Suggested Argentina to Colombia route?

Michael Falk

So I'm in Argentina at the moment & have toured lots of the country. So, I'm possibly planning a ride to Colombia where I've flown to before & enjoyed it.
I have everything that is needed for a long & sometimes difficult tour BUT, if possible, whenever possible I prefer paved roads, not to sleep by the side of the road, I'll be by myself more than enough so I prefer to stay at inhabited locations (my Spanish is OK), safe riding & border crossings that are NOT adventures. A "relatively" safe route may mean I'll miss some sights but I figure no matter how I get there it'll still be an adventure with, often, more than adequate scenery.
Any suggested routes? Give as much detail as you like; within Argentina I'm fine.

cycladelic

Michael - I hope you get a lot of response, as I am hoping to do a similar ride in the future... but maybe not until the 2014 World Cup. It's a long way ahead, I know.

Anyway... how long have you been in Argentina and which places would you recommend on a north-bound journey? Have you had any problems?

I wonder about places/route in adjacent Chile, too.

Enjoy your trip.

Michael Falk

Hi Cycladelic,
I've been here for nearly 3 of the last 4 years. Generally, I stay for a lot of time in the city of Rosario which I was passing through while touring (& liked it so I stayed) & then I go off for the odd tour. My rides have been B.Aires to Puerto Madryn (rather flat & I enjoyed the people I met more than the scenery); Santiago de Chile-Puerto Montt-Bariloche-Mendoza-Córdoba-Santa Fe-Iguazu-Montevideo-B.Aires; Rosario-Jujuy-Salta-Tucumán-Rosario; & some shorter rides.
The Andes is clearly the place to cycle. Between Tafí de Valle & the Bolivian border was delightful scenery. I've only heard positive things related to other Andes cycling routes. I've met the odd cyclist doing the full America's trip. Some of the main roads, especially in the less scenic east of the country, are poor to cycle on due to narrow road width & many trucks.
So far, general safety has not been a problem at all. Many very friendly, chatty people.
I could write far more!

Michael

ju5t1n

Hi Michael,

Can't remember if I ever send you a link to this pic?

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page ... size=large

Austria, 2005

Michael Falk

Hi Justin,
yes I've seen your trip info on the web before related to when we met, a rare moment that my model good looks were missed. I was very amused reading the travel commentary.
My friend, the other "Belcher", is now in Aust & does do the odd ride around.

So where's your advice on how I'm to get to Colombia?????

Thanks for your message!!

see you, Michael

alan_sherman

You have two basic choices don't you? Spanish or Portuguese speaking country!

Brazil has some excellent places as isn't as 3rd world as many think. roads are busy and polluted though with little regard to cyclists. A chance to learn Portuguese?

I've not cycle toured there but there but visited a few times and it is vry varied.

Michael Falk

Alan,
Portugeuse is a bit of a barrier to Brazil but also it might be very difficult to work out a cycling path to get to Colombia for the last 2,000km or so. All the same, people have done it. I can imagine that there is some great scenery (besides Rio de J, the Amazon, etc) that is not advertised often to "gringos". I think Brazilian people are perhaps the most friendly in the world, going by the many I've met in Argentina & Uruguay.
I'll see If I can find some routes but I have a bias to the Spanish speaking countries.

Michael

alan_sherman

Maybe just visit the waterfall at foz do Iguacu on teh Argentine/ Brazilian border. Pretty impressive (best from the Argentine side), then you could head west