5-Feb-2010 3 months, 12994 Miles

El Mundo Final.

Yes, we made it. The end of the world, Ushuaia, the beginning of the world, jumping off point to Antarctica. If you sailed east or west from here on the same latitude line, the next landmass you came to would be the one you left.

We left Rio Grande late today, about 3pm. We were trying to make some arrangements for ferries, etc. When we got to the bikes, I had a flat tire. Nick's little air pump is cool and we filled it up and went looking for a tire place, at siesta time, no bueno. So it was after 2:30 before anyone reopened.

We had about 120 miles to go into Ushuaia and the pics are limited because I had another camera crisis. Maybe that's good, it let me really focus on the last 60 miles into here, which I think I needed to do. I will get some pics tomorrow. After the last 1000 miles of the windswept plains of Argentina and the northern half of Tierra del Fuego, the last 60 miles into Ushuaia was sensory overload. The black mountains rose up to white glacial caps with the black forests trying to conquer them. It was a spectacular ride in, and just as it should be. I have not looked ahead on the internet to know what to expect and as spectacular as the ride in was, it was just right. Just fitting for the final leg into El Mundo Final.

So many feelings, so powerful and emotional to have accomplished this. We have been through a lot. We stopped in the center of town and parked on the sidewalk and got off to walk the pier. 5 Australian guys cornered us and started asking questions. It was actually quite good. They took us to a pub for a beer and we spent the next couple of hours recapping the trip with our new friends. I think that was a fitting way to arrive here.

Robert Frost, my nemesis for the last bit of this journey, is going to be correct after all, about way leading to way and doubting that I should ever come back to the "road not taken". And with all my BS and analysis, El Mundo Final is approximately equal to El Viaje Final. We will work our way back to the most expeditious method of returning to our lives, my next adventure. It is both scary and exciting. I miss my loved ones and it is time to go home.