A ´Mining tour´ in the Chilean mountains

So, on my map, the beautiful road towards La Punta Choro were identical to the road leading through the interior up to Huasco, where I wanted to finish the day. "Great!" I thought to myself (seriously misinformed!) as I wanted to enjoy more of this stunning landscape. - For my birthday (coming up soon) I wish for a map with elevation indicated, especially since I don´t think Peru nor Bolivia will be much easier! :)

And the truth is, I fully enjoyed the morning, perhaps the best route I have taken this far on my trip. The dirt road going through a wide empty landscape with no one but me, and a few wild goats and donkeys! Moreover, without the otherwise common wind, I fully enjoyed the 25HP and comfortable dirt road leading on towards the horizon! I thought to myself: "Man! This is what I have been dreaming about! Whoo hoo!" Accelerating a bit more* :)

Wild donkeys

Goats on the run!

When I arrived to El Morado, I kindly asked for directions of an old gentleman. With his think Chilean accent he (strongly) advised me head back to the highway, but likewise indicated my desired route up north. When I came to the cross road between these two, I noticed an acute drop in quality, but thought to myself; "eh, can´t be that bad! And how boring isn´t the highway!" This is where you should heed the advice of the old man: Head straight toward Ruta 5!

(Mom and dad, the following text is highly exaggerated for story-telling purpose!*) 

It turns out to be a pure mining road with nothing but big trucks and huuge mountains for the better part of the day. Truthfully, I have not seen anything more epic, nor driven anything more extreme in my life. As I was continuously hoping for better road conditions, I had always passed the "let´s go back" point and thus continued on forward. Into the deep valleys of the colossal mountains, through narrow passage ways, up the steep mountain sides on extremely snaky and at times sandy (big No No for motorbikes) roads, and down the other side. At the crest you could see the continuation of the road on the neighbouring mountain tops, swindling up and down the mountain sides. Epic, but a morale killer! :)

Looked liked abandoned machinery

You can make out the road rolling over the landscape

Snaky roads eh!

With at times little hope of ever escaping this endless landscape of mountains, and a killing desert-like heat, hope was rejuvenated with help from friendly truck drivers, always surprised to see a motor biker this far off-road! ... :) Finally, I started to see road signs again, and thought to myself, "Now we can´t be too far away from civilization!". jajaja,... Sure, after another master decent, and an hour through a hilly landscape, I finally arrived at highway 5 again! 

I don´t recommend this route to anyone, who is not up for an extreme adventure ofc!

It was very scenic, and for sure something I will never forget! Now onward on roads actually recommended to me, towards San Pedro de Atacama!  - Over n out