Strong winds, beautiful mountain walls, great landscapes and much more. That's what Southern Patagonia stands for. Especially if you are cycling in the northern direction - towards Alaska.

Nobody said it was easy. I knew there were a number of lakes, ferries and obstacles in this trip, but these natural obstacles are now becoming my worst enemy.

Although the "Carretera Austral highway" is a paradise full of great landscapes, the roads are anything but optimal and therefore difficult to prepare. Fortunately, the beautiful view, which occasionally stretches for miles, soothes the pain.

During my ride, not only the roads are an obstacle. Wherever I cycle, I encounter aggressive dogs. They are and remain scary when they run at you during your ride, even if you encounter them for the umpteenth time. In my experience, making a loud noise, raising your arm (so pretend you're going to hit them) and not getting scared is the best way to scare them away.

Of course I also come across fantastic things. Narrow bridges, deep waters and beautiful nature. It is part of the cycle tour on the Carretera Austral Highway.

And just when you think you're on your way and can rest… you notice that your air mattress is leaking. Nothing that a self-adhesive patch can't make. It turns out to be pieces of sand that slowly rub against the air mattress as I cycle over the rocks. Finding another place to keep the air mattress should be sufficient to solve this problem. Again, no one said it would be easy.

The difference between north and south Patagonia is clearly visible, you can even say that the northern part of the Carretera is a world of difference with the southern part. Most of the time you have good road surfaces and the weather is very pleasant. And the scenery alone is well worth the journey.