter in the North, chances are you will end in Winter in the South! Try to get your seasons to line up where you are chasing summer not winter. Patagonia is huge and has lots to see and do, requiring time to enjoy and experience. The more time the better. While I love the fighting spirit of many Adventure Riders, I have to say a little planning goes a long way. 

​I get asked a lot before our big tours what to bring. While most riders we serve here in Patagonia have many miles under their belt it’s a good question to ask to prepare for riding down here. In general Patagonia weather can change from ridge line to ridge line. I have had days where we ride all morning in the sun, cross into one valley where it's raining and cross back out into sun again.  

​Rain gear is always a hot topic. With the rain being isolated within certain areas it's hard to justify stopping to change into rain gear to then take it all off 30km down the road. I have to say GorTex riding gear is made for this type of climate, no need to stop and change. I personally ride in a KLIM BadLands jacket and pants. While it costs like a house, it works very well. I do not have to stop to change into rain gear, and it dries quickly once you are past the worst of it.

Boots are another big one, no one wants wet soggy feet. I’m on my second sole with my Sidi Adventure Boots. They are almost 10 years old and have served me well, but my next pair will be the Sidi Adventure Gortex. You may see a theme here, keeping dry is important. Using quality gear that breaths is also important because not all days are cold and rainy. We have many days of sun and warm weather.

Aside form the typical everyday off the bike street clothes I suggest not only your favorite pair of sunglasses but a back up pair! They get lost, left behind, and broken and not having a back up pair can be frustrating when all you want is to protect your eyes from the sun, rain and dust on the road with your visor up.

Many of our rides are one-way rides, which means you must carry things in a bag that can be strapped to the bike. It needs to be waterproof and flexible. Investing in a nice top loading dry bag for moto use is important. It serves many purposes and helps carry soft lighter loads when strapped to the rear rack or passenger seat area. I rarely use a top box, it's heavy, clunky and I have not found one yet that doesn’t rattle on a dirt road.

Another piece of gear we ride with here is a Garmin InReach. This is important and something I have talked about in past articles. Having a way to contact the outside world in case of an emergency is not only important but the responsible thing to do. Getting lost or hurt and not being able to tell rescue workers where you are leads to risky search parties out looking for you. One thing I see is folks strapping the InReach or SPOT to their bikes with nifty mounts. It looks real pro and cool, but the reality is if you’re alone and crash and you go one way and the bike goes another, suddenly that device is hard to get to. It could get broken, gone off a cliff, or you could be in a situation where you cannot get to it. My advice is to carry the InReach or SPOT on your person. This reduces the risk of not having access to it when you need it.

While this is by no means a fine detailed list, it is a few important things to consider for riding here in Patagonia or any part of the world where safety, comfort and durability are all key.   

There is and has been a debate going on about how bigger bikes are not the best for long distance travel over rough terrain or remote areas. 1000cc and more 100hp and up bikes. I’m torn on the subject. I am a fan of motorcycles and in general find most dual sport and big adventure bikes fun. To me all of them serve a purpose. Obviously in certain parts of the world the simpler a bike is the less likely you are to have issues. I read many posts on social media of people complaining about electronics, how if they fail it can leave you stranded.
For me, it’s not so simple. For example, Fuel Injection, something many people thought was the devil when in was introduced. But we soon found out its, cleaner, more efficient and more reliable than a carburetor. It can also compensate for altitude much easier. No need to change jets or mess with mixture when riding the high Andean passes in the north of Chile.
The larger more expensive bikes out now have a lot of traction aids as well, electronic suspension and other electronics that cars have had for years, all to help the rider and in many cases the passenger have a safer and smoother ride. Here is where I personally start to draw the line. ABS sure, that’s fine with me it does help. On most bikes it can be turned off for those long off-pavement rides. Traction control, well yeah, it’s needed on a motorcycle that makes 150hp, who thinks they can reign in a 150hp, 500lbs bike? Electronic suspension, not so much in my opinion. I think that manual suspension is reliable and can be adjusted easily enough to not have to involve buttons or electronics. In the automotive world its something that has never been made ultra-reliable, so its hard to think on a moto it would be reliable with the type of exposure a bike gets in relation to a car. Save the cash and if you want better than stock suspension just up-grade to aftermarket, like Ohlins, TouraTech etc.  
Here in Patagonia there are times I have wished for a larger bike, for many reasons. But mid-sized dual sports and adventure bikes tick nearly every box for what is needed to ride in Patagonia reliably and comfortable.
The one place I see the bigger bikes shine is two up travel. Touring long distance on varied road surfaces two up is fun and I see more and more couples riding two up around the block and around the world. I absolutely think a GS1200, Super T or KTM 1290 SA are all viable option for two up Adventure Riding and I applaud those who are willing to travel two up long distances.
I think everyone should ride what makes them happy. Ride what fits the bill for you and where you want to ride and have fun. Keep a smile on your face and gas in the tank.
The road goes on forever and the party never ends amigos!