2. Coastal Highway
Day 137
I get up early today as there is a very long day ahead of me. The destination today is San Pedro de Atacama and it is about 500 km for today. There are no towns in between worth stopping so I'll just make it in one go.
But the first I will try to get money from other bank machines which are in downtown. The ATMs are at well-known banks. When I get there, one bank machine is broken and the other one is out of money and the third one there's a closed door. So no luck in this town, I'm hoping I can get to pay with my credit card for gas and that's all I need for tomorrow and I hopefully I will solve this problem when I get to San Pedro.
I get to a gas station and I tried to pay with one of my credit cards and it is not working. My blood pressure is getting higher and I try another card. This one usually works when no other cards work. And it is the same this time. Saved by the bell. I tried to get money in a cash machine inside the convenience store but with the same outcome. No money. I buy a sandwich and some drinks for the road and for breakfast using the card which works. So I have gas I have food and that is all I need for today. Lets get moving.
There are basically two roads I can get to my destination. The main highway, which is about 60 km inland and follows the coast and the coastal highway, which follows the beaches and cliffs of the Pacific Ocean. I choose to follow the coastline for many reasons. It is much cooler on the coast than inland, and also the scenery is out of this world. Also, there is virtually no traffic here. There is a Kodak moment at every turn. Beaches after beaches after beaches, beautiful coastline, and beautiful road. The road goes either right by the beach or on the cliff with incredible views. There are no towns only few houses here and there. there's no gas station for about 250 km. It is a good thing my bike has a large tank. I don't need to refill until I get to my destination today. I'm taking it easy today, enjoying the scenery. I stop often and take many pictures. The temperature is around 22° which is perfect temperature for riding for me. The only civilization is a customs checkpoint in the middle of nowhere. All of a sudden there are gates and barriers and offices and everybody has to stop and get checked by customs. Not sure why. I know this is the border between provinces, but they want to see my border papers. They don't even get out of their office, stamped my papers and I am on my way again. After 260 km of a beautiful riding on the coast I need to turn inland. There is a huge climb to 1400 m right from the beach. A perfect road with no traffic gets me to the top. It is immediately getting warmer and warmer with every passing turn. I get to the top and there is over 30° already. The road straightens, and there is no turn in sight. There are also no houses, no towns, nothing. As deserty as it gets. And again, I set my cruise control at 100 km/h and enjoy the nothingness. After one hour of solitude, I cross the main north south highway and continue eastbound. I am checking my fuel consumption and I don't need to refill until I get to my destination. I bypass the last big town and I have 100 km left to go. I forgot to mention, along the road up here there are many gigantic solar panel fields. There are eight lines of powerlines alongside the road, if there is a place to build solar panel farms, it is here. This is already part of Atacama desert. There is on average one centimetre of rain in entire year here. Except the rainfall for the past at least a decade and a half is way below the average. It is pretty dry here. In the past 150 km there were only two turns, I think. If you can call 5° of change of direction a turn.
I'm getting close to my destination and the landscape is the same for the past 250 km. Desert and nothing. Only closer you get to San Pedro, more you see the mountains in the distance. The temperature is 32° and it is dry, very dry. I descend a little bit onto a plateau where the town sits. There is nothing green around except for the town. There are beautiful rock and sand formation along the road on the descent to San Pedro. I took some pictures but I am too tired and too hot and too thirsty and too hungry. I will be here for a while so I'll come back and take more pictures.
I get to the town and have no problems to find my hotel. These are not hotels in our terms, it is a house with a restaurant, which has a few rooms in the back. One of my few requirements when I book my accommodations are a secure parking for my bike, and wi-fi connection. And a private bathroom. I know I can get much cheaper accommodation in hostels. I'm too old to be dealing with hustle and bustle of those places and to share my room and bathroom with 10 other people. The accommodations everywhere here are just a fraction of the price would I would pay back home anyway.
I'm here, I have my room and my bike is safely parked behind the closed gate in the courtyard. I will be here for a while. I booked my room through Christmas so I will be here for 18 days. I will write more about it tomorrow.