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Day 1: Trans Andes Challenge

Dre Hestler’s Day 1 recap.

By bikemag.com /  Posted on January 25, 2011

Photo: Marcelo Tucuna/Trans Andes Challenge

By Dre Hestler
Published: January 24, 2011

A stage race is like a big tour and what better way to see a country than from the saddle of your trusty steed? Chile’sTrans Andes Challenge takes place in the rugged mountains of the Lake District, 600 miles south of Santiago, amid lush rain forest and adjacent the Argentine border. There are a staggering number of volcanoes, and all this differentiates it from anywhere else in the world.

I begin this blog on the eve of the completion of Day 1. And let’s not forget: It’s January and no matter the beautiful weather, the amazing countryside and the volcanoes, it’s still pre-pre- season/ski season.

For years I and others have ebbed and flowed with the seasons of North America and to a somewhat greater degree the European circuit. With some Australian and New Zealand influence we then heard of the ‘endless summer;’ the people who link together tours Down Under sandwiched between two North American summers. But not many have stretched out the travel tentacles as far as South America, and it is here that I must admit my own ignorance.

Fact or fiction? South America is a scary place to travel, a dark continent where revolutions run rampant. You may be robbed at any moment and later likely held hostage or forced to work as a drug mule to earn your way home. Pure nonsense, at least in Chile.

Cue the ewoks… Photo: Dre Hestler

Enter the Trans Andes: A wonderful excuse to escape to a warm paradise… just a hop skip and a jump away. They even have wi-fi (crazy I know) and it’s only a maximum of five hours jet-lag depending where you’re coming from in North America. Many of the international attendees here are logging base miles with the goal of getting a jump on the 2011 season. There aren’t many places in the world as hospitable, as exotic and as safe as Chile for an off-season adventure.

Day 1
The start is at the eco-resort of Huilo Huilo (pronounced wheelo wheelo) and there is no way to imagine this place other than to describe it as the Ewok village from Star Wars. A short neutral jaunt (two miles) up the gravel road and we board a barge that takes us 1.5 hours across the lake to Argentina and the true beginning of this stage.

The statistics are impressive for this time of the year, but we plunge in anyway.

• 90 degrees, 32.5 Celsius
• 38.5 Miles, 62 Km’s
• 5,500 feet vertical, 1,700 m

Photo: Marcelo Tucuna/Trans Andes Challenge

Photo: Marcelo Tucuna/Trans Andes Challenge

The day is punctuated by two major climbs and while not a long stage, for our off-season legs, it’s certainly long enough. I have heard tell of amazing trails here in Chile and this is my goal, and my search. No amount of hardship will deter me from seeking singletrack and trails anywhere in the world, yet to have a supported excursion like this is gold.

Heading up the first climb it becomes apparent that my miles to date are insufficient and I should instead relax and enjoy the panoramic vistas. The day unfolds without much drama—some brutal leg-breaking climbs and some more amazing views as day one of our adventure comes to a close.

Hanging out for lunch with 100 exhausted but happy riders is always fun. Tales from the big ring today are few and far between as the major objectives—completion, miles and adventure—take precedence over competition. Tomorrow may be another story though.

Photo: Marcelo Tucuna/Trans Andes Challenge

Part 2: Trans Andes Challenge

Stages 2 & 3: Tiredness, more volcanoes and jungle for miles and miles

By bikemag.com /  Posted on January 28, 2011

Photo: Marcelo Tucuna/Trans Andes Challenge

(Ed’s note: Dre Hestler is filing reports from the in-progress Trans Andes Challenge. This is No. 2, covering stages 2 and 3; the first dispatch is here.)

By Dre Hestler
Published: January 27, 2011

Day 2
Our adventure has us leaving Huilo Huilo/Ewok Village on a journey of 45 miles (67km). We will be traversing over hill and dale today—many small climbs and many small descents. Our goal is to arrive at Termas de Conaripe (thermal hot springs), one of many dotting this land of mucho volcanoes.

The day begins early, with me hauling yesterday’s well-done hams up to breakfast. It’s a feeling I have put out of my mind since sometime last summer, but somewhere in the dull throb of my body is a flickering flame of pride. It would seem that as much abuse as I give myself, I always seem to get up for a bit more.

Photo: Marcelo Tucuna/Trans Andes Challenge

The spirit is jovial on the start line and no one is jockeying for position; one hundred kindred souls ready for a mountain bike ride. The day’s weather is slightly overcast as we head out onto course.

It’s not long before we hit some steep walls that climb through a forest of vines and flowers in full bloom. The lake below, Lago Natume, is the namesake of the village we just quit. The climbs are bench cut and parallel the lake, slowly taking us higher and higher onto the forested hillside of the valley. The field of athletes thins out and people begin to “find their groups,” or get stuck alone between groups. My people pull away leaving me behind, just like yesterday only a little sooner today. I am comforted as I ride along alone with the knowledge that there are no big snakes or spiders to worry about, and only a few pumas in Chile. It’s just me and the jungle.

