November 6, Day 28: Puerto Varas to Puerto Octay
Yesterday I bit an olive stone in an empanada. By bad luck the tooth that crunched it was already a bit sensitive, my dentist previously mentioned there was a crack here ... and it felt like I'd broken part of my tooth off. The empanada got forgotten for quite a long time while I tried to figure out how bad the damage was - I could feel some jagged corners that weren't there before, and there's a tooth that's not actually painful but was definitely reserving the right to light up some excruciating pain.
The question that matters is, can I still eat? Feels like I can, so long as absolutely nothing strays to the left side. That's going to make things complicated, but manageable.
I mailed my dentist in Amsterdam with a few more details; they weren't excited and asked for photos of my teeth. This is not an easy thing to arrange when you're alone. I managed a selfie with a duck face the other day, but that needed quite a bit of time and concentration. Getting a well-lit photo of one's own teeth is next level. I ended up facing the sun, yawning, with my phone within biting distance: it's not possible to see the screen because of glare and view angles so there's a bit of guesswork involved. I got some pictures but I'm not going to post any here because this is a family show.
The dentist couldn't see any damage (and neither could I) so maybe nothing has broken off, maybe the crack just got bigger or something. So I'll keep going. I don't think I can complete the cycling trip on milkshakes and soup so if it does get worse I'll probably have to cut things short and return early.
Speaking of returning early, my laundry could have been. Yesterday I was told it'd be ready at 12, but I showed up a few minutes early and it was not just done but buried, so I definitely could have picked it up sooner...
Today is a shortish 6 hour/100km ride so I was OK with leaving at midday - but finishing earlier is always better! I'm heading anticlockwise around the lake, because that's the scenic way. I'm not going the whole way around, just about 2/3 and finishing in Puerto Octay which is roughly in the northwest corner. Tomorrow I'm heading northwest so it's a good place to stop.
From left to right: Unusually large cuckoo clock at the Pablo Fierro Museum. The first good bike path this trip! Selfie with mountain. Evacuation route in case of eruption. Some good winding roads. Pedestrian crossing in the middle of nowhere - it indicates cyclists on the bikepath need to switch sides because there’s a bridge with space for pedestrians and bikes only on that side.
Today was a really good cycling day. It's a nice sunny day, but not too hot. There's a bit of wind but it's not too strong (and arguably a tailwind). The road had some great scenery but never got too steep. This is a good route.
Best of all: there was a cyclepath for most of it. Separated from traffic! And with plenty of space. There were a lot of sticks and leaves and other detritus on it, so I guess it hasn't had much use recently. But I did see a handful of other cyclists coming the other way: none with panniers or backpacks, all just out for a short trip.
In addition, I didn't need to bring lunch! I've tried this a few times before and it hasn't worked out well. But there's a tourist village on the east side which is bristling with kayak rentals, rafting expeditions, cafes and restaurants. It worked out: I found a tidy-looking place and had a good lunch. It took nearly an hour which was a bit indulgent given the late start, but tonight's accomodation is already booked so arriving late won't be a problem.
Highlight of the day is a cloud-shrouded volcano, which I'd like to get a photograph of, without trees or telegraph lines getting in the way. Only near the end is there a good clear view.
From left to right: not a cable repairman but advertising for a flying fox place. Lake view. Retired ploughing machines. Decorative windmill. Approach to Puerto Octay. The mountain view I was chasing all day.
I get into Puerto Octay about 7, on time if we put aside lunch. Once again I think I'm the only person staying at this hostel; I've booked a single room but they've given me a double - excellent! Shower and route planning takes an hour, I'm thinking about going out to explore but the hostel has a good menu and I'm not that full of energy so I have dinner here. With cake.
Actually, this does add up to quite a good day. More like this please.
