Part VI  Synopses Concluded
Francisco and I stand in front of a canniblaized locomotive in Nahuel Pan as we prepare for our adventure. Photo, Dick Smart
After leaving Ojo de Aqua on the final day we were surprised to climb through a green canyon before descending into the flat, open country leading into Ingeniero Jacobacci.
Entering the desolate town of Oja de Aqua, the water tower for the steam locomotives still stands at right. Photo, Dick Smart
A colorful switchstand on the siding in El Maiten.
The beauty of the Pagagonia steppes is clearly evident here as we climb the pass between Fitalancao and Rio Chico.
Morgan leads Arne and Dick against a ferocious head wind as we struggle to reach our overnight destination at Disvio Thomae.
Siesta time! While Dick went back to look for some lost glasses Arne and Morgan take advantage of the brief respite.
A night spent in the abandoned baggage car in Fitalancao was unique. I'm really a lot happier than I look. The wind was howling and it was threatening to rain. Setting up and sleeping in our tents was definitely a second choice. Photo, Dick Smart
Dick, whom we dubbed Lawerence of Arabia, can be seen carrying a skull on the back of his bike. In the upper left corner of the photo, soars the ever-present raptor.
The kids loved to have their pictures taken and hammed it up for the videos. Here they pose on stacked rails in the town of Mamuel Choique
The desert sage-like bushes were still green with moisture content. As these plants dehydrate during the dry months ahead the range animals will struggle to find life sustaining supplies of water.
Bundled against the chill wind, I cross a small bridge on the way to La Cancha. There was some concern about flying the American flag, but no ill feelings were evident. Photo, Dick Smart
Arne crosses a small picturesque bridge on the run into Ingeniero Jacobacci.
The bus people. At an isolated grade crossing on the dirt road to Cerro Mesa a small private bus stopped when they saw us approaching on the tracks. All the occupants poured out and we had an uproariously wild time taking pictures of each other.
Morgan works his way up the grade on one of our longer climbs. Although our overall elevation was not great, 2000 to 4000 feet, we climbed more than 4000 feet over the course of the ride as we traversed from one valley to the next.
We were very fortunate with the weather. The ominous looking storm skirted around us with only the hint of wind blown raindrops. We encountered no rain on our entire trip.
The store in Mamuel Choique were we hoped to buy supplies was minimalistic, to say the least. Because of the language barrier Morgan and Dick had go behind the counter to search through the stock, and came away with only some canned tomatoes.
This is the junction of La Trochita with the wide guage 15 miles outside Ingeniero Jacobacci. From this point the the narrow gauge shares one rail of the active mainine into town. There were no trains scheduled that day.
Click on photos for larger view
     My deepest thanks to all who made this trip possible.   To Arne Nilsson, who extended the invitation and so generously built my railbike attachments;  Morgan Gustavsson whose companionship and support made the trip so enjoyable; Dick Smart who was my partner, cook and banker (after my credit cards were stolen in Buenos Aires);  Francisco and Liliana Gurovich who so graciously hosted us in Esquel and who gained the
railroad's permission to railbike La Trochita; my wife, Sandy, who enthusiastically encouraged me to go, and to the people of Patagonia, who were warm, friendly and unforgettable.
La Trochita
An
Adventure
of a Lifetime
      Many have called our railbiking expedition the adventure of a lifetime.  I can't argue with that.  It didn't disappoint.

     Several years ago my wife Sandy, gave me a personalized autographed copy of Paul Theroux's  book, "The Old Patagonia Express." The narrative had little to do with the little narrow gauge but was mostly about Theroux's  adventures in getting there, to "The railroad at the bottom of the world" as he described it.

     For me, it was a fantasy railroad in a fantasy land, the book more a novel than a work of non-fiction.  Not in a million years would I ever have imagined I would some day be railbiking this romantically remote railroad through the wilds of Patagonia.  Nor could I envisioned riding in the the cab of one of the ancient steam locomotive as it pulled the Old Patagonia Express over the steppes of the snow crowned Andes.


Railbiking
2009 Railbike Expedition - An Adventure of a Lifetime
La Trochita
Richard Smart
Return to Introduction
Return to Home Page
Sign InView Entries