My reverie is abruptly halted as the terrain turns down. To the lakeshore we arrive and a true jungle scene is presented. Now I am directly on the riverbank, lush bushes are over-growing the singletrack as the route weaves through mint, brambles and bamboo. The fresh scent of cow dung and drying mud mix with the mint and it is all real because the brambles won’t let it be otherwise.

I’m pretty much loving life, the temperature, the location and cruising through this awesome place called Chile. The rest of the day is punctuated by a bit more interaction with the locals (Mapuche Indians), their remote rustic farms, and a few other bikers.

Photo: Marcelo Tucuna/Trans Andes Challenge

The sun is beating hard late into the afternoon and my legs come and go, but I can feel them settling into a pace. The final descent is a total hairball with a few internationals caught out. I feel like a total stud as I let the brakes go and woo hoo all the way to the finish.

Termas De Conaripe is essentially one of those “health spas”—people are lying around half-naked in open air pools. It’s like a bunch of lizards, and except for the kids yelling and screaming, you’d think you were at the zoo. Imagine how we look as we descend onto the resort post-ride covered in sweat and mud, smiling like group of looney-toons (and this is high season for them?)

Day 3
Termas De Conaripe to Termas De Menetue – 77km, 48 miles

Sounds terrible, switch one health spa for another. We have all basted our skin in the volcanic hot springs, likely for too long, but it was sooo good. Lying in an outdoor pool with the steep forested walls of the valley holding us in, it’s like the resort is designed to hold you and make you feel safe.

The routine is getting established: Up at 7:30 for breakfast, bags packed into the truck by 9, final pee and it’s time to go at 9:30. Today will be a doozy of a day, a leg breaker short climb to begin, followed by ascending one of those massive volcanoes. There is some chit chat and a few cat calls as we roll out and funnily enough it all happens in a couple different languages, but we all get the gist and smile. Everyone is hurting a bit, but it’s also a wait-and-see mentality, and like a bunch of fatalists we take it one day or one mile at a time. Let’s see how the body is today?

Photo: Dre Hestler

Photo: Dre Hestler

Cresting the first climb, a small group of us hit the singletrack; It swoops along a river, behind some small farm cottages and heads down for a good bit of time. The knowledge that we will soon be heading up quiets our elation, but nothing good comes easy and I like to earn my turns.

Today the sun has crept out early from behind the clouds and we are feeling the heat. I put on my SPF 20, but I could certainly use a re-supply about now. The climb is long and arduous, but near the top we get into the Volcan Villarica national park and the trees are marvelous. Over the top we get a couple sneaky peaks, but aren’t well rewarded with views. We rip down 9 miles of beautiful undulating single/double track; this is what we have earned. The descent continues with Boys Scouts and Girls Scouts galore all over the road, like pylons, sleeping bags in hand, all headed to the park behind us. We hit 40 mph (60kms) at some points and are really cooking. It’s exhilarating and even though it’s just a gravel road, it’s still 10 miles more of fast, fast ripping.

The day concludes at 50 miles (80km). It has been a big day, but Day 3, or hump day, is in the bag. We are halfway home and our tans are getting really, really, good. Stay tuned for more of the ‘endless summer’, the Chilean adventure.

Part 3: Trans Andes Challenge

Bringing it home, from the six-stage Chilean tour

By bikemag.com /  Posted on January 31, 2011

Photo: Dre Hestler

(Ed’s note: Dre Hestler is filing reports from the Trans Andes Challenge in Chile; see earlier, Part 1 and Part 2.)

By Dre Hestler
Published: January 30, 2010

Nothing good comes easy. I guess this is one of the mottos I live by, but man, did someone take some liberties when applying it to the Trans Andes Challenge. Actually, all of the hard stuff is generally self-induced, which means there is no one to blame but myself (doh!). Of course, at the end of every awesome week of riding it’s time to saddle up the beer steins and celebrate. Perhaps this is also one of the credos I live by, and heck we sure earned it.

Day 3 saw my legs come around and the routine begin to take shape, then it all became a blur of super radness. The big difference between this and the normal rides I do in January—and for that matter, between a good business and a bad business—is location, location, location… and a bit of timing.

Photo: Dre Hestler

Photo: Dre Hestler

My head is foggy now as I attempt to recount the tales of the last few days. Last night we celebrated the completion of the route, and together we shared this accomplishment and together we celebrated. And what better brokers friendships, multi-national relationships, or simply some camaraderie than sharing not one, but six, epic rides, six nights of camping and some 18 meals together? We’ve become something of a family over the week and parting ways becomes a wee bit sad, but we all know there will be another event in the future and likely we will see the same smiling faces again.

Day 4 was by far the best pure mountain bike day yet. We ripped up an amazing piece of trail that wove around a pristine alpine lake. The forest was like nothing I have ever seen before and riding another surreal experience becomes commonplace as again and again the sublime beauty of Chile is revealed. We came together, eleven of us, late into the day on this piece of singletrack. Some were going forward, some backwards, but all of us were fully moved by this particular small moment and the experience it provided.

Strengthened by the days of riding and the fresh air of the forest and the mountains we all seemed to find new vigor and push through to finish the longest day of the event.

