Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Carbondale (nicer than it sounds), Colorado
Posts: 96
Bikes: Several Italian bikes from the 50's - 83, 4 English Lightweights (1949-1970), Riding bikes-Trek 760, SOMA Triple Cross gravel bike, SOMA SAGA DC touring bike, Pivot Les Fat for winter riding and long distance bikepacking. One modern Carbon bike.
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Couple of real-life observations... Chile is an excellent place to tour. Very friendly people, high on the worldwide 'freedom index' (higher than the US). They tend to drive smaller cars than we do in the US, and they seem to drive slower. We were not honked at once, and only had a few minor run in's with dogs.
Have toured a lot in the western US (AZ, OR, CA, UT, CO) and the size and speed of cars and trucks, combined with narrow to no shoulders, make road touring simi-unpleasant. Off road is excellent, but we have mixed feelings about road tours moving forward. The worst 2 road rage incidents ever happened in 'bike freindly' OR. near K Falls... Hot day, but wow... mean spirited and won't be returning there.
We hosted a couple from the UK (Warm Showers) and they liked Columbia the best out of all the S.A. countries they toured thru. I would not go near Mexico anytime soon due to the drug violence, etc. Why tempt fate...