Penguins and Broken Bolts

Rio Gallegos was my base for a 160 mile in and out trip to see Magellan Penguins, on my to do list while in Patagonia. Cape Virgenes is host to a very large colony, over 100,000 of them apparently. The cape is also the southern most tip of mainland Argentina, Tierra del Fuego being an island. It was an enjoyable visit but it came at a price. 

The 140 miles of very rough unmade road on the return journey to get to the cape was enough to shear both pivot bolts, 2 of the 4 points that secure the rear subframe to the rest of the motorcycle. The subframe now had half the support and had dropped about 2 cm, opening up a gap between the seat and the fuel tank, the clue that disclosed an issue.  It was not a condition that could not go unrepaired. 

Once I found the problem there were three issues to solve, getting the nub ends of the bolts that remained in the subframe extracted, sourcing and fitting new bolts of the proper dimensions and finding a mechanic that was willing and capable to do the job. It was 4.30pm; I needed to find a mechanical angel. I did. By 8pm, I was back up and running. $30 to El jefe who made a couple of trips out of the shop to get a hardened drill bit and then source the bolts plus a decent tip to Siguel, the fixer.

Thank you. Thank you.

So what of the penguins? Amazing, they were everywhere. Staying quiet and moving slowly they could be approached within a foot or two. The video shows them heading into the ocean to fish, returning up the beach and then on the wide path they created over eons to return to feed their youngster.

A few stills to add to the mix. As you can see the young are nearing the point they will leave the nest, they barely fit in it; the parents had done a good job feeding them.

The cape is also home to a lighthouse. The sign claims it is the origin of Ruta 40; it may have been at one time, but now that distinction is a few miles due east of Rio Gallegos at Punta Loyola, but it made for a nice picture. It is certainly a long haul to Buenos Aires.

It had been an interesting day that had the makings of a trip halting incident.

This report is coming from Tierra del Fuego, thanks to a couple of willing and capable Argentinians who kept the wheels rolling.

Cheers T2.