Day 5 was rumored to be the “Queen” stage, but we were reminded to keep our heads up and take a glance or two behind, as the views were not to be missed. The trail was clearly marked but sometimes one can lose oneself anyway, and so it was that I meandered off the course, had a mechanical and managed to make an absolute botch of this day’s navigation. Thank God it mattered little in the grand scheme of things as I caught some different people and managed to spend the day in good company enjoying myself thoroughly.

Photo: Dre Hestler

Photo: Dre Hestler

Onto yet one more hot springs resort with a beautiful river and boat load of pasta to quench my endless hunger. This was an epic day and we were not sure what the final stage would bring, but having made it through five, the sense of near completion was exhilarating.

Day 6 followed a 9.5-hour sleep, and it feels like I could go on riding my bike forever at this point. Our routine is smooth and the weather fair, the food is plentiful and my taste for exploring is not quenched, so why stop now? Ah yes, life comes crashing back and it’s time to go home. A short 25-mile jaunt into Pucon (the Fort Lauderdale of Chile) with some climbs in the front and some fast descents in the back has me winning the stage, placing second in the over all, but more importantly putting to rest this amazing chapter and journey through in and around Chile. Get out of the ordinary and get on with the strange, I say. See you around.

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Etnies Gets Rad In Portugal from etnies europe on Vimeo.

A land strange and unknown to me at least; What do I know about this remote South American -end of the world country? Long thin, it’s border defined by the Andes, water falling on the west is Chilean water falling on the east is Argentinian, Easter Island, Patagonia, the Allendes and Pinoche, some vague concepts of travel, writing, politics and many conflicting views. What I really know is that I didn’t know anything. Some rumours abounded; they had mountains and ski resorts so all the ingredients for a mountain bike adventure were there.

This trip is a multi-part story that will not see a conclusion until after the Trans Andes on January 24-29th. But for the first part and the common theme, the Trans Andes, the route, the area and the culture are all to be captured in a Ride Guide segment.

Some time earlier this year, Juan Pablo Santiagos the director of the TA had dialed me up and invited me down to Chile. Naturally I figured if going all that way, lets crank up the excitement and make the most of it, so I contacted Ride Guide and put together a team.

Viola, Chile in November – actually not so chilleee, actually quit warm about 25 degrees. Our goal, segment 1- to get the lay of the land for Ride Guide and secondarily a Rocky Magazine Road trip, segment 2-would be to follow up with the race in January. For the second part of the initial November trip I figured there must be some other people looking to explore and create some adventures. I threw out some invites, contacted some guiding companies and mixed in a little flavour I call Chile, ha. But lets put that pot on the back burner for a bit and get on with shooting the Ride Guide segment.

Josh the cameraman for Ride Guide and I met in LA, flew LAN Chile via Lima to Santiago. Piece of pie, easy, and only a 5 hour time change to deal with. We met Juan Pablo in Santiago, who by the way is an x-World Cup DH racer and grabbed a domestic flight south to Tecum on the northern edge of Patagonia. Patagonia is an undefined geographical region in Chile, not to be confused with their states, provinces or as they call them regions (12). We were in the Araucania region considered to be the middle south of the country. While the majority of the wine growing takes place in the arid Santiago area (800 K north), here it was lush rainforest, logging and mucho Volacanic activity.

As usual the rideguide.ca is about culture as much as wicked riding, so we ventured out to visit a traditional Mapuche Indian village. They are very representative of global aboriginal struggles to maintain traditional ways in the maelstrom of modern conveniences. The particular Senhorita that we conversed with was very sharp and very tourism savvy, she expressed some concern with the governments involvement, but let us know she was open to sharing her ways with us and finding some mutually agreeable ground with the officials. This was on a whole the shocking example of Chile; advanced, calm and reasonable; from the Mapuche natives to the not stressed out airline people, Chile is a first class nation of warm hosting people.

Juan took us out to the sponsor hotel, the start of day 1, in a land reserve and area know as Huilo Huilo. This alone is enough to consider your holiday goals achieved; a full eco-resort in a rainforest built like the ewok village of Star Wars. The next day it was out to explore the course and the land, we were in the middle of a lush rain forest with Volcanos rising in every direction- we only saw 3 from our vantage point, but apparently there were a possible 13 to be seen on a clear day above the green canopy.

We spent a number of days exploring the resort and the first few days of the route before our time ran out and it was time to exit stage one of Chile. We had met Louis the director of Operations, we had met the local course designers and we had a much better deeper understanding of what Chile is all about. Much of the philosophy of the Trans Andes is similar to that of the BC Bike Race, not to mention Juan was riding a Rocky Mountain Bike, it was very comfortable and reminded me of home.

As we headed back to Santiago we stopped at Stage 3′s finish, a natural Volcanic hot spring with a resort built around it, then a night in Pucon, checking out the lay of the land of this Whistler type village the host of the final stage and party.

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It was only a matter of one night before the boys arrived and the gong show would ensue again. The snow was flying at home in BC and we were in shorts and jerseys down in South America, maybe the old adage “snow birds” is taking a new direction -Chile anyone?

Cheers
Dre