A New Direction: Ruta y Cosas

Catherine and I are riding our bicycles from Ushuaia, Argentina back to Quito, Ecuador!  Neither of us have done even one night of bicycle touring, we speak simple Spanish, and the journey is abot 9000 kilometers.  We couldn´t be more nervous, excited, happy, amazed, thankful, and scared!  Our decision to take on this challenge was motivated by so many things that Catherine or I will hopefully write about later.  Until then I just want to talk about how we´ve gotten here and where will will go. 

We are sitting in a hostel in Ushuaia right now packing our panniers and bags in preparation for our departure tomorrow.  One week ago we packed everything in Quito we needed for five months on a bike, and stored the rest with some friends.  We then took a flight to Buenos Aires, Argentina to explore what I think is my new favorite metropolitan city.  We were both sad to leave after four days, but we had a mission and will definitely return someday. 

The past two days in Ushuaia have been devoted to building our bikes, which thankfully made three flights safely, taking care of last minute details, and mentally preparing to depart.  Today we also biked to the furthest southern point of any road in the Americas.  Many others have started or ended amazing trips from this point.  We also have ran into a couple Colombianos who are making a similar trip back home.  They have been really nice, and I hope we can write about them more as the trip goes on.

Check out they map below to see my guess at where our trip will take us.  This is by no means set in stone, and I guarantee it will change from what I have below.  Our goal isn´t so much just to make it to Quito, but to enjoy each other and the journey, however that may play out.

Below is an awesome picture of what we plan to carry between the two of us  Also, just because I am a huge dork, a list of what we are bringing.  Everything including bikes will weigh around 70 pounds when fully loaded.  Stay tuned for fully packed pictures of the bikes.


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Bikes

• Niner SIR9
• Gary Fisher Mt. Tam

Bags (each)

• Revelate Tangle Frame Bag
• Revelate Sweet Roll Handlebar Bag
• Revelate Pocket
• Ortlieb Backroller Classic Panniers
• Old Man Mountain Rack
• Watershed bag
• NRS dry bags

Clothing (each)

• helmet
• bike gloves
• warm gloves
• bike shorts x 2
• jersey short sleeve x 2
• jersey long sleeve x 2
• stocking cap
• buff
• long underwear
• rain jacket
• puffy coat
• rain pants
• wool socks x 3
• comfy pants
• cotton t-shirt
• underwear x 3
• bike shoes
• toe covers
• running shoes
• sunglasses
• shorts

Camping

• tent
• sleeping pad x 2
• sleeping bag x 2
• bag liner x 2
• stove
• lighter
• wind shield
• pot
• pan
• cooking spoon and spatula
• drom bag
• water filter
• personal fork and spoon x 2
• personal bowl x 2

Personal

• toothbrush x 2
• toothpaste
• floss
• soap
• sunscreen
• lip balm
• Burt's Bees
• chamois cream
• TP/sani
• headlamp x 2
• camera
• camera charger    
• maps for all countries
• compass
• passport
• copy of passport
• cash under insole
• iphone
• iphone charger
• Kindle x 2
• kindle charger
• plug adapters
• journal/plannerx 2
• camp towel x 2

Tool Kit

• multi-tool
• leatherman
• pump
• chain lube
• small grease rag
• duct tape
• zip ties
• cord
• tube patch ki
• bike lock

Spare Parts

• chain
• chain quick link
• shifter cable
• tire
• tubes
• brake pads
• cleats
• spokes

First Aid

• spare contacts
• tweezers
• oral thermometer
• lighter
• moleskin
• non-stick gauze pads
• athletic tape
• band aids
• antibiotic cream packs
• emergency pain killers
• Benedryl
• Tylenol
• Allegra