The second video of Ilse and Ryan “Kodak” Brown’s bikepacking journey from Argentina to Alaska documents their experience heading north through Patagonia. Watch the 36-minute video, read a short reflection from Ryan, and find stunning photos from their trip here…
Words, photos, and video by Ryan “Kodak” Brown
Wind whips across the surface of a brilliant blue glacial lake, driving it into large, white-capped waves. Above our heads, dark clouds streak across the imposing mountains of Torres del Paine. Our ride was going so well, but now the wind has turned against us, making progress nearly impossible. There’s a shelter ahead, though—a wooden, half-open shack with shattered windows. It’s not much, but at least it blocks the worst of the gusts blasting us at 75 kilometers per hour (60 miles per hour). Chairs set up, sleeping bags draped over our shivering bodies, we settle in for the long haul. It may be too early to stop riding, but here in Patagonia, nature is truly in charge.
More than a month has passed since my wife and I quit our jobs and packed up our apartment. We flew to Ushuaia with our bikes in boxes and set out on our journey from Patagonia to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska—one end of the world to the other. The first stretch took us across Tierra del Fuego, the Land of Fire, along the Fin del Mundo bikepacking route. We got beaten and battered by wind (as expected) but couldn’t have been more excited! After a year of preparing and planning, we’re now making slow, steady progress north.
In this video, our goal is to cycle from Punta Arenas to Villa O’Higgins, where the Carretera Austral officially begins. From Punta Arenas, a brutal headwind follows us all the way to Puerto Natales. The Patagonian steppe stretches endlessly—barren, open grasslands covered in calafate bush and coiron grass. Guanacos and Darwin’s rhea are our only companions in this rugged landscape. From Puerto Natales, the traffic grows as we enter the famous national parks of Patagonia. We ride into Torres del Paine under clear skies and take full advantage of the rare weather window. Upon leaving, though, we’re blasted by fierce winds and forced to take shelter multiple times.
From there, we cycle to El Calafate, gateway to the Perito Moreno Glacier. Part of the Southern Patagonian Icefield—the largest mass of ice in the Southern Hemisphere outside Antarctica and Greenland—we watch in awe as enormous chunks of ice calve from the glacier. Towering chunks of ice, the size of apartment buildings, crash 70 meters (230 feet) into the frigid water below. No matter how many times you see it, it’s a sight you don’t quite get used to. Finally, we reach the climbers’ hub of El Chaltén, where we take a break from riding our bikes to visit Mount Fitz Roy, a longtime dream come true.
We hope you enjoy the video. It’s been a wild, windy ride, and there’s plenty more to come. May the wind always be at your back!
To see more from Ryan, check him out on Instagram and YouTube.
Further Reading